104 | JULY 14 • 2022

BUSINESS

know, however, that he would
fall in love with architecture.
“I really enjoyed the scale of it
and the focus,” he says.
Yet before diving into
architecture, Forta finished
high school in 11th grade and
spent the next year-and-a-half
in Israel, studying at a yeshivah
outside Jerusalem.
“I wasn’t really sure where I
stood after high school as far as
religion and Judaism,
” he says.
“While I was there, I found how
[Modern Orthodox Judaism]
could relate to my life.
”
With a renewed perspective
on Judaism in his pocket
and after spending time
volunteering at Shalva National
Center for Children with
Disabilities, Forta felt ready
to take the next step in life
back in Michigan at Lawrence

Technological University.
There, he worked with
Hillel of Metro Detroit to
build a Jewish community
at the school. However, as
COVID-19 impacted both
onsite programming and
student organizations, Forta
instead helped direct people
toward other Hillel college
programming in the area.
Now busy with graduate
school and building his career
in architectural design, Forta is
looking forward to continuing
to positively impact the
community through his work.
His goal is “to raise the
quality of life and the quality
of neighborhoods without
necessarily raising the prices
of the neighborhoods,
” Forta
says. “That’s where my interest
landed.
”

Because the government
no longer holds regular
auctions, Jeff relies on two
big surplus shows held
annually in Las Vegas and
a worldwide distributors’
network.
According to Jeff, many
people collect World War
II items such as canteens
and leather goods, and
there is also a market for
reproductions of gear used
in World War II, the Korean
War and the Vietnam War.
In addition, Joe’s Army
Navy stocks extensive
name-brand cold weather
and camping equipment,
including items for Camp
Tamarack, as well as
specialized shoes and boots.
The store has “80 feet of
specialized bags to transport

stuff,” Jeff says.
He enjoys the search
for unusual merchandise,
such as reverse osmosis
cylinders, used in treating
water. (Three out of 15 have
sold.) “There is a lot of
detailed, computer work. I’m
constantly looking for new
and oddball stuff. I truly
enjoy the business,” Jeff says.
According to the Gold-
smiths, many army surplus
stores have closed. “We have
a tremendous number of
returning customers,” Jeff
says.
His father adds that
some of them are second-
generation customers. Joe’s
Army Navy celebrated its
50th earlier this month with
sales, refreshments and gifts
at both store locations.

50 YEARS from page 103
LIVES AND NEIGHBORHOODS from page 102

See Our Improved
Features to Help Manage
Your Account!

• Online Account Access for Immediate Updates

• Submit Address Changes, Starts and Stops

• Easy Renewal Payments

• Manage Gift Subscriptions

• More ways to get in touch

Email Us:
subscriptions@thejewishnews.com

Reach Out Through Our Website:
https://thejewishnews.com/contact/

Or Call 248.351.5108

Subscribe Today!

1 Year In State $85

2 Year In State $153


1 Year Out of State $125

2 Year Out of State $225

Name:

Address:

City:

State: Zip Code:

Phone Number:

Credit Card Number:

Exp. Date: Security Code:

We Accept:
Check or Money Order

SEND TO: DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 NORTHWESTERN HWY. SUITE 205, FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334

$200 July 7-13, 2022 / 8-14 Tammuz 5782
JEWISH NEWS

THE DETROIT

thejewishnews.com

Detroit Teen Mission
returns to Israel in force.

See page 34

Promised Land

Back
to the

$200 June 16-22, 2022 / 17-23 Sivan 5782
JEWISH NEWS

THE DETROIT

thejewishnews.com

Hands in
the Dirt …
Heart with
Nature

Oak Park herbalist’s
Sunny Squirrel Farm is a
healing and sharing place.

See page 12

$200 June 9-15, 2022 / 10-16 Sivan 5782
JEWISH NEWS
JEWISH NEWS

THE DETROIT

thejewishnews.com


They’re
‘Beaming’

Over Their Trip to Israel

Former U-M gymnastics
teammates will compete
for Team USA at the
Maccabiah Games.

See page 34