Our Greatest Hopes for a New Year

New Year’s resolutions:  we make them, we break them.  But here’s a list of resolutions that will not be broken and promises that will kept. Because they come from the strength, the vision, the resources and extraordinary work of our Jewish community agencies, schools and organizations. You can count on them. All year and every year. Absolutely and positively.  

Seize the Year!

“At the Jewish Community Center,  we will seize this year as an opportunity to try new programs, to expand our offerings beyond physical plant, to meet the diverse needs of our members, friends and guests, to be innovative, creative and fresh, while also embracing the traditions of compassion, acceptance and dedication that have defined us since our founding. Our community is our family, and we will work together through great times and difficult ones, knowing that which binds us is always more important than that which divides us.” –Brian Siegel, Executive Director, JCC

“In 2017, Jewish Family Service wants to continue to build a community in which no person faces life’s challenges alone.”– Perry Ohren, Director, Jewish Family Service

“In this our 75^th year, JVS staff and board will continue to adapt services and seek out needed funding to meet the changing needs of our community’s job seekers, people with disabilities and seniors to help them meet challenges impacting their self-sufficiency.” – Leah Rosenbaum, President and CEO, JVS

“My hope for Tamarack Camps is  that a positive Jewish camping experience inspires today’s campers to become the type of leaders tomorrow who will keep our Jewish community vibrant and healthy for future generations.” – Steve Engel, Chief Executive Officer Tamarack Camps

Bring on the new!

“In the coming 2017 calendar year, Farber Hebrew Day School – Yeshivat Akiva, with immense excitement, sees the moving into our new building as a metaphor for its continuous journey in striving for best educational practices and overall excellence in all aspects of the Jewish experience we provide our students.” – Rabbi Scot A. Berman, Acting Head of School, Farber Hebrew Day School

“We are honored to live in a community of giants… of philanthropy, of Tikkun Olam, of mitzvot.  At Jewish Senior Life (JSL), we are excited to ring in 2017 with a new management team in place and a horizon filled with opportunities, standing on the shoulders of those who have come before us and building on their legacy to benefit older adults in our community.” – Nancy S. Heinrich, Chief Executive Officer, JSL

“HFL will be moving to an online loan application beginning in the first quarter of 2017. We are thrilled to bring greater ease and efficiency to help Jews across Michigan apply for and start our interest-free loan process with user-friendly technology.”– David C. Contorer, Executive Director Hebrew Free Loan

“JCRC/AJC’s New Year’s resolution is to broaden and deepen relationships with our neighbors, which we believe is particularly important as minorities feel marginalized in the wake of a historically divisive election. At the same time, we are committed to working within the Jewish community to build resiliency in the face of challenges facing our community and Israel.” – David Kurzmann, Executive Director, JCRC/AJC

Build on strength!

The mission of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit (JFMD) is to take care of the needs of the Jewish people and build a vibrant Jewish future. In 2017, we will work with our lay partners to envision how we can reimagine the Annual Campaign for today’s donors while ensuring that we raise more dollars to help more vulnerable and underserved populations in Detroit, in Israel and around the world.”  – Miryam Rosenzweig, Chief Development Officer, JFMD

“In Federation’s Partnership2Gether Region, our greatest hope for 2017 is that it will be a calm year for both the State and the People of Israel, a year that experiences no conflict or natural disasters. We would be thrilled to experience a year that welcomes more Detroiters of all ages to our country on missions as well as short – and long term –  programs to be immersed in the energy that Israel and our Federation’s role in the country has to offer.” – Naomi Miller, JFMD’s Israel Office.

“Our New Year’s Resolution for Yad Ezra is to act with kindness and tenacity to help create a sense of well–being for those who are vulnerable.”  – Lea A. Luger, Yad Ezra Executive Director

“MSU Hillel and the Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan (HCAM) will continue to work diligently towards fostering meaningful relationships amongst diverse campus organizations to create a respect for our differences, and to hopefully stem the tide of rising anti-semitism and anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses throughout the state of Michigan.” – Cindy Hughey, Executive Director, Lester & Jewell Morris Hillel Jewish Student Center, Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan,  Michigan Jewish Conference

Grow our numbers!

“May 2017 be a year where Hillel of Metro Detroit engages even more local Jewish college students and helps them pursue and explore their Jewish journeys as they are the future of our community.” – Miriam Starkman, Executive Director Hillel of Metro Detroit

“Hillel Day School’s greatest opportunity is to continue to make our innovative, progressive, 21^st-Century Jewish day school affordable for all, thereby increasing the number of engaged students and families in the metropolitan Detroit area.” – Steve Freedman, Head of School, Hillel Day School

“At Frankel Jewish Academy our pledge to the community is to continue to innovate to make learning experiential, exciting and transformative. Our strength grows from our collaboration, building partnerships with Jewish organizations, synagogues and temples throughout the Metro Detroit community to inspire and ignite our students’ passion for Judaism.” – Rabbi Azaryah Cohen, Head of School, Frankel Jewish Academy

“At JARC, we wish good health and a fulfilling, peaceful year for the men, women, teens and children who we serve.  We wish strength and prosperity for JARC so that we may continue to fulfill the dreams of parents for their children with developmental disabilities.”– Rena Friedberg, Chief Philanthropy Officer, JARC