8 | SEPTEMBER 14 • 2023 

exercise.) And this summer, 
ABC News reported an Oregon 
radio station became the first 
in the country to artificially 
generate a human host’s voice, 
with her consent, for an entire 
air shift.
Remember the scarecrow 
from the Wizard of Oz? He 
didn’t need the “brain” (AI) 
given to him by the Almighty 
Wizard, after all. In the end, 
he finally realized he had the 
ability to think all along. 
My hope for the New Year is 
that the ease and speed afforded 
us by evolving technology 
doesn’t further tempt us to 
take shortcuts in original and 
creative thinking — the kind 
you always get from your rabbis 
and the kind I strive to share 
with you in the JN. 
L’Shanah Tovah Tikatevu. 

Alan Muskovitz is a writer, voice-over/

acting talent, speaker, and emcee. 

Visit his website at laughwithbigal.com, 

“Like” Al on Facebook and reach him 

at amuskovitz@thejewishnews.com.

R

osh Hashanah offers a precious 
opportunity to reflect on the year 
we’ve lived, a chance to recognize and 
give sincere thanks for the blessings we’ve 
received.
The new year is also a 
moment to look honestly at our 
failures and to ask ourselves how 
we might do better in the future. 
It’s a time to ask: Who among 
us is struggling? Who has been 
forgotten or left out? How can 
we better fulfill our sacred 
responsibility to care for one 
another?
When needs arise, whether 
they are in our local community 
or in a war-torn nation on the 
other side of the world, will 
we be prepared to meet the 
moment with generosity and 
commitment?
As Jewish Detroiters, we can 
proudly say that we have always 
done so. 
In fact, in recent years we 
have weathered some of the 
most profound challenges 
in generations. The global 
pandemic threatened the health 
and welfare of the community. Economic 
uncertainty, inflation, and a rise in poverty 
and food insecurity have affected thousands 
of families. The war in Ukraine uprooted 
countless Jewish lives, including many elderly 
individuals and Holocaust survivors. We’ve 
witnessed an alarming rise in antisemitism 
and hate crimes against the Jewish people. 
We continue to feel the impact of each of 
these challenges. But today, thanks to the 
resilience and spirit of its members, our 
community remains strong. 
Jewish Detroit is a place where families 
and individuals can live healthy, meaningful 
lives — strengthened by their heritage and 
deeply connected to one another. It is a place 
where Jewish organizations remain dedicated 
to helping those in need. A community whose 

heart beats together with the people of Israel 
and with Jews everywhere across the world. 
The Jewish Federation is proud of the 
role it has played in this story. With each 
challenge we have faced, Federation’s response 
demonstrated our unique capacity to mobilize 
resources and direct them with greatest 
efficacy and impact. We remain committed to 
maintaining the strength of our community, 
a place where everyone can live vibrant, 
meaningful Jewish lives.

GROWTH AND RENEWAL
As we look to the year ahead, we are excited 
about opportunities for growth and renew-
al. We hope to see many new and returning 
faces at our events and programs, and that our 
community members are able to deepen their 
Jewish experience in a life filled with joy and 
connection. 
This will also be a time of transition. In 
October, a new slate of leaders will step forward 
to guide our organization, including the Jewish 
Federation’s incoming president, Gary Torgow, 
and the United Jewish Foundation’s incoming 
president, Michael Berger. Both Gary and 
Michael are seasoned and deeply committed 
community leaders, and we know the 
organization will be in very capable hands. 
We conclude this letter as we began, with 
gratitude. 
We are grateful for this extraordinary 
Jewish community, a place of Jewish 
traditions and values in which every 
individual is welcomed and cherished. We 
also recognize that our work is only made 
possible by our donors and volunteers. Your 
passion and commitment fuel our efforts, and 
there is no more generous community to be 
found anywhere. 
Shanah Tovah to our entire Jewish 
community. May this be a time of peace and 
prosperity for the Jewish people, and a year of 
meaning, growth and joy for all. 

Matthew B. Lester is president of the Jewish Federation 

of Detroit; Dennis S. Bernard is president of the United 

Jewish Foundation; and Steven Ingber is CEO of the Jewish 

Federation of Detroit.

Matthew 
Lester

Dennis 
Bernard 

Steven 
Ingber

High Holiday Greetings

Meeting Our Jewish 
Community’s Challenges

PURELY COMMENTARY

MY NON-ARTIFICIAL WISH 
FOR THE NEW YEAR from 
page 4

Corrections

In “Jewish 
Developers 
Join Detroit 
Rebirth,” Aug. 
31, page 10. 
The incorrect 
photo was used 
for Andrew Leber. Here is 
the correct photo.

In In 
“Protecting 
Young Athletes 
from Potential 
Abuse,” Aug. 
31, page 68, 
the incorrected 
photo was used for Julie 
Cohen. Here is the correct 
photo.