metro Sukkah Sensations Ann Arbor design competition offers innovative huts for the holiday. Esther Allweiss Ingber Michigan business school graduate returned to Ann Arbor after living a year in Seattle. Ann Arbor The committee applied for and was awarded an Impact Fund Grant through an you build a better sukkah? the Jewish Federation of Ann Arbor. Taking a whack at it were "This is a fund that awards dollars 22 national design teams or to projects based on their community individuals whose detailed plans were impact," Bloom said. "Once we had the submitted to the inaugural Sukkah Arbor grant, we created a website and got run- "design-build competition to re-envision ning." the sukkah:' Six finalists received a stipend In addition to Bloom of Bloom to build their ideas, and, on Sept. 23, visi- General Contracting in Southfield, the tors to Liberty Square Plaza in Ann Arbor Ann Arbor-based committee members can choose the sukkah were Jennifer Siegel, they feel deserves a design professor, $2,000 cash prize. UM-Dearborn; The winner will be Andrew Hauptman, announced during OX Studio Inc.; Gary an open house at the Rochman, Rochman Jewish Community Design-Build; Avram Center of Greater Ann Kiuger, Ann Arbor Arbor. Designs for all 22 Federation; Mimi entries will be displayed Weisberg, Ann Arbor from Sept. 30-Oct. 9 Federation; Melissa at the JCC, 2935 Birch Antokal, McKinley Hollow Drive. Properties; and Entrants applied 21st- Seth Penchansky, century techniques and Penchansky Whisler materials in accordance Architects. with Halachah (Jewish Siegel also was law) to create unique referee on the inde- This woven suk kah concept is an versions of the sukkah. pendent jury of rab- example of tho se in the Sukkah The traditional tem- bis and architects Arbor design c ompetition. porary structure is the that selected the six symbol of the Sukkot finalists, designers festival. Observant Jews erect and spend hailing from San Francisco, Los Angeles, time in their sukkah over the seven-day Chicago, Houston (two entries) and holiday as a way of remembering the Warren, Mich. fragile huts or booths used by ancient Jurors were Rabbi Seth Winberg, Israelites wandering in the desert. U-M Hillel; Rabbi Robert Dobrusin, Sukkot this year begins at sundown on Beth Israel Congregation; JN columnist Sept. 30. Rabbi Jason Miller, Access Computer Inspired by a similar competition Technology; Father Gilbert Sunghera, that took place in New York City called School of Architecture, University of Sukkah City, a group of Ann Arbor- Detroit Mercy; Sean Vance, Taubman based architects and builders formed a College of Architecture and Urban volunteer committee to bring a sukkah Planning, U-M; Michael Poris, McIntosh building competition to Ann Arbor. Poris Associates, Birmingham; and Gary "After all, Ann Arbor is known for Rochman, Rochman Design-Build, Ann its art community," said Josh Bloom, a Arbor. Sukkah Arbor committee member. "I've seen these designs, and people will "'They're going to be spectacular," be very impressed with the ingenuity that Bloom said, referring to the finalists' went into them:' Bloom said. "They're designs. Bloom, a 2009 University of going to be spectacular." ❑ Contributing Writer C Earn Generous Life Income & Support Israel's Bright Future In these challenging economic times, some things never change. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, founded in 1918 by Albert Einstein, Chaim Weizmann and Sigmund Freud, continues to be Israel's #1 institution for comprehensive higher education and research, forging vital advances in fields ranging from biomedicine to environmental studies. AFHU HEBREW UNIVERSITY GIFT ANNUITY RATES By establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity through American Friends of The Hebrew University, you can support this world-class university while receiving: AGE RATE 65 6.0% 70 6.5% 75 7.1 % • Secure fixed income for life 80 8 .0 % 85 9 . 5 % • High rates of return compared to other available investments 90 1 1 . 3 °/0 • Income and estate tax benefits ACT NOW in order to lock in high CGA rates. These rates are calculated based on a single-life. Visit www.afhu.org/CGA or contact Judith Shenkman at 312.329.0332 or jshenkman@afhu.org AF 1 Hu THEHEBREW UNIVERSITY See The Sukkahs 500 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1530,Chicago, IL 60611 www.afhu.org I 877.642.AFHU (2348) I midwest@afhu.org 1780900 16 September 13 • 2012 Check out the innovative sukkahs and pick a favorite among six finalists in the Sukkah Arbor design competition at a free event scheduled noon-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, at Liberty Square Plaza, corner of Liberty Street and South Division, Ann Arbor. Volunteers are needed to help with sukkah building in the morning. Visit www.sukkaharbor.com to sign up.