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…$200 Feb. 17-23, 2022 / 16-22 Adar 1 5782 200 Feb. 17-23, 2022 / 16-22 Adar 1 5782 JEWISH NEWS JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com of the Bench A Titan The life and legacy of Judge Avern Cohn, 1924-2022. See page 12 …

…What does experience mean? ACCOUNTABILITY, TENACITY, RELATIONSHIPS, SUPERB MARKETING, NEGOTIATING SKILLS, AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS. OVER $34M TOTAL VOLUME IN 2021, EXPERIENCE MATTERS. …

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-11 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 A Titan of the Bench The life and legacy of Judge Avern Cohn, 1924-2022. 18 Spreading Warmth Renee Kaplan began work in August on blankets for shelter animals. 20 Lawmakers Convene Hearing on Protecting Houses of Worship Texas Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker testifies on need for security grants. 21 ‘Comedy for Peace’ Federati...…

…4 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 I n the throes of a new year, it is tempting to think about all the ways we will become “new. ” To start a new hobby or a new workout regimen; become a new person with a new start. What if this year we just set out to be better? To double down on the things we are already great at; to invest more deeply into the things we know we love. To square up to what we considered our best, look it in the eye an...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 5 INTEREST-FREE LOANS FOR MICHIGAN JEWISH RESIDENTS APPLICATIONS OPEN APRIL 1 TO MAY 15 COMPLETE AND SUBMIT ONLINE: jewishcollegeloansmi.org WHAT IS THE WILLIAM DAVIDSON JEWISH COLLEGE LOAN PROGRAM? • A Need-based, interest-free loan program for Jewish Michigan residents who are U.S. Citizens. • Qualifying students must be enrolled in full-time accredited colleges or universities in Michigan. • Free Application ...…

…6 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 PURELY COMMENTARY continued on page 11 1942 - 2022 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 of...…

…0.99% APR ON CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED ACCORD, CIVIC, CR-V, HR-V, & PILOT VEHICLES! *Available on approved credit through Honda Financial Services, 0.9% APR for up to 48 months on select new and unregistered 2022 Honda Pilot & HR-V and 2021 Passport models through 02/28/2022, for well-qualified buyers. Not all buyers will qualify. Higher financing rates apply for buyers with lower credit ratings. Actual down payment may vary. Dealer participati...…

…8 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 opinion U.S. Failure on Ukraine Could Lead to a Conflagration in the Middle East, Asia I t is not clear yet whether the Ukraine crisis will end peacefully or wheth- er war will again erupt on European soil. Nevertheless, several observations are in order. For years, many in the West have cel- ebrated the reduced role of military force in internation- al relations. Scholars herald- ed “the end of history” a...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 9 Join us for a great night out! This traveling comedy show combines top Muslim and Jewish stand-up comedians for a fun and inspiring night of humor. It’s funny, meaningful and brings our two diverse communities together. Just $20 and your FIRST DRINK IS ON US. Get your tickets at jewishdetroit.org/comedy For more info: Yiftah Leket at leket@jfmd.org Federation’s Israel & Overseas Department presents Wednesday, ...…

…10 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 opinion Time Is on Israel’s Side P ositive momentum in Israel’s regional stand- ing is underway, as can be seen by the visits of senior Israeli officials — among them its previous and present prime minister, and the foreign and defense ministers — to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain and Morocco, and the visit of a military delegation to Sudan, as well as a military flight...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 11 (For the record, one study was conducted by Gil Atzmon of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Harry Ostrer of New York University and the other was the work of Doron M. Behar of the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa and Richard Villems of the University of Tartu in Estonia, publishing in the American Journal of Human Genetics and Nature respectively). Whoopi Goldberg’s asser- tion that the Holocau...…

…OUR COMMUNITY A vern Cohn was, simply, a giant in many ways. Cohn, who was a federal judge in Detroit for more than 40 years and presided over nationally famous cases, including the intermittent windshield wiper saga that was made into a movie and two landmark free speech rulings, was a legend in the legal and political as well as the Jewish communities. He was a prolific writer on legal issues, as well as a highly accomplished amateu...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 13 The media labeled her “Jihad Jane,” and she was doubly wor- ried when she learned her case would be before Judge Cohn, a pillar of Detroit’s Jewish community. But after studying the case, the judge tore into the government and the media and praised her for “rendering extraordinary service to the United States.” In the end, Prouty was totally exonerated. “I was ecstatic that the judge had seen through the smoke to ...…

…ed, and that Fourth of July, 100,000 Ku Klux Klan members marched in Jackson. His father did very well in law and real estate, and Avern grew up in an upper-mid- dle-class Jewish neighborhood that he later called the “golden ghetto. ” Later, he said “I don’t think I ever had any non-Jewish friends until I was in the army. ” One of his first memories was being at a meeting in 1930, where he went around with a bucket collecting donations ...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 15 she said something racially dis- paraging about a visitor to the office. In the aftermath of the 1967 Detroit riot, which coincidentally began on the young lawyer’s 43rd birthday, he represented defen- dants accused of looting free of charge. Detroit Mayor Coleman Young appointed him to the Detroit Police Commission, and he strongly backed the mayor’s efforts to integrate the force. Avern Cohn’s father, Irwin,...…

…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 15 16 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 40 years, he had many significant and high-profile cases. In Doe v. University of Michigan (1989) he struck down a hate speech code his alma mater had instituted, saying it was vague, too broad and violat- ed people’s First Amendment rights. In U.S. v. Jake Baker (1995) one of the first landmark cases involving free speech and the internet, he dismissed charges against a stud...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 17 Supported through the generosity of The Jewish Fund and the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Family Foundation. Facing financial dif iculty? ☐ Call jhelp at 1-833-445-4357 ☐ Visit jhelp.org ☐ Chat online with a staff member or schedule a call at jhelp.org ☐ Do all of the above X Q We Have Answers. …

…R enee Kaplan, a person with developmental dis- abilities being assisted by a JARC independent living skills (ILS) program, has used her hobby of making blankets during the pandemic to help others. On Jan. 29, Kaplan donated 25 handmade blankets to the Michigan Animal Rescue League (MARL) located in Pontiac. The washable, tie fleece blankets will be used for rescue kittens and puppies, adult dogs and cats, and any other use MARL ...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 19 the pandemic, every volun- teer activity she was involved in had been shut down. “We sat here, and it was very difficult for everybody, and still is,” Rubenstein said. “And I think sometimes we just have to look for the light in the darkness, about what we can do, what we can contribute, instead of thinking of all the things we couldn’t. “We had to go forward and find a light in there, and I think the bla...…

…OUR COMMUNITY O n Tuesday, Feb. 8, the House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Emergency Preparedness and Communication met to discuss the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and protecting houses of worship, this following the wake of the antisemitic terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, last month. The hearing was led by Chairwoman Val Demings (D) of Florida. Members of Congress, along with a diverse...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 21 been our harsh reality. And we can’t ignore that reality. We have to confront it.” Members of Congress followed up with ques- tions asking what more they could do to help. Representative Clay Higgins (R) of Louisiana expressed how he and the members of the subcom- mittee and representatives on both sides of the aisle are dedicated to help find solutions so that places of worship can peacefully gather. He ...…

…22 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY O n Feb 1, Hillel Day School held its sixth annual Heroes Panel, where Hillel fifth-grade students hear stories about and get inspired by local heroes. Among the speakers at the panel was Joanne Lukasik, financial controller at Hillel, who told her life story and pas- sion for playing hockey ever since she was a young girl, even after having both legs severed just below the knees at 16 years old ...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 23 was tragically killed in the Oxford High School shoot- ing. The program is part of Hillel’s fifth grade proj- ect-based learning unit on heroes. Students study the qualities of everyday heroes in their Tanach class through a close analysis of Exodus 2. In the biblical text, students learn about the heroic qualities of the midwives who defied Pharaoh’s order to kill all firstborn boys and kept the children...…

…OUR COMMUNITY T he William Davidson Foundation announced two grants to honor the life and memory of Byron and Dorothy Gerson, the broth- er-in-law and sister of the Foundation’s founder. Totaling $6.5 million, the grants to the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will support two of Michigan’s arts and cultural institutions that held special significance to Mrs. Gerson and her late hus- band, Byron. Mrs. ...…

…On Sunday, March 6, our community volunteers will be making calls to secure donations to Federation’s 2022 Annual Campaign. Every day, Federation’s partner agencies are taking care of older adults, children and other vulnerable individuals. Providing emergency financial assistance for families in need, and educational supports for our day schools. Delivering mental health services for those that are struggling. This is all pos...…

…26 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 faces&places Enthusiastic and talented volunteers of all ages participated in Adat Shalom’s Volunteer Day in a Box, supporting 10 organiza- tions throughout Metro Detroit. Boxes full of hands-on projects and step-by-step instructions to create more than 1,000 items to benefit those in need were put together, picked up and delivered. Each project was designed with the event’s core values in mind: Repair the world:...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 27 Jewish Senior Life’s Oak Park residents commemorated the life and legacy of the inimita- ble Betty White with a night of celebration, TV and fund- raising: residents raised $300 in donations for All About Animals Rescue in Warren. Betty was a true animal lover, the First Lady of Television and a shining exam- ple that life is fun and fabulous at every age. JSL residents and employees embrace her core value...…

…28 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY STATE OF MICHIGAN BEFORE THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISION TDS METROCOM, LLC’S NOTICE OF DISCONTINUANCE OF BASIC LOCAL EXCHANGE SERVICE TDS Metrocom, LLC (“TDS”) is providing notice that on or after May 12, 2022, TDS will discontinue Internet and basic local exchange phone service in the Ann Arbor, Detroit Zone 5, Farmington, Livonia, Northville, Plymouth, Romulus, Southfield, Wayne, and Yps...…

…Please join us for an informational meeting: Sunday, February 27th • 10:30am Soul Cafe RSVP: Partnersdetroit.org/m4m-israel-2022-informational-meeting …

…HOME I f you’ve tired of the weary mood the pandemic has brought on, you’re not alone — the world of inte- rior design and everything it touches is over it, too. Case in point: Last year’s two- pronged Pantone Colors of the Year, Ultimate Gray and Canary- Yellow Illuminating, evoked a shared moment of isolation and the hope of brighter days. Last month, the Pantone Color Institute named the 2022 Color of the Year — Very Peri. A vib...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | designer and owner of Carrie Long Interiors in Royal Oak. “Or, the color is stunning in a bathroom and cre- ates a sense of elegance. I would do a high-gloss lacquer in a powder room and do an accent wall in a bedroom with a great textured wallpaper that has a thread of the Very Peri color in it, ” she says. “This creates such a happy mood in the room. ” Lois Haron has a different take on the color, suggesting us...…

…32 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 HAROLD ALARCON J ack Chudler is a soph- omore, but he’s an elder statesman on his high school wrestling team. “Jack came here with a lot of club wrestling experience. That isn’t the case with many of our guys, ” said Tyler Fenzel, the wrestling coach at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s. “He’s willing to help anyone on our team who wants it, both in wrestling itself and what it’s like to be a wrestler, ” Fenzel said...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 33 Want to Be a Maccabi Games Athlete? There’s still time to join the Detroit delegation that will compete at the JCC Maccabi Games this summer in San Diego. “There’s no deadline to register ... yet,” said Detroit delegation head Karen Gordon. Twenty-two athletes have signed up to represent Detroit from July 31 through Aug. 5 in San Diego. There aren’t enough Detroit athletes to form a team in any sport, so Detr...…

…34 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 continued from page 33 quick hits BY STEVE STEIN $3,000 Travel Voucher Offered to Lacrosse Players for Trip to Israel There’s an extra incentive for high school lacrosse players to participate in Israel Lacrosse’s annual Summer Service Trip. RootOne will provide a $3,000 travel voucher to help cover the cost of the trip for those who com- plete pre-trip educational programming. “We’re thrilled to have been...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 35 MAZEL TOV! 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) 3...…

…for college students by college students for college students by college students Feb. 17 2022 / 16 Adar I 5782 Bridges over Boycotts Ethan Price } jewish@edu writer O n Feb. 9, Spartans for Israel were fortunate enough to host Bassem Eid at Michigan State University, where he gave his unique perspective on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Eid is a Palestinian journalist and human rights activist who was born and raised in the United...…

…THERE’S A SMARTER WAY If you’re planning on attending a four-year college or university, become a Schoolcraft College Dual Enrollment student in high school. You can earn credits that transfer to your four-year school, saving you time and money. Registration for Spring and Summer 2022 classes begins Saturday, March 26. schoolcraft.edu/DE CRAFT YOUR FUTURE ™ …

…A s a sophomore at Kalamazoo College, I have felt outcasted as a Jew and enraged by the uneducated opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and did not know what to do about it. During the first week of our winter trimester, Kalamazoo College’s Office of Religious and Spiritual Life hosted a community reflection centered on antisemitism, sponsored by Hillel at K College. The entire student body was invited to hear from Hil...…

…W A R R I O R S T R O N G Register for this event at go.wayne.edu/openhouse-22 To experience campus life, scan here or visit go.wayne.edu/yourfuture SPRING OPEN HOUSE: MARCH 12 SPRING OPEN HOUSE: At Wayne State University, our campus is alive 24/7. With thousands of students living here and over 500 student organizations, there’s always something happening. There’s incredible food, art, culture and music all around Detroit, and every...…

…40 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 B eing a student is a full- time job, no matter the university you attend. Finding time for extracurricular activities can be challenging with the amount of schoolwork that needs to be done. Yet, stu- dents feel that if they want to get ahead in school or in life, they must find the extra time to join this club or that club. There are additional challenges that stu- dents face along the way. Many clubs on c...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 41 SPIRIT I n the Torah portion this week, we are instructed to count the Jewish peo- ple in a unique way. Each person must give a half-shekel coin. When the coins are counted, we will know how many people there are. To deviate from this and count the people using a standard method can lead to calamity. This seems to be a strange command. Census taking is a normal thing for any nation or country to do, yet ...…

…42 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 I t is a moment of the very highest drama. The Israelites, a mere 40 days after the greatest revelation in history, have made an idol: a Golden Calf. God threatens to destroy them. Moses, exemplifying to the fullest degree the character of Israel as one who “wrestles with God and man,” confronts both in turn. To God, he prays for mercy for the people. Coming down the mountain and facing Israel, he smashes ...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 43 that he would not compel them to violate the law of their forefathers. ‘But if,’ they said, ‘you are wholly resolved to bring the statue and install it, then you must first kill us, and then do what you have resolved on. For while we are alive we cannot permit such things as are forbidden by our law…’” Then Petronius came to them (at Tiberius): “Will you then make war with Caesar, regardless of his great prepar...…

…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...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 45 Shomer Israel Oak Park (248) 542-4014 godaven.com Shomrey Emunah Southfield (248) 559-1533 congregation-shomrey- emunah-105705.square.site The Shul-Chabad Lubavitch West Bloomfield (248) 788-4000 theshul.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 Israel...…

…46 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 T he Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC) has reached a milestone, celebrating its 65th anniversary this year. The art center has provided, “art for all” since 1957 and will be honoring some of its students at its annual Current Student Works Show that is open now through March 3. Works by 25 BBAC student artists were selected by Ani Garabedian, artist and community arts coordinator at the Detroit...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 47 past year. “Whether you are drawn to paintings, ceramics or fiber, this exhibition showcases what can be accomplished if you just take the leap to explore your artmaking potential,” she wrote. JEWISH ARTISTS Among the honorees are a handful of artists from the Jewish community. The JN caught up with three of them: Barbara Bayson, Jodi Galperin and Marlene Galperin. Bayson of West Bloomfield says the p...…

…ARTS&LIFE BOOKS F rom fun-resulting secrets of magicians to serious strategies for those with autism, the 70th anniversary year of the Detroit Jewish Book Fair continues its mission of featuring a range of Jewish authors and subjects through new additions to the literary market. Because of the pandemic, the presentations are accessi- ble virtually. “I always look forward to the many different authors and topics featured during ...…

…FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 49 Cohen’s presentation will be about her most recent writing project, My Life on the Autism Spectrum: Misunderstandings, Insight & Growth, set for 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, and will be in con- versation with Katie Oswald, executive director at the Full Spectrum Agency for Autistic Adults. “I don’t like revealing things about my life that are less than successful, but I believe it’s important to hear about str...…

…50 | FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 MRS. MAISEL RETURNS The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the hit Amazon Prime series about a Jewish comedian, returns for a fourth 8-episode season on Feb. 18. The pandemic long delayed filming, and new episodes of Maisel were last released in December 2019. Two episodes will, as they say, be “dropped” on Feb. 18 and each following Friday two more episodes will “drop.” Most of the Maisel main characters are suppos...…