theJEWISHNEWS.com $2.00 MAY 19-25, 2011 / 15-21 IYAR 5771 A JEWISH RENAISSANCE MEDIA PUBLICATION »Wearin' Our Blue And White: Depite the rain and cold, Metro Detroit's Walk for Israel draws an enthusiastic crowd. See page 14. » Tropical Adventure: Teen returns from community service in Belize with new Jewish connection. See Teen2Teen, center section. » Students Vs. Cancer: DETROIT JEWISH NEWS metro U-M's Relay For Life raises a record $325,000 under three students' leadership. See jewsh@edu , page 39. » cover story EMU: Making Its Move Eastern Michigan U. is raising its profile in the Jewish community and the region. Don Cohen I Contributing Writer A t a time when Michigan is looking for its people and institutions to step up, Eastern Michigan University is on the move and coming our way. "We've been sitting here in Ypsilanti for 161 years, and we need to go a little bit east:' EMU President Susan Martin said about efforts to connect — and reconnect — with Southeastern Michigan and EMU alums. Some steps in the direction of Metro Detroit's Jewish community include increased support for Jewish campus- wide programming, the appointment of a director of Jewish studies last November, a Hillel integrated into the campus community and academic departments, and reaching out to EMU alums. For example, Steven Tapper (EMU '76) of Tapper's Diamonds & Fine Jewelry and a Jewish community leader was asked to give the commencement address in April. Martin, and others at EMU, credit Jewish Renaissance Media President/Jewish News Publisher Arthur Horwitz with working to connect EMU with the Metro Detroit Jewish community. Horwitz and Martin developed a friendship during her time (2006-8) as provost and vice-chancellor of academic affairs at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Discussions about the need for institutions and commu- nities in the region to work together to retain and attract an educated workforce continued after she became EMU's president in 2008. "One of our major challenges as a region, and for our Jewish community, is having a dynamic place where our children will want to stay and come back to:' Horwitz said. "Eastern is a high-quality university that ought to be attracting more of our students, but it's not as known or Making Its Move on page 10 9 1942 - 2011 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week EMU commencement speaker Steven Tapper of West Bloomfield receives his hood for his honorary degree.