1942 - 2023

Covering and Connecting 
Jewish Detroit Every Week

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DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 
FOUNDATION
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MISSION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will be of service to the Jewish community. The Detroit Jewish 
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.

VISION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will operate to appeal to the broadest segments of the greater 
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
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Danny Schwartz 
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Digital Manager:
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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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| Production By 
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 Michelle Sheridan 

6 | DECEMBER 28 • 2023 J
N

guest column
Two Days in Israel: The Land of Resiliency
L

ike so many of us in the 
Jewish community, I have 
felt a deep desire to go 
to Israel after Oct. 7 and show 
solidarity with our brothers and 
sisters fighting for 
the very survival 
of Israel against 
Hamas and 
their allies. I had 
already planned 
a shared society 
trip months 
before, so I was 
able to switch the itinerary for a 
solidarity-themed mission and 
find a way to get to Israel. 
I joined up with a group from 
Netanya who were volunteering 
in a moshav near Netivot in 
the Gaza Envelope to prepare 
lettuce, celery and parsley for 
market and assist the few work-
ers who remained in Israel after 
Oct. 7. 
An old rabbinic friend from 
Chicago had organized a “bikur 

cholim” — visiting the sick — to 
Sheba Medical Center, and I 
was able to join with them as 
well. Months ago, I had planned 
to see the new National Library, 
which, despite the war and the 
horrors of Oct. 7, was still able 
to open (unofficially). 
With the terrorist kidnap-

pings of hundreds of civilians, 
the library had a special tribute 
to bring the hostages home. I 
was able to salvage just a small 
bit of my “shared society” mis-
sion by meeting with an Israeli 
Arab from the Arab town of 
Sakhnin who works for the 
National Library, translating 

classic medieval Jewish texts 
into Modern Arabic, so that 
the National Library and the 
Jewish people can be a source of 
inspiration for the Arab world 
as well. 
Finally, I had the opportunity 
of meeting with dear friends 
who are fighting for the release 

PURELY COMMENTARY

Rabbi 
Asher 
Lopatin

LEFT: At the Sheba Medical Center with special guest, singer Craig Taubman. 
RIGHT: Posters of kidnapped hostages with their favorite books at the National Library.

continued on page 7

