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.

