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Focus On Learning

Chabad Rebbe’s Education Day marked.

T

he Michigan Senate and House of Representatives
declared March 27 “Education Day” in Michigan.
First established in 1978 by a joint Congressional
resolution, this national day focuses on the foundation of
meaningful education: instructing our youth in the ways of
morality and ethical values. Each year since 1978, the U.S.
President has proclaimed this day as a national Education
and Sharing Day, including this year at a special White
House ceremony with President Trump.
This date coincides with the Hebrew date of the 116th
anniversary of the birth date of the late Rebbe, Rabbi
Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
The Rebbe’s teachings, which emphasized the inherent
goodness of mankind, the infinite potential within every
individual and the profound
value of even the smallest
good deed, inspired multi-
tudes globally.
He was the only rabbi ever
to receive the Congressional
Gold Medal and to have an
American national day pro-
claimed in his honor.
The resolutions in the
Michigan Legislature were
introduced by Rep. Robert
Wittenberg, D-Huntington
Woods, and by Sen. Steve
Bieda, D-Warren. The 60th
anniversary of the establish-
TOP: Representatives of Chabad Lubavitch of Michigan ment of Chabad Lubavitch
with state officials: Rabbi Bentzion Shemtov, Lansing; of Michigan by the Rebbe
Rabbi Levi Dubov, Bloomfield Hills; Rabbi Kasriel was also recognized.
Shemtov, West Bloomfield; Sen. Steven Bieda; Rep.
Michigan joins similar
Robert Wittenberg; Rabbi Mendel Stein, Southfield; proclamations signed by
Rabbi Alter Goldstein, Ann Arbor.
governors and scores of
ABOVE: A proclamation in Ferndale: Councilwomen
other officials in all 50
Melania Piana and Raylon Leeks, seated; Mayor Pro Tem
states, and the cities of
Greg Pawlica, Mayor David Coulter, Jewish Ferndale co-
directors Rabbi Herschel Finman and Chana Finman and Detroit, Ferndale, Oak Park
Councilman Dan Martin. and Southfield. •

18

April 5 • 2018

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Understanding The Young
Gender-Expansive Child

Stand with Trans presents a com-
munity education event for parents,
mental health professionals, school
personnel and medical practitioners.
Attendees will learn about the origin
of gender, what it means for a young
child to explore gender and transition
socially, and how to support this child
in a positive, accepting way.
Expert speakers for this event
are Dr. Dan Shumer, pediatric endo-
crinologist, founder and medical
director of the Child and Adolescent
Gender Clinic at Mott Children’s
Hospital; Sara Wiener, LMSW, direc-
tor of Mental Health Services within
Child & Adolescent Gender Services
at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and
director of Comprehensive Gender
Services at Michigan Medicine;
and Antonia Caretto, Ph.D., clinical
psychologist in private practice in
Farmington Hills with a specialty in
gender-related issues in adolescents
and adults.

Shumer will address the chal-
lenges parents of transgender children
are faced with. “T hey may feel like
they are facing this challenge alone.
However, how they respond to this
challenge really can be life or death.
The goal of our discussion is to affirm
that this challenge does not need to be
undertaken alone.”
A unique parent panel will include
three parents who have young gender-
expansive children. The parents will
answer questions, and each will share
a bit about their experiences as a fam-
ily dealing with schools, community
and home life. The event will also
include Sara Kaplan, an inspirational
coach and speaker from Berkeley.
Kaplan has two transgender children.
The event takes place from 6:30-8:30
p.m. Tuesday, April 10, at the Orchard
United Methodist Church, 30450
Farmington Road, Farmington Hills. A
dessert reception is included. There is
no charge to attend. •

Author To Speak At Yom
HaShoah Program

Temple Beth El welcomes K. Heidi Fishman, author of Tutti’s Promise on
Tuesday, April 10, to facilitate a discussion with TBE’s Book Club (Bites and
Books) about her book that is based on her mother’s story of how her family
conquered fear and heartbreak to survive the Holocaust.
On Wednesday, April 11, Fishman will be the guest at Yom HaShoah service
at 7 p.m. There, Fishman will speak about her mother’s story. Both events take
place at Temple Beth El, 7400 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills, and are free
and open to the community. Contact Deborah Morosohk, director of education,
at dmorosohk@tbeonline.org o r (248) 851-1100 for more information. •

Technion Students Visit

Last month, Technion stu-
dents in the U.S. as part
of an American Technion
Society tour spoke
to students at Farber
Hebrew Day School in
Southfield and Frankel
Jewish Academy in West
Bloomfield.
Vladislav “Vladi”
Akimov, an undergradu-
ate majoring in education
in science and technology
with a specialization on
Farber Hebrew Day School students with Technion students Vladi
entrepreneurism, and
Akimov and Dalya Arussy, center
Dalya Arussy, a master’s
student in architecture
with campuses in New York and China,
and town planning, discussed the
and Israel’s next steps as the “Start Up
Technion’s increasingly global impact,
Nation.” •