4 | MARCH 23 • 2023 

for openers
Refl
 ections on a Challenging Week
A Message from Steven Ingber
Federation Chief Executive Of
 cer
I

wanted to take a moment 
to share some information 
on what was a very 
eventful week for both our 
global and local Detroit 
Jewish community. 
To begin 
with, I just got 
back from a 
brief trip to 
Israel that I 
had planned in 
order to spend 
some time with 
our Motor City 
Mission. My plans changed, 
however, when I was invited 
to join an unprecedented 
“fly-in session” organized 
by JFNA to engage in open 
dialogue with Israeli leaders 
on concerns relating to the 
proposed judicial reforms.
Detroit was among over 30 
communities in attendance. 
The impetus behind this 
effort came from our deep 
love and unbreakable bond 
with the Jewish state. We 
were there to maintain 
our strong and historical 
support, as well as to 
affirm the importance and 
concern we hold for Israel’s 
democratic institutions.
We held meetings with 
Israeli President Isaac 
Herzog, key Knesset 
members from both the 
coalition and opposition and 
several business leaders. We 
came to listen and learn, as 
well as to convey the views of 
our communities. In light of 

the unprecedented nature of 
this crisis, we supported the 
efforts of President Herzog 
to help forge a compromise 
and urged all sides to pursue 
an agreement that will be 
acceptable to the broad 
majority of Israelis. 
We left this visit 
determined to never 
abandon our support of 
Israel, but also to work to 
ensure that it is the model 
democracy envisioned in its 
Declaration of Independence. 
On a more personal note, 
I was moved and grateful for 
the opportunity to represent 
our community at these 
sessions, and proud of the 
close and deeply committed 
relationship Detroit has 
always had with Israel. 
I also had a chance to join 
the Motor City Mission as 
I’d originally planned. More 
than 125 people are on the 
trip, over half of whom are 
visiting Israel for the first 
time in their lives. Watching 
the life-changing impact 
of their experience was yet 
another reminder of Israel’s 
essential meaning and 
importance to us as Jews. 
While there, I also kept in 
close communication on the 
very disturbing incident at 
the Bloomfield Hills High 
School diversity assembly. 
As most of you know, a 
controversial speaker named 
Huwaida Arraf spoke at 
several student assemblies 

focused on diversity and 
inclusion. Her antisemitic 
and anti-Israel remarks 
were deeply upsetting to 
the many Jewish students 
who attended, and the 
school’s initial attempts to 
address this were vague and 
unresponsive to the offensive 
and harmful extent of the 
incident. (See story, p. 22.)
As soon as word got out, a 
group of Jewish community 
leaders — including rabbis, 
the JCRC/AJC, and the 
Jewish Federation — inter- 
vened to ensure that the 
school district understood 
the severity of the situation 
and was prepared to take 
swift steps to address what 
happened, in the immediate 
term as well as for the 
future. Following this effort, 
BHHS Superintendent 
Pat Watson released a 
statement that acknowledged 
the seriousness of the 
mistakes that were made 
and detailed a number of 
corrective actions, including 
a commitment to plan and 
implement staff training to 
actively identify and address 
antisemitism. We remain 
engaged with the school 
and district administration, 
as well as our community 
partners, to make sure the 
school follows through on its 
commitments.
This remains a troubling 
and painful incident 
for many, and we are 

still actively involved in 
measures to support the 
students, parents, and 
community members who 
have been affected. We ask 
the community to remain 
patient and supportive of the 
process, and we will continue 
to keep you informed. 
I can’t help but close this 
message with a reflection on 
the relevance and centrality 
of the Jewish Federation. 
Whether we are working 
to help solve a historic 
political challenge in Israel, 
fighting against the scourge 
of antisemitism in our local 
community, or leading 
over a hundred community 
members on a life-changing 
journey, Federation is 
uniquely positioned to serve 
the Jewish people. 
Thank you for the support 
and leadership that makes 
this possible. It truly matters 
after a week like this—as well 
as every day—in more ways 
than we can count. 

Steve Ingber

PURELY COMMENTARY

“WE LEFT 
THIS VISIT 
DETERMINED 
TO NEVER 
ABANDON OUR 
SUPPORT OF 
ISRAEL.”

