moments
special moments
Matchmaker,
Matchmaker
AVERY DRONGOWSKI SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Q
NJP
(Nice Jewish Person)
Jaime Bean
Note: The Well, an inclusive
Jewish community-building,
education and spirituality
outreach initiative, features
an interview with a single
“nice Jewish person”
each month. The Well has
agreed to share its Q&As
with these amazing singles
with the JN. Read more at
meetyouatthewell.org.
This week, Jaime Bean.
30
November 30 • 2017
jn
: How did you decide to make your
adult life in Metro Detroit?
JB: After living outside of Metro
Detroit for a year, I came to really appreciate
the tight-knit community that we have here.
I think that I used to take it for granted, but
there is something special about being sur-
rounded by a community where you have ties
to everything. Also, most of my family, both
immediate and extended, is here and they are
very important to me so being around them is
a priority.
Q: You spend your days working for the
Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit. Tell us
more.
JB: I am lucky enough to be in charge
of recruiting, planning and staffing our
Detroit Community Birthright trip. (All
you 22-26-year-olds who haven’t gone on
Birthright yet, hit me up.) I love being able to
work for the community that has given me
so much. I benefited from the Federation and
various agencies my entire life but never really
knew what the Federation was, so I feel very
grateful that I get to be a professional at an
organization that has given me so much.
Q: What is a hobby that you are really into?
How did that passion come about?
JB: I’ve become very into games recently. I
think they are an awesome way to work your
brain, be competitive — and the best part is
that they are social. There is nothing I love
more than getting a group of friends together
to have a game night. This newfound passion
came about because I like finding ways to
bring different people in my life together, and
this is the perfect way to get a group of people
together to do something fun.
Q: What’s your favorite book and what
about it moves you?
JB: I actually have two favorite books: Angels
and Demons by Dan Brown and The Martian
by Andy Weir. I love reading books where you
know that the author put a lot of legwork
into the book. Both have a lot of research that
had to be done beforehand, which gives me
a greater appreciation of the book outside of
simply being a good story.
Q: Where would you most like to travel to that
you haven’t visited?
JB: Japan is at the top of my list these days.
One of my best friends from college has been
living there for the past three years and seeing
her pictures and hearing about her adventures
has made me want to go there. The plus side is
that if I go while she is still there I will have a
built-in tour guide to show me around!
Q: How do you like to give back to the com-
munity/others?
JB: I like to look at the most formational
experiences I have had and tend to focus my
attention on those experiences and how I can
help others gain experiences, based on their
own interest, that are equally as meaningful.
Q: What’s your favorite Jewish holiday and
why?
JB: My favorite holiday is Shavuot. I spent
the last year living in Israel, and I found that
Shavuot not only had the best food (it is
mostly dairy-based, so cheese for days) but the
ceremonies that all of the kibbutzim and small
communities have focus on farming and the
harvest, which I really like. This is also a holi-
day that we don’t really celebrate in the dias-
pora, so it was special experiencing it in Israel.
Q: Fav Jewish food?
JB: I know it can be controversial, but gefilte
fish.
Q: If you could compete in any Olympic
sport, what would you choose?
JB: Bobsledding, but I would not want to
be in the front or in the back, I’d want to be
tucked nicely in the middle.
Q: If you could be a contestant on any real-
ity/game show, what would it be?
JB: Minute to Win It
Q: How about a fun fact?
JB: I once watched a movie at Emagine
Theatre in Royal Oak with Redfoo and his
posse. He is the lead singer from LMFAO.
Q: What would you put on your “family
crest” if you were asked to design one?
JB: A bean, of course. •
Want to meet Jaime? Email Rabbi Dan Horwitz at dan@
meetyouatthewell.org for an introduction.