metro Sushi &Asian Bistro NOW SERVING Beer • Wine Liquor Next-Gen Fun Sign up for our 10% OFF Frequent Diner Card. Pitch for Detroit to raise money for CommunityNEXT's Live Detroit Fund. Hannah Posen Jewish News Intern A F 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I. Lunch M-F 11:30am-3pm : l f- ° f Bill I I except drinks expires on 9/30/11 1' Out I 1 1 Carry 1 Any Order 1 1 1 off Bill 1 1 except drinks expires on 9/30/11 1 15% " I. 1 1 a Patio Now Open "Where food is fun, healthy and delicious!" 4111 Orchard Lake Rd. Orchard Lake, MI 48323 (248) 865-7388 Sushi & Asian Bistro M-Th 11:30am-10pm Fri 11:30am-Midnight Sat 4pm-Midnight Sun 4pm-9pm FOLLOW www.facebook.cornimichopstix US ON: www.twitter.com/michopstix 24 August 25 s 2011 round Detroit and even across the country, August has meant one thing for next-generation Jews: Do it for Detroit. As other groups across Detroit offer young adults finan- cial incentives to move to the city, the Jewish community has started an initia- tive of its own. CommunityNEXT, an arm of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit focused on attracting and retain- ing young talent in the region, has put together Do it for Detroit, a month-long campaign in August to raise money and enthusiasm for the city. So far, more than $30,000 has been raised through the campaign, which hosted events in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles as well as events in Detroit. The money will go to the Live Detroit Fund (LDF), which will provide rent subsidies for up to 25 "next- generation" individuals. The subsidies will be in the form of $250 a month per person for up to one year, $3,000 annually. Recipients of the LDF rent subsidy will be required to host one substantial community event a month that will strengthen the Jewish and larger Detroit communities. The campaign's goal is to raise $100,000. "A dynamic urban core is essen- tial if we are ever going to attract and retain young talent at scale," said Jordan Wolfe, director of CommunityNEXT. "The next-gens are the ones who are going to lead the charge and create a dynamic urban environment for their peers. The LDF is a way to get upwardly mobile individu- als currently living across the Metro area down to the city" The campaign, which began with a kickoff party at Groves High School in Beverly Hills, included a bar night in Chicago on Aug. 4, a kickball tourna- ment in New York City on Aug. 14, Dodgeball in the D, a dodgeball tourna- ment on Belle Isle on Aug. 20, and Kick for Detroit, a kickball tournament in L.A. on Aug. 21. The campaign's final event is Pitch for Detroit on Sunday, Aug. 28, at Inglenook Park in Southfield. Pitch for Detroit is a spin-off of last year's successful Pitch for Israel event, which raised $50,000. This year, the event, chaired by Adam Blanck and Benjy Gordon, is aimed at bringing peo- A Pitch for Israel team jumped with joy at the tournament last year. At 2010 Pitch for Israel: Benjy Gordon, co-founder Pitch for Israel/Detroit; Jon Labaschin, ELEM Midwest Regional Director; Jordan Wolfe, CommunityNEXT; Adam Blanck, co-founder Pitch for Israel/Detroit; Yoav Raban, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit ple together to drive enthusiasm around rebuilding Detroit. The softball tourna- ment is a family event with food, music, games and, of course, softball. Blanck and Gordon brought Pitch for Israel to Detroit in 2010 after attending the event in Toronto. Seeing the local event's suc- cess last year, it was re-branded as Pitch for Detroit in an effort to expand its reach to the entire community. The event continues to grow. Last year, there were 14 teams and around 400 people at the event. This year, there are 18 teams signed up, and Pitch for Detroit expects more than 500 people to join in the fun. Each team has a sponsor, and there are sponsors for the registra- tion tent, break tents, food and the base- ball diamonds as well. Sponsors include Hillel Day School, Friendship Circle, Wallside Windows, WDIV-Local 4 and New York Bagel, to name a few. "I think its principal importance is bringing the community together for one day and reminding people what a great, strong community we have, and how powerful we can be when we all come together behind a common cause;' Gordon said. "I also think it's impor- tant to engage young people, show them that there are lots of 20- and 30-some- things living here, and remind them that it is our time to take ownership of our community." You Can Pitch For Detroit: Pitch for Detroit: Registration starts at 8 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, at Inglenook Park, 20901 W.12 Mile Road, Southfield. To sign up, make a donation or become a sponsor, go to www.pitchfordetroit.com or www.doitfordetroit.com . To donate by mail, make checks payable to CommunityNEXT, attention Pitch For Detroit, 6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 100, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. Players can sign up on the day of the event.