that’s the main theme that stood out 
to me from Parshat Bo, so helping the 
Innocence Project fit perfectly,” said Eli, 
whose family, including his twin sister, 
Ariella, lives in Farmington Hills.
He brought in the “cubing” 
community by contacting the WCA that 
governs competitions for mechanical 
puzzles that are operated by twisting 
groups of pieces, including the Rubik’s 
Cube. They recognize world records 
and host competitions internationally, 
including those in which Eli has 
participated. 
Together, Eli and representatives of 
the WCA organized “Solve 4 Justice 
Southfield 2024,” a World Cubing 
competition encompassing the same 
rules and awards as their other events, 
but with the added bonus of raising 
funds for the Innocence Project. 

SYNAGOGUE PARTNERSHIP
Next, Eli asked Rabbi Yonatan Dahlen at 
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, where he 
and Ariella became b’nai mitzvah on Jan. 
20, if the synagogue would help with his 
plan.
They not only helped, they went one 
step further, offering the space, security, 

set up and clean up for the Jan. 7 event. 
“They also donated water, lemonade, 
the mic system, tables, chairs, 
tablecloths and a ton of other 
components for this 
cause,” Leslie Katz 
said.
Jerusalem 
Pizza and Bagel 
in Southfield 
provided 
kosher pizza at a 
discounted price 
with profits of sales 
at the event going 
to the Innocence 
Project. Nino 
Salvaggio International Marketplace 
in Bloomfield Township contributed 
kosher snacks to be sold for donations. 
A total of 220 individuals, including 
competitors and guests, attended the 
daylong event where information and 
posters helped share the message of 
supporting the Innocence Project.
Eli and WCA organizer Tyler Rose 
created the “Innocence Project Solve 
4 Justice” logo that was used on all the 
badges worn by competitors at the event 
and on the WCA website. 

“The 
competition 
sold out at 100 
participants with 
a percentage of the registration fees 
going to the Innocence Project,” Leslie 
Katz said. 
In addition to approximately $2,200 
in funds brought in at the event, Eli has 
raised more than $1,300 so far through a 
fundraising page. 
“Eli’s d’var Torah [Torah lesson] 
speech during his bar mitzvah service 
included why he’s raising money via 
the Rubik’s Cube competition for the 
Innocence Project,” said Marci Iwrey, 
program coordinator, b’nai mitzvah 

FEBRUARY 22 • 2024 | 11

continued on page 12

Established in 2001, the Cooley 
Law School Innocence Project 
operates as a law school clinic 
with a dual mission to provide 
legal assistance to, and secure 
the release of, persons who are 
wrongfully imprisoned for crimes 
they did not commit, and to pro-
vide its students with a learning 
experience.
The Cooley Law School 
Innocence Project has screened 
more than 6,000 cases and is 
responsible for the exoneration of 
nine wrongly imprisoned individ-
uals, including one who spent 32 
years in prison.
They collaborate with other 
organizations in Michigan and 
across the country and belong 
to the Innocence Network, 
an affiliation of independent 
innocence organizations, credited 
with the release of more than 375 
wrongfully convicted prisoners, 
mainly through the use of DNA 
testing, dedicated to combating 
wrongful convictions worldwide 
and to improve existing laws 
and support new legislation 
that improves 
the criminal 
justice 
system. 

Sister Ariella times 
Eli as he practices.