6 | FEBRUARY 13 • 2020 

editor’
s note

Hey You, Wanna Write For JN?

Views

I

t has been a hectic first 
week of learning and 
growing on the job for me 
at the JN. But it’
s all challeng-
ing for a very good reason: 
There’
s just so much going on 
in the Detroit Jewish com-
munity. Far too much for any 
one person to 
keep up with. 
Thankfully, 
we are not just 
one person. 
In addition to 
our small yet 
mighty team of 
full-time and 
part-time editorial staffers, 
we also have a network of 
paid local freelance writers 
and reporters, whom we rely 
on to go out into the com-
munity and tell the stories 
of Jewish Detroit that need 
to be told. And I would very 
much like to expand that 
network. 
Of the many improvements 
and investments we hope to 
make during the JN’
s multi-
year “Bridge to the Future” 

campaign, bringing on new 
freelancers and paying them 
fairly is a big priority for me. 
As a former full-time free-
lance writer myself, I truly 
do appreciate the value of a 
reliable stringer, and I think 
the Jewish community would 
greatly benefit from some 
new voices able to tackle dif-
ferent kinds of stories from 
different perspectives. Plus, 
I just think a great publica-
tion first and foremost needs 
great stories and great people 
to tell them.
So if you have some expe-
rience in deadline-driven 
news and features writing — 
or know of friends, family or 
colleagues in the Detroit area 
who do — I’
d love to talk to 
you about contributing paid 
pieces to the JN. If you are 
a fellow young professional 
writer who might’
ve picked 
up this issue to see who was 
chosen for The Well’
s “36 
Under 36” or a college stu-
dent interested in pursuing a 
career in journalism, please 

reach out. The next genera-
tion of Metro Detroit’
s Jewish 
community will, in part, be 
shaped by the voices that 
appear in the JN. Let’
s talk. 
That’
s the value we bring 
as a publication: We have the 
kind of space and editorial 
independence that other 
local Jewish newsrooms 
across the country can only 
dream about. And we will 
retain that for as long as our 
readership is willing to sup-
port our endeavors. 
As our Publisher Arthur 
Horwitz frequently says, the 
JN “punches well above its 
weight.” We’
re like the Jewish 
Rocky: the Chai of the Tiger. 
Want to punch with us?
If you’
re interested in 
contributing, I’
d love it if 
you could send me two or 
three previous writing sam-
ples and a brief note about 
your subject interests. Email 
andrewlapin.djn@gmail.com 
with the subject line “JN 
Contributor.” We’
d love to 
have you onboard. 

Andrew Lapin
Editor

ous ways (with the most dis-
creet being a drive-thru win-
dow) reflects the importance 
of serving our client families 
with dignity and respect. 
Thanks to the regard, sup-
port and faith in our ability 
to serve vulnerable fami-
lies, Yad Ezra has become 
a sought-out partner for a 
variety of collaborations on 
local and international levels. 
Some of these partnerships 
started when Yad Ezra first 
opened its doors on Feb. 5, 
1990. Jewish Family Service, 
Forgotten Harvest and Jewish 

Federation were among the 
first organizations helping us 
connect families in need with 
free groceries and funds to 
purchase groceries. 
Over the years, Yad Ezra’
s 
methodology has continued 
to be recognized by other 
organizations, some of whom 
we have helped mentor. In 
2005, Yad Ezra’
s director was 
invited to attend a MAZON 
Mission to Israel to meet with 
NGOs (non-governmental 
agencies) and members of the 
Knesset to discuss ways to 
improve collaborative efforts. 

A couple years ago, an 
opportunity to meet Rabbi 
Michael Schudrich, the chief 
rabbi of Poland, resulted in 
an effort to help him estab-
lish a kosher food pantry 
in Warsaw that provides 
ongoing grocery distribu-
tions to low- 
income Jews and 
Righteous Gentiles who saved 
Jewish families during WWII. 
 
On a local level, Yad 
Ezra’
s leadership is currently 
involved in a collaboration 
with Jewish Family Service 
and JVS to improve services 
to client families in emergen-

30 YEARS continued from page 5

continued on page 10

most read on the web

Each month, the JN will let you 
know the stories that were read 
most often online. If you missed 
any, you can go to our website, 
thejewishnews.com, and search 
for them by title. Here’
s what 
was most popular in January.

TOP 10 ON THE WEB
1. Dr. Ethan Goldstein Vows to 
Ride Peloton for 365 Days
2. Temple Kol Ami Cantorial Soloist 
Falsely Reports Anti-Semitic Attack
3. Southfield Orthodox Family 
Sues American Airlines for 
Discrimination
4. The Well’
s Rabbi Daniel Horwitz 
to Become CEO at Miami JCC
5. Mother and Daughter Duo Open 
Culinary Combo 
6. Gay and Jewish Jokes PC 
Culture
7. The Well and JN’
s 36 Under 36: 
Zachary Sandler Wish
8. The Well and JN’
s 36 Under 36: 
Teddie Olender
9. Siggy Flicker of Real 
Housewives Speaks Out
10. The Well and JN’
s 36 Under 
36: Randal Feldman

TOPS ON FACEBOOK
1. Founding Director of the Well 
Dan Horwitz Departing to Miami 
JCC
2. Nicole Kahan/Friendship Circle 
3. Temple Kol Ami Cantorial Soloist
4. Friendship Circle: Allie and 
Amanda 
5. IDF Should Choose Tank Crews 
Based on Capabilities, Not Gender

TOP INSTAGRAM POSTS
1. Jewish and Proud (JN team 
photo)
2. NYC Anti-Semitism Rally
3. Metro Detroit Orthodox 
Community/Visibly Jewish
4. Nicole Kahan/Friendship Circle
5. Rabbi Dan to Become CEO of 
Miami JCC 

