16 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 

volunteers — his father was 
involved when Detroit first 
hosted, he says, and he’s 
picked up the baton. He’s host-
ed mostly Israelis, as he speaks 
a little bit of Hebrew, he says, 
and enjoys making sure the 
athletes have a great experi-
ence. “It’s something I hope 
they remember for a long 
time,” he says. “They’re going 
to carry away an impression of 
the Detroit Jewish community, 
and I want that to be a positive 
impression.”
As for the teens that come 
in, he says, they’re mostly 
looking for a place to sleep, 
something to eat, and “if you 
give them a good WiFi sig-
nal, they’re going to be very 
happy.” And their parents 

continued from page 14
OUR COMMUNITY
COVER STORY

TOP: Spectators at 2019 opening ceremony. 
ABOVE: Staff of The J volunteer at an evening event. 
RIGHT: Drew Edelstein with his parents Tracey Proghovnik 
and Eric Edelstein at the San Diego Games in 2022.