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38 January 16 • 2014
JN
>> ... Next Generation ...
Saving Lives from page 37
celebrated with special ceremonial coffee
and bread.
The presence of the ferenji (white
foreigner in Amharic, Ethiopia's national
language) has changed the opinion of
the importance of education amongst the
villagers. Just a few years ago, parents
were against sending their children to
school because they needed their help in
the fields and with cattle (boys) or to fetch
water and care for the younger siblings
(girls). Now that they see white people
traveling into their village to physically
build a school, they recognize education
is something important for their children's
future.
Children who finish primary school are
increasingly more likely to continue their
studies and change the pattern of their
family.
JDC has partnered with Unity College
in Addis Ababa and provides scholarships
for women who come from no or
low-income families. These scholarship
recipients attend a one-year preparatory
class prior to admission to increase their
readiness and skills.
We met with these women, many from
villages similar to Ambover, and asked
their opinion on education in Ethiopia.
Their criticisms were of things we take for
granted such as needing schools closer
to the villages where people live and
needing teachers who are properly trained
in the material they are teaching. One
woman I met was the youngest in her
family. She said that her older sisters did
not have this opportunity to go to school
and continue their education because
her parents did not see education as
something important at the time.
The women who received these
scholarships recognize they are changing
their lives. They will be able to get a job
and care for themselves and their families.
They are working to break the pattern of
poverty in their families.
Why does JDC allocate 10 percent
of its budget to helping non-Jewish
communities? It is in the spirit of tikkun
olam, humanity's shared responsibility
to heal, repair and transform the world.
Deuteronomy 15:11 says: "For there will
never cease to be needy ones in your
land, which is why I command you: open
your hand to the poor and needy kinsman
in your land."
The Torah and Jewish law display
extraordinary sensitivity to the needs of
the poor and the underprivileged. It is
important to take care of our local and
global Jewish communities, but it is also
important to take care of those who
would not otherwise have a voice. ❑
Kelli Saperstein of Detroit was the U.S.
mission chair. Information on JDC can
be found at www.jdc.org. Information on
Entwine can be found at www.jdcentwine.
org. Information on Dr. Hodes and his work
in Ethiopia can be found at www.rickhodes.
org.
Shall We
Dance?
NEXTGen Detroit
hosts salsa dancing
date night for young
Jewish couples.
N
EXTGen Detroit's Couples
Committee, co-chaired by Ben
Handelsmen and Melissa Gordon, will
host a couples' salsa dancing date
night event 8-11 p.m. Saturday, Jan.
25, at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio,
2172 Franklin Road, Bloomfield Hills.
More than 40 Jewish NEXTGen
couples between the ages of 21-45
are expected to attend. They will enjoy
delicious salsa-themed lite bites by
Chef Cari Kosher Catering and meet
other Jewish couples by participating
in a group salsa dancing lesson and
couples mixer. All couples will receive
a 20-percent-off voucher to the
Fred Astaire Dance Studio and the
opportunity to win a complimentary
private dance lesson. Date night attire
and flat shoes are required.
The cost is $36 per couple until Jan.
19 and $40 per couple Jan. 20-25.
For more information, contact Tovi
Snapstailer at Snapstailer@jfmd.org or
(248) 203-1474.
Look Out,
New Orleans
NEXTGen Detroit
heads down south
for TribeFest 2014.
p
articipants from Detroit will be
flying down to New Orleans
March 16-18 for TribeFest, a three-day
festival where young Jews, ages 22-
45, from across the continent come
together to share and explore their
culture, community, identity and faith.
More than 1,800 people from 108
communities will be in attendance.
The program includes incredible guest
speakers, networking with some
of the finest Jews in the world and
an awesome city to explore, New
Orleans!
Last year, guess who had the biggest
presence? That's right. DETROIT! This
year, the plan is to reclaim the title and
show the world why Jewish Detroit
is the strong, fun and committed
community it is.
Leading NEXTGen Detroit to New
Orleans will be event chairs Rachel
Lachover and Jared Goldman. You can
check out highlights from TribeFest
2012 at www.tribefest.org .
If you're interested in attending
TribeFest, contact Rachel Taubman
at Taubman@jfmd.org or (248)
205-2545 for details. Subsidies are
available.