jews d

PHOTOS BY
JOHN HARDWI
CK

in
the

Who’s Who?

W

hat a beautiful service in the city on Shabbat!” Bu t, I
wasn’t in the city last Shabbat.
“I loved your Torah commentary in last week’s Jewish
News!” But, I didn’t write last week’s commentary.
“I really enjoyed your class on social justice last night!” Thanks,
but I wasn’t teaching last night.
We have noticed that a few people around town sometimes have
trouble distinguishing between the two of us. We get it, we get it.
Rabbis all look alike.
So, like any good teachers, we’ve decided to give a test. See if you
can tell who is who!

It’s no
wonder these
two rabbis
are often
confused!

1. Who lives in Detroit?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
2. Who’s first name starts and ends with an A?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
3. Who has shoulder-length curly hair?
A.Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
4. Whose partner is named Justin?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
5. Which Justin teaches at Wayne State?
A. Rabbi Alpert’s Justin
B. Rabbi Silverman’s Justin
6. Who is a solo rabbi at her congregation?
A.Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
7. Who went to rabbinical school on the East Coast?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
8. Whose rabbinical school name includes the words “Hebrew” and
“College”?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
9. Who is in her 30s?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman

Rabbi Alana
Alpert

Rabbi Ariana
Silverman

14

March 16 • 2017

jn

10. Who works extensively with Jews in their 20s?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
11. Who has a congregation that’s not affiliated with either the
Reform or Conservative movements?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
12. Who led the Detroit community congregational Tu b’Shevat
seder last month?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
13. Who participated in a rabbinic leadership program through
CLAL?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
14. Who is deeply committed to social justice and spoke at a Fight
for $15 rally?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman

Answer key: ALL OF THE ABOVE.

There is an easy way to tell us apart, though.

15. Who is a member of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman
16. Who is a member of Congregation T’chiyah?
A. Rabbi Alpert
B. Rabbi Silverman

Seriously though, as the only two rabbis living in the city of
Detroit, we feel very blessed to have found wonderful colleagues
and friends in each other. As is evidenced by the cross-member-
ship, we are both very excited about the work the other is doing to
build community. •

Rabbi Alana Alpert is the rabbi of Congregation T’chiyah and director of Detroit Jews
for Justice (DJJ). Rabbi Ariana Silverman is the rabbi of Temple Beth Israel and the
Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, which her toddler has named “Rabbi Alana’s
synagogue.”