Praise The
Lord And Pass
The Pizza!

WALK FOR

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ISRAEL
# ISRAEL:

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Celebrating Israel

Innovation

Rabbi's lunch-and-learn satisfies a
hunger for spirituality.

Technology That Helps The World Every Day

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• Israel has the greatest number
of university degrees, scientists,
scientific publications and
technicians per capita worldwide.

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• Intel Israel developed the Centrino
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• Israelis created Instant Messaging
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• Israel has the largest number of
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Produced by

StandVVithUs

unday, May 18, 2014

WWW.WALKFORISRAEL.ORG

Please visit our website to learn more and register for the event.

Community-wide Event
Hosted by Temple Shir Shalom

RAFFLE!

ERUSALEM

Win 1 of 3 Sodastreams
& MORE!

(3999 Walnut Lake Rd., comer of Orchard Lake and Walnut Lake Rd.)
Convenient nearby parking & shuttle service available.

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Co-Sponsors"

Temple Shir Shalom
MJS Packaging

Friends Of Israel

Amy & Andre Douvil le

Joe Cornell Entertainment The Detroit Jewish News

Congregation Beth Shalom

Friends of Israel Defense Forces

Suretta & Alan Must

Michigan Board of Rabbis

Temple Israel

Art Fishman

B'nai B'rith Youth Organization

Congregation B'nai Moshe

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Jiffy Signs Inc. & JS Printing

Zionist Organization of America

Michigan Region

Stand With Us-Michigan

Congregation Beth Ahm

Fran Bell

Greater Detroit Chapter of

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Jewish Federation of Metro

Detroit

Detroit

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Women

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Congregation Beth Israel

Akiva Hebrew Day School

Walk for Israel is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization, federal tax ID # 45-3546279.
-

efforts on connecting with adults.
"In the late '80s, I decided to formal-
ize what I was doing full time and start
Aish HaTorah in Detroit" Tolwin said.
ust how alluring can a weekly
Jewish lunch-and-learn be?
Referring to the recent Pew Research
"Often, it is the best hour of
Center study of Jewish demographics,
my week" said Gary Rosenberg, 61, an
Tolwin said that great numbers of Jews
are finding their Jewish identity only
insurance agent from West Bloomfield.
"I walk out of here just on fire he
culturally — with very little religious or
said. "Sometimes the things we discuss
spiritual identity. "That's because they've
are so fascinating that I can't wait to
been getting misinformation about the
think about them and explore them
spiritual nature of Judaism," he said.
some more the next week"
Quoting 19th-century sage Rabbi
Rosenberg has been a devotee of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Tolwin says
Judaism is not a "religion" — a religion
Alon Tolwin's Jewish study sessions for
the past 15 years. This year, Tolwin, 63,
is a way for humans to understand God.
of Oak Park-based Aish HaTorah, is
Judaism, however, is a way of life created
celebrating the 26th anniversary of his
by God to help us understand ourselves.
noontime Thursday class that features
"People should see there's an unusual
salad and kosher pizza at the Jewish
depth to Judaism, that it's not a sopho-
News offices in Southfield.
moric religion that asks people to do
Why do his followers keep coming?
irrational rituals" Tolwin said.
Tom Rollins, 62, a business attorney
While Tolwin is focusing on adult
in Bingham Farms, said "I've also been
education, his son Simcha has begun
attending for about 15 years. Rabbi
a family-oriented program on the Oak
Tolwin doesn't try to persuade anybody
Park-Huntington Woods border called
on religious issues. It really is an intel-
Aish in the Woods. It offers a K-12
lectual examination about ethical issues
Sunday school as well as weekly Shabbat
and religion. I delight in it"
services. In addition, Aish is planning to
Twenty-six years ago, Tolwin had
start a preschool.
just started the Detroit branch of Aish
"We want to empower the Jewish
home and family" Alon Tolwin said.
HaTorah when he met JN Publisher/
Executive Editor Arthur Horwitz (then
"Huntington Woods has emerged as the
the associate publisher). Horwitz suggest- center of the young Jewish family, and
ed Tolwin start the lunchtime sessions at
there's a new popularity and acceptance
the newspaper to benefit employees or
of the need for a Jewish education"
anyone else who'd be interested.
His 26 years leading the lunch-and-
As a young man, Tolwin, raised Orthodox learn at the IN is significant, Tolwin
in Milwaukee, studied for 10 years at Aish said. "Twenty-six is the Hebrew numeri-
HaTorah's headquarters in Jerusalem.
cal equivalent of God's name. Plus, it
There he took up Aish's mission of ignit- represents a 'double bar mitzvah:"
ing a spiritual spark in unaffiliated Jews.
And it could go on much longer, said
Tolwin returned to the U.S. around
Tolwin, entertaining no thoughts of
retirement.
1980 and began teaching in a Detroit-
area Jewish day school but eventually
Those interested in attending the Aish
left to work as a computer programmer
HaTorah weekly lunch-and-learn at the
for Ford Motor Co. He never stopped
Jewish News can call the Aish office at
teaching, however, and focused his
(248) 327-3579.

❑

Tamarack Camps

Jewish National Fund

Anne & Euge Greenstein

March 27 • 2014

Hillel Day School of Metro

American Friends of Magen

Adat Shalom Synagogue

16

Council

Temple Emanu-El

Volunteers for Israel

jbrooksdesign Inc.

_

Jewish Community Relations

David Sachs
Senior Copy Editor

'as of 3-21-14

Design Donated by ib

Aish HaTorah is presenting a Comedy Night featuring comedian Yisrael
Campbell at 7 p.m. Monday, March 31, at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, 310
S. Troy St., Royal Oak. Included are an open bar and light dinner. Tickets
begin at $75. To purchase, call the Aish office at (248) 327-3579.

