feature by Jennifer Finkel backstage pass W Teen "tribe" of future leaders learns about behind-the-scenes Detroit. e are a Tribe. We are Passionate. We are NEXT. Are you?" These words are printed on the Back- Stage Pass (BSP) sweatshirts. They signify what the program means. Tribe: It is a tribe because we are a cohort of young people who share similar interests and goals, yet have different stories and opinions. Passionate: It is passionate because everyone in the tribe loves the city of Detroit and yearns to remain a part of and improve our community. Next: This signifies training the next generation of leaders. Are you? It asks this question because the job of BackStage Pass is not only to educate those who are a part of it, but also to educate those in the community. BackStage Pass' mission is to educate a select group of Jewish teens and provide them with the skills necessary to be the next generation of Jewish leaders. The program is sponsored by Communi- tyNEXT, which is a part of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. The tribe will learn about Detroit and what goes on within and about its borders. It will provide these teens the inside scoop, a behind-the-scenes look into the city. It is a four-year program, beginning in the junior year of high school and continuing through a final internship in the sophomore year of college. The goal is to edu- cate the tribe (and tribes to follow) so they may educate others about the many opportunities that exist in Detroit. Many of us have gone to a Ti- gers' game or to the Detroit Insti- tute of Arts, but what do we know about the work that goes on behind the scenes at these venues? What do we know about the business sides of them? What do we really know continued from page about the city we reference when we are asked, "Where do you live?" That is the job of BSP. Twenty-one Jewish teenagers representing a di- verse group of schools and synagogues were accept- ed into the program after going through an applica- tion process and an interview. These teenagers plus three staff members kicked off the first BSP class Above: BSPers perform a skit: Maude Etkin and Eli Suds, both of Bloomfield Hills, Zach on Jan. 22 by spending a night at the Bittker BBYO Conference Center in Ortonville. Activi- ties included singing, brainstorming and getting to know more about the other members of the group. "At Bittker, we were introduced to what we were going to do for the next four years," said David Weinfeld, 16, of Farmington Hills, a Frankel Jew- ish Academy student. "It got us all excited for this great opportunity." The next step was a strategic planning ses- sion in February. At this meeting, ideas discussed during the overnight were elaborated upon, and brainstorming helped determine how things can be done and what can get the word out. Also dis- cussed were what type of focus the tribe wants to have and what its goals are. "The strategic planning opened my eyes to all the different ways we can improve Detroit," said Michelle Gooel, 16, of West Bloomfield, who at- tends West Bloomfield High School. The next program will include a "backstage pass" to the local film industry. The tribe will be taken behind the scenes at the end of April. This is only the beginning for BSP. There will be so much more to report on as this group learns and explores its potential along with the potential of our city, Detroit. I have the pleasure of being part of this tribe, and I promise you, we will be something to keep your eye on. We are BackStage Pass. Are you? I } Neistein, West Bloomfield, David Weinfeld and Anna Rubin, both of Farmington Jennifer Finkel, 16, is a junior at West Hills Bloomfield High School. Left: BSPers get to know each For more information, visit www.backstagepassmi.com other by untangling them- or e-mail coordinator Josh Goldberg at selves during an icebreaker. josh@communityNXIcom. rri teen2teen staff • hotline: (248) 351-5144 • kcohen@thejewishnews.com Reporters I Chavivah Bluth, Molly Grossman, Elizabeth Kirshner, Hannah Korelitz, Avi Mendelson, Avielle Movsas, Jamie Rashty, Stepha- Right: Veteran Dave Dombey shows nie Schulman (Akiva Hebrew Day School, Southfield); Yona Isaacs, Gabriella Ring, Molly Rott, Claire Sinai (Berkley); Nechama Tawil (Beth war mementos to students Jacob, Oak Park); Madeleine Gonte (Birmingham Groves); Rachel Gorosh, Joanna Loney, Emily Schottenfels, Mara Stein. Rachael Vettese, Sara Berlin and Ari Chesterman. Zussman (Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills); Jillian Apel, Tamar Brown, Arica Cykiert, Abbie Ginis, Polina Fradkin, Emily Goodman, Helene Rachel Wein (Bloomfield Hills Andover); Abby Hyman (Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood); Mari Cohen (Community, Ann Arbor); Emily Glickman, Rachel Goutman, Heather Grossman, Jessica Kahn, Rachel Klein, Gideon Levinson, Noam Saper, Talia Schechet, Lexi Smith, Zoe Soble, Maddy Soltz. Sara Weinfeld, Samantha Zwick (Frankel Jewish Academy, West Bloomfield); Rachel Hollander, An Well (Harrison, shared with many more people because we did the videos." As members of the corn- munity, students were able to broaden their horizons and meet people who they may have never gotten to meet otherwise. The vet- erans were wonderful to work with, and brightened the nights of the students in Hebrew high school. "Our concept of l'dor v'dor (from generation to genera- tion) was achieved," said Nicole Jahr, Beth Shalom direc- tor of education. ! Molly Rott, 16, is a junior at Berkley High School. TT4 teen2teen April 14 . 2011 Farmington Hills); Daniel Chandross, Jillian Goldstone (Hillel, Farmington Hills); Mayer Schneider (home schooled); Harriet Cooper (Milford); Rachel Berlin, Sam Gringlas, Elie Neuman, Nate Strauss (North Farmington); Rob Pasick (Novi); Jordana Hoffman (Oakland Earlyl College, Farmington Hills); Lily Grier, Liza Kohlenberg (Orchard Lake Middle, West Bloomfield); Batsheva Honig (Walled Lake Northern);Liz Nagle (Walled Lake Western); Jennifer Finkel, Abigail Jankelovitz, Heather Rosenbaum (West Bloomfield); Liza Kohlenberg (West Bloomfield Orchard Lake Middle School); Mackenzie Coden (West Bloomfield Walnut Creek) Photographers Jessica Avery Polk (Frankel), Colton Graub (Cranbrook-Kingswood ) supervising staff Chief Operating Officer I F. Kevin Browett Executive Editor I Keri Guten Cohen Creative Director Deborah Schultz Jewish J Federation of Metropolitan Detroit ALLIANCE FOR JEWISH EDUCATION IT Director I Deanna Spivey Teen Consultant I Jon Layne Supported by a generous grant from the Stephen H. Schulman Millennium Fund. Jewish Renaissance Media publication © 2010 DETROIT JEWISH NEWS