6 | DECEMBER 15 • 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. 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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 Contributing Editors: David Sachs, Keri Guten Cohen Staff Reporter: Danny Schwartz dschwartz@thejewishnews.com Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@thejewishnews.com Digital Manager: Elizabeth King eking@thejewishnews.com Contributing Writers: Nate Bloom, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne Chessler, Annabel 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 continued on page 7 guest column Ancient Lessons to Battle Modern Antisemitism A s 2022 winds down, the continued rise of antisemitism serves as story of the year for the American Jewish community. As we grapple with today’s antisemitism in preparation for 2023, we would do well to look to the lessons of Purim, Passover and Chanukah to plan our response. Thankfully, unlike most other eras of antisemitism, Jew-hatred in America is not state-sponsored. There are brave leaders in our federal, state and local governments who condemn hatred and discrimination. Law enforcement rises to our aid and protection. Rather, individuals jealous of the Jewish community’s ability to achieve the American dream are taking to social media and synagogue parking lots to spew their Jew- hatred. Indeed, in a milieu of meritocracy (even an imperfect one like ours), a small tribe that holds the values of life, education, compassion and mutual responsibility at its core is destined for success in the United States. Contemporary American antisemitism, foolishly believing that success is a zero-sum game, reacts to Jewish achievement by naively claiming Jews possess “too much” power and, mistakenly, that a Jewish cabal works actively to prevent others from similarly succeeding in America. In this way, today’s antisemitism most resembles the Jew-hatred experienced by our ancestors in the days of Passover and Purim, when Egyptians and Persians felt threatened by Jewish success. Taking our cue, then, from Queen Esther who approached King Achashverosh, Jews immersed in American culture must ask support from our non-Jewish friends and family members, as well as gentile faith leaders, business colleagues and government leaders, to condemn publicly and forcefully antisemitism in all its forms. Similarly, by the way, we Jews are obligated to condemn publicly and loudly racism, homophobia, transphobia and misogyny. People of conscience must unite to turn back the darkness engulfing our land. Second, we remember that among the catalysts for the redemption we celebrate at Passover is Moses standing up for his fellow Israelite when no one else would do so. In this way, the State of Israel stands against terrorists and authoritarian leaders who seek Jewish destruction. Our brothers and sisters in the IDF protect Jewish lives, while the rabbis and professors at Israel’s institutions of Jewish learning re-energize Jewish souls. We Rabbi Aaron Starr PURELY COMMENTARY