26 | FEBRUARY 1 • 2024 J
N

faces&places

F

our years ago, Rabbi
Menachem and Chana
Caytak moved to East
of Woodward with a goal of
creating a Jewish community.
What started as just a list
of names has turned into a
beautiful community with
hundreds of families. There
are programs for all ages
— children, teens, college

students and seniors. There
are classes for all levels, weekly
Hebrew school, a synagogue
and holiday programming.
Jewish life is flourishing and
continues to grow year after
year.
On Nov. 8 at the Crowne
Plaza Hotel in Auburn Hills,
they held a community
celebration for Jewish life.
Over 100 donors, friends and
Jews from throughout the
entire Eastside joined.
The evening began with
music, hors d’oeuvres and
an open bar followed by a
program. A few highlights
of the program included
Chana Caytak emceeing
the evening and Rabbi Levi
Shemtov, executive director of
Friendship Circle, leading a
prayer for Israel.
Gillian Treier, a mother
living in Clinton Township,
shared how grateful she was to
have the Hebrew School of the

Arts for her two children. Her
daughter Hayden then shared
what she loves learning about
in the Hebrew school.
Anthony Elizarov was
interviewed by Morah
Danielle Glanvill (a teacher
in the Hebrew school) about
his experiences in the Hebrew
school and the Camp Gan
Israel Day Camp. He also
shared why he is proud to be
a Jew.
Ella Dotan, a teen in the
Jewish Teen Club, shared
why she was grateful for
Chabad. Rabbi Menachem
shared words about the past
and what the goals are for the
future.
Tommy Barnes, a student at

Oakland University, shared his
fascinating story about how
he connected with his Judaism
through an interaction with
Rabbi Menachem. He then
showed a mini-documentary
he created about the history of
Judaism in the Eastside. You
can see it here: www.youtube.
com/watch?v=njG86lhIzL0.
Ilene Bischer was awarded
the Jewish supporter of the
year, and she shared powerful
words about why she supports
Chabad of Troy.
The future is bright for
Judaism throughout the East
of Woodward area, and it’s
thanks to its donors that they
continue to grow.

East of Woodward
Jewish Community
Celebrates

Ilene
Bischer
speaking

Julie Sosnowski
and Mark Pasik

Irene and
Roman Sadikoff
in conversation

The Elizarov
family poses
for a picture.