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.
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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
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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
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