metro
MICHIGAN
Media Savvy from page 8
Michigan Opera Theatre in collaboration
with the Macomb Center for Performing Arts
presents the Midwest Premiere of the colorful
and explosive production of...
1 DA
ROBERT XAVIER RODRIGUEZ
Featuring Catalina Cuervo as Frida
Sung in English and Spanish
Presented at these Metro Detroit venues:
MACOMB CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
MAR. 7, • 7:30 PM I MAR. 8, • 2:30 PM
THE BERMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
MAR. 21, • 7:30 PM I MAR. 22, • 2:30 PM
THE DETROIT FILM THEATRE
MAR. 28, • 7:30 PM
FOR TICKETS & INFO: 313.237.SING
or michiganopera.org
DTE Energy
Foundation
communityfoundation
FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
Mandell and Madeline Berman Foundation
10
March 5 • 2015
MacombCenter
FOUNDATION
forthePerformingArts
DIA
WILLIAM DAVIDSON Foundation
go to France. I believe the people there
need to know we arerit abandoning our
interest in them. Not all can immigrate.
"Herschel is the religious scholar; she
said. "His ability to speak on these topics
is the major force of the program:"
Chaplaincy To Cyberspace
Finman refers to himself as both "a
teacher and student of Judaism:' with a
major focus on Kabbalah and Talmudic
studies, teaching mainly in adult educa-
tion programs and seminars.
Since his family came to the Detroit
area in 1988, he has served the commu-
nity in a multitude of areas, including
having been a chaplain for the Michigan
Department of Corrections and, for 18
years, coordinator of the Detroit Jewish
Judicial Seminar, a monthly lecture
series focusing on current events and
Jewish law. Currently, he is an adjunct
professor of philosophy at Oakland
Community College and professor of
Judaic studies at the Michigan Jewish
Institute. He also has close to 35 years
working in medical-legal-business ethics
research.
Finman began sharing Jewish-based
teachings online 20 years ago when a
student asked him to speak with his
niece about her questions on Judaism.
After the session, he emailed her a
note and included a short insight into
that week's Torah portion, along with a
Chasidic story.
He said he realized no one else was
yet doing what he had just done, so he
sent the email to his mailing list of about
30 people. Requests from friends of the
recipients began to pour in and the next
week he sent it to 100 people.
Within a year, more than 2,000 indi-
viduals were receiving it and today more
than 14,000 receive the weekly e-Parsha
— sponsored by a grant from the Paul
and Leslie Magy Foundation — a short,
in-depth, easy-to-read analysis of the
Torah portion or an upcoming Jewish
holiday, along with a Chasidic story.
A short YouTube video version,
YouParsha is co-sponsored by the
Specs Howard School of Media Arts in
Southfield and Alan and Lori Zekelman.
His Chasidic YouStory follows the
same format as YouParsha, but with a
Chasidic story instead.
Finman is working to connect The
Jewish Hour with community projects,
including a recent Chanukah menorah-
lighting program in Ferndale, where
the WLQV radio station is based. He
also read the megillah for Purim at the
Ferndale Public Library on Wednesday.
On Air
-
When he arrived in Detroit in 1988,
he began weekly learning sessions
with Specs Howard (founder of the
Southfield-based Specs Howard School,
a broadcast and communications arts
school). "Twenty-five-years later, we still
meet in his office every Tuesday after-
noon," Finman said.
"I arrived as his teacher, but I look
up to him in so many ways, and when I
started The Jewish Hour, he became my
radio mentor," Finman said. "He taught
me to speak naturally; he gave me point-
ers on writing and reading the news:'
Specs Howard, whose "real" name is
Jerry Liebman, was Finman's first Jewish
Hour guest when he went on air in 1996.
He was on again last March, during the
program's "chai anniversary" episode.
That show was heard online in Atlanta
by former Detroiter Cheri Eisenberg.
"The rabbi's interviews are timely,
enlightening and he asks intelligent,
tough questions," she said. "The show
has a small town feel while discussing
big world issues and the local refer-
ences are heartwarming to me said
Eisenberg, who grew up in Oak Park
and Southfield.
The Rebbe's Vision
Beyond his radio show audience and
the many who learn with the rabbi are
those affected by Finman personally, like
Yaakov Goldsmith of Oak Park, whom
he met 20 years ago.
"It was at the beginning of my return
to Orthodoxy, and it was great to find
a rabbi who 'got it' or seemed to speak
the language of the outside world
while being very much a chasid of the
Lubavitcher Rebbe," Goldsmith said.
"I love and look forward to hearing
the words of the Rebbe along with Rabbi
Finman's explanations," he said. "He is
what an authentic shaliach (emissary) is,
a throwback to the self-sacrifice the ear-
lier shluchim had and displayed:'
Sharing his knowledge and reaching
out are paramount to Finman's drive.
"Chasidic philosophy dictates that we
utilize every media the world affords to
make the world a greater vehicle for con-
veying Godliness:' Finman said.
"The Lubavitcher Rebbe showed
great insight in utilizing mass media to
this aim. The Rebbe encouraged radio
programs, public cable access shows
and the Internet to make the teachings
of Chasidus much more available. I am
truly humbled to be part of the Rebbe's
vision. That The Jewish Hour, e-Parsha
and YouParsha touch so many lives
encourages me to continue he said.
"I feel a tremendous sense of grateful-
ness with every new class, new subscrib-
er and new participant in the projects in
which we are involved:'
❑
For details on Finman's classes, web projects
or radio show, or to sponsor a Torah e-Par-
sha or YouParsha, go to: www.
rabbifinman.com.