20 | APRIL 4 • 2024
Visiting Chevron is always
a highlight. We prayed at the
gravesites of Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, Sarah, Rivkah and
Leah, beseeching that they
help bring home their captive
grandchildren, and help
bring healing, comfort and
strength to their beleaguered
descendants.
We handed out pizza
vouchers as well as
handwritten cards from
Hillel Day School and Detroit
Cheder children.
One soldier held up a card
he received from a child a
few months ago and told us
he takes it along with him
everywhere he goes.
We enjoyed an incredible
ending to our day as we
celebrated the bar mitzvah of
Netanel Atias from the border
town of Shlomi. His family
doesn’t speak English, and
most of our group doesn’t
speak Hebrew, but that didn’t
stop us from singing and
dancing together and having a
wonderful time.
We were able to provide
Netanel with a new pair of
tefillin, gifts and a festive
evening. Alin, Netanel’s
mother, spoke very
emotionally about how much
this meant to them — that
there was love for their family
from a community across the
world whom she had never
met.
Handwritten cards from the
students of Farber Hebrew
Day School were given to
Netanel.
HEADED HOME
At the train station, headed
to the airport, I came across
a picture of all the remaining
hostages, along with an empty
chair — a reminder of the
painful reality we are leaving
behind as we head home.
We are leaving a country
that remains at war, with too
many widows and orphans,
too many injured soldiers and
too many people waiting to
go home … starting with the
130+ hostages still in the hell
of Hamas captivity.
In Judaism, we are
accustomed to balancing joy
and pain. We break a glass
at the joyous wedding as a
reminder of pain, and we
pause from the pain of sitting
shivah to celebrate Shabbos
and the holidays.
One of the messages that
resonated with me this week
was the words we saw on
the T-shirts at the volunteer
packing facility we were at on
Monday: “Let’s do something.”
This past week we did
something. We took a pause
from our lives and came
to Israel. We traveled the
length of the land and helped
wherever we could.
But now I hope to take the
“let’s do something” mentality
home with me.
We do something with
added mitzvot, prayers and
tzedakah. We do something
by speaking up about what
we saw and sharing the
truth despite overwhelming
dishonesty out there.
May God grant absolute
victory to the IDF and bring
salvation, healing and comfort
to all who need it. May we be
blessed with the redemption
and an end to all pain and
war, now.
OUR COMMUNITY
continued from page 19
Temple Kol Ami and B’nai
Israel Synagogue joined
together for an evening of
Havdalah, music, laughter and
coffee at Beit Café on March 9.
Entertainment was provided
by Temple Kol Ami’s Cantorial
Soloist Janet Christensen, Frank
Ellias, professional trumpeter
Kermit Prill and Udi Kapen,
who has starred in many local
theater productions.
Frank Ellias acted as host and
also sang songs known to all,
along with some original tunes,
accompanying himself on guitar.
Later, his “identical cousin,
”
YouTube sensation, Uncle
Y’Cheskel, performed a number
of original, humorous songs
on Jewish topics, including the
international premiere of his song
about the neglected holiday of
Shemini Atzeret. He finished his
set with his stadium anthem “It
Ain’t A Bar Mitzvah if They Don’t
Serve Kishka.
”
Cantorial Soloist Janet
Christensen offered several folk
songs, including one that asked,
“What Kind of Cat are You?” She
also sang about the centuries-
old debate of who were the five
constipated men in the Bible
(the first was Cain, who was not
Able).
Kermit blew the crowd away
with a trumpet version of “Over
the Rainbow” and shared trumpet
insights with the audience. Udi
brought well-received country
music to the evening.
Future Beit Café events
are planned and open to the
community.
The Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan
Detroit honored Susan and
Howard Tapper at Boca
Pointe Country Club in Boca
Raton, Florida, on Tuesday,
Feb. 27. Marty Feldman
received the sponsorship
award.
The annual Michigan-
Florida event was attended by
over 160 people and featured
entertainment from magician
and comedian Harry Maurer.
The funds raised will support
The J’s JCC Day Camps,
Special Needs programs
and Early Childhood Center.
Visit The J’s new website at
thejdetroit.org.
The J Honors Susan and Howard
Tapper at Florida Event
Former JCC Executive Director
Morton Plotnick poses with
Susan and Howard Tapper
after they received their award.
Music and Laughter at Beit Cafe
The audience enjoyed a fun
musical evening.