metro

JCRC Executive Director Robert Cohen
and Donnell White of the Detroit NAACP

JCRC Holds MLK
Event At Federation
Staff members of the Max M. Fisher
Jewish Federation building paused from
their work day to pay tribute to the legacy
of Martin Luther King Jr. at the annual
commemoration hosted by the Jewish
Community Relations Council (JCRC).
The program featured remarks by
Donnell R. White, executive director of
the Detroit Branch NAACP. Appointed
executive director in 2011, White holds the
distinction of being the youngest executive
director to be appointed in the NAACP's
history.
White talked about the rich legacy of Dr.
King, his connections to Detroit and illus-
trated how King's "I Have a Dream" speech
actually took root in Detroit before its his-
toric presentation in Washington. Stressing
the importance of the friendship between
the African American and Jewish commu-
nities, he noted how Jews were engaged in
the creation of the NAACP in 1909. White
talked about how his trip to Israel with
AIPAC deepened his commitment to his
work with the Jewish community, and he
revealed he will be a presenter at AIPAC's
2014 national policy conference.
White discussed the diversity of this
region and the need for Metro Detroiters
to go beyond separation and the comfort
zones of individual cultures, religions
and social groups. He said true change
can only occur when people are willing to
place themselves in situations where they
can talk to and get to know their neigh-
bors. He urged individuals to use the MLK
holiday as an impetus to get involved in
social action and advocacy.

Musical Prodigy Has
Concert On Channel 56
Ethan Bortnick, the
youngest performer ever
to headline his own
international concert
tour, will appear on
Detroit Public TV
(Channel 56) at 9 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 25.
Ethan
The 90-minute special
Bortnick
features the 12-year-old
composer, pianist and
entertainer, accompanied by a 50-piece
orchestra, a four-piece band and the
120-member Kids Choir in a program that
had the live audience dancing in the aisles.

26 January 23 • 2014

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Executive producer of the show is
Anmar Sarafa of Bloomfield Hills. Says
Sarafa, "I had the pleasure of meet-
ing Ethan when he was 7 years old at
a fundraiser at the Townsend Hotel in
Birmingham. I knew then I had met some-
one extraordinarily gifted"
Sarafa, along with Gene Bortnick,
Ethan's father, are behind the concert and
the upcoming 30-city concert tour. The
Detroit area performance is scheduled for
May 10 at the Royal Oak Music Theatre.
CDs and DVDs of the concert, along
with tickets to the live concert at the Royal
Oak Music Theater, are available by mak-
ing a pledge to Detroit PBS during the
broadcast.

Building Robots
And Relationships
The Beth Ahm Men's
Club invites all dads
and granddads to share
a special afternoon
3
with their children and
grandchildren by build-
ing robots and LEGO
Robot Garage
creations.
Families will meet
at the Robot Garage, 637 S. Eton,
Birmingham, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9.
The cost is $10 per child or $18 per house-
hold. There is no charge for adults. There
will be pizza and snacks.
Registration is required by Feb. 3 to
Elissa Berg, (248) 851-6880 or eberg@
cbahm.org.

'Super Sunday' Volunteers
Sought For Federation Drive
Volunteers are needed to make calls, write
letters and participate in Super Sunday,
Feb. 9, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., on behalf of
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit's 2014 Annual Campaign. Every
pledge volunteers secure helps Federation
help fellow Jews in need.
Super Sunday is being held at the Max
M. Fisher Federation Building, 6735
Telegraph, Bloomfield Township.
For information, contact Tovi
Snapstailer Liebovitz at snapstailer@jfmd.
org or (248)203-1474.

NCJW Seeks Applicants
For Jewish Youth Awards
Do you know any outstanding high school
seniors who demonstrate strong leader-
ship within the community? If you do,
encourage them to participate in the annual
National Council of Jewish Women, Greater
Detroit Section, Jewish Youth Awards.
For information and an application
form, go to www.bit.ly/1m5R5YZ.
Finalists will be recognized at an Awards
Ceremony at the NCJW/GDS office on
April 29. First place prize: $2,500; second:
$1,300; third and fourth: $500 each; four
honorable mentions: $250 each. For infor-
mation, call (248) 355-3300.

Down Memory Lane

B'nai B'rith's Zager/Stone/
Tucker/Grant group honored
Leon "Skip" Warner, 78, of
Farmington Hills for his loyalty
and support during his lifelong
membership of B'nai B'rith.
Member Ralph Woronoff of
West Bloomfield spoke and
remembered many wonder-
ful moments with Warner
throughout the years. The set-
ting was the West Bloomfield
Library where a Chanukah
party took place, with 80 people attending, including Warner's family and friends.
Above: Fran White, former local B'nai B'rith director, Warner and Woronoff.

Hadassah volunteers Laraine Deutch, Sandy Gruca, Carol Ogusky,
Judy Robinson and Sharon Siddur at the annual rummage sale

Rummage Sale Nets
Funds For Hadassah

The Greater Detroit chapter of
Hadassah recently hosted its annual
rummage sale. Proceeds from the
sale will be used for Hadassah initia-
tives including medical research,
education, youth aliyah and the
Hadassah Hospital in Israel.
"It was a fantastic success:' said co-
chairs Carol Ogusky and Sandy Gruca.
"We exceeded our expectations"
The rummage sale is held at

Get Financially Fit
With Help From JVS
January is Financial Wellness Month
and Southfield-based JVS is offering free
resources including classes and indi-
vidual counseling to help.
• Keep Your Home: This two-hour
orientation program is designed to
reach the hardest-hit homeowners and
is offered at JVS on Fridays at 11 a.m. in
January.
• Credit Reporting and Identity
Theft in Your Job Search: Offered at

Hadassah offices in West Bloomfield.
It takes volunteers more than one mil
month of nonstop collecting, orga-
nizing and sorting to prepare for the
six-day event. It's a lot of work, "but
Hadassah members also bond, make
new friendships and generally have
fun while raising needed funds to
continue initiatives," Ogusky said.
For more information, call
Hadassah at (248) 683-5030.

JVS on Feb. 4 at 10 a.m., this 90-min-
ute workshop teaches job seekers how
potential employers use credit reports
and how to prevent identity theft when
utilizing online job search tools.
• Individual Counseling: JVS also
works with individuals and conducts
small group seminars on how to budget,
establish, manage and repair credit, man-
age debt and prevent foreclosure, and
save for college, a house or retirement.
For information, visit www.jvsdet.org/
finances, or call (248) 233-4299.

