10 | FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 

T

he Jewish Federation of 
Metropolitan Detroit’s 
monthly podcast series 
FedRadioDetroit is launching 
a new segment called “Mitzvah 
Makers,
” looking to shine a spot-
light on some of the communi-
ty’s unsung heroes.
The podcast is asking lis-
teners to nominate Mitzvah 
Makers in their lives or commu-
nity — everyday people doing 
extraordinary things, whether it 
be a committed volunteer doing 
great work in the community or 
a neighbor who regularly goes 
out of their way to help others. 
Each month, one nominated 
Mitzvah Maker will be selected 
to be featured on the podcast. If 

selected, they’ll be featured in a 
short write-up on the podcast 
webpage and in a five-minute 
on-air interview during that 
month’s episode. Additionally, 
each month’s Mitzvah Maker 
and the person who nomi-
nated them receives a piece of 
FedRadioDetroit swag.
Sam Dubin, creator and 
co-host of FedRadioDetroit 
along with former Federation 
president Beverly Liss, tackles 
issues on the podcast such as 
antisemitism, COVID-19 and 
domestic abuse, while spotlight-
ing social service agencies like 
Yad Ezra. With approximately 
one episode released per month, 
the idea is to focus on unique 
pockets of local Jewish life.

Dubin says the Mitzvah 
Makers idea came about after 
finishing up their inaugural year 
of the show in 2020. 
After interviewing a variety 
of guests on the program across 
many different subject areas, 
they began realizing that while 
they were rightfully focusing 
heavily on notable leaders in 
the community, there was also 
a segment of leaders in the 
community who hadn’t been 
spotlighted.
“People are so used to these 
lists, the Jewish News has 36 
Under 36 and Crain’s has 40 
Under 40, but this is a list that 
you don’t have to be a certain 
occupation, age or gender to 
qualify for,” Dubin said. “This is 
a list for everybody, and I think 
that’s truly a differentiation of 
what we’re doing with this. You 
can be anyone from any stage 
of life.” 
“We still want to focus on 
the great leaders in our com-
munity, the bigger names that 
people might be more familiar 

with, but also simultaneously 
focusing on the unsung heroes,” 
Dubin said. 
Inclusivity is something 
Dubin takes pride in promot-
ing, having started NextGen 
Pride, a gateway into the Jewish 
community for LGBTQA young 
adults looking for connection 
and a supportive atmosphere. 
Dubin said he carries those val-
ues of inclusivity for the podcast 
in general and hopes the new 
segment promotes that further.
“I’ve always hoped it would be 
a catalyst to connect the commu-
nity so those who might feel like 
outsiders can become insiders 
in our community,
” Dubin said. 
“This endeavor is something that 
will make folks in our commu-
nity who are doing great things, 
who might not get the recogni-
tion elsewhere, perhaps get the 
recognition with us.
”
The first Mitzvah Makers seg-
ment is set for FedRadioDetroit’s 
March podcast. Go to jewishde-
troit.org/podcast to nominate an 
unsung hero. 

Federation podcast is looking to honor 
everyday people doing extraordinary things.

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

‘Mitzvah Makers’

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