metro
Lone Soldiers from page 15
for tank schooling in southern Israel. Her
goal to be a tank shooting instructor is
surely the path less traveled, especially
for women, and even more so for a Lone
Soldier whose Hebrew was not complete-
ly fluent upon enlistment.
"I wanted to go over the edge and do
something a little crazy for my service
she said. "I thought teaching other soldiers
how to shoot tanks would be wild and
totally out of my comfort zone. I was cer-
tainly right. Sometimes when I am guard-
ing a tank at 3 in the morning, I'll take a
step back and just laugh. I'll think about
my time at U-M and now I'm here, just
thinking over how unbelievably drastic
that change is:"
Stephanie made aliyah on a Nefesh
B'Nefesh/FIDF charter flight in August
2013 with more than 150 other like-
minded young adults from around the
country. She officially joined the IDF in
December after her initial time at her par-
ticular Garin Tzabar kibbutz in the north
of Israel. She then went on to do a three-
month course of training in the armored
corps.
It wasn't until her graduation ceremony
from basic tank training at Latrun when
her father really got a sense of the impact
Stephanie was making on her fellow sol-
diers in her short tenure thus far.
As Arthur and his wife, Gina, arrived
at Latrun, site of an Israeli tank memorial
and museum, to see their daughter grad-
uate from basic tank training, Stephanie
asked them to follow her. She led them to
the head of the brigade and instructors
who congratulated them for Stephanie's
distinction as the most outstanding role
model and one who leads by example in
the unit. There are only two awards given
out for the entire unit, and the other 30
girls in the unit and their instructors
voted for the honor she received.
"It was a complete surprise to us:'
Horwitz said. "Stephanie didn't even find
out until two days before the ceremony so
she thought she'd surprise us. The head
of the brigade personally rolled down
Stephanie's sleeve to show her two stripes,
and the head instructor personally fas-
tened the lanyard to her shoulder.
"I have been fortunate to have had
many happy occasions in my life, but
that will rank as one of the very top for
me. With the platoon in the background,
Israeli flag fluttering above us and
Stephanie getting this recognition, there's
nothing quite like that. The fact that
Stephanie, who made aliyah in August
and by March was selected for distinction
in the Israeli Army, I think speaks a lot
about the person she is."
Stephanie is now doing what she refers
to as a "residency," where she will learn
all of the specialty material and instruc-
tion on how to officially teach tank sol-
diers how to shoot.
Hannah Alexander, 22,
Ann Arbor
Hannah Alexander grew up in Ann Arbor
with Zionist and even, according to her,
socialist beliefs, but more than anything
it was her personal drive to challenge
herself and be part of something bigger
that made her move to Israel and join the
IDF.
After graduating from Ann Arbor
Pioneer High School, she went to Israel
on a gap-year program with Young
Judaea. This experience really facilitated
her aliyah and subsequent enlistment in
the IDF. In August 2011, Hannah joined
a Nefesh B'Nefesh/FIDF charter flight to
Israel and started her basic training after
her time on the Garin Tzabar kibbutz —
Kibbutz Magen — located directly next to
the Gaza Strip.
Hannah served in the Foreign Relations
unit, working with the Egyptian military
for peacekeeping efforts in the Gaza
Hannah Alexander of Ann Arbor just
finished two years of service.
and Sinai region. Essentially, according
to Hannah, she would work in different
capacities to keep the peace treaty with
Egypt intact and engage in rapid response
to events along the border.
Lone Soldiers on page 18
Learn the Secrets of
Annie's Ghosts; Support
Mental Health Programs at
Jewish Family Service
Join author Steve Luxenberg May
21st at the JCC in West Bloomfield.
THANK YOU! iy
GREAT
MICHIGAN
READ
MICHIGAN
HUMANITIES
COUNCIL
Elo.or ^.7 our h , story.
Join Jewish Family Service and Michi-
gan-born author Steve Luxenberg for a discus-
sion on mental health and community history.
Luxenberg is the author of Annie's Ghosts, the
Michigan Humanities Council's 2104 "Great
Michigan Read".
Shortly before Luxenberg's mother, Beth,
died, the family learned that she had a sister,
named Annie, who lived and died in secret
inside Eloise State Hospital for the mentally ill.
Luxenberg's years-long quest to understand
Annie's secret, troubled life forms the fascinat-
ing narrative of Annie's Ghosts.
Luxenberg will discuss Annie's story and
changing attitudes around mental health at a
"Lunch and Learn" event from 11:30 a.m. to
1:30 p.m. on Wed., May 21 at the Jewish Com-
munity Center in West Bloomfield.
The $36 admission includes lunch, and 1.5
Continuing Education Units are available to
social workers without additional cost. All
proceeds support JFS mental health programs,
which serve hundreds of people every year.
People like Kevin...
After 30 years away, Kevin returned home
to Metro Detroit in 2008 and started a job in
construction. Shortly after, the market crashed.
Kevin was laid off and sunk into depression. For
almost a year, he rarely left his apartment.
Health needs brought him to Jewish Family
Service, where he was referred to a therapist.
Working with his IFS therapist, Kevin learned to
manage the severe anxiety fueling his depression.
Today, Kevin has a job and runs a small
business on the side. He's re-connected with old
friends and built supportive relationships in the
community.
JFS provides counseling, addiction recovery
and other mental health services. You can help
make these programs accessible to the whole
community by attending the event. A separate
evening event has sold out.
Visit www.jfsdetroit.org/anniesghosts, call
248.592.2301, or email
anniesghosts@jfsdetroit.org to register.
To Our Generous Annie's Ghosts'
Sponsors & Community Supporters
Guardian
($5,000)
Activist
($1,000)
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Partners • Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit •
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Andrew Kukes Foundation for Social Anxiety • Gail Danto
& Art Roffey • Easter Seals of Michigan • Wendy & Jeff
Eisenshtadt • Deena & David Fishman • Milford Singer
and Company • Mark Milgrom • Diane & Randy Orley •
Eric & Patrice Phillips • Schostak Family Support
Foundation • Margo & Douglas Woll • Sally & Graham
Orley • Joseph & Suzanne* Orley (*of Blessed Memory)
Ally
($500)
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Birmingham Maple Clinic • Dennis & Anita Blender •
Barbara & Douglas Bloom • Business Communications
Systems • Common Ground • Curt's Service • Detroit
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Society of Michigan • Jewish Senior Life • Stacy & Ron
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