OUR COMMUNITY
I
da and Louis Goutman of Commerce
Township will be traveling to Israel on
Federation’s Motor City Mission trip
next month.
This will be Ida’s fourth trip to Israel and
Lou’s first; however, they both have a strong
commitment to the Jewish
state.
Ida was in Israel with her
parents in 1966, returning
in 1968 to attend the Zionist
Organization of America’s
(ZOA) Mollie Goodman
Academic High School
summer camp at Kfar
Silver. Ida’s most recent trip
was around 11 years ago
with their daughter Julie,
when their daughter Rachel
was attending Tel Aviv
University at a Brandeis
University study abroad
program. Ida and Lou’s chil-
dren have all visited Israel.
Israel has always been important in
the Goutman family’s life, and Ida looks
forward to sharing it with her husband
through a mutual experience.
“I’m excited to kind of see Israel through
a different lens. Going with someone who’s
never been there is exciting,
” Ida said. “I’m
looking forward to meeting other people on
the mission, sharing this experience with
them and making new friends in Israel.
”
Even though it will be his first experience,
Lou has always wanted to go to Israel.
“Life is what happens when you’re mak-
ing other plans. We’ve never really had the
right opportunity to go to Israel together up
until now, and I’m definitely very excited
and looking forward to going,
” he said. “I
think the State of Israel is very important,
not only to me personally as an American
Jew, but I also think Israel is very important
to the rest of the world. I’m looking forward
to the entire experience.
”
Ida’s family has always had a strong asso-
ciation with Israel. Her paternal grandfa-
ther, Joseph Leib, was friends with Theodor
Herzl and participated in the first Zionist
Congress. Ida’s maternal grandfather first
visited Israel in the 1940s. Ida’s parents, Dr.
Sidney Z. and Marion
Leib, met at a ZOA meet-
ing at Marion’s parents’
home. Ida’s parents visited
Israel on many occasions
and planted a forest in
Israel through Jewish
National Fund.
Ida’s parents were
strong Zionists. Ida’s
father was president of the
Zionist Organization of
Detroit and vice president
of the ZOA. Both of Ida’s
parents were honored at
a Zionist Organization of
Detroit Balfour Concert.
During the mission, Ida and Lou are
looking forward to visiting Ida’s parents’
forest in Israel and visiting their own olive
tree, which they adopted in Israel almost
two years ago.
They also look forward to visiting an
Israeli friend, Tzvia Oz, that Ida’s family
met while Tzvia was a foreign exchange
student in the United States.
The Goutmans, who just celebrated
their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec.
16, have three children and four grandchil-
dren. Ida and Lou belong to Temple Israel,
Congregation Shaarey Zedek and support
the Chabad of Commerce.
Ida and Lou were honored with a Shabbat
Aliyah at Shaarey Zedek for their anniversa-
ry, which included prayers and heartwarm-
ing comments from Rabbi Yoni Dahlen,
Rabbi Aaron Starr and Hazzan David Propis
— followed by a Shabbat congregational
lunch, which they sponsored, with family
and friends.
They hope to have a rabbi from Temple
Israel renew their vows while on the Motor
City Mission.
“That would definitely be a highlight if
that happens,
” Ida said. “To me, Israel’s my
homeland. Israel is a large part of my life
and who I am.
”
Ida and Louis Goutman will be traveling to Israel
together on Motor City Mission.
A Shared Experience
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
20 | FEBRUARY 23 • 2023
MOTOR CITY MISSION COUNTDOWN
Ida and Lou’s olive tree in Israel.
Ida with
daughters
Julie and
Rachel in
Israel around
11 years ago.
Lou an Ida
at their 50th
anniversary
party.
Over the past week we have been reminded what a tight knit community we live in.
MSU Hillel is here for Jewish Spartans now and into the future as we work to process, listen, and heal.
We are grateful for the outpouring of support from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, Jewish
Family Service of Metro Detroit, Detroit area clergy and congregations, mental health professionals,
alumni and friends who have all committed to helping our Spartans.
We pray for healing, refuah shlema, for our fellow Spartans who are recovering in the hospital and lovingly
remember Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner. May their memories be for a blessing.
Patrice Morris Phillips
President
Cindy Hughey
Executive Director
JEWISH NEWS
THE DETROIT