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

