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TAKE A BOW

Congratulations, Detroit Jewish News,
on your 75th Anniversary

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PHOTOS COURTESY LEONARD N. SIMONS JEWISH COMMUNITY ARCHIVES

When it comes to Israel, Detroiters love to travel there on missions. In
fact, according to the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, this
area sends more people to Israel each year than any other community
in North America. Detroiters joined organized missions beginning shortly
after Israeli statehood in 1948.
Miracle Mission 1 in April of 1993 set the tone as 1,300 community
members traveled to Israel to celebrate the country’s 45th anniversary. El
Al sent chartered planes to Metro Airport to transport them all.
Since then, Detroiters have gone to Israel on other Federation mis-
sions, including Teen Missions, Family Missions and the recent Interfaith
Mission; college-age Detroiters have participated in Birthright Israel trips;
and others have gone to study, tour with other Jewish organizations,
and to visit friends and family.
And Detroiters visit the Jewish state when times are good and in times
of trouble. Detroiters just can’t stay away. •

David Hermelin welcomes the Miracle Mission 1 group to Israel in 1993.

In 2016, Federation hosted its first Interfaith Mission to Israel.

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July 18 • 2017

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Teen Mission participants in July 2014 at the
Kotel; after two weeks, bombing from Hamas
prompted the decision to bring the teens
home.

Teen Mission participants took part in a com-
munity rally in support of Israel shortly after
returning from their abbreviated trip to Israel
when Hamas rejected a cease-fire proposal.