moments | nice jewish boy

Matchmaker,
Matchmaker

Rabbi Dan Horwitz | Special to the Jewish News

NJB

(Nice Jewish Boy)

Meet Jordan Weiss

Note: The Well, an
inclusive Jewish
community-building,
education and spirituality
outreach initiative,
features an interview
with a single “nice Jewish
boy” or “nice Jewish girl”
each month. The Well has
agreed to share its Q & As
with these amazing
singles with the JN.

Read more at
meetyouatthewell.org.

58 November 3 • 2016

Q

: How did you decide
to make your adult
life in Metro Detroit?
Jordan Weiss: Honestly, it
was a decision I fell into. I took
the bar in Michigan (I’m indeed
guilty of being a lawyer!) and
started to build my own prac-
tice here. My immediate family
is still here and this is home —
nowhere else feels right!
Q: You spend your days
lawyering. Can you handle the
truth? What’s your favorite
lawyer book/movie?
JW: I tend to avoid legal
movies, otherwise I just start
screaming at the screen that
things don’t work like that.
But I don’t think anyone from
my generation can pass on My
Cousin Vinny.
Q: Rumor has it you are an
avid cycler. How’d you get in
to the sport? What’s the best
cycling event/race you’ve taken
part in and why?
JW: In this case, the
rumors are true. When I was
little, my dad would ride into
Birmingham with me on the
child’s seat on the bike. I’ve
always had a bike but decided it
was time to get serious about it

again a few years ago so I could
join my uncle on his weekend
rides in the summer.
I’ve joined Team Alex to raise
funds for Make A Wish, and in
summer, I completed my first
WAM 300, a three-day, 300-
mile ride starting Up North
and ending at the Michigan
International Speedway. This
was definitely my greatest
undertaking yet on my bike.
Q: Bowling? Do you roll on
Shabbos?
JW: Never! I bowl in a B’nai
B’rith Men’s League (which is a
thing that still exists!). I have a
great team, and it is a nice break
from everything else to get out
there for a few games every
Tuesday night. There are some
great people in the league, and
it is a lot more diverse in age
than you might expect.
Q: How do you like to give
back to the community?
JW: Being part of the Jewish
community is important to me.
I’m active with many organiza-
tions and my synagogue, and
I try and use my free time to
work with others — to grow the
community and to grow inter-
faith relations within Detroit.

I’m always interested in hearing
what other people are looking
for, so if someone feels they
can’t find a place, they should
tell me about it; I’d like to help.
Q: You’ve been a leader with
NEXTGen Detroit for years.
How did you get involved there
and what has been the most
rewarding part of your efforts?
JW: I was told by a friend
that he had a program for me to
do. I had been home for a year
or so and hadn’t found a place
after being in East Lansing for
seven years. That was the push I
needed, and it’s helped me find
ways to be part of a community
and give back.
The most rewarding part of
leading is showing people the
parts of the community that
are out there and being able to
show people from around the
country and world that, yes,
Detroit still has this young,
vibrant Jewish community, and
it is a place worth being.
Q: Where would you most
like to travel that you haven’t
visited?
JW: I’d like to explore Europe.
I was on an amazing program in
Berlin last year but didn’t have

the opportunity to spend time
in any other cities. I’d like to
get back, maybe take an oppor-
tunity to cycle through some
of the amazing areas in the
Netherlands or France.
Q: What’s your favorite
Jewish holiday and why?
JW: I find a lot of opportunity
in Yom Kippur. While most
people don’t like it because of
the fast, I appreciate the oppor-
tunity to focus on nothing but
truly forgiving others, repairing
my mental state and prepar-
ing for the year to come with a
fresh slate.
Q: If you could add an 11th
commandment what would it
be?
JW: Think before you speak.
Q: Who is the coolest Jew?
JW: Mel Brooks, obviously.
Q: How about a fun fact?
JW: I love to read, almost
exclusively fiction.
Q: Finish the sentence: When
I go to The Well…
JW: I get to learn new things
and meet new people.

*

Rabbi Dan Horwitz is founding director
of The Well. Want to meet Jordan? Email
him at dan@meetyouatthewell.org.