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…$200 Jan. 12-18, 2023 / 19-25 Tevet 5783 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Germany Close Up Young professionals from The Well embark on a life-changing trip. See page 26 …

…10 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 I n celebration of its 80th anni- versary last year, the Detroit Jewish News reprinted and distributed its first edition from March 27, 1942. Like any publica- tion, this inaugural edition provides a snapshot at that moment of Jewish life in both Detroit, America and else- where. A careful read- ing reveals a local community encountering both challenges and opportunities in the face of latent discriminati...…

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…12 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 W hen Rabbi Aharon Amzalak sees an opportunity to help people, he grabs it. So, it’s no surprise that he served as the Jewish staff chaplain at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak for 11 years. He recently transitioned to staff chaplain at Ascension Spiritual Care in Southfield and Novi. In December 2021, the good-hearted Australian rabbi noticed that a house next to the hospital was available for sale. He realiz...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 13 connected him to Rabbi Amzalak. “He said we could stay in the house as long as we needed, ” Abromovitz shared. “Being there was a tremendous benefit for my mother in every possible way; she was able to recover physically, mentally and emotionally. It was a true home away from home. ” More guests stayed in other rooms at different intervals, and he enjoyed meeting them. “The house is well furnished, so com- fort...…

…14 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY T he Well, NEXTGen Detroit and the Women’s Philanthropy Tikkun Olam Volunteers (TOV) at Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit are all coming together for a Dignity Grows pack party with Brilliant Detroit as the distribution partner. The partnership is fundrais- ing to create Dignity Grows Totes, which are filled with a month’s supply of personal hygiene products and essential period it...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2022 | 15 Lifetime dental group is a locally owned dental practice providing complete dental care for the entire family. Our experienced dentists utilize the most advanced technology to provide elite dental care. For over 25 years we have been entrusted by thousands of patients and we are honored to now serve the city of West Bloomfield! (248) 855-8000 4320 Orchard Lake Rd West Bloomfield Township, MI 48323 www.lifeti...…

…16 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY A s has often been said, the only constant is change. JGrand, part of JFamily Detroit, first launched its programming in February 2022. And before 2022 was through, the Jewish grandparenting- focused organization was ready to expand access to its program- ing to “grand-friends. ” There is truly no greater blessing than grandparents. Lori Fidler, coordinator of Grandparent Engagement at JG...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 17 OUR COMMUNITY JBAM Offers Law Student Scholarships The Jewish Bar Association of Michigan (JBAM) will award its annual $1,500 scholarship to a law student who exempli- fies the character and values of the late attorney Charles J. Cohen. A Michigander at heart, he was a staunch advocate for his clients. An avid supporter of JBAM and the Jewish commu- nity, he continually stressed the importance of legal ed...…

…18 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 T he Dearborn man charged with ethnic intimidation after spewing antisemitic and racist remarks at parents and children in the Temple Beth El parking lot last month was bound over for trial on Jan. 5 by Bloomfield Hills Judge Kimberly Small. Small also continued his $1 million bond. The case will now move to Oakland County Circuit Court. During the hearing of Hassan Chokr, 35, who appeared via video in 48...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 19 T he Detroit Jewish News Foundation is excited to welcome Marni Raitt as its first-ever executive director. In this newly created position, Marni will be overseeing all aspects of the Foundation and its two primary programs, the William Davidson Archives of Detroit Jewish History and the Detroit Jewish News. Marni is a native Metro Detroiter who grew up in West Bloomfield, spent summers at Camp Tam...…

…20 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 C habad Jewish Center of Troy cel- ebrated Chanukah with a giant community-wide event for Jews east of Woodward. More than 250 Jewish people joined the party called “Chanukah on Ice, ” which included ice skating, a giant ice menorah, a figure skating show from the Detroit Skating Club, Chanukah arts and crafts and, of course, Chanukah food. The public Chanukah celebration is being heralded as a response to the...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 21 Team and Robert Silverstein Mortgage Lending. Hebrew Free Loan Executive Director David Contorer and HFL incoming president Allen Berman shared how Hebrew Free Loan is making a difference in people’s lives with inter- est-free loans. “We were thrilled that Rabbi Menachem Caytak’s outreach has successfully connected 800 Jewish families from Troy, Madison Heights, Rochester, Shelby Township and other parts of...…

…S coring 1,000 career points is the gold stan- dard for a high school basketball player. Bloomfield Hills High School star point guard Noah Adamczyk reached the 1,000- point mark last month in spec- tacular fashion, turning defense into offense in a blink of an eye. The play started near mid- court late in a game against Plymouth on Dec. 14 at Bloomfield Hills. Adamczyk knew at the time that he needed two more points to reach 1,000....…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 23 1,000 points. I’ll always remem- ber the night I did it. I took it all in over the next few days, ” he said. Adamczyk has the game ball from the Plymouth game. He hasn’t written anything on the ball yet, but the shoes he wore that night have the date and 1,000 written on them. “Those shoes are in my game rotation of four or five pairs of shoes, ” Adamczyk said. “I wore them again when we played Detroit Henry ...…

…24 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 faces&places On Sunday, Dec. 18, Downtown Synagogue hosted its Annual Meeting and Chanukah Party. More than 100 people came out to schmooze, celebrate, eat and light menorahs together. Guests danced to funky Chanukah music by Detroit band 7Layers and watched the flame-throwing menorah light up the Detroit sky. Downtown Synagogue’s building is currently under renovation (scheduled to be complete late spring 20...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 25 Over 150 people gathered at Shir Tikvah for a magical Chanukah celebration on the first night of Chanukah. Magic by Baffling Bill illuminated the night, followed by candle lighting, Chanukah songs, sweets and even a selfie booth. Robyn Rinke, Haviva Ferrier and Debra Yamstein Children served as assistants to Baffling Bill the magician. More than 150 people came to celebrate the first night of Chanukah. PHOTOS...…

…26 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 Young professionals from The Well embark on a life-changing trip. Germany Close Up PHOTOGRAPHY BY YEVGENIYA GAZMAN NEXTDOR VOICE OF A NEW GENERATION Track 17, memorial initiated by Deutsche Bahn, the German national railway service. …

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 27 O n Nov. 8, a group of young professionals from The Well, a community- building nonprofit led by Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh, embarked on an eight-day adventure in Germany. Germany Close Up is an initiative created to enrich transatlantic dialogue and provide Jewish North American young professionals in their 20s and 30s with an opportunity to experience modern Germany up close and personally. The trip began with a...…

…28 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 NEXTDOR VOICE OF A NEW GENERATION AN INTENSE COMMEMORATION BY ISAAC VINEBURG Our group was honored to attend a memorial held by Berlin’s Jewish community for the 84th anniversa- ry of Kristallnacht. Held outside the former Fasanenstrasse Synagogue, destroyed the night of Nov. 9, 1938, the community gathered to remember. A reading of the names of Holocaust victims from Berlin began hours before. By the time ...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 29 BLOCK DER FRAUEN / BLOCK OF WOMEN BY STEPHANIE BELSKY Never underestimate the power of a group of angry women. One of the most impactful memo- rials we saw while in Berlin was covered in graffiti, in a small park in the empty lot and former home of the Alte Synagogue — “The Old Synagogue” — which was destroyed in World War II on Rosenstrasse, one of Berlin’s oldest streets, and the site of the Jewish commun...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 3 PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Hospitality House Bais Refoel Foundation provides a place to stay for those with loved ones at Beaumont Hospital. 14 Dignity Grows The Well, NEXTGen Detroit and Women’s Philanthropy partner to help low-income women. 16 Grand-Friends Are Welcome Jgrand expands to include more people in its programming. 17 JBAM Offers Law Stu...…

…30 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 NEXTDOR VOICE OF A NEW GENERATION REMEMBRANCE CULTURE BY YEVGENIYA GAZMAN When Jakob Hoffmann, one of the Germany Close Up guides, used the term “remembrance culture” at our welcome and introduction meeting in Berlin, Germany, I thought, “How novel and insightful a term.” I did not realize how accurate, ingrained and common the term would be for The Well’s experience with Germany Close Up. Germany Close U...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 31 we traveled to and toured the memorial and museum at the former concentration camp Sachsenhausen. This is the very concentration camp to which Jews were sent following Kristallnacht. Almost 6,000 Jews arrived in Sachsenhausen in the days following the Kristallnacht riots. Our group welcomed Kabbalat Shabbat at the New Synagogue in Berlin. Prior to the evening service, we sat down to a conver- sation with a ...…

…32 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 NEXTDOR VOICE OF A NEW GENERATION The Neue Wache (Federal Republic of Germany’s memorial to the victims of war and tyranny) Johanna Blender and Jacob Sable Group photo in Halberstadt Jacob Sable in Halberstadt Visiting the Jewish cemetery in Halberstadt Jacob Sable and Erica Meyers continued from page 31 …

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 33 The group walks through Shalekhet (Fallen Leaves) by sculptor Menashe Kadishman at the Jewish Museum Berlin. Jacob Sable, Stephanie Belsky, Yevgeniya Gazman and Johanna Blender Group at the Berlin Wall Julia Tapper and Shayna Tapper Group on a tour of the Brandenburg Gate Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh and his wife, Stephanie Belsky …

…34 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 NEXT DOR I t was the perfect ending to the 2022 calendar, as NEXTGen Detroit hosted two amazing events to kick off the holiday season. Chanukah started a bit early, as NEXTGen Detroit held its monthly happy hour, L ’Chaim Detroit, with a fun dreidel spin. Over 110 guests enjoyed a latke bar, dressed up in Chanukah sweat- ers and sipped on good drinks at Oak Park Social on Dec. 13 for L ’Chanukah Detroit. ...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 35 To celebrate Israel’s 75th birthday, ACHI, American Communities Helping Israel, is launching “2023: Year of the Klee.” ACHI is encouraging everyone to have a KLEE in their home to show support for Israel. Klee stands for “Klee L’ezrat Yisroel,” a vessel to help Israel. The idea is to dedicate a plate, bowl, mug, or platter to fill with products from Israel. There are three ways to make a Klee • Take somethi...…

…business SPOTlight brought to you in partnership with B I R M I N G H A M 36 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 here’s to The Jewish Theological Seminary awarded honorary doctorates to 40 rabbis at a recent convocation ceremony. JTS celebrated and honored the achievements of these important members of the rabbinate for their more than 25 years of service. Among them was a Detroiter, Rabbi Michele Faye Faudem of Hillel Day School of Me...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 37 Rosenthal said Showler’s top goal is creating and nurturing the growth of Berkley Coffee as a community center — a wel- coming and inclusive space to gather and explore and thrive. Showler also made the con- scious choice to invest in his employees. The full-time staff are on salary and the part-time staff are paid a living wage. All tips collected go toward supporting the musicians who perform at Berkley Cof...…

…MAZEL TOV! 38 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 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...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 39 Ancestral History Revelations I n Hebrew, a single letter can mean a thousand words. This is true of the vav that opens the book of Shemot: v’eileh shemot b’nai yisrael ha’baim mitzraymah, et ya’akov ish u’veito ba’u. Many of our translations erase this vav, translating this verse, “Now these are the names” (OJPS translation) or “These are the names” (NJPS translation). A more accurate translation is, “...…

…4 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 for openers Remembering Detroit Lion Chuck Hughes H appy, healthy new year. I’m writing this just two days after the horrific medical emergen- cy that occurred on the field during the nationally televised Monday Night Football game on Jan. 2 between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. I don’t have the benefit of knowing the fate of the Bills’ Damar Hamlin, the 24-year-old defensive back who suffe...…

…40 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 SPIRIT T he opening chapters of Exodus plunge us into the midst of epic events. Almost at a stroke, the Israelites are transformed from pro- tected minority to slaves. Moses passes from prince of Egypt to Midianite shepherd to leader of the Israelites through a history-changing encounter at the Burning Bush. Yet it is one small, often overlooked episode that deserves to be seen as a turning point in the ...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 41 on history. Throughout the Middle Ages, the Church, knowing that knowledge is power and therefore prefer- ring to keep it exclusively in the hands of the priesthood, had forbidden vernacular translations of the Bible. In the course of the 16th cen- tury, three developments changed this irrevocably. First was the Reformation, with its maxim Sola scriptura, “By Scripture alone,” placing the Bible center-stage ...…

…Synagogue Directory METRO DETROIT CONSERVATIVE Adat Shalom Synagogue Farmington Hills (248) 851-5100 adatshalom.org Congregation Beth Ahm West Bloomfield (248) 851-6880 cbahm.org Congregation Beth Shalom Oak Park (248) 547-7970 congbethshalom.org Beth Tephilath Moses Mt. Clemens (586) 996-3138 bethtephilathmoses.com B’nai Israel Synagogue West Bloomfield (248) 432-2729 bnaiisraelwb.org Congregation B’nai Moshe West Blo...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 43 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 Farmingto...…

…44 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 ARTS&LIFE MUSEUMS M useum of Broadway, the first new and permanent immersive, interactive museum celebrating Broad- way and showcasing its rich history, recently opened in New York City. The three- floor exhibit highlights legendary Broadway creators, musicians, composers, choreographers and artists, as well as some of the most notable musicals and plays performed on Broadway stages spanning centuries. ...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 45 Larson wrote and composed the groundbreaking musical Rent. At the museum, Jewish representation can also be seen in a gallery celebrating Joe Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky), who founded the Public Theater, where many acclaimed shows, such as Hamilton, began. Another section is devoted to Fiddler on the Roof, and there’s a special space dedicated to famed caricaturist Al Hirschfield, whose black ink draw...…

…46 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 ARTS&LIFE MUSEUMS Stationed in each room is a docent ready to answer questions and take a photo of you with your phone or camera. Instagram-able opportunities abound — visitors can pose in front of any display or have their picture taken while leaning over Max Bialystock’s desk chair from The Producers or sitting at the counter in Doc’s drugstore from West Side Story. Another one of the many popular phot...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 47 I n 1971, the film Harold and Maude came out. Jay Kaplan was 11 years old. By the time he finally got to see the movie as a freshman at the University of Michigan, the film had become a cult classic. Harold and Maude starred Ruth Gordon as Maude, an 80-year-old who teaches 20-year-old Harold (Bud Cort) how to enjoy and appreciate life after falling in love over seven days. “I’ve always been a fan of Ruth G...…

…48 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 Details Harold & Maude: An Intimate Musical is rated PG for adult situations including drug use and suicide. The show runs three weekends, Jan. 13-29. Tickets are $25. Birmingham Village Players is located at 34600 Woodward Ave. in Birmingham. For tickets, go to www.birminghamvillage- players.com/harold-maude-the-musical. For one night only, on Feb. 18, in celebration of Birmingham Village Players’ 100th annivers...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 49 CELEBRITY JEOPARDY, EXPLAINED; A JOYOUS JEWISH MOMENT The Celebrity Jeopardy Tournament, hosted by Mayim Bialik, 47, is broadcast live on Thursdays on ABC at 8 p.m. (Also available via live streaming or on-demand on many channels, like Hulu). Sadly, the tournament website is terrible. It doesn’t make it easy to find out, in advance, when a particular celebrity will appear on the program, and it really ...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2023 | 5 Eagle do that.’” I called Jerry Green, the Detroit News’ beat reporter for the Lions at the time of Hughes’ death. I wrote about Jerry’s incredible career last March in the JN. He, too, expressed surprise by the absence of any earlier mentions of Hughes’ passing in the Hamlin coverage. Like me, he heard ESPN refer to the Hamlin incident as “unprece- dented.” Still a contributing writer at 94, Green shared his ...…

…50 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 KOSHER FOOD NOON-3 PM, EVERY MONDAY Windsor residents will be offered hot kosher meals, catered by Shira Fish from Oak Park, in the restaurant attached to the Peretz House. She will also deliver pre-ordered kosher takeout meals, which can be frozen and eaten throughout the week. If you are interested in sitting down for a hot lunch on Mondays or ordering takeout meals for the rest of the week, reach out...…

…SOAR CLASSES JAN. 17 Registration opens for SOAR LLI winter program, providing academic-style classes during the day for adults who love to learn. The winter program focuses on the 1970s and will explore topics such as “Television in the ’70s,” “Technological Advances of the ’70s,” the works of Toni Morrison and more. Classes are held on Zoom. Information about the program and registration can be found at soarexplore.com. BRAI...…

… 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 $85 SERVICE FEE 24/7 Emergency Service www.loisharondesigns.com Lois Haron Interior Designer Allied ASID (248) 851-6989 loisharondesigns@gmail.com Full Service Decorator It doesn’t have to cost a fortune, only look like it. Lois Ha...…

…JANUARY 12 • 2022 | 53 ROCHELLE M. BARR, 85, of Bloomfield Hills, died on Dec. 14, 2022. A classical pianist and organist extraordinaire, her music graced many souls. Ms. Barr is survived by her son, two daughters, two grandsons, and a younger sister. She was the beloved daughter of the late Samuel W. and the late Sylvia S. Barr; the elder sister of the late Maurice Edwin Barr. A graveside service was held at Machpelah Cemeter...…

…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY RICHARD GILMORE passed away Jan. 3, 2023. He was surrounded by loved ones. Mr. Gilmore was a beloved and cherished uncle, brother, son and friend to many; he was truly one of the most loved people anyone could ever meet. He was the light of his family’s life and will be missed almost to an unbearable level. Richard brought joy and laughter to all who knew him. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel....…