6 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 1942 - 2023 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 Executive Director: Marni Raitt 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 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 guest column There is No Vaccine for Antisemitism T he polio vaccine was developed in 1955 after 25 years of research and experimentation, and the vac- cine for COVID was developed in record time. In the early days in searching for a cure for any virus, there are two critical ques- tions: 1) How is it transmitted? and 2) How can it be prevented? Unlike viruses created by nature, for antisemitism, creat- ed by humankind, there is no testing to inform us who has it, and there is no one- or two-shot combo to knock it out. Like polio and COVID, how- ever, the danger is you don’t know who is a carrier until it’s too late. We all have our stories. My father, Ron Davidoff, was an executive recruiter. He once had an employer client ask what we all know is the ques- tion before the real question, “Where is your family from?” The answer, of course, led to the conclusion from my dad’s soon-to-be former client, “So you’re Jewish!” And then, here it comes: “You know only 3 million Jews died in the Holocaust, not 6 million. ” Our former neighbor, who is a goodhearted, kind man, once referred to the corner of Maple and Orchard Lake Roads as “The Gaza Strip. ” He obviously was not going to win any final Jeopardy question on geopolitics, but I knew what he meant; “That’s the Jewish downtown. ” More recently, I was picking up a carryout order from a very popular restaurant on “The Strip” when, in a casual and uneventful conversation with the proprietor, he found a way to tell me that only Jews could afford certain luxuries. I informed my soon-to-be former regular eat- ery owner that I was a member of the Jewish community and that I was offended by his com- ment. Then it came; “You took it wrong. I didn’t mean it like that. ” Interpretation = it’s not me; it’s you. A recent article in one of Detroit’s daily newspapers had antisemitic overtones. The JCRC contacted a senior leader of that publication, who called me. I called a senior leader of our Federation, opening a channel for open dialogue and collabora- tion and an acceptable resolution for all parties, and a learning moment for the publication. Antisemitism is like an ice- berg, there is danger under the surface. It’s always there, with just momentary punches above the surface given the waves and currents of the day. Unlike ice- bergs, which can last more than 3,000 years until warmer water melts them away, we can’t expect nature to do our work. Like Jewish communities all over the world, our community, acting as one with purpose and resolve, is the only answer to combating antisemitism when it comes to the surface. Zero tolerance. Call it out. Confront it. Leverage communi- ty resources as allies, including your Detroit Jewish News. Stand tough, together. Yes, I’ll miss my normal order at the restaurant noted above. But, like my father taught me, my business and my respect need to be earned. I can’t unhear what was said. I can’t just pretend that the iceberg is gone just because I don’t see it every day. Mark Davidoff is senior adviser to the board of the Detroit Jewish News Foundation. Mark Davidoff PURELY COMMENTARY