6 | JANUARY 26 • 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 

PURELY COMMENTARY

guest column
The Secret to Being Relevant 
Today and Tomorrow
I

t’s both humbling and 
elevating to look back on 
the staying power of our 
organization for more than a 
century. As we begin this new 
year, I reflect 
on this 143rd 
year since our 
founding and 
the elements 
that have 
permitted 
the global 
educational 
network ORT to provide 
educational services to the 
Jewish world since 1880, while 
expanding and deepening our 
work.
From an initial mandate 
to assist Russian Jews out of 
poverty through vocational 

training, ORT has evolved 
into a sophisticated global 
network that provides a 
high-quality, technology-rich 
education for thousands of 

young people in Israel, the 
former Soviet Union, Latin 
America, Europe, Africa and 
other countries. 
I often wonder what is the 

secret of our organization 
that has enabled it to survive, 
and even thrive, through the 
vicissitudes of modern history 
that have been punctuated 
by the rise and fall of 
governments, two world wars, 
the fall of the Iron Curtain, a 
global pandemic, worldwide 
terror and rising antisemitism, 
and the war in Ukraine.
The question we ask 
ourselves is how we stay 
relevant at a time when we 
are witnessing the closing of 
many legacy businesses and 
organizations. The answer 
to that question, I believe, 
is what will also sustain the 
organization moving forward.
ORT has consistently 
demonstrated the ability 

Dr. Conrad 
Giles

Students working on robotics at the D. Dan and Betty Kahn STEAM 
Center in Kiryat Yam. 

 NITZAN ZOHAR