16 | MAY 20 • 2021
A
t the last live charity
event at the Holocaust
Memorial Center
(HMC), a spark was lit inside Dr.
Steve Shanbom.
“During the event, they
always ask all of the survivors
to stand up and be recognized,
and you just saw how few people
are still alive who are survivors,”
Shanbom said. “I thought we
could spread the word to people
and expose them to this.”
Shanbom, an ophthalmologist
in Berkley, has walked the walk
in promoting Holocaust aware-
ness by taking his staff to the
HMC just before Passover.
Shanbom said the idea of the
trip was not only inspired by the
HMC event, but also by fami-
ly ties. His wife, Sherry, is the
daughter of Holocaust survivors.
“Because of that, we’ve always
been involved in the Holocaust
Center, going to the charity
event every year and being
donors to the cause,” he said.
Due to survivors not being
guides at the center right now
because of the pandemic, Sherry
served as a guide of sorts for the
doctor’s staff.
“She was able to read some
of her parents’ story that’s been
told to us and to the grandkids,
so she was able to put a little
perspective on it from a child of
survivors,” Shanbom said. “She
gave about a 10-minute talk,
and then we walked through the
museum together.”
Shanbom received feedback
from his staff about how interest-
ing and shocking it was; much of
the staff is not Jewish.
“What I said as the take-home
message was that these were
people … just like you and me,
and one day because of who you
are, someone could come into
your home and take everything.
”
Shanbom’s goal in the visit is hav-
ing Holocaust awareness snow-
ball from his staff’s experience,
and also to hopefully inspire
other businesses to follow their
lead.
“I think as business leaders,
we can impact our community
by exposing our staff in hopes
they take their own families,
”
Shanbom said. “The more people
are educated on this, the more
you can mitigate the deniers, but
it also can tell the story because
the survivors themselves aren’t
going to be around much longer
to tell it.
”
T
hrift stores are a $10.6
billion industry in the
U.S. with market size
expected to increase by 2.3% in
2021.
Council Re|Sale in Metro
Detroit, operated by National
Council of Jewish Women,
Michigan (NCJW|MI), is meet-
ing that demand head-on by
holding Zoom workshops for
budget-conscious fashionistas
titled “Dressing is a Puzzle: Let’s
Put it Together.”
Council Re|Sale in Berkley is
known for featuring high-end
clothing including designer
wear, professional attire, shoes
and evening wear, all donated
by members of the community.
For example, currently on sale
is an unworn bridal gown by
French designer Lanvin, com-
plete with $7,000 price tag, on
sale now for $2,000 (U.S. Size 8
for interested brides-to-be).
But Council Re|Sale also has
fashion items from as low as $1.
Store manager Delores Hendrix
offers a new bargain every day,
called “Delores’ Daily Deal,”
plus frequent shoppers earn
$10 Council Cash for every $50
pre-tax purchase to spend on a
future visit.
As for the Zoom workshops,
Susie Jacob, a vice president at
NCJW|MI, explained they were
prompted by the age-old dilem-
ma we all face. “You open up
your closet and stare at so many
clothes, then complain that
you have nothing to wear. Our
workshops will help everyone
spruce up and reimagine their
outfits and help solve the puzzle
of what to wear,” she said.
Two upcoming workshops
will be held, the first on May
25 when Sandi Matz, a past
president of NCJW|MI, will
present “
AM to PM, The Knack
of Dressing in Black.”
On June 1, the program will
be “
Accessories, Accessories,”
showcasing how everything
from shoes to hats, from jewel-
ry to jackets, can create entirely
new outfits with the clothes you
already own. Both virtual work-
shops begin at 7 p.m. and you
can register at councilresale.net.
“
All store proceeds support
the projects we do to help
Detroit-area women, children
and families in need,” Jacob
said, such as Back 2 School
Store and Backpack Project for
homeless children. “Our Kosher
Meals on Wheels is another
important project, and we have
seen an increase in demand
from vulnerable elders in our
community since the pandem-
ic.”
Council Re|Sale hours are 10 a.m. to 6
p.m. Monday through Saturday at 3297
W. 12 Mile in Berkley.
OUR COMMUNITY
Sandi Matz shows
off a black and
white option.
Council Re|Sale shop holds Zoom
workshops for fashionistas.
Council Re|Sale shop holds Zoom
What to Wear?
ALISON SCHWARTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
RACHEL MATZ
Steve and Sherry Shanbom sit in front of staff who toured the HMC.
STEVE SHANBOM
Ophthalmologist takes staf
to
Holocaust Memorial Center.
Opening Eyes
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER