1. 26 October 2 • 2014
A Volunteer Of Valor
This Christian woman yearns to
educate others about the Holocaust
| Judy Greenwald
| Special to the Jewish News
Since she was a young girl,
Cheryl Christmas has felt a
connection with and a love for
the Jewish people.
A deeply spiritual and
devout Christian, the
59-year-old Christmas,
of Milford, has been
married 40 years to
husband, James, is a
grandmother of seven
and, as she tells, used
a unique experience to
deepen her feelings for Israel.
“As a child of 5, I found a special place to
pray: in a neighbor’s oak tree with a perfect
crook in it for me to sit comfortably,” she
said. “I felt I needed to be up high to reach
God in heaven. It was there I heard the
word ‘Jerusalem’ three times. I didn’t know
what to make of it then, just that Jerusalem
was a place in the Bible.
“For many years I carried Jerusalem in
my heart and yearned for a time when I
would be able to visit this place in the Holy
Land.”
Her prayers have been abundantly
answered, for this teacher and women’s
lay leader at Novi’s Brightmoor Christian
Church has traveled numerous times
to Israel. Each trip has brought its own
remarkable rewards, she said, including
leading groups from her church to visit
and bring gifts to Israeli soup kitchens,
orphanages and absorption centers, and
participating in the Women’s Christian
Allies Caucus, themed “I Am My Sister’s
Keeper,” which culminated in a solidarity
march to the Knesset.
Her latest excursion in April 2014 to
attend a seminar for Christian leaders on
the Holocaust, anti-Semitism and Israel,
organized by the Christian Friends of Yad
Vashem under the direction of Dr. Susanna
Kokkonen, was “a life-changing event.”
“My application to study in Jerusalem
as part of the International School for
Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem was
chosen from submissions from around the
world,” she said. “Being part of this team of
Christian leaders from 11 nations, learning
from the finest professors and Holocaust
educators, fulfilled my heart’s desire.”
This desire, along with her chari-
table nature, inspired her to give back
once again, for upon returning home in
May, she contacted Selma Silverman,
administrator and volunteer coordinator
for the Holocaust Memorial Center in
Farmington Hills, to see if they needed
help.
“I was invited to volunteer on Thursday
afternoons and have been doing this every
week since my return,” she said.
“I love meeting the people that come
to the museum. I especially love when
I can share information I learned at the
seminar. Yom HaShoah took place dur-
ing the seminar, and we attended events
focused around its commemoration. We
were part of the Holocaust remembrance
at the Warsaw Ghetto Square Plaza, and
we visited Oskar Schindler’s grave and met
two of the Jews who met at his factory and
married. We toured Yad Vashem, and I
cried from beginning to end. My love for
the Jewish people grew during my studies.
I saw the resilient spirit they carry. To be
able to create art and music while living in
hell was remarkable.”
Christmas’ positive outlook is apparent
to visitors and staff at the center, Silverman
shared.
“Everyone loves Cheryl,” she said. “Of
course, she gets smiles when she tells
guests her name. Christmas is a joyous
time, and Cheryl’s personality, dedication
and drive reflect the joy she brings to her
volunteering. She really wants to let people
know what happened to the Jews.”
Christmas said, “As a Christian, I feel I
owe a debt to the Jewish people. After all,
they’ve given me so much — the patri-
archs, my messiah — and have kept
the word of God safe through the ages
within the Torah.
“My goal is to share a presentation
I’ve finished, possibly at the museum,
to introduce the Christian world to
the horrors of the Holocaust. I believe
Holocaust education is absolutely vital in
this hour.” ■■
Cheryl Christmas stands in front of
the Holocaust-era cattle car at the
Holocaust Memorial Center.
Cheryl
Christmas
metro
AnnaHuserau
Levin
The Michigan
Association of
Broadcasters recently
awarded their hon-
ors for 2014. The
Distinguished
Lifetime of Public
Service Award went
to Sen. Carl Levin.
Niagra
Detroit Artist and
fashion Icon Niagara
recently celebrated
her 60th birthday,
and the ageless beau-
ty is as busy as ever
with her inclusion in
both the group show
“Cruel Summer” at
the Jonathan Levine Gallery in New
York last month and was included
along with the collective she co-found-
ed with Mike Kelley, Destroy All
Monsters, in September at Chace
Center Gallery at the Rhode Island
School of Design. The exhibit was
titled, “What Nerve!” with Destroy All
Monsters, the Hairy Who, Gary Panter
and many more genre-tipping talents
from the 1960s to present.
Friedman
The board of trust-
ees of the Children’s
Hospital of Michigan
Foundation
announced a new
leadership structure,
including a board
chair and two vice
chairs, to govern the
organization as it grows to serve more
pediatric research and education and
community benefit programs. The
board has elected Matt Friedman of
West Bloomfield as its chair. A trustee
since 2011, Friedman most recently
has served as the board’s chair of fund-
raising and development and chair of
the foundation’s $2 million “Dream.
Hope. Discover.” campaign. Friedman
is co-founder of Tanner Friedman
Strategic Communications in
Farmington Hills.
The William Davidson Foundation
announced the appointment of
Danielle Olekszyk of Bloomfield Hills
as its first chief financial officer. A for-
mer Crain’s Detroit Business 40 under
40 honoree, Olekszyk brings nearly
15 years of accounting and financial
management experience to the posi-
tion. She will direct the foundation’s
accounting and financial services,
human resources, office and building
management, investments, informa-
tion technology and insurance cover-
age.
Zerwekh
Matthew Zerwekh
was a political sci-
ence and compara-
tive religion major at
Western Michigan
University when he
started teaching
Sunday school at
Temple B’nai Israel
in Kalamazoo. He was recently
installed as the first full-time rabbi at
Temple B’nai Israel since 1969, mark-
ing what he and lay leaders hope will
be a time of renewed growth and faith
for the liberal congregation.
Harrison
The Detroit
Symphony Orchestra
has promoted Scott
Harrison to vice
president for
Advancement &
External Relations.
He will lead the
DSO’s advancement
and communications teams tasked
with meeting the DSO’s gift and grant
requirements for general operating
support, endowment and other special
needs. He will also continue to build
one-to-one relationships with the
orchestra’s highest value patrons,
funders and sponsors and support the
DSO leadership in strategic fundrais-
ing and planning initiatives.
Goldberg
CNN recently named
Rabbi Elimelech
Goldberg as a one of
its Heroes. For 12
years he worked at a
camp for children
battling cancer. He
often witnessed the
pain and discomfort
many of them endured while undergo-
ing medical procedures. In 1999,
Goldberg founded Kids Kicking
Cancer, which provides free martial
arts classes focused on breathing tech-
niques and meditation for children
battling serious illnesses. Through
classes and one-on-one support, Kids
Kicking Cancer has helped more than
5,000 children and their families. The
organization began in Michigan and
has since expanded its programs to
New York, Los Angeles and Florida
and internationally to Italy, Israel and
Canada.
In recognition of Goldberg and all
the KKC heroes, a generous supporter
has offered to match all donations to
the organization through Oct. 31.
To donate, go to the website
kidskickingcancer.org/donations.
» here’s to