Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at thejewishnews.com

54 | JULY 18 • 2024
J
N

Let’s Eat!
L

ooking for some good eats? Breaking news! Next
week’s JN will have our annual dining guide. Mmm-
mmm — who doesn’t like dining out?
Indeed, providing our readers with suggestions for a
tasty dining experience is a longtime tradition for the
JN. A visit to the William Davidson Digital Archive of
Jewish Detroit History proves this point. Although there
are plenty of advertisements for Jewish-
owned and/or Jewish favorite Detroit-area
restaurants in the Detroit Jewish Chronicle
before the JN began publishing, the concept
of “dining guides” first appeared in the JN
in the 1950s-1960s. For a good example, see
the “Jewish News Food ’N Fun Guide” from
the Jan. 19, 1968, issue that accompanies this Looking
Back.
Prior to the advent of the internet, the JN was the go-to
media for eatery advice in Jewish Detroit. In particular, dining guides
were a weekly feature in the 1990s and early 2000s. More than 1,000
pages in the Archive from this era feature a JN dining guide. And
these suggestions are on top of a whole bunch of ads for individual
restaurants. If one attempted to visit one of the dining places found in
the JN every week, it would take a long time to exhaust the list.
Back to the Jan 19, 1968, “Food ’N Fun” Guide. This page also fea-
tures another JN dining institution, a personal restaurant pathfinder:
Danny Raskin. It’s been three years since Danny passed away at the
age of 102. We at the JN miss him — I’m sure many readers do as well.
In 1964, Danny switched the title and focus of his columns. His first “Youth Listening Post” col-
umn (later just the “Listening Post” as the young Danny Raskin grew older with the newspaper)
was in the JN’s first issue on March 26, 1942. He continued writing weekly columns for the next 79
years. In the 1960s, however, Danny began writing his signature “Best of Everything” column, with
an emphasis on people and reports on where to dine in Metro Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.
BTW — Danny was a big promoter of the JN dining guide, selling lots of ads for it.
Restaurant owners loved Danny and looked forward to seeing him write about their establish-
ments. A few have related that they did worry when Danny stopped by, fearing a poor review, but
they shouldn’t have been concerned. Danny had a philosophy: “I’ll never bumrap a restaurant
because I know how much it costs just to put that damn key in the door!”
When Danny passed away in July 2021, it was reported around the U.S. Even the Times of Israel published his obitu-
ary. The Aug. 5, 2021, issue of the JN was devoted to Danny, in which the many condolences from local restaurants were
printed.
So, the JN is still assisting with your dining pleasure. Next week, you’ll see our annual dining guide, and JN writers
continue to contribute restaurant reviews. Esther Allweiss Ingber writes “Dining Around the D;” other JN writers cover
eateries from bakeries to food trucks.
Or just ask a JN staff member where to eat. As I was writing this column today, several of us were eating Mexican food
for lunch while discussing the best local Middle Eastern restaurants.
Well, we like our food here. Just ask us. Better yet — just read the JN.

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN archives, available for free at thejewishnews.com.

Mike Smith
Alene and
Graham Landau
Archivist Chair

’s first issue on March 26, 1942. He continued writing weekly columns for the next 79

years. In the 1960s, however, Danny began writing his signature “Best of Everything” column, with

published his obitu-