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. ■
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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. ■