FEBRUARY 8 • 2024 | 23
J
N
T
he Cohn-Haddow
Center for Judaic
Studies at Wayne State
University will honor the
late Rita Haddow, a longtime
supporter of the Center, at a
special community event.
The event will be hosted
by her longtime congregation
Temple Israel as part of
Adults Seeking Knowledge
(ASK) series, and will feature
a lecture by Professor Jeffrey
H. “Yossi” Chajes, Wolfson
Professor of Jewish Thought
in the Department of Jewish
History at the University of
Haifa.
Chajes, one of the leading
academic scholars worldwide
of Kabbalah and early modern
Jewish hstory, will speak about
his latest book, The Kabbalistic
Tree, which was recently
awarded the Jordan Schnitzer
Award in the Category
of Philosophy and Jewish
Thought by the Association
for Jewish Studies.
Center Director Howard
Lupovitch noted that
Professor Chajes and
this topic are especially
appropriate for an event
in Rita’s memory, for two
reasons. She was a true patron
and lover of music and the
visual arts and endowed
the Cohn-Haddow Center’s
annual Haddow event in
Jewish culture; The Kabbalistic
Tree focuses on the visual
images of Kabbalah and how
this imagery has impacted
Jewish mysticism and
spirituality — a topic that Rita
would have found important
and meaningful.
In addition, Professor
Chajes, who grew up at
Temple Israel (and sang with
Cantor Orbach), has been
a longtime close friend and
neighbor of Rita and her
family since he was a child.
The event will take place
on Thursday, Feb. 15, at
noon at Temple Israel and
includes lunch and is open
to the community. Cost is
$12 for temple members; $18
for non-members. Questions
to Lisa Kaplan at (248)
661-5725. Information and
registration at www.temple-
israel.org/event/asktree.
Temple Israel Talk on Jewish Mysticism
JN STAFF
Rita
Haddow
Yossi
Chajes
G
orman’s Home
Furnishings and
Interior Design is
hosting “Michigan’s Largest
Housewarming Party,” a
drive to pick up gently used
furniture and collect new,
unused household items to
help families and children in
need so they have the basics
needed in their homes.
Recipients of Gorman’s
efforts are the Furniture Bank of
Southeastern Michigan, Habitat
ReStores of Oakland County
and Humble Design Detroit.
Every other Tuesday through
Feb. 27, Gorman’s will dedicate
its delivery trucks to pick up
gently used furniture from
households anywhere in Metro
Detroit for free. People can
conveniently schedule a pick-
up and Gorman’s will be there.
Items accepted include sofas,
chairs, dining room tables,
dressers, bed frames, coffee and
end tables and bookshelves. No
mattresses will be accepted.
Additionally, Gorman’s is col-
lecting new, unused household
basics, such as dish towels, oven
mitts, small kitchen gadgets,
measuring cups, bath towels
and more to donate to the
selected nonprofits.
These items can be dropped
off at any Gorman’s location
during regular business hours.
Gorman’s showrooms are locat-
ed in Novi, Southfield and Troy.
A warehouse and Three-Day
Clearance Center are located in
Farmington Hills.
“Supporting the community
is a year-round commitment for
us, and we’re hoping this makes
it easy for our customers and
surrounding community mem-
bers to participate and feel good
knowing they, too, are making
a difference,
” said John Moray,
CEO of Gorman’s.
Here are some recommenda-
tions for what to donate:
The Furniture Bank of
Southeastern Michigan needs
furniture in good condition so
vulnerable kids and families can
live in homes they feel good
about. Some of the items on its
wish list include: sofas, dressers,
dining/kitchen tables, dining/
kitchen chairs, living room
chairs, coffee and end tables,
bedding, towels, pots and pans,
and flatware.
The Habitat ReStores of
Oakland County offer a wide
variety of new and gently used
living, dining, kitchen, bedroom
and office furniture, plus many
décor items at a much more
affordable price. Some of the
items on its wish list include
pots and pans, dishes, cutlery
and flatware, glassware, bake-
ware, cookware, pictures, lamps,
and small kitchen appliances.
Humble Design Detroit is
always looking for donations
of gently used furniture and
household goods to families in
need. Some of the items on its
wish list include: Sofas, love-
seats, beds (queen/full/twin),
dressers, bedding, bath towels,
kitchen items.
Gorman’s Launches “Michigan’s
Largest Housewarming Party”