32 | JUNE 13 • 2024 
J
N

W

hen Jewish community 
member Ron Wiand, 77, of 
Troy, stopped at JC Wakes 
Ebike Warehouse on May 18, he was 
surprised to see a Star of David printed 
and taped to the inside of the 
bicycle shop window.
Assuming the business 
owner was Jewish, Wiand 
walked in for a conversation.
Yet to his surprise, Gary, 
who owns JC Wakes Ebike 
Warehouse, wasn’t of the 
Jewish faith.
“I asked him if he were Jewish, and he 
said, ‘No, I just don’t like the unfair stuff 
that’s going on, and someone needs to 
support the Jews,’” Wiand recalls.

Stunned, Wiand couldn’t help but ask 
himself why a stranger, particularly of 
another faith, would take such strides 
to stand in solidarity with the Jewish 
community.
Inspired by the support, Wiand, who 
owns Madison Heights-based Inland 
Diamond Products, decided to put a Star 
of David in his own business window, 
a small move that he hopes will inspire 
others.
“I hope this will start a movement of 
support for the Jews in Detroit,” he says.
According to the American Jewish 
Committee, one in five U.S. Jews have 
reported that local businesses where they 
live have been targeted by antisemitism in 
the last five years.

Recently, antisemitism has risen sharply 
as a result of the ongoing Israel-Hamas 
war, which has left Jewish businesses 
vandalized across the United States.
Given today’s geopolitical climate, 
Wiand says that Gary’s act of putting a 
Star of David in his window wasn’t only a 
statement about fairness but was an act of 
great courage.
“It touched me,” Wiand says. “I felt like 
I needed to also dig down inside and do 
something that I felt was just.
“I hope that other people directly 
connected to the Jewish community, 
and those who are not, will take 
Gary’s statement and run with it like a 
movement,” he continues.
Gary, who declined to give his last name, 
believes it’s the least he can do for Jewish 
community members. What may seem like 
a small symbol holds great meaning.
“The Star of David on my business win-
dow represents my strong support for the 
Jewish community,” Gary says, “and my 
stance against antisemitism.”
Wiand isn’t the only passerby to applaud 
Gary’s act of solidarity.
“The community’s response has been 
overwhelmingly positive,” Gary says, 
“demonstrating the impact of this symbol 
of solidarity.”
He hopes it will inspire peace and 
harmony. “My aim is for others to recog-
nize the significance of unity in standing 
against discrimination and bias.” 

Non-Jewish Clawson business 
puts Star of David in its window.

Standing in 
Solidarity

Ron Wiand

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

BUSINESS
LEFT: Inspired by Gary, Ron placed a 
Jewish star on the window of his business 
in Madison Heights. He hopes more 
people will do the same. 
BELOW: Gary, owner of JC Wakes Ebike 
Warehouse in Clawson, which displays a 
Jewish star.

