22 April 18 • 2019
jn

Rolling Out The 
Welcome Mat

Host families wanted for Maccabi Games athletes.
L

isten closely around town this 
August and you’
ll likely hear 
the lively chatter of foreign 
languages and accented English as 
Metro Detroit welcomes 1,300 teen-
agers from around the world and 
across the country 
for the JCC Maccabi 
Games and ArtsFest. 
Before the first 
game gets under way, 
there’
s the challenge to 
find housing for these 
young athletes and art-
ists. And that’
s giving 
Shelly Rubenfire a case of the jitters.
“We’
re bringing in significantly 
more participants than we have in 
previous years … This is a communi-
ty-wide event and we need commu-
nity-wide support,” said Rubenfire, 
co-chair of housing for this year’
s 
games, scheduled for Aug. 4-9. 
Rubenfire said the games’
 organiz-
ers still need close to 800 beds. She’
s 
hopeful all participants will have an 
assigned home by mid-May. 
Rubenfire is quick to point out the 
wonderful experience host families 
have by welcoming athletes and art-
ists into their homes. 
“There are athletes who have 
become lifelong friends with host 
family siblings; elderly hosts take on 
the role of doting grandparents to the 
teens … It’
s such a remarkable expe-
rience for everyone,” she said. 
Requirements for host families 
include taking in a minimum of two 
athletes or artists and providing them 
with a separate sleeping area. “They 
don’
t need their own rooms, but an 
area where they can have some pri-

vacy … and we even provide air mat-
tresses if needed,” she said. “All we 
ask is that [families] provide a home 
away from home for our guests.” 
Rubenfire added hosts don’
t need 
to have children participating in the 
event. “We have host families who 
don’
t have children … young couples 
who open their homes and empty 
nesters.” At least one parent in the 
home must be Jewish. 
There is no cost to be a host fami-
ly, but families must attend an orien-
tation session before the games begin 
and go through a background check 
(at no cost to the family). 
The schedule for the host families 
begins Sunday, Aug. 4, when ath-
letes and artists arrive. Host families 
provide dinner and transportation 
to opening ceremonies that eve-
ning, provide breakfast and snacks 
Monday-Friday, and transport and 
pick up participants in the mornings 
and evenings. Families drop off ath-
letes and artists at the JCC on Friday, 
Aug. 9, for departure. 
Organizers are planning a shuttle 
for North Woodward communities to 
transport athletes and artists to the 
JCC campus. 
Rubenfire and organizers are 
encouraging families to host events 
at home during down time or partici-
pate in activities planned at area syn-
agogues during Host Family Night. 
Families interested in playing 
host can learn more and sign up at 
https://maccabidetroit2019.com/
be-a-host.
On behalf of the organizers, 
Rubenfire offers a hearty todah, gra-
cias, merci … thank you. ■

Shelly 

Rubenfire

jews d
in 
the

The Joy Project

Tributes to moms everywhere
N

ever doubt the power of a 
Mother’
s Day card … espe-
cially when you send a trib-
ute to Mom through the Joy Project 
in care of Jewish Family Service of 
Metro Detroit (JFS). 
Celebrating its 10th year at JFS, 
the Joy Project has raised more than 
$300,000 for services and programs 
to support the needs of women, girls 
and families. 
“The Joy Project was born because 
I was not only compelled to honor 
my mother, Joy Nachman, but also 
moved to help brighten Mother’
s 
Day for mothers in our commu-
nity who may not have anyone to 
acknowledge or appreciate them,” 
said founder Elanah Hunger.
“At the time, it didn’
t occur to me 
how much delight this seemingly 
simple gesture could bring to donors 
and recipients alike. It’
s a good 
reminder that no matter what we do 
to reach out and help, no effort is 
too little, no gift of love is too small.”

WOMEN HELPING WOMEN 
“It’
s not about me,” says Joy 
Nachman, a psychologist in prac-
tice in Birmingham. “I can’
t stress 
enough that we’
re in this together — 
women helping women take care of 
their families.”
Hunger is quick to give credit 
where it’
s due. “Thinking back on 
that first year, we would never have 
gotten the project off the ground had 
it not been for Amy Haimann and 
Lindsay Leder at JFS. They imme-
diately fell in love with the idea of 
sending small gifts of appreciation to 
brighten a Mother’
s Day for women 
in their client roster who might oth-
erwise be forgotten.” 
When Hunger ran into her friend 
Marla Tapper Young and described 
the project, Tapper Young was 
thrilled with the concept. (Marla’
s 
middle name also happens to be 
Joy). She and her family stepped 
up with the purchase and donation 

of bracelets from their store. “The 
Tapper family has been on board as 
a major sponsor ever since,” Hunger 
said. 

SOMETHING SPECIAL FROM KENYA
How far-reaching can one simple act 
of kindness go? Just ask Hunger and 
Nachman, who recently extended 
the reach of the Joy Project across 
the world to the Maasai Mara 
in Kenya. On their recent visit, 
they were introduced to the Maa 
Trust, an organization commit-
ted to helping women earn livings 
through sales of the Maasai women’
s 
world-famous and extraordinary 
beadwork.
“Maa Beadwork is a communi-
ty-based organization run entirely by 
Maasi women — women now work-
ing to take care of their families,” 
Hunger said. “When we saw their 
beautiful work, we thought why not 
connect with them on our project 
and spread the joy? Why not help 
them sell their bracelets to support 
their families in Kenya while taking 
care of families right here at home?
“With that plan now in place, 
we’
re thrilled that Tapper’
s whole-
heartedly has bought into the enter-
prise and agreed to collaborate with 
Maa Beadwork by purchasing their 
bracelets and donating them as this 
year’
s special gift to the Joy Project.”
Look for an upcoming event 
when Sidecar in Birmingham hosts 
Hunger and Tapper Young as guest 
bartenders for the night and a por-
tion of proceeds will go to the Joy 
Project. Maa bracelets will be avail-
able for purchase as well.
To spread a little joy of your own 
this Mother’
s Day, go online at 
jfsjoyproject.org and purchase 
a tribute card for your mom, sister 
or best friend — any special woman 
in your life. ■

Vivian Henoch is editor of myjewishdetroit.org, 
where this story first appeared.

VIVIAN HENOCH SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Elanah Hunger 
 and Joy Nachman

JOHN HARDWICK

