1 1 Wood, Wiwi 11101. 111 September „A 29th gE9 greeko Bette/090d, cOl ida Shira Parshan Living The Connection Akiva graduate begins her year of national service in Israel. Yaffa Klugerman Special to the Jewish News W hen Shira Parshan began ninth grade at Akiva Hebrew Day School in Southfield, she forged a bond with the bnot sherut le'umi, two young Israeli women who spent the year volunteer- ing at the school. "On the last day they were there recalled Shira, "they said, 'It's not goodbye. It's l'hitraot, which means, see you soon. That line really stuck with me:' Now that she has graduated, Shira, 17, is getting ready to emulate those bnot sherut: This year, she, too, will be participating in Sherut Le'umi, or Israel's National Service. The program is typically meant for young religious Israeli women in place of mandatory army service in the Israel Defense Forces. Participants may work at schools, nursing homes, hos- pitals, immigrant absorption centers, disadvantaged communities and many other organizations. Service usually involves 30-40 hours per week for one to two years. But some Americans also volunteer for National Service. Shira, who gradu- ated high school in June, noted that many Akiva alumni have opted to sign up for Sherut Le'umi following a year of studies in Israel. But, she added, "I think I'm the first one ever to do it right after high school:' The step might be an unusual one, but not for Shira, who feels deeply connected to Israel. She credits her Zionism to her education at Akiva Hebrew Day School as well as her leadership involvement in the Bnei Akiva youth group at Young Israel of Oak Park. "The reason I am doing this right after high school;' she said, "is because I feel Israel is my country, and I have to give back:' She will be the first Michigander to be doing National Service in the Ramat Gan neighborhood in Tel Aviv. In the mornings, she will be working in a nursery where children of various backgrounds will be enrolled. In the afternoons, she will be working with neighborhood teens. On weekends, she will be running programs for youth. "We see Shira as a unique example of an individual living Bnei Akiva's ide- als to the fullest," said Maayan Ditcher, who heads the Bnei Akiva group in Ramat Gan. "We also believe she will be an excellent example to her Israeli friends in the group, who already see her as someone willing to go a long way for ideals and values:' Shira's volunteer work will earn her a small stipend, but will not be easy. She will be tasked with building posi- tive connections with the Israeli youth, many of whom come from troubled homes. And she will need to do it all in Hebrew. "In my group, there are no Americans," Shira said. "I chose that. I really wanted to understand what it's like to live in Israel, like a sabra, an Israeli who lives the lifestyle, with par- ents and grandparents that fought for the country:' In the meantime, Shira has been learning about Israel's language and culture by watching Israeli TV shows. Her parents have been helping her prepare for her trip abroad and are thrilled with her choice. "When she was looking for a pro- gram to do after high school, I told her that I was totally OK with her doing something out of the box," said her mother, Lisa. "I thought this was a per- fect fit for who she was:' Lisa's husband, David, agreed. "I think it's very exciting," he said. "She's very Zionistic, and she's helping out Israel. It's a win-win situation:' 25a Fred Astaire Dance Studio performance: Ballroom Dancing Extravaganza at La Place Broadway Musicals & Entertainment: The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage 26thi Champagne, Sparkling Wine & Swarovski Crystal at Fleming's Steakhouse Oyster 101 at Mitchell's Fish Market Caribbean Escape at Bahama Breeze Island Grille 27thi National Wine Event at Fleming's Steakhouse Destination France at Giovanni's Ristorante BHS Rededication Ceremony 281k Cask Wine Tasting from Ohio Medal Winning Wineries at La Place Live Fashion Experience at Beachwood Place Get Appy at The Microsoft Store: Interactive Games, Tech Tips, & Snacks BHS Public Tours 2 91k Brunch presented by Chef Rob at Cedar Creek Grille Cleveland Clinic 5K Run ❑ Yaffa Klugerman is a public relations consultant for Akiva Hebrew Day School. The SLAP Jazz Trio perform at the Beachwood Library More Details at VisitBeachwoodOhio.com Beachwood Convention a Visitors Bureau 216.378.9333 August 29 • 2013 11