Community

HEART ELT EXPRESSION

Brighter New Year from page 37

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Ava Taylor, 4,
of Bloomfield

Hills, created
this design for
the Yad Ezra

Rosh Hashanah
Greeting Card

Contest.

Winning Rosh
Hashanah design

by Wendy Kelman

20/20 Campaign And
Fundraising Dinner

Marking Yad Ezra's 20th anniversary, the agency
has launched the 20/20 Campaign: Seeing an End
to Hunger. In a quest to raise $100,000 by the end
of this year, Yad Ezra is hoping 250 donors will
come forward to contribute $20 a month for 20
months. Each donation will provide entire meals for
one person for five months.
"We have a major hunger issue in Southeast
Michigan as the need for food and other household
items continues to rise," said Lea Luger, Yad Ezra
development director. "We're asking for people to
donate money, but also to volunteer their time."
The agency's goal is to increase volunteering and
activism while raising more funds and feeding the
hungry. In its 20 years, the agency has distributed
12 million pounds of food.
Yad Ezra will honor Margot and Jerry Halperin
at this year's fundraising dinner event at a 6 p.m.
strolling supper and 7:30 p.m. short program,
Monday, Oct.11, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield. The annual event pays tribute to indi-
viduals whose efforts on behalf of the agency are
recognized. The event, combined with a program
journal, accounts for a major portion of Yad Ezra's
operating budget. Cost: $180 per guest.
For information on Yad Ezra, to volunteer or make
a donation, enroll in the 20/20 Campaign or for
information on the annual dinner, access the web-
site at yadezra.org or call (248) 548-3663.

38

September 2 a 2010

JN

the contest among campers. "We
also sent an e-blast to everyone on
our e-mail list': Luger said.
Judges Jody Kaplan of Waterford,
Yad Ezra's administrative assistant,
and Yad Ezra volunteers Ed Klein of
West Bloomfield and Al Yendick of
Livonia chose the winners.
"We were looking for drawings
that would reproduce well, but that
also well-represented the holiday':
Kaplan said. "To judge them, we put
them all out on a table and we each
chose our own favorites. We hap-
pened to agree on all of them. We
could tell a lot of hard work went
into the entries:'

Holiday Cards
The contest has been around since
1998.1 actually stole the idea from
the Jewish News Chanukah art
contest': Luger said. "I thought this
would be a perfect vehicle for us to
sell Rosh Hashanah greeting cards."
This year, 100 sets of cards were
printed for sale. Sales are still ongo-
ing, but Luger said, "Last year's
effort raised $5,300, which goes into
our operating expenses:'
When Wendy Kelman, a seventh-
grader at Akiva, drew her contest
entry, she did it with a specific

memory in mind. "When I was in
second or third grade, I won this
contest:' she said. "I decided to try it
again. I thought about things we do
and eat on Rosh Hashanah and put
them all on the paper.
"I'm excited to see my drawings
on the cards and know they are
being sold for a good cause:"
Of her entry, Claire Schlussel
said, "I was trying to show that the
holidays are not just about apples
and honey; they are also about a
feeling of things changing outdoors
and getting ready for Sukkot:'
The seventh-grader at Hillel Day
School in Farmington Hills also
included musical notes among the
Hebrew and English New Year's
message. "I wanted to bring joy and
happiness to the words, like in a
song': she said.
Claire's family purchased a set of
cards, but she said the winners each
have a unique set. "We all traded
with each other so we each have 12
of our own:' she said. "We will send
some out for Rosh Hashanah, but
also keep one to save:'

Center of Metropolitan Detroit day
camp. "Then she learned about
Yad Ezra from the contest': said her
mom, Jennifer. "At camp, they went
over the concept of what Yad Ezra
does and talked about charity and
taking care of people — something
reinforced at home. She is very sen-
sitive and wanted to give more.
"At Temple Beth El [in Bloomfield
Township], where we are members,
there is a huge box for people to
bring items to be donated. Ava's
always picking out things at home to
put in the box — including her sis-
ter's things. She knows her drawing
is on cards sold to help give food to
needy people:"
Shortly before learning she was
a contest winner, Ava won a big red
tennis ball in a vending machine.
"After I read her the letter that
said she won and that her cards
would be sold to help feed people,
she said, `Its just like the tennis ball,
but it's going to feed people:
"Something simple — but com-
plex." 171

Packets of 12 Rosh Hashanah greeting

Giving And More Giving

cards may be purchased in person at

Ava Taylor, 4, first learned about the
contest at the Jewish Community

Road, Berkley. Cost: $50 per package.

the Yad Ezra office, 2850 W. 11 Mile

