metro Divorce Support Group Breaking News! 1 .1 Mitzvah project by seventh-grader aims to give kids of divorce a way to express feelings. 9,0 I 15 Month Certificate of Deposit Special! BANK F 1■16 of MICHIGAN Here To Help 30095 Northwestern Hwy. Farmington Hills, MI 48334 (248) 865-1300 www.bankofmi.com *APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Actual APY of 1.16% is effective January 29, 2015 through August 31, 2015. $50,000 minimum to open, maximum $500,000. New money only not already on deposit at Bank of Michigan. Early withdrawal penalties may apply. CD maturity date is 15 months from date of account opening. Terms and rates are subject to change at any time without notice. Offer expires 8/31/15. 1.1450 Public Hours: Sunday, March 15 1— 4 pm Sunday, March 22 1 — 4 pm Special Event: Help Moses lead the Jews out of Egypt! PJ Library, Pizza & Passover! Wednesday, March 18 6 — 7:30 pm RSVP @ jewishdetroit.org/events Make matzah for the journey! There is no charge for the Matzah Factory event, which has been graciously sponsored by Barbara and Douglas Bloom. Create a Passover keepsake to take home! For more information, contact Gail Greenberg at greenberg@jfmd.org Jewish Community Center D. Dan and Betty Kahn Building Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus 6600 W. Maple Road West Bloomfield, MI 48322 "Making Matzah is Making Memories!" Barbara Bloom ir3 Shalom Street Bois Chabad Ton. Center THE 61Hi- ER 14 March 5 • 2015 ONIL;6rAzy JmnatliKsymmv Sloe. Sr Soma IN Stacy Gittleman Contributing Writer g% Jewish Federation OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT 1983100 or many children in the midst of a parental breakup, divorce can feel like an inner silent scream — a situation that can isolate the child because they are unsure of whom or where they can go to express their true concerns or feelings. In a unique twist on a mitzvah proj- ect, Asher Schreiber, a seventh-grader at Norup International School in Oak Park, launched a support group for his schoolmates coping with the divorce of their parents. Divorce and family law attorney Alisa Peskin-Shepherd and psycholo- gist Henry Traurig will mediate the first session March 11 at the school. Sessions, which are free and open to Norup students in grades 5-8, are planned for the remainder of the school year. At first, Schreiber met some resis- tance and hesitation from parents going through divorce because of the sensitive nature of the group's focus. However, school officials as well as the group's facilitators assured families that names of the group participants and specific conversations would be kept strictly confidential. Speaking from his own experience, Schreiber said, "Divorce is not some- thing you get oven" His parents divorced about seven years ago when he was in kindergarten. Though he said he did attend some family therapy sessions, Schreiber felt at that age "he had to learn the ropes of divorce" on his own. He felt confused and started "acting up" in class. As he got older and his friendships developed, he realized he had friends who could also relate to what it feels like when parents split. "I can't help kids get over the fact that their parents are no longer together" Schreiber said. "But maybe through this group, which will allow them to explore their feelings and know they are not alone, I can help them accept their parents' divorce. I always wished I had outside people to talk to when I was going through it" Ongoing Project Schreiber said he was looking to create a mitzvah project for his bar mitzvah n Periodic Table of the Elements 4 •■ _ AMEN. I e• 4 60 Attorney Alisa Peskin-Shepherd and psychologist Henry Traurig flank Asher Schreiber, who is starting ses- sions at his school for children of divorce. that could have the potential to con- tinue after his celebrations are over. (He will have two ceremonies; one March 28 at Young Israel of Oak Park with his father, Avy Schreiber of Oak Park, and another May 16 with his mother, Lynne Golodner of Huntington Woods, in Novi with Rabbi Evon Yakar of Adventure Rabbi.) "At first I thought of putting together care packages for kids who are going through divorce, or maybe putting together a sports event at the JCC for kids affected by divorce," Schreiber said. "But I soon realized that the best thing I can do for kids of divorce would be to create a space where they could just open up and talk" With the help of his mother and Norup School Principal Paul Yowchuang, Schreiber recruited Peskin- Shepherd and Traurig to his project. He made posters in school and sent a notice in the school's emails to parents about the group. The principal also reached out to families of children he thought could benefit from such a group. Peskin-Shepherd said divorce affects children of all ages, from preschoolers right through young adults. Free support resources exist for adults going through divorce. For example, Peskin-Shepherd referred to Oakland County's "Start Making It Livable for Everyone" (SMILE) initia- tive. SMILE is a one-hour educational program for parents who have a pend- ing divorce. It is designed to help them