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JTS Dinner

Clergy competes for "maven"
bragging rights; synagogues honors congregants.

M

ore than 350 Jewish
Theological Seminary sup-
porters enjoyed hors d'oeuvres
and dinner as they watched their rabbis,
cantors and other JTS alums compete in
the "Who Wants to be a Maven?" quiz bowl
on June 4 at Congregation Shaarey Zedek
in Southfield.
After waiting in vain for the assis-
tance of Vanna White, emcee Paul Magy
of Birmingham presented trophies to
the winning team of Schecter's Sharks,
who handily defeated Eisen's Eagles and
Heschel's Hawks by correctly answering
challenging, multiple-choice questions
such as "How many Jews were inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in
2012?" (Answer: eight.)
Event chair Stuart Logan of Bloomfield
Hills introduced Rabbi Daniel Nevins,
Pearl Resnick Dean of the Rabbinical
School, dean of the Division of Religious
Leadership of the Jewish Theological -
Seminary in New York and former rabbi of
Adat Shalom Synagogue.
Within days of his recent White House
meeting with President Obama, Nevins
found himself serving the homeless in a
New York synagogue, so he spoke of find-
ing the "connective tissue" among those
disparate events and his work as a teacher
at JTS: The search for social justice, wheth-

er through policy planning, position advo-
cacy or Jewish education, is sacred work.
Area rabbis presented leaders of their
respective congregations with JTS' dis-
tinguished Shin Award in recognition
of their contributions to synagogue and
community life. This year's recipients were
Manny and Nancy Kalef of Congregation
Beth Ahm, Steven and Linda Mondrow of
Congregation B'nai Moshe, Mitch Parker
of B'nai Israel Synagogue, Steven Parzen of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Jeffrey and
Debra Supowit of Adat Shalom Synagogue,
and Eric and Renee Zacks of Congregation
Beth Shalom.
For more about JTS, go to www.jtsa.org
or call (248) 258-0055. ❑

SCHECHTER ' D r

Showing off their "Maven" trophies are winners Rabbi Jason Miller of West

Bloomfield, Cantor Sam Greenbaum (Beth Shalom), Rabbi Aaron Bergman (Adat
Shalom), Rabbi Steven Rubenstein (Beth Ahm) and Rabbi Jonathan Berger (B'nai

Israel).

•

Debbie, Daphne and Stuart Logan of

Bloomfield Hills

-

Susan Brodsky and Ann Rosenberg, both of West Bloomfield, Dina Brodsky of
Franklin, Helene Brody and Stacy and Jeffrey Brodsky, all of West Bloomfield

Activist Of
The Year

Left:

Jewish Community
Relations Council honors
Michelle Passon.

co-chairs

Honoree

Michelle

Passon with

honorary

Linda Lee,

Doreen

Hermelin

and Patti

Aaron

U

.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman
Schultz (D-Fla.) was the
featured speaker at the Jewish
Community Relations Council (JCRC)
Activist of the Year event honoring
Michelle Passon at Adat Shalom
Synagogue.
Schultz discussed critical legislative
issues impacting women's health and
shared insights about how Judaism and
tikkun olam have impacted her work.
More than 200 guests feted Passon
for her work as a tireless fundraiser
and community builder for education,
inclusion and women's health.
Patti Aaron, Doreen Hermelin and
Linda Lee were honorary co-chairs of
the evening; Patti Neemer and Sandy
Schwartz co-chaired the host committee
for the event. -_-_

26

June 14 • 2012

j czo ish
Communi
Relations
Council

Arfalia Relatioro

1o0 AAIvacircy • Cottotruitity .14

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of

U.S. Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.),

JCRC President Sharon Lipton reviews

south Florida addresses attendees.

Michelle Passon and Wasserman Schultz

some notes with quest speaker

Wasserman Schultz prior to the event.