I
n January, a committee from Adat
Shalom Sisterhood discussed
possible speakers for the group
s
annual Donor Day. Some names that
came up included actresses and fashion
designers.
One of our committee members
made the comment that with so much
negativity in the world, instead of pick-
ing a speaker based on notoriety, we
should find someone who promotes
kindness, recalls Sue Lutz, co-chair
of the May 10 event with Jennifer
Freedland and Danielle Ruskin.
The group decided on Laura Schroff,
author of New York Times bestseller
An Invisible Thread, the true story of
Schroff
s unexpected meeting and sub-
sequent friendship with Maurice, an
11-year-old panhandler on the streets
of New York. The committee decided
on Schroff because of her passion for
encouraging others to perform even
small acts of kindness.
Schroff
s book is all about how a
single action not only changed the life of
a young boy, but also altered her future.
The title, Schroff said in a phone inter-
view, is based on a Chinese proverb that
an invisible thread connects those who
are destined to meet.
At the time [we met], I needed more
in my life and so did he, she said.
I was
so lucky to have met Maurice. He gave
me someone to love. He turned out to
be the son I always wanted, all because I
just stopped for a moment.
Initially, Schroff walked right past
Maurice, barely registering his plea for
money to buy food. But, something
made her to stop. Schroff, a successful
advertising executive at the time, wrote
that she doesn
t know why she turned
around and offered to take this boy to
lunch. It was a Monday; the first of 150
Mondays the two would eat together.
With each meeting, their unexpected
friendship continued to flourish.
Twenty years later, Maurice a
husband, father to seven and business
owner gave a toast at Schroff
s 50th
birthday. He thanked her for that single
act of kindness that changed the course
of his life.
Schroff said she is especially excited
to speak at Adat Shalom because the
Jewish community embraces her mes-
sage because so many of her beliefs
parallel core Jewish values.
At Adat Shalom, she will talk about
how even the seemingly smallest act of
kindness can make a world of difference
and how we all have the ability to throw
a lifeline to someone in need.
That
s what happened with
Farmington Hills resident Larry
Oleinick. Several years ago, he had a day
off from work and decided to spend it
distributing snacks to homeless people
in Detroit
s Hart Plaza.
This one-day visit spurred Oleinick to
start Heart2Hart, a nonprofit organiza-
tion where volunteers regularly bring
food, clothing and hygiene products to
those in need.
Oleinick, who grew up volunteering,
said
Going to Hart Plaza is a different
setting than doing something like vol-
unteering at a soup kitchen. You are able
to have real conversations with people.
I saw the despair and thought why not
help people on a regular basis.
From these visits, Oleinick says he
and his volunteers have a number of
Maurice-type stories, including helping
a homeless couple get housing and jobs,
which helped them reconnect with their
son after more than five years.
Donor Day attendees will receive a
resource guide that includes volunteer
opportunities.
Sometimes all we have to do is stop
and pause, Schroff said. When you
open up your eyes and your heart to
your surroundings, you have no idea
how your life can change.
Her next book, An Invisible Thread:
Angels on Earth, will be available in
November. It is a compilation of invis-
ible thread stories others have shared
with her since An Invisible Thread was
published. *
To register for Donor Day, go to adatshalom.
org/donor-day-2016 by April 30. Tickets are $54,
including lunch. Boutiques will be open from 10
a.m.-3 p.m.
Author Laura Schroff and
Maurice today; they met when
he was 11 and panhandling.
18 April 28 2016
Jennifer Lovy | Special to the Jewish News
Invisible Thread
Adat Shalom event brings author
to celebrate small acts of kindness.
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