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Cultural Sharing

Jews and Muslims
gather together to
volunteer at Yad Ezra.

F

orty people of all ages from the
Muslim and Jewish communities in
Warren, Hamtramck, Detroit, Oak
Park, Huntington Woods and Trenton came
together on Sunday, Jan. 25, to bag and box
food at Yad Ezra, the kosher food pantry in
Berkley.
Following an introduction by Lea Luger of
Yad Ezra, volunteers quickly formed teams to
sort, bag, box and stack huge barrels of pota-
toes and apples.
Congregation T'chiyah in Oak Park hosted
lunch, where the group learned about the
cultures represented through a question-and-
answer session. The Muslim group also held
an afternoon prayer at the synagogue.
Attendees represented the following orga-
nizations: Islamic Organization of North
America, Ahmaddiya Organization, the
Muslim Center of Detroit, Song and Spirit
Institute and the Edut Havurah. More events
are expected this year. The program is part of
the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding in
New York, which promotes cooperation and
understanding between Jews and Muslims in
the U.S.

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Valeria and Anthony Bardaway, Imam Abdul-
lah El-Amin, William Antoon, Rabbi Dorit Edut

Volunteers at work at Yad Ezra

/

The interfaith volunteer group poses at Yad Ezra.

Wendy Robbins and Rabbi Dorit Edut

'Made In Detroit' PJ Library families explores their Detroit roots during museum program.

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aygo. Vernors. Hank Greenberg. Better
Made Chips. Sanders Hot Fudge. Velvet
Peanut Butter. What do all of these have
in common? They were all made in Detroit.
More than 250 people gathered with other PJ
Library families Jan. 25 at the Detroit Historical
Museum to explore their Jewish roots in Detroit.
Children created their own cars, cut out paper
dolls, learned about their family roots and
explored the museum on a "Made in Detroit"
scavenger hunt.
The program gave Jewish families the oppor-
tunity to connect with each other, with the city

Members of Girl Scout Troop 71613 "do laundry"
during "Made in Detroit."

of Detroit and with their Jewish community to
help strengthen their Jewish identities.
Save March 15-22 for the next event — the
Barbara and Douglas Bloom Matzah Factory.
PJ Library is a national program that mails
free, high-quality Jewish children's literature
and music to families across the continent each
month. In Detroit, PJ Library is sponsored by the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
For details, go to www.jewishdetroit.org or
www.facebook.com/pjlibrarydetroit, or call Gail
Greenberg at (248) 205-2536.

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Avi Grahan, 7, of Southfield
gets help from David Grahan of
Farmington Hills as he builds a car
at the Detroit Historical Museum.

JoAnne Levy of Troy, left, holds Alize Bednarsh, 1, of Shelby
Township, as Ralph Rinaldi of Detroit wraps holiday cards at the
print shop at the Detroit Historical Museum.

Justin Dawson, 7, receives assis-
tance with the cut-out dolls from
his mom, Liz Dawson, as she holds
Bennett Dawson, 6 months. They
are from Maybee.

Justin Dawson holds the paper
doll he crafted.

February 5 • 2015

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