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

