MARCH 28 • 2024 | 9
J
N
A
record audience of more
than 900 women filled
Congregation Shaarey
Zedek’s sanctuary last month for
the Women’s Philanthropy annual
fundraiser, Signature, with guest
speaker Debra Messing. The theme
and message for the evening was for
all women to feel empowered in all
aspects of their lives.
It was a sold-out crowd, and even
more women joined via Zoom. At the
beginning of the program, co-chair
Amy Berman asked for a moment
of silence in honor of the Israeli
hostages and victims of violence.
Before Messing took to the stage,
three speakers who work with the
Jewish Federation of Detroit or one
of its constituent agencies explained
how the dollars raised by Women’s
Philanthropy and Federation’s
Annual Campaign support the
community.
“Your gift makes a difference,” said
Robyn Hughey, executive director
of the Michigan State Hillel and the
Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan,
which represents 11 campuses. Rina
Sabes of Jewish Family Service talked
about a group of women that has
come together to share and express
grief following the Oct. 7 attack and
the ensuing war.
Shahaf Harari, one of five young
Israeli ShinShinim working with
local Jewish organizations in Detroit
for the year, talked about the impact
Tamarack Camps had on her life
when she attended as a camper and
how her connections to Detroit
brought her to where she is today.
Shahaf also thanked the audience
for the support she felt from the
Detroit Jewish community after Oct.
7, which directly affected her — 10
people from her town attended the
music festival near the Gaza border
that was attacked by Hamas, and only
three returned.
Julie Trepeck Harris, another
co-chair of the event, introduced
Messing and described her as “the
BARBARA LEWIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
OUR COMMUNITY
At Women’s Philanthropy’s Signature
event, guest Debra Messing shares
message of empowerment.
A Record-Breaking
Crowd
More than 900
people came
to hear Debra
Messing speak.
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