metro

Scholar Comes Home

Strictly
Business

Former Metro Detroiter and Oxford scholar
to speak at Nelson Legacy Event.

Louis Finkelman
Special to the Jewish News

T

radition carries weight at
Oxford University. Only 10
scholars have held the title of
Oriel Professor of the Interpretation
of Holy Scriptures since Oriel College
of Oxford University established it in
1873. The university broke with tradi-
tion when it designated the 11th Oriel
professor this year: Hindy Najman, the
first woman — and the first Jew — to
hold this distinguished post.
Najman, currently professor of reli-
gious studies, Judaic studies, classics
and divinity at Yale University, is sched-
uled to return to the Detroit area for
three appearances at the sixth annual
Rabbi David and Alicia Nelson Legacy
event of Congregation Beth Shalom in
Oak Park, on Wednesday, June 10, and
Thursday, June 11.
Najman grew up in the Detroit Jewish
community. She attended Hillel Day
School and Yeshivat Akiva before earn-
ing degrees at Stern College and at
Harvard. Asked about her early influ-

Hindy Najman

ences, she names four people:
• Rabbi Henoch Millen, who was
headmaster of Akiva when she studied
there. "He taught me how to learn. His
class was a model of fine, clear, complex
and honest inquiry:' she said.
• Her father, Hazzan Chaim Najman:
"He is a musical genius who has devot-
ed his life, love and gifts to beautifying
the mitzvah of worship:' she said.
• Her mother, Sherrell Najman:
"Watching her, I got to see the best
teacher in action. When she taught in
inner-city Detroit, she drew the best
out of every student. Now she teaches
adults in the same way:'
• And her sister, Dina Najman-Licht,
who serves as spiritual leader of Kehilat
Orach Eliezer in Manhattan, "an inspi-
ration in many ways, my spiritual guide
and an exemplary community leader."
In her early days, Najman attended
both Congregation Shaarey Zedek
and Young Israel. Living in between
two denominations, Conservative and
Orthodox, she developed an insider/
outsider perspective on both. That
insider/outsider perspective also

JVS event highlights
successful endeavors.

describes her feelings as a committed
Jew and academic scholar.
"Since I was 17, I have devoted myself
to the life of the mind. I felt that there
were no limits, no questions I could not
ask, not intellectual, not theological:'
she said. "The pioneers of academic
study of biblical texts, Protestant men,
had certain expectations of what could
be done in their field. Fresh, trans-
formative thinking challenges those
limits:'
Najman has done scholarly works
on Second Temple Judaism and on
the reaction of Jewish leaders to the
destruction of the Temple. She also
takes pride in her practical work in
the community, having raised more
than $18 million to develop the Anne
Tanenbaum Center for Jewish Studies at
the University of Toronto.
Najman is married to Paul Franks,
professor of philosophy and Judaic
studies at Yale University; they have
two children, high school students at
SAR, a Modern Orthodox day school in
Riverdale, N.Y.
The Rabbi David and Alicia
Nelson Legacy Event is sponsored
by Congregation Beth Shalom, the
Cohn Haddow Center at Wayne State
University, Congregation Shaarey
Zedek, the Jewish Federation's FedEd
program and the Detroit Jewish News.
The keynote address of the series, to
take place Wednesday, June 10, at 7:30
p.m. at Congregation Beth Shalom,
is entitled "Understanding Divine
Wisdom in Today's World:'
Najman enticingly explains the
topic: "After the end of prophecy, the
Jewish world in antiquity looked for
inspiration, Ruah HaKodesh. In the
Enlightenment, people looked for cre-
ativity in skeptical reason. Now, in the
post-Enlightenment period, where do
we find creativity?" Cost is $15.
On Thursday, June 11, at 8:45 a.m.,
Najman will speak on "The Women
of Valor: Perfecting the Soul" at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, sponsored
by the shul. This event is free.
At noon on Thursday, June 11,
Najman will return to Congregation
Beth Shalom to speak at a lunch-and-
learn session entitled "Dead Sea Scrolls:
A New Picture of Ancient Judaism." The
cost is $20.
For more information, call (248) 547-
7970 or email cbs@congbethshalom.
org.

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38

May 21 • 2015

•■ •

F

or the first time in its 18-year his-
tory, Strictly Business will spotlight
three husband-and-wife teams,
one as honorary co-chairs and two others
as recipients of the Business Leadership
and Rising Entrepreneur
awards. The three couples
will be honored at the
:I )
18th annual Strictly
Business Networking
and Awards Luncheon at
11 a.m., Thursday, June
11, at the Henry hotel in
Dearborn.
Annette and
Jack Aronson, who
Jack Aronson
serves as honorary
co-chair with his wife,
Annette, will deliver the keynote address
and welcome an anticipated crowd of 700
business and community leaders. Strictly
Business is a fundraiser to support JVS in
its efforts to put Metro Detroiters back to
work.
"This event exemplifies who we are and
what we do," explains Leah Rosenbaum,
JVS president and CEO. "In addition to the
dynamic duos, we will showcase the suc-
cess stories of three people JVS helped to
overcome obstacles to employment. These
individuals will each receive an Employee of
the Year Award at the event"
Their stories will be the highlight of the
event along with Jack Aronson's keynote
address. The Aronsons founded Garden
Fresh Gourmet, a nationwide retailer of
gourmet salsas, hummus, tortilla chips and
dips.
The company has grown from Annette
and Jack's hands to 430 full-time employees
operating out of high-tech plants located in
Ferndale and Grand Rapids.
In gratitude for the company's success,
the Aronsons have established a test kitchen
to help mentor other local entrepreneurs
who hope to introduce their food products
to the marketplace.
In addition to Aronson, event-goers will
also hear from Randy and Craig Rubin,
co-founders of Crypton Super Fabrics
and recipients of the 2015 JVS Business
Leadership Award; and Jenny and Chris
McCuiston, co-founders of Goldfish Swim
Schools, who will receive the 2015 JVS
Rising Entrepreneur Award.
Strictly Business is co-chaired by Josh
Eichenhorn and Kristen Gross. To sponsor
or attend the event, visit www.jvsdet.org/
strictlybiz or contact Judy Strongman at
jstrongman@ jvsdet.org or (248) 233-
4213.

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