30 | APRIL 6 • 2023
T
he Passover seder is
often celebrated with
family and friends
and, unlike other holidays, it
is commonly done in individ-
ual homes. Being outside of
the synagogue, it impacts the
communal feeling of a holiday
that celebrates the freedom of
our people. For this reason,
Congregation Beth Ahm in
West Bloomfield found a way
to bring the synagogue to the
seders of its members.
The congregation organized
an initiative to give a bottle of
wine to all of its congregants.
As David Stryk,
president of the
congregation
stated, “While
your Beth Ahm
family may not
be at your seder,
we want to help
you celebrate the four cups of
wine by providing our mem-
bers with a bottle of wine.
”
Giving a bottle of wine for
seder is a continuation of an
initiative that
began during
the COVID
pandemic.
“COVID
had a signif-
icant impact
on the feeling
of community
at Beth Ahm,
” Rabbi Steven
Rubenstein said. “The syna-
gogue was closed, activities
were canceled or shifted to
online, and relationships
among our members were
weakened. We did a number of
things to keep our community
strong, including giving holi-
day gifts to members.
”
In place of the synagogue’s
signature Chanukah party,
fried chicken and latkes were
given for family celebrations
at home. A mishloach manot
initiative was conducted on
Purim. Honey has been mailed
to every member’s home for
Rosh Hashanah.
“While the gifts helped with
in-home holiday celebrations,
more importantly, they became
symbols of how much each
person is valued at Beth Ahm,
”
Stryk said. “The response from
our synagogue family has been
amazing. I continually get
feedback from our members
expressing their appreciation
not just for the gift but for the
relationship the synagogue is
creating with them.
”
For this reason,
Congregation Beth Ahm
continues to prioritize rela-
tionships and community
building in its everyday activ-
ities. Spring’s arrival means
the return of outside Kabbalat
Shabbat followed by an oneg
(light dinner). This popular
way to start Shabbat, with
spirituality and social time,
allows members and guests to
strengthen their relationship
with God and each other.
Travel experiences, kid-
dush club and Shabbat lunch,
in-person daily minyan, and
meaningful programming for
tots through seniors all enrich
Beth Ahm members and
guests. This spirit is captured
in the Beth Ahm philosophy
— Big enough to enrich you.
Small enough to know you.
Passover Wine
OUR COMMUNITY
Congregation Beth Ahm ‘brings
the synagogue to the seder.’
DAVID GOODMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Faye Wolf and Ruth
Kwaselow receive a bottle
of wine from David Stryk.
Rabbi Steven
Rubenstein
David Stryk
Jewish Family
Service Receives
Grant
Jewish Family Service is
honored to have received
a generous grant from The
Ravitz Foundation to support
the agency in providing
emergency financial assistance
to community members in
need.
Through the agency’s
Family Support Services, low-
income families can receive
emergency financial assistance
and ongoing case management
to help them reach their goals
of meeting their basic needs
and becoming self-sufficient.
“By providing a family with
the support of a social worker,
JFS is often able to prevent
an individual or family from
decreasing stability and
moving into deeper poverty
or crisis,” says Dini Peterson,
chief program officer, Family
& Community Services.
“Clients can receive
assistance with eviction and
foreclosure prevention, home
or car repairs, increased access
to food and utility payments.
Often when one of these issues
is not resolved in a timely
manner, a family’s crisis can
spiral into additional financial
needs, making it more difficult
for families to recover.”
The long-term goal is to
help low-income families
develop an enhanced ability
to take care of their household
needs, have access to resources
that improve their situation,
and to have increased
wellbeing and a positive
outlook on life.
“We are so appreciative
of The Ravitz Foundation,”
Peterson says. “Their
support allows us to
continue strengthening our
community.”