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