Please check out my new ’zine...

Click to view A NEW TOMORROW No. 25 (February 2008)

Subscribe to A New Tomorrow

Click here to visit A New Tomorrow's MySpace profile page

Thanks for your encouragement and support!

Gilana Alpert 1981 - 2007

Young Holocaust activist dies at 26
Posted by Susan Harrison Wolffis November 05, 2007 11:20AM

In Hebrew, her name meant "Joyous Song."

Gilana Alpert. But it was more than a name.

It was a legacy that followed Gilana Shira Alpert wherever she went -- whether she was on stage or television, in the classroom or at Temple B'Nai Israel in Muskegon where she worshipped as the oldest of Rabbi Alan and Anna Alpert's three children.

But on Sunday afternoon, her voice and life were suddenly silenced.

Alpert, 26, died after suffering a series of strokes caused by what doctors believe was a rare reaction to medication she was taking for chronically severe migraine headaches.

Alpert, who was living and working in Chicago, was found Thursday by her landlord after co-workers became alarmed when she didn't arrive at work. Doctors and family members theorize that she fell and sustained a serious head injury in her apartment when she had the reaction to the medicine. She never regained consciousness.

Her family donated her organs; recipients were in Chicago, Pennsylvania and Minnesota.
Before doctors began the organ "harvest," as the medical procedure is called, the Alperts, several close family friends and medical personnel held a private religious service in her hospital room Sunday afternoon. A nurse carried notes of love and faith on behalf of the family into the operating room.

The Alperts have been "overwhelmed" by people's acts of kindness, they said.
"When we see such an outpouring of love, we are seeing God's work," Anna Alpert said.
Gilana Alpert, who majored in theater and minored in human sexuality at Indiana University, was going to start in graduate school this year.

"Gilana wasn't a bystander in life," her mother, Anna Alpert, said Sunday night. "When she found something she believed in, she said: 'I'm doing something about it.' "

It was that very spirit that thrust Gilana Alpert into the international spotlight in 1995 when she was named to a television news reporting team to cover the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz -- the largest of the Nazis' death and labor camps.

She was 13 years old at the time and an eighth-grader at Mona Shores Middle School. She had just finished her bat mitzvah, the Jewish "coming of age" ceremony during which time she read from the V'Ahavtah, a chapter in the Torah or holy book.

"It says to teach God's words through your children," she said.

Gilana Alpert was the only student on the team of reporters for Channel One, an in-school international news program broadcast by satellite into thousands of classrooms everyday.

She responded to an on-air request from Channel One producers that asked students to call if anyone in their families had perished in Auschwitz. At least 1.5 million people, most of them Jews, were killed at Auschwitz before the Soviet Red Army liberated the survivors.

Nine of Gilana Alpert's family members died or disappeared in various labor and death camps during World War II, including a great aunt and cousin at Auschwitz.

"I don't know how to say this really," she said after returning from Auschwitz in 1995, "but being there, it felt like it connected me with all my family who died."

Later that same year, the Muskegon girl was chosen by Channel One to present filmmaker Steven Spielberg with a special award for his work as founder and chairman of The Survivors of The Shoah (Holocaust) Visual History Foundation.

In 2005, on the 60th anniversary of the camp's liberation, she reminisced about her visit -- and her motivation for wanting to face such horror at such a young age.

"When I was little, my grandmother (who survived a series of labor camps) wouldn't talk about what happened," Gilana Alpert said. "She used to say: 'It's over. We're moving on.' Her stories were lost to silence. I couldn't let that happen."

Hers is one of the family histories chronicled and saved at the Muskegon County Museum. In 2005, she and her mother teamed up to direct a play set during the Holocaust during the Jewish-Christian Dialogue.

As a high school student, she chaired the Youth Advisory Council at the Community Foundation for Muskegon County and performed for Western Michigan's Cherry County Playhouse, Muskegon Civic Theatre and its Repertory Touring Company, and Central Park Players in Grand Haven.

The news of her death began to spread throughout Muskegon in faith communities of every denomination.

"All over town this weekend, the Alperts have been lifted in prayer," said the Rev. Don Mathews, a retired Presbyterian minister. He co-chaired the community's Christian-Jewish Dialogue with Rabbi Alpert, who has been rabbi at Temple B'Nai Israel since 1976.

"The whole family has been such a blessing to this community. One of the comments I've heard is that Gilana is a daughter not only of the (B'nai Israel) congregation; she's a daughter of the whole community."

Besides her parents, Gilana Alpert is survived by her sister, Aleza Alpert, who is student teaching in East Lansing and her brother, David Alpert, who is a freelance director in New York City.

A memorial service is tentatively set for Sunday in Muskegon, although a time and place have not yet been determined. She will be buried in Los Angeles near her grandparents following a service midweek.
---

Gilana, you will be missed by all who met you. I'm a better person for have knowing you. May there be turtle races everyday where you're at. xoxo, Mike

Join Me On the Lake (TONIGHT!)

First things first. We have a fundraiser at work tonight on the boat. It's a lot of fun. So, if you are interested, please email me at MKraus@architecture.org or just come on down! Here's the info:

What: Boat Booze Cruise When: Today at 6:30pm - 9pm Where: Michigan Ave. and Wacker Dr. Why: It's a good cause and there is tons of food, and an OPEN BAR, and a DJ. How Much: $20 - to cover the cost of booze (still cheaper than our regular cruise that doesn't include booze)

On to what I've been doing!

How do you like my new wheels? I don't actually own this, but if you want to get me one for my birthday, it's on Saturday, October 13th... We had an ice cream social at work! I ate like a fat kid... Here's about half of the people at last weeks BBQ at the Murder House. Tomorrow, we'll probably have it in the yard since we are running out of room on the porch. I'll be late tomorrow since I have a meeting until 7pm...
Yes, that is Nick Fucking Butner at the BBQ.
Check out Alice's new tattoo!
Rich, Megan's brother, came to Chicago for Lollapolooza and stayed at the Sofitel. Swanky! Karli's brother, Adam, was at my apartment. Fancy! Now that Matt and Tyler have their own apartment, I've moved into Matt's room. Not completely, but near. Here's my new 'zine display! Thanks Billy of Loop Distro! Went to the Cubs game and saw Soriano tear a ligiment. Something I am sure will cause the 1st place Cubs to not make it to the playoffs. Also, Tom Glavine of the Mets won his 300th game. Something only 24 other pitchers have ever done (I think). Good times! 3rd base line at Wrigley Field. 1st base line at Wrigley Field. Derrick Lee up to bat. An old timey band played three rows behind me. I saw the banjo guy outside the stadium before the game screaming at the security "BUT, I NEED TO GET INTO THE GAME WITH MY BANJO!" Yes he did! You can get me this car. I like cars with sirens. If I get that car, I would get it repaired at this shop.  While I waiting for my car to be fixed, I'd eat here and stare at the artwork of soccer players blocking hamburgers...

I hope everyone had a good time in Chicago for Lollapolooza. I liked seeing everyone. Frances, I hope you liked your $5 meal! xoxo, Mike

Olivia, Billy, and More!

Did you miss the Humboldt Park 'Zine Picnic. You must be sad...


Olivia Arrow of the HSS Reader and Jamie of Truckface at the picnic


Look at our gift grab bags! Billy from Loop Distro provided the "Sanitary's Ice Cream" boxes along with much of the goods inside like band pins, spider rings, and Pop Rocks. Olivia had a bunch of 'zine oriented fliers and all. All I gave was my 'zine...


picnic balloons...


Me and Tabatha


Live Samba music provided by Chicago Pawer!


Humboldt Park Salsa pride!


Supporters


Check out that spread!


'zine supporters


'zine ladies flashing their HSS visor gear.


'zinesters look quite a bit like drifter hippies, don't they...


Nothing like reading a 'zine on a beautiful day in the park listening to samba and eatting a PB & J without the crust with spiked lemonade...


Yeah!


We're familiy oriented.


Wanderers...


Mike of A New Tomorrow flashing Proof I Exist by Billy of Loop Distro. I'm halfway through his 'zine and I'm in love with it. Makes me jealous. Makes me think of some good stuff I should do...


Billy of Loop Distro sporting A New Tomorrow


Wicker Park Fest


Wicker Park Fest closing show.

That's it. I hope to hear from you all soon...

xoxo,

Mike

Camping In Michigan: The Blog!

There's been a lot going on lately. Sorry if my postings and all have been inconsistent. I've been traveling, working, and having a good time. Please check out my 'zine at www.myspace.com/HFIpublishing, and we're having a Humboldt Park 'Zine Picnic on July 29th @ 1pm. So, please join us!!!

Angie, SME, and Evan at the rainy BBQ


Matt and some serial killer.

Jason had his work baby show at the penthouse of our building at work. So, here's the Santa Fe sign on top of our building. It's the 18th floor, I believe...


All my co-workers on the edge. Literally; not figuratively (I hope)!


Millennium Park from the top of Santa Fe.


Roberto, the man who give me all his clothes, overlooking Millennium Park. He's having an art show soon. Roberto, please add your show info in my comments so everyone sees your great stuff!


The ladies of the tour department. Jen, Liz, and Charniece looking over Grant Park and Lake Michigan.


A view from the Santa Fe Penthouse.


Here's where the real excitement begins! I WENT CAMPING!!! Here's Megan posing at our site at Fisherman's Island (Bell's Bay) State Park just south of Charlevoix, Michigan! It's so rustic!


She's wondering where the bathroom is. It's the very stinky outhouse down the road. I emphasize stinky...


Here I am starting a fire for dinner. Brats on the menu!


Start little fire. Start!


Megan and I at the beach near our campsite.


Lake Michigan (Bell's Bay) looking toward Fisherman's Island, which isn't an island right now. There's a thin strip of land that connects it to the peninsula.


Look at all this seaweed!


Cabins are so small in northern Michigan they move them like this. No, I really don't know what is going on...


You know those brats that were on the menu. Well, something terrible happened where they all ended up in the fire and the woods. So, Megan is looking up restaurants in the Charlevoix guide. We chose the Village Pub. A very good place for hamburgers.


This is the little lake/canal between Lake Michigan and Charlevoix Lake.


Tons of boats at the new Marina downtown.


Sunsets are made for romance in Michigan. So, instead of hugging Megan I took pictures of other couples...


... and the sunset.


Hooray for drawbridges! This one rises every half hour!


Michigan is pretty.


Megan seems to be a "happy camper!"


I <3 camping. It's a time when I can get dirty and grow a beard and no one gives me shit...


Megan on Fisherman's Island trying to avoid all the decaying seaweed on shore. I was hoping to find some wild animals. Nothing...


Looking back at the mainland from Fisherman's Island.


Does anyone know what this is for? It's some kind out lookout thing, but there's no way to get on top. It's near St. Mary's Cement Factory on Lake Michigan.


Me near the marshlands bordering Lake Michigan.


Lake Michigan from the woods.


The rocky shore of Charlevoix.


I haven't built a sand castle is ages! Add this to my architectural resume...


Gathering the rock facade for the castle.


Adding the towers.


Forget sand castles! I'M BUILDING SAND SKYSCRAPERS! This is based on the Modnodnock building in Chicago.


Megan is impressed with my work...


Modnodnock again.


Cloud Gate (the bean) from Millennium Park.


Another sand skyscraper! The John Hancock building from Chicago.


Like the one in Chicago, this overlooks Lake Michigan.


Look! It's Wrigley Field!


Looking for some warmer water, we went to Charlevoix Lake. It wasn't warmer.


Back to Lake Michigan!!!


Look how shallow it is 50-75 yards from shore!


Looking for Petosky Stones and other cool rocks. If you don't know what a Petosky stone is, I suggest looking it up on wikipedia!


Mmmmmmm!!! Buffalo marinated in pineapple and peppers. I am a great chef if you didn't know.


The world's largest cherry pie from 1976 - 1987 was made in this. Traverse City made their own bigger pie in 1987. Then someone somewhere else made a bigger one then them. So...


Here are the instructions for cooking a world's largest pie.


Car show in Charlevoix for the Vientian Festival.


Does anyone know the story of having dolls attached to the front of a car. My guess is Cliff will know. Do you know, Cliff?


The "Freedom isn't Free" car. Who paints a shot up soldier on the side of their turck? This guy does!


My 1960 Chysler Imperial. All mine!


A nice Thuderbird.


Hot dogs with Squash.


When I make campfires while camping, Jesus likes to visit.


More religious pictures!


Nearing sunset at our Lake Michigan campsite.


Me looking over the large freshwater sea. Ahhh home...


I was practically barefoot the whole trip.


I am really tan and super blonde now too because of that sun.


Working on building a dam for the creek running into Lake Michigan. Again, instead of hugging my girlfriend and watching the sunset. The theme of this blog is that I am a terrible boyfriend.


The sunset.


Yep, still working on the dam...


More sunset...


Looking at Lake Charlevoix from downtown.


The mushroom house by some famous architect.


I dropped off a ton of 'zines on the trip. Here's Grand Rapids where I dumped a heap of them. It's the first time I've been there since I finished school in 2005. I use to work at a copy shop in the white building with the tower at the end of the street.


Megan and I had a good vacation. Ask us about the possum and raccoons!