JANUARY 16 • 2020 | 23

Jews in the D

D

r. Martin Luther King
Jr. Day in Detroit will
feature a visit by Rabbi
Capers Funnye, an interna-
tionally renowned African
American rabbi from Chicago.
Funnye is the chief rabbi of
Beth B’
nai Zaken Ethiopian
Hebrew Congregation, one
of the largest and oldest black
synagogues in America, and
one he describes as “some-
where between Conservative
and Modern Orthodox.”
A cousin of Michelle Obama,
Funnye is a dynamic speaker
and the first African American
member of the Chicago Board
of Rabbis. He will have a full
schedule of events in Detroit
on Sunday, Jan. 19, where the
public can meet him and hear
him speak.

At 9 a.m., Funnye will be
praying with Kehillat Etz
Chayim and Or Chadash,
inside Congregation Beth
Shalom in Oak Park, followed
by a breakfast, where he will
speak, at the synagogue.
The event is sponsored
by the Jewish Community
Relations Council/AJC
(JCRC/AJC), Etz Chayim,
Or Chadash, Congregation
Beth Shalom, Temple Emanu-
El, Isaac Agree Downtown
Synagogue and Congregation
T’
chiyah.
Next, at 11 a.m., Funnye
will be interviewed by Rabbi
Aaron Starr during a brunch at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek,
sponsored by JCRC/AJC and
the synagogue.
At 3 p.m., the rabbi will be

the keynote speaker at the
annual MLK program for
the Coalition for Black and
Jewish Unity at Russell Street
Missionary Baptist Church
in Detroit. The coalition, a
partnership between JCRC/
AJC and the Council of
Baptist Pastors of Detroit and
Vicinity, is co-chaired by Rev.
Deedee M. Coleman, the pas-
tor of Russell Street Church,
and Rabbi Marla Hornsten
of Temple Israel in West
Bloomfield.
Each year, the coalition’
s
annual event features a stirring
combination of speeches and

music. This year’
s program,
themed “Making the Dream a
Reality,” includes remarks by
Funnye and Chavis Jones, pres-
ident of the Duke University
School of Law Graduates.
Songs of praise will follow
from choirs from Adat Shalom
Synagogue, Greater New
Mount Moriah Baptist Church,
led by Rev. Kenneth J. Flowers,
co-director of the coalition,
and other local churches.
The day is made possible
by a grant from the Ravitz
Foundation, as well as sup-
port from the American Israel
Public Affairs Committee
(AIPAC) and Philos Project.
Events are free, and all meals
will be kosher. A voluntary
donation at the 3 p.m. event,
which will go toward assisting
children of incarcerated par-
ents, is appreciated.
Contact Russell Street
Church at (313) 875-2458 for
more information.

Funnye

Celebrating MLK

JCRC

W

e often hear of the
anti-Israel BDS
movement, which
encourages a boycott of Israeli-
made products, but what if the
(rising) anti-Semitic movement
encouraged a boycott on
Judaism?
What would the world look
like without the input of Jewish
values?
Rabbi Shneur
Silberberg of Bais
Chabad of West
Bloomfield will
lead a six-week
seminar to discuss
that question.
The series will discuss how

Judaism has —
to a very large
degree — shaped
the way humanity
views issues
such as social
responsibility,
respect for life, and
work/life balance.
Several guest
speakers will share
their perspectives,
including professor
and noted Jewish
scholar Howard
Lupovitch, Cantor
Michael Smolash
and Chef Hunny
Khordorkovsky,

who will each speak at one of
the classes during the series.
Classes run twice weekly:
Sundays, beginning Feb 2, 11
a.m. at Bais Chabad of West
Bloomfield (complimentary
breakfast served), and Tuesdays,
beginning Feb. 4, 7 p.m. at Hillel
Day School in Farmington
Hills. Cost of the series is $80,
scholarships are available.
Find out more at BaisChabad.
com/values, email rabbish-
neur@baischabad.com or call
(248) 855-6170.

JUDAISM’
S GIFTS
TO THE WORLD
A similar six-week course,
“Judaism Gifts to the World:
How Major Jewish Ideas
Evolved into Universal
Values,” through Bloomfield
Hills Chabad, will be offered

at two locations: 11a.m.-noon
on Thursdays, beginning
Jan. 30, at Jewish Family
Service in Bloomfield Hills
and 7:30-9 p.m. Wednesday,
beginning Jan. 29, at the
Jewish Federation building
in Bloomfield Township. The
course fee is $80.
“
At a moment in which
we are witnessing a rise in
anti-Semitism, it is important
to explore the true impact
of Jews and Judaism on
civilization,” said Rabbi Levi
Dubov, who will lead the
course. “Understanding
Judaism’
s historical
contribution gives us a deeper
appreciation for its continuing
relevance.”
For more information, visit
bloomfieldhillschabad.org or
call (248) 949-6210.

Silberberg

Lupovitch

Smolash

Khordorkovsky

Rabbi Capers Funnye to headline event
for Coalition for Black and Jewish Unity.

New Jewish Courses
What if someone boycotted Judaism?