SEPTEMBER 28 • 2023 | 27
J
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an idea and were committed
to making it happen, she
would give you everything
she had and more to make
it a reality.
“She never worried about
the spotlight being on her.
She put her mentees, and
I was fortunate to count
myself among them, front
and center and told me
often that true leaders know
the light doesn’t move, it
only expands to bring oth-
ers in. It’s safe to say my
journey in Jewish commu-
nal service has happened
because Harlene brought
me into her light and helped
me along.”
Appelman was known
throughout the Jewish
education field for her cre-
ativity and passion, said
Joni Blinderman, executive
director of The Covenant
Foundation. “She believed
that the family was at the
core of all learning and did
everything in her power
to support Jewish families
in Detroit and around the
country.”
Tilly Shemer, until recent-
ly the executive director
of University of Michigan
Hillel, said she appreciated
how Appelman would bring
different people together,
whether around
her Rosh
Hashanah table
or at a Covenant
Foundation
Awards event.
“These ‘uncom-
mon connec-
tions’ would result in new
friendships and collabora-
tions,” she said.
“We launched an
Uncommon Connections
initiative in Harlene’s honor
last year at Michigan Hillel
to encourage unlikely Hillel
student groups and leaders
to work together, which
generated creative, new ideas
and partnerships. Harlene
would have loved it!”
Appelman was one of
The Covenant Foundation’s
inaugural winners of the
Covenant Award for edu-
cators who have made
an exemplary impact on
Jewish life.
She was named the
Covenant Foundation’s exec-
utive director in 2005.
Register for convocation
honoring Harlene Appelman
The Oct. 15 convocation honoring the memory of
Harlene Appelman is free and open to the public,
but reservations are required for dinner.
The gathering takes place at the University of
Michigan’s School of Social Work and Michigan
Hillel from 1 to 9 p.m.
For dinner reservations, respond to https://
ssw.umich.edu/assets/rsvp-request/index.
php?page=register&id=W595.
For more information, contact Dr. Karla
Goldman, Sol Drachler Professor of Social Work
and director of the Jewish Communal Leadership
Program at University of Michigan, at kargold@
umich.edu. Out-of-town guests are invited to be
in touch for help with arrangements.
Tilly
Shemer
+248.352.8000 ext. 250
FRANKLIN ATHLETIC CLUB
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