Sending Kids to Camp for 120 Years

At the heart of Tamarack Camps’ mission is the belief that every child should have the opportunity to experience Jewish summer camp, regardless of financial ability. The agency’s annual event, Send a Kid to Tamarack, raises funds for financial scholarship assistance and helps subsidize all camper fees in an effort to keep programs affordable and accessible for allfamilies in our community.

Tamarack Camps is thrilled to honor community leaders, Sue and Alan J. Kaufman, and distinguished camp alumna, Rachel Grey Ellis, at this year’s event at 6:30 p.m. on May 25 at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield.

Sue and Alan Kaufman have generously invested in the lives of many individuals and families in our community. The Kaufmans have made an indelible impact on Tamarack Camps by supporting camper scholarships, in building the Sue and Alan J. Kaufman and Family Staff Lodge and by serving as lay leaders in a variety of roles.

Sue and Alan’s support and engagement extend far beyond Tamarack. Since 2012, their partnership with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and Tamarack Camps has powered the Sue & Alan Kaufman & Family Teen Mission to Israel, a testament of their commitment to fostering meaningful connections between Metro Detroit and Israel.

Among his stewardship of numerous Michigan organizations, Alan is the immediate past president of the United Jewish Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit and a board member of Adat Shalom Synagogue, Jewish Community Center, Detroit Zoological Society and Business Leaders for Michigan. Sue is the immediate past president and previous campaign chair of Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy, and she is a board member of Hebrew Free Loan.

Distinguished alumna, Rachel Grey Ellis, developed a love for camp at a young age when her parents, Ruth (z”l) and Jim Grey, initiated the first Family Camp program. Rachel was a teen service staff member, counselor and tripper — and in each of these roles, Rachel positively impacted those around her. Rachel served on the Tamarack Board of Directors for over a decade and has helped strengthen alumni outreach efforts. She has shaped the Jewish identities of thousands of teens through her professional work at BBYO, and she continues to lead in our community as the recently appointed executive director at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township.

“We have the pleasure of honoring Sue and Alan J. Kaufman and Rachel Grey Ellis — positive forces in Jewish Detroit and integral links of our Tamarack circle,” said Lee Trepeck, CEO, Tamarack Camps. “They exemplify the theme of this year’s event, l’dor v’dor (from generation to generation), which also highlights the 120th anniversary of our agency’s founding by the Fresh Air Society. In partnership with this community, we renew our commitment to providing a nurturing place for future leaders to learn, explore and grow Jewishly for the next 120 years — and beyond!”

The event includes a strolling outdoor reception with entertainment followed by a seated indoor program. Join Tamarack Camps in celebrating their honorees, while supporting the lives of countless children and teens for generations to come. For tickets or donation information, visit https://tamarackcamps. com/giving/send-a-kid-to-tamarack/sk2t-event/ or contact Tamarack Camps at (248) 9529105 or sk2t@tamarackcamps. com.

The Levin Center at Wayne Law will now be known as the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, the Center announced April 28.

“We have been talking internally about the need to include in our name elements that describe our mission and work,” said Jim Townsend, the Center’s director, in a letter. “It has been nine months since the passing of our founder and namesake, Sen. Carl Levin. It seemed like a good time to announce our new name, which we hope speaks to his legacy and the impact and aspirations of the Center’s work.”

Eugene Driker, the chair of the Center’s Advisory Board, said in a letter, “Naming an organization can be challenging and complicated, so the Center engaged many people in our decision-making process, including the Levin family, the Levin Center Advisory Board, its Faculty Advisory Committee and others.

“We want to thank everyone who helped us. Their perspectives on the meaning of Sen. Levin’s work, the example he set and the goals of the Center were invaluable to us,” he added.

The Levin Center’s revised name and new promotional video aim to communicate the link between legislative oversight and the civic values and norms that uphold our democracy. “By championing the values and techniques of bipartisan legislative fact-finding, the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy is building a pathway of trust and civic respect among lawmakers in Washington and across the United States,” Townsend said. “We are working every day to enable lawmakers and the public to separate fact from fiction and strengthen institutions at the core of our democracy.”

The Levin Center remains part of its host institution, Wayne State University Law School.