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…42 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 GIFT GUIDE says. “The fashion part just resonated with both of us. She and I shared a love of handbags.” And a love of food. In fact, that’s how Paula and Randy’s families became good friends. Beginning in 1972, Randy and his parents, Marvin and Barbara Slof, would often come to Peppina’s Ristorante in Lincoln Park, owned by Paula’s family. Paula was 11 at the time and Randy was 9. Over the years, it wen...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 43 which include an olive oil dipping set, Spanish pael- la and tapas set, truffles, breakfast baking and, of course, a Taste of Italy set with a Bolognese meat sauce made by a chef in Italy and an olive wood parmesan grater. And there are also gift boxes for your favorite wine, coffee, bourbon and tea drinker. For Chanukah this year, ekuBOX has four themed packages that feature eight nights of fun, games and...…

…GIFT GUIDE B etsy Besl exudes creativ- ity. She just can’t help herself. Everything she touches turns captivating. She’s always working on a project, usually multiple at once. In time for Chanukah, Besl has created chanukiyot (Chanukah menorahs), in a way that only Besl can. As a little girl growing up in Cincinnati, she made tiny books, about an inch square, out of piec- es of paper that she had made drawings on, punched holes in ...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 45 taught art to middle- and high- school kids and adults. She held workshops for teachers on cre- ativity in the classroom, stress- ing the importance of kavanah, Hebrew for “intention. ” “That’s always been very important to me, the idea of teaching with intention, and understanding why we are doing what we are doing with these children, ” she says. Naturally, Besl is also drawn to objects, often lost and forgo...…

…46 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 P eople started noticing early last year when Professor Deborah Lipstadt, the nationally known Holocaust scholar and author, began wearing a striking Star of David necklace. She gladly shared on Facebook and else- where that its creator was local jewelry artist Marcy Feldman, owner of Heartwear Designs. Feldman and Lipstadt, a pro- fessor of Modern Jewish History Studies at Atlanta’s Emory University, are...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 47 recalled. Instead, the work- ers got a vacation day after Christmas. Feldman began making her fine jewelry in 1971, when gold cost $35 an ounce. With Michael, her attorney husband by her side, they spent the next 20 years selling Marcy’s jewelry to national retailers, including Saks Fifth Avenue. They exhibited at wholesale shows for buyers, such as at the Javits Center in New York City, and traveled the na...…

…48 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 BIG TOMMY’S PARTHENON & COMEDY CLUB 40380 Grand River Avenue Novi, Michigan 48375 (248) 615-2102 bigtommys.com Big Tommy’s Parthenon is a family-run busi- ness with more than 40 years of hospitality service. We strive to provide each guest with an enjoyable experience filled with traditional Greek cuisine and weekly enter- tainment. Extensive menu options are avail- able for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 49 step inside and you’ll see that this is a place that time doesn’t touch. We like to keep it that way. From our service to our cuisine, you’ll feel right at home in our warm, elegant and tra- ditional atmosphere. If you like the atmosphere, wait until you taste our food! NORTHERN SELF CARE 428 West Commerce Drive, Suite B Traverse City, MI 49685 NorthernSelfCare.com Full selection of natural bath, beauty and b...…

…50 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 MAZEL TOV! JUNE 30, 2021 Laura and Joshua Bobrow of Huntington Woods are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Isabella Mae (Meira Mashi). Excited big sister is Sophia Gloria. Proud grandparents are Eileen and Richard Polk of Huntington Woods, and Patricia and Kenneth Bobrow of Canastota, N.Y. Overjoyed great-grandmother is Shirley Bobrow of Hollywood, Fla. Isabella is named in loving memory of he...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 51 SPIRIT Crossing A Divide I n this week’s parshah, Jacob is fleeing the only home he has ever known to escape the wrath of his brother Esau. When he sleeps, he dreams of a ladder stretching between heav- en and Earth. Angels are ascend- ing and descending. To me, this moment represents the in-be- tween, the blurring of the bound- ary, the crossing of borders. Ritual theory places tremen- dous significance on the...…

…52 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 W hat is it that made Jacob — not Abraham or Isaac or Moses — the true father of the Jewish people? We are the “congregation of Jacob, ” “the children of Israel. ” Jacob/Israel is the man whose name we bear. Yet Jacob did not begin the Jewish journey; Abraham did. Jacob faced no trial like that of Isaac at the binding. He did not lead the people out of Egypt or bring them the Torah. To be sure, all ...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 53 — Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah and Jonah — actually pray to die rather than continue. Nor was this true only in the distant past. Abraham Lincoln suffered deep bouts of depres- sion. So did Churchill, who called it his “black dog. ” Gandhi and Martin Luther King both attempted suicide in adolescence and experi- enced depressive illness in adult life. The same was true of many great creative artists, among them M...…

…54 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 E veryone needs a vision. We all need a vision to give us direction and inspiration in life. Life can’t just be about surviving. It has to be about the goals and the aspi- rations and the big picture that we are striving for. There are too many challenges and opportunities in the path of life not to have clarity of vision. In this week’s parshah, Vayetze, we read about a great vision given to our fore...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 55 pain and hardship: the decep- tion of Lavan; the loss of his beloved wife, Rachel; the sep- aration from his beloved son, Yosef; and many other severely challenging experiences. And yet, throughout, this vision — this pledge that God would be with him at all times — sus- tained him, and gave him the strength to withstand all of the difficulties and challenges that lay ahead. This vision can sustain us through...…

…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 B’nai Israel Sy...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 57 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 ...…

…58 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 ARTS&LIFE ART E ven before the Fifth Jerusalem Biennale opened new artistry to the in-person and digital public Nov. 11-Dec. 30, a specialized award was presented for a proj- ect created by a Michigan artist and distanced teammates. The 2021 Isaac Anolic Jewish Book Arts Award of $1,500 went to The House Is in the Book: A Collaboration in Isolation, jointly developed by artists Lynne Avadenka of Huntingt...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 59 Lynne Avadenka “We started talking over Zoom of what we might do together, ” Avadenka recalled. “We defined the size and the shape of the book pages and also built an online archive of imagery to show common visual elements of measuring. We were thinking of personal space, community space and cosmic space — all included in each of our works. ” Avadenka, whose projects over time have covered the physica...…

…SHRINK IS A SHONDA, HOME ALONE AGAIN, ORTHODOX BASEBALL The Shrink Next Door is an eight-episode limited series that will begin stream- ing on Apple+ Friday, Nov. 12. It is based on a hit 2019 podcast of the same name. In the early ’80s, Marty Markowitz, now 79, was referred to Dr. Isaac Hershchkopf, a psychiatrist, for treatment. Markowitz (played by Paul Rudd, 52) was a wealthy man who suffered from depression. For about 30 ...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 61 VIRTUAL TRIVIA NIGHT 7-9 PM, NOV. 13 This year’s trivia night on Zoom is part of Congregation Beth Shalom’s Chanu-Con! weekend, sponsored this year by Cohen, Lerner & Rabinovitz Attorneys & Counselors. Tickets are $10 per household. Prizes (gift cards) will be won by the top two households. Visit bit.do/ cbstrivia2021 to register. CONCERT SET 8-9:30 PM, NOV. 13 The Chamber Music Society of Detroit will pres...…

…62 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 Group, to talk about the recently renovated Detroit Free Press Building, exploring the impact the building and the people within have had on each other and revealing how the preservation process was informed by and has impacted both people and history. Cost: $10 for members, $18 for non- members. Register by 9 pm on Nov. 16: info@ jhsmichigan.org. KNOCKERBALL 7-9 PM, NOV. 17 NEXTGen Detroit will sponsor ...…

…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 industry with over 30 years experience in the Metro Detroit Area. Now also organizing the Metro Denver Area with our 2nd location Custom Closets, West, Inc. Call today for your free in-home consultation www.loisharondesigns.com Lois Haron Interior Designer Allied A...…

…64 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY P inhas Barak’s life story was truly one going from rags to riches. A poor Moroccan Jew whose parents died young, he rose to become an officer in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and later a respected Ph.D. engineering professor in Michigan and eminent leader in his profes- sion. Mr. Barak, 86, of Bloomfield Hills, died Oct. 31, 2021. He and his wife, Miriam, were members at C...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 65 c. 1980 JEFFREY CHARACH, 69, of Studio City, Calif., died Oct. 8, 2021, at sunset with loving Allie at his side. He is survived by his mother, Natalie Charach; two loving and endearing aunts, Doris Shulman and Esther Hankin; cousins, Fred and Becky Hankin, Joe Hankin, Susan and Eden Henkin, Jerry and Kit Shulman, and Joel Shulman; many other loving cousins, friends from California, Oak Park and all ...…

…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 66 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 continued from page 65 sisters and brother-in-law, Lisa and David Yarnell, and Bonnie Cherrin; sisters-in- law and brothers-in-law, Marcia and Alan Fiedler, Beth and Robert Blum, and Ted Lubin; nieces and nephews. Mr. Feuerman was the dear son-in-law of the late Donald Lubin. Interment was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Run4Papa, (giving to North...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 67 school sweetheart, Jack, in 1946. Mrs. Green is survived by her daughters, son, their spouses and her niece and nephew, Carol and Dan Dmitruk, Nancy and John Shaub, Robert and Marla Green, Randy and Marylyn Ross; grandchildren, Sandra and Tony Vendittelli, Christine and Terry Gray, Isabel Dmitruk and David Dawson, Molinee Martillini and Wren Budden, Sam Martillini and Brandon Parker, Kyle and Katie Gree...…

…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 68 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 Amy Marton, Adam Marton and Benjamin Marton; great- grandchildren, Elliana and Nora Wagner, Nathan and Caleb Wagner, John Marton, and Liam Kissel; many loving nieces and nephews. Mr. Greenberg was the loving brother of the late Myron L. Greenberg; the dear brother-in-law of the late Shirley and the late Paul Thoma; the devoted son of the late Jacob and the late Evelyn Greenbe...…

…NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 | 69 her family and friends, while celebrating life’s milestones. She was a great listener and consoler of others in times of challenge. Lynne had a wide range of skills including hours of countless versions of “Heart and Soul” with her mother on the upright piano in Oak Park. She was loved and will be truly missed. Lynne was a loving sister to Alan Bednowitz (Sandy) and David Bednowitz (Nancy); proud and adori...…

…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org 70 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 WWII Hero Barney Ross V eterans Day is Thursday. Every year, Nov. 11 is the day we honor all who have served in America’s armed forces. Originally, this federal holiday was known as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of combat in World War I, on the anniversary of the signing of the Armisti...…

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…JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT Freedom, Finally! Recalling the historic arrival of Soviet Jews in Detroit. See page 10 $200 March 11-17, 2021 / 27 Adar - 4 Nisan 5781 thejewishnews.com …

…P 248-569-5000 | 25155 Greenfield Road, Southfield | @grove.kosher.detroit Hours S 8 AM - 7 PM M - W 8 AM - 8 PM T 8 AM - 9:30 PM F 7:30 AM - 6 PM S Varies DETROIT | SURFSIDE | BOCA | HOLLYWOOD | DELRAY BEACH | CLEVELAND Coming Soon EXTENDED HOLIDAY HOURS Formerly One Stop Kosher Reasons to shop at The Grove this Passover season Wine Convenience You can’t have 4 cups without the wine. We have the biggest kosher wine selection in Mi...…

…WE MOVED! We are now located at... 32255 Northwestern Hwy Suite 205 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 in the Tri-Atria Building. in the Tri-Atria Building. in the Tri-Atria Building. in the Tri-Atria Building. While you will be able to get the Jewish News outside the office door of our new suite, our office will be closed to visitors. Due to the weather catastrophe in Texas, we are not getting our furniture in time and The Detroit Jewish Ne...…

…4 | MARCH 11 • 2021 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 5-9 OUR COMMUNITY 10 Freedom, Finally! Recalling the historic arrival of Soviet Jews in Detroit. 14 People of the Book New Jewish library opens in Oak Park. 16 Makin’ Matzah JFamily offers in-home “Matzah Factory” kit. 16 ‘Let My People Celebrate!’ Time-travel to Egypt while in your car at Chabad theatrical Passover event. 17 Stocking Up for the Holiday Local...…

…MARCH 11 • 2021 | 5 guest column Built for This Moment: Federation’s Super Sunday Returns This Sunday I t’s hard to believe that a year has passed. For 12 long months we have gone without the daily interactions and connections that are essen- tial to our lives. And beyond the serious health threat of the virus, thousands of Jewish Detroiters continue to experience mounting finan- cial, social and emotional hardships. We ...…

…6 | MARCH 11 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY guest column The Man Who Flew 120,000 Iraqi Jews to Safety in Israel J ews with roots in Iraq are today the third largest community in Israel — after the Soviet and the Moroccan. Did you ever wonder how they got there? The mass aliyah of some 120,000 Iraqi Jews between 1950 and 1951 is attributable largely to the efforts of one man — Shlomo Hillel, who died on Feb. 8 at age 97. The Je...…

…MARCH 14 SUPER SUNDAY There’s no better time to support our Jewish community. Now more than ever, your donation to our Annual Campaign is critical to the lives of individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. But don’t wait for the call—make your donation now. Thanks to a generous donor, all donations will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $180! It takes just a few minutes to make your contribution at: jewishdetroit.org/SuperSund...…

…8 | MARCH 11 • 2021 guest column We Must Join Forces to Ensure the Protection of American Jews O ver the last several years, we have seen near-historic increases in antisemitic incidents and assaults as we have watched a surge in online hate from more vocal — and vio- lent — extremist groups. From online hate to cyber-attacks to the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, the danger is real. To protect America’s Jewish community, it...…

…MARCH 11 • 2021 | 9 At age 23, he posed as Richard Armstrong, the British representative of Near Eastern Airlines, to negotiate with the Iraqi government. Throughout the meeting he shifted in his seat, fearing he might be recognized by his cousin, the leader of the Jewish community. (He wasn’t). Shlomo Hillel published his story in Operation Babylon. ROOTS IN IRAQ Shlomo was the youngest of 11 children of an Iraqi- Jewish merchan...…

…I n 1981, my mother, Alla Zlatopolsky (maiden name Nisnevich), a Jewish immi- grant from what was then the Soviet Union, experienced her first Shabbat dinner at the home of a volunteer fam- ily in Metro Detroit. These American families were paired with Soviet Jewish families to teach them about Jewish life. At 15 years old, my mom, who was born in Bobruisk, Belarus, and grew up in Riga, Latvia, knew little about Judaism. But she,...…

…MARCH 11 • 2021 | 11 continued on page 12 Eastern Europe was virtually nonexistent in the decades that followed the 1940s. VOIDING JUDAISM In the U.S.S.R., there were no celebrations of High Holidays or Shabbat dinners. Matzah for Passover, if even con- sidered, was brought home illegally by Jews in pillowcases and briefcases, quietly pur- chased at underground syn- agogues housed in the base- ments of nondescript build- ings. Yet, r...…

…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 11 able for many. By day, they’d stand for hours in Italian markets, selling Soviet- made watches, linens and other goods for money. By night, they’d take English les- sons as they prepared for their new lives. Still, despite their effort and sacrifice, many Jews were denied the right to come to the U.S. “People were there [in Italy] for six months or a year, even more than that,” Feterovich says. It w...…

…Happy Pesach Let Matt Prentice Cook For You Available March 27th and 28th Pick-up & Delivery only SEDER DINNER SEDER PLATE Horseradish Root, Parsley, Hard Boiled Egg, Charoset, Matzo APPETIZER Petite Gefilte Fish with Beet-Horseradish Duck Chopped Liver with Grated Egg SOUP COURSE The Best Matzo Ball Soup, Natural Broth, Root Vegetables PRINCIPAL PLATE Stuffed Breast of Chicken with Savory Farfel Dressing with Michigan Apples an...…

…14 | MARCH 11 • 2021 O ak Park has a new place for Detroit’s entire Jewish community to curl up with a book and a mask, or to borrow a few reads to enjoy from the social distance of one’s home. Realizing the need for a library that caters not only to Oak Park’s Orthodox Jewish population but to any local Jewish person in the area seeking knowledge and community, Rabbi Ari Kostelitz of Congregation Dovid ben Nuchim ope...…

…MARCH 11 • 2021 | 15 POSITIVE RESPONSE “The number of people who visited the library on our first day shows there is a great need to have a library where traditional Jews can bring their children to take out appropriate books that reflect a traditional way of life,” Kostelitz said. “While our collection is geared toward traditional Judaism, anyone can come and visit the library.” Ita Leah Cohen is one of the librarians who has b...…

…16 | MARCH 11 • 2021 J Family’s yearly Matzah Factory will take place at home this year — featuring a bag of Passover goodies with a virtual twist. The bag will include “every- thing you need to make matzah at home,” according to Mikki Frank, JFamily’s senior director. Each bag includes a 10 plague finger puppet project, afikoman bag project, rolling pin, a dough docker, measuring cups, two aprons, a Passover activity book, flou...…

…MARCH 11 • 2021 | 17 I n the past year, non-contact delivery has changed from a luxury to a near necessity for many and is offered by many local markets. With the holiday approaching, consumers will want items for Passover. Here are a few local options: THE GROVE The Grove Kosher in Southfield does not yet offer online shop- ping or curbside pickup. The store has a wide variety of items specially for Passover — every- thing in ...…

…18 | MARCH 11 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY R acial Justice nonprofit New Detroit Inc. has named Jodee Fishman Raines as its first-ever COO. Raines joins New Detroit after 12 years with the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation. At New Detroit, she will be responsible for overseeing strategic planning of the non- profit’s project initiatives and programs and for cultivating relationships with funders. Prior to the Erb Foundation, ...…

…MARCH 11 • 2021 | 19 J ewish professional women have the chance to learn from C-Suite executives from Metro Detroit Jewish agencies in “Wisdom from the C-Suite: Women Leadership in Jewish Agencies, ” a new Jewish Federation professional develop- ment series organized by Jewish Working Women’s Network. The term “C-Suite” refers to the var- ious chief executives within an organization. The first program in the series was held on Feb...…