The Reach for Hope Benefit raised funds to provide free suicide prevention training in Detroit, a passion of Rabbi Daniel Syme, rabbi emeritus at Temple Beth El, who shared with attendees how he lost his brother, Michael, to suicide more than 40 years ago.
A few technical glitches couldn’t stop the Reach for Hope Benefit from being a huge success. On Oct. 21, A Single Soul, Black Family Development and L!FELeaders Inc. hosted the event, featuring a table reading of the play Right Before I Go, by Stan Zimmerman and starring Hill Harper. Detroit native Lily Tomlin sent a video message.
The event, held at Cass Tech High School and emceed by Fox 2 personality Lee Thomas, raised funds to provide free suicide prevention training in Detroit, a passion of Rabbi Daniel Syme, rabbi emeritus at Temple Beth El, who shared with attendees how he lost his brother, Michael, to suicide more than 40 years ago.
Among the many attendees was Donna Rene’e Harris, who traveled by bus from Oklahoma to see the table reading of the play written by Stan Zimmerman (Gilmore Girls, Roseanne, The Golden Girls) which brings to life the last words of those lost to suicide, including the heartsick, the bullied, survivors of war, the mentally ill and the achingly lonely, which aims to provide a sense of understanding and hope for the living.
