26 | SEPTEMBER 21 • 2023
OUR COMMUNITY
T
ara Schuster, former
Comedy Central
executive, author
and playwright, will be the
guest speaker for the 2023
Hadassah Greater Detroit
Judi Schram Annual Meeting
and Dessert Reception at 7:30
p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Adat
Shalom Synagogue.
Schuster, perhaps best
known as the executive in
charge of the Emmy- and
Peabody-winning show Key &
Peele, will talk about “Finding
Your Voice: The Fight Against
Antisemitism.”
The event will also honor
longtime Hadassah member
Beverly Fine, who has been
named the 2023 Judi Schram
Woman of Inspiration for
her decades of service to
Hadassah.
“I’m very excited about
the changes we’re making
to the format of the Judi
Schram Annual Meeting this
year, said Hadassah Greater
Detroit President Mandy
Garver. “We’ve always had
a day event, which made it
hard for women who work
to attend. With this year’s
event being in the eve-
ning, we’re welcoming all to
this, our signature event.”
This means greater access to
guest speaker Tara Schuster’s
message about “Finding Your
Voice: The Fight Against
Antisemitism.”
“With the truly alarming
rise in antisemitism over
the past several years, I
think it’s more important
than ever that we’re informed
and able to find our
voice in fighting it,”
Garver said. “That’s what
Tara Schuster brings to
this year’s Judi Schram
Annual Meeting, and
I can’t wait to hear her take
on it.”
Schuster turned her
struggle with chronic anxiety
and depression into a best-
selling book and a mission to
help others. Her humorous
takes on taking charge of
one’s mental health — always
backed by empowering action
steps — have made her a
popular public speaker.
On the speaking circuit for
Jewish organizations, Schuster
mixes humor with the serious
subject of antisemitism.
“I address fighting
antisemitism not only in
speaking engagements, but
regularly in my day-to-day
life,” Schuster told the JN.
“Whether it’s … having
conversations with my Jewish
friends about this terrible
moment we are in, to letting
my non-Jewish friends know
that I am genuinely afraid,
I think it’s the obligation of
every Jew, every person who
knows a Jew, every person
who believes in decency to
at least acknowledge the real
threat we are facing. How else
will we face it?
“The best way I know to
speak up is to start small and
to practice,” she added. “How
many of us have let little
comments slide in the past?
Even from our Jewish friends.
“For me, as someone who
used to work in Hollywood, I
have many friends who made
jokes about how the Jews run
Hollywood. I definitely made
those jokes myself. It seemed
funny at the time, when
I felt safe as a Jew, but, in
2023, when that is something
antisemitic people actually
believe, I don’t think those
jokes are helpful to anyone.
“If we don’t want these
tropes bandied about,” she
continued, “we need to stop
saying them ourselves and call
them out. The only way to
engage is to start. And once
you start, it becomes easier
and easier.”
WOMAN OF INSPIRATION
Hadassah member Beverly
Fine of West Bloomfield
will be honored as this
year’s Judi Schram Woman
of Inspiration. This honor
is named for the late Judi
Schram, a former president
and longtime member of
Hadassah Greater Detroit who
was also an avid community
volunteer.
“We’re so delighted to
be honoring Bev Fine this
year,” Garver said. “Bev truly
exemplifies all that’s good
Event to feature author/playwright Tara Schuster;
will honor longtime volunteer Beverly Fine.
Hadassah Annual Meeting
KERI GUTEN COHEN CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
ARNOLD COLLENS
Beverly
Fine
AMERICAN PROGRAM BUREAU INC.
Tara
Schuster