metro >> on the cover

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From The Hear fi

Kosher caterer provides hearty food — and tzedakah.

Esther Allweiss Ingber I Contributing Writer

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Caterer Avi Rubin of Jewel Kosher Catering
with head chef Monique Stacy

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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10 June 11 • 2015

After Rubin completed rabbinic studies
in Jerusalem, he led Jewish outreach and
educational activities for six years in
Ukraine and Belarus. In Pinsk, Belarus,
he worked at summer camps and served
as director of an orphanage.
After settling in Oak Park, Rubin
helped start the Detroit Jewish
Business Network (wwwdjbn.org). The
Southfield-based nonprofit offers a
forum for referrals among local Jewish-
owned businesses.
Rubin became proprietor of Jewel
Kosher Catering in October 2013,
purchasing the well-respected busi-
ness from the family of its late founder,
Phillip Tewel. Jewel operates at
Congregation Dovid Ben Nuchim in Oak
Park, with a commissary on West Eight
Mile in Southfield.
Jewel's staff has grown, with head chef
Monique Stacy and sous chef Gerald
Bernhardt as mainstays. The upgraded
menus offer trendier items, such as
sushi and authentic Israeli shwarma,
while retaining its traditional Jewish
specialties. Jewel is a full-service cater-
ing company involved with party and
event planning.
"We cater all over Metro Detroit and
even out of town. Ninety percent of our
business is offsite," Rubin said. He meets
personally with clients to create an event
tailored to their interests — "to make it dif-
ferent, something special and memorable"
Depending on the occasion, Rubin
could employ as many as 75, includ-
ing trucking and equipment staff.
Jewel's vast collection of plating and
dishware came in handy at the caterer's
largest-ever event last year: more than

A table setting at last year's Yeshiva Beth Yehudah annual dinner held
at the Renaissance Center

2,200 attending the annual Yeshiva
Beth Yehudah dinner, featuring former
President George W. Bush, at Detroit's
Renaissance Center.
"We adhere to the highest standard of
kashrut," Rubin said. "We bring every-
thing with us, including the ovens."

would normally cost. Participating
vendors include Denton Photography,
Royalty House in Warren (hall), Capture
the Moment (videographer), Koleinu
Orchestra (music), Garden of Eden (flow-
ers) and Jewel Kosher Catering (dinner).

Helping Hands
Since January 2014, Jewel has been pro-
viding ready-made Shabbat meals for
those in need. Meal recipients could be
dealing with ongoing financial pressures
or have a temporary crisis due to eco-
nomic or health reasons.
Local rabbis, lay leaders and Jewish
Family Service help determine who
might be in need of meals through the
Tomchai Shabbos Project.
Respecting people's privacy remains a
foremost concern.
Every week, Rabbi M.Z. Greenfield of
Southfield sends Rubin a list of people
to be assisted, designated by letters
rather than their names, and giving the
size of each family unit.
"We create the boxes of food, accord-
ingly" Rubin said. "The rabbi picks up
the boxes and distributes them through-
out the community. In this way, the
utmost respect for privacy is shown"
On a recent Friday, 144 meals were
prepared for distribution.
Rubin also uses his company as a con-
duit for kindness by arranging afford-
able wedding packages. Toward the end
of last summer, he began working with
vendors to "put on a wedding that's nice
and respectable [even] if the couple and
their families can't afford it:'
All aspects of a typical wedding are
covered for less than half of what they

Another helping hand is extended by
the Detroit Chessed Project (www.
detroitchessed.org). The organization
provides assistance to members of the
Detroit Jewish community, including
partnering on the Shabbat meal project.
Rubin and the other four founders
"first came together to help the Jewish
community after the big flood hit last
August" he said. "We connected with
a lot of organizations in New York that
provided assistance during Hurricane
Sandy and got some help to cope with
needs in our local community."
Detroit Chessed found several large
corporations and Jewish agencies will-
ing to replace residents' destroyed items,
such as mattresses and box springs,
hot water tanks, washers and dryers,
carpeting, bookshelves, toys and cloth-
ing. Local organizations assisted with
flood mitigation, restoration and insur-
ance claims.
Self-described as "a place to turn
for help" Detroit Chessed has opened
a gemach, a distribution center with
a store-like environment. Items given
away at no charge may include cloth-
ing, bedding, kitchenware, towels and
vacuum cleaners.

Detroit Chessed Project

❑

To contact Avi Rubin, email him at

avi@jewelkoshercatering.com or call (248)

497-9016.