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The Well brings people together to

discuss LGBT discrimination issues.

Ronelle Grier | Contributing Writer

An event for
women seeking
purpose and
balance

T

EVO VE

REACH out HEAL within

Guest speaker KACEE MUST owner and founder Citizen Yoga

9 am - 12 pm

The Townsend Hotel | Birmingham MI

Complimentary Valet Parking ~ Limited Seating

Wellness Expo
Inspirational Presentation
Basic Yoga Session

(optional)

Spa Continental Breakfast

(following presentation)

To benefit Kadima’s Education and Outreach programs

TREE POSE SPONSORS

CHILD’S POSE
SPONSORS

| Jane and Larry Sherman |

AFSP Out of the
Darkness Walk

Tracey and
Randy Fenton

BIRD OF PARADISE SPONSORS

Gail Danto and Art Roffey
Gail and Robert Katz | Life Care Pharmacy

World Heritage
Foundation

Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit
Opening the Doors
Program

Kevin’s Song

Nature’s Playhouse

Sophie Pearlstein

$35 Single Ticket

ORDER TICKETS

248.663.4343 or kadimacenter.org/HBHM

EVENT CHAIRS )!.)+02'"&'"&,)- | COMMITTEE )" $+)%&2)"$$
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FOR SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION Michelle Malamis | Development Director
p 248.663.4343 | e michellem@kadimacenter.org

2077310

14 March 3 • 2016

he recent program “Congrats on
your Gay Marriage: You’re Fired!”
provided an evening of study
and discussion as thought-provoking as
its title. Special guest speaker was Judge
Bernard Friedman, the federal judge who
tried the landmark case that was heard
by the U.S. Supreme Court as part of its
historic decision on same-sex marriage.
Friedman explained how the case
began as an adoption issue when nurses Jenny Suidan, State Rep. Jeremy Moss,
Jordan Acker and State Rep. Robert
Jane Rowse and April DeBoer of Hazel
Wittenberg
Park wanted to jointly adopt the special
needs children they were raising together.
guidance to discussion groups, included
“The pulse of the children was always
in the courtroom,” Friedman told the 100- Dana Benson of the MSU-based Hillel
Campus Alliance of Michigan, Jeff Falick
plus audience members who gathered at
of the Birmingham Temple in Farmington
the Holocaust Memorial Center on Feb.
Hills and Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg of
23, adding this is the first case he’s ever
Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy.
talked about publicly.
Some of the discussion topics included
“There were good attorneys on both
whether the government should inter-
sides. The trial was fought vigorously, and
vene in religious issues, whether the first
the civility was great. I was honored to be
human being was male or female and the
part of this case,” said Friedman, who got
treatment of homosexuality in ancient
to know Rowse and DeBoer after the case
Judaic texts.
and officiated at their wedding.
Following the group conversations, State
“The wedding was the most spiritual,
Rep. Jeremy Moss, the first openly gay
magical experience I have ever encoun-
legislator in Oakland County, spoke about
tered,” Friedman said.
the discriminatory practices that exist in
The program was sponsored by The
Michigan and what legislative action is
Well, a pluralistic Jewish organization
dedicated to building community and pro- needed to prevent discrimination based on
viding education and spirituality outreach sexual preference or orientation.
“You can get married on Saturday and
for young adults and others who have not
walk into work on Monday and get fired,”
connected with traditional institutions
Moss said. “Landlords can refuse to rent
in the Metro Detroit area. Rabbi Dan
to gay couples. There are a lot of uncon-
Horwitz is its founding director.
stitutional laws in our state constitution
A highlight came when J. Jacob Krause
performed “The Voice” from For a Look or that affect LGBT rights. There’s still a lot of
work left to do on this issue.”
a Touch, an opera about the experience of
State Rep. Robert Wittenberg works
gay people during the Holocaust.
with Moss to enact legislation to prevent
Friedman’s talk was followed by break-
out sessions, where small groups discussed sexual discrimination. He said, “This has
become a partisan issue and it shouldn’t
writings about issues surrounding the
be. What’s fair is fair. Civil rights and equal
discrimination against those in the LGBT
protection under the law are so important.”
(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender)
Partners in the Feb. 23 program were
community. The packet included biblical
texts, commentaries, legal decisions about the Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic
Studies, the Holocaust Memorial Center
same-sex marriage and news stories.
Zekelman Family Campus, Hillel of
The program was part of The Well’s
Metro Detroit, Jewish Bar Association of
monthly series called CSI: Coffee. Study.
Michigan and the Jewish Gay Network.
Interpret. Made possible in part by funds
“They did a great job of bringing people
from the Covenant Foundation, par-
together to discuss this topic,” Benson said.
ticipants explore timely topics through
ancient and modern texts, both Jewish and “It created a sense of community and then
moved people toward action.”
secular, enhanced by speakers, break-out
discussion groups and “roaming rabbis.”
For details, visit www.meetyouatthewell.org.
Guest rabbis, who circulated to offer

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