6 | DECEMBER 9 • 2021 

I 

am a member 
of the Michigan 
Independent 
Citizens Redistricting 
Commission. As 
you may be aware, 
the Commission is 
responsible for draw-
ing the U.S. Congressional, State 
House and State Senate maps for 
the State of Michigan. 
The Commission has proposed 
several maps for comment by the 
public, with the 
intention of adopt-
ing one of each 
type of map at the 
end of December 
(Dec. 28-Dec. 30). 
The Commission 
has proposed two 
maps (the Chestnut 
and the Birch v2) for the U.S. 
Congressional districts that divide 
Oakland County very differently. 
The Commission’s proposed maps 
have been given tree names to 
assist the public in identifying the 
maps.
The Commission has received 
very limited feedback from 

either Oakland County or from 
Jewish communities of interest in 
Oakland County that may desire 
being grouped together. I believe 
this feedback is needed in order to 
evaluate the draft proposed maps. 
One proposed U.S. 
Congressional map (the 
“Chestnut”) removes Southfield, 
Lathrup Village, Franklin, 
Bingham Farms and Beverly 
Hills from Oakland County and 
places them into a primarily 
Wayne County district, consisting 
of the communities of Detroit, 
Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, 
Redford, Inkster, Westland and 

Garden City. 
The 
other U.S. 
Congressional 
map (the 
“Birch”) places 
Southfield, 
Franklin, 
Lathrup Village, Bingham Farms 
and Beverly Hills into an Oakland 
County-centric district with 
Farmington Hills, Farmington, 
West Bloomfield and Bloomfield 
Township together with other 
Oakland County communities. 
The Birch map also places Oak 
Park and Huntington Woods 
together in a separate district with 
the remaining Oakland County 
communities, including Rochester 
and Troy, along with portions of 
Macomb County. 
I am actively seeking public 
feedback regarding the proposed 
maps. Readers can provide com-
ments and feedback on the maps 
before the end of December. 
I am particularly interested in 
feedback regarding the Chestnut’s 
Southfield-area/Dearborn-area 
combination vs. the Birch v2’s 

Southfield placement. Any feed-
back will assist me in evaluating 
which maps are the most appro-
priate for approval. 
Comments can be provided in 
several ways, including via our 
public comment portal at www.
michigan.gov/micrc. On that 
same page, individuals can click 
on the “Proposed Maps” link to be 
taken to the list of proposed maps. 
Comments can be “dropped” 
directly on the individual pro-
posed maps following those links. 
In addition, all of the maps are 
available at the following link: 
https://michigan.mydistricting.
com/legdistricting/michigan/com-
ment_links. Both the Chestnut 
and Birch v2 are accessible under 
the U.S. Congressional tab. 
I request that any feedback or 
comments be submitted either 
on the public comment portal 
or the maps themselves so that 
all Commissioners will receive 
them. 

Rebecca Szetela is a commissioner 
with the Michigan Independent Citizens 
Redistricting Commission.

Rebecca 
Szetela

PURELY COMMENTARY

1942 - 2021

Covering and Connecting 
Jewish Detroit Every Week

To make a donation to the 
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 
FOUNDATION
go to the website
www.djnfoundation.org

The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) 

is published every Thursday at 

32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, 

Farmington Hills, Michigan. Periodical 

postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and 

additional mailing offices. 

Postmaster: send changes to: 

Detroit Jewish News, 

32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, 

Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334

MISSION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will be of service to the Jewish community. The Detroit Jewish 
News will inform and educate the Jewish and general community to preserve, protect and sustain the Jewish 
people of greater Detroit and beyond, and the State of Israel.

VISION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will operate to appeal to the broadest segments of the greater 
Detroit Jewish community, reflecting the diverse views and interests of the Jewish community while advancing the 
morale and spirit of the community and advocating Jewish unity, identity and continuity.

DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
248-354-6060
thejewishnews.com

 
 
Publisher
The Detroit Jewish 
News Foundation

| Board of Directors:
 Chair: Gary Torgow
 Vice President: David Kramer 
 Secretary: Robin Axelrod
 Treasurer: Max Berlin
 Board members: Larry Jackier, 
 Jeffrey Schlussel, Mark Zausmer
 
 
 Senior Advisor to the Board: 
 Mark Davidoff
 Alene and Graham Landau Archivist Chair: 
 Mike Smith
 Founding President & Publisher Emeritus: 
 Arthur Horwitz
 Founding Publisher 
 Philip Slomovitz, of blessed memory

 
 
 

| Editorial 
 DIrector of Editorial: 
 Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@thejewishnews.com
Associate Editor: 
David Sachs
dsachs@thejewishnews.com
Social Media and Digital Producer:
Nathan Vicar
nvicar@thejewishnews.com
Staff Reporter: Danny Schwartz 
dschwartz@thejewishnews.com
Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello
smanello@thejewishnews.com

Contributing Writers:
Nate Bloom, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne 
Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Keri Guten 
Cohen, Shari S. Cohen, Shelli Liebman 
Dorfman, Louis Finkelman, Stacy 
Gittleman, Esther Allweiss Ingber, 
Barbara Lewis, Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi 
Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz, Robin 
Schwartz, Mike Smith, Steve Stein, Julie 
Smith Yolles, Ashley Zlatopolsky

| Advertising Sales 
Director of Advertising: Keith Farber
kfarber@thejewishnews.com
Senior Account Executive: 
Kathy Harvey-Mitton
kmitton@thejewishnews.com 

| Business Office
 Director of Operations: Amy Gill
 agill@thejewishnews.com
 Operations Manager: Andrea Gusho 
 agusho@thejewishnews.com
 Operations Assistant: Ashlee Szabo 
 Circulation: Danielle Smith
 Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner

| Production By 
 Farago & Associates
 Manager: Scott Drzewiecki 
 Designers: Kelly Kosek, Kaitlyn Schoen, 
 Deborah Schultz, Michelle Sheridan 
 

essay
Feedback Needed on 
 
Redistricting Map

OPENING EARLY 2022! 

*Valid through 01/2022.

