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Gina Horwitz shows off part of her extensive frog collection.

warog Invasion

Supported by

The Jewish Federation

Collector brings out all her
frogs at each Passover seder.

(7. \\

OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT

I Stacy Gittleman

Contributing Writer

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t the West Bloomfield home
of Gina Horwitz, there are
frogs here, frogs there.
There are frogs everywhere.
Horwitz does not seem to mind the
year-round amphibious plague in her
home. Terracotta frog sculptures greet
guests at the front doorstep where they
ring a frog-shaped brass doorbell. A
frog-shaped mezuzah is posted near
the entry hall on the way to the dining
room.
Come time for the Passover seder,
there will be a plethora of the animals
all over the table to remind guests of
the second of 10 plagues that afflicted
the Egyptians in the story of the Jews'
exodus from slavery to freedom.
Horwitz's frog collection is in the
hundreds. She began to collect them
about 18 years ago around this time of
year as a way to engage her children in
the story told at the Passover seder.
"Back then, when our children were
young, I was inspired by [American
Jewish University professor] Ron
Wolfson's advice on making the seder
a more experiential meal for kids," said
Horwitz, wife of IN publisher/execu-
tive editor Arthur Horwitz. "Ever since
then, when guests arrive at my seder,
they bring me frogs, and I now have
frogs from all over the world:'
One of her favorites is a small, mul-
ticolored figurine made of polymer

clay that fits right in the palm of her
hand. Its skin is detailed with intricate
patterns no matter which angle it is
viewed. During the year, it sits in the
dining room china cabinet with several
dozen frogs made from a multitude of
materials. She also has a set of finger
puppet frogs that children can enjoy at
her seder table.
There are larger, vibrant clay frogs
handcrafted from Mexico and the
Southwest as well as a glazed pot
adorned with the creatures that she
picked up while antiquing in Ann
Arbor.
"And, of course, I have several
Kermit the Frogs:' Horwitz said.
While none of these frogs is going
to jump into her guests' matzah ball
soup, the family did have one real pet
frog when her son Adam, now 27,
was 11 years old. Faithfully, Horwitz
would go to the pet store and purchase
crickets — live ones for Edward
the frog for almost two years, until his
untimely death.
"Sadly, Edward was found dead in
his terrarium the morning of Adam's
bar mitzvah:' Horwitz said.
Since then, guests to the Horwitz's
seders gleefully enjoy the family's
inanimate frogs.
"They put a smile on everyone's
faces:' Horwitz said. "I have so many
of them they take over the table until
there is hardly enough room for the
food. And, let's face it, frogs are better
than boils:'

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