Special Report
F2 E
GROWING
From The Ashes from page 19
"We can make this
tragedy into a
rallying point that
resonates among
young and old, rich
and poor, religious
and secular, and
links us as Jews.
"
- JN Publisher Arthur Horwitz
in the Dec. 23 issue
Arthur Horwitz
Dr. Leora Bar-Levav
Yoav Raban
20 January 6 . 2 011
the reclamation efforts would fall to them. Within weeks, JNF
logged almost 3,500 new donors through its website.
"It was important to start right away with raising funds
while the Israelis fought the fires and assessed the needs,"
said JNF Michigan Region President Dr. Leora Bar-Levav of
Franklin, who helped organize an emergency phonathon on
Dec. 12. "We heard from many people who wanted to help."
JNF is currently working with synagogues, groups and
individuals to encourage them to set up their own tribute
page to raise funds.
"One person, or one institution or organization can raise
thousands of dollars by asking their friends or members to
join in," Bar-Levav said. "Setting up the option of Internet
donations makes it much easier."
The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the
umbrella organization of more than 150 Jewish federations
in North America, announced Dec. 20 it will distribute
$2.4 million to help Israel recover from the fire. The Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit in Bloomfield Township
publicized the fundraising appeal through e-mail and added
a link to its website.
Federation's community shaliach, Yoav Raban, who will
return to Israel in February after three years here, wrote in
the Dec. 16 JN about a firefighter and a prison guard from
Michigan's Partnership 2000 region in the Central Galilee
who perished in the fire. He also wrote about the trees that
"have always been a symbol of our nation; their growth emu-
lating the development of a young state, their roots settling
into our land as Israel established itself as an equal among
the nations, their leaves blossoming while the love for Israel
continues to flourish among Jews all over the world."
In the Dec. 23 issue, JN Publisher Arthur Horwitz also wrote
to engage the community in a grassroots fundraising effort
for forest restoration and new plantings. Listing a wide range
of organizations and institutions in the community that could
become involved, he offered the JN's support and suggested
tying the effort into Tu b'Shevat.
"While we can't replace the Carmel forest by ourselves, we
can make this tragedy into a rallying point that resonates
among young and old, rich and poor, religious and secular, and
links us as Jews, once again, with our past, our present, our
future and Israel ... one sapling at a time," Horwitz wrote.
He also expressly challenged the 2,500 participants in
Federation's Miracle Missions to Israel, which included tree
plantings whenever possible, to each contribute $18 to JNF to
assist.
Tal Gutkovitch, formerly on staff with the Michigan Region
JNF, with Art Fishman, who was honored by the Temple Shir
Shalom Brotherhood for his extensive efforts to plant trees in
Israel
and schools 500 orphans and children from abusive homes.
"We thought it would be nice to have one school helping
another school, and to show that people from far away care
about them," Greenbaum said.
When Art Fishman of Oak Park learned of the fire he knew
he had to do something.
"I felt very sad," he said. "I'd seen the forest with my own eyes
and planted trees there with my own hands. To me, each one
was a little soldier you planted so it would grow into something
bigger and protect the land."
He had planted saplings in the forest twice, most recently in
2002 when he took his grandson Ryan to Israel as a bar mitzvah
gift.
Grassroots Effort
An active member of Temple Shir Shalom
But even outside of the organized
in West Bloomfield, over the years Fishman
appeals, e-mail blasts and phone
has seen to it the temple's Brotherhood has
banks, several Detroiters took it
planted more than 5,000 trees.
upon themselves to try to help.
"I said I needed to raise some money for
"My friend Ariella Nadel and
trees, and they pledged $1,000 right away, no
I were brainstorming in shul the
matter what I collected. In two weeks, I col-
Shabbat of the big fire," says Jill
lected over $2,000. The temple cut a check and
Greenbaum of Young Israel of
we're sending it to JNF right away"
Southfield and, like Nadel, a parent
While the fire took what seemed like an
of kids at Akiva Hebrew Day School
excruciating long five days to contain, the work
Two local women are selling these
in Southfield. "We were trying to
to prevent a similar catastrophe, and rebuild
figure out a way to raise money for bracelets to raise money for an Israeli
lives and property, is critical now. To find out
youth village damaged by the fire.
the region, and we came up with a
how you can help, contact your synagogue,
bracelet idea a la Lance Armstrong:'
school or Jewish organization, or JNF at (888)
Since then they have sold more than 300 rubber bracelets
563-0099 or www.jnf. org or go to Federation's website: www.
that read "Israel, From Darkness to Light" at Young Israel and
jewishdetroit.org . I
Akiva, raising almost $1,000. The money will go toward rebuild-
ing the severely damaged Yemin Orde Youth Village that houses
Related stories on page 22