6 | SEPTEMBER 12 • 2024 J N 1942 - 2024 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week To make a donation to the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION go to the website www.thejewishnews.com The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) is published every Thursday at 32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, Farmington Hills, Michigan. Periodical postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send changes to: Detroit Jewish News, 32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334 MISSION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will be of service to the Jewish community. The Detroit Jewish News will inform and educate the Jewish and general community to preserve, protect and sustain the Jewish people of greater Detroit and beyond, and the State of Israel. VISION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will operate to appeal to the broadest segments of the greater Detroit Jewish community, reflecting the diverse views and interests of the Jewish community while advancing the morale and spirit of the community and advocating Jewish unity, identity and continuity. DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com Publisher The Detroit Jewish News Foundation | Board of Directors: Chair: Gary Torgow Vice President: David Kramer Secretary: Robin Axelrod Treasurer: Max Berlin Board members: Mark Davidoff, Michael J. Eizelman, Larry Jackier, Jeffrey Schlussel, Mark Zausmer Executive Director: Marni Raitt Alene and Graham Landau Archivist Chair: Mike Smith Founding President & Publisher Emeritus: Arthur Horwitz Founding Publisher Philip Slomovitz, of blessed memory The Detroit Jewish News Foundation Giving Society The Rebecca and Andrew Hayman Giving Fund Nancy and James Grosfeld The Honorable Bernard Friedman Editorial Director of Editorial: Jackie Headapohl jheadapohl@thejewishnews.com Contributing Editors: David Sachs, Keri Guten Cohen Senior Staff Reporter: Danny Schwartz dschwartz@thejewishnews.com Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@thejewishnews.com Digital Manager: Elizabeth King eking@thejewishnews.com Contributing Writers: Nate Bloom, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne Chessler, Shari S. Cohen, Louis Finkelman, Samantha Foon, Yevgeniya Gazman, Stacy Gittleman, Gary Graff, Esther Allweiss Ingber, Barbara Lewis, Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz, Karen Schwartz, Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein, Nathaniel Warshay, Julie Smith Yolles, Ashley Zlatopolsky Advertising Sales Director of Advertising: Keith Farber kfarber@thejewishnews.com Senior Account Executive: Kathy Harvey-Mitton kmitton@thejewishnews.com | Business Office Director of Operations: Amy Gill agill@thejewishnews.com Operations Manager: Ashlee Watkins Circulation: Danielle Smith Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner | Production By Farago & Associates Manager: Scott Drzewiecki Designers: Kaitlyn Iezzi, Kelly Kosek, Michelle Sheridan I was driving in Troy a couple of weeks ago and something caught my eye that made me freeze. I thought I just saw an Israeli flag. Was I dreaming? Here in the middle of Troy? I slammed on my brakes and turned my car around and headed to where I thought I saw the flag. Sure enough. There it was, an Israeli flag, waving proudly in the wind together with an American flag. I am always on the lookout for Jews that live in the area. I thought this house was for sure a Jewish one, so I parked my car and walked to the front door thinking that I would meet a new Jew in the area. I was wrong. I knocked and met a very friendly man. I asked him if he was Jewish and told me that he was not. “So why,” I asked, “do you have an Israeli flag hanging by your door?” Albert, my new friend, explained to me what the flag was all about. He is a Christian and belongs to a large church in the area. For many months now, every week they pray for Israel. Albert decided he wanted to do more than just pray. He wanted to show his support for Israel in a larger and more prominent way. So he decided to hang an Israeli flag outside his home to show his support for the Jewish people. I thanked him profusely for this very courageous act. I explained to him that Jews in the area only hear the negative. They hear about all the antisemitism in the country. What is going on across college campuses. The terrible anti-Jewish and anti-Israel rhetoric that is being spewed the world over. And here you are, just an ordinary American that has the courage to stand up to all the hate and proudly display your love for the Jewish people and the Jewish state. Albert’s courage really made my day and perhaps more than that! It is so heartening to know that there are decent people out there, who are just ordinary Americans, who see past all the fog and hate and support Israel and the Jewish people at our toughest hour. Rabbi Menachem Caytak is director of the Chabad Jewish Center of Troy. PURELY COMMENTARY essay We Have Allies Rabbi Menachem Caytak Rabbi Caytak and his new friend Albert in Troy.