4 | JUNE 22 • 2023
from Federation
Gratitude
T
hank you.
Todah rabah.
We are grateful.
The concept of gratitude — of sincere
thanks and appreciation for what is
given — is an essential part of our
Jewish tradition. In fact, the very first
words of our morning prayer, modeh
ani, provide an opportunity to start each
day with a grateful heart by saying: “I
thank you.”
At Federation, we have reason to say,
“Thank you.”
Our 2023 Annual Campaign ended
on May 31. As you may have noticed,
our professional and volunteer
campaign team has been busy in recent
days reaching out to our community
members to ask for their support.
We are thrilled to report that through
the participation of close to 10,000
individual donors, we achieved the
ambitious goals we set to keep our
community strong. At a time of rising
costs and other economic pressures, we
successfully raised the funds necessary
to power our network of local and
international partner agencies for the
year ahead.
This is truly a community-wide
effort: Every one of our donors plays
a role in our efforts to take care of our
fellow Jews in Detroit, Israel and around
the world. Thanks to you — along
with our dedicated volunteers and the
extraordinary cadre of Jewish communal
professionals across the community —
we are making a difference in Jewish
lives every day.
Together, we put food on the table for
a hungry child. We offer comfort and
companionship to an older adult, and
help a struggling single parent rebuild
their life. We open the doors to a Jewish
day school, light a candle at a camp
Havdalah, and welcome a new student
to their college Hillel. Together, we
rescue a family from a war-torn nation
and deliver them to a new life in Israel.
We do this, and so much more,
through the generosity of this
compassionate and caring community.
Because of you, we are able to reach
more people, touch more lives and
do more good in our local and global
community.
Todah rabah. On behalf of the
community we serve, we thank you.
Ethan Davidson
Rob Orley
Deb Rosenthal
2023 Annual Campaign Chairs
Matthew B. Lester
President, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit
Dennis S. Bernard
President, United Jewish Foundation
Steven Ingber
Chief Executive Officer, Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit
PURELY COMMENTARY
column
Good Gossip
H
ey there, Metro Detroiters.
Yenta Girl here. Who doesn’t
love to kvell? With all of the
crazy things happening in our world
around us, I want to share the things
that make us smile and
bring some joy into
your day. To do this, I’ll
need your help! I want
to hear all your “jewcy”
news — simchahs, big
life events, accomplish-
ments and awards.
Let’s kick it off with
some mazels! Yasher koach
to living legend Jane F. Sherman for
being honored with JAFINA’s inau-
gural Max M. Fisher award — l’dor
v’dor! Spotted being honored under
the bright lights at the annual Send a
Kid to Tamarack event: community
leader Doreen Hermelin and distin-
guished alumnus Jason Luckoff. Last
seen walking down the aisle, one of my
best friends, Carly Sanfield, married
Chicago native, David Pickel. It was
kind of a big “dill.”
Please fill me in by emailing
samanthafoon14@gmail.com — I can’t
wait to brighten your day!
Samantha
Foon
Contributing
Writer
Correction
In “
A ‘Gift That Keeps on Giving’” (June
1, page 22), Milton Simmons should have
been described as a family practitioner.
The fourth ambulance, in memory of
Michael David Kleiman M.D., was also in
memory of Seymour Kleiman who passed
away in a 2020 car accident 2020 at the
age of 87. Mr. Simmons was in Israel two
years ago, and he had hoped to work with
a Christian Arab friend.