FEBRUARY 23 • 2023 | 51
The principle aligns with the Rebbe’s
focus on engaging Jews in mitzvot
and empowering them to act on them
immediately and incorporate the mitzvot
into daily life. A common practice to
this day is encouraging Jewish men to
put on tefillin and Jewish women to
light Shabbat candles. This focus on
immediate action ties in with the Jewish
teaching, “If a mitzvah falls into your
hand, seize upon it.”
A highlight of the event was also the
opportunity to learn about the success
and growth of Chabad Jewish Center of
Troy in connecting and strengthening
the Michigan Jewish community east of
Woodward.
Rabbi Menachem Caytak shared the
start of his journey with Chabad Jewish
Center of Troy and the current large and
growing community.
Caytak said he started just as other
shlichus do when establishing a new
Chabad house, he looked for Jews,
knocking on one door at a time.
Caytak shared, “I knocked on a door,
the door opened, and I asked, ‘Are you
Jewish?’ To which the person answered,
‘Are you lost?’”
Today Chabad Jewish Center of Troy
is a one-stop shop for everything Jewish
serving more than 800 families. Caytak
shares, “Our main target area is the
Jewish families living East of Woodward.
We are in touch with families in Troy
and east all the way until Grosse Point as
well as north until Romeo.”
Oakland University was the perfect
setting for the event. Oakland University
President Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz
spoke with pride about partnering
with her longtime friend Cis Maisel to
establish the Cis Maisel Center for Judaic
Studies and Community Engagement.
Maisel was also in attendance and
present to feel the joy of the community
she built through her vision and
generosity.
Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov of Chabad
Lubavitch Center of Michigan,
summarized a key life lesson that he
learned from the Rebbe, “Be there for
each other — and bring goodness and
kindness to the world.”
JAMIE FELDMAN
Dr. Ora
Hirsch
Pescovitz
Rabbi
Menachem
Caytak
PHOTOS BY YEVGENIYA GAZMAN
Rabbi
Kasriel
Shemtov
Hundreds turned
out to hear the
lecture.