A
vrumi Lorkis of
Oak Park has been
a hockey player
since his school days at
Yeshivah Beth Yehudah.
Free time would find him
on the ice rink at the Jewish
Community Center of Metro
Detroit at practice or games.
Now at 32, the high school
teacher still likes to play pick-
up hockey for its social and
exercise benefits.
“Hockey is a passion and
a commitment,” Lorkis said.
“The gear gets expensive,
and it takes time and practice
to become a skilled player.
Everyone who plays is already
very passionate about the
sport. Growing up here, I
know about 30 guys still
around who love to get on the
ice and play. It’s a great outlet
to have a good time, and we
can also do it to raise money
for tzedakah.”
This past January, he
organized the third annu-
al Hockey Showdown and
raised $70,000 for Matan
B’Seter Detroit, a nonprofit
organization that helps work-
ing people in the Jewish com-
munity who live close to the
poverty line make ends meet
when they are faced with a
sudden expense such as an
unexpected family illness,
a high utility bill or even to
provide funds for a life event
simchah.
About 30 adults partic-
ipated in two teams at the
Southfield Arena on Saturday,
Jan. 12, as friends and family
cheered on Team Kimmel vs.
Team Huntington and donat-
ed to the cause.
Robert Kimmel, president
and CEO of Kimmel Scrap
Iron & Metal Co, was one of
the tournament’s main spon-
sors.
“My wife, Laurie, and
myself believe in the work
of Matan B’Seter that helps
families in need in a discreet
and confidential manner,”
Kimmel said. “I have met
with some of the individu-
als of Matan B’Seter and are
always impressed with their
commitment, completely
unpaid, to this organization.”
As an avid player of the
sport, Lorkis said the Detroit
Metro area has many ice
rinks to choose from com-
pared to other places he’s
lived in like California and
Florida. This makes ice time
relatively cheaper and more
available for pick-up games.
In addition to playing with
his peers, Lorkis also organiz-
es an occasional hockey clinic
for Jewish kids to learn the
sport.
Lorkis got the idea to fund-
raise through playing hockey
a few years back, when he
was invited to play in a tour-
nament in Canada to benefit
colon cancer research. Now,
Lorkis sits on the Matan
B’Seter board, where he said
all board and staff are volun-
teers. This means that 99.9%
of all donations go directly to
those in need.
In the three years he has
been organizing the hockey
fundraiser game, each event
raised more money than the
last.
“I am always so pleasantly
surprised how many people
I have asked happily donated
to help,” Lorkis said. “People
would tell me they have been
happy to donate because some
have found themselves in
situations where they need-
ed financial assistance and
Matan was there for them.
There are many people who
you would not even realize
who find themselves in finan-
cial emergencies, but Matan
B’Seter helps with such digni-
ty because it is done in such a
discreet manner.”
OUR COMMUNITY
On-Ice
Fundraiser
Local hockey tournament raises
funds for Matan B’Seter.
STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Avrumi Lorkis
handles the puck.
The players who raised
funds for Matan B’Seter.
16 | FEBRUARY 24 • 2022
COURTESY OF AVRUMI LORKIS