44 | MAY 2 • 2024
J
N
T
he idea of “paying it
forward” is a simple
one. When you’re on
the receiving end of an act of
kindness or help from someone,
instead of trying to pay it back,
you pay it forward by doing
something nice for someone else
when you can.
Dorrie Prussian of
Birmingham, one of the many
impressive young professionals
the Detroit Jewish community
has to offer, is doing just that.
Prussian, originally from
Louisville, moved to Detroit in
June 2022 after a long-distance
relationship with her fiancé,
Derek Wolfe, who’s originally
from and currently resides in
the Detroit area. Prussian has
additional Detroit-area roots —
her father is from the area, and
Prussian often visited Detroit
throughout her childhood.
Upon moving to the area,
Prussian wanted to meet new
people and find a way to get
involved in the community.
She was able to meet people
through her fiancé and other
family in the area but wanted
to expand those efforts and
meet new couples and friends
together.
Prussian quickly started
attending NEXTGen Detroit
events, and the ball started
rolling.
“We’re really lucky Detroit has
a vibrant young adult communi-
ty that wants to be involved and
participates in events, and there
are events to go to all the time,
”
she said.
In March and April 2023,
Prussian attended NEXTGen
Detroit’s Entree series, a
four-session series providing
attendees the opportunity to
network with other young
adults and community leaders
as well as learn about local
resources and programs and
ways to get involved and give
back.
Prussian’s interest increased
tenfold through those experienc-
es — leading to her joining the
NEXTGen Detroit board.
Prussian serves on
NEXTGen’s New to Town
Committee, which hosts events
for people who are new to this
area or have recently moved
back to town, in turn helping
those people form new connec-
tions and feel at home.
New to Town social events
take place throughout the year,
allowing those connections for
new and returning Detroiters to
be made. In August 2023, there
was a “L
’Chaim Detroit: Newish
and Jewish Edition” happy hour/
bar night at DraftKings Sports
Bar in Troy. Last month, there
was a “Newish and Jewish Trivia
Night” at Urbanrest Brewing
Company in Ferndale. Prussian
served as a co-chair for both
events.
Prussian, a social worker at
a Detroit-area public school,
has had an interest in being a
part of the Jewish community
for her entire adult life. She was
involved in the Jewish commu-
nity in Louisville as part of its
young adults’ division. That itch
followed her to Detroit.
“It’s been great. This is a really
tight-knit community, and we’re
always wanting to find ways to
bring new people together,
” she
said.
Being new to the community
two years ago and now help-
ing others find their footing,
Prussian has seen and learned
a lot. She finds that unless
someone is really seeking out
the Jewish community when
they move to a new place, they
can sometimes go unnoticed.
Improvements in Jewish young
adult outreach can always be
made, and Prussian would love
to help anyone who’s interested
in what the Detroit Jewish com-
munity has to offer.
“I think there’s a lot of young
Jewish adults here that we don’t
know about. Finding some kind
of way to get notified when they
do move so that we can reach
out to them, somehow get them
involved or meet them for coffee
or something would be helpful,
”
she said.
Being involved in the com-
munity and helping new and
returning Jewish Detroiters feel
at home means a lot to Prussian,
especially because, zooming out,
it’s truly a small community.
“
As the young Jewish com-
munity, we need to grow and
continue to be involved in our
community,
” she said.
“Sticking together, having
each other’s backs and bonding,
I think, is really important.
”
New to Town
NEXTGen connects newcomers
to Detroit’s Jewish community.
DANNY SCHWARTZ SENIOR STAFF REPORTER
Dorrie
Prussian
Dorrie Prussian and her
fiancé, Derek Wolfe
NEXT DOR
VOICES OF A NEW GENERATION