DECEMBER 9 • 2021 | 31

Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein, 
State Rep. (D-37th) Samantha Steckloff, 
State Rep. (R-39th) Ryan Berman, 
Federation CEO Steve Ingber, Federation 
President Matt Lester and NEXTGen 
Detroit President George Roberts.
Justice Bernstein and Ingber were 
lamplighters along with Fenster. 
State Sen. Moss said Fenster’s return is 
a miracle, fitting of the holiday.
“Today is the culmination of a mira-
cle, a miracle for many reasons, number 
one that Danny’s home,” Moss said. “The 
second miracle is for the whole Fenster 
family, an incredible display of organiz-

ing, communicating and getting everyone 
together. We are all an extension of the 
Fenster family because of your efforts to 
keep this amplified, to keep it going and 
to keep the story out there in every cor-
ner of the world.” 
Rabbi Asher Lopatin, JCRC/AJC execu-
tive director, said returning to celebrating 
Chanukah in person means a lot to him. 
“It means that Chanukah is alive, still 
meaningful and that there is still light and 
hope,” he said. “Whether it’s a holiday 
of shining light on the good or some of 
the issues we have on antisemitism, the 
holiday is still sparkling after thousands 

of years.” 
Lopatin was grateful to be celebrating 
Chanukah with Fenster and his family 
and agrees Fenster’s return is a Chanukah 
miracle. 
“It shows that our prayers are heard, 
we prayed for him in synagogue that God 
should release those who are captive, and 
it’s amazing when you realize there’s hope, 
things can change, and you can go from 
the abyss of an 11-year sentence to free-
dom,” he said. “
And this holiday really is 
about freedom of religion and freedom to 
speak the truth.” 

faces&places

Thousands gathered on a chilly evening Nov. 28 at Campus Martius to kick off Chanukah.

Students from the Lubavitch Yeshiva dressed up and danced the night away.

Danny Fenster joined other dignitaries on 
stage for a Chanukah prayer.

Danny Fenster lit the menorah.

PHOTO BY DANNY SCHWARTZ

