frontlines
Seeing Stars
7.6
Temple Israel fourth-graders' art
adorns Holocaust Memorial Center.
I
Judy Greenwald
Special to the Jewish News
C
ombine a fun art project for
kids with a chance to create
Jewish community awareness,
and you get some real stars from the
effort.
This applies to both the 120 fourth-
grade students at Temple Israel's Tyner
Religious School and their art project,
four 4-foot-by-4-foot mosaic-inspired
Stars of David, which can be seen
at the Holocaust Memorial Center
(HMC), 28123 Orchard Lake Road in
Farmington Hills.
Under the direction of art teach-
ers Betsy Besl and Marjie Benson,
and assisted by 15-year-old Blake
Rubenstein of West Bloomfield, the
students spent six Sundays working
together, rolling hundreds of colorful
strips of wrapping paper into tubes that
they glued onto foam core stars, produc-
ing the mosaic-like effect. The children
wrote their wishes for the world on the
backs of many strips before rolling them
up.
"Sharing a joyous Jewish activity with
such an enthusiastic group of students
was the best part for me said Besl of
Farmington Hills. A 25-year member of
Temple Israel, she's been teaching art at
the synagogue for 14 years in the Early
Childhood Center and the religious
school.
Lifelong Temple Israel member
Benson of Oak Park agreed. "The
kids really looked forward to working
together. Everyone was busy, everyone
had something fun to do, and it meant
a lot that this project was going out
into the Jewish community:' A retired
Detroit Public Schools art teacher,
Benson has been teaching at Temple
Israel for more than 20 years.
Two of the young artists shared what
the project meant to them.
"It felt special, being Jewish and really
embracing my culture said 9-year-old
Allie Abrams of West Bloomfield, who
attends Keith Elementary. "It was really
fun working with the other kids:'
Sheiko Elementary School student
Isabel Johnson, also 9 and a fellow West
Bloomfield resident, said she had a good
time creating the stars. "I enjoy art, and
it wasn't hard because lots of people
worked together:'
When asked, both girls replied their
wish was for peace.
The teachers knew this hopeful mes-
sage was one to be promoted, and when
Benson contacted the HMC's Director
JN CONTENTS
of Education Robin Axelrod about the
stars, Axelrod's response was immediate
and positive.
"HMC is delighted and honored
to display the Temple Israel religious
school's Stars of David:' Axelrod said.
"Many visitors remark that in a museum
that tackles the darkness of war and
destruction, the students' stars invoke
light and hope:'
Besl noted the artwork would remain
at the HMC for about five to six weeks,
and following that exhibition, will find
a permanent home at the Jewish Senior
Life (JSL) residences.
JSL Associate Director of Aging
Services Barbra Giles expressed real
pleasure about receiving the Temple
Israel schoolchildren's handiwork.
"We're excited about displaying
the stars at the Jewish Senior Life
apartments in Oak Park and West
Bloomfield:' she said. "Our residents
truly will appreciate these stars, which
were hand-crafted by such talented
young people:'
Besl said "Working together on these
joyful, colorful stars, our students have
learned the true meaning of community.
They've created amazing art, and had a
lot of fun doing so!"
Dr. Mitchell Shek is a dermatologist
from New York who came to Michigan
thinking it was a temporary stop on
his way to a practice in California.
Attracted to Michigan, he remained.
"When I was getting to the end of
my training, I ran low on money and I
needed a short-term loan," Mitchell
said. "I came to Hebrew Free Loan
and filled out an application, but then
I looked around the waiting room and
saw people who seemed to have
greater need than I did. I left HFL
thinking I didn't need to be there, and
borrowed from my uncle instead."
Years later, when Mitchell was
established and ready to give back,
his friend and HFL Board member
David Kirsch suggested the agency
as a good fit for his personality.
Mitchell, who recalled his experience
with HFL, agreed.
Now a member of HFL's Advisory
Committee, Mitchell says Hebrew
Free Loan can help everyone, "A
wide variety of people come here for
so many different needs. I encour-
age the entire community to learn
more about its services. HFL is so
dignified and caring, and a great
thing to have available.
"If I knew at the time of my financial
need what I have since learned from
working with HFL, I probably would
have gone through with my interview.
HFL isn't just for crisis loans, and it
helps you stand on your own,"
Mitchell said. "I've been successful,
but I had support. For all those who
need that kind of support, HFL is there."
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