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”

