…formed Jewish Business Network. ELENA LUCHINA Elena Luchina serves as lecturer in Yiddish at the University of Michigan. She grew up in Moscow and holds a Ph.D. in linguistics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her Yiddish language courses are also open for students at Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, University of Iowa and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Elena helps the student find ways t...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 23 and Madrichim through high school graduation, she made sure to stay connected in any way she could. Even today, she tutors fourth- and fifth-grade Hebrew students to help pre- pare them for b’nai mitzvot. Erica earned her BA in envi- ronmental studies and German language and literature from the University of Michigan. Since coming back home and work- ing with The Well, she’s loved being able to reconnect wit...…
…HARRISON LEIBOW Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Harrison moved to the Detroit area during the summer of 2018 with his wife, Jillian. Shortly after his move, he started working at Hillel Day School as the K-4 school social worker. At Hillel, he is fortunate to collaborate with staff and families to best support the students’ social and emotional needs, especially in the school setting. Through coordinating outside re...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 25 struggling to keep their children busy, she started a business called Busy Box 4 Kids, developing skilled-based craft and activity boxes for children ages 2 through 5. Jamie was recruited to join Lamplighters Preschool, the Chabad of Royal Oak, as the director of education during the fall of 2020. After helping to build the foundation of Lamplighters, Jamie joined Hillel Day School as a head teacher in it...…
…in Chabad of Royal Oak, attending events and often consulting on program ideas. Having two children attending Hillel Day School, Jennifer has started volunteering with the PTO and is currently working to create programs throughout the year for Hillel’s ECC parents to attend. She enjoys going to Kensington Park to see the changing leaves and go for a hike. JUDY MARGOLIN LANDAU Judy Margolin Landau, 33, is a business strategy a...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 27 middle school trips. Mallory is always expressing her excitement about the “Hillel magic” that the students will come to appreciate, whether in the moment or as they head onto their next chapter. Her dedication to supporting students as they realize their own Jewish identities, and her overall love of Hillel, is clearly innate. She infuses these passions into everything she does to build students skills, ...…
…formance engineer at General Motors, responsible for the calibration of surround view cameras. Growing up attending Temple Shir Shalom, he was actively involved in SSTY Youth Group as a board member responsible for social affairs. The leadership opportunities it gave him have helped influence his current involvement with NEXTGen Detroit. Most recently, he’s been active in hosting events and developing engagement strategies for ...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 29 She is also the vice-chair of the Oakland County Bar Association’s Real Estate Committee and the Principal Associate Broker at NK Realty. She and her husband, Ryan, like trying new restaurants around the Metro Detroit area and enjoy traveling the world. Nargiz was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, and moved to the United States with her family at the age of 9. Russian is her first language. OR SHEMER Or is the a...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 36 Under 36 Celebrate the young Jewish professionals making a difference in our region. 34 Ensuring Jewish Continuity Will our children and grandchildren be Jewish? 36 One Thing I Wish You Knew UMatter’s annual event hopes to abolish the stigma associated with mental health challenges. 38 How We Met ‘All in ...…
…degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from Touro University Nevada. Her career began at Tamarack Camps, where she ran family camp weekends and oversaw camper recruitment. Rachel then worked for Gesher Human Services, coaching young Jewish adults in finding satisfying employment, running professional networking events, strategically connecting with area businesses, and creating and hosting the “Rachel and t...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 31 she has achieved favorable settlements for clients against Walmart, PepsiCo, Amazon and the State of Michigan, just to name a few. Alleging discrimination or harassment against an employer is not without obstacles; employers have wide deference to make decisions as it relates to hiring and firing employees. Ryan fights an uphill battle for her clients daily, believing their experiences when the cards see...…
…Hills where she was an active leader in BBYO and Tamarack Camps. During her undergraduate years, she held many leadership positions at MSU Hillel, with a focus on increasing participation and engagement. In her free time, Sara enjoys hiking, spending time with her friends and family, traveling and attending country music concerts. SHANE SPERLING Shane Sperling, a graduate of the Central Michigan University’s integrative pu...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 33 curious minds seemed to be his calling. After six months in Tel Aviv, he returned home to spend time with family before making the final move. However, fate intervened. While working and saving up some much-needed money — his excursion in Tel Aviv was anything but affordable — he met the woman who is now his wife. His calling remained the same though, so he decided to continue his education in Jewish his...…
…34 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 Y ou paid your congrega- tion dues for decades. You sent your children to religious school — maybe even a Jewish day school — and to Jewish camps. But do you feel confident that your chil- dren and grandchildren will be Jewish in the decades to come? That’s the question a panel of experts will try to address in a program co-hosted by Temple Kol Ami and B’nai Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield at 11 a.m. S...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 35 adapt and reimagine themselves. Raised on a sheep farm in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Starr earned an undergradu- ate degree in education and Judaic studies, a master’s in social work and a cer- tificate in Jewish communal service from University of Michigan. She spent many sum- mers on the staff of Camp Ramah in Canada. Starr and her husband, Rabbi Aaron Starr of Congregation Shaarey Zedek, live in South...…
…36 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY F riendship Circle, Friendship House and the Andrew Kukes Foundation for Social Anxiety are inviting all members of the community to join them in their highly anticipated One Thing I Wish You Knew event, which takes place on March 5. Four speakers plan to share their personal stories of strength and hope, showcasing their resilience in the face of their mental health struggles. According to ...…
…• The William Davidson Jewish College Loan Program is a need-based, interest-free loan program for Jewish Michigan residents. • Qualifying students must be enrolled in full-time accredited colleges or universities in Michigan. • Free Application for Student Financial Aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov to be completed for eligibility. • Financial need determination includes demonstrating active pursuit of all available funding resources. ...…
…38 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 A ccording to Jewish lore, there’s no such thing as coincidence. We are precisely where we’re meant to be at any given time. So when a couple comes about because of a “chance meeting,” we can assume that is the reason they were there. Rebecca Roberts and Dean Lugashi of Southfield met in the summer of 2012 while doing something neither of them had ever done before or since: They both happened to be wo...…
…Invest in your dreams, build your future with Hunter Pasteur EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY ASK OUR PREFERRED LENDER FOR MORE INFORMATION Email: Brian.shapiro@ccm.com Cell: 248-227-4882 Website: ccm.com/brian-shapiro Managing Director, MLO NMLS# 284035 Licensed in CA, DC, IL, MI, NJ, CT, NY For more information contact our sales team at: 248.305.7100 gramercysales@hunterpasteurhomes.com www.livegramercyridge.com Newly Decorated Ranch ...…
…4 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 PURELY COMMENTARY M y name is Michal Neuman; I am a proud ShinShinit in Metro Detroit. ShinShin is a Hebrew acronym for Shnat Sherut (year of service). Each year, Federation’s Israel and Overseas Department brings ShinShinim for a year of service where we work in Detroit’s community, running programs and making connections. I spend my days at Federation, Hillel Day School, Temple Shir Shalom and any...…
…OUR COMMUNITY SUB DEPARTMENT I an Mendel’s journey to Federation’s Motor City Mission trip in March is one of a yearning for identity, religious connection and a 50th birthday present for the ages. Ian Mendel was adopted. With it being a closed adoption and the records sealed, he had no knowledge of his biological, religious or cultural identity growing up. His adoptive parents were Christian, so he went to Sunday school and occasio...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 41 TOP: Amy’s mother Ronna Widenbaum, Amy, Ian and their twins Doren and Frieda. LEFT: Ian opening his 50th birthday present early on Chanukah. Israel in my studies and from Amy and her family’s experienc- es has been truly fascinating, and I’ve yearned to experience it all for myself for a very long time, ” Ian said. Ian is also a photographer and videographer, so besides wanting to visit Israel on the back of h...…
…42 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 J eff Aisen of Huntington Woods is this week’s Volunteer of the Week. Aisen has been a volunteer photographer for JARC and many other Jewish Detroit agencies for many years. “He just has a way of capturing people that we serve in this really deep and personal way, and he really allows us to help tell the JARC story,” said JARC’s Director of Philanthropy Jenny Kabert. Aisen was involved with JARC even before h...…
…$500 toward Cap Cost Reduction with the lease through Honda Financial Services of a select new and not previously reported sold on 2023 Civic, HR-V, CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Odyssey to qualified current owners of any 2013 or newer Honda. Excludes Civic Si and Type R. Must provide proof of ownership of eligible vehicle in the form of a current vehicle registration or proof of valid auto insurance. Offer not available to customer...…
…44 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 E nthusiastic and tal- ented volunteers of all ages participated in Adat Shalom’s ninth annual Volunteer Day, supporting many organizations through- out Metro Detroit. Working together to create more than 1,000 items to benefit those in need made it fun for all ages at the Farmington Hills syn- agogue. Projects included creating no-sew fleece scarves, cutting plastic bags to make plarn (plastic yarn), asse...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 45 Farber Hebrew Day School hosted a Saturday night, community-building Melaveh Malka on Jan. 14. More than 160 people were in attendance for this fun event. It started off with a musical Havdalah led by fifth-grade Judaic studies teacher Rabbi Joshua Strosberg. Families then joined together for singing and dancing, bringing the packed room to life as students, parents and teachers joined together to celebrat...…
…NEXT DOR N EXTGen Detroit’s annual fundrais- ing event will be a night of glitz, glamour and giving back this year, as an EPIC night at the casino. It takes place on March 4 from 8-11:30 p.m. at The Treasury in Pontiac. The event is brought to the community by Sue and Alan J. Kaufman and Family. The red carpet will be rolled out to usher guests into a glittering casino featur- ing all the classic table games, roulette, slots ...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 47 INCREASE SELF-CONFIDENCE kathy.tosoian@dalecarnegie.com 248-867-6138 MONDAY, MARCH 13TH 6PM-7:30PM INFORMATION SESSION: Designed to prepare teens for the real world. It helps them develop the skills they need to reach their potential! PLEASE CONTACT KATHY TOSOIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION, TO RESERVE SEATS FOR THE ORIENTATION, OR TO ENROLL IN THE CLASS DALE CARNEGIE FOR TEENS ABOUT THE CLASS Through our interest ...…
…48 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 Israeli Rescue Teams Saving in TurkeyLives ERETZ U nited Hatzalah, the world’s largest volun- teer emergency medi- cal service, has a team of 25 vol- unteers on the ground in Turkey to help save lives following the devastating earthquakes that have claimed the lives of more than 35,000 people as of Feb. 13. The team consists of doctors, medics, search-and-rescue specialists and psychotrauma experts, and...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 49 who is lost in the street with- out his parents, that’s a suc- cess, ” said Cohen. There is a mix of both Jewish and Muslim volunteers working on the ground, the latter of which have also been of great help in assisting with translation, he noted. United Hatzalah has plans to increase the rescue effort fivefold, including bringing in more volunteers and equip- ment, such as respirators to help the affected re...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 5 …
…50 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 SPORTS A ri Eizen hadn’t been to the David Tanzman Memorial Tournament at Farber Hebrew Day School in Southfield since 2018. That was the basketball tournament’s first year. It was an especially meaningful tournament for Eizen, then a Farber high school senior, because he was one of the tournament founders. After graduating from Farber and studying in Israel, Eizen is back home. He’s a graduate student pursu...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 51 No Medal, No Problem Team USA didn’t make it to the medal round in women’s hockey last month at the World University Games. While that was a disappointment for team mem- ber Sasha Hartje of Bloomfield Hills, she wouldn’t have traded the experience in upstate New York for the world. “I have no regrets. It was incredible. Totally worth it. I’m extremely happy that I did it,” she said. Hartje’s hockey career is comi...…
…52 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 T his January, six undergraduate students were selected to lead University of Michigan Hillel as members of the Undergraduate Governing Board. This term’s student board are Sari Rosenberg (’25), Greta Loewenthal (’25), Jacob Ellenbogen (’25), Noah Volin (’25), Jamie Feldman (’25) and Mia Hirsch (’25). Each one of these leaders brings a different perspective to the board based on their previous involvement, ...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 53 been a leader with the FreshConnect program, Jewish Feminist Circle group and a member of the Jewish Learning Fellowship. She was also a student leader on the Campus Leaders Israel trip this winter. “My goal is to help students find that love and connection that I have for Judaism and, through this role, I will be able to do that,” Mia says. As the major events officer on the Governing Board, Mia will be...…
…54 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 A s the president of Students for Israel at Wayne State University as part of Hillel of Metro Detroit, I had the opportunity to recruit, plan and implement a trip for non- Jewish student leaders (accompanied by five pro-Israel Hillel student leaders) to Israel and the Palestinian territories. The trip was designed to showcase both Palestinian and Israeli narratives. We heard from key politicians, journalist...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 55 CLASS OF 2022 JENAE LODEWYK CLASS OF 2022 NALANI RENTA-VILLANUEVA CLASS OF 2019 GUS NAVARRO CLASS OF 2021 SIMON MOURANI CLASS OF 2016 RAJ CHHAYA CLASS OF 2022 KIANNA MATEEN CLASS OF 2011 TERONTO ROBINSON, M.D. CLASS OF 2015 CHRISTINA GUSTIN W A R R I O R S T R O N G Every year, Wayne State University graduates start making an impact the moment they earn their diplomas. That’s because a Wayne State education c...…
…56 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 experiences and to discuss our thoughts and insights with one another. These discussions were incredibly valuable and helped us build a sense of community and solidarity with one another. One of the biggest challenges of the trip was dealing with cultural differences and navigating new environments. However, the group was up to the challenge and, through a creation of mutual respect, we were able to na...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 57 F rom Jan. 23-27, more than 450 students, faculty and communi- ty members celebrated Central Michigan University’s first Jewish Heritage Week. The events were held the week leading up to International Holocaust Remembrance Day to honor the lives of those who perished and those who survived, and to educate CMU’s community on how they can be allies in uplifting Jewish voices today. This dynamic week of program...…
…58 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 continued from page 57 The first event was a program focusing on issues of antisemitism. We began by sharing personal expe- riences of antisemitism faced on campus, then speaker Maddi Jackson, manager of the Israel Action and Addressing Antisemitism Program at Hillel International, high- lighted antisemitism from a broader perspective, train- ing more than 115 people how to identify and address antisemiti...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 59 A year ago, if someone had told me I would be studying civil engineering and playing soccer at Lawrence Technological University (LTU), it would have been hard for me to believe. When I first saw LTU’s campus, I was shocked by the amazing architecture. Additionally, the stadium where I get to play soccer is absolutely breathtaking. My hometown, Alfe Menashe, Israel, is a small and modest town with ...…
…6 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 1942 - 2023 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: D...…
…An action shot from the LTU Blue Devils soccer team. However, coming to study at LTU was hard at first. I experienced some culture shock, and it took time to adapt to the new mix of people and formalities here in the USA — there is a very different mindset. At times, it has been difficult to balance homework, studying and playing soccer. Also, I had to learn a different style of play, but I picked up the techniques from my coache...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 61 MAZEL TOV! NOV. 14, 2022 Tali (Jensen) and Justin Hurst of Warrenton, Virginia, joyously announce the birth of their daughter, Mira Summer. Mira is the beloved great-granddaughter of Malka Subrin, and she is named in loving memory of great- grandfather Mayer Subrin and great-great- grandfather Anthony Summers. Tali is the daughter of Rachel Subrin and David Jensen of Beverly Hills, Mich.; and Justin is the son ...…
…62 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 T he Talmud (Shabbat 31a) teaches that the very first question we are asked when our souls leave this world, when we account for our lives before our Creator, is, “Did you deal with people faith- fully [b’emunah]?” Emunah — faith — is typically understood as faith in God, in an all-knowing, all-powerful, wholly benevolent Creator who is the source of all things. But what might it mean to have faith in ...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 63 As the Book of Devarim says, “Justice, justice you shall pur- sue. ” Establishing a framework of laws that fosters justice, truth and peace requires real active commitment and dedication. The Ramban takes this con- nection between the civil laws and the Ten Commandments further. He says that the civil laws are specifically linked to Commandment No. 10, “Do not covet. ” The Ramban goes on to explain that these...…
…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...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 65 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...…
…66 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 I n an Oak Park home, there are two art studios. One belongs to Justin Bean, an abstract painter, and the other belongs to his wife, Emily Bean, a fabric sculptor. While his day job is with a nonprofit and hers is in advertising, their after-dinner activities take them into separate studios to work on current projects. To his surprise, Justin recently was con- tacted by the Art in Embassies program, establish...…
…FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 67 things like identity and topics like science, technology and culture. These are big abstract ideas but not necessarily a way to address those ideas without using an abstract visual lan- guage. ” LIFELONG ARTIST Bean, 38, who defines abstract art as liberating, started out as a youngster with artistry that was more representational. As he gained experience through schooling and displaying, the focus moved i...…
