12 | SEPTEMBER 23 • 2021 

Between April and 
July, Goldberg and Gross 
strategized about the best 
way to get all the groups 
to buy into the idea. “In 
general, there was openness 
toward doing it, even 
between groups that hadn’t 
previously partnered together. 
But actually bringing it to 
reality involved the various 
group’s internal politics and 
scheduling needs,” Goldberg 
said. “And, ultimately, 
we needed each group to 
commit to being all-in on the 
idea, which was even more 
tricky given the continuing 
uncertainty around COVID-
19.”
In July, the council met 
for the first time in person 
at Platform 18 in Royal Oak, 
hosted by Partners. “That first 
in-person meeting where we 
finally sat down face-to-face 
gave me the opportunity to 

strengthen relationships and 
create new ones,” Gross said.
Stiebel added, “It was 
powerful sitting in that first 
in-person meeting and seeing 
faces of every facet of this 
Metro Detroit community, 
including Ann Arbor and 
Windsor, all fostering a 
stronger Jewish Detroit.”
During the meeting, 
potential names for the 
council, which hadn’t yet 
been named, were discussed. 
Goldberg said, “One 
particular word had been in 
my mind for the prior few 
weeks — achdut — which 
means ‘unity’ in Hebrew, and 
I thought it would be an apt 
name. George Roberts, then 
NEXTGen Detroit president-
elect and now president, 
suggested pairing it with the 
word ‘Detroit.’”
After considering name 
options for the council, its 

members then discussed 
preliminary plans for the 
event, which became called 
“the commUNITY soirée,” or 
just “commUNITY.” Stiebel 
of Partners stepped up to 
chair the event. “I worked 
with every organization on 
the council so they could all 
feel a part of it. We all felt 
ownership of this event,” she 
said.
Stombaugh said that The 
Well was part of the logistical 
team and helped with some 
creative elements. “We got 
to lend our expertise. Every 
organization was able to be 
showcased in a way at the 
event.” He added that The 
Well is already using the 
council’s collaborative model 
for its “Sukkot Sounds” 
event, a series of live musical 
events in back yards, with 
an “open invitation for other 
organizations to help sponsor 

an event.”
Rabbi Yisrael Pinson 
of Chabad Young 
Professionals said, at the 
core, his organization is an 
“engagement 
organization, not 
an event planning 
organization. A 
lot of the efforts 
go into event 
planning. If we 
pool our efforts, 
it’s much more 
efficient.”
Goldberg watched as his 
vision became a reality. “In 
the weeks that followed, 
leaders from different groups 
worked with each other 
in ways that simply hadn’t 
previously happened,” he said. 

ENLARGING THE TENT
Registration for the event 
went live in early August, 
with registrants able to select 

continued from page 11

The crowd 
enjoyed live 
music.

OUR COMMUNITY

continued on page 14

Rabbi 
Yisrael 
Pinson

F O R S P O N S O R S H I P S , A D V E R T I S I N G A N D R E S E R V AT I O N S V I S I T 

W W W .Y B Y D I N N E R . O R G O R C A L L 2 4 8 . 6 6 3 . 8 2 9 9

T H E Y E S H I V A I S C O M M I T T E D T O E N S U R I N G T H E S A F E T Y A N D C O M F O R T O F O U R G U E S T S .
This year’s strolling dinner and post event dessert buffet will be dispersed throughout multiple ballrooms 
to allow for distancing, with theater style seating in the main event space.

