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OBAMA’S JEWISH LIAISON TO SPEAK AT BETH EL
TEMPLE WINS
MLK AWARD
Temple Emanu-El was recently
honored by Rev. Nicholas Hood
III, pastor of the Plymouth
United Church of Christ, with
the 25th Annual Martin Luther
King Day Award. Temple Emanu-El was
honored for its commitment to social
action and justice, community improve-
ment and for its many years of service to
humanity.
Linda Greenwood, chairperson
of Temple Emanu-El’s Social Action
Committee, and her husband, Jim
Greenwood, center, were present to
receive the recognition at a Sunday ser-
vice honoring Martin Luther King Day.
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PSA PROMOTES MENINGITIS VACCINE
Emily Stillman was a sophomore
vaccinated against four of the five
at Kalamazoo College when she
serogroups of meningococcal disease.
tragically contracted bacterial
She had received the conjugate vac-
meningitis and died three years
cine at ages 11 and again at 17, just as
ago. On Feb. 2, 2013, after just
recommendations dictate. However,
36 hours in the hospital, Emily
this vaccine only protected her against
died with her family by her side.
Serogroups A, C, W and Y — not
“It has been three years of
B. The vaccine that would have
Emily Stillman
sadness. Three years of crying.
protected Emily was not yet avail-
Three years of wishing I could
able in the United States. It is now.
feel her hug one more time,” said Alicia
Recommendations have been approved.
Stillman, Emily’s mom. “Three years of not
Every single day Alicia Stillman advocates
hearing her voice. Three years of grieving
through the Emily Stillman Foundation for
for the loss of what was, and what will never this vaccine. The MenB Forever Emily pub-
be.”
lic service announcement was released this
Alicia made her sweet daughter a prom-
month in another attempt to reach parents.
ise before she died. “I promised her I would
“This PSA is not actors playing a role. It
somehow figure out how this could have
is not funded by a pharmaceutical company
happened, and I would fix it. I would be
trying to sell vaccines,” said Alicia as to why
her voice, and I would make sure that this
this is so important. “It is my gut-wrenching
would not happen to anyone else,” she said.
story — filmed at Emily’s grave and at the
Shortly afterward, the Emily Stillman
funeral home where I said my final good-
Foundation, a 501(c) (3), began to raise
bye. I describe in my own words with my
awareness for meningococcal disease and
own voice what I learned and how other
organ donation.
families can avoid living my nightmare.”
This tragedy should have been pre-
View the PSA at https://youtu.
vented. Emily had been protected by being
be/5p9N8FrYbkI.
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GIFTS FOR KIDS AT
CHILDREN’S VILLAGE
The Oakland County Prosecutors’
Foundation for Kids, led by Prosecutor
Jessica Cooper and the charity’s presi-
dent, Henry M. Nirenberg, delivered
presents to Mandy’s Place in Oakland
County’s Village in Pontiac to chil-
dren who have been separated from
their families through no fault of their
own. The children were provided with
clothes, school supplies, toys and treats.
“Seeing their smiles and tears of joy
motivates us to work even harder to
help local kids in need,” said foundation
26 February 25 • 2016
Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper
(right foreground) with Foundation for Kids
board members and volunteers
board member Jonathan H. Schwartz. To
learn more about upcoming foundation
events, or to donate, contact Schwartz at
JSchwartz@seyburn.com.
*
Matt Nosanchuk, White House
General Tom Perez in the
liaison to the American Jewish
Civil Rights Division, where
community, will share an
he played a key role on the
insider’s view of his work as a
Defense of Marriage Act
Jewish Detroiter in the Obama
litigation team, resulting in
White House at 2 p.m. Sunday,
the Supreme Court’s historic
March 6, at Temple Beth El in
decision allowing same-sex
Bloomfield Township.
marriage.
Mark Miller, senior rabbi of Matt
A member of the
Temple Beth El, will interview Nosanchuk
Obama campaign in 2008,
Nosanchuk about his work
Nosanchuk helped lead the
with the administration on a host
campaign’s LGBT policy commit-
of Jewish issues, including the Iran
tee. He received the American Bar
nuclear deal, U.S.-Israel relations,
Association’s inaugural Stonewall
homeland security, Middle East pol-
Award in recognition for his con-
icy and immigration. There also will
tributions to advancing LGBT civil
be a question-and-answer segment.
rights and the Attorney General’s
The program is sponsored by the
Distinguished Service Award for his
Jewish Community Relations Council work on the Defense of Marriage Act
and Temple Beth El.
litigation.
Nosanchuk, who was born in
Reservations are requested for the-
Windsor and raised in Detroit, joined March 6 program. To RSVP, contact
the Obama administration in 2009 as Miriam Ciesla at ciesla@jfmd.org or
senior counselor to Assistant Attorney (248) 642-5393.
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SHAAREY ZEDEK TO
HONOR RABBI ADLER
JVS’ TRADE SECRETS
FETES ENTREPRENEUR
Congregation Shaarey Zedek will
celebrate the life of Rabbi Morris
Adler, who was mortally shot by
a mentally ill
congregant at the
Southfield syna-
gogue 50 years
ago this month.
The commu-
nity is invited to
coffee and con-
versation at 9:30
Rabbi Morris
a.m. Sunday,
Adler
Feb. 28, at the
synagogue to share and listen to
memories and to reflect on Rabbi
Adler’s profound legacy.
Rabbi Adler will be honored
during Shabbat morning services
on March 5. A new exhibit from
the Shaarey Zedek archive dedi-
cated to the rabbi’s memory will be
on display for the first time.
The congregation is also form-
ing a committee to plan a commu-
nity-wide event in Rabbi Adler’s
memory to take place in the spring
or summer. Those interested
should contact Rabbi Aaron Starr
at rabbistarr@shaareyzedek.org or
(248) 357-5544.
Look for a full story on Rabbi
Adler, the shooting and his legacy
in the March 10 JN.
When Linda Schlesinger-Wagner of
West Bloomfield found herself in
financial straits after a difficult divorce,
she took a chance
and created the
Skinnytees clothing
line through a home
shopping network.
Skinnytees has since
grown into an $8
million enterprise.
Schlesinger-
Linda
Wagner
will share
Schlesinger-
her
struggles
and
Wagner
successes at JVS’s
eighth annual Trade Secrets dinner on
Wednesday, March 9, at Temple Beth El
in Bloomfield Township. The fundrais-
ing event benefits women’s jobs pro-
gramming at JVS including the Women
to Work Program, which helps women
reinvent themselves and enter the
workforce after difficult life changes,
such as divorce or disability or death of
a spouse or partner.
Felicia Militello, a Women to Work
graduate from Commerce Township,
will be presented with the JVS Women
to Work Award for successfully retool-
ing herself to re-enter the workforce.
For ticket/sponsorship details, visit
www.jvsdet.org/tradesecrets or contact
Fran Victor, chief development officer,
at fvictor@jvsdet.org or (248) 233-
4290.
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