JULY 25 • 2024 | 7

DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
248-354-6060
thejewishnews.com

It felt right to be at the 
rally. Standing in front of the 
Holocaust Center, I almost 
felt like we were protecting it, 
helping to preserve our histo-
ry. As I write this, I can’t help 
but feel like it was a full circle 
moment. When the Holocaust 
ended, those who survived did 
not feel welcomed to go back 
to their homes in Europe; they 
required a new home. 
That home was and is Israel. 
Now here we were, advocating 
for that same safe place to call 
home after another horrific 
attack on our people, outside 
the Holocaust Center. It was 
a reminder that all Jews need 
to come together and sup-
port their homeland that will 
always be there to welcome 
them. 
There were almost triple 
the number of pro-Israel sup-
porters than there were for 
pro-Palestine, and we made 
sure to use our collective 
voice. We sang “Hatikvah” 
and danced to Israeli music. 
A local Chabad rabbi came 
and wrapped tefillin and said 
prayers with those who asked. 
We even had Israeli Jews; I 

was thrilled to see one of my 
former Hebrew teachers. 
We truly showed the 
pro-Palestine supporters, the 
people in cars driving by, the 
police officers — everyone 
— that we are proud to be 
Jewish, proud to be Zionists.
We arrived at the rally long 
before the pro-Palestinians 
did and left long after. 
 While there will be no true 
victory until our hostages are 
free and come home, I do 
consider this rally a success. 
We showed that we will not 
be intimidated, that we will 
shout “
Am Yisrael Chai” and 
“Bring Them Home Now” 
until we lose our voices. 
I will not stop being a 
proud Jew looking to Israel 
as not only my homeland, 
but also as the place that is 
the heart of my people. 

Shayla Mostyn is a rising junior 

in the Honors College at Eastern 

Michigan University, majoring in 

sociology with a minor in journalism. 

She is president of Hillel at EMU, a 

writer for the Eastern Echo, social 

media manager for the Center for 

Jewish Studies at EMU and is a 

#EAmbassador for EMU.

Shayla Mostyn and her 
mother at the Pro-Israel 
demonstration July 14

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www.hfldetroit.org • 248.723.8184

Hebrew Free Loan Detroit

6735 TELEGRAPH ROAD, SUITE 300 • BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MICHIGAN 48301

HebrewFreeLoanDetroit

Community donations help Hebrew Free Loan give 
interest-free loans to local Jews for a variety of personal, 
health, educational and small business needs.

Our

STORY
Our

“This is really a dream. 
We genuinely see community in this house.” 

Chella Bluth and Jeremy Rosenberg are no strangers to 
life in the city limits. While living in their previous house 
in Detroit’s Woodbridge neighborhood, the couple 
championed city living to other young adults. Now, freshly 
ensconced in the Northwest Goldberg neighborhood, 
they live in a renovated home they found while seeking 
connection, returning a Jewish presence to an area 
named after Detroit’s first Jewish School Board member. 
“We hope more Jews will follow us here, but moving 
here is not about displacing the people who are already 
invested. We want to grow the neighborhood together, 
alongside each other,” Jeremy said. “That’s the history 
of this area, and it should be the future too.” 
“There’s neighbor engagement here, lots of activity, 
and a welcoming feel,” said Chella. “This is a place 
where we can plant roots, be active with our neighbors, 
and we can open our doors to all.” 
The couple bought an existing home that was 
being renovated, touring it when it was basically just 
studs, and trusting local community development group 
NW Goldberg Cares with its completion. Hebrew Free 
Loan and the Move-in Detroit loan program, Powered by 
Peggy Daitch and Peter Remington, were an important 
part of the process, Jeremy said. “The supportive and 
caring people at HFL made things easy, and the loan 
helped us cross the construction finish line.” 
“Think of it this way: this kitchen we’ll cook in and 
use to host Shabbat dinners and welcome friends and 
neighbors, that’s HFL,” Chella said. “It’s our greater 
community helping us establish our own community.” 

