JANUARY 02 • 2020 | 19

A

trip to Israel to attend
a cousin’
s wedding set
the stage for a recent
Oakland Community College
graduate to ignite her own
passions. Leia Serlin of West
Bloomfield loved her expe-
rience in Israel so much that
she vowed to go back and “do
something good.”

Upon her return, she
began researching multiple
volunteer opportunities and
landed on Save a Child’
s Heart
in Holon, Israel, about 20
minutes from Tel Aviv. The
Israeli-based, international
nonprofit organization’
s mis-
sion is to improve the quality
of pediatric cardiac care for
children and train doctors to
create centers of competence
in developing countries. For
many of these children, that
includes the opportunity to
receive life-changing surgery
needed to repair an ailing
heart.
In her heart, she knew she
could wield the knowledge
and experience she gained at
OCC and improve outcomes
for children who endure
life-saving surgery in under-

developed nations.
This summer, Serlin spent
more than two weeks working
with children to help allay
their fears and boost their
spirits before and after heart
surgery as a live-in volun-
teer at Save a Child’
s Heart
children’
s home. Her efforts
were arduous as the children
represented a variety of coun-
tries and spoke many different
languages, making it necessary
to use things like interpretive
dance and art therapy to help
children understand her mes-
sage.
“I was working with chil-
dren from Tanzania, Zanzibar
and Kurdistan,” she said.
“With the many language
issues, I had to tap into things
I learned in my art and psy-
chology classes at OCC to
help me communicate without
words.”
Adapting to a different way
of learning and communicat-
ing is something Serlin has
experienced throughout her
life as someone who has dys-
lexia.
She was introduced to
OCC after thriving at Eton
Academy in Birmingham.

She enrolled in Oakland
Early College and, ultimate-
ly, earned both an associate
degree in general arts and
another in science this past
spring.
“I had a great experience at
OCC,” she said. “They really
provided me with a good edu-
cation and many opportuni-
ties to get involved in campus
activities.”
Those campus activities
included participation in the
Jewish Student Organization,
serving as an OCC Student
Ambassador and playing the
role of Molly in OCC’
s theater
production of Peter and the
Star Catcher.
Serlin is building on her
academic experience and
transferred to Albion College
this fall to major in biochem-
istry and minor in kinesiolo-
gy. She understands education
will dominate much of her life
in the next two years; yet she

will balance her desire to help
others with plans to volunteer
again next summer with Save
a Child’
s Heart and continue
her work for children in need.
“Many of the children are
underdeveloped and frail due
to their heart conditions, so
they really need support and
encouragement to get through
their surgery,” she said.
“Staying with the children
and helping raise their spirits
was an incredible experience.
I plan to stay longer next year
so I can provide even more
support for these brave chil-
dren.”
As someone who has faced
a personal challenge head-on
and succeeded, Serlin is pas-
sionate about channeling her
experience to help those who
are less fortunate overcome
their fears of surgery so they,
too, can have a better life.

This story was issued by Oakland
Community College.

Jews in the D

Helping Others

OCC graduate gives back by working with
Israeli children needing cardiac care.

Leia Serlin at work
in Holon, Israel,
with the Save
a Child’
s Heart
organization

14315 Northline, Southgate, MI

734-283-9622

(2 minutes from I-75 Between Dix and I-75)

European/American &
Hungarian Specialties

Tuesday - Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Closed Monday

TIM ROTH CLIVE OWEN

VIEW THE TRAILER AT WWW.THESONGOFNAMES.COM

THESONG OFNAMES

STARTS FRIDAY,
JANUARY 10

“A TRIUMPHANT COMBINATION OF
HISTORY, ARTISTRY, AND DEEP PATHOS.
GRIPPING AND VITAL: A REMINDER OF ALL
THAT WAS LOST, ALL THAT REMAINED,
AND ALL THAT REMAINS TO BE DONE.”
-Rabbi David Wolpe, THE MAX WEBB SENIOR
RABBI OF SINAI TEMPLE LOS ANGELES

BLOOMFIELD
THE MAPLE THEATER
4135 W Maple Rd (248) 750-1030

COMING
SOON TO
SELECT
THEATERS