54 | JULY 14 • 2022 

A

riella Selesny, 20, was excited to be 
traveling to Israel on a tour for 17 
young people with special needs. 
The trip was arranged by Birthright and the 
Friendship Circle, a West Bloomfield-based 
nonprofit agency affiliated with Lubavitch 
of Michigan that provides programs for 
individuals with special needs as well as their 
families. 
According to Ariella’s mother, Chaya 
Selesny, Ariella was required to have three 
interviews prior to the trip. “Everyone had to 
be high-enough functioning to be indepen-
dent,
” Selesny explained.
The trip was led by Rabbi Yarden 
Blumstein, Friendship Circle’s teen director, 
with eight additional staff members from 
the Friendship Circle as well as four Israeli 
volunteers. The trip was available to those 
with special cognitive, emotional or physical 
needs. 
Blumstein says Birthright has offered tours 

with special adapted schedules previously. 
For Friendship Circle in West Bloomfield, 
this was the first one and he hopes for others 
in the future. 
 
The young people, who ranged in age 
from 18 to 27, visited Masada, Jerusalem, Tel 
Aviv, the Golan Heights and Safed during 
their 11-day trip in May. While Ariella has 
been to Israel previously, for most of the 
travelers this was a new experience. 
Typically, some Israeli soldiers or former 
soldiers (reservists) are assigned to Birthright 
trips to provide insights into their lives 
in Israel and for security. Ariella’s brother 
Daniel made aliyah several years ago. He has 
attended a yeshivah, completed army service 
and is now an Israeli citizen. So, before the 
group left Detroit, his mother began advo-
cating for Daniel to be assigned as one of the 
volunteers on Ariella’s Friendship Circle trip.
“I had to convince them he’s really Israeli,
” 
Chaya said. It was helpful the Friendship 

Circle staff already knew Daniel.
Her efforts succeeded — Daniel was 
assigned as one of a group of Israeli army 
soldiers and reservists. Originally, he was 
supposed to stay for five days but the trip 
staff asked him to stay for the entire journey, 
which he did.
The siblings initially met up in Gan 
Sacher, a Jerusalem park. Ariella knew her 
mother was trying to get Daniel on-board 
as a trip volunteer, so she wasn’t surprised to 
see him. “It was really nice for him to come 
as part of the Israeli Army,
” she explained. 
Ariella’s favorite part of the trip was vis-
iting the Kotel — “the holiest place for me,
” 
she said. She knew some of the people on the 
trip and said it “had a great atmosphere — 
everyone was friendly.
”
Her brother added, “Friendship Circle 
makes the kids feel so special and import-
ant.
” 
According to her mother, Ariella “loved to 
be in Israel and had a great time.
”
Blumstein said, “Her child was a respected 
part of the group. The young people devel-
oped good friendships and felt a sense of 
belonging. They enjoyed one-on-one friend-
ships and groups.
“I was amazed at the number of people 
who showed respect for the group and for 
what we were doing. It was my honor to do 
this,
” Blumstein added. 
Back at home, Ariella continues her work 
at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital 
through Project SEARCH, an internship 
program that helps individuals with disabili-
ties gain work skills and experience. 
Ariella’s parents, Chaya and Joseph 
Selesny, live in Southfield with Ariella and 
their three younger children, Avi and twins 
Sara and Bella. They are members of Young 
Israel of Southfield. 

OUR COMMUNITY

Siblings Daniel 
and Ariella Selesny 
in Jerusalem

Rabbi Yarden Blumstein, left, rafts 
in Israel with Jason Luckoff, Adam 
Reinke, Gabe Granitz and 
 Jonah Cohen.

Brother acts as Israeli security 
on sister’s special Birthright trip.

Siblings Share 
Special Tour of Israel

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

