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down an outdated law in his 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