22 | APRIL 4 • 2024 
J
N

T

he Barbara and 
Douglas Bloom Matzah 
Factory, under auspices 
of JFamily, will again offer 
educational fun to excite 
members of the Detroit Jewish 
community about the coming 
Passover holiday. 
The Matzah Factory, started 
at the Jewish Community 
Center (JCC) of Metropolitan 
Detroit — now “The 
J-Detroit” — was always 
a favorite program of its 
co-founder, community leader 
Douglas Bloom. The former 
JCC president passed away on 
July 22, 2021.
Online registration is 

available now for two pre-
Passover events.
Participants in the Sunday, 
April 7, program will be 
making matzah with Rabbi 
Shneur Silberberg at the 
Lillian and Samuel Hechtman 
Senior Independent Living 
Apartments. The rabbi is the 
outreach co-director with his 
wife, Zeesy, at Sara & Morris 
Tugman Bais Chabad Torah 
Center in West Bloomfield. 
Bais Chabad and the 
Silberberg family are known 
for presenting programs that 
help the community celebrate 
Jewish holidays. 
In addition, artist Gail 

Kaplan will demonstrate how 
to make a sand art matzah 
tray.
“I’ll be working with 
residents at Jewish Senior Life 
and their families,” Kaplan 
said. “Sand art is a great 
intergenerational project. 
For the children, parents 
and grandparents, creating a 
holiday project like this can 
really become an heirloom 
piece.”
On the following Sunday, 
April 14, Rabbi Silberberg is 
featured at two programs for 
families with young children 
at The J, located on the Eugene 
and Marcia Applebaum Jewish 

Several programs for families with children 
of all ages are featured this year.

Get Ready for the 
Matzah Factory

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

OUR COMMUNITY

Inter-
generational 
Mitzvah 
Experience 
Barbara and Douglas 
Bloom Matzah Factory is 
visiting a Jewish Senior 
Life-operated residence 
on the Applebaum Jewish 
Community Campus. The 
program’s activities are 
intended to be of special 
interest to ages 5-10.
1-2:30 p.m. Sunday, 
April 7, at Hechtman 
Senior Independent 
Living Apartments, 
West Bloomfield. 
The activities will include:
• Matzah-making with 
Rabbi Shneur Silberberg 
•Sand art matzah tray 
project with Gail Kaplan
Admission: $18 per family; 
spaces are very limited.
Register: https://jlive.app/
events/7312.

