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…JEWISH NEWS JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS $200 Aug. 18-24, 2022 / 21-27 Av 5782 thejewishnews.com Food. Fun. Faith. Hazon’s Jewish Food Festival is back live and in-person at Detroit’s Outdoor Adventure Center. See page 12 …

…THEAGENCYRE.COM $62 MILLION PENDING/SOLD YEAR TO DATE The Agency Hall & Hunter 442 S. Old Woodward Avenue Birmingham, MI 48009 AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED FRANCHISEE. WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP | 2140 BLOOMFIELD WOODS CT | $899,000 Private wooded lot with beautiful views of Upper Long Lake, this contemporary home boasts more than 4000 square feet of well-designed living space. Open concept living with soaring ceilings, wide plan...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Food. Fun. Faith. Hazon’s Jewish Food Festival is back live and in-person at Detroit’s Outdoor Adventure Center. 16 Labor Day BBQ Kits Higher Hopes! Partners with Famous Dave’s BBQ to raise money to help kids. 18 From Crips and Bloods to Orthodox Judaism A former gang member shares his tale of redemption at...…

…4 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 insight A Jewish Doctor’s Letter from the Shoah: ‘We cannot fight anymore — all is lost.’ T his month marks a sad date in the history of our family. Eighty years ago this month, a letter was written to us in the midst of the horrors of the Nazi onslaught of World War II. Originating in the small community of Przemyslany, Poland (about 30 miles south- east of Lvov in what is today Ukraine), my great-grand-...…

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…6 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 1942 - 2022 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: Det...…

…DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, we’re here for you with access to care for both your physical and mental health wherever and whenever you need it. Including online visits from the privacy of your own home. Because we know that good health is whole health. For J.D. Power 2022 award information, visit jdpower.com/award...…

…8 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 essay Camp Brigadoon I n these days of COVID and climate change, the concept of a life-altering moment takes on an ominous tone. But back in simpler times, in the early ’80s, when we were growing our young family on Wayland in Southfield, we had a life-altering moment without realizing its sig- nificance. Our neigh- bors, Sue and Sandy, drove up on a summer afternoon in whatever pre-dated the SUV or mini...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 9 SEEING THROUGH ANOTHER’S EYES from page 6 their own.) And we all get to define our own version of fun, including many conversations, glasses of wine on a porch, Boggle and Cribbage games on the beach. And on the last night of camp, there was an always funny, sometimes poignant variety show to laugh and sing and kvell about each year’s week at Michigania and how it was “the best ever” (because of or in spite...…

…10 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 August Yetzt August is here Un s’iz zayer hays, my dear. Men darf shtayn cool Oder gayn tzu di pool, Dos iz zummer, so give it a cheer. Yetzt: Now Un s’iz zayer hays: and it’s very hot Men darf sntayn: you have to stay Oder gayn tzu di: or go to the Dos iz zummer: This is summer By Rachel Kapen ghetto, all the people from the countryside, from the cities, were squeezed into a crowded small section of the city....…

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…12 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY A fter a two-year hiatus, the Hazon Michigan Jewish Food Festival is back live and in-person 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug 21. Weaving the themes of Jewish living, sustainability, community and above all — nourishment — event organizers expect hundreds of attendees to attend from all backgrounds in a gathering that for the first time will take place at the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center, 1801 At...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 13 There will also be live music from Joe Reilly and Henry Barnes and the Half Sauers String Band The festival is made possible by the generosity of the William Davidson Foundation, the D. Dan & Betty Kahn Foundation, the Ben N. Teitel Trust, Hebrew Free Loan, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and dozens of Jewish and communal organizations. A UNIQUE LOCATION TO LEARN Weitzner said the Outdoor Adventur...…

…14 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 when one decides on what bottle they will pick out next time they bring one to serve and drink at the next seder or meal with a Jewish ritual.” Rabbi Louis Finkelman of Or Chadash of Oak Park will lead a discussion and demonstration on how wheat is grown and processed. He will also speak to the many times in Jewish tradition where wheat and bread — leavened and unleavened — is mentioned in Jewish traditi...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 15 al programs the academy offers to students as young as middle school. The DFA trains students in culinary arts where they can eventually find employment and try their skills in one of the small batch companies in partner- ship with the academy. Some of its most well- known products are its Slow Jams, Mitten Bites Energy Bars and Popsicles, all available for pur- chase at the festival. Author Anita Pazner of W...…

…16 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 H igher Hopes! is once again partnering with Famous Dave’s BBQ and Applebaum Family Philanthropy for a Labor Day BBQ on Friday, Sept. 2. This event will provide 1,000 Detroit families with everything needed for a delicious Labor Day week- end BBQ, including meat, spices, sauces, sides and watermelon. In addition, each family will be provided with an “essentials kit” containing hygiene and personal product...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 17 NOAH BISHOP COHEN The Next Generation of “SOLD” ns.cohen26@gmail.com MELANIE BISHOP “SOLD” is my middle name melaniesold@aol.com 4130 Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 MelanieSold.com 248.867.7800 OVER $94 MILLION SOLD IN 2021! SERVING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS! • Over $94 million SOLD in 2021! • We live & work in your area. • 2 top agents for the price of one! • Call now for a free market a...…

…OUR COMMUNITY 18 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 Y ehudah Pryce grew up in a tough world. Born Omar Pryce, he became involved with Los Angeles gangs at a young age. As the son of a mother from Sri Lanka who divorced his father from Jamaica and remarried a white man, Pryce struggled with his identity. “He wasn’t accepted by the white community,” says Rabbi Elya Silfen of Bais Chabad Torah Center of West Bloomfield. “He wasn’t accepted by...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 19 TOP: Omar Pryce before he transformed his life. ABOVE: Yehudah Pryce converted to Orthodox Judaism after prison. ON SALE NOW DECEMBER 20 - JANUARY 8 FISHER THEATRE • BROADWAYINDETROIT.COM • TICKETMASTER.COM GROUPS (15+) BROADWAYINDETROITGROUPS@THEAMBASSADORS.COM (SUBJECT: LES MIS) OC FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 8PM …

…20 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY events as part of the Center’s Young Jewish Professionals program on Friday and Saturday services. “It teaches us the value of t’shuvah, the idea of repentance and turning things around.” Silberberg says Pryce’s story is a deeply personal one that will resonate with young adults and the general public, who are welcome to the Saturday Shabbat services. INSPIRATION FOR ALL Through Instagra...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 21 AnthologyMichigan.com 42400 W. 12 Mile Rd. / Novi, MI Independent Living / Assisted Living / Memory Care ANTHOLOGY OF NOVI RSVP REQUIRED: 248-617-0761 ANTHOLOGY OF NOVI NATIONAL DOG DAY Raise the Woof! Friday, August 26 2 – 4 pm Bring your furry friend to celebrate National Dog Day at Anthology of Novi: This will be a socially distanced event. Masks required. ƒ On-site pet adoptions ƒ Live music ƒ Doggie march...…

…OUR COMMUNITY I n 1971, a group of friends formed a weekly minyan, taking turns meeting at each other’s houses. Eventually, that minyan took up residence at Leonard Elementary School and then at Stevenson Elementary School and became Young Israel of Southfield. After six years, a house standing on the current shul property became the next davening site. Rabbi Samuel Prero and President Abe Selesny were the congrega- tion’s first le...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 23 “They wanted to create an Orthodox synagogue here in this neighborhood, and they worked really hard,” Rabbi Morris said. “When you go through our building, it’s sort of like a patchwork quilt. It’s not a building that was created all at once. Over the years, dif- ferent parts have been added. It reflects the beauty of the contributions of the members. Everyone has done their part to create the community we h...…

…OUR COMMUNITY D etroit Jews for Justice (DJJ) nomi- nated Ronit Wagman of Huntington Woods as Volunteer of the Week for her canvassing efforts for Reproductive Freedom for All, the campaign to amend the Michigan constitution. “She canvassed tirelessly all the way up until the last day of signature collection and single- handedly got more signatures than any other leader in our organization, ” said Elijah Silver, organizer for Campai...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 25 J ewish Family Service’s We Need to Talk program, a community-wide youth mental health initiative, and the Jamie Daniels Foundation will present a candid look at drug addiction in the Jewish community, Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. at the Berman Center for the Performing Arts inside the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. Like society at large, Jewish families are grappling with how to understand, fa...…

…26 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 O rganizations like the Jewish Relief Network Ukraine (JRNU) are working to pro- vide support to more than 30,000 people throughout Ukraine, despite the worsen- ing conditions. The New York-based non- profit organization is working closely with more than 150 Chabad rabbis across Ukraine to provide humanitarian aid in the regions under active attacks. “The Chabad rabbi at the helm of the organization, Shlo...…

…JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT For those without computer access, please mail the following to 32255 NORTHWESTERN HWY, SUITE 205 FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334: • Who is Turning 80? [first/last] • What Day is their Birthday? • Personalized Message and Signature • A picture of the birthday person (if you would like the picture returned, please include a stamped return envelope.) • A check Continue to celebrate our octogenarian mile stone for y...…

…OUR COMMUNITY 28 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 A legendary Detroit radio voice will be honored with a dinner and tail- gate party Aug. 27 at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield. Detroiters know Specs Howard for his longtime media institu- tion, the Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts, which operated from 1970 to 2021, when it became part of Lawrence Tech. Jerry Liebman was born April 8, 1926, in rural Kittanning, Pa. He gr...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 29 faces&places Y oung Israel of Southfield (YIS) hosted a success- ful Grill the Rabbi event on Wednesday, July 13, where congregants had the opportu- nity to ask YIS Rabbi Yechiel Morris questions in an open forum. Sara Mor, who’s a mem- ber of the congregation and part of the YIS Education Committee, helped put the event together. “We try to do events really geared toward the adults in the community, eithe...…

…30 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 O n Saturday, July 9, The Well and Temple Israel teamed up to host Shabbat at the Zoo for families with young chil- dren. At the Pierson Lake Picnic Site near the polar bear exhibit at the Detroit Zoo, more than 40 families came together to enjoy a special Shabbat morning. A variety of craft projects and activities were available, and Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh of The Well and Rabbi Arianna Gordon of Temple Israel le...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 31 BACK TO SCHOOL G oing through a mental health crisis as a teenager can be scary. “Data shows that, typically, teens will go to another teen first, ” says Julia Cohen, who works as a youth mental health coordinator at Jewish Family Service (JFS). “ Adults aren’t going to be that first person to respond. ” That’s why providing teens ages 15-18 with the proper tools, training and support to identify, understand a...…

…32 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 A mong Elissa Berg’s earliest connections to Jewish learn- ing was feeling the pride bestowed upon her by her grandparents as she recited erev Shabbat Kiddush on a weekend away with the extended family in one of the fabled kosher hotels on the Jersey shore. It was unheard of for girls to recite the Kiddush. Berg remembers her grandfather’s approval of the accomplishment. “Early in my life, I realized t...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 33 school hours. “Children have to come away from their religious learning with some kind of a knowledge base, and that is very difficult to accomplish with the model of supplemen- tary education that exists now because of the busy schedule of families that have reduced the days and hours of religious instruction,” said Berg. “But families still need after- school care. So, in communi- ties that have high concent...…

…34 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 BACK TO SCHOOL I srael might be the size of New Jersey, but it claims a disproportionate amount of media attention. As teens scroll through Instagram, it’s hard to ignore some of the anti- Israel sentiments. Is Israel an apartheid state? Is it oppressing innocent Palestinians? Does it overreact to terrorist attacks with baseless violence? With all the noise out there, teens need facts to fight the misinform...…

…36 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 I recently went to Israel on a trip organized by MSU Hillel called Fact Finders where students of different backgrounds and identities traveled to Israel and the West Bank. The purpose was to increase our knowledge of the country, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and different perspectives among residents there. I went with an open mind to learn. I felt nervous and at times uncomfortable, but I embraced each...…

…Preschool Program An exciting and enriching early childhood program full of daily hands-on experiences. Our play-based curriculum will develop your child’s creative, cognitive, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development. (Limited space available) For children 20 months - 5 years old. Monday - Friday • 9 AM - 12:30 PM 3 & 5 day options / full & half day Family Fun Programs *Must be accompanied by a parent, grandparent or...…

…38 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 not feel from a textbook and was a feeling I had never experienced in the United States. Walking through the shuk, or market, in the Old City and talking with and bartering with the different vendors was very cool. I had never seen so many fences and walls dividing people as when we visited Israel’s border with Gaza. While I did not feel unsafe, it did feel like my heart stopped beating there. I could not believ...…

…W A R R I O R S T R O N G WHERE LIVING IN THE MOMENT MEETS PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE. MEETS PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE. At Wayne State University, our campus is alive 24/7. With thousands of students living here and over 500 student organizations making their mark, there is always something happening. Experience the incredible food, art, culture and more all around Detroit, and find out why everyone who visits our campus knows one thi...…

…I n May, we had the great pleasure of going to Israel and the Palestinian Territories with a group of students from Wayne State University on Hillel of Metro Detroit’s Fact Finders Trip. It was nothing short of amazing. Going in, one of us was nervous, and the other did not have many expectations. Why was one of us nervous? Growing up Jewish, and having learned one perspective of the conflict, I never knew there could be another...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 41 O n Friday, Aug. 5, students from Hillel of Metro Detroit headed to Comerica Park to watch the Detroit Tigers take on the Tampa Bay Rays for “Shabbat with the Tigers.” They had fun at the game, even though the Tigers lost 5-3. They stayed to enjoy fireworks after the game. Go Tigers! Photos courtesy of Hillel of Metro Detroit Sarah Schiffer, Em Schiffer, Brendan Findley, George Timlin and Jacob Rosberg Sarah ...…

…I n my four years on the program staff of Hillel of Metro Detroit (HMD), I have seen and heard about an increase of antisemitic incidents on our six campuses. This is consistent with university communities across the country. Although antisemitism is a hard topic to approach, Hillel of Metro Detroit is fortunate to work with faculty and administration who are understanding, compassionate and listen to the needs of our cam...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 43 JCRC/AJC, we contacted Dr. Mert Aksu, dean of students at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, and scheduled a meeting with the dental school administration. We are pleased to report that the meeting with Dr. Aksu and Dr. Juliette Daniels, associate dean of students, was overwhelmingly positive. The deans agreed to speak to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion about the repercussions...…

…44 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 P laying No. 1 singles on a high school tennis team is a tough job. It means facing the other team’s best singles player in every match. Lindsay Berke held that role in her four years on the North Farmington girls tennis team. Well, three years. Her sophomore season in 2020 was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. Berke was 11-8 as a junior and 6-9 as a senior this past spring. Those numbers don’t tell the story...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 45 DIANNE SCAFONE “Lindsay wasn’t just a leader for our team on the court,” Dupret said. “She was a great role model who always made it a point to welcome new players to our program.” Berke said the welcoming happened to her when she was a freshman, so she felt it was important to return the favor. The team often did a couple minutes of meditation before practices during Berke’s junior season. The idea came from ...…

…46 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 continued from page 45 Imagine keeping track of 139 travel baseball teams in five age divisions on 23 fields stretching from Saline to Flint. That’s what Novi resident Matt Sandles, 31, and Josh Birnberg, 26, of West Bloomfield did over five days in July as they oversaw their second annual Motor City Classic. Birnberg worked remotely from Georgia, where he was coaching a travel baseball team in a national tourna...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 47 NEXT DOR Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh featured three scenes from the show for participants to analyze and discuss. O n Wednesday, July 27, 20 young adults gath- ered at Bamboo Royal Oak for The Well’s event “The Torah of Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh led the group discussion about the famous debates between Torah scholars Hillel and Shammai, who are not unlike the Light and Dark sides of the Star Wars univer...…

…48 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 I n central Israel, the distance from Kiryat Gat to Shaalvim is about 50 kilometers (a bit more than 30 miles). A greater socio-economic distance sepa- rates the national religious high schools in those two locations. Most of the students at ORT Gross, a high school for girls in Kiryat Gat, immigrated as chil- dren from Ethiopia. Their par- ents, for the most part, do man- ual labor or work as caretakers. The ...…

…AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 49 age who are religiously obser- vant, smart, ambitious and also fun. The students from more privileged backgrounds get to know students their own age whose life situation involves many more challeng- es. Because every society has forces pulling its constituent segments apart, and other forces bringing the segments together, Shelef aims to strengthen the forces pulling Israeli society together. Wassen, one of t...…

…50 | AUGUST 18 • 2022 MAZEL TOV! HOW TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Mazel Tov! announcements are welcomed for members of the Jewish community. Anniversaries, engagements and weddings with a photo (preferably color) can appear at a cost of $18 each. Births are $10. There is no charge for bar/bat mitzvahs or for special birthdays starting at the 90th. For information, contact Editorial Assistant Sy Manello at smanello@thejewishnews.com or (248)...…