24 March 21 • 2019
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Lecture To Mark OU’
s New 
Maisel Judaic Studies Program

Oakland University is hosting a 
lecture by Annabelle Gurwitch, an 
author, humorist, popular TV host 
and storyteller, to help 
celebrate the launch of 
its Cis Maisel Center 
for Judaic Studies 
and Community 
Engagement. The 
event takes place at 7 
p.m. Monday, April 8, 
in the Oakland Center 
Founders Ballroom B. 
Gurwitch is author of the New 
York Times best-selling memoir I See 
You Made an Effort: Compliments, 
Indignities and Survival Stories from the 
Edge of 50s. She uses the redemptive 
power of storytelling, aging, and Jewish 
and humanist-themed messages in her 
talks. 
The Cis Maisel Center for Judaic 
Studies and Community Engagement 
was created through a gift by Cis 
Maisel, a community leader and a 
staunch advocate for education. The 
center will focus on the study of 
Judaism from an academic standpoint 

as well as provide an important space 
for research to enhance the under-
standing of rich traditions of Judaism 
from around the world. She hopes the 
center will create new collaborations 
and build a new level of understanding 
about Judaism in southeast Michigan 
and beyond. Professor Michael Pytlik 
is its director. 
“The Maisel Center will allow OU to 
develop ongoing programs and series, 
host lectures, display cultural artifacts 
and collaborate with other institutions 
and community groups in new and 
exciting ways,
” Pytlik said. 
“The Jewish community has been 
involved with Wayne State and the 
University of Michigan, but not so 
much with Oakland. I felt they should 
be more involved with the Jewish 
community,
” Maisel said. “I am always 
directed by my [late] husband Manny 
and he was always interested in edu-
cation.
”
The lecture is free, but RSVPs are 
required: oakland.edu/giving/rsvp. 
Free self-parking in the lot at 331 
Meadow Brook Road. For details, call 
(248) 370-4916. ■

jews d
in 
the

Annabelle 

Gurwitch

COURTESY OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS

Rabbi Yedwab of 
Temple Israel Leads 
House Invocation

State Rep. Ryan Berman of 
Commerce Township welcomed 
Rabbi Paul Yedwab to the state 
Capitol to give the invoca-
tion for the Michigan House of 
Representatives on Tuesday, Feb. 
26.
Yedwab serves at Temple Israel in 
West Bloomfield and was invited to 
speak by Rep. Berman, a long-time 
congregant. The rabbi shared he 
was “shepping nachas” (very proud) 
of Rep. Berman’
s many accomplish-
ments. 
In recognizing Rep. Berman, he 
also provided a message of soli-
darity for the Michigan House of 
Representatives:
“… We have faith in your human 
hearts and pray that you will rec-

ognize that the representative sit-
ting across the political aisle from 
you may also have the very best 
of intentions. For I know you will 
agree with me, that the welfare of 
our great state stands above any 
partisan divisions that might divide 
us.”
Yedwab ended with an emphasis 
on the hard work accomplished 
by the Michigan government and 
encouraged a sense of hope across 
the entire state. ■

ALLISON JACOBS DIGITAL EDITOR

Rabbi Yedwab and State 

Rep. Ryan Berman

FJA Students Win At Israeli Robotraffi
 c Competition

Frankel Jewish Academy (FJA) stu-
dents competed for the second year 
in the Nadav Shoham Robotraffic 
Competition at the Technion 
University in Haifa, Israel. This year’
s 
competition fosters robotics educa-
tion, traffic safety and learning cor-
rect driving behavior.
The FJA team received first place 
for its 3D CAD design of a fuel injec-
tor, which an expert judge called 
“professional quality.” The team is led 
by Elisha Cooper and Henry Tukel 
(FJA ’
21) with support from STEAM 
Lab Director Simon Pinter (FJA ’
06). 
A second trophy was awarded to the 
team for overall excellence.
Of the 25 teams competing, 
FJA placed fifth in the Innovation 
Presentation on a braking alert sys-
tem. The goal was to reduce rear-end 
collisions by making the brake lights 
more noticeable and flash faster in 
relation to harder/emergency braking 
to warn distracted drivers behind 
the stopping car. The team also col-
laborated on the written safety test, 
which was presented by Jack Harris 
(FJA ’
21), commendably placing 
sixth, despite working with unfamiliar 
Israeli and EU traffic laws and sig-
nage.
FJA’
s robotic car, nicknamed “The 
FJA Autonomous Jaguar,” was com-
pletely torn down to its chassis and 

pieced electronically back together 
just a few weeks before the competi-
tion by Aiden Keenan (FJA ’
20) and 
last year’
s team member and special 
adviser Jonah Weinbaum (FJA ’
19). 
They wrote the controlling code and 
algorithms from scratch. The car 
performed well and, while it did not 
place in the competition, the students 
learned an incredible amount to 
improve for future competitions. ■

FJA’
s winning 
team

Scholar-in-Residence Weekend with Dena Weiss

Congregation Beth Ahm will 
host Dena Weiss for its schol-
ar-in-residence weekend March 
29-30. Weiss is the Rosh Beit 
Midrasah at the Hadar Institute 
in New York City.
Beth Ahm and B’
nai Israel will 
host Kabbalat Shabbat services 
followed by dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, 
March 29. Adults cost $25; children 
under 18 are free. Register by March 
25 at cbahm.org/event/weissweekend. 
At 8:15 p.m. Weiss will talk about the 
“value of keeping up appearances” and 

explore the principle of Mar’
it 
Ayin and its moral implications.
At 12:30 p.m. March 30, there 
will be a Shabbat lunch and 
learn on “Independence and 
Interdependence: When Do We 
Need to Stay Together and When 
Must We Strike Out on Our 
Own?” The discussion will address the 
limitations of being in a community 
and when you must leave peers to pur-
sue your own path. Advance registra-
tion is appreciated. ■

Dena Weiss

COURTESY OF FJA

Save the Date

The Walk for Israel — this year on Sunday, May 5 — has a new home this year: 
Adat Shalom Synagogue, 29901 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills. There will be 
bouncies, Israeli music, games food, entertainment and fun for the whole family. 
Visit walkforisrael.org or follow it on Facebook for updates. ■

