ENROLL NOW • IN OUR SUMMER PROGRAM SUMMER ENROLLMENT SPECIAL Free Diagnostic Assessment ($150 Value) Free Materials ($50 Value) *Must enroll by May 31 ONE-TO-ONE INSTRU TI Programs: Math, Reading, Writing, Study Skills, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II TUTORING CENTER TM Empowering Children to Reach their Potential Take The Tutoring Center's Summer Checklist Challenge! Is your child struggling with their current level of reading and/or math? Has your child's skills begun to decline regardless of how hard they are working? Does your child have anxiety about taking tests? Have you noticed your child losing confidence in themselves? Birmingham I 765 E. Maple Road 248-494-6225 O riands-On Gift Artist works with Hillel students to craft glass menorahs for others. li THE ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ family focus www.tutoringcenter.com DESIGNS IN DECORATOR WOOD & LAMINATES, LTD. It Doesn't Have To Cost A fortune... Only Loo Like It! Complete kitchen and bathroom remodelin as well as furniture design and installations including granite, wood and other materials. Lois Haron Allied Member ASID 248.851.6989 I t's a longstanding tradition at Hillel Day School for parents to select a class gift for each student to receive upon becoming a bat/bar mitzvah rather than having every stu- dent bring a present to every celebration party. This year, instead of purchasing mass-produced items from an appropri- ate catalogue, the parents of the classes of 2015 and 2017 decided to do some- thing a bit different. Hillel parent Nomi Joyrich originally contacted renowned Judaic artist Gary Rosenthal to inquire about setting up a wholesale account for making purchases. But when he explained his Hiddur Mitzvah project, she saw the opportunity to transform the class gift effort into a truly special experience. Rosenthal first came to Hillel to work with the class of 2015 when they were in sixth grade. He explained that Hiddur Mitzvah is the commandment to beau- tify ritual objects, and he talked about the way art can be used in the service of tzedakah. Each student created two pieces of glass: one piece became the focal point of a menorah that became her/his bat/ bar mitzvah gift; the second piece was turned into a menorah that would be donated to charity. The students also cre- ated one bigger piece of glass to be used in a large tzedakah box — their eighth- grade gift to the school. During seventh grade, the students had several meetings and discussed where they wanted to donate their menorahs. Aviva Lupovitch sug- gested donating them to a small Jewish Ugandan community (the grade had spent the year learning about this com- munity and had raised money to build them a well). The class was unanimous in its support for this idea, but many stu- dents wanted to be able to hand deliver BOOK YOUR PARTY TODAY? Carry-Out Pasta, Sala RESTAURANT PIZZERIA f • I & Veggie Party Trays sinee 1946 $2 OffAny PartyTray Offer not valid with any other coupon/discount. One coupon per person, per table Expires 7/31/15 JN $3 OffAny 8-Square Pia Offer not valid with any other coupon/discount. One coupon per person, per table Expires 7/31/15 JN - Half - Baked Pizzas All-You-Can-Eat Dine-In Party Packages ANTIOXIDANT, TUSCAN VEGAN, 1 01 KALE LOVERS AND GLUTEN FREE PIZZAS Join Buddy's Email Club at www.buddyspizza.com ! Novi Now Open! 44225 W. 12 Mile @ Fountain Walk 248.675.0881 • Farmington Hills 248.855.4600 Detroit • Warren • Livonia • Dearborn • Pointe Plaza • Auburn Hills • Royal Oak • Bloomfield Hills • Shelby Twp 110 May 21 • 2015 Meredith Weingarden and her sixth- grade daughter Emilie with artist Gary Rosenthal I Gary Rosenthal and eighth-grader Eden Joyrich put money in the new tzedakah box in the Hillel lobby. their menorahs. They decided to ship half the meno- rahs to Uganda and carry the other half with them to Israel and donate them to the Shalva School for children with spe- cial needs. "The fact that my artwork is lighting up homes across the world amazes me," Lupovitch said. When it came time for the parents of the Class of 2017 to decide on a class gift, the conversation turned quickly to the Hiddur Mitzvah project. It was decided to approach a few congregations to help defray some of the expenses. For the second time, Temple Kol Ami decided to sponsor a family event, and Congregation Shaarey Zedek elected to co-sponsor it. Tiffany Green, Kol Ami's cantorial soloist, said, "Collaborating with other congregations fosters a healthy Jewish community:' Two weeks before the eighth-graders left for Israel, Rosenthal unveiled the large tzedakah box and slid the first dol- lar through its slot. All of your fingerprints are on this glass, and so when anyone donates tze- dakah in this box, it will also be a mitz- vah for all of you" he told the students. Rosenthal then went to work with the sixth-graders to help them make their menorahs. "It is striking how the different aspects of this one project actively involved the children in so many of our core Jewish values —Zionism, klal Yisrael (Unity of the Jewish people), tik k un olam and kedushah, bringing beauty and holiness into the world" said Saul Rube, dean of Judaic studies at Hillel. "These types of varied, real-life experiences have a profound and lasting impact on our students, and we are so grateful to Gary Rosenthal for bringing this into the Hillel community:' ❑