…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 55 CARRYOUT AVAILABLE 12-5 KIDS MENU AND APPETIZERS AVAILABLE 40380 Grand River Ave, Novi www.bigtommys.com • 248.615.2102 THANKSGIVING DINNER TO GO $20 PER PERSON Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Yams, Corn, Cranberry Sauce, House Salad, Pumpkin Pie or Rice Pudding. All orders must be in by Tuesday, November 26th FAMILY MEALS TO GO 4 PEOPLE $70 6 PEOPLE $100 CARVING STATION Ham • Fresh Turkey PASTITSIO GRA...…
…56 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 J N CROSS, A THRILLER; PALTROW AND CHALAMET IN JEWISH BIOPIC Cross is an original, eight- episode crime thriller series that premieres on Netflix on Nov. 14. The title references Alex Cross, the main character in 30 best- selling novels written by James Patterson. Three Alex Cross feature films have been made since 1997. Aldis Hodge plays Cross, an African American police detective. Cross has a Ph.D. in for...…
…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 57 J N ‘MOON MAN WALK’ NOV. 15-DEC. 1 The Inspired Acting Company will stage Moon Man Walk, a magical story about love, family and the secrets we keep; it is by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames. The play tells the story of a young man who is navigating life after the sudden death of his mother. The Inspired Acting Company is at 1124 E. West Maple Road, Walled Lake. Performances are Friday and Sa...…
…58 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 JUST FOR FUN Jewish Definitions List the two words in each set of photos that are anagrams of one another. Torahfied (n.) Inability to remember one’s lines when called to read from the Torah at one’s bar or bat mitzvah or from the Haggadah at Passover. Matzilation (v.) Smashing a piece of matzah to bits while trying to butter it. Hebort (v.) To forget all the Hebrew one ever learned immediately after one’...…
…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 59 KID VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT NOV. 20 (WED.) Middle Schoolers Friendship Circle Volunteer Day, 6892 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield. Come after school to hang out with the kids who participate in Friendship Circle’s weekly programming. You’ll be paired with a student who is similar in age or interests. The two time slots are 4:30-5:15 pm and 5:30-6:45 pm. Sign up to volunteer: tinyurl.com/ FriendCircleVolunteer. ...…
…6 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 J N 1942 - 2024 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week To make a donation to the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION go to the website www.thejewishnews.com 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: ...…
…60 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 H ey, everybody! It’s me, Benny! I’m a 3-month-old male Chihuahua mix, weighing in at 4.8 pounds. I’m not new anymore and have shown my true self, so it’s time for an update. I still go by Benny Boo and Benny Bear, but you can name me whatever you want. I’m a high-energy, super playful pup who also loves to chill and snuggle with my foster parents. I have never met a cat, and my foster family doesn’t hav...…
…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 61 J N ELECTRONICS UNLIMITED ELECTRONICS UNLIMITED Sales•Service Sound Systems • TV Mounting WiFi & Network Wiring Telephone Systems • & More Warren Mendelsohn 248-470-7715 Junk-B-Gone Junk-B-Gone We Haul It All! Still the Lowest Prices in Town! SAME DAY SERVICE! Proudly Serving the Jewish Community for over 25 Years Owner Present on EVERY job! 248-760-4450 248-760-4450 SENIOR AND MILITARY DISCOUNTS Mentio...…
…62 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 The Bulletin Board community bulletin board professional services For information regarding classified advertising, please call 248-351-5116 or 248-234-9057 or email salessupport@thejewishnews.com. To view more local classifieds, visit www.thejewishnews.com/classifieds Cita Angels Home Care Please call 1 -866-542-6435 Caregiver Services 24 hr. care. We assist in cooking, cleaning, bathing/grooming, doctor...…
…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 63 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY D r. Sheldon D. Stern was a gifted eye surgeon, a beloved teacher and generous mentor, a talented artist and discerning collec- tor and, above all, a devoted husband to his late wife, Jessie, and a loving patriarch to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dr. Stern, known as “Shelly” to his family and friends, passed away on Oct. 28, 2024, at the age of 94. Shelly ...…
…64 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY R obert (Bob) Naftaly was known throughout the Southeast Michigan region as a supreme fixer and consummate strategist who devoted his time and energy to both the Jewish community and the Southeast Michigan community at large. Naftaly, who died Nov. 3, 2024, at the age of 86, was a connector who truly loved people and brought them together, said Rabbi Joseph H. Krakoff, CEO of...…
…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 65 J N continued on page 66 PHILIP MARVIN LEVI ELKUS, 98, of Delray Beach, Fla., died Nov. 4, 2024. He was the beloved husband of Jean Elkus and the late Irene Elkus. He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Louie and Michele Elkus, Steve and Gail Elkus, and Ron Elkus; Jean’s children, Dr. Barry and Carole Bakst, and Marci and Scott Weiss; grandchildren, Rebecca and Judah Ferst, Brad Elkus, Sarah Elk...…
…66 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 J N and Sandy Kronenberg of West Bloomfield, Marla and Jeff Kaminsky of Germantown, Ind., Julie and Scott Kamen of Novi; grandchildren, Ashley Kronenberg, Brianna Kronenberg, Riley Kaminsky, Eitan Kaminsky, Shaina Kamen, Matthew Kamen; cousin, Seymour Garsoff; sister-in-law, Margaret Falick; caregiver, Todd Bass. Yale was the caring brother of the late Howard Falick; loving son of the late Milton and the l...…
…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 67 J N We believe that every Jew has a portion in the world to come. Trust us to prepare your loved one for that journey. Jewish Federation of Detroit Honors the Memory of Robert H. Naftaly 1938-2024 On Behalf of a Grateful Community …
…68 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 J N Interment was held at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale. Contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel. CYNTHIA LOIS PERNICK, 87, passed away on Oct. 30, 2024, in Boynton Beach, Fla. Cindy was born on March 23, 1937, in Queens, New York, to Samuel and Beatrice Jaffe. Cindy loved to learn and teach (spending 30 years teaching second grade in Southfield), travel th...…
…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 69 Around half of job applicants are now using artificial intelligence (AI) to help them search for employment according to Forbes and Money, so job seekers not using such tools may be hampering their chances of landing that perfect job. Gesher Human Services career and computer experts, seeing a need for learning the basics of AI for job searching in the Metro Detroit community, are offering a series of 1.5-...…
…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 7 J N These attacks on individuals and communities, coupled with an increasingly hostile environment on social media and college campuses, are creating a new reality for Jewish Americans. Today, Jewish students face not just isolation but also open hostility on campuses where antise- mitic slogans and imagery have become commonplace. The once- occasional antisemitic comment or act has grown into a dark cloud ov...…
…70 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 J N I t was Halloween two weeks ago, as it is every Oct. 31. It is a largely nonreligious holiday, but as most children will tell you — it’s the trick- or-treating that matters most. In other words, it’s all about the candy! This made me think about what I might find in the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History about Jews and candy. Can you guess which popular candies are Jewish-invented? Con...…
…JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT Nominations for The Detroit Jewish News’ annual 36 under 36 are now open to recognize doers, activists, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, community organizers and other young Jewish professionals reshaping and broadening Metro Detroit’s Jewish community. Do you know someone making an impact in the community for this special honor? 36 UNDER 36 Nominations Now Open! A special group of volunteer judges will be rev...…
…Make sure your favorites get the spotlight they deserve. The ‘Best Of’ Jewish Detroit is here! 25 categories—from delis to day camps—are waiting for YOUR vote! After weeks of nominations, the finalists have been chosen, and now it s time for you to have your say. Voting is simple, but time is limited so cast your vote today! Share the link, spread the word, and help us celebrate the places that help make our community what it is. Make s...…
…8 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 J N DETAILS The Nova Musical Festival Exhibition will be hosted at The J-Detroit, 6600 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, from Nov. 17-24, 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. The exhibit content is appropriate for visitors ages 16+. The exhibit is free. To register, visit jlive. app/organizations/602. For more information, contact nova@jewishdetroit.org. OUR COMMUNITY ON THE COVER Music Stood Still The Moment A compelling mem...…
…NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 | 9 housands of music and arts fans gathered to celebrate life and music in Re’im Israel at the Nova Music Festival. At sunrise on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, 6:29 a.m., the peaceful music festival was brutally and abruptly disrupted as thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and murdered 1,200 innocent civil- ians and abducted more than 250 people. The dream of the Nova Festival did not die at the Oct. 7 m...…
…$200 March 14-20, 2024 / 4-10 Adar II 5784 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT Actresses and artists give voice to women’s Oct. 7 stories. See page 32 Rays of L ight thejewishnews.com …
…10 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N essay How to Pray for the Hostages S tart in the swimming pool. Aim for the relative stillness in the late evening hours when the lanes are nearly empty and black skies seep through wall-length glass, the deeper end of quiet. As you break the water’s surface again and again, swimming freestyle, begin the incantation. Scan the dark with your goggled eyes as the whoosh of chlorinated water folds over...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 11 J N mountaintops. Thoughtful petitions need somewhere to go. Mother Nature will receive them. So will your favorite book, wedged with a bookmark. Or the crisp novel on your nightstand that still smells of new book. Pray into swings and sandboxes, the yelps of children. Caterpillars emerging into fluttering butterflies. Pray into puddles of fresh rain. The promise of a rainbow. Pray into your freshly brewed ...…
…12 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N O ne Friday in 2006, when Dr. Maier Belen was in Beaumont hospital, his wife, Molly, sat at his bedside, frightened and worried. Suddenly, Jeanette Blumenkopf and Chana Ellenberg turned up, quite literally offering warmth and light, in the form of battery- operated candles for Shabbat and a listening ear. Touched, Molly immediately called her daughter, Barbara Pichette. “That visit bought my mother so...…
…WHAT THEY DO Each Thursday, the volunteers begin by checking in with the hospital’s Spiritual Care office. The chaplain prepares a list of room numbers for all the Jewish patients who had registered as Jewish or contacted Spiritual Care. (It’s suspected that there are many more Jewish patients who did not register, and the hope is that this article might bring awareness of at least one benefit in doing so!) The volunteers — eit...…
…14 | MARCH 14 • 2024 see us,” Ashin said. “Being in the hospital over a holiday is the worst. Patients feel very alone and miss their families. They were so grateful for a visit and to receive our little turkey cupcakes.” Each week, the experience is different. Patients are admitted and released. Mothers in the maternity ward are proud and happy to show off their new babies. For other patients, these visits are a regular highlig...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 15 …
…OUR COMMUNITY H illel Day School’s Annual Gala, themed Israel and Hope, will be held on Sunday, May 19, and promises to be an inspir- ing and meaningful evening emphasizing the impact Israel has had on Hillel’s community and, in turn, Hillel’s collective commitment to, and hope for, the State of Israel. Hillel will welcome best-selling author, for- mer Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Delegitimization, and a leader ...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 17 Kids* are invited to a spectacular night at Temple while their grown-ups enjoy our Adult Purim Spiel! Be sure to wear your most fashionable pajamas, slippers, and bring your pillow and sleeping bag to get cozy for an epic movie night on the big screen! Advance registration required by 3/18 at www/temple-israel.org/event/PurimKids $10/child. Children must be able to use the toilet independently. Geared to...…
…18 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N M etro Detroit’s community of Conservative congregations invites everyone to a lively weekend of Purim celebrations like no other. The fun begins at Southfield’s Congregation Shaarey Zedek on Saturday evening, March 23, at 8:45 p.m. with ma’ariv and megillah reading — including some amazing surprises. The evening continues with a dessert reception and drinks, and dancing to Jennifer Christiansen and ...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 19 SCAN QR CODE FOR MORE INFO! LISTING DEADLINE: MAY 13, 2024 ISSUE DATE: MAY 23, 2024 WANT TO GIVE YOUR GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE SENIOR A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT? You are invited to celebrate your high school senior with a listing in our Cap & Gown issue. Submit your senior’s accomplishments and future plans to be included, for FREE. DON’T LET YOUR GRAD BE LEFT OUT! 2024 94 | MAY 19 • 2022 continued...…
…NEW CONSTRUCTION | ONE OF THE LARGEST LOTS IN WESTCHESTER VILLAGE 3,850 SF | 5 BR | 5.1 BA | FINISHED LOWER LEVEL | THREE CAR GARAGE BIRMINGHAM SCHOOLS | $2,275,000 MARK ADLER & BRIAN NEEPER COLLAOBARTION! | 1.5 ACRE LOT 4,800 SF | 5 BR | 5.2 BA | DAYLIGHT OR WALKOUT LL SITE FOUR CAR GARAGE | BIRMINGHAM SCHOOLS | $3,995,000 MARK ADLER HOMES NEW CONSTRUCTION 3,813 SF | 4 BR | 3.2 BA | THREE CAR GARAGE 10’ CEILINGS | CHEF’S DREAM K...…
…20 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N C ome fulfill the mitzvah of Purim this year at Aish Detroit, where there will be something fun for everyone in the family. The mitzvot of Purim includes feast, charity, megillah and mishloach manot. Starting with “Purim Pop-Up, ” you can invite friends and family over to your home and make delicious hamentaschen, mish- loach manot baskets and share in some Purim Torah education. Or you can simply brin...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 21 Need Help with an IRS or State Tax Problem? As featured on: Need Help with an IRS or State Tax Problem? Call the experts at 1-800-TAX-LEVY (829-5389) • Tax Liens • Collection Notices • Penalties • Unfi led Tax Returns • Audits Call us today to answer your questions or to schedule a meeting and say goodbye to those sleepless nights! 1-800-TAX-LEVY (829-5389) www.levytaxhelp.com We Listen …. We Care … We Help! H...…
…22 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N A pessimist, they say, sees a glass as being half empty; an optimist sees the same glass as half full. But a giving person sees a glass of water and starts looking for someone who might be thirsty. ” — G. Donald Gale This month, I urge you to take that advice and find a way to help others in our commu- nity. Care House of Oakland County is looking for vol- unteers to provide meals to their evening progr...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 23 Now more than ever, Israel needs our support. The Jewish Federation of Detroit’s newly updated Israel Emergency Resources pages are a great source to help you stand up to the misinformation, miseducation and antisemitism since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. Historical background, videos and steps you can take to help are now all in one place. The Israel Emergency Resources section (https:// jewishdetroit.org/i...…
…24 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N B efore an audience of more than 500 at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township on Feb. 29, facilitated by the Jewish Federation of Detroit, Israeli social media influencer, author and activist Hen Mazzig said the Jewish community needs to be 10 times prouder to be Jewish than those who hate us for being Jewish, and the way to win over online misinformation that is fueling the hatred is to share accurat...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 25 In the months following Oct. 7, the author of The Wrong Kind of Jew: A Mizrachi Manifesto, has been on a lecture circuit. Speaking from his hotel in New York City, where he had events scheduled throughout the tri-state area, Mazzig said he spoke with the Jewish com- munity in Cleveland and also sat courtside at the NBA All- Stars game in Indiana, where he accompanied hostage survivors and Israelis whose family ...…
…26 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N M etro Detroit caregivers who look after loved ones living with dementia can experience a special day devoted to their own enjoyment and well-being on Sunday, April 7. The event is free and is being offered by the Dorothy and Peter Brown Jewish Community Adult Day Program, known as the Brown Program, with respite care being offered at its West Bloomfield location (6720 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 27 J N Caregivers Day Off is fairly typical. “ At the end of the program we ran last year, I was surprised at how many people hugged me and thanked me for such a special day. They knew their loved ones were in a safe space and having a good time, so they had the rare opportunity to focus on themselves,” she says. “Caregivers are often at a constant level of high alert. It is not until they truly relax that ...…
…28 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N Y oung members of Metro Detroit’s Jewish community have an opportunity to gain professional work experience and live in Israel this summer through the Onward Israel Program. Thirty individuals, age 18 to 30, will work and live in Tel Aviv for eight weeks. Participants will work alongside Israelis, gaining valuable cross-cultural experience. “It’s a way to jumpstart their careers and experience living somewhere ...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 29 J N S ometimes a mutual pas- sion can bring couples together. In Patty and Steve Ceresnie’s case, it was music. Steve grew up in Detroit and Oak Park. He played clarinet in the high school band, “my best subject, ” he likes to say, and was a tenor sax player in a jazz band. In 1967, when his buddy (and guitar player in the jazz band) Marc spent a week at a resort in South Haven, Michigan, the resort owner as...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 3 J N PURELY COMMENTARY 4-11 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Visiting the Sick Bikur Cholim of Detroit volunteers brighten the days of Jewish hospital patients. 16 Save the Date! Hillel Day School’s Annual Gala scheduled for May 19. 18 Community Purim Conservative congregations join for giant Purim celebration. 20 Purim Fun with Aish Detroit Four fun events feature something for ...…
…L ast month in Atlanta, Alpha Epsilon Pi held its annual Leven Leadership Institute for current and rising AEPi student leaders. Nearly 100 undergraduate student leaders were hand-picked and invited to the three-day conference with the opportunity to meet, interact and learn from AEPi alumni who have gone on to become leaders in their fields and in their Jewish commu- nities. The objective is for the student leaders to apply the les...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 31 Committee’s Global Forum in Tel Aviv and was a student leader on the Jewish National Fund’s College Summit Committee this fall. Since Oct. 7, May’s work has become more important than ever. He quickly worked with the Chabad president to organize a vigil for those impacted by the terrorist attack in Israel. The vigil was attended by 300 students. Since then, he has continued to rally MSU’s Jewish student popu...…
…32 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N O n Oct.10, three days after the Oct. 7 attack that shocked Israel and Jews worldwide, Dana Dvorin decided to take action. An artist and women’s rights activist, Dvorin, art director and CEO of Platforma Theater in Tel Aviv, called eight colleagues and got started on a volunteer podcast project called Rays of Light to bring women’s stories, which were often too graphic for a general audience, to the f...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 33 J N continued on page 34 listen. ” Her all-volunteer team is searching for stories and trying to reach the women to get their permission to be part of the testimony library, she says. “It changed how people think about women in Israeli wars, ” she says. The project approaches well- known actresses in Israel to read the testimonies and give voice to the women, she says, and has sand art to go alongside it. “S...…
…34 | MARCH 14 • 2024 This is her first time drawing a tragedy, she says, and she tries to make it as smooth as possible. She does pencil sketches and then heads to the sand table, which has a camera above it, and starts to shoot. She has an editor that edits it and adds voiceover and music and sends it to the staff. “I’m the last person that works on it. First, they collect the stories, they edit it and they record it, and when it...…
