HUNDREDS Watch for GRAND OPENING of our NEW STORE :LOOLWV6WUHHW%LUPLQJKDP0, FINAL 10 DAY EVENT! OF ITEMS ÓÎÎÎÊ ÀÌ ÜiÃÌiÀÊÜÞÊUÊ-ÕÌ wi`ÊUÊÓ{nÎxÈÇ£{ä Store Closing Sale ends Sept. 21 will be sold for on the °ÊÊ->Ì°Ê£äÊ>ÊÊÈÊ«ÊUÊ/ ÕÀðʣäÊ>ÊÊnÊ« ONCE THE SALE IS OVER, IT’S OVER! as little as dollar *Does not apply to previous purchases or offers and some items excluded
$2.00 SEPT. 12-18, 2013 / 8-14 TISHREI 5774 A JEWISH RENAISSANCE MEDIA PUBLICATION theJEWISHNEWS.com
» Looking For Hosts JCC organizers are gearing up for fifth Maccabi Games in Detroit. See page 18.
HOME ▲ » Renewing The Bonds Americans and Israelis renew ties forged with Community Birthright. See page 37.
» Perfect Parodist Allan Sherman helped invent the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Jew of today. See page 56. Jessica Curhan and Hayley Sakwa, both NEXTGen summer interns metro » cover story Walk4 A Living Legacy Friendship Annual fundraising walk draws nearly 5,000 participants. Jerry Zolynsky
Workers plant the Anne Frank sapling Esther Allweiss Ingber I Contributing Writer at the Holocaust Memorial Center in a memorial garden. ention the Holocaust and people frequently recall Sapling from Anne Frank’s Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager in the Netherlands Mwhose famous diary was published in 1947. She died two years earlier in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in famous tree now grows as Germany. The Diary of a Young Girl, also depicted on stage and screen, Jerry Zolynsky an uplifting symbol at the remains a powerful piece of writing. Describing the day-to- day reality of hiding with others in the secret annex of her SEE STORY ON PAGE 10. Holocaust Memorial Center. father’s company building in Amsterdam until their discovery in August 1944, Anne stayed optimistic. With evil all around her, she maintained an unshakable belief in the better nature of people. Several passages in the diary speak of a large horse chestnut 1942 - 2013 Covering and tree visible from one window. Cheering her through two years Connecting of hiding, the tree was Anne’s sole link to the natural world, Jewish Detroit Every Week representing freedom and her hope for humanity.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 metro » on the cover
A sapling from Anne Frank’s famous tree now grows as an uplifting symbol at the HMC.
Esther Allweiss Ingber I Contributing Writer
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Now, a special link to Anne Frank resides in Farmington Hills. A sapling from the same majestic tree that inspired Anne was planted Aug. 27 on the grounds of the Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus. The HMC is one of only 11 sites in the United States chosen for the honor by the New York- based Anne Frank Center USA, a non-sec- tarian, nonprofit educational organization. “Everyone knows Anne Frank, from at least the sixth grade on, when kids read her diary in school,” said Stephen Goldman, HMC executive director. “Having her tree grow here is really going A new plaque honors the Anne Frank to touch people.” sapling in its new home at the HMC. The young tree will flourish in the new Viola and Garry Kappy Anne Frank Tree Exhibit and Garden, named for the proj- to learn it would receive a sapling and ect’s major funders. The public dedication be forever part of an exclusive group is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 22. (See box that includes the White House, Liberty on page 9 for details.) Park near the National September 11 The Anne Frank Sapling Project started Memorial & Museum in New York City, as Anne’s chestnut tree was nearing Boston Common, the William J. Clinton the end of its nearly 180-year lifespan. Presidential Center in Arkansas, the Diseased and rotted through the trunk, Children’s Museum in Indianapolis and the massive tree was a safety hazard, slated five other sites. Plantings began this to come down in 2007. A last-minute spring. reprieve in court and funds obtained for a Stern praised “these two fine women steel frame kept the tree in place until high [Weiss and Kaplan], the ball carriers for winds toppled it in August 2010. the [sapling] project. Their drive and the Fortunately, before the tree’s demise, excellence of their proposal carried it over stewards at the Anne Frank House in the goalpost.” Amsterdam had the foresight to take grafts Fundraising was full-speed ahead with from the tree to create saplings. The plan the approval. Garry and Viola Kappy are was to offer new “Anne Frank” trees to Holocaust survivors who were “looking to worthy recipients around the world. do something for the community” when On June 12, 2009, the HMC received an their daughter-in-law, Barbara Kappy, invitation to apply to receive ownership of approached them to be part of the Anne a tree sapling, said Feiga Weiss, the HMC’s Frank Tree Sapling Project.
librarian and archivist. Jerry Zolynsky by Photos “I didn’t hesitate,” said Garry Kappy. Weiss and local artist Gail (Rosenbloom) Garry and Viola Kappy with the sapling “I like that when young people come to Kaplan immediately began pursuing the see the tree, the name of Anne Frank will idea for the HMC. Among her past efforts, House, Stern said, “I thought then that “The sapling project not only teaches never be forgotten.” Kaplan created the mosaic in the HMC anything that could be done to commemo- about the Holocaust, it dovetails with the Other team members for “The Anne lobby as a community project and led the rate her life story and overwhelming talent HMC’s Institute of the Righteous mission Frank Sapling Project: A Tree Grows Kindertransport quilt installation. would be a blessing.” of teaching tolerance,” she said. “The Anne in Michigan” were Joel Smith, presi- “The mission of the Anne Frank Center Frank tree speaks to who we are as an dent, Neumann/Smith Architecture in is to teach Anne Frank’s story and contin- A Fitting Home institution.” Southfield; Randall Metz, principal, ue her message of hope and tolerance for In the Request for Proposal, Anne Frank Weiss submitted the maximum three- Grissim, Metz, Andriese Associates all people,” Kaplan said. “It was a beautiful Center USA informed interested muse- page description of educational goals, a Landscape Architecture in Northville; idea to take saplings from the tree in crisis, ums, botanical gardens, human rights site plan for planting the tree and a list and Gary Roberts, president, Great Oaks so the tree’s message could live on.” organizations and cultural or education of persons who would be responsible for Landscape Associates in Novi. The women received full support for the institutions that the “Anne Frank tree the establishment and maintenance of an Neumann/Smith Architecture, designer project from Dr. Guy Stern, director of the sapling should be used by the institution exhibit featuring the Anne Frank tree. of the HMC, helped determine the best HMC’s Institute of the Righteous. He also as a living icon of tolerance and must then Kaplan, the project manager, visited location for the tree and garden, outside was interim director of the HMC at the be related to the ‘story’ that the proposing Yvonne Simmons, executive director of an Anne Frank exhibit. Grissom Metz time, following the death of its first leader, institution wishes to tell.” Anne Frank Center USA, “to put a face to designed the new setting and surrounding Dr. Charles Rosenzweig. Kaplan thought the HMC could easily our name.” area; Great Oaks Landscape installed it. Recalling his visit to the Anne Frank fill the bill. Later in 2009, the HMC was thrilled After the mandatory quarantine of tree
8 September 12 • 2013 saplings in the Netherlands for three “Our years, Great Oaks took charge of the HMC’s tree when it arrived in March. FINAL 10 DAY EVENT! “It was shipped bare root — all chestnut the soil washed off the roots — in a Store Closing Sale ends Sept. 21 cardboard mailing tube,” Roberts said. tree is in Great Oaks potted the approximately ONCE THE SALE IS OVER, IT’S OVER! 2-foot tree in a 10-gallon pot. full bloom. House Anne Frank Anne Frank, “We also wrapped the entire tree May 13, 1944 in tightly woven screen to protect It’s covered the sapling from insect and animal damage and kept it in our greenhouse with leaves HUNDREDS until any fear of frost damage had passed,” he said. and is even more Roberts’ company “also had the honor of planting the tree in its per- beautiful than last year.” OF ITEMS manent location within the limestone surround at the Anne Frank memorial will be sold for garden.” also used for the exhibit. Additional on the For security reasons, the garden grants from Community Foundation as little as is accessible only through the build- of Southeast Michigan and Michigan dollar ing. Protecting the garden opposite Humanities Council are currently the building are 20-25 Ketler juniper being used for educational program- Watch for GRAND OPENING of our NEW STORE upright shrubs, between 6-10 feet tall, ming. with a small fence behind them. Under the exhibit title, “Looking :LOOLWV6WUHHW%LUPLQJKDP0, In the countdown to the tree dedi- Out Anne Frank’s Window,” visitors cation, the HMC introduced Anne can look forward to a creative writ- 29333 Northwestern Hwy Frank-themed projects. First was the ing program in October for families American premiere of My Name is and a film presentation, Anne Frank -ÕÌ wi`]Ê ÊUÊÓ{nÎxÈÇ£{ä Anne Frank: A Cantata by German Remembered. A post-visit workbook, composer Volker Blumenthaler and My Reflections on Anne Frank, will ÊÊ->ÌÊ£äÊÊÈÊUÊ/ ÕÀÃÊ£äÊÊn *Does not apply to previous purchases or offers and some items excluded librettist Alexander Gruber. Presented help reinforce students’ memories of 1853450 May 7 at Berkley High School, in the Anne Frank exhibit. collaboration with Berkley Schools, Kaplan is struck by the fact that the performance featured solos by upon reaching the sloping area of the Cantors Daniel Gross and Penny museum, under the southernmost of Steyer. the six illuminated skylights fronting The Anne Frank Door Project for the facade, visitors walk up the Ramp preteen and teen girls took place of the Righteous and see sunlight for July 25-26 at Tamarack Camps in the first time on their dark journey Ortonville. The girls decorated a door through the Holocaust. that opened to reveal a photo of them- “And directly in front of you is the selves and their handwritten answers garden with a glimpse of Anne Frank’s to select questions. The goal was to tree,” she said. help them confront some of the same In its peaceful setting, the little issues Anne Frank faced. chestnut brings a message of hope A $15,000 grant from the Jewish and inspiration to museum visitors, Women’s Foundation helped the HMC who will come away with their hearts create an Anne Frank curriculum uplifted. ■ designed to guide middle and high school educators through teaching Anne Frank’s diary as an introduction to the Holocaust. Anne Frank “We want to make sure the Anne Tree Dedication Frank story is contextualized within The public dedication of the the framework of the Holocaust,” Viola and Garry Kappy Anne Goldman said. The HMC hosted all- Frank Tree Exhibit and Garden day curriculum seminars for teachers will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. from Jewish schools on July 21 and 22, at the Holocaust Memorial for other educators on July 22. Center, 28123 Orchard Lake Goldman said the new curricu- Road, Farmington Hills. The lum is adaptable to parochial, public afternoon includes free museum and non-parochial private schools admission all day, complimenta- and offers an opportunity to reach a ry kosher refreshments and Mimi broader base of teachers outside the Kappy’s interview with retired literature and drama classes that typi- University of Michigan Professor cally study Anne Frank. Irene Butter, a survivor who Funds from the DeRoy knew Anne Frank. For informa- Testamentary Foundation and tion, call (248) 553-2400 or Silberstein-Boesky Family Foundation visit www.holocaustcenter.org. and some community gifts were 1862440
September 12 • 2013 9