Photos by Brett Mountain

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Federation's NEXTGen
Detroit and Repair the
World partner with JFS
for Fall Fix Up.

BECKY HURVITZ I SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

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early 50 young adult
volunteers met at B'nai
David Cemetery in Detroit
on Sunday, Nov. 9, to take
part in Jewish Family Service's annual
Fall Fix Up. Federation's NEXTGen
Detroit and Repair the World partnered
with Friends of B'nai David Cemetery
and JFS to recruit helping hands and
organize the effort.
Raking, weeding, filling in holes,
disposing of illegally dumped tires and
removing graffiti were among the tasks
that volunteers tackled." I was so

happy with the amount of work we
accomplished. From walking into the
cemetery that morning to getting
ready to leave in the afternoon,
there was a distinct difference," said
Abby Rubin, Repair the World fellow.
"You could definitely tell people who
cared had been there."
The historic Jewish cemetery on
Van Dyke was the "Next Gen" site
for this year's Fall Fix Up. A total of
450 volunteers worked on various
sites throughout Metro Detroit,
helping seniors prepare their homes
for winter or beautifying important
areas in the community.
"The energy level was awesome,
and I think everyone responded to
the work and to each other with
openness and positivity," said JFS
Communications Manager Daniel
Trudeau. "B'nai David Cemetery is
an incredible place, and we were
really grateful that Fall Fix Up
brought everyone together to make
a difference there."
B'nai David is one of four Jewish
cemeteries in the city of Detroit.
The first burial there was in 1898,

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and there are still members of the
community who wish to be buried in
the cemetery when the time comes.
"In Judaism, there is a very high
value on kavod hamet, honoring the
deceased," said Rabbi Yisrael Pinson,
Fall Fix Up volunteer and director
of Chabad of Greater Downtown
Detroit.
"We can't build our future
without taking care of our past.
And as we work to rejuvenate the
city of Detroit, it is so important to
remember our Jewish history here,"
said Miryam Rosenzweig, NEXTGen
Detroit director.
"When we kneel down and clean
up a grave of someone who lived
100 years ago as a young Jewish
person in the city, how can we not
be inspired to continue Jewish life in
Detroit?"
NEXTGen Detroit has recently
heard from a lot of individuals
interested in volunteer opportunities
and, in response, is currently
developing regular programming to
meet the demands.
"NEXTGenners are excited about
the city and its many communities,
and they have shown that they're
ready and willing to pitch in
and effect change," said Sarah
Snider, NEXTGen Detroit outreach
associate."
The enthusiasm for volunteering
is really motivating, and we're
honored to work on these types
of projects with strong community
partners like Repair the World and
JFS. Look out for more events like
this in the future; they are definitely
coming!" ❑

Abi Liepshutz of Ferndale, Stephanie Cole of Dean Lugashi of Ferndale and Leann
West Bloomfield and Lauren Rouff of Royal Lugashi of West Bloomfield
Oak

Johannah and Sam Schiffer of Huntington
Woods

Becky Hurvitz of West Bloomfield

Andrew Landau of Royal Oak and Judy
Margolin of Ann Arbor

mot
Repair the World fellows Benny Mattis
and Mordechai Smith of Detroit

David Goldman of Farmington Hills and
Rabbi Yisrael Pinson of Detroit

Kris Narayan, 12, of Birmingham
and Nathan Moss, 11, of Bloomfield

