… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 17 she’ d been donor-conceived in 1993. Spencer then spent years looking through records of Wayne State University medical students, thinking one of them must have been her biological parent. After connecting with her first half-sibling through DNA tests in 2014, Spencer eventually deduced that their donor had not been a medi- cal student, as the doctor had promised her parents. Instead, he was a man named Han...…
…18 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 N ow more than ever, with a steadily increasing elderly population and continuing COVID-19 concerns, people are searching for compassionate and trustworthy care for their aging loved ones. With this in mind, two longtime friends combined their shared skills and interests to start a home healthcare business dedicated to personalized, professional caregiving. Matt Yaari, 32, of Royal Oak, and Guy Lavi,...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 19 add staff as the business grows. “Given the current pandemic-related unemployment, we’re eager to find high-quality compassionate caregivers and welcome the challenge of creating jobs that will pay higher than industry average in order to attract outstanding people,” Yaari noted. Lavi outlined the strategy to grow their client base. “We plan to use our connections in the Jewish community to find seniors...…
…20 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 L ike so many others, the pandemic has been an especially lonely and chal- lenging time for Lola Jerome, 95. Holed up in her apartment in Windsor, Canada, with safety only allowing limited masked visits from her local relatives and unable to see her relatives who live across the border, Lola has been feeling “gloomy. ” “I don’t remember anything like this in all my lifetime, ” she said. And Lola has lived ...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 21 Managed by: Proud Recipient of the Prestigious Ask Us Why! INNOVATIVE. ENGAGING. ENLIVENING. TOTALLY CAPTIVATING. LEARN MORE AT ALLSEASONSLIVING.COM Ann Arbor - NOW OPEN | Birmingham | Rochester Hills | West Bloomfield For the Joys of Independent Senior Living We have adopted new standard of care in our daily operations by implementing COVID- specific initiatives for our residents’ well-being including: Conta...…
…22 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 J anice Cherkasky has been able to immerse herself in parties. Besides hosting them for family and friends, she plans them for others through her business, Gourmet Parties. Over the past 15 years, she and her husband, Richard, have invited about 40 guests to their Franklin home in celebration of New Year’s Eve. Beyond tra- ditions, annual partygoers have found fun activities by going along with different th...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 23 A Jewish student who attended the SOAS University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies) has received a full tuition refund (15,000 British pounds — slightly over $20,000) after filing a complaint to the school regarding the toxic antisemitism he experienced as a student there. The university will also conduct an investiga- tion into his claims. The news of the refund and investigation came on...…
…24 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 J ust a little over half of Americans know the meaning of “antisem- itism” - while 46% of the general public are not familiar with the term at all. More than six in 10 Americans believe antisemi- tism in this country is a prob- lem compared to 88 percent of Jewish Americans who agreed with this statement two years in a row. These are two main findings in The State of Antisemitism in America 2020 — a first...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 25 identify them as Jews since the Tree of Life shooting in October 2018. • 37% reported being the target of an antisemitic incident, such as a physical attack or an antisemitic remark online or in person, by mail or by phone in the past five years. However, 76 percent of those who were tar- geted did not report the incident. • 43% of those ages 18-29 say they have either personally experienced antisemitism on...…
…26 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 T his February, Rabbi Levi Dubov of the Bloomfield Hills Chabad will offer Journey of the Soul, a new six-session course by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) that will answer one of the most-asked questions about life: What happens when we die? “Death is both mysterious and inevitable,” Rabbi Dubov told the Jewish News. “Understanding death as a continuation of life reveals the essence and beaut...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 27 B arry M. Klein was a devoted alumnus, sup- porter and unwavering advo- cate for Oakland University. With his passing on Jan. 18, 2020, OU lost a generous and loyal friend. As a final act of support, Klein made a transfor- mative gift through his estate which, in part, has established the Barry M. Klein Center for Culture and Globalization. In 2003, Klein made an ini- tial bequest gift commitment through ...…
…28 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 M y mother, Lois Teicher, began renting her 2,000-square-foot studio at the Atlas Building on Gratiot Avenue in Detroit in 1982. The building was a well- known artists enclave and, today at 82 years old, she is the last art- ist to move out of the building. The Atlas Building, across from Eastern Market, was home to the Atlas furniture company in the 1920s. My mom decided on the Atlas Building for sev- eral...…
…D etroit native Dr. Donna Zfat-Zwas, 57, recalls that as a medical resi- dent, if she saw a woman with chest pain in the ER, checking for a heart attack was one of the last things she did. “Heart diseases are traditionally considered to be men’s diseases, ” said Zfat-Zwas, now the director of the Linda Joy Pollin Cardiovascular Center for Women at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. “In Israel, awareness of women’s heart ...…
…30 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 MOMENTS BIRTHS MAZEL TOV! SEPT. 12, 2020 Dr. Stefanie Sherman and Dr. Bobby Dekker are overjoyed to announce the birth of their precious daugh- ter, Eleanor Bari Dekker (Esther Nava). Delighted grandparents are Fanny and Jeffrey Sherman, and Debbie and Robert Dekker. Eleanor is the great-granddaughter of Edward Sherman, Sara Pancer and Esther Godfrey. She is lovingly named in memory of her great-grand-...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 31 MILESTONES Rott-Gelfand A rthur and Julie Rott of West Bloomfield are thrilled to announce the engagement of their son Ryan Seth to Nicolette Faith Gelfand, daughter of Allison and Lee Gelfand of Merrick, N.Y. Nikki received her dual mas- ter’s degree in autism and spe- cial education from Columbia University. She works at a pri- vate school in Manhattan, teach- ing students with autism. Ryan received his law d...…
…32 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 SPIRIT An Eco Revelation P arshat Vaera is the most theological par- shah, as God reveals Godself to the world at the burning bush and then through the first seven plagues upon Egypt: bloody water, frogs, lice, mix- ture (of insects or wild animals), livestock pes- tilence, boils and hail. The Spanish rabbi Bahya ben Asher ibn Halawa (1255–1340), explains that God is “the hand that directs all of the phen...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 33 W hen Ruby Schwartz was beginning her senior year at Groves High School, she began thinking about becoming a col- lege freshman in 2020. Besides looking ahead to chemistry and marketing classes, Schwartz wanted to participate in extra- curricular activities, particularly theater productions. Schwartz had expressed theater interests for two years as part of the stage crew of the Groves performing arts pro- g...…
…34 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 P assages appearing from cover to cover in a new crime novel, The Nightworkers, reflect author Brian Selfon’s reactions to his actual employment involving light undercover work — first for Brooklyn prosecutors and later for Seattle public defenders. Selfon, aiming for a career as a novelist since pre-college years in Southfield, supported his goal with workaday jobs that included deskwork as a chief invest...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 35 FILMS continued on page 36 J ews may have been common fixtures of the Golden Age of Hollywood, with studio heads like Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg calling the shots. But it’s rare they got to make films about what it actually meant to be Jewish. Meanwhile, during the same time frame, Yiddish theater was a strong and lively tradition. But there was a brief moment when these interests could overlap. ...…
…36 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 Plying similar terrain is Harry Tomashevsky’s The Yiddish King Lear (1935), in which a possessive patriarch’s insistent steering of his daughters’ lives (he says early on that women should be “ornaments”) sheds light on some troubling flipsides to strict insistence on tradition. The film, based on the play of the same name, is heavy on melodrama, as are several simi- lar entries in the set all set in the U....…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 37 ON THE GO PEOPLE | PLACES | EVENTS SPEAKER SERIES 8-9 PM, JAN. 14 Join Rabbi Jen Kaluzny and a free lineup of speakers. Visit: temple-israel.org/ event/speakers2021. MUSIC RETROSPECTIVE 5 PM, JAN. 15 The Ark in Ann Arbor will present this livestream series: 18 shows reflecting 20 years of the music of Rufus Wainwright. Tickets: $20 ($25 day of show); biot. ly/RW_TheArk. SERVE THE MOMENT JAN. 15-18 MLK Day, a...…
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… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 39 SOUL OF BLESSED MEMORY DOROTHY KAUFMAN BRAIKER, 88, of Farmington Hills, died Jan. 5, 2021. She is survived by her daugh- ter, Terry Marlene Braiker; many other loving family mem- bers and friends. Mrs. Braiker was the beloved wife of the late Raymond Joseph Braiker; mother of the late Mark Howard Braiker; sister of the late Jack and the late Cecilia Kaufman. Interment was held at Machpelah Cemetery in Fe...…
…40 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 SOUL OF BLESSED MEMORY LORELEE HANDELMAN, 82, of Alma, died Dec. 22, 2020. She is sur- vived by her son and daughter-in-law, Robin Handelman and Kathline Fritz; daughter and son-in-law, Rayna Handelman and Mark Freifeld; sister and brother-in-law, Terri and Melvin Sharf; many other family members and friends. Mrs. Handelman was the beloved wife of the late Sy Handelman; daughter of the late Mitzi and t...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 41 cats taken in over the years. Her interests included bowl- ing, coloring, dancing, listen- ing to music, and shopping. Laura and husband, Gary, shared a sense of humor and enjoyed watching Seinfeld and going to Tigers games together. Laura graduated from Central High School in Detroit and worked at the Downtown Hudson store. She will be greatly missed. Mrs. Kienscherf is survived by her son and daughter-in- ...…
…42 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 SOUL OF BLESSED MEMORY knew her for her zest for life, wonderful smile and unforget- table giggles and being a friend to all. Mrs. Klain is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Elliot and Elaine Klain of Las Vegas, Nev.; daughters and sons-in-law, Cynthia Klain of Farmington Hills, Eileen and Richard Polk of Huntington Woods, Alice and Richard Silbergleit of Birmingham; grandchildren, Daniel Klain an...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 43 Jacob Jordan and Michael Moretsky; brothers and sisters- in-law, Dr. Robert and Barbara Moretsky of Bloomfield, Dr. Sanford and Barbara Moretsky of Scottsdale, Ariz.; stepson, Dr. Steven Eisenfeld; stepdaugh- ter, Jamie Eisenfeld Jennings; stepgrandchildren, Brynn and Quinn. He was the beloved eldest son of the late Ben and the late Elizabeth Moretsky. Interment was on Jan. 3, 2021, in Phoenix. SHIRLEY ROSE...…
…44 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 SOUL OF BLESSED MEMORY Weiner and Jason Weiner; sister and brother-in-law, Elaine and David Zack. Mrs. Weiner was the devoted daughter of the late Jack and the late Ann Freed; the loving sister of the late Sonny Freed. Contributions may be made to Kadima, 15999 W . 12 Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48076, kadimacenter.org. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. LILLY WEISS, 90, of Oak Park, died Jan. 5, 2021...…
… JANUARY 14 • 2021 | 45 A neighborhood dining legend is recalled by many who remem- ber favorite visits they had to Larco’s Inn on West McNichols (6 Mile) just west of Livernois, Detroit. Owned and operated by three broth- ers, Pete, Nick and Mike Larco, it opened in the 1960s and is still talked about … Pete and Mike used to work as waiters at another Italian restaurant, and Mike was a tool and die maker … Pete headed the kitchen,...…
…46 | JANUARY 14 • 2021 Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org Poking Holes in the Glass Ceiling T he history of the Jews in Detroit and Michigan over the past century is a story of communal growth and progress. The community has grown in numbers and organzational strength, as well as political and business power. As my friend and Detroit Jewish News Fou...…
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… MAY 14 • 2020 | 3 contents OUR JN MISSION: We aspire to communicate news and opinion that’ s trusted, valued, engaging and distinctive. We strive to reflect diverse community viewpoints while also advocating positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continuity. As an independent, responsible, responsive community member, we actively engage with individuals and organizations dedicated to enhancing the quality of life, and Jewish life, in ...…
…4 | MAY 14 • 2020 or call: 248-444-2430 TTY: 711 People of all faiths and beliefs are welcome. Lillian & Samuel Hechtman II Apartments www.jslmi.org JACKIE ROSENDER Independent Senior Leasing Consultant email: jrosender@jslmi.org 6760 West Maple Road WEST BLOOMFIELD (Enter from Ring Road, across from Henry Ford Hospital West Bloomfield) 6690 West Maple Road WEST BLOOMFIELD (Enter from Ring Road, across from Henry Ford Hospital ...…
… MAY 14 • 2020 | 5 Views for openers You Animal, You! letters P uppies are adorable. My wife fears cats. Canaries are messy. I’ ve buried too many hamsters to continue a love of them. We all have our likes and dislikes in the animal kingdom. This fact, how- ever, does not preclude us from drawing on our animal “friends” to help us make our conversa- tions more vivid. Have you ever warned an extremely inquisitive child that c...…
…Views 6 | MAY 14 • 2020 editor’ s note How We Covered the Lansing Protests Our response to the Michigan Conservative Coalition and other criticisms of our stories about “Operation Gridlock.” I n our coverage of the April 15 Lansing protests to “re-open” Michigan, we at the Jewish News chose to highlight the fact that several of these protesters carried signs and props equating Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her policies to those ...…
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…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 29200 Northwestern Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send changes to: Detroit Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern Hwy., #110, Southfield, MI 48034. 8 | MAY 14 • 2020 1942 - 2020...…
… MAY 14 • 2020 | 9 Open to All High School and College Graduates Each style is available in any of the 4 sizes. CALL TODAY 248-351-5116 or 248-234-9057 You can also email in ads to salessupport@renmedia.us Or submit online at thejewishnews.com/contact/cap-and-gown 2020 Gown Cap Extended Deadline is May 21, 2020 Publication Date is May 28, 2020 AD STYLE #1 1/4 PAGE $275.00 XXXXXXXXXX May all your dreams come true! You have bee...…
…10 | MAY 14 • 2020 Views chological reactions to COVID- 19. And we can do that while still being clear about one thing: Not even the worst, most dev- astating outcome of our state’ s current policies — a long-term economic collapse resulting in widespread job losses — is an appropriate comparison for the goals and tactics of the Nazis and their systematic efforts to round up and exterminate European Jewry. The intention- ality is ...…
… MAY 14 • 2020 | 11 Make yourself at home. Learn more at TCFBank.com/WelcomeHome Support ed t hr ough t he gener osi t y of The Jewi sh Fund and t he D. Dan and Bet t y Kahn Fami l y Foundat i on. . or g We Have Answer s. Know someone goi ng t hr ough a di fficul t t i me? Cal l j hel p at 1 -833-44J-HELP Visit j hel p. org Chat onl ine wit h a st af f member or schedul e a ...…
…12 | MAY 14 • 2020 Views ily prescribed in Judaism, a solace for those in a fog of grief. We bury the dead, rip our garments, say the kad- dish, and are in forced exile in our homes for seven days. This dual purpose of ritual – comfort and something to do – is a key aspect of shivah. In the midst of great sadness, heavily prescribed activities give the mourner tasks to in their paralyzed state. In a time of self-quarantine for m...…
… MAY 14 • 2020 | 13 Most Read on the Web Each month, the JN will let you know the stories that were read most often online. If you missed any, you can go to the jewishnews.com and search for them by title. Here’ s what was most popular in April. Top 10 on the Web 1. Lansing Demonstrators Protest Whitmer with Hitler Signs 2. Kippah Masks You Can Make at Home During COVID- 19 (from March) 3. Gay and Jewish Jokes (From 2018) 4. Israel...…
…C OVID-19 and the need for social distancing abruptly cancelled a slew of spring and summer fundraisers for local nonprofits — from golf outings to com- munity walks — wiping out the anticipated revenue from those events and leaving organizations scrambling. Many virtual events are pop- ping up along with emergency fundraising campaigns that have raised millions of dollars, but organizations that help feed the hungry, award colle...…
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…16 | MAY 14 • 2020 TOP: David Paull’ s Take Steps team that raises funds for the Michigan Chapter of the Crohn’ s & Colitis Foundation. LEFT: A Lighthouse volunteer packs and sorts food. need for Lighthouse to ramp up its emergency food distribution efforts and find alternatives to its rotating shelter, which moves from var- ious religious congregations each week. The nonprofit launched a crowdfunding campaign on its platform, HandUp...…
… MAY 14 • 2020 | 17 Jews in the D essay Planning a Virtual Funeral During COVID-19 SUSAN HILLMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS M y 89-year-old mom, Florence Ackerman, was lively and fun. She loved people, parties and playing mah-jongg. Live theater was her favorite form of entertainment, which she passed on to me. She could tell a funny story like no one I knew. I saw her at least once a week, and we would always laugh about the s...…
…18 | MAY 14 • 2020 Jews in the D O n May 3, 220 individuals waited their turn to be part of a five-hour- long momentous blood drive in hopes of being eligible to donate plasma to help those suffering from COVID-19. Hatzalah of Michigan-Emergency Medical Services, in partnership with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., held the drive to identify those whose blood shows antibody levels high enough to allow them to donate plasma for ...…
