6 | AUGUST 25 • 2022 1942 - 2022 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: Rachel Sweet rsweet@thejewishnews.com Associate Editor: David Sachs dsachs@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: Kaitlyn Iezzi, Kelly Kosek, Deborah Schultz, Michelle Sheridan PURELY COMMENTARY essay Saying Goodbye S ix months ago, we opened our home to one of our community’s shinshinim. Itay Schwartz joined the Starr family in March and instantly became just like our own. My heart is aching after taking him to the airport today, but we know this is just תוארתהל (“until we see each other again”) and not goodbye because, b”h, we will see him soon in our other home across the ocean. Not only was it inspiring to watch Itay (and Noa, Amit and Ron) work to bring understanding, love and education about Israel to the Jewish community of Detroit and Camp Tamarack, but we were also honored and grateful to watch him connect with our own children, our parents, our synagogue community and our friends. Our community is blessed to have four shinshinim each year, and each one of them brings great leadership, commitment and wisdom to their work. When we originally agreed to serve as a host family, we thought we were doing the mitzvah. In fact, in turned out that Itay was the one doing the mitzvah. He gave us so much love and honored us by being part of our family. We were really the ones who benefited from his presence. Our sons added a brother, and we added a son. Itay left his home and his country one year ago. He also left his family to come to this community and not only did he serve it well, he also added to the size and strength of our family. My heart is so sad today and yes there were many tears. His shoes are not by the door, his room is empty, his car is not in the garage, and the basketball hoop lays quiet, there is an empty seat at our table, but I’m also so grateful for this gift of the last 6 months. Hila and Miron Schwartz, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for sharing your son with us and please know he is forever in our hearts with love and gratitude. We send him home to you but also know that he will always have a home with us as well. Rebecca Starr is Midwest Manager of the Shalom Hartman Institute. Rebecca Starr Rebecca Starr and Itay Schwartz