JUNE 24 • 2021 | 29

He’s also been impressed 
by the focus it’s given her 
on her career path, he says. 
“She’s found a passion 
in coaching and being a 
strength athlete and someone 
who’s so in tune with their 
body, being able to help other 
people become more in tune 
with their bodies as well.”

MUCH 
ENCOURAGEMENT
Bordoley says she’s grateful 
for the support of her coach-
es and her family, who have 
encouraged her in her efforts 
and been supportive along 
the way. 
“The passion Lira has for 
powerlifting is something you 
hope for when your daughter 
competes in sports,” says her 
mother, Ronna Bordoley, 
of her daughter’s ambition. 
“She’s an impressive athlete 
whose talents shine in a mul-
titude of ways.” 

Meanwhile, Lira Bordoley 
has already started sharing 
her skills, putting her power-
lifting experience to work as 
a volunteer student strength 
and conditioning coach for 
high schoolers. “I love watch-
ing the growth and determi-
nation of athletes who strive 
to reach their goals, and I 
want to empower them to 
take risks and face adversity 
on the road to success,” she 
says. 
In the fall, she plans to 
participate in powerlifting at 
the University of Michigan 
via its club sports, and to put 
what she’s learned to work 
as she pursues her degree in 
Applied Exercise Science. 
“Powerlifting has taught 
me how to be mentally 
tough, and how to find focus 
wherever I am,” she says. “It 
has taught me how to be a 
well-rounded individual.” 

“POWERLIFTING HAS TAUGHT ME 
HOW TO BE MENTALLY TOUGH 

AND TO FIND FOCUS.”

— LIRA BORDOLEY

Steve Goode at Zingerman’s Deli.

‘Great American Deli Schlep’ 
Visits Zingerman’s

A motorcyclist from the 
Chicago-area stopped by Ann 
Arbor as part of a cross-country 
trek visiting Jewish-style delis in 
nearly every state to call attention 
to the persistent hunger crisis in 
the United States that has been 
exacerbated by the pandemic. 
On Saturday, June 5, Steve 
Goode stopped for lunch in Ann 
Arbor as part of his 16,000-mile 
“Great American Deli Schlep’’ at 
Zingerman’s Deli. Goode, whose 
trip will run through the sum-
mer, is partnering with MAZON: 
A Jewish Response to Hunger to 

raise awareness and funds for the 
organization’s fight to end hunger 
in the United States and Israel 
through structural policy change. 
 
 At Zingerman’s, he enjoyed a 
meal with patrons and discussed 
the hunger crisis and how to take 
action for structural change.
Across the U.S., one in four 
people are experiencing hun-
ger — a crisis that has doubled 
from 40 million people to 80 
million because of the pandem-
ic. In Michigan, the number is 
1.9 million people, or nearly 
one in five Michiganders. 

‘Judaism Decoded’ with Rabbi Dubov

Beginning in July, Rabbi Levi 
Dubov of the Chabad Jewish 
Center will present Judaism 
Decoded: The Origins and 
Evolution of Jewish Tradition, a 
new six-week course by Rohr 
Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), 
which will uncover the inner 
workings of Judaism, shedding 
light on the mysteries sur-
rounding the origins and evolu-
tion of Jewish tradition.
The course will address fun-
damental and daring questions, 
such as: Is there any evidence sup-
porting the veracity of Judaism 
as we practice it today? What in 
Jewish tradition was invented 
by the rabbis, and what can be 
traced back to biblical texts? 
Why do we need an oral tradi-
tion in addition to the Torah?

The six-week course, geared 
toward people at all levels 
of Jewish knowledge, will be 
offered in-person and vir-
tually via Zoom, beginning 
Wednesday, July 7, with two 
class options: a morning 
option, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and 
an evening option, 7:30-9 p.m. 
The classes will be offered safe-
ly in person at the Farber Soul 
Center in West Bloomfield.
 The course fee is $80 and 
includes the course text-
book, with discounts avail-
able for couples and groups. 
Scholarships are available upon 
request. To register, visit www.
BHchabad.org/decoded, or 
contact Dubov at (248) 
949-6210 or rabbi@
bloomfieldhillschabad.org. 

