14 | OCTOBER 5 • 2023 J
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deck and Detroit Planning Committee 
and engaging the support of exceptional 
JFMD professionals Rabbi Ari Witkin 
and Lauren Rubin. 
Slowly, the Detroit Planning 
Committee emerged, with powerhouse 
sisters-in-law Lacey and Sam Foon 
recruited to give Wertheimer and 
Goldfarber the backwind needed to 
take this to the next step. The arduous 
process of pitching Detroit and making 
it a reality was a commitment. 
“The planning process included 
weekly conference calls with Jewish 
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit 
professionals and JFNA. We had to 
constantly keep the momentum going,” 

says Sam Foon, fourth-year Cabinet 
member. 
 Suddenly, a retreat in Detroit was not 
a farfetched dream, but a tangible reality 
that became an arm’s length away. Both 
professional and lay people, inside and 
outside JFMD, came together to make 
Detroit a competitive runner in the race 
to host. The cards were not always on 
our side, with hotel capacity and lack 
of amenities (hosting resorts usually 
needed to have a swimming pool, golf 
courses, etc.). 
With a location straight in the heart 
of Downtown Detroit, the organizers 
not only had confidence in both the city 
and community, but the advocates kept 

pushing forward. Boy, that confidence 
paid off. 

CHAPTER 3: SUCCESS 
NOW WHAT? 
After JFNA staff came for a site visit in 
late 2022, the rest was history, and all 
roads led to Cabinet celebrating 60 years 
since its inception in the city of Detroit 
in summer of 2023. 
The Cabinet curriculum for retreat 
(scheduled from July 31-Aug. 2) was 
exceptional and included an opening 
plenary led by Michigan Gov. Gretchen 
Whitmer and introduced by UJF 
President and Cabinet alum Dennis 
Bernard. 
“Gov. Whitmer spoke in a bipartisan 
fashion about how important a vibrant 
Michigan Jewish community is. It 
was very moving, and she received a 
standing ovation from a room full of 
both Republicans and Democrats,” 
Wertheimer says.
In addition to the opening plenary, 
there were Campaign Day and closing 
plenary sessions, peer-led sessions, class 
outings, breakout discussion groups, 
partner agencies information sessions 
(JDC, ORT and JAFI), a tour of Detroit, 

OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER

continued from page 13

CLOCKWISE, FROM BOTTOM LEFT: 
Detroit Chevre Roman Golshteyn, George 
Roberts and Warren Frenkel. J. Jacob 
Krause of Detroit sang the American, 
Canadian and Israeli national anthems. 
L’dor v’dor: Jane and Jessica Sherman.

continued on page 16

