1942 - 2023

Covering and Connecting 
Jewish Detroit Every Week

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DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 
FOUNDATION
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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.

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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 

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Senior Account Executive: 
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| Business Office
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6 | OCTOBER 5 • 2023 
J
N

PURELY COMMENTARY

F

or those living in Eretz 
Yisrael in pre-modern 
times, the degree to 
which rain fell in the fall and 
winter months following the 
festival of Sukkot determined 
their 
livelihoods. 
Abundant 
rain meant 
prosperity, 
while draughts 
meant 
starvation from 
lack of food 
and possible death from 
dehydration (Deuteronomy 
11:14-17). 
Rabbinic thought 
regarding Sukkot reflects this 
focus on water. The Mishnah 
teaches that on Sukkot we 
are judged regarding water 
(Rosh Hashanah 16a). Ritual 
components of Sukkot also 

reflect this idea. In Temple 
times, libations (which were 
from wine the rest of the 
year) consisted of water 
during Sukkot (Sukkah 48a). 
The dancing and music 
accompanying the water 
drawing for these libations 
were so raucous that those 
unable to participate in these 

festivities never saw true joy 
in their lives (Sukkah 51a). 
Even the waving of the 
four species reflects this 
judgment over water. 
According to one early 
Talmudic sage, the primary 
purpose of taking the four 
species is to appease God 
to grant water (Ta’anit 2b). 

Another sage states that 
waving the four species 
serves to protect against 
harmful dews and rains 
(Sukkah 37b).
Those of us who live 
middle (or upper-middle) 
class lives in Michigan may 
find it difficult to even 
contemplate the possibility of 
lacking water access. 
Unfortunately, many 
Detroit residents and 
marginalized people 
elsewhere in the state have 
trouble keeping up with their 
water bills and risk having 
their water shut off. 
Because of Detroit’s 
outdated and inefficient 
water delivery infrastructure, 
Detroit residents pay more 
per gallon of water used 
than those of other local 
townships. This, as well as 

Rabbi David 
Polsky

guest column

Sukkot and the Case for Water Justice

