FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 41

TOP: Amy’s mother Ronna Widenbaum, Amy, Ian and their twins Doren and Frieda. LEFT: Ian opening his 
50th birthday present early on Chanukah. 

Israel in my studies and from 
Amy and her family’s experienc-
es has been truly fascinating, and 
I’ve yearned to experience it all 
for myself for a very long time,
” 
Ian said.
Ian is also a photographer and 
videographer, so besides wanting 
to visit Israel on the back of his 
love for Judaism, he’s wanted to 
capture the Holy Land behind 
the lens as well. 

A WISH FULFILLED
Fast forward to 2022 — Amy 
Mendel found out about the 
Motor City Mission trip but 
didn’t think it could be a reality 
for several different reasons. 
Secretly, behind her hus-
band’s back, Amy contacted the 
Jewish Federation, filled out an 
application for a scholarship 
and spoke with her mom and 
Ian’s parents. 
“With the help of his parents 
and my mom, and a small schol-
arship from Federation, all of us 
together were able to make this 
work,
” Amy said. 
On Dec. 18, the Mendels 
had their family over for their 
annual Chanukah party. At the 
end of the evening, Amy gave 
her husband a Chanukah gift 
— two books on Israel and one 
book on how to learn Hebrew 
in six weeks. 

Then, Amy gave Ian a box, 
saying they thought they would 
give him an early present for 
his 50th birthday in April. He 
opened it up to layers of presents 
— with a theme. 
A fanny pack. A travel adapter. 
Sunscreen. “He was super con-
fused,
” Amy said. 
Next was a passport holder 
wallet, into which Amy’s mom 
also put about 800 shekels. 
“He was freaking out, but still 
confused,
” Amy said. “
And he 
was teary-eyed.
” 
At the bottom of the box was 
a printed-out itinerary of the 
Motor City Mission trip in an 8- 
by-10 frame.
“So, that’s how he was pre-
sented with this gift to go to 
Israel,
” Amy said. “He was just 
completely in shock. It took him 
a couple of days to really absorb 
that his dream was really going 
to come true.
” 
Due to having twins and other 
commitments, Amy won’t be 
able to make the trip with her 
husband. But having been there 
twice, Amy knows how mean-
ingful Ian’s first time in Israel 
will be.
“This will be his first time 
stepping foot in the Holy Land 
and actually feeling that connec-
tion to everything he’s only heard 
about, read about and dreamt 

about,” Amy said. “It’s been his 
dream forever to go. And it’s 
been our dream and goal to go 
together and, hopefully, one 
day, take our kids. But I’m just 
beyond thrilled I can gift this to 
him and make it a reality.” 
For Ian, it’s thrilling and hard 
to believe he’s only a month 
away from standing in front 
of the Western Wall, climbing 
Masada, floating on the Dead 
Sea, visiting the Partnership 
region in the Galilee and Yad 
Vashem. 
“This trip is a unique oppor-
tunity to not only see and expe-
rience all this for myself, but 
with a whole Jewish community 
from Detroit, including my 
rabbi, and to share my experi-
ences with those considering 
traveling to Israel,” Ian said. 
“
And, being Israel’s 75th anni-
versary, what a time to go.” 
Ian is grateful to Federation 
for helping make this happen 
and to his family for surprising 
him with this unbelievable gift. 
“I truly believe this will 
be a profoundly meaningful, 
life-changing, spiritual expe-
rience, one that will certainly 
intensify my connection with 
Israel and my chosen religion. 
I am so proud to be Jewish; 
it’s who I am and where I 
belong.” 

Searching for Oldest 
Jewish American 
Honorees

On Friday, May 5, the Bessie 
Spector Oldest Jewish Americans 
Celebration will honor those 
95 and older at a festive brunch 
featuring memories and music 
from the Golden Age of Television. 
Please join in shining a spotlight 
on the Greatest Generation by 
helping identify the older adults 
who built our wonderful Metro 
Detroit Jewish community. 
Nominate honorees via the 
online nomination form at https://
jslmi.org/events/bessie-spector-
oldest-americans-brunch. All 
nominees aged 95 and older as 
of 12/31/2023 will be invited. 
Invitations will be mailed in 
March.
This event is generously 
sponsored by the family of Bessie 
Spector and other community 
supporters. It is presented through 
a partnership with Jewish Senior 
Life of Metropolitan Detroit, 
Jewish Family Service of Metro 
Detroit, The J-Detroit, The Jewish 
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit 
and Gesher Human Services.
Call or email Beth Robinson 
at (248) 592-5062 or brobinson@
jslmi.org for more information. 

Writing Competition

Cohn-Haddow is proud to 
announce its 8th Annual High 
School Writing Competition.
It is open to students in grades 
9-12 in the Metro Detroit area. 
They will have a chance to win 
a $500 cash prize and $100 priz-
es for honorable mentions for 
a best original work of poetry, 
prose or non-fiction that deals 
with an aspect of Jewish culture 
and Jewish life, past and present.
The deadline for this year’s 
submissions is April 20, 2023.
For competition guidelines, 
rules and how to submit entries, 
visit https://judaicstudies.wayne.
edu/writingcompetition. 

