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‘Exceeding Expectations’

Mesivta of West Bloomfield celebrates a new
Torah donated by the Kimmels.

O

JET honoree Henrietta Hermelin Weinberg is flanked by children Matthew
Weinberg of Los Angeles and Mia Weinberg of Birmingham, left, and Aaron
Weinberg of Los Angeles and Lisa Weinberg Spector of Beverly Hills, Calif., right.

Curtain Raiser

JET spotlights Henrietta Hermelin Weinberg.

S

he helped nurture the Jewish
Ensemble Theatre into North
America’s longest-running
Jewish professional theater company and
became one of its biggest acting draws.
So it was fitting Henrietta Hermelin
Weinberg commanded center stage as
honoree of JET’s 2016 gala at Glen Oaks
Country Club in Farmington Hills.
As she was about to receive JET’s
Crystal Spotlight Award, Rabbi Aaron
Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield said: “Tonight we celebrate you
and all you have done throughout your
career to inspire us with all the various
masks you have worn — with all the ways
you have shown us your soul through
your action, direction and leadership.”

The lead in the senior play at Detroit
Central High strengthened young
Henrietta’s resolve toward a career as a
dancer, singer and actress.
“I just loved performing,” Henrietta
told a gala crowd of 225 supporters. “All
the things I was not brave enough to do
in real life, I could do in theater.”
Henrietta joined Evelyn Orbach, Mary
Lou Zieve, Dorothy Gerson, Jim August
and other local theater lovers in first
imagining JET, now in its 28th season.
The curtain fell on the Sept. 26 gala
in song as Weinberg family members
serenaded Henrietta, a beloved mother,
grandmother and champion of the arts.

Longtime JET enthusiasts and sisters-
in-law Doreen Hermelin of Bingham
Farms and Henrietta Hermelin
Weinberg of Southfield

JET Advisory Committee member Rona
Rones of Farmington Hills and JET
Executive Director Chris Bremer

JET President-Elect Elaine Sturman of
Bloomfield Hills and gala chair Susie
Citrin of Birmingham

JET President Jim August of Bloomfield
Hills presents the Crystal Spotlight
Award to Henrietta Hermelin Weinberg.

26 November 10 • 2016

— who walked, danced and cheered
with the family from their home to the
Mesivta school on Walnut Lake.
“We are so very moved by the over-
whelming display of joy, love, genuine
happiness and the great participation
from dignitaries to neighborhood
children,” Kimmel said. “While we
envisioned this day for many years, it
exceeded every expectation.”
The Kimmel family is appreciative
of the many volunteers and to the West
Bloomfield Police Department for mak-
ing the procession safe for all.

*

Photos by Eliezer Reuben Photography/courtesy Robert Kimmel Family

n Sunday, Oct. 30, an esti-
mated 350 friends, neigh-
bors, rabbis and family of
Robert and Laurie Kimmel brought a
multi-year Torah fundraising effort to a
celebration they could never have imag-
ined. The occasion was the dedication
of the inaugural Hachnosas Sefer Torah
at the Yeshiva building, in honor of
Robert’s father, the late Morris Kimmel,
who died on Nov. 3, 2014.
“It was absolutely fantastic,” Robert
Kimmel said of the procession of people
— many bearing hand-held torches

*

— Robert Sklar, Contributing Editor

Supporters of the Mesivta of West Bloomfield walk the new Torah under the
chuppah to its new home.

Stephanie, Emily and Laurie
Kimmel

Laurie and Robert Kimmel

Rabbis Yosef Neuberger, Avihud
Kimmel and Menacham Freedman,
dean of the Mesivta, and Rabbi Avi
Cohen of Partners Detroit

Rabbi Yosef Weingarten, Mesivta
development director, Robert Kimmel
and Rabbi Pinchus Neuberger, menahel
of Mesivta of West Bloomfield