…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 51 Temple Emanu-El Oak Park (248) 967-4020 emanuel-mich.org Temple Israel West Bloomfield (248) 661-5700 temple-israel.org Temple Kol Ami West Bloomfield (248) 661-0040 tkolami.org Temple Shir Shalom West Bloomfield (248) 737-8700 shirshalom.org REFORM/RENEWAL Congregation Shir Tikvah Troy (248) 649-4418 shirtikvah.org SECULAR/HUMANISTIC Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit Farmingt...…
…52 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 ARTS&LIFE JEWELRY I n February, Matthew Gross and his wife, Elena, decided they needed a break from Michigan’s brutal winter. So they booked a two- week trip to Mexico. And that’s where Gross, “a nice Jewish boy,” jokes that he found Jesus. There, in San Miguel de Allende, about 170 miles from Mexico City, Gross did, indeed, find Jesus. Jesus Villaverde Fuentes. “For years, my customers have told me about t...…
…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 53 PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATTHEW GROSS continued on page 54 started a GoFundMe account for the Fuentes family. Once the story of Gross’ mission to help the Fuentes family hit a jewelry trade publication, calls started coming in. The first call came from Mark Tapper of Tapper’s Jewelry in West Bloomfield, Troy and Novi. “Mark called and said that they had a bunch of equipment that they were going to sell but, afte...…
…54 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 to Mexico. “I use my power of OCD to get things done,” Gross laughs. “I use it for good, not evil. In a normal world, this logistically would have been a nightmare.” Gross sought out philanthropic Jewish Americans who have ties to or homes in San Miguel de Allende, like Linda and Chuck Soberman of West Bloomfield, who helped Gross lay out a charitable path. As more-than-luck would have it, the Fuentes fami...…
…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 55 jewelry,” he laughs. After the jewelry store in West Bloomfield closed, Gross started working for another jeweler where he would work in the back doing jewelry repairs. His senior year of high school, Gross switched from Southfield-Lathrup High School to Berkley High because they had an excellent jewelry casting program. And that’s where Gross met his future wife. “I gave her my business card. I started m...…
…56 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 ARTS&LIFE THEATER A high school senior aiming for a theater career and a high school senior planning to keep theater as an important activity appear together in the musical Newsies set for Nov. 17-19 at Bloomfield Hills High School. Rachel Berris of Bloomfield Hills and Cameron Klein of West Bloomfield are excited to be in the play based on a newsboys strike of 1899 in New York City. Berris portrays repor...…
…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 57 “They have to get the money for their family themselves. “They’re newsies for the time being, and they find themselves wrapped up in this strike situation. They come to love the newsies as their best friends, and they help lead the strike although they’re brand new.” Klein participates in the chorus at Temple Israel, and he takes part in the group song “Seize the Day” in the play. “Newsies showcases a d...…
…58 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 JEWISH DETECTIVE SERIES, SPIELBERG’S FAMILY MOVIE, THE LAST VETS The Calling, an eight- episode series, begins streaming on Peacock Nov. 10. It is loosely based on The Missing File, a novel (2013) by Israeli Dror Mishani, 47. The central character of The Calling is NYPD detective Avraham Avraham. He is a special investigator in Crown Heights, a Brooklyn neighborhood where many Chasidic Jews live. Jeff W...…
…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 59 BABIES & NOSH 10:30-11:30 AM, NOV. 11 Come grab a snack and meet some new friends through JFamily Detroit. This event is geared toward families with babies ages 0-9 months. At Beverly Hills Park, 18801 Beverly Road. Info: jlive.app/events. 2859. COOKIE WALK NOV. 11-Dec. 2 Corner Shower and Laundry’s 5th Annual Cookie Walk is hosted by the Temple Beth El Sisterhood. Order holiday cookies online for curb...…
…60 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 ISRAELI ELECTION 7-8:30 PM, NOV. 16 On the campus of MSU, East Lansing. Dr. Yael Aronoff will analyze the fifth Israeli elections in three years, looking at the latest results and coalition possibilities and discussing their implications. She is the director of the Serling Institute for Jewish Studies and Modern Israel. She is also professor of International Relations at James Madison College. Info: 517-...…
…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 61 Open Thanksgiving Noon - 7:00 pm Last Seating at 6:00 pm Join us for our annual Thanksgiving Day Buffet Feast NO OPEN MENU RESERVATIONS REQUIRED Buffet: $36.50 per person Kids 10 & Under $16.50 • Carving Station Ham Fresh Turkey • Pastitsio • Grape Leaves • Spinach Triangles • Chicken • Mashed Potatoes • Yams • Stuffing • Cranberry Sauce • Corn • Green Beans • Pasta • Coconut Shrimp • Greek S...…
…62 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 SPOTLIGHT F or the ninth year in a row Higher Hopes! will be providing 1,000 Detroit area families full Thanksgiving meals through its “1,000 Turkeys, 10,000 Smiles” program. The kits contain everything from a delicious turkey to all the sides and dessert and provide enough food to feed 12 to 16 people. This year, participating families will be given a $50 gas card to help alleviate the problems cause...…
…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 63 Aaron Mendelson Heating and Cooling, LLC. 248-855-0437 Cell: 248-912-2292 License # 7118488 Maintenance, Installation, Repair & Hot Water Heaters Ajmendelson1@gmail.com FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1973 $65 SERVICE FEE 24/7 Emergency Service Call today for your free in-home consultation 248.855.8747 Caren Bass Custom Closets,Inc. WHERE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE as featured on HGTV Leading the ...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY M arilyn Jane (Kopel) Katz, 94, peacefully passed away on Oct. 26, 2022, after a wonderful and remarkable life. She was born in Detroit on Jan. 30, 1928, sharing a birthday with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was her idol. She was the youngest child of Joseph O. Kopel, M.D., and Gertrude E. Kopel, and grew up with her older brothers, Howard and Richard Kopel. Marilyn graduated from Central High ...…
…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 65 continued on page 66 MICHAEL B. BERGER, 80, of Commerce Township, died Oct. 29, 2022. He was the beloved husband of Barbara Berger; dear father of Debbie (Tim) Caputo and Robin (David) Servetter; loving grandfather of Matthew Guyor, Nicole Guyor and Addy Berger; devoted brother of Dr. Steven (Beth) Berger; dearest brother- in-law of Diane (Harvey) Zameck; adoring uncle of Shelly (Matthew Richmond) Ber...…
…66 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 continued from page 65 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY Hartsell; brother and sis- ter-in-law, Howard and Jean Dubin; sister, Rosalyn Silverman. She is also survived by her puppies, Mulligan and Martini. Interment was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Haven, 801 Vanguard Drive, Pontiac, MI 48341, haven-oakland. org. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. HARRIET GREEN, 75, of Beverly ...…
…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 67 continued on page 68 MARSHALL KORBY, 79, of West Bloomfield, died Nov. 1, 2022. He was the lov- ing father of Eryn Korby and Melissa Bergeron Dalton; dear brother of Natalie Lyons; adoring grandfather of Manning Bergeron; and had many other loving family members and friends. Mr. Korby was the ador- ing grandfather of the late Hannah Bergeron; beloved son of the late Samuel and Sylvia Korby. Interment was...…
…68 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 OBITUARY CHARGES The processing fee for obituaries is: $125 for up to 100 words; $1 per word thereafter. A photo counts as 15 words. There is no charge for a Holocaust survivor icon. The JN reserves the right to edit wording to conform to its style considerations. For information, have your funeral director call the JN or you may call Sy Manello, editorial assistant, at (248) 351-5147 or email him at sma...…
…NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 69 The Anne Frank Foundation announced the death of Hannah Pick-Goslar at the age of 93. Hannah, or Hanneli as Anne called her in her diary, was one of Anne Frank’s best friends; they had known each other since kindergarten. On June 14, 1942, Anne wrote in her diary: “Hanneli and Sanne used to be my two best friends. People who saw us together always used to say: ‘There goes Anne, Hanne and Sanne. ”’ Hannah share...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org 70 | NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 Remembering a Scientific Genius T wo recent events led to today’s Looking Back topic from the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History. First, on Oct. 27, the JN ran a story about Andi and Larry Wolfe. On Nov. 5, they received the American Technion Society’s prestigious Alber...…
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…$200 March 10-16, 2022 / 7-13 Adar II 5782 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Ukraine Ukraine Standing with Family ties to Ukraine run deep in Detroit’s Jewish community. Read about their struggles and survival in a country under attack. See page 12 …
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…MARCH 10 • 2022 | 3 contents Mar. 10-16, 2022 / 30 Adar 7-13 Adar II 5782 | VOLUME CLXV, ISSUE 4 PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints OUR COMMUNITY 11 Stamp of Approval Farber Hebrew Day School earns accreditation. 12 Crisis in Ukraine Detroit Jewish community responds to Russian attack. 14 Let’s Talk About Ukraine 16 Trapped in Ukraine Pontiac business owner shares stories of employees trapped in Uk...…
…4 | MARCH 10 • 2022 essay “Our Beautiful City Is Being Destroyed” Stories from Kharkiv, Ukraine, in the midst of war. O n Feb. 24, we, like millions of others around the world, woke up to the horrible news that Russia had launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As I turned on the TV , I saw the names of Ukrainian cities where our family originated from, now in the path of the Russian army, flash across the screen: Kyiv,...…
…MARCH 10 • 2022 | 5 costing the equivalent of $40. Electricity and internet go in and out, so communication is scattered at best. It’s unclear how long men who are between the ages of 18 and 60, including my cousin’s husband, will be available to help with these duties. Martial law prevents them from leaving the country. They can be called into battle at a moment’s notice. Most, if not all, have no proper military training or exp...…
…6 | MARCH 10 • 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: Detr...…
…DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com MARCH 10 • 2022 | 7 A higher standard of urgent care from ER trained providers 6405 Telegraph Rd (just north of Maple Rd.) Monday-Friday 8am-8pm Weekends 8am-6pm (248) 997-4690 iepurgentcare.com Dr. Robert Cohen one of our emergency physician owners Supported through the generosity of The Jewish Fund and the D. Dan and Betty...…
…8 | MARCH 10 • 2022 PURELY COMMENTARY opinion Ukraine’s Jewish History Is Filled with Trauma T he first time I recall hearing someone describe a relationship akin to that between Eastern European Jews and the former Pale of Settlement was when my late African American uncle spoke of Mississippi. Many immi- grant groups in America — including those with roots in Ireland, Japan and Mexico — take pride in the lands they or th...…
…MARCH 10 • 2022 | 9 Bandera, made every effort to collaborate with Germany in World War II, including the murder of Ukrainian Jews. Though the OUN did break with Germany, this was not due to any opposition to German antisemitism, but to the German refusal to permit an independent Ukrainian state. PAST IS PROLOGUE. IT’S NOT DESTINY. It is no surprise that many Jews’ first instincts toward Ukraine’s latest push for inde- pendence ...…
…10 | MARCH 10 • 2022 opinion If Putin Loses, History Wins T he conventional wisdom is that Vladimir Putin’s naked aggression toward Ukraine is taking us back to more primitive times. Indeed, for most of human history, it was raw power that ruled. If a tyrant wanted something, he just took it. The establishment of international norms and institutions in the wake of World War II was an attempt to regulate and minimize this ...…
…MARCH 10 • 2022 | 11 OUR COMMUNITY F arber Hebrew Day School (formerly Yeshivat Akiva) in Southfield, has been accred- ited for the first time by ISACS, the Independent School Association of the Central States. Farber provides general and Jewish instruction in a Modern Orthodox/Zionist context for 290 students from pre-kindergarten through high school. “This is a wonderful mile- stone in the history of Farber Hebrew Day School a...…
…T he Detroit Jewish community continues to watch in horror as Russian forces invade and attack Ukraine, and many people and organizations in the community are taking action and contributing in any way they can. Some members of the community have loved ones on the frontlines in Ukraine and are praying for their safety. It’s in these times the Jewish community becomes even closer and stronger than before. SOLIDARITY RALLY Noah Arbit,...…
…continued on page 14 MARCH 10 • 2022 | 13 Committee of Michigan organized the rally. Arbit made and brought a sign which read “Jews Stand with Ukraine” in English and Hebrew. The sign gar- nered a passionate response. “People just kept coming up to me, giving me hugs and taking pictures with my sign and saying thank you for coming and show- ing support,” Arbit says. “It made me feel good as a Jew, and I didn’t expect it, so I was...…
…ON THE COVER TOP: People from all over Metro Detroit gathered Downtown to show solidarity with Ukraine. continued from page 13 CAMPAIGN FOR UKRAINE In response to the crisis, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, working with the Jewish Federation of North America and their inter- national partners, JDC, JAFI and World ORT, opened a Ukraine Emergency Fund campaign to provide rescue and relief for the 200,000 Jews in Ukrain...…
…Jewish community — includ- ing vulnerable individuals in Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union — for many decades, ” a Federation spokesman said. “While this situation is extremely urgent and dire, our response is consistent with the work we have always been doing and will continue to do on behalf of Jews everywhere. We are fortunate to live in such a generous community that can make a meaningful difference durin...…
…16 | MARCH 10 • 2022 A Pontiac business owner, originally from Kharkiv, Ukraine, is desperately trying to help his employees stuck in Ukraine. Vladimir Gendelman, 47, whose business Company Folders, Inc. has workers in his home country, is consulting with mil- itary personnel on the best ways to help them stay safe. They talked about “general terms of what happens during a war,” Gendeman explains. “What are the strategically good places...…
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…18 | MARCH 10 • 2022 continued from page 16 A third employee in Mykolaiv, another strategically poor area due to its proxim- ity to the Black Sea, rivers and bridges, was advised to leave, but couldn’t because of his elderly parents. “He stayed behind to take care of them, ” Gendelman says. For this employee, the situation is “loud.” Bombs, shots and other racket fill the area, but he’s still able to get outside for food and other su...…
…TOP: Demonstators in Detroit don the colors of the Ukrainian flag. continued from page 15 MARCH 10 • 2022 | 19 ment organizations, JFS will be working with other commu- nity organizations, churches and synagogues, donors and government organizations to support families escaping from Ukraine. Leonid Balabanov, JFS’ director of transportation and translation, is one of many with family members affected by the situation. Balabanov’s...…
…U krainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is drawing admiration from Jews who see him as a heroic figure. A few weeks ago, Jews outside of Ukraine knew Volodymyr Zelensky as the world leader on the other end of the “perfect phone call” that resulted in the impeachment of President Donald Trump. But now, after days of watch- ing Zelensky balance humor and gravitas while rallying his fellow Ukrainians to rebuff the Russian army invas...…
…MARCH 10 • 2022 | 21 One liberal Jewish activist suggested giving this shirt, produced by the rabbinic human rights group Truah, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who favors T-shirts. continued on page 22 victims of the Nazi genocide, lacked the bravery needed to survive, or that a Jewish pres- ident should be remarkable in a country where, not so long ago, more than 1.5 million Jews flourished. Those embedded meanings...…
…ON THE COVER continued from page 21 22 | MARCH 10 • 2022 “If Zelensky has now become synonymous with the blue-and-yellow flag of his country, it might signal an unexpected outcome of this con- flict that has found Jews feeling finally, improba- bly, one with a land that has perpetually tried to spit them out, ” wrote Gal Beckerman, the author of a book about efforts to liberate Jews from oppression in the Soviet Union, in The Atlantic...…
…MARCH 10 • 2022 | 23 OUR COMMUNITY H e was, in the words of an admirer, “born to be on the bimah,” but Cantor Earl Berris is enjoying his retirement after 23 years at Congregation B’nai Moshe in West Bloomfield. The cantor attended Mumford High before his family moved to Farmington Hills. They were members of Adat Shalom Synagogue. After graduating from North Farmington High, Berris earned two degrees at Wayne State Universit...…
…24 | MARCH 10 • 2022 and bring it into the future, ” which Berris did by welcoming women into the group, creating a new blended sound for “the singing congregation, ” he said. The choir was still going strong when he retired. Replacing Cantor Louis Klein, B’nai Moshe’s beloved long-time cantor, was a chal- lenge, but Berris already knew a lot of the congregants and immediately felt at home. He had a good working relation- ship wit...…
…MARCH 10 • 2022 | 25 F or 41 years, Alan Yost has been a building block of Adat Shalom Synagogue. The Farmington Hills’ synagogue’s long-time executive director, who is set to retire this month, has carried the con- gregation through equally successful and challenging times, laying the groundwork for future generations and Adat Shalom’s continued success. As of March 1, Michael Wolf is serv- ing as the synagogue’s new executive direc...…
…26 | MARCH 10 • 2022 Ukraine to meet with refuseniks, also attending a conference on Soviet Jewry in Brussels. “There was an incredible com- mitment on the part of this con- gregation to the Jewish people and to the State of Israel, ” Yost recalls of the mass exodus of Jews from the Soviet Union. Adat Shalom joined the move- ment in educating its members about the issues facing Soviet Jewry, initiating a “twinning” program where Metr...…
…MARCH 10 • 2022 | 27 A lisa Peskin-Shepherd has faced divorce issues within her own family, and they motivated a career interest in assisting others coping with marriage dissolution problems. In childhood, she was affected by divorce pro- ceedings entered into by her mother, a remarried widow. In adulthood, her professional goals transitioned from social work into family law. Gradually, after some 25 years in practice, Peskin- S...…
…business SPOTlight brought to you in partnership with B I R M I N G H A M H oward Ungerleider pursued a circuitous career path across the country and overseas on behalf of a single company, moving with his family nine times before becoming the president and chief financial officer of Midland-based Dow Inc. The journey resulted in an impressive resume and the qualifications for top-executive management. It also under- scored ...…
