10 | FEBRUARY 6 • 2020 

Views

LETTERS continued from page 6

Todah Rabah
Thank you to Steve Stein and 
the Jewish News for the wonder-
ful article, “The Kenny Goldman 
Basketball League Honors 
Young Man’
s Love of Basketball” 
(Jan. 16, page 40).
My sister Leslie and I are 
thrilled that the league modestly 
started 36 years ago by our par-
ents, Milt and Rochelle, in mem-
ory of our brother, Kenny, is still 
going strong. Much of its success 
can be credited to the leader-
ship of Bruce Wineman, Leah 
Worthy and the JCC and to the 
great coaches, such as Paul Katz, 
who have helped kids learn bas-
ketball and the true meaning of 
sportsmanship. 
We thank all our friends, fam-
ily and others who have contrib-
uted to the league and especially 
all the parents who took their 
kids through rain and heavy 
snow (as we just had on Jan. 18) 
to practices and league play. And 
of course, we thank all the kids 
like Ari Katz who have played in 
the league. 
My wife, Judy, and I have met 
many who signed up their own 
kids in later years to participate 
as they had. In fact, we have met 
so many in the last three-and-
a-half decades and have heard 
countless inspirational stories 
that have made us feel proud 
and thankful. It is gratifying to 
know that so many have taken 
part, from those just starting to 
learn basketball all the way to 
gifted athletes like Miles Bridges 
and Cassius Winston. 
My sister Leslie worked at 

the JCC in the early 1980s and 
remembers working there while 
Kenny and his friends came to 
the JCC to shoot hoops. When 
Kenny died six-and-a-half 
months after his bar mitzvah 
in 1982, his death felt sudden 
and meaningless. But the Kenny 
Goldman League has changed 
all of that, knowing how many 
kids and parents have been 
positively affected by the Kenny 
Goldman League.
I just celebrated the 50th 
anniversary of my bar mitzvah 
on Jan. 18, reading haftorah 
at Congregation B’
nai Moshe, 
partly in honor and memory of 
my brother, whose bar mitzvah 
was the last lifecycle event of his 
life. On the next day, my sister, 
wife and I visited the first day of 
the winter session of the Kenny 
Goldman League and met with 
Bruce, Leah and some coaches 
and parents. We are still moved 
and honored today by the pas-
sion of the people involved in 
the league. 
Nothing can bring Kenny, 
who would now be 51, back to 
life, but it is so rewarding to see 
a league named in his memory 
help transform so many young 
lives. 
To the JCC, Bruce, Leah, 
coaches, parents, supporters, 
and to all the thousands of 
kids who have participated, we 
feel blessed to say, todah rabah 
(thank you).

— Arnie and Judy Goldman

Leslie (Goldman) and Bruce Maaser 

and the Extended Goldman Family

Farmington Hills

Leslie (Goldman) 
Maaser, Milt Goldman, 
Kenny Goldman, 
Rochelle Goldman 
and Arnie Goldman at 
Kenny’
s bar mitzvah 
party in 1982.

OUR JN MISSION: We aspire to communicate news and opinion that’
s trusted, valued, engaging 
and distinctive. We strive to refl
 ect diverse community viewpoints while also advocating 
positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continuity. As an independent, responsible, 
responsive community member, we actively engage with individuals and organizations 
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life, and Jewish life, in Southeast Michigan.

Detroit Jewish News | 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110 | Southfi
 eld, MI 48034

DEPARTMENTS
General Offi
 ces: 248-354-6060 
Advertising: 248-351-5129 
Circulation: subscriptions@renmedia.us
Classifi
 ed Ads: 248-351-5116 / 248-234-9057
Advertising Deadline: Friday, 11am 
Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885

SUBSCRIPTIONS:
1 year 
 $85
2 years 
$153
3 years 
$204
1 year out-of-state $125
2 years out-of-state $2 
25
Online only $36

Contact Us

NEWS UPDATES
Watch videos and read the latest 
news about Metro Detroit’
s Jewish 
community. thejewishnews.com

MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
Renew your subscription, change 
your postal or email address, 
forward for your vacation, report 
a missed delivery. thejewishnews.
com/my-account

LIFE-CYCLE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Submit your life-cycle 
announcement, as well 
as obituaries — and learn 
about deadlines and fees. 
thejewishnews.com/lifecycle-
announcements

COMMUNITY EVENTS
Submit your community events 
for the JN calendar and fi
 nd 
deadline information.
thejewishnews.com/calendar

ADVERTISE
Connect with the JN sales team.
thejewishnews.com/advertise

SUBMIT STORY IDEAS/
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Share your news or ideas. 
thejewishnews.com/contact

READ THE ONLINE EDITION
Read the weekly online version 
of the JN print edition with a 
subscription. thejewishnews.com/
web-edition

SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTER
Sign up for our daily or 
weekly email newsletter. 
thejewishnews.com/newsletter

LOCATIONS SELLING 
COPIES OF THE JN
Visit thejewishnews.com/where-
to-buy for a list of stores and 
boxes.

BACK ISSUES OF THE JN
The Detroit Jewish News 
Foundation’
s William Davidson 
Archive of Jewish Detroit History 
contains more than 330,000 
pages of content — spanning 
more than 100 years — from the 
Jewish News and its predecessor 
publication. It is fast, free and 
accessible via djnfoundation.org

Visit the 
JN website
www.thejewishnews.com

