20 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 
J
N

OUR COMMUNITY

L

ocal members of the 
Israeli and Jewish 
communities held 
an “empty shoe display” 
Saturday, Nov. 11, next to the 
Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market 
in Kerrytown. The display 
and information table were 
designed to highlight the 
issue of the 240 hostages, 
including 30 children, being 
held hostage by Hamas in 
Gaza. Among the hostages 
are citizens of 30 countries, 
including the United States. 
The empty shoe display 
was the third in a series of 
demonstrations being held by 
organizers of this grassroots 
effort at the Jewish Federation 
of Greater Ann Arbor. There 
were empty stroller displays 
on the University of Michigan 
campus Nov. 1, Nov. 8 and 
Nov. 18. In addition to the 
displays, the organizers 
shared information about the 
situation and raised funds for 
the Missing Families Forum.
Since the Oct. 7 attack 
on Israel by Hamas, during 
which over 1,200 Israelis were 
murdered, these 240 hostages 
have been held without access 
to the Red Cross and without 
proof of life — except in 
limited circumstances. 
Many are elderly and have 
significant medical needs. To 
date, only four hostages have 
been released and one was 
rescued by the Israel Defense 
Forces. 

Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor creates a series 
of displays to highlight the hostages being held by Hamas.

Ann Arbor Campaign 
to ‘Bring Them Home’

JN STAFF

The empty strollers and empty shoe displays highlight 
the plight of the hostages being held by Hamas.

A

fter nearly 40 years, 
Hersh’s — the fashion 
destination for countless 
women in the Bloomfield area 
and beyond — has moved 
into a new location, with new 
opportunities and growth around 
the corner.
“We are loving the adventure 
of a new store,” said Harold 
Rothenberg, the owner of 

Hersh’s. “Brick-and-mortar stores 
are what built this country, 
specialty businesses like ours. 
And we plan to continue that.”
Hersh’s opened their new 
location at the Orchard Mall on 
Sept. 5, after 39½ years at the 
Boardwalk. 
“As the word b’shert, it was 
simply meant to be,” he said. 
The new store is 3,400 square 

feet, bright and spacious — 
and Harold said they will now 
be selling shoes and more 
accessories — in addition to 
offering all seasons of clothes 
to cater to customers who are 
traveling year-round and need 
an all-season wardrobe.
Harold said he’s also starting 
his own sweater company, 
dubbed Billie Knitwear, coming 
in the fall of 2024.
“We’ve been simply 
overwhelmed by the love and 
support of our customers, who 
we call friends and family,” said 
Harold. “They’ve accepted this 
location with open arms and 
warm greetings, and we love to 
share it with them.”
Harold opened the store when 
he was in his 20s, and eventually, 
his wife left the corporate world 
to join him in the business. And 
now, his daughter works there 
a few days a week as well. (His 
son is off pursuing his own 
adventures, says the proud dad). 
At 63, Harold says he has no 
plans to retire and hopes to pass 
the store down to his children or 
grandchildren one day. 
“There are so few brick-and-
mortar specialty stores left in 
this world,” he said. “We are here 
because we want to achieve 
the most for our customers, the 
most important people to us.”
Harold said the family has 
managed to keep Hersh’s afloat 
all these years because they have 
worked tirelessly to serve their 
customers and give them the 

elevated experiences and items 
that they can’t find elsewhere. 
They have built Hersh’s based 
on the relationships they have 
with clients — they aren’t just 
selling clothes, Harold said. 
They want the store to feel like 
home for customers. They want 
Hersh’s to be a place to gather, 
connect and feel valued. 
“It’s home,” he said. “For us, 
for our customers, it’s home. It’s 
always a social event here. We 
have cookies and candy — and if 
you come here on any given day 
you will run into a friend, old or 
new.”
Harold and his family are so 
grateful for those relationships 
and the community they’ve built 
over the many years they’ve 
been in business. When they 
go out, they always run into 
someone they know from the 
store.
“I can’t tell you the immense 
gratitude I have every day,” he 
said. “I don’t see myself as a 
business owner, I see myself as 
an employee of Hersh’s. And I 
love to go to work every day. I’m 
happy here. It’s truly a gift every 
day.
“Hopefully you feel it when 
you come in, and hopefully you 
feel it when you leave.”

