teens in action

by Heather Rosenbaum

giving back

annual J-Serve day of service allows teens to make a difference in their community.

I

do J-Serve to have fun
while also volunteering
with my friends," said
Nate Strauss, 16, a student
at North Farmington High
School.
J-Serve, this year on April
25, is an annual national day
of service for Jewish teens.
Student activities included a
gardening project in Detroit,
baking at JARC in South-
field, working with seniors,
participating in the Walk for
Project Chessed in Farming-
ton Hills and working with Above: Elliot Littman, 17, of Oak Park, Sarah Greenwood and Sarah Shaw, both 16 and of Huntington Woods, volunteer at the Walk for Project Chessed.
teens of other faiths to clean a Middle: Lizzy Kirsch, a senior at West Bloomfield High School, ties together a fleece blanket.
park in Detroit.
Right: Andrea Goldstein, a sophomore at Frankel Jewish Academy In West Bloomfield, helps assemble dolls for a Hadassah project.
"J-Serve is a program to
serve the community, to make
it look better and bring it to life," said Marlee Sil- so much history and the people now have a place
The community will continue its work after the
verstein, 17, a Walled Lake Central student.
downtown to be part of a Jewish community.
J-Serve teens have gone, but we leave having made
Last year, all J-Serve teens went to the Isaac
In one of the rooms I was painting stood a big
a difference in the community, and
Agree Downtown Synagogue in Detroit to clean safe that has yet to be opened, meaning it's un-
that's what J-Serve is all about.
and renovate. This year I had the privilege to go known what's inside. We asked why they had not
Heather Rosenbaum, 15, is
back one year later and see all that we had accom- opened it yet and it is because the synagogue is
a sophomore at West Bloomfield High
plished. From the newly replaced lights to the fresh- planning a fundraiser where they will break open
School. She attends ATID: Alliance of
ly painted rooms, J-Serve made a difference. To see the safe and reveal its contents as a fundraiser to
Teens In Detroit.
the community grow is a blessing. The building has further their improvements on the building.

teens in action

volunteering

Scouts make cots for dogs.

lzzy Lerner spent 10 days or so at the Almost Home Animal Shelter in Southfield before being adopted by Oren

Shabbat Shalom
by Phone!

Lerner and his family in West Bloomfield. Oren recently joined Boy Scout Troop 364, chartered by the Men's
Club at Adat Shalom Synagogue in ,4fv.

new program links teens with seniors.

Farmington Hills.

For 10 Jewish residents in Metro Detroit, many living in iso-

As a service project, the Boy

Scouts spent several Sundays

lated circumstances, Shabbat is no longer lonely. The Jewish

building 10 doggie cots out of PVC

Community Chaplaincy Program, a service of Jewish Senior

pipe and heavy cloth.

Life, created a program called Shabbat Shalom by Phone, and

Rabbi David Polter asked the Akiva students to be the first

Izzy Lerner was very proud to

participants.

hear that Oren and the other Boy

Scouts visited his old friends at

On April 22, the students were invited to attend a Jew-

the shelter to donate the doggie

ish Senior Life volunteer recognition ceremony at Fleischman

Residence/Blumberg Plaza in West Bloomfield. Madeleine

cots.

Warshay, Hannah Korelitz, Shira Movsas, Ilana Goldmeier,

If you are interested in helping

as a volunteer or to be a foster

Molly Goldmeier and Ruthie Lehmann received the award on

family for dogs and cats, contact

behalf of the students for volunteering to call a senior citizen

Almost Home Animal Shelter at

each week before Shabbat to wish him/her a Shabbat sha-

almosthome1965@aol.com or call

lom.

The calls are truly appreciated by the seniors; for many.

(248) 200-2695.

TT2 teen2teen May 13 .2010

it's their only taste of Shabbat and their only conversation

Lauren Anchill, director, Almost Home Shelter, with Boy Scouts Oren Lerner, Zach

with a young person. Each student has bonded with her se-

flak, Tyler Pleasant (standing), Elan Pszenica, Justin Sherman and Josh Graff

nior friend and looks forward to the weekly call just as much

visit JNt2t.com