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Mideast Expert To Speak
At Synagogue And Dinner
Professor Jonathan
Adelman, an expert
on U.S. foreign pol-
icy and Middle
Eastern affairs, will
speak at two
forums on
Saturday, Dec. 15.
Dr. Jonathan
Alderman,
Adelman
who was the
doctoral disserta-
tion adviser to former Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, is a popular
speaker for AIPAC and other Jewish
groups.
First, Alderman will speak
after Shabbat morning services at
Congregation Beth Ahm in West
Bloomfield at approximately 12:30
p.m. His topic will be "Light at the
End of the Tunnel: Israel's Challenges
and Opportunities." There is no
charge and no reservations are
required. For information, call (248)
851-6880.
Later Saturday evening at 6:15, the
professor will be keynote speaker
at StandWithUs-Michigan's Festival
of Lights fundraiser at Adat Shalom
Synagogue in Farmington Hills.

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Ronelle Grier
Contributing Writer

A

tentative date of March 4
has been set for the trial of
Sandra Layne, the 74-year-
old West Bloomfield grandmother
charged with shooting and killing
her 17-year-old grandson, Jonathan
Hoffman, on May 18. The date was
set by Oakland County Circuit Court
Judge Denise Langford Morris at a pre-
trial hearing on Dec. 6.
Layne is being defended by attorney
Jerome Sabbota, who said he is waiting
for the Michigan State Police Lab to
complete forensic reports that include
ballistics, blood spatter and DNA anal-
yses. The evidence was gathered from
the Maple Place Villas condominium
where Hoffman was shot.
According to Oakland County
prosecutors and medical examiners,
Hoffman was hit by five of the eight
bullets fired by Layne.
Layne, dressed in orange jail garb,
was chained to other prisoners as she
was led into the courtroom. She smiled
briefly at her husband and other fam-
ily members who were present. Layne

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December 13 • 2012

Help Keep IDF Troops
Warm This Winter
The "United with Israel" and "Thank
Israeli Soldiers" organizations have
launched a joint campaign to pro-
vide Israeli soldiers stationed next to
Israel's border with Gaza with winter
gear, including fleece jackets, neck
warmers and gloves.
To write a letter to a soldier or
send a winter care package, visit
https://unitedwithisrael.net/soldiers.

Sandra Layne Murder Trial
Set Tentatively For March 4

twelve oaks mall, 2nd level, near center court

22

The Chanukah celebration will also
include dinner, music and dancing.
Elaine and Michael Serling will be
honored for their work on behalf of
Jewish culture and Israel studies.
StandWithUs is an 11-year-old
international organization that helps
Jewish college students respond to
anti-Israel propaganda on campus.
Pro-Israel material is available on its
website, standwithus.com .
For reservations to the
StandWithUs dinner, starting at $75,
contact Barbara Moretsky, (248) 325-
5306, standwithusmichigan@gmail.
com, or Margot Gardner, (248) 253-
1513, or hmgardnerll@gmail.com .

has been imprisoned in Oakland
County Jail without bond since she
was taken into police custody follow-
ing the murder.
Hoffman, who was a senior at
Farmington Central High School, had
been living with his grandmother and
her husband, Fred Layne, in their West
Bloomfield condominium since the fall
of 2011. Hoffman's parents, Michael
and Jennifer Hoffman, were living in
Arizona with their daughter, Jessica, at
the time of the murder.
Jonathan had made the original
move with his family, but after Jessica
was diagnosed with a non-malignant
brain tumor, he returned at his grand-
mother's invitation to finish out his
senior year in familiar surroundings.
Both Michael and Jennifer Hoffman
say they had no knowledge of any
problems between Jonathan and his
grandmother. Jonathan was planning
to join his family in Arizona following
his high school graduation in June.
Charged with murder and posses-
sion of a firearm in the commission
of a felony, Layne could face life in
prison, if convicted. A final pretrial
hearing is scheduled for Feb. 28.

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