 SEPTEMBER 10 • 2020 | 19

ents need to be OK with 
whatever they decided to do 
because these holidays are 
about being joyful and celebra-
tory, not about missing some-
thing or feeling stressed out.
”

CREATIVITY REIGNS
Erika Bocknek, a Farmington 
Hills mom of three young 
kids and a Temple Israel 
member, agrees.
“We will need to be cre-
ative about creating a sense 
of community and connec-
tion to our temple since that’
s 
what will be missing,” she 
said. “But, I know that our 
temple is also thinking about 
that, and there will be ways 
to keep families connected.”
The Bockneks plan to start 
a new holiday tradition of 
sending New Year’
s cards to 
the family and friends whom 
they will not see this year 
because of the current pan-
demic. 
One novel approach to the 
holiday is participating in 
a Rosh Hashanah seder. At 
least two congregations, Beth 
Ahm and B’
nai Moshe, are 
hosting them. 
“We are offering a box of 
blessings with many Rosh 
Hashanah items in it for 
a Zoom Rosh Hashanah 
seder with Rabbi Kantor 
and his family,” said Steve 
Fine, executive director of 
Congregation B’
nai Moshe. 
“There are several different 
foods, each of which is con-

nected to a specific blessing 
for the new year and often 
based on puns for that food. 
We’
ll create some new and 
creative blessings like putting 
raisins in celery and then 
saying, ‘
May it be your will, 
O Lord our God, that we all 
have a raise in salary.’
” 
Rachel Lopatin and her 
husband, Rabbi Asher 
Lopatin, have four chil-
dren between the ages of 13 
and 19. One way they are 
encouraging their teens to get 
excited about this year is by 
asking them to reach out and 
connect with others, wishing 
old friends and acquaintances 
a happy New Year. 
Their family will be 
attending outdoor services 
at Rabbi Lopatin’
s congre-
gation, Kehillat Etz Chayim 
in Huntington Woods. The 
services will be shorter and 
social distancing practices put 
in place. Because of COVID, 
there will be less socializing 
than usual.
“If you can go to synagogue, 
that’
s ideal,
” Rabbi Lopatin 
said. “But if your synagogue is 
on Zoom and if you would use 
technology on the holidays, 
then go to synagogue on 
Zoom. Dress up and attend 
services on a shared device. 
“Your presence means a 
lot to those who are putting 
together the service. A lot of 
rabbis are being much more 
deliberate in what they are 
planning for this year.” 

The Jewish News reached out to congregations and 
organizations to see what options they will be offering 
for families during the High Holidays. Below are links 
from those who responded. 
• Congregation Shaarey Zedek: 
 https://tinyurl.com/y3r4g4wq
• Adat Shalom: https://adatshalom.org/youth-hhd/
• The Shul: https://tinyurl.com/y2nav9bq
 https://www.shofarintheparkmi.com/
• B’
nai Moshe: 
 https://www.bnaimoshe.org/hi-holidays.html
• Aish: https://www.aishdetroit.com/

MAGEN
DAVID
ADOM

af
mda.
org

WEDNESDAY 
 
OCTOBER 14, 2020
7:
30 
p.m.

RECOGNIZING

Magen 
David 
Adom's
90th 
Anniversary

Honoring 
the 
legacy 
of 
Dr. 
John 
and 
Eva 
Mames 
(z”l)

For 
the 
first 
time, 
supporters 
and 
friends 
will 
be 
able 
to 
 
join 
us 
from 
their 
own 
homes 
for 
this 
exciting 
virtual 
event. 

For sponsorships and more inf
ormation, contact 
Sharon Kobernik at skobernik@af
mda.
org or 888.
674.
4871

CO-CHAIRS 

Judy 
Grant 
and 
Dr. 
Margo 
Woll 

HONORARY CO-CHAIRS 
Lori 
and 
Steven 
Weisberg 

EMCEE 

Lila 
Lazarus 

DETROIT
CELEBRATES

