18 August 8 • 2019
jn
Ice Cream Law
New kids’
book captures a child’
s
success at changing a law.
I
n 2001, a 9-year-old boy with
a passion for ice cream took
down an outdated law in his
hometown of West Bloomfield. The
law forbade ice cream trucks from
driving through the neighborhoods,
but — thanks to Josh Lipshaw and
his army of support — the law
was unanimously overturned that
November.
Now, nearly 18 years later,
Josh is an aerospace engineer in
Denver. His mother, Suzanne Jacobs
Lipshaw of Waterford,
has immortalized
his story in her new
children’
s book titled
I Campaigned for Ice
Cream.
Jacobs Lipshaw
has been teaching
elementary school
for 20 years. She works specifically
with struggling readers and chil-
dren with special needs, and this
experience has taught her just how
important it is to engage children in
what they are reading.
“If reading is difficult, the child
isn’
t going to want to pick up a
book,” she said. “My job as a writer
and teacher is to present topics to
kids in a way they enjoy and can
understand.”
In the past, Jacobs Lipshaw has
engaged children in nonfiction
science topics through her writing.
Each year, she chooses a single sci-
entific topic for her class at Moraine
Elementary School in Northville to
delve into. This year, her class will
be getting a sea turtle as a part of
their oceanography studies. Some of
her nonfiction scientific children’
s
books include The Little Satellite
That Could: The Expedition of the
CubeSAT RAX and Mighty Mahi: A
Sea Turtle’
s Journey Home.
Her decision to write her son’
s
story came after taking a nonfic-
tion writing course that focused on
a biographical style of writing for
children. “I always knew I want-
ed to tell Josh’
s story because it is
inspiring to kids,” Jacobs Lipshaw
said. “As a teacher, I know kids need
to feel empowered that they have
the voice and the power to speak
out, even for something as simple as
ice cream.”
The 32-page illustrated chil-
dren’
s book is published by Warren
Publishing ($17.95 hardcover; $8.99
paperback) and available now. “This
is, pun intended, a sweet story that
kids will love, and parents will
appreciate for the delicious and
encouraging lesson it teaches their
children,” said Mindy Kuhn, presi-
dent of Warren Publishing.
Jacobs Lipshaw’
s goal for the
book is to inspire and empower
children. She believes Josh’
s story is
special because he saw something
he felt was unfair and was deter-
mined to change it. The author’
s
advice to young people who want to
be involved with community activ-
ism, but aren’
t sure where to start:
“Ask an adult for guidance.
Don’
t be afraid to take a
small step, or even a
big step.”
A book
release for I
Campaigned
for Ice Cream
took place May
22 in the West
Bloomfield Town
Hall Boardroom.
Jacobs Lipshaw was
thrilled to host the launch
there because it was the
same room where Josh gave
his speeches and was able to
create change 18 years ago.
“It was a great way to bring
it full circle,” Jacobs Lipshaw
said. Josh attended the book
launch and signed books with
his mother. ■
Go to warrenpublishing.com or
amazon.com to find the book.
jews d
in
the
JESSIE COHEN JN INTERN
Suzanne Jacobs
Lipshaw
WILLIAM DAVIDSON DIGITAL ARCHIVE OF
DETROIT JEWISH HISTORY
Favorite Flavors
Readers shared on Facebook their
favorite ice cream flavors and where
they go to get them.
Sharon Krasner, Oak Park: “My
favorite place is definitely Clark’
s Ice
Cream & Yogurt in Berkley. My favorite
flavor? Hmmm. Mint chocolate chip
and lemon cheesecake with graham
cracker crumbs.”
Micki Grossman, West
Bloomfield: “Guernsey Mackinac
Island Fudge. By the quart, I can
always buy it at Johnny Pomodoro’
s,
or I go to Guernsey Farms Dairy in
Northville and eat it there!”
Carla Schwartz, Juno Beach, Fla.:
“I no longer live in Detroit, but I crave
Ray’
s Ice Cream [in Royal
Oak]. Any flavor will do!”
Melanie Betel,
West Bloomfield:
“Cake Batter at
Cold Stone.”
Arthur Siegal,
Oak Park: “Blue
Moon, Clark’
s.”
Annabel Cohen,
Bloomfield Hills:
“Believe it or not, I’
m
loving the acai bowls
from Costco.”
Leslie Spector, now in
Washington, D.C.: “Summer
Strawberry from Yoz!”
Sheri Terebelo Schiff,
Birmingham: “Peach ice cream
from Ray’
s or Guernsey Farms
Dairy.”
Alison Leigh Krass Blau,
Royal Oak: “Superman ice cream
at Ray’
s.”
F
F
Y
ISTOCK
Josh Jacobs, a longtime Friendship Circle sup-
porter, commissioned Robert Shaw, an artist
at Friendship Circle’
s Soul Studio, to create a
painting for SINGH Development Company.
Shaw created a painting of a lion, from
SINGH Development Company’
s symbol,
with a Downtown Detroit landscape in the
background. The piece took two months
to complete. The painting hangs in SINGH
Development Company’
s lobby with a metal
wall label featuring Shaw’
s biography.
“Singh is committed to supporting our
community and partnering with local orga-
nizations such as Friendship Circle and
Soul Center that provide essential services
within our community. We appreciate the
opportunity to support local artists and help
them display their talents to the community,
”
said Saab Grewal of SINGH Development
Company.
COURTESY OF FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE
Raj Grewal, artist Robert Shaw and Saab Grewal
Friendship Circle Artist Completes
Commissioned Artwork
Nearly 5 million teens across the United
States are vaping and using tobacco, with
very few programs designed to help them
quit. The Michigan Department of Health
and Human Services (MDHHS) is partner-
ing with National Jewish Health and eight
other states on a tobacco cessation program
designed to help teens who want to stop
using tobacco products, including electronic
cigarettes and vapes.
The new My Life, My Quit program
includes educational materials designed for
teens and created through focus groups with
teens, subject matter experts and community
stakeholders. Teens can text or call a toll-free
number — 855-891-9989 — or they can visit
MyLifeMyQuit.com for real-time coaching.
Through the program, teens work with a
coach who listens and understands their
unique needs, provides personalized support
and helps them build a quit plan to become
free from nicotine.
National Jewish Health currently oper-
ates the quitline for 16 states and numerous
health plans. The program has helped thou-
sands of adults quit using tobacco and has
a nearly 40 percent participant quit rate for
people who receive coaching and medica-
tions.
Anti-Smoking Program for Teens