22 | FEBRUARY 23 • 2023 

T

he Jewish Federation of Greater 
Ann Arbor held its annual Main 
Event on Feb. 9, boasting of the 
highest amount raised in more than 15 
years — $1.6 million. It also attracted 
a large crowed, around 350 attendees 
online and in-person, the most in five 
years. 
Among those in attendance at the 
Eastern Michigan University venue were 
officials from the broader community, 

including U.S. Congresswoman Debbie 
Dingell, State Sen. Sue Shink, State 
Reps. Felicia Brabec, Carrie Rheingans 
and Jimmie Wilson Jr., along with Ann 
Arbor City Councilmembers Dharma 
Akmon, Erica Briggs, Jen Eyer and 
Travis Radina, and Ann Arbor Mayor 
Christopher Taylor. 
The headlining act was a live 
recording of the podcast Unorthodox 
with guest Gavriel Savit. While onstage, 

Unorthodox hosts Mark Oppenheimer, 
Stephanie Butnick and Liel Leibovitz 
discussed Savit’s book The Way Back, 
among other topics. Unorthodox, a 
Tablet Studios production, touts itself 
as “the universe’s leading Jewish 
podcast,” and has more than 400 
episodes since its debut in 2015. Savit, 
who was born and raised in Ann Arbor, 
is an author and performer.
The Federation awarded its 
inaugural Pillar Award to JCOR 
(Jewish Congregations Organized 
for Resettlement, jcorannarbor.
org) for their collective efforts reset-
tling a Colombian refugee family in 
Washtenaw County. The Pillar Award 
was developed to recognize exemplary 
efforts in the Jewish community within 
the pillars of philanthropy, engage-
ment and convening. JCOR member 
organizations include Jewish Family 
Services, Beth Israel Congregation, 
Temple Beth Emeth, Pardes Hannah, 
Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan, Jewish 
Cultural Society and Ann Arbor 
Reconstructionist Congregation. 
“Love thy neighbor, care for the 
stranger — wherever you are on 
the faith continuum,” said Jewish 
Federation board president Decky 
Alexander, in presenting the award. 
“JFS and JCOR have ensured that hun-
dreds of people, ‘strangers in a strange 
land,’ not just feel at home but find a 
home, through collective action, kind-
ness and continued collaboration.” 

Greater Ann Arbor Jewish Federation welcomes 
Unorthodox podcast hosts, grants first Pillar Award.

OUR COMMUNITY

LAURA PASEK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Main Event

The featured event 
of the evening 
was a live podcast 
recording of 
the Unorthodox 
podcast with hosts 
(from right) Liel 
Leibovitz, Stephanie 
Butnick and Mark 
Oppenheimer 
talking with Ann 
Arbor native Gavriel 
Savit. 

LEFT: Shoshanna Wechter, Marty Shichtman, 
Max Grad, Eric Olsen and Lynn Malinoff 
shared their stories of becoming engaged in 
the local Ann Arbor Jewish community.

 

 

 

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