16 January 31 • 2019
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continued from page 14

Levine said, “It also speaks to the 
resurgence in all areas of the com-
munity experienced over the past few 
years. Wexner recognized all of the 
wonderful initiatives taking place in 
Detroit with its Jewish leadership and 
wanted to cultivate and be part of the 
great resurgence seen over the past 10 
years.
” 
Gold said, “The Wexner Heritage 
Program is an incredibly rich resource 
for the Detroit Jewish community. We 
are so fortunate that Wexner chose to 
come back to Detroit. The opportunity 
to study in a way that develops critical 
thinking has been truly inspirational 
for me. It’
s been a long time since I’
ve 
been able to stretch my brain in this 
way. It feels amazing.
“The end result will be a group of 
leaders with deepened relationships 
and heightened commitment to our 
community,
” she said. “We will be 
armed with an enhanced skill set to 
effectively listen, problem solve and 
effect change — and, most important-
ly, the courage to do so.
”
Kristen Gross of Farmington Hills 
said, “Experts have assisted me in 
honing my personal narrative; suc-
cinctly defining why I devote my time 
to Jewish philanthropic work. Wexner 
has given me the confidence to be bold 
and disruptive in certain areas and a 
thoughtful listener in others.
”
Wendy Pittman of Huntington 
Woods said, “One of my favorite learn-
ings is that pluralism is fundamental 
in Jewish history and this provides us 

with a foundation to nurture, support 
and grow our community from a place 
of acceptance and unity.
”
Rachel Opperer of Huntington 
Woods summed it up well: “From the 
community’
s standpoint, Wexner has 
been a successful investment because 
we have taught a diverse group of Jews 
to talk with each other, to listen to each 
other, to respect each other, differences 
notwithstanding. The more opportu-
nities we have for a community to act 
like a community, the stronger and 
more inviting our community will be.
” 
Scott Kaufman, Federation CEO, 
hopes to keep the program going in 
Detroit. 
“In Jewish Detroit, we are blessed 
with a great pipeline of dedicated and 
talented emerging leaders,
” he said. 
“
Among them are a cadre of leaders 
experiencing the Wexner program, a 
veritable masterclass in Jewish leader-
ship. Wexner participants are devel-
oping expertise in the type of adaptive 
leadership that is essential in our 
rapidly changing world. Yet they are 
also gaining a deeper understanding of 
the Jewish texts and ethics that inform 
our enduring mission. Sort of a perfect 
balance of innovation and tradition 
that I see as an essential element of 
the Jewish experience throughout our 
history. 
“Hopefully, our community will 
be able to bring the Wexner program 
back on a regular basis as I believe the 
impact on our community will be pro-
found.
” ■

2017-19 Detroit Cohort

Adam Blanck, Alicia Chandler, Ethan Davidson and Matthew Shiffman, all of 
Birmingham; Darren Findling, Gayle Gold, Joshua Levine, Rachel Opperer and 
Wendy Pittman, all of Huntington Woods; Adam Finkel, Carolyn Bellinson and 
David Kramer, all of Bloomfield Hills; Kristen Gross, Franklin; Reuben Maxbauer 
and Sheri Shapiro, both of Farmington Hills; Ruby Robinson, Detroit; Sherrie 
Singer and Ilana Stern, both of West Bloomfield; Julie Tepperman, Windsor, 
Ontario; and Yoni Torgow, Oak Park.

The Detroit cohort, with Ethan Davidson on guitar

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