views
for openers
Th e Strange Th ing
About Strangers
Zahava playing in the “ancient” cupboards
E
20 years later and they’re acting like
veryone’s a stranger until you
we’re great friends and I’ve got no
talk to them, then they become
idea who they are. Who knows what
that person you spoke to once.
great secrets of theirs I forgot years
If you spoke to one other more than
ago?
once and continue to chat about this
And besides for looking more popu-
and that every time you see each
lar than you are, there aren’t
other, then its assumed that
really any benefits to having
you must have exchanged
strangers think they’re your
pleasantries at some point ear-
friends. You get a heck of a
lier on. So, for 10 years, you’re
lot more unsolicited advice
walking around town, know-
than you’d ever want, but
ing all these random details of
that’s about it. It’s not like
each other’s lives … and you’ve
you get more birthday pres-
got no idea what the other
ents. I mean, chances are
person’s name is. And, after 10
Rochel Burstyn
they don’t know your name
years, you just can’t ask any
either so it’s highly unlikely
more.
they know your birthday.
I know. I used to work in a
(And if they did, that would
grocery shop. If you work in
bring your relationship to
a similar store, you probably
new heights of awkwardness, because
know that your day is boring until
any bet you have no clue when theirs
someone comes in and you can talk
is …)
about the outside world (because
Speaking of strangers, a few months
it feels like years until your shift is
ago, I happened to peek out of my
going to end). You talk about their
window and there was this car, inch-
clothes, what they’re cooking for din-
ing by really slowly and the driver was
ner tonight, the price of tea in China.
Anything to keep them interested and staring … Right. At. Me. (Cue the hor-
ror movie soundtrack). With all the
talking. Eventually, it seems, some of
little hairs on my arms prickling, I was
these folks feel quite close to you.
about to call my children inside, when
I’m still running into people almost
the guy rolled down his window and
called out, “Don’t mind me! I grew up
in this house and live out of town. I
just wanted to drive by and see what
it looked like now!”
My heart rate returned to normal,
and I ended up going out to say hello
and watched as his eyes glazed over
with the look that people get when
they’re looking at something in front
of them, but are really looking back 50
years. “That tree was so little when I
was a kid!”
He seemed safe — actually quite
lovely — so I invited him inside, and
the next thing I knew, he was teary-
eyed as he was looking around at my
kitchen cupboards, saying, “These
were my mothers.’” (I thought it
wasn’t the right time to say, “Yeah,
they look ancient. I’d LOVE to replace
them.”) He was snapping pictures on
his cell phone and forwarding them
to his brother while I was quickly try-
ing to tidy up and saying, ‘Please don’t
show him the mess!’
Because deep down it seems that
sometimes we care more about what
strangers think than the people close
to us.
Kind of strange, isn’t it? •
community views
Disappointed With Decision
T
the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for
he Adat Shalom Board of
Israel’s 60th birthday. She is also an
Directors’ decision to cancel
outspoken advocate for peace and
the concert of Israeli singer
Noa was a shameful act that weakens coexistence between Israelis and
Palestinians.
our Jewish community. The cancella-
However, as she noted in
tion suggests that the taunts
her own op-ed published
of a few cultural bullies are
last week in the Times of
enough to restrict the rights
Israel (“When they canceled
of our community at large to
my Michigan show, they let
think and act freely.
the bullies win”), aside from
Noa is one of the most
mentioning the word “peace
recognizable Israeli singers
on stage,” she never mixes
internationally. Her storied,
politics and music. If the Adat
24-year music career is filled
Shalom congregation had
with countless awards, high- Richard Nodel
concerns about such, she said,
profile musical collabora-
they could have spoken to her
tions and appearances at
during the many months of
many Yom Ha’Atzmaut and
planning rather than abruptly
other special events, includ-
canceling the show after receiving
ing a sold-out performance with
complaints from a few local Israeli ex-
pats with staunch right-wing views.
As Jews, it is our duty to stand up
against efforts to silence, repress or
intimidate. It’s therefore even more
disheartening to cower when such
efforts come from within our own
community.
During my previous involvements
with the Michigan Anti-Defamation
League and the Jewish Community
Relations Council of Detroit, we
often put on community programs
that included people from across the
political spectrum. Many of these
same types of agitators who caused
the cancellation of the Noa concert
also threatened to disrupt our events.
But we never gave in. The protes-
tors enjoyed their right to peacefully
Home Care
Assistance
Launches
Kosher Care
Home Care Assistance, a provider of
in-home care for seniors, launched a
new program to better serve members
of the Jewish community. In line with
the company’s reputation for high-qual-
ity, personalized care, Kosher Care is
designed to meet the needs of clients in
conformance with the laws and customs
of Judaism.
Home Care Assistance caregivers are
specially trained through the company’s
unique online training platform, Home
Care Assistance University, in Jewish
traditions, including holidays and keep-
ing a kosher kitchen. To complement
this program, Home Care Assistance has
published a 42-page cookbook, which
contains healthy and traditional recipes
for the kosher home.
“We believe it’s important to continu-
ally develop cutting-edge training pro-
grams that give our caregivers the skills
and tools needed to respect the prefer-
ences and traditions of our clients,” said
Lily Sarafan, president of Home Care
Assistance. “Through our Kosher Care
program, the Jewish community will be
able to easily maintain a kosher lifestyle
as they age, which will help them sustain
a high quality of life.”
For more information about Home
Care Assistance or the Kosher Care pro-
gram, visit www.HomeCareAssistance.
com or call (866) 454-8346. •
Corrections:
• The cover photo and photos accom-
panying the story about Ryan Hertz
(“Lifelong Journey,” May 18, page 12)
were taken by Rudy Thomas.
• The story about Jennifer Teege,
granddaughter of Nazi Amon Goeth
(“Family Secret,” May 18, page 22), was
written by Barbara Lewis.
continued on page 8
jn
May 25 • 2017
5