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Torch Of Liberty ADL annual dinner honors Sen. Carl Levin for his work on behalf of Michigan.

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can envision no one more deserving
of the Torch of Liberty Award. For 50
years, Sen. Carl Levin has represented
the interests of the people of Michigan and
furthered the democratic ideals on which
this nation was founded:' said Hannan Lis,
who, with his wife, Lisa, served as honor-
ary co-chairs of the ADL Torch of Liberty
Award Dinner on Dec. 10.
Lis spoke to Levin before the dinner,
who said that he was sorry he was unable
to attend.
"Sen. Levin has not missed a vote in his
years serving the residents of Michigan
and needed to be at work doing work for
Michigan" Lis said in accepting the award
on his behalf.
Levin had pre-recorded a thank you to
ADL Michigan that said, "I am honored to
be the recipient of Airs Torch of Liberty
Award and to lend my support to the
important work of the ADL."
Other speakers included ADL Executive
Director Heidi Budaj, ADL Chair Dan
Levy and West Bloomfield High School
senior Jacob Rashty, who spoke about the
successful ADL Dream Dialogue program,
a one-of-a-kind program that opens lines
of communication between young people
in high schools.

Ruben, Jacob and Lori Rashty of West Bloomfield

Hannan Lis accepts the award given to Sen. Carl Levin by
Dan Levy, regional ADL chair.

United States Senator Carl Levin
D - Michigan

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Gary Karp of Orchard Lake, Brenda Wayne of West Bloomfield and David Friedman
of West Bloomfield

A video address from Sen. Levin thanked
ADL for the award.

Jews From Arab Lands

Commemoration program at Keter Torah highlights forgotten refugees.

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ore than 130 people gathered Dec. 13 in the sanctuary
of Keter Torah Synagogue in West Bloomfield to wit-
ness the first annual commemoration of the flight of
Jews from Arab lands, Iran and North Africa.
The program opened with anthems sung by Dr. Daniel
Mizrahi. Soon after opening comments from Rabbi Sasson
Natan, Barbara Moretsky and Professor Howard Lupovitch, 13
symbolic candles were lighted by Keter Torah congregants, one
candle per country, following the brief recounting of each fam-
ily's exile by Rick Behar or Kim Ben Ezra.

Another highlight was a music lecture by the rabbi. At his
direction, four Arab musicians demonstrated the complex
sounds of their Middle Eastern instruments, which led to the
rabbi's exuberant Havdalah service with active audience par-
ticipation. The evening concluded with a dessert reception with
luscious Middle Eastern kosher pastries imported from Windsor,
Canada.
The event was sponsored by StandWithUs-MI, Greater Detroit
Chapter of Hadassah, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
and Zionist Organization of America-MI Region.

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Nora Natan of West Bloomfield lights
a candle for the Jewish refugees
in Lebanon. Her mother was from
Lebanon.

Participants watched a video about the plight of the
refugees from Arab lands.

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January 1 • 2015

JIB

Jean Pierre Abraham of
Washington, Mich., lights a
candle for Algerian refugees.
His parents were from Algeria.

Rick Behar of Farmington Hills,

Keter Torah president

Menouchehr Shemtoob of West
Bloomfield lights a candle for Iranian
refugees. He was born in Iran.