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Making An Impact

T

emple Beth El in Bloomfield
Township recently honored
Marlene Thav, director of its
Early Childhood Center, at a Friday
evening Shabbat service. She will retire
this month after 25 years of service, 18
of those as director.
During the service, ECC staff lit the
candles and the children (some current
students and many graduates) sang
Shabbat songs.
Thav's sons, Andrew Thav and
Jeffrey Thav, spoke on her behalf, not-
ing the joy she derived in serving the
school and her years of dedication and
loyalty to the program.
Rabbi Keren Alpert and Morgan
Goodman, parent committee chair,
gave a presentation about the com-
memorative tiles to be installed in the
ECC entrance in Thav's honor.
The tiles, to be etched with the
names of students, graduates, families
and supporters, will be a permanent
reminder of the seeds Thav planted in
helping to educate the youngest Jewish
learners.
At the end of the service, Thav's
grandchildren, Rachel, Keira and Luke,
led Kiddush and HaMotzi. Then the
children sang "Thank You, God" with a
special verse written thanking Thav for
taking good care of all.

❑

Temple Beth El celebrates its retiring Early Childhood Center director.

Talia Glass and Laila Feldman, Birmingham; teacher Lauren
Franklin, West Bloomfield; Leah and Jordyn Goldstein,
Bloomfield Hills

Debra Darvick, Birmingham; retiring ECC director Marlene Thav, West
Bloomfield; Joyce Epstein, Franklin; teacher Ellen Must, Waterford

Bringing Friends Together

M

ore than 65 young adults gath-
ered for an MSU Hillel young
alum mixer June 13 at Como's
Restaurant in Ferndale. Chaired by MSU
alumni Heather Vieder and Jason Weiner,
the event attracted former students who
live in Metro Detroit.
Attendees were thrilled to visit with
Executive Director Cindy Hughey and

June 27 • 2013

Eleanor Schwartz, center, with her daughters Gail
Sandweiss, left, and Marlene Thav, all of West
Bloomfield

MSU Hillel's alum mixer in Ferndale brings back great memories.

MSU Hillel programming staff, saying
it brought back great memories of their
time in East Lansing.
MSU Hillel continually strives to stay
connected with its alumni base, and takes
pride in the achievements and accom-
plishments of its former students.
Amy Muskowitz, a 2012 MSU graduate
currently employed as an assistant digital

Max Futernick (MSU 12), Bloomfield Hills; Lauren Markzon (MSU '11) and Rachel
Stewart (MSU '11), both of West Bloomfield; Sofia Steinberg (MSU medical
student 14), Royal Oak; and Albert Budnitskiy (MSU '12), Southfield

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Dylan Schoenberg, Southfield; Tessa Shane, Birmingham;
teacher Alana Gun and Sydney Rosenberg, both of Bloomfield
Hills; and Ella Shane, Birmingham

media planner at Team Detroit, said, "It
was great to connect with my peers and to
catch up with old friends. I love that I am
still a part of the MSU Hillel community
even though I am no longer a student. In
my heart, I will forever be a Spartan!"
Jason Dovitz, a 2013 graduate who is
a digital content assistant at Fox Sports
Detroit, said, "I had a great time see-

ing my friends who just graduated and
catching up with those I hadn't seen in
a while. I look forward to staying con-
nected to my fellow Jewish Spartan alums
as I begin this next chapter in my life as a
post-graduate"
To stay connected with MSU Hillel and
learn about other alumni programs, go to
www.msuhillel.org .

❑

Dirk Roberts (MSU '11), Farmington Hills; Jason Rudy (MSU '10), Royal Oak;
Scott Gordon (MSU '09), West Bloomfield; and Alex Altman (MSU '09), Berkley