Jewish Bridge from page 42
tutors. We have plans to bring in
an anti-bullying program from
the Anti-Defamation League. And
we started a kindness project
with the fifth-graders by giving
them, and then discussing, the
book Wonder.
Have we made a difference?
Ask 2001 Pasteur alumnus Eric
Harris, to whom the Foundation
awarded a $1,000 college scholar-
ship.
Three years ago, Harris sent
us a check for $250 as well as a
card thanking us for helping him
attend college. He is now work-
ing for Boeing, has volunteered
at Pasteur, is married with a baby
and connected with me through
Facebook and Linkedin.
Over the years, many people
have said they wish someone
would do what we are doing for
their old school; some have put
that desire into effect. Sherry
Erman Stewart of Bloomfield
Hills, Gary Miller of Commerce
Township and David Broner of
West Bloomfield are just some
of the people who are organizing
tutors at Detroit schools.
Some of you have visited
your old school for a one-time
reunion. Some of you have lists of
classmates with current emails.
Some of you are volunteer-
ing through the Detroit Jewish
Coalition for Literacy, a pro-
gram of the Jewish Community
Relations Council of Metropolitan
Detroit.
Joining The Cause
What is needed now is coordina-
tion with all the alumni who care
about the children of Detroit and
their own schools. I could be
that person to start an umbrella
organization, gather alumni and
raise grant money for programs
at other Detroit schools. I am
hoping that money can be raised
to provide the programs from
Foundations. This is a great way
to bridge the Jewish community
with Detroit.
People ask why the focus is
elementary school. The answer
is that this is triage. We need to
teach the young ones how to read
and write to prepare them for life.
There also are too many young
children who get no individual
attention at home or those who
live in broken families or with
foster families or with grand-
mothers taking care of many chil-
dren. A volunteer can give valu-
able one-on-one care to a child.
We, as Jews, know the impor-
tance of education. We have been
fortunate to give our children the
best education, as our parents
gave to us. It is our turn to help
the children who need it the most.
The Talmud says if we can save
one life, it's like saving the world.
Tikkun olam: Repair the world.
There are many young lives in
Detroit who need help. We can
do that with alumni groups at
each school. Please contact me
with the name of your former
elementary
school. Didn't
go to a Detroit
school, but
want
to be
SO WHY CAN'T
involved?
ISRAEL BE "THE
What an
JEWISH STATE OF
impact we
ISRAEL" ?
will all have
together!
Dry Bones
/ THE OFFICIAL
I NAME OF IRAN
IS "THE ISLAMIC
REPUBLIC OF
IRAN"
THE MAGIC Of
\JEWISH
SUMMER CAMP
Thursday, April 3rd 7:00pm
at Frankel Jewish Academy
(on the campus of the West Bloomfield JCC)
110.
V
i• •
•••••
Now,
Dr. Jonathan Krasner is
the author of the
National Jewish Book
Award winning title The
Benderly Boys and
American Jewish
Education. He is
Associate Professor of
the American Jewish
Experience at Hebrew
Union College, the
seminary for training
rabbis, cantors, and
educators in Reform
Judaism.
-
•
Jewish day school is the
foundation of Jewish education,
and Jewish summer camp has
been called the greatest
innovation in Jewish education
since the Bar Mitzvah. Together
they are the American Jewish
community's best weapon in the
arsenal against assimilation.
Join historian Jonathan Krasner
as he explores how the idea of
Jewish summer camp developed
and why it is more relevant than
ever in the 21 st century.
The lecture is free and open to
the entire Jewish community.
RSVP to Mrs. Audrey Trethewey
at atrethewey@frankelja.org or
248-592-5263 ext. 221
❑
IT SOUNDS
TOO JEWISH.
Of
Marcy Feldman
of Huntington
Woods is
president of
the Pasteur
Elementary
School Alumni
Foundation
and co-owner
of Heart wear
Designs in
Birmingham.
She can be
reached at
feldman248@
comcast.net or
(248) 514-5359.
' Open • Halachic • Zionist • American
March 27 • 2014
JN
43