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.

