26 | JANUARY 16 • 2020 

| faces&places
Jews in the D

More than 600 volunteers of 
all ages spent Christmas Day 
at approximately 45 social ser-
vices agencies in Metropolitan 
Detroit during the 23rd annual 
Mitzvah Day. Presented by the 
Jewish Community Relations 
Council/AJC and the Jewish 
Federation of Metropolitan 
Detroit, Mitzvah Day is the 
largest single day of volunteer-
ing in the Detroit Jewish com-
munity and included members 
of the Christian, Muslim and 
Hindu faiths.
Throughout the day, individ-
uals worked on tasks including 
delivering meals to homebound 
seniors, serving meals at soup 
kitchens throughout the region, 
visiting with veterans, bringing 
toys and joy to families, and 
helping to take care of animals 
living in shelters.
This year, the event was 
co-chaired by Micki Grossman, 
Milt Neuman, the late Sheri 
Schiff and Illana Stern.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF AISEN

1. Aaron Goodman, Christine 
Sauve, JCRC/AJC Vice President 
Ruby Robinson and Yifat Clein head 
out to deliver meals for Bridging 
Communities. 2. Robert Levine works 
on a project at Brilliant Detroit. 
3. Lynn Lipman, Louise Hughes 
and Maria Barragan volunteer at 
Pope Francis Center. 4. Bridging 
Communities Founder Gay Salsberry 
with, from left, Chandru Acharya, 
JCRC/AJC Executive Director Rabbi 
Asher Lopatin and Asim Khan

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