viewpoints » S end letters to: letters@thejewishnews.com @]pflXi\efkn\Xi`e^`k¿j\cc`k%%% fi9FIIFNfe`k continued from page 8 Pfl can’t enjoy jewelry if it’s sitting in your safe deposit box. Sell or borrow on it for immediate cash. We deal in jewelry, watches, diamonds and coins. A Service to Private Owners, Banks & Estates Coins & Jewelry Contact Larry Allan **.''Nff[nXi[8m\%›9\kn\\e(+D`c\8[Xdj›9`id`e^_Xd#D@ 248-644-8565 HK CLEANERS $2 OFF 29309 Orchard Lake Rd. Farmington Hills (248) 489-5868 We Accept All Competitor's Coupons Any Order of 4 Pieces or More Dry Cleaning (with this coupon) Cannot be combined with any other off er or coupon. Expires 10-15-16 HOURS: Monday-Saturday 7am-7pm Closed Sunday Professional Dry Cleaning t Premium Laundered Alterations & Repair t Same Day Service Available Wedding Gowns t Free Storage Available 2053640 $3.00 Wednesday and Thursday Special!! Dry Cleaning on Any Pants & Tops Rated #1 In Best Purchase Experience in the Midwest 2013 and 2014 Cannot be combined with any other off er or coupon. Expires 10-15-16 2121660 Jeff Stewart Assistant New Car Sales Manager Serving the Community Since 1969 248-636-2736 CONGRATULATIONS GLASSMAN SUBARU A division of Glassman Automotive Group Serving Our Community For Over 45 Years! 5FMFHSBQI3Et4PVUIýFMEt t 10 September 15 • 2016 2115140 RELEVANT Judaism can be presented as an ancient religious tradition or a vibrant dynamic way of life. Millennials, by and large, are con- cerned with how things affect them, how to maximize their investment and return on their investment, and then they move on. We need to keep them from moving on from Judaism, by engaging them in a way that is relevant to their lives. At this tran- sitional moment, viewing the world through a Jewish lens can help guide them through some of life’s big deci- sions. We need to peel back the layers of Judaism so that they can see its applicability as they move forward. MEANINGFUL It’s great if we are providing acces- sible and relevant connections to Jewish life, but in order for it to last, the experiences must be meaningful. Only by getting to a point of depth in Jewish content will we be able to grow Jewish roots. This does not hap- pen overnight; it’s a journey. At Hillel of Metro Detroit, we invest our energy and resources into this three-step process: establish- ing a connection with our students, igniting a spark and then working to make the fire sustainable. The work is complicated, but the impact of our successes is significant. Each year, Hillel of Metro Detroit engages more than 1,000 students through programming that is inclu- sive and pluralistic and meets the needs and interests of a diverse Jewish student population. We strive to create an environment that allows our students to evolve and grow. Through Israel advocacy, social action, Jewish learning, special interest campus groups, Birthright Israel trips, leadership development, Shabbat and holiday celebrations, we have the obligation to help our students make an enduring commit- ment to Jewish life. The first step, of connecting and sparking an interest, used to be called “outreach,” but that implies that they need to come to us, rather than the fact that we need to go out and make that initial contact. Next is the more intensive experi- ence. For several years, we have been running an Israel Fellowship, which encourages students to gain a better understanding of Israel. This year, we are adding a Jewish Learning Fellowship to explore Jewish study. In the planning stages is a more com- prehensive leadership development plan. All of these are in addition to our ongoing campus programming. Because 75 percent of the students who attend our schools (Wayne State University, Oakland University, Oakland Community College, Lawrence Technological University, University of Detroit Mercy and University of Michigan-Dearborn) remain in the area, our success is vital to the future of the Detroit Jewish community. Hillel of Metro Detroit is one of many organizations working diligent- ly to engage the millennial generation Jewishly. Our combined efforts must succeed for the sake of our commu- nity’s future. * Miriam Starkman is executive director of Hillel of Metro Detroit.