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National Council of Jewish Women

Greater Detroit Section

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Presents

A Salute to Detroit

Fundraiser

Celebrating I I0 years of
Education Assistance
for College Students

Sunday, June 23, 2013
6:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Detroit Historical Museum
5401 Woodward Avenue
Detroit

Join us for a
strolling dinner,
dancing and a
Silent Auction*

$75.00 per person

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Free Parking available
adjacent to the museum

Suzanne Simon
President

RSVP by
June 13, 2013 online
at www.ncjwgds.org or
call 248-355-3300, ext. 0
or mail a check
made payable to
NCJW/Greater Detroit
26400 Lahser Road
Suite 306
Southfield, MI 48033

Marlene Goodman
Vice President

Myrna Edgar
Event Chair

Susan Gertner
Executive Director

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10 June 6 • 2013

*Silent Auction Items:
Tigers Tickets - Chamber
Music Society of Detroit
Season Subscriptions -
Theater and Dinner
Packages - Jewelry
and more.

Atai and Amots Amiram

A

New Chapter from page 8

"After Amots and Atai came, they
really, really pushed it into the commu-
nity on a different level:'
The West Bloomfield chapter was
founded by Jamie Rashty, 18, of West
Bloomfield about three years ago. The
group first gathered at Keter Torah
Synagogue in West Bloomfield, where
her family belongs, but now an average
of 25 participants, from third- through
eighth-grade, meet each Shabbat and
on many holidays at Ohel Moed.
"Amots and Atai have truly brought
Israel alive to the participants of the
SNIF chapter:' said Rashty, leader of
the group with Isaac Wolfe, 15, of West
Bloomfield. "They dedicated their year
in Detroit to ensuring the best experi-
ence for all participants in the West
Bloomfield chapter and the Bnei Akiva
youth group at large:'
Rashty and Wolfe also are involved
with the larger Detroit Bnei Akiva teen
board made up of participants from all
three area chapters and led by Elana
Greenbaum, 17, and Yoni Nadel, 18,
both of Southfield.
"Amots and Atai have brought an
enthusiasm to the youth of our com-
munity and specifically to my children
that I have never seen before said
Shaindle Braunstein-Cohen, dinner
committee member, along with Ethan
Gilan, Hartley Harris and Ohel Moed
Rabbi Eliyohu Jundef.
"My 14-year-old son, Tzvi, is excited
about being involved in the shul and
has become heavily involved in plan-
ning and running activities for the
younger children. His Shabbat after-
noons are now spent at the shul assist-
ing with youth groups:'
Lisa and Ethan Gilan's children Eden,
13, and Jonah, 11, are also part of West
Bloomfield SNIF.
"Mostly on Shabbat afternoons I
don't have a lot to do, but with SNIF I
learn Torah and have fun at the same
time," Jonah said.
Ethan Gilan added, "It's amazing to
have the children in our community
excited and engaged, and bringing
their parents back to shul on Shabbat
afternoons where some learn, some
hang out. It's all good because our shul
is bustling with activity:'

Going To School
At FJA, Amots and Atai have been run-
ning informal programming and assist-
ing with teaching since school started.
At a Zionist school, there is no sub-
stitute for having students interact on a
daily basis with young Israelis who can
serve as role models:' Grossman said.
"We can — and do — teach Hebrew,
Israel and Zionism every day, but for
students to really develop a relationship
with the State of Israel and its people,
teens need to interact with actual Israelis
they can relate to.
"We learn about Israel's endless wars,
but now students can see the sterling
character of Israel's soldiers:'
Amots and Atai also traveled as coun-
selors on the senior class March of the
Living trip in April, spending time in
Poland and then Israel.
In Israel, the students stayed at
Kibbutz Lavi, where Amots and Atai live.
"They were invited to Atai's home
by his parents:' Grossman said. "Our
students now have a home-away-from
home in Israel, and a family they can
connect with:'

Celebrations And Activities
At Ohel Moed, Amots and Atai "planned
movie nights, barbecues, break-the-fast
gatherings and, before Sukkot, they
volunteered to help anyone needing
assistance in putting up a sukkah:' Ethan
Gilan said. They also regularly checked
the synagogue's eruv (ritual enclosure).
"On Tu b'Shevat, they organized a
Friday night seder attended by nearly
100 people. On Shavuot, along with
members Dan Mendelson, Hartley
Harris and Debbie Devries, they helped
plan a special family-friendly dinner and
learning program, with sessions in both
English and Hebrew, followed by ice
cream at midnight:'
They also organized Cafe Ulpan, a
Hebrew language instruction program
for adults to learn Hebrew in a comfort-
able and casual setting at FJA.
"We emphasized the importance
of living as modern Orthodox, which
means combining the modern life with
Judaism:' Atai said. "Israel is a place to
live in and not just a place for vacation.
The people in the community made a