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…$200 Dec. 2-8, 2021 / 28 Kislev- 4 Tevet 5782 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Home Free After six months in a Myanmar prison, journalist is with his family in Huntington Woods. Page 12 …

…With most of the world’s drinkable water lying deep underground and vulnerable to contamination, it’s vital to the world’s supply to find new ways to locate and protect these hidden reserves. Thanks to the Weizmann Institute’s groundwater dynamics model, we can now predict how contaminants will spread and detoxify any polluted groundwater before it disperses, helping prevent water scarcity and preserve supplies for the world’s burgeon...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Home Free After six months in a Myanmar prison, journalist is with his family in Huntington Woods. 17 Irreplaceable! Alan Lowen retires as Temple Beth El’s b’nai mitzvah coordinator after 17 years. 19 Mitzvah Day Now Mitzvah Weekend JCRC/AJC expands annual event. 20 From Detroit to Dubai Local leaders travel to the...…

…4 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 for openers So Close, But … W hen we converse, we sometimes struggle to find the right word or phrase. This may lead to a misspoken word/phrase because of similarities in sound or a confusion in our minds. We are so close, but … There is a vast difference between a wise man (someone whose knowledge we respect) and a wise guy (someone who “acts up”). If you are a golfer, you can attempt a chip shot, but...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 5 THE NAIVETY OF BEST INTENTIONS For those of us on that call, white Jewish professionals who in our own lives had begun a journey of anti-racist learning, there was a sense of eagerness and urgency about the opportu- nity to bring our broader com- munity and institutions into the conversation. And so, we ambi- tiously put a plan in place. With a focus on centering the voices of Jews of color, we would invite th...…

…6 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 1942 - 2021 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week To make a donation to the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION go to the website www.djnfoundation.org 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: De...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 7 DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com had Christmas. I don’t think I realized, at that time, how min- iscule the Jewish population was compared to Christianity in the bigger world. By the time I reached col- lege age, I was more aware of the unbelievable power of Christmas. My wife (then girl- friend) was placed in a dorm room with two gir...…

…8 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 R ecently, my husband, Arye, and I traveled to the holy city of Kiryat Arbah for the Shabbat of Parshat Chayei Sarah, the Torah parshah that describes the sale of the Cave of the Patriarchs — Maarat Hamachpela — to Avraham Avinu. We had the privilege of spending Shabbat with my cousins who have lived in Kiryat Arbah for more than 10 years. After reading all the rules and requirements and understandi...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 9 One of many tent cities set up by guests. BORDER PATROL OF MAARAT HAMACHPELA aroma. I wasn’t sure that was something I wanted to do, so I passed on the opportunity for the moment. We left the Maarah after we had both prayed for our family and for Am Yisrael (people of Israel) and started wandering around Hebron. We saw entire sections of the city filled with tents and tables, and we found the apartment of a ...…

…10 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY ‘Miracles Exist’ – A Letter to Danny Fenster on his Return Home Dear Danny, I’m beyond delighted that you are not seeing a tally of days you’ve been in prison (and I’m smiling as I write this) because we no longer have to count them. I think it’s safe to say we’re all smiling now. We are celebrating Chanukah (the Festival of Lights). I think it’s auspicious that you were freed in the Hebrew ...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 11 A P P L Y T O D A Y F O R T H E ADL MICHIGAN GLASS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE L E A R N A B O U T : Fighting antisemitism Hate crime laws Extremism & hate groups Anti-bias education Civil rights history Advocacy Learn more & apply: michigan.adl.org/gli APPLICATIONS DUE DEC. 17 Questions? michigan@adl.org or 248.207.9099 Supported through the generosity of The Jewish Fund and the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Family Foun...…

…12 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY After six months in a Myanmar prison, journalist is with his family in Huntington Woods. Home FREE STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER ABOVE: An emo- tional reunion: Danny Fenster with parents Rose and Buddy and brother Bryan. OPPOSITE PAGE: Danny Fenster in the airport after his plane trip home. …

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 13 D anny Fenster is free. Just days after the military junta of Myanmar sentenced him to 11 years of hard labor for visa breaches, unlawful association with an illegal group and spreading false news, the managing editor of the independent online publi- cation Frontier Myanmar and Huntington Woods native was back on American soil Nov. 16. He embraced his parents, Buddy and Rose Fenster, and brother Bryan Fenster ...…

…14 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY negotiation with the Myanmar military government, secured the release based on humanitarian reasons. They worked inde- pendently from the U.S. government and divulged few details of the conditions of Fenster’s release. On Monday, Nov. 15, the military junta did not clear Fenster of his charges but announced to him he was being deported. He was driven to an airport in Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s capital...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 15 over, referring to American missionaries who have been kidnapped and held for ransom in Haiti since late October (though at press time some have been released). Levin praised his Huntington Woods constituents as the “heart and soul” of keeping Fenster’s plight in the public eye for many months. Outside the press conference, statements of great relief from government officials at Fenster’s release were tempered ...…

…16 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY journalists are still being held in prison in Myanmar by the military government and are awaiting trials and call for their immedi- ate release, ” read the statement. “The JCRC/ AJC and the Jewish community stands firmly behind the right of free speech and … human beings to speak the truth. May the light and courageous stories from the upcoming holiday of Chanukah inspire all those who are awaitin...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 17 OUR COMMUNITY A fter 17 years as Temple Beth El’s b’nai mitzvah coordinator, Alan Lowen is retiring from the role at the end of 2021. Lowen has spent a total of 34 years at the temple. To honor Lowen, TBE is planning a special Shabbat service on Friday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. TBE is creating a memory book for Lowen that will be presented to him at the service. People contributed to the memory book in many ...…

…18 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 Jewishly engaged and com- mitted people he’s ever known. “He’s an inspiration, and a Jewish role model for me. His value to our community goes far beyond his title as b’nai mitzvah coordinator,” Miller said. One reason Lowen believes he’s been successful in the role is he realizes every stu- dent comes from a different background. “Not every kid comes from the same mold, and you have to take that into cons...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 19 J ewish Community Relations Council/ American Jewish Committee (JCRC/AJC) will mark its 25th Annual Mitzvah Day by hosting the event for the Christmas holiday weekend, from Friday, Dec. 24, to Sunday, Dec. 26. Traditionally, the daylong event is held in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. Called Mitzvah Weekend this year, volunteers of all ages and faiths, including Jewish, Mu...…

…20 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY The groundbreaking diplomacy between Israel and a number of its Arab neighbors, long sworn enemies, overturned traditional thinking in the region, leading to new chapters of economic activ- ity, security cooperation, cultural partnerships and expanding Jewish life. At the heart of these tectonic shifts are people fostering change and building bridges in ways never thought possible. And I got to se...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 21 JDC’S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UAE “JDC Entwine began our relationship with the Jewish community of the UAE in 2019 through Detroit native Jessica Katz, the 2019 Entwine Ralph I. Goldman (RIG) Fellow, who was deployed to serve in Dubai. Since then, our work in the UAE has blossomed into a full-time Jewish Service Corps placement and now Entwine’s first week-long Insider Trip,” said Jenette Axelrod, JDC Entwine seni...…

…22 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY Federation, JDC board mem- bers, local foundations and dozens of generous individ- ual donors) share a rich and proud history of partnership and generosity, including JDC’s past president, Penny Blumenstein. The relationship goes back over half a century and has yielded wide-ranging impact in helping people in need globally, including pio- neering national early child- hood initiatives in Israel...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 23 OUR COMMUNITY N ow in its 41st year, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center’s Holiday Shop is an annual tradition where Metro Detroiters can buy unique gifts from more than 200 top local artists. Opening Dec. 2 and run- ning through Dec. 21, the 3,000-square-foot retail area will include an expanded home goods section in 2021, plus additional baby and children’s gift items. This year, BBAC’s Holiday shop, which ...…

…24 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 to make large paintings, ” she says of the cards, which were originally 24- by 36-inch pieces of art. Then, having the paintings professionally photographed, Zausmer was able to create smaller versions in printed cards that are emblazoned with menorahs, Jewish sayings and more. The Temple Israel member has been inspired by the classes she’s taken at the synagogue, where she’s learned about Jewish studies, ...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 25 E ver since the pandemic began and lives have been uprooted in almost every area, many people’s anxiety has reached unprecedented levels, includ- ing children. Children now have one more resource to help them combat anxiety, with Julie Binder Reynolds’ new picture book, The Warrior Backpack. The book is about a boy named Alex who feels nervous about going to school. His mother helps identify his anxiety and p...…

…26 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 JEWS IN THE DIGITAL AGE S everal years ago, I was contacted by a repre- sentative at ancestry. com who offered me the opportunity to submit my DNA using a saliva collec- tion kit. I figured I would be able to get the results and then complete my family tree going back many genera- tions. I set up an ancestry. com account and started to add relatives to my family tree. When I received the DNA test result...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 27 com, I would never have discovered the fascinating hobby of genetic genealogy. Now, every time I receive an email from ancestry.com with another DNA match or a clue about where one of my distant ancestors might have come from, I’m intrigued and drop whatev- er I’m doing to log into the website. Back in 2019, it was esti- mated that more than 26 million people had added their DNA to the four lead- ing commerc...…

…28 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 SPORTS S torm Kirschenbaum figured it out very quickly. “ As I was going into the tie-breaker of my match, I saw the looks on the faces of the guys on our team who had come over to watch,” he said. “I could tell they weren’t there to just enjoy watching the tie-breaker.” Indeed they weren’t. A United States Tennis Association national champi- onship hung on the result of the tie-breaker. Kirschenbaum came ...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 29 return into the net. That came after Kirchenbaum had some luck tying the tie-breaker 8-8. A shot that hit the frame of his racquet had so much spin on it that it kicked away from his opponent. Franklin went 5-1 in the 16-team, three-day national tournament, going 3-1 in round-robin play and win- ning semifinal and champi- onship matches. Three of Franklin’s six matches ended in a 2-2 tie and went to a tie-bre...…

…30 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 CAMP GUIDE F ounded in 2008, the Aggressive Deer Adventure Club is a group of proud Tamarack Alumni from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, who lead normal lives as doctors, lawyers and business owners. Every few years, using the camping skills they learned at Tamarack, they take backcountry hiking trips to beautiful destinations in North America: Yosemite (Half Dome), Kings Canyon (Rae Lakes), Mt. Assiniboine ...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 31 …

…32 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 CAMP GUIDE W e are thrilled to announce that, with the help of our gen- erous community, we have suc- cessfully completed the William Davidson Foundation scholarship endowment match! In rais- ing more than $800,000 in scholarship endowment, the William Davidson Foundation has matched that amount dol- lar-for-dollar. This effort was accomplished with gifts of all sizes, through newly created endowment ...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 33 interlochen.org Programs for Every Young Artist CREATIVE WRITING DANCE FILM & NEW MEDIA INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTS MUSIC THEATRE VISUAL ARTS Deep in the woods of northern Michigan, arts collide and unbreakable bonds form. An experience at Interlochen won’t just make you a better artist—it will transform the course of your future. Through our innovative programs, students build creative confidence and develop...…

…34 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 continued on page 36 CAMP RAMAH IN CANADA 100 Elder St. Toronto, ON M3H5G7 Canada (416) 789-2193 campramah.com Located in the beautiful Muskoka region of southern Ontario, Camp Ramah in Canada features outstand- ing programs on the water- front, in sports and outdoor adventure, and in the arts — all within the context of a vibrant, fun and caring Jewish community. We offer a number of different ses- sions an...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 35 Sunshine and laughter. Music and art. Sports and water play. Exploration and discovery. Some things are simply better together. CAMP FUNTABULOUS Like sunshine and laughter, come experience why Summer Camp and Hillel are better together. For campers 2-5 years old. For more information, contact Robin Pappas, Director of Early Education, at 248-539-1489 or rpappas@hillelday.org. SUMMER 2022: JOIN US! Try o...…

…36 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT 6600 W. Maple Road West Bloomfield, MI 48322 (248) 432-5578 Camp.jccdet.org JCC Day Camps offers tra- ditional and specialty pro- gramming for grades K-9. Transportation is offered from multiple locations to our 250 beautiful, wooded acres in West Bloomfield. Instructional and rec- reational swim offered. Programming for special needs available. ACA- accredited...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 37 The BEST SUMMER EVER!!! • WWW.WILLOWAYDAYCAMP.COM • 248-932-2123 We were there for your family in 2021, Can’t wait to see you in 2022 -- B ec a u s e K i d s N e e d C a m p! ENROLLMENT SAVINGS through DECEMBER 31, 2021 248.289.0660 www.tusharvakhariya.com 6755 Telegraph Road | Bloomfield Hills MI 48301 210 S Old Woodward | Ste. 200 | Birmingham MI 48009 2966 ADDISON CIRCLE S | OAKLAN...…

…38 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 C ontinuing an annual tradition each fall to recognize “Detroit Expats” who have roots in Jewish Detroit, the Jewish Expat Reception was held Sept. 24 to honor the legacy of Dr. Larry Brilliant and Gene Sperling. Gene Sperling, who grew up in Ann Arbor, is a senior aide to President Joe Biden and, on behalf of the president, leads the COVID Rescue Plan for the country. He was National Economic Council di...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 39 O n Nov. 10, residents of Prentis Apartments and their guests held a reception with artist Paul Adams, whose paintings of Downtown Detroit, Royal Oak and the Dream Cruise are incredibly detailed. Harvey Singer, a resident at the Anna and Meyer Prentis Apartments, purchased more than a dozen of these paintings in the form of limited edition prints, which Adams framed and JSL hung at the Anna & Meyer P...…

…40 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 E PIC, NEXTGen Detroit’s premier annual fundraiser ben- efiting the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, took place Nov. 6 at the M-1 Concourse Event Center. This year’s COVID-conscious, indoor/outdoor iteration, “ An EPIC Night at the Carnival, ” welcomed 420 young Jewish Detroiters who collectively raised more than $285,000 for the Federation’s 2022 Annual Campaign. “ After nine EPICs that all f...…

…MAZEL TOV! DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 41 Noam David Kantor will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, at Congregation B’nai Moshe in West Bloomfield. He is the beloved son of Shana and Rabbi Shalom Kantor and an amazing brother to Rena and Ari. Noam will be joined in his celebration by his grandparents and their spouses Beth and Michael Alderman, Margie and Joel Teig, and Laura and Bob Kantor, in addition to ext...…

…Synagogue Directory CONSERVATIVE Adat Shalom Synagogue Farmington Hills (248) 851-5100 adatshalom.org Ahavas Israel Grand Rapids (616) 949-2840 ahavasisraelgr.org Congregation Beth Ahm West Bloomfield (248) 851-6880 cbahm.org Congregation Beth Israel Flint (810) 732-6310 cbiflint.org Congregation Beth Shalom Oak Park (248) 547-7970 congbethshalom.org Beth Tephilath Moses Mt. Clemens (586) 996-3138 bethtephilathmoses.com...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 43 Shomrey Emunah Southfield (248) 559-1533 congregation-shomrey- emunah-105705.square.site The Shul-Chabad Lubavitch West Bloomfield (248) 788-4000 theshul.net Woodward Avenue Shul Royal Oak (248) 414-7485 thewas.net Yagdil Torah Southfield (248) 559-5905 Young Israel of Oak Park (248) 967-3655 yiop.org Young Israel of Southfield (248) 358-0154 yisouthfield.org RECONSTRUCTIONIST Congregation Kehillat I...…

…I n one of the greatest transformations in all literature, Joseph moves in a single bound from prisoner to Prime Minister. What was it about Joseph — a complete outsider to Egyptian culture, a “Hebrew, ” a man who had been languishing in jail on a false charge of attempted rape — that marked him out as a leader of the greatest empire of the ancient world? Joseph had three gifts that many have in isolation but few in combination. Th...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 45 “IN DREAMS WE DISCOVER OUR PASSION, AND FOLLOWING OUR PASSION IS THE BEST WAY TO LIVE A REWARDING LIFE.” what would have happened had they met? Herzl would have said: ‘I have a dream of a Jewish state. ’ Freud would have replied: ‘Tell me, Herr Herzl, how long have you been having this dream? Lie down on my couch, and I will psy- choanalyze you. ’ Herzl would have been cured of his dreams and today there wo...…

…46 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 ARTS&LIFE THEATER W hen Rachel Sussman comes home to visit her family in December, the first stop on her agenda is the Fisher Theatre. She’ll attend performances of What the Constitution Means to Me, which runs from Dec. 14, 2021-Jan. 2, 2022. Sussman is a co-producer of the Tony Award-nominated play and Pulitzer Prize finalist. “I’m really excited that the show that I love so much is coming to my homet...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 47 Putnam County Spelling Bee, Next to Normal, If/Then and War Paint, to name a few. FROM ACTOR TO PRODUCER Glick grew up in Lafayette, Indiana, where his family still lives. During the pandemic, Glick and his husband, Nick Coburn, and Glick’s family purchased and saved The Pink Walrus Frozen Yogurt shop, which they operate in Lafayette. While running businesses and addressing the logistics, artistic aspects, ...…

…48 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 ARTS&LIFE MUSIC M ichael HarPaz, raised in Huntington Woods and relocat- ed to Israel while attaining pop music star limelight, has long expressed a public voice against antisemitism. As a student at the University of Michigan, focused on Jewish studies, he wrote a 1993 editorial for the “Campus Life” section of the Detroit Jewish News, repeating his criticism of a Holocaust denier’s letter allowed public...…

…DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 49 Means to Me is that no matter when you see it, the show is always going to be timely,” says Glick. “The way that [playwright] Heidi Schreck treats the text of the Constitution and the world of law is exactly the way we’re taught as Jews to examine the biblical text in the Talmud and have it connect to our personal lives.” As they navigate successful careers as producers, Sussman and Glick continue to be g...…

…50 | DECEMBER 2 • 2021 BERKLEY AND BLAIR UPDATE; GREAT PLAY: MANY JEWS; REMEMBERING ADRIENNE SHELLY Over the years, I have writ- ten about Selma Blair and Elizabeth Berkley, two well- known actresses who grew up in the Detroit area. In the last few weeks, I happened to come across a number of items related to the pair. Berkley, 47, grew up in Farmington Hills. She became famous playing Jessie Spano, a lead char- acter on the hit...…