14 | SEPTEMBER 23 • 2021 

which groups, even multiple 
groups, they were affiliated 
with since many young adults 
are involved with more than 
one.
Most people remained 
unaware at this point of 
the existence of the Achdut 
Detroit Council, as the 
groups were listed as holding 
the event without any 
mention of the council. “But 
as community members 
inquired, I started to explain 
the bigger picture,” Goldberg 
said. “This led to other 
groups wanting to be part of 
the event, if not the council.” 
“The result was perfect, 
since that was always part of 
the plan,” he said.
Goldberg reminded the 
council of the idea to have a 
broader group that would be 

an extension of the council 
and include others as well, 
now calling the extension the 
“
Achdut Detroit Chaverim” 
(chaverim meaning “friends”). 
While the council could 
remain small, comprised of 
groups that focus exclusively 
on Jewish community-
building, any other 
community organization or 
synagogue that has investment 
in Jewish young adult 
outreach in the area would be 
welcome to join the Chaverim. 
The Jewish Community 
Relations Council/AJC was 
the first group to do so and 
helped sponsor the event. 
Repair the World Detroit was 
the second.
“In the Jewish young 
professionals’ community, 
where so much is going on 

and so many people are 
involved, I think the council 
will have a huge impact,” 
Gross said. “People like to 
see different organizations 
working together and getting 
along. It acts to strengthen 
the community and provides 
more opportunities for 
everyone involved.” 

AN EVENING TO 
REMEMBER
The Aug. 25 festivity proved 
to be a rousing success.
 The different sponsoring 
groups were highlighted in 
various ways, including on 
a drink menu that offered a 
speciality drink from each 
group, complete with a tagline 
to showcase itself and its 
drink. Examples included 
the “NEXTGin Detroit and 
Tonic,” a gin and tonic that’s 
“Classy, but came to party” 
and the “Tree Town Toast,” 
a mojito that’s “Green, leafy, 
fresh, and sweet … everything 
to love about Jewish Young 
Professionals of Ann Arbor.”
 “Erin Stiebel did an 
amazing job organizing each 
groups’ efforts and overseeing 
this event,” Goldberg said.
“I think that the event 
showed the council what 
it was capable of,” Stiebel 
said. “I hope it leads to 
further partnerships and 
opportunities for groups 
to work together and bring 
our own unique strengths 
to the table. This is just the 
beginning.”
Rabbi Bentzy 
Schechter of 
Partners Detroit 
said, “The 
turnout showed 
us that there was 
an interest and 
thirst for this 
kind of event. 

I hope it will unify young 
professionals and spur more 
engagement.
“
As Jews, we tend to highlight 
the differences between each 
other,” he added. “This event 
showed us that we share so 
much more in common than 
what might divide us. As 
leaders, we need to create that 
sense going forward — that 
we see the best of each other 
and of each organization.”
Pinson of Chabad Young 
Professionals was pleased 
by the execution. “Never 
before have we worked with 
so many organizations,” he 
said. “In this case, we had 
one organization [Partners 
Detroit] take the lead with all 
the others there to support 
it. It allowed us to have a 
magnificent event. It felt 
like we all did it together, 
but nothing fell through the 
cracks.
“This is a new perspective 
for collaboration among 
Jewish organizations. We get 
more done for fewer dollars 
— and more engagement. It’s 
better to be team players than 
competitors.”
Addressing the crowd at the 
event, its originator Joshua 
Goldberg said, “There is such 
beauty here — being able to 
include so many different 
groups — groups that had 
never partnered together 
before.
“Achdut means ‘unity.’ and 
the groups in the Achdut 
Detroit Council focus 
exclusively on building 
Jewish community. That’s the 
commonality. But they’re also 
diverse — in size, in religious 
orientation and in specific 
geography.
“This is incredibly special, 
and it doesn’t happen in other 
communities.” 

view more photos on page 16

OUR COMMUNITY

Rabbi 
Bentzy 
Schechter

Erin 
Stiebel

continued from page 12

