JUNE 10 • 2021 | 23

return to the United States. 
#BringDannyHome.
”
Fenster is managing editor 
of online magazine Frontier 
Myanmar and has worked 
to cover life in that country 
before and during the coup. 
On May 24, the publication 
released a statement that 
it believes Fenster is being 
detained at Insein Prison. 
According to reports from 
the New York Times, Insein 
(pronounced “insane”) is a 
134-year-old prison notorious 
for harsh conditions and the ill 
treatment and torture of cap-
tives. Since the military junta 
took over the government in 
Myanmar in February, it has 
packed the circular-shaped 
prison to twice its capacity. 
Prisoners sleep on straw mat-
tresses and food is often noth-
ing more than rice contami-
nated with small stones. 
According to reports from 
the Washington Post, the mili-
tary government of Myanmar 
routinely publishes lists of 
“wanted” journalists, accusing 
them of affecting “state stabil-
ity.
” It has detained more than 
70 journalists.
Fenster’s parents, Rose and 
Buddy Fenster of Huntington 
Woods, have made television 
appearances on several media 
outlets, including CNN, to 
publicly voice their plea for 
their son’s release. 
In an interview with the 
JN, Bryan said he, family and 
friends are trying to keep 
focused on creative ways to 
continue to tell Danny’s story. 
Bryan said many of Danny’s 
childhood and high school 
friends are working tirelessly 
to support his family and keep 
the spotlight on the journalist’s 
plight. 
Supporters include Jeffrey 
Nolish of Detroit. He and 

Danny grew up together 
in Huntington Woods and 
reconnected when they were 
both attending separate col-
leges in Chicago. After gradu-
ation, they returned to Detroit 
in 2013 and lived together as 
roommates. 
Now, Nolish is doing his 
part by creating “The Danny 
Reader,
” an online anthology 
of all of Danny’s writings as a 
journalist in Chicago, Detroit, 
Telluride and San Diego as 
well as his international cover-
age of stories in Thailand and 
Burma (Myanmar).
“Danny is a gifted writer, 
a talented journalist and a 
storyteller who’s always had 
an interest in human rights 
and social justice,
” said Nolish, 
who is policy director for 
Detroit Disability Power, a 
nonprofit that advocates for 
those with disabilities. “I want-
ed to compile some of Danny’s 
writing to showcase that 
voice and amplify it while we 
continue to advocate for his 
immediate and unconditional 
release.
”
Bryan said Fenster’s wife, 
Julianna Fenster, visits the 
prison daily, but her requests 
for permission to visit her 
husband or just to get a status 
on his well-being have all 
been denied. 
“Julianna is also in con-
tact with the U.S. State 
Department,
” Bryan said. 
“With [Myanmar] being 10 
hours ahead, I speak to her 
first thing in the morning and 
the last thing at night. We 
are trying to coordinate our 
efforts and create certain rela-
tionships with all these people 
who are helping us. We just 
don’t want Danny to be forgot-
ten or have his status slip from 
the news or from the front of 
people’s minds.
” 

Birthright Is Back

MSU Hillel needs eight more 
people for Aug. 1-11 trip.

BRIAN GOLDSMITH JN INTERN
A

fter a year pause due 
to the COVID-19 
pandemic, Birthright 
Israel is back.
Michigan State Hillel is in 
need of participants for its 
Birthright Israel trip on Aug. 
1-11. 
As of press time, only 13 
students had signed up to par-
ticipate in the MSU Birthright 
Israel trip. MSU Hillel is look-
ing for eight more participants 
to fill the empty spots for the 
trip.
The MSU Hillel will lead 
the Birthright Israel trip for 
college students 18-22 years of 
age. Twenty-two students will 
embark on the 10-day explo-
ration of Israel’s holy land. The 
students will be accompanied 
by two Hillel staff members, 
three Israelis (one will be an 
armed security guard) and a 
tour guide. 
The trip will be held with 
a few precautions due to 
COVID-19 regulations. All 
participants must be fully vac-
cinated and show proof of vac-
cination by uploading a photo 
of their vaccination card on the 
Israel Outdoors application. 
Next, travelers must be tested 
for COVID 72 hours before 

the flight to Israel. After land-
ing in Israel, travelers will be 
tested again. All COVID tests 
must yield a negative result to 
participate on the Birthright 
Israel trip. 
In July, restrictions will be 
updated further for the trip. 
Participants must also pro-
vide their own means of trans-
portation to John F. Kennedy 
International Airport and 
arrive four hours before their 
flight. 
According to the World 
Health Organization, more 
than 10.5 million vaccine doses 
have been administered in 
Israel and 56.7% of the popu-
lation is fully vaccinated (the 
highest vaccination rate in the 
world.) 
The August Birthright Israel 
trip will be advised by MSU 
birthright coordinator Mina 
Fedderly, a graduate of Bradley 
University, who traveled to 
Israel with the University of 
Minnesota Hillel along with 
her brother and cousin. 
If you or anyone you know 
may be in interested in the 
trip, visit Israeloutdoors.com/
msu to sign up or contact Mina 
Fedderly at mina@msuhillel.
org. 

The Masada is one of the places 
Birthright participants will vist.

