Watchbands Plus Wishing You a Healthy and Happy Passover! ABOUT JVS’ SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT SERVICES As one of its principal goals in Jewish Detroit, JVS works to increase employment opportunities for peo- ple with disabilities. Through JVS’ Supported Employment services, individuals with disabilities can find productive ways to live the lives of their choosing and participate in their community through their work. Clients receive job search assistance, on-the-job training and the ongoing support services of a job coach. Slipson has been a part of the JVS family for many years. With assistance from JVS’ Supported Employment services, he lives in Southfield and maintains a semi- independent lifestyle. Starting in the late 1980s, he was one of the first participants of JVS’ Supported Employment Program in Southfield, working as a dining room attendant at a local restaurant. With his strong work ethic, out- going manner and long record of independent employment for sev- eral businesses in the community, he recently has been promoted to the dining room service staff at St. Anne’s Mead (a senior care commu- nity in Southfield) where he works evenings, Monday through Friday. Sharon Raab, Slipson’s case coordi- nator at JVS, says Leonard interacts with the seniors at St. Anne’s Mead very well, often making them laugh and talking with them about current events. The seniors notice when he is absent, and they ask the job coach if everything is OK. At 72, he is incredibly motivated to work. He is energetic, reliable and a great asset to the two-person crew at St. Anne’s Mead. As a job coach for JVS, Malach has worked with more than 200 clients since starting with the agency in 2012. Currently he supervises janito- rial and maintenance crews working at the Oak Park Apartments and Chateau Riviera in Oak Park. For more information on JVS and the Supported Employment Program, visit JVS online at www. jvsdet.org/who-we-serve/people- with-disabilities.html. * This story first appeared on Federation’s myjewishdetroit.org, where Vivian Henoch is editor. 27867 Orchard Lake Rd. Orchard 12 Plaza (NW corner of Orchard Lake & 12 Mile Rds., corner store behind Starbucks) 'BSNJOHUPO)JMMT .* 248-553-7720 XBUDICBOETQMVTDPN Happy Passover! Fountain Walk 44175 W. 12 Mile Rd., Novi, MI 48377 10% off 248-465-7777 Excludes alcohol. Not to be used in ĐŽŶũƵŶĐƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚĂŶLJŽƚŚĞƌŽīĞƌƐ͘WůĞĂƐĞŝŶƋƵŝƌĞǁŝƚŚ store manager for details. April 30th - August 1st. 2092870s The Jewish Ensemble Theatre presents... D ancing L essons BY: Mark St. Germain Christopher Bremer Sarab Kamoo & Michael Brian Ogden DIRECTED BY: FEATURING: Now-April 17, 2016 “Kamoo & Ogden prove again why they are two of the area’s top talents.” --John Monoghan, Detroit Free Press “...sweet comedic drama, vividly brought to life in JET’s production by Ogden and Kamoo.” -- Jenn McKee Encoremichigan.com B=OAK@=FK=E:D=L@=9LJ=..((O=K LE9HD=JG9A=D< * , 0 & * * )&). . - o o o & J e t t h e a t r e . o r g April 14 • 2016 2091050 A SPECIAL CONNECTION In conversation with Leonard M., it becomes clear how well suited he is to his role at JVS. He is described by JVS staff as one “with a kind heart and mind for help- ing those with spe- cial needs.” It’s easy to imag- ine how Leonard Malach’s friendship and genuine affec- Malach tion for Leonard Slipson might have influenced the two of them, growing up on Stansbury Street. “I don’t know how the connec- tion started,” Malach says, “but the kids in the neighborhood included Leonard in everything. All the sports! We had a football game going in the street; Leonard was there. We played baseball, rode our bikes around the neighborhood — Leonard was right there with us. “Like all of us, he loved being outdoors. And we welcomed him in whatever we were doing — summer rec activities at the school, movies at the drive-in — we never ever said no to Leonard. We didn’t care how skilled he was or what he did … he always was a part of the group and enjoyed playing with us.” Beyond their boyhood memories, the “Leonards” also have in common their passion for baseball. Leonard S. was — and still is — a huge Tigers fan. According to Malach, dur- ing baseball season, Slipson rarely appeared without his signature sunglasses, baseball cap and a tran- sistor radio held right up to his ear, listening to the game. And whenever the Tigers won a game, the whole neighborhood would know because Leonard would run out of his yard yelling, “The Tigers won! The Tigers won!” Slipson is a “big walker.” Always has been. As Malach affirms, “He could walk for miles and not get tired. I don’t Slipson know where he gets his energy, but it’s amazing to me that he’s still like the 21-year-old kid I once knew. He’s special to me. I am very happy to be in contact with him again.” t1SFDJTJPO8BUDI3FQBJS t$MPDL3FQBJS t+FXFMSZ3FQBJS t8BUDICBOE4J[JOH t8BUDICBOE3FQMBDFNFOU t#BUUFSJFT*OTUBMMFE8IJMF:PV8BJU t5JNFQJFDF3FýOJTIJOH 45