26 | SEPTEMBER 28 • 2023
J
N
U
niversity of
Michigan’s Jewish
Communal
Leadership Program and The
Covenant Foundation will
honor the memory of Harlene
Winnick Appelman, master
Jewish educator and long-
term executive director of The
Covenant Foundation, at a
conference on Sunday, Oct. 15.
The gathering, which is
open to the public, will be
held from 1-9 p.m. at the
University of Michigan School
of Social Work and Michigan
Hillel at Ann Arbor, where
Appelman lived.
Speakers Dr. Sivan Zakai,
Dr. Susie Tanchel and Rabbi
Rebecca Milder will explore
the unexpected gifts embed-
ded in children’s capacity for
learning and imagination.
Anthony Mordecai Zvi Russell
and Sarah Aroeste, musical
artists and educators, will
show how art and music
can challenge our cultural
assumptions.
Rabba Yaffa Epstein, a
2015 graduate of Yeshivat
Maharat, the first Orthodox
seminary to ordain women,
will deliver the keynote pre-
sentation, “The Holy Work of
Education: Excellence, Passion
and Empowering Others.”
Following dinner,
Appelman’s students, col-
leagues and friends will
express their memories and
appreciation, and Sarah
Aroeste, who is known for
feminist Ladino rock music,
will perform.
Appelman, who died
in 2022 at age 75, led The
Covenant Foundation, pro-
moting innovations in Jewish
education, for 15 years.
Under her leadership,
the organization created
“Sightline,” a digital journal
of creative ideas in Jewish
education, Ignition grants to
jumpstart and disseminate
effective programming, and
the Pomegranate Prize, which
recognizes emerging leaders
in Jewish education.
Appelman also held lead-
ership positions at Detroit’s
Fresh Air Society, Jewish
Community Centers and
Jewish Federation. In 1995,
she was named director of
community and education
for Federation and later
served as executive director
of the Alliance for Jewish
Education and Jewish educa-
tion officer.
Under the auspices of
the Fresh Air Society, she
started Jewish Experiences
for Families (JEFF), which
became a national model in
the field of family program-
ming and community build-
ing.
The success of JEFF led to
Appelman’s appointment as
director of field services of
the Whizin Institute for the
Family at the University of
Judaism.
In the early 1990s,
Appelman helped introduce
L’Chayim, a supplement on
Jewish family topics distrib-
uted by the Detroit Jewish
News.
Those who worked with
Appelman have effusive
praise for her work.
“Harlene Appelman was
described as a visionary, but
I’m not sure that’s really an
adequate word
to describe her,”
said Shaindle
Braunstein,
CEO of JARC,
which provides
support services
for people with
developmental disabilities in
Southeast Michigan.
“Not only did she see the
possibilities in what could
happen with programming,
she saw the possibilities in
what could happen with
the people who could shape
those programs. If you had
An Education Visionary
OUR COMMUNITY
University of Michigan program honors
memory of Harlene Appelman.
Shaindle
Braunstein
BARBARA LEWIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Harlene
Appelman