Left: Rendering of the exterior of the
Farber Soul Center, expected to be
opened within a year.

Below: Jon Mietling and Aislinn
Wendrow work on an art project.

Heart & soul from page 8

we had to look at other options:'
Motivated by her belief in the power of
art as a means of unleashing creativity,
Shemtov began to research and visit art
studio programs across the country. She
was particularly impressed with Gateway
Arts in Boston, Creative Studio in San
Francisco and Do Art in Bay City, where
artists with special needs created, dis-
played and sold their works.
"I always knew teens and young adults
[with special needs] were amazing, but I
was totally blown away by what I saw," she
said. "No one dreamt that some of these
people were artistic until they were given
the opportunity."
Inspired by what she saw, Shemtov
started a pilot program at Friendship Circle
with 10 aspiring artists. Brian Kavanaugh,
who ran a similar program in Buffalo, N.Y.,
and earned a master's in fine art degree at
Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield
Hills, served as facilitator. Kavanaugh
will also be involved in the Soul Center.
Shemtov refers to Kavanaugh and other
staff members and volunteers as mentors or
facilitators rather than teachers.
"It's not a workshop or a class or an art
therapy program," she said. "It's a place for
encouraging creativity and empowering our
adults. The facilitating artists work right
alongside the artists with special needs:'
Among the young adults looking for-
ward to the new facility is Sam Morris, 22,
of West Bloomfield, who participated in
the pilot art program last year.
Sam's mother, Carolyn Morris, served as
weaver-in-residence for the pilot program
held in the Lifetown Building. Morris, who
has an educational therapy background
and is also an accomplished artist, was
impressed by the talent exhibited by the
participants and pleasantly surprised by
the sense of community that evolved.
"It was a delight to see the connections
that developed between the young artists,"
she said. "They became such a close-knit
group, helping each other, giving compli-
ments and offering suggestions:'
Sam, who painted pictures inspired by
the television show Wheel of Fortune, also
enjoyed helping the other artists thread
their looms and hang paper for painting.
"I liked meeting new people," he said,
"and I liked helping others be creative:'
Aislinn Wendrow, 21, of West
Bloomfield was another budding artist
who participated in the program.
"Through various opportunities for
artistic expression, I've learned that

10 June 5 • 2014

A "registry" on the Friendship
Circle website features a variety of
items at all price points for those
who want to support the Soul
Center. For information, visit www
friendshipcircle.org/soul or call (248)
788-7878.

Neumann/Smith Architecture

Aislinn has a definite color palate that
is her own," said her mother, Tali Flam
Wendrow. "I'm excited for the possibilities
for her to be able to expand on that and to
see where it takes her:'
Sam Morris also works in the Friendship
Bakery, another recent vocational endeav-
or where participants bake challah that
is sold at Hiller's and other locations. The
bakers learn skills relating to measuring
ingredients and using equipment as well
as kitchen safety and cleanliness, and basic
business management.
The Soul Cafe will expand on this con-
cept by giving participants the opportunity
to learn the skills associated with the food
service industry. Bassie Shemtov said the
restaurant will start by serving breakfast
and lunch, with plans to expand to dinner
service as the program grows.
"You just never know what the right
thing is for each person," she said. "You

can't know unless you try:'
Bassie Shemtov said there have been
discussions about some form of partner-
ship with JVS in Southfield; government
funding available for vocational training
programs for individuals with special
needs is also a possibility.

Legacy Of Service

The Farber Soul Center plan was
announced at a recent community event
honoring more than 1,000 teen and adult
volunteers who help the organization carry
out its mission of providing programs for
people with special needs in an atmosphere
of friendship, acceptance and dignity.
Levi Shemtov gave a brief history of the
organization, which began in 1994 when
he and his wife, Bassie, came to Detroit as
emissaries of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe
Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Their
original mission was to help Jewish people

who need friendship because of struggles
with isolation and other needs, including
drugs and alcohol. This is now the Daniel
B. Sobel Friendship House, adjacent to
Lifetown.
After surveying the community situa-
tion, the Shemtovs realized the need for
programming for children with special
needs. The first programs were held at
the Shemtov's home and in various loca-
tions until 2005, when the dream of the
Shemtovs and the families they served
came true with the opening of the Ferber
Kaufman Lifetown Building. As the orga-
nization continued to grow, the Elkus gym
was added, enabling Friendship Circle to
offer a variety of sports programs for par-
ticipants and volunteers.
"The new facility will allow us to con-
tinue our mission to recognize, appreciate
and celebrate the value of our souls," Levi
Shemtov said. H