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New group a hit with the legal crowd.

he Jewish Bar Association of
Michigan — known as "JBAM"
— started out with a bang on
Sept. 17 at a pre-New Year's get-together
that attracted more than 220 attorneys,
judges and others.
The group's initial event filled the large
venue at Local Restaurant and Bar in
Ferndale. Speakers included U.S. District
Judge Mark Goldsmith as well as JBAM
president Rachel Loebl and head adviser
Keith Sirlin.
Loebl outlined the group's goals
of enhancing society and the legal
profession. Working with Jewish Family
Service, it will provide mentoring for
new lawyers and free legal assistance to
the community. Also planned are legal
seminars and a social event with the
Midtown Detroit-based Chabad house.
Fifty people joined JBAM on the spot,
giving the new group more than 130
members. "We are thrilled with the huge
response Loebl said, "and we are looking
forward to many more great programs and
projects in the future:'
The next JBAM event is a discussion
about the U.S.-Israel relationship with
former AIPAC president David Victor on
Oct. 14. For information, contact Loebl at
rachel@loebloffice.com or (248) 733-5530
or visit the website www.jewish bar.org .

❑

David Lipson of Paragon Underwriters
and JBAM president Rachel Loebl

JBAM vice presidents Ellie Mosko and
Jonathan Schwartz

U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith and
JBAM head adviser Keith Sirlin

Amy Brody, internship and job coordinator
of Federation's NEXTGen Connect, with
JBAM vice president Andrew Cohen

Mayor Barry Brickner of Farmington
Hills with attorney Mark Gantz of
Dearborn Heights

Attorneys Jordan Zuppke and Drew
Wachler, both of Royal Oak

Fun For All

Emanu-El's Membership Picnic
helps kick off its religious school year.

n opening day of religious school,
Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park invited
students, families, congregants and pro-
spective members to join teachers and staff at its
Membership Picnic. Guests took this opportunity
to spend time at the synagogue, get acquainted
with religious school staff and hear about the
upcoming year's new curriculum.
After class, students and other guests met out-
side with their lunch plates piled high with locally
grown produce, Detroit's own Better Made chips

and Hebrew National hot dogs. Reunited with
camp and temple friends, students played a variety
of field games, learned about and petted chickens,
and jumped in the bounce houses.
Folks went home with balloon animals, glit-
ter tattoos and crafts, but also with a feeling of
reconnection to their temple community and an
enthusiasm for the coming religious school year.
To register, go to www.emanuel-mich.org , click on
Religious School and download the forms. Or call
(248) 967-4023 ext. 213.

❑

Temple Emanu-El Brotherhood members

Riley Stocki, Sydney Newman, Zoe Phillips

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September 25 • 2014

Di

Framed: (top) eighth-graders Eddie Rosenthal and Sydney
Newman; (bottom) sophomore Hannah Aronson-Paxton and
A young member enjoys holding a chicken. eighth-graders Riley Stocki, Zoe Phillips and Ben Schwartz.