metro

CELEBRATE

LIFE'S IMPORTANT MOMENTS WITH A MAZEL TOV BOND

Marking Milestones

FAR Conservatory and its director
keep uncovering talent.

STATE OF ISRAEL MAZEL TOV BOND

Fixed annual interest rate for the life of the bond is determined one
business day before the beginning of the sales period.
Matures five years from issue date. Interest not paid until maturity.
Minimum purchase: $100 with $50 increments available.

Development Corporation for Israel

1J ISRAEL BONDS

Member INRA, SIPC

Paula Lebowitz
Registered Representative

Development Corporation for Israel/State of Israel Bonds
6600 W. Maple Rd. West Bloomfield, MI 48322
248.661.3500 • 888.352.6556 paula.lebowitz@israelbonds.com
www.israelbonds.com • Follow Israel Bonds on Facebook and Twitter

This is not an offering, which can be made only by prospectus. Read the prospectus carefully before investing to fully evaluate the risks associated
with investing in State of Israel bonds. Issues subject to availability. Photos: Aleksandr Kutsayev, Corbis, Comstock, istockphoto.com

1674200

A

fter a meeting with the FAR
Conservatory board recently,
Arlene Kass got a surprise
from some very special children. FAR's
musical theater and percussion groups
serenaded her with a heartwarming
song expressing their appreciation for
all she has done for them the past 10
years as executive director.
After the performance, Kate
Kauffman, 14, a student with Down
syndrome, eloquently thanked Kass
for ensuring FAR was available to
them.
FAR Conservatory is a non-profit
organization serving children and
adults with special needs in southeast-
ern Michigan, providing therapeutic
programs in music, dance, arts, sports
and recreation. This year marks the
organization's 60th anniversary.
FAR's first annual Dance Marathon
will be held May 21 in Birmingham.
"Arlene's talent and her energy
made FAR Conservatory to what it
is today:' said Lucy Kauffman, Kate's
mother and a board member. "She
is so tireless in her work and yet she
knows every child's name, every pro-
gram they are in and their therapists.
We are lucky to have her."
When FAR began 60 years ago,
many children with special needs
were hidden away. They were called
mentally retarded;' "handicapped"
and worse.
FAR's staff of therapists, instructors
and coaches allow people to discover
their creativity, dreams and talents.
"There is nothing better than
watching one of our children blossom
when nurtured by one of our talented
therapists," Kass said. "Parents come to
us thinking nothing
can be done for their
challenged children.
Our therapists prove
to almost all of them
that these children
do have hidden tal-
ents and they know
Arlene Kass
how to help students
bring them out and
express themselves in amazing ways."
As executive director, Kass has
increased the amount of students
from 100 to more than 2,000. From
a budget of less than $100,000, her
energetic work has brought FAR a
budget of more than $800,000 a year.
She also added recreational therapy.
She has transformed the organization
from being seasonal to year-round

((

/

DETROIT
iEW:SH NEVIS

Special spring offer,
a years subscription of the
Detroit Jewish News

, hr-Orar.MMore.

This special offer runs
through the end of May!

*Offer applies for in-state subscriptions only

24

May 19 • 2011

Dancing partners Chris and Lexi

perform at a FAR event.

with camps for special needs children
and teens.
Each November for a decade, she
and flutist Alexander Zonjic have co-
produced FAR's largest fundraiser and
performance event, "Flutes, Friends
and Fa-la-1a." Arlene also has consis-
tently kept administrative costs low so
90 percent of the money FAR receives
goes directly to helping students.
"It is our goal to demonstrate that
these children can do many things
that enable them to be integrated into
the general population as productive
members of society:' Kass said. "Our
former students now sing in church
choirs, play on school hockey teams
and go to regular summer camps. We
know that with the right therapeutic
environment and coaching, they can
do all of these things."
FAR Conservatory's first annual
Dance Marathon will be held from 10
a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at Knox
Auditorium, 1669 West Maple Road,
Birmingham. The event is open to
those who want to watch.
Student dancers pay $10 and all
other dancers pay a $25 entry fee, then
they can raise money from pledges. To
sign up, visit www.farconservatory.org
or call (248) 646-3347.
Highlights of the event include a
"Tribute to the '60s Sounds of Motown
Revue!" featuring the Stubbs Girls pre-
sented by Michael Klier's Theatre Arts
Production company. IA