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Temple Beth El
Hosts Gulliver’s
Troubles
Allen Menuck, Sy Lynovitz and Allan Rein, all of West Bloomfield, have a friendly discussion.
Group meetings are centered
around hearing a featured speaker,
followed by a question-and-answer
session, but Sabin said the real draw
of the group is its social scene. Many
of the group’s members attended
Central High School or Mumford
High School in Detroit. They
belonged to the same AZA chapters
and later fraternities. The group
serves as a monthly reunion of old
friends.
“We have the room from 2-4
p.m.,” Sabin explained. “But guys
get there early to see their friends!
They haven’t seen some of these
people since they went to elemen-
tary school together or high school
together … They like the speakers,
too, but they really enjoy the cama-
raderie.”
Of course, the shmoozing pauses
at 2 p.m. for the centerpiece of each
meeting: the speaker. Group mem-
bers find and book speakers a full
year in advance. Paul Lieberman,
who has been part of the group
since 2014, has found five speakers
for the group in the last two years.
Despite the lack of pay and small
audience for speakers, Lieberman
said he has no trouble finding peo-
ple who want to talk to the group.
“You don’t have to sell them
because there’s a certain kind of per-
son who either represents an orga-
nization and community outreach is
their job or they’re so excited about
their topic or their speaking capa-
bilities that they’re anxious to talk,”
Lieberman said.
He and the other members enjoy
the diversity of topics and speakers
that the group brings in. Some past
30
November 2 • 2017
jn
speakers have included Lynn Breuer
and Angela Popoff, who are social
workers at JFS, Richard Marsh, head
of the Michigan Churchill Society,
and Arthur Horwitz, publisher and
executive editor of the Jewish News.
The September meeting featured
retired physicist Irving Ginsberg,
who spoke about his work in nation-
al security and U.S. intelligence.
Just as group members enjoy
hearing the speakers, speakers enjoy
the unique community atmosphere
the Discussion Group creates. Perry
Ohren, Jewish Family Service CEO,
spoke to the group two years ago
and said it was an experience unlike
any other.
“These are people who are wise
and older and experienced, and
they’re listening really for their own
edification,” Ohren said. “Other audi-
ences are certainly learning, but
there’s usually some other motive.
This audience is at a point in their
lives where they don’t feel the need
to hold back … In a word, [speaking
to the group] felt great.”
When asked if he would join
a similar kind of group when he
eventually retires, Ohren responded
enthusiastically.
“Oy vey! Yeah, sure!” he said.
“What this group is is community.
It’s people. To me, what Nison Sabin
has created with other people is
community, and would I want to be
part of a community like that? Do
people need to be part of a commu-
nity like that as a piece of their life?
Absolutely.” •
Interested in joining the group? Contact Nison
at sabinfam@yahoo.com. for more information.
Temple Beth El proudly welcomes
vice president for new initiatives
and a distinguished fellow at the
Woodrow Wilson International
Center for Scholars
in Washington,
D.C., Aaron David
Miller, who will
be speaking on
“Gulliver’s Troubles:
America, Israel
and the Middle
East.” The event
Aaron David Miller will be held at
Temple Beth El
(7400 Telegraph
Road in Bloomfield Hills), at 7 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 9.
For two decades, Miller served
in the Department of State as an
analyst, negotiator and adviser on
Middle Eastern issues to Republican
and Democratic secretaries of
state. Between 2003 and 2006, he
also served as president of Seeds of
Peace, an internationally recognized
program in conflict resolution and
coexistence. He has written five
books, including his most recent,
The End of Greatness: Why America
Can’t Have (and Doesn’t Want)
Another Great President (Palgrave,
2014). His articles have appeared in
the Washington Post, the New York
Times and the Los Angeles Times;
and his column “Reality Check”
appears in Foreign Policy Magazine.
He is a CNN global affairs analyst
and a frequent commentator on
NPR, BBC and Sirius XM radio.
The event is free and open to the
community and is co-sponsored by
the Jewish Community Relations
Council/AJC. RSVP online at www.
tbeonline.org by Friday, Nov. 3. For
more information, contact Temple
Beth El Program Director Danielle
Gordon, (248) 851-1100, or
dgordon@tbeonline.org. •
Florine Mark To Be Honored
Philanthropy, entrepreneurship and community service
have been the hallmarks of Florine Mark’s career. On Sunday,
Nov. 12, from 12:30-4:30 p.m. at the Henry Ford Museum in
Dearborn, the Michigan Psychoanalytic Foundation (MPF)
will honor her accomplishments and contributions, especial-
ly those directed toward health and emotional well-being.
Her successes as an entrepreneur are notable — she
is president and CEO of WW Group Inc. in Farmington
Hills and the largest franchise owner in Weight Watchers
International.
A light luncheon and drinks will be served with a short
speech and presentation. Tickets to the event are $195 and
$75 for students and medical residents. For tickets and fur-
ther information, contact Monica Simmons Evans at (248)
851-3380. •
Shir Shalom Business EXPO
The Temple Shir Shalom Brotherhood
is sponsoring a Community Business
Expo from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11,
at The Corners: A Campus for Caring
Communities, 2075 Walnut Lake Road,
just west of Inkster Road in West
Bloomfield.
Michael Bellet, chairman of this
first-time event, feels it is a venue that
will appeal to homeowners, families
with children and even seniors. There
is no charge for admission. Raffle
prizes will be awarded every hour dur-
ing the expo.
Representatives from Regent Street,
Hebrew Free Loan, ADT Security,
Capital Mortgage Funding, ABC
Warehouse and American Fireplace,
to just name a few, will be on hand to
discuss their businesses and services.
There is still time to join the growing
list of vendors that will be attending. If
interested, call Michael Bellet at (248)
885-0412 or email mbellet@adt.com. •