jews d in the This Yom HaAtzma’ut, celebrate red, white, and blue. Call For Honorees! PHOTO CREDIT A celebration of the Greatest Generation. SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER Magen David Adom, Israel’s largest and premier emergency medical response agency, has been saving lives since before 1948. And supporters like you provide MDA’s 27,000 paramedics, EMTs, and civilian Life Guardians — more than 90% of them volunteers — with the training, equipment, and rescue vehicles they need. So as we celebrate Israel’s independence, make a difference in the health, welfare, and security of the Israeli people with your gift to MDA. Please give today. AFMDA Midwest Region 3175 Commercial Avenue, Suite 101 Northbrook, IL 60062 Toll-Free 888.674.4871 • midwest@afmda.org www.afmda.org 30 April 12 • 2018 jn O nce a year, some of our local Jewish agencies take the biblical adage, “You should rise before the elderly and honor the age” one step further by recognizing nearly hundreds of individuals 95 years and older at the annual Bessie Spector Oldest Jewish Americans brunch. The 17th annual event will be at 11 a.m. Friday, May 18, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek. “Each year as we celebrate National Older Americans Month, we have the opportunity to honor those eldest in our community,” said Barbra Giles, executive director of Aging Services at Jewish Senior Life (JSL). “In keeping with the Jewish tradition of honoring our mothers and fathers, we honor those in our community who have reached this mile- stone.” The theme of this year’s program, chaired by Rosie Schlussel and Carol Sofen, is “Celebrating the Greatest Generation in the ‘D.’’’ “Those we are honoring helped to make our city of Detroit beautiful,” Giles said. “They contributed to the growth of Detroit. They remember riding the street car, meeting at the Kern Clock and going to Central. They made Velvet Peanut Butter, Vernors and Sanders.” The event is sponsored by the Bessie Spector family and community support- To submit a form for an ers in partnership with JSL, the Jewish individual who is age 95 or Community Center, Jewish Family older, or for more information Service, JVS and Jewish Federation — all on the 11 a.m., Friday, May 18, provide programs and services for older Bessie Spector Oldest Jewish Jewish adults. Americans brunch, contact Last year, more than 180 seniors Beth Tryon at (248) 592-5026 were identified as meeting the age cri- or btryon@jslmi.org, or access teria for the heartfelt tribute, including the honoree form at www. more than 20 who were 100 years and jslmi.org. older. Approximately 65 older adults Complimentary brunch will attended the program last year. be provided for honorees and “It is our hope that by celebrating our heritage we will create a beautiful one guest, with additional memory for those we honor who are 95 tickets available for purchase. and older,” Giles said.• ABOVE: Last year’s brunch crowd enjoys a musical salute by Shaarey Zedek’s Hazzan David Propis.