6 | SEPTEMBER 14 • 2023 

1942 - 2023

Covering and Connecting 
Jewish Detroit Every Week

To make a donation to the 
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 
FOUNDATION
go to the website
www.djnfoundation.org

The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) 

is published every Thursday at 

32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, 

Farmington Hills, Michigan. Periodical 

postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and 

additional mailing offices. 

Postmaster: send changes to: 

Detroit Jewish News, 

32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, 

Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334

MISSION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will be of service to the Jewish community. The Detroit Jewish 
News will inform and educate the Jewish and general community to preserve, protect and sustain the Jewish 
people of greater Detroit and beyond, and the State of Israel.

VISION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will operate to appeal to the broadest segments of the greater 
Detroit Jewish community, reflecting the diverse views and interests of the Jewish community while advancing the 
morale and spirit of the community and advocating Jewish unity, identity and continuity.

DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
248-354-6060
thejewishnews.com

 
 
Publisher
The Detroit Jewish 
News Foundation

| Board of Directors:
 Chair: Gary Torgow
 Vice President: David Kramer 
 Secretary: Robin Axelrod
 Treasurer: Max Berlin
 Board members: Michael J. Eizelman 
 Larry Jackier, Jeffrey Schlussel, 
 Mark Zausmer
 
 
 Executive Director:
 Marni Raitt 
 Senior Advisor to the Board: 
 Mark Davidoff
 Alene and Graham Landau Archivist Chair: 
 Mike Smith
 Founding President & Publisher Emeritus: 
 Arthur Horwitz
 Founding Publisher 
 Philip Slomovitz, of blessed memory

 

 Editorial 
 Director of Editorial: 
 Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@thejewishnews.com
Contributing Editors: 
David Sachs, Keri Guten Cohen
Staff Reporter: 
Danny Schwartz 
dschwartz@thejewishnews.com
Editorial Assistant: 
Sy Manello
smanello@thejewishnews.com 
Digital Manager:
Elizabeth King 
eking@thejewishnews.com 

Contributing Writers:
Nate Bloom, Rochel Burstyn, 
Suzanne Chessler, Shari S. Cohen, 
Louis Finkelman, Samantha Foon, 
Yevgeniya Gazman, Stacy Gittleman, 
Esther Allweiss Ingber, Barbara Lewis, 
Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, 
Alan Muskovitz, Karen Schwartz, 
Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein, 
Nathaniel Warshay, Julie Smith Yolles, 
Ashley Zlatopolsky 

 Advertising Sales 
Director of Advertising: Keith Farber
kfarber@thejewishnews.com
Senior Account Executive: 
Kathy Harvey-Mitton
kmitton@thejewishnews.com 

| Business Office
 Director of Operations: Amy Gill
 agill@thejewishnews.com
 Operations Manager: Andrea Gusho 
 agusho@thejewishnews.com
 Operations Assistant: Ashlee Szabo 
 Circulation: Danielle Smith
 Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner

| Production By 
 Farago & Associates
 Manager: Scott Drzewiecki 
 Designers: Kaitlyn Iezzi, Kelly Kosek, 
 Deborah Schultz, Michelle Sheridan 

High Holiday Greetings
Let Our Prayers for the New Year Resonate
D

ear Detroit Community 
Members,
As we stand at the 
threshold of another year, the 
sacred shofar’s call reminds us of 
the transformative power of this 
moment. It is with a heart full of 
anticipation and 
reflection that I 
extend my warm-
est wishes to all of 
you for a Shanah 
Tovah Umetukah, 
a sweet and happy 
New Year.
Rosh Hashanah 
is a time of renewal, a chance to 
shed the old and embrace the 
new. It’s a moment to recon-
nect with our faith, our values 
and each other. Our tradition 
teaches us that during these 
High Holy Days, our prayers 
and intentions hold a special 
power and influence. They have 
the ability to reach the Heavens 
and bring blessings down to 
Earth, like exalted messengers 

ascending from the confines of 
our world to the heights of the 
Heavens. The very act of prayer, 
of directing our hearts and voic-
es to the Almighty, is a means of 
transcending the mundane and 
engaging with the sacred.
Rosh Hashanah heralds an 
opportunity for spiritual rebirth. 
Our prayers during this time 
hold a potency that can alter 
the trajectory of our lives. They 
possess the unique ability to 
bridge the gap between the finite 
and the infinite, the material 
and the spiritual. The Talmud 
teaches that even if our mouths 
struggle to find the right words, 
the yearning of our hearts speaks 
volumes to the Heavens.
As we gather for the prayers 
and celebrations of Rosh 
Hashanah, let us reflect on the 
year that has passed and the one 
that lies ahead. Just as we seek 
forgiveness and offer it to others, 
let us also strive to bring positiv-
ity and meaning to the lives we 

touch.
Standing before the Divine 
Judge, let us remember that our 
prayers are not just pleas for 
mercy; they are invitations for 
transformation. They are vehi-
cles of communication, bridges 
of connection and conduits 
for change. Our intentions, 
expressed through prayer, are 
the catalysts that invite bless-
ings to descend upon our lives, 
enriching our journey with 
purpose and meaning. Just as 
the shofar’s sound reverberates, 
let our prayers resonate deeply 
within us, stirring our souls and 
touching the Heavens.
To our Detroit Jewish News 
leadership, our esteemed readers 
and our entire Jewish com-
munity, we thank you for your 
support and partnership in 
uniting to bridge generations, 
backgrounds and families into 
a tapestry of shared experiences 
and common values.
Let us continue to engage in 

conversations that challenge our 
assumptions, broaden our hori-
zon and invigorate our spirits. 
Let us support one another as we 
navigate the complexities of our 
time, always guided by the light 
of Heaven.
Our community’s strength lies 
not only in its history but in the 
relationships we foster today and 
the connections we nurture for 
tomorrow.
In the spirit of gratitude, I 
extend my heartfelt appreci-
ation to all of you who make 
our community so strong 
and vibrant. May this Rosh 
Hashanah herald a year of 
growth, connection and kind-
ness. Together, let us continue 
to build a future that embod-
ies the very essence of our 
traditions and aspirations, all 
while lifting and encouraging 
our next generation. 

Gary Torgow is chairman of the Detroit 

Jewish News Foundation.

Gary Torgow

PURELY COMMENTARY

