metro >> angels and dreamers

A Dream Come True

Child's wish to do good launches a new foundation.

I

Jackie Headapohl

E

Managing Editor

fight-year-old Noah Ostheimer
is a dreamer. The fourth-grader
from White Lake dreams of one
day drilling for oil and piloting his own
plane. He also has big dreams of help-
ing others. "I had this wish. I wanted to
start a charity to help others, but I didn't
know how to do it," he said.
Enter Rabbi Daniel Syme of Temple
Beth El in Bloomfield Township, an
"angel" who was touched by Noah's
vision and set out to make it happen,
creating the Angels and Dreamers
Foundation. Noah is "chairman of the
board."
"I've long believed that children ages 7
to 11 have highly developed impulses to
heal the world:' Rabbi Syme said. "They
know what needs to be done, but they
don't have the resources to do it. When
Noah came to me wanting to start his
own charity, I knew I wanted to act as
an adviser, and my job would be to put
together a system of angels who would
help children realize their dreams:'

Noah's Dream
At temple, Noah and his family, par-
ents Jennifer and Camilo and sister
Sarah, 6, would sit behind this nice
lady who always wore a hat. Her name
was Paula Marks Bolton, well-known
in the community as a Holocaust survi-
vor who shares her story and message
at the Holocaust Memorial Center in
Farmington Hills.
Paula, who lives in West Bloomfield,
has been a member of Temple Beth El
for more than 30 years; the Ostheimers
about two. The family always sat behind
her at shul, and when she was absent
because of a problem with her knee,
Noah missed her.
"I met Miss Paula and knew she had
survived the Holocaust and that her
family had died. I wanted to know how
she survived," Noah said.
Noah wrote a letter to Rabbi Syme,
explaining his wish to
take Miss Paula out for
a special meal.
"She's very special ...
I want to show her how
much I care about her,"
Noah wrote. "I want to
learn more about her.
I also want to tell her a
Rabbi Daniel
little
about me:'
Syme

24 July 24 • 2014

Noah Ostheimer and Paula Marks Bolton became good friends over lunch.

Rabbi Syme shared Noah's letter with
the Jewish News and other "angels" in
the community who set out to make his
wish come true.

Angels Among Us
Rabbi Syme was able to rally those in
the community to make Paula's day spe-
cial.
Aaron Lowen of Cutting Edge Cuisine
was one of those angels. "I was excited
to be part of it," he said. "It's an honor
and a pleasure to help
out a great cause:'
Zack Sklar, owner of
A Cutting Edge Cuisine
and restaurants MEX
and Social Kitchen &
Bar, offered to host
Noah and Paula for a
special lunch.
Zack Sklar,
"It's such a great
owner of MEX
mitzvah to be a part
of," said Sklar, who upon greeting

Noah meets Paula at the restaurant with flowers.

