…$200 Nov. 2-8, 2023 / 18-24 Cheshvan 5784 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com As the war began, United Hatzalah medical As the war began, United Hatzalah medical volunteers unhesitatingly risked their own volunteers unhesitatingly risked their own lives to save others. lives to save others. See page 26 HEROISM Under Fire …
…10 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 N o one asked you, you dirty Jew. ” “I bet you can hear a penny fall from a mile away. ” “Go back to the gas chambers. ” At first glance, these sentences, with varying degrees of problematic content, sound like they come from a 1930s movie, Nazi propaganda or an interview with post-2020 Kanye West. But these are all sentences and phrases I have heard directed at me or my Jewish friends in 2023, in a...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 11 treat everyone with harmony and respect, no matter what they say back to us. The way the adult Jewish community can help us deal with this struggle is to do the confronting when we feel socially like we cannot. Parents, temples and Jewish organizations should be actively supporting and ask- ing their high school kids if they need to share anything, because chances are, they probably do. Problems obviously ...…
…12 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY A Bright Light Now Gone DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER Sam Woll speaks at an IADS block party in August 2022. JAMIE FELDMAN …
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 13 J N A mong the countless heartbreaking yet beautiful tributes at Samantha Woll’s funeral service, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reflected on the immense outpouring of love from all those who knew Woll, following her tragic death. “What stands out to me is these senti- ments are all so remarkably similar. Sam was said to be kind, caring, compassionate, sincere, loving, a tenacious advocate and supporter...…
…continued from page 13 14 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY A CONNECTION WITH ALL PEOPLE Woll was a powerful interfaith bridge-builder and was engaged with the Muslim and Hindu communities in that space. She was also deeply devoted to inter- communal bridge-building with the Asian American and African American communities. Woll was a founder of the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Detroit and a longtime American Jewish Committee lay le...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 15 J N A special quality of Woll’s, Lopatin recalls, is how she was able to connect with younger people — young Jews, young Muslims and beyond. “ And it’s interesting, she’s someone who did not have any children herself, ” Lopatin said. “I think someone like her brings hope for our children that this can be a better world. ” To everyone who knew her, Woll was not only a person they wanted at their side — every...…
…16 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY continued on page 18 continued from page 15 all backgrounds at Hebrew Memorial Chapel in Oak Park. The service, which took place just one day after Woll’s senseless death, an end to an impactful life with still so much to give, saw family, friends and community gather to share memories and attempt to find consolation in those memories. In her eulogy, Dr. Monica Woll Rosen passionately des...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 17 J N Sam had a unique ability to build bridges across communities. We salute her commitment to the Jewish community and her dedication to the values of JCRC/AJC. May her memory be a blessing. …
…18 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 16 naysayers alike. Her warmth could persuade even the hardest heart of the loudest heckler. “Sam gave everything of herself but asked for nothing in return. She only ever wanted to be of assistance to others. Samantha Woll may have been the nicest person I have ever met or will ever meet in my lifetime. ” AN INSPIRATION In speaking to friends in the days follow- ing Woll’...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 19 J N Photo courtesy of Robert Bruce Photography LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER! CYNTHIA AND MARVIN ZUCKER Honorees DANA BASH Keynote Speaker CNN Anchor and Chief Political Correspondent Unprecedented events in Israel remind us that antisemitism remains a scourge that must be uprooted. Your support of The Zekelman Holocaust Center is essential. Together, as a united community, we will teach Michiganders to stand ag...…
…To register scan the the QR code or visit shaareyzedek.org/shabbatlunches. Call the synagogue office to register at (248) 357-5544. * We welcome you to join us for Shabbat morning services at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday, and minchah which begins immediately following lunch. Open to the Community. FREE to attend but registration is required! JEWISH DETROIT'S Best Kept Secret! Delicious Dairy Buffet Lunch every Shabbat AT CONGREGATION SHAAR...…
…“SAM WORKED EVERY SINGLE MOMENT OF HER LIFE TOWARD THE GOAL OF A BETTER FUTURE ... WE MUST KEEP IT GOING.” — YEVGENIYA GAZMAN continued from page 18 20 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N spoke, she wanted to organize an event to bring the Jewish and Muslim communities together.” The world has lost one of its brightest lights, Farooqi said. “Which is why it’s impera- tive those of us who knew her and loved her keep her memo- ry alive by bein...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 21 From North to South — The Bishops Have You Covered! Serving the Jewish Community for over 30 years! 4130 TELEGRAPH ROAD BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48302 NOAH BISHOP COHEN The Next Generation of “SOLD” ns.cohen26@gmail.com MELANIE BISHOP “SOLD” is my middle name melaniesold@aol.com MelanieSold.com 248.867.7800 OVER 1 BILLION IN CAREER SALES! ALL UNDER CONTRACT THIS WEEK! IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO SELL. CALL US NOW! CHAD...…
…22 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY M oshe and Shayna Davis, the Bnei Akiva shlichim who came to Southfield from Israel in 2022, were horrified when they heard about the war. Instead of wallowing, they imme- diately began brainstorming with fellow Detroit shlichim, Tamar Glaser and Chana Neubauer, about how they could help. “We’re here only temporarily, but we know how it feels to have family in Israel,” said Shayna. “We parti...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 23 J N Erie Skoczylas of Southfield found himself in a unique position to practically help IDF soldiers. As the general manager of Huron Valley Guns, which is both a shooting range and a supply store, Erie started receiving phone calls from family members of soldiers on the front lines as soon as the war broke out. “It started with one person calling me about his son,” said Erie. “His son’s unit didn’t have e...…
…24 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 was willing to bring the letters back to Israel, so Erin decided to open it up to the community. “I created a quick flyer on Thursday morning inviting people to write letters of support and leave them in a box on my porch before Friday at 11 a.m. I put it up as my WhatsApp status and posted it on a few different groups,” said Erin. All day, people from different cross sections of the community wrote and d...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 25 Register at www.dumoart.com (313) 963-6255 409 East Jeferson, Detroit, MI 48226 Register for the November 16th & 17th, 2023 Auctions Today Featuring works from Richard Mayhew, Charles McGee, Hughie Lee-Smith ,Pierre Alechinsky, Louis Comfort Tifany, Douglas Arthur Teed, Guy Carlton Wiggins, Charles Culver, & Many More November …
…26 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N W earing a bulletproof helmet and vest and appearing live via Zoom under the cover of darkness, Dov Maisel, co-founder and vice president of international operations for United Hatzalah, shared a first-person account of the war in Israel with supporters at Tam-O-Shanter Country Club in West Bloomfield. The Oct. 16 meeting was led by Adena Barenholtz, the Detroit regional develop- ment officer for Friends o...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 27 MATERIALS Almost Anything* BOLD and BRIGHT. *Items not allowed: • Glitter • Light blue crayons • Pencils • Computer generated artwork REQUIREMENTS A fully completed entry form (below) as well as a color photo of the artist who submitted. Photos must be taped or glued to the back of the art submission, with the entry form. Please no staples or paperclips. Only one submission per child is allowed. PRIZES $...…
…28 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N T amir Oppenheim called his sister, Rachel, in Israel in the early morning hours of Oct. 7. He was on a family vacation in Italy; she was preparing to start her day with a hike in the beautiful surroundings of Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the most successful kibbutzim in Israel, where Oppenheim was born and raised. As they were chatting, Oppenheim, vice president of the Central Region at Friends of the Is...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 29 J N Texas. He also served as a paratrooper in the IDF. “We are going to fight back and the IDF will win. We’ll rebuild,” he says. “We’re determined. We have no choice. This is our only homeland, and it will remain our homeland.” FIDF provides financial and educational support, helps wounded soldiers and bereaved families, assists Lone Soldiers who have no immediate family in Israel, and creates environments...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 3 J N contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-11 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 A Bright Light Now Gone Samantha Woll made an enormous impact on the Detroit Jewish community during her short life. 22 Finding Meaningful Ways to Help Little things, done with love, can make a difference. 26 Heroism Under Fire As the war began, United Hatzalah medical volunteers unhesitatingly risked t...…
…30 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY A lthough retired healthcare professional and physical therapist Barry Chesterman planned a trip to Israel in advance to help his mother recover after a surgery set in October, his trip took on a new meaning as the war in Israel unfolded. Chesterman, 65, of Huntington Woods and a former IDF volunteer medic, knew he needed to support his nephew, Eitan Chesterman, who serves as a supply...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 31 J N M ichigan Sen. Gary Peters paid a visit Oct. 12 to the Woodward Avenue Shul — which was defaced with antisemitic graffiti last spring — to discuss the availability and importance of Nonprofit Security Grants and their role in securing houses of worship. He discussed both the ongoing hostilities in Israel as well as the unparalleled level of hate crime incidences domestically in the United States. R...…
…34 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N E arly Saturday morning, Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel from Gaza and perpetrated a horrif- ic attack killing more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians, injuring more than 3,000, and taking some 220 hostag- es — women, children, babies, soldiers, the elderly, whole families — to Gaza. As of this writing, the fate of these captives is unknown, and Israel and the Jewish world is praying ...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 35 nalist and Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow Efrat Lachter, who agreed to speak with one day’s notice. Efrat shared stories of bravery, in particular that of Inbar Lieberman, the 25-year- old security coordinator at Kibbutz Nir Am, who saved the kibbutz through her quick and daring mobilization of their security team. Efrat is a seasoned war cor- respondent who has heard tes- timonies from other atrocities ove...…
…36 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N W hen families flew to Israel for their highly anticipated Sukkot vacation, some ended up fearing for their lives and scrambling for flights back home amid war and chaos. Now that they are back on American soil and safe from the rocket fire, they have mixed feelings about it. Michael and Fallon Levin of Southfield flew to Israel on Sept. 26 with their kids, Fallon’s mother, Inez Garfield, and brother...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 37 was created. We were very inspired … And then war broke out Shabbat morning. ” When the Blumenkehls heard the sirens, they first assumed it was a kitchen fire, until hotel staff directed the hotel guests into the bomb shelter. After 10 minutes, they exit- ed the shelter and the family tried to get ready for shul, but the siren kept going off anew. Finally, a staff member turned on the TV in the lobby. “That’s...…
…38 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY O n Oct. 7, Maya Aisner woke up, checked her phone, and saw missed alerts about rocket attacks, including instructions to seek shelter immediately. There were also dozens of calls and messages awaiting her response. When the next alert came, the 18-year-old West Bloomfield High School graduate spending a gap year in Israel, grabbed a newly packed bag containing food, water and clothing...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 39 J N Ruby Bagdade, a Bloomfield Hills High School junior, was about seven weeks into studying abroad via the Jewish National Fund (JNF) Impact Fellowship at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel when terror broke out at the hands of Hamas. The fellowship, which was sup- posed to last four months, pre- pares a select group of high school students from around the world to take their place as future Jewish chang...…
…4 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N JCRC/AJC Statement Grateful for Allies Standing with Israel W e, the undersigned faith leaders in Michigan, say clearly and in no uncertain terms — we stand with Israel in its fight against Hamas terrorism. The Hamas terrorist attacks inten- tionally targeted the lives of innocent Israelis — men, women, the elderly and babies — and were carried out in the most brutal and barbaric ways. As people of faith, ...…
…40 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 went to shul. There, she saw rockets flying overhead, and her thoughts turned to her 21-year-old brother, serving in the IDF. “It was the only time in my life when I had trouble not being on my phone during a yontif or Shabbos,” she says. When the holiday ended and she was able to con- nect with her parents, they told her they had booked her on two different flights home in case the first one was cancele...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 41 J N G et ready for eight nights of Chanukah with the eighth annual Chanu-Con! at Congregation Beth Shalom in Oak Park. The event is free and open to the public. Enjoy children’s activities and entertainment, kosher lunch options from Bloom’s Kosher Catering, live music and the beloved 50/50 raffle. Oh, wait! And, of course, anything and everything you need to be the best Chanukah gift giver of all time! ...…
…42 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N Gesher Human Services held its annual awards night on Sept. 28 at the Birmingham Community House, honoring staff, community members and participants in its programming. George Stern, a past chair of the board, was awarded the first Gesher Bridge Builder Award for his unparalleled commitment to the organization. Current board chair Kristen Gross described Stern as “a mensch in every sense of the word. ” H...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 43 A special group of volunteer judges will be reviewing submissions and choosing the 36 winners. Honorees will receive a free subscription to the JN and be featured in a February 2024 issue. GO ONLINE TO THEJEWISHNEWS.COM AND SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION BY DECEMBER 29, 2023 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT Do you know someone who gives of themselves to the community in robust — and often thankless — ways? Someone you admire and ...…
…44 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N T he remarkable success story of the Frankel Jewish Academy boys tennis team continued to be written this fall, with the Jaguars adding some new chapters. After qualifying for the Division 4 state tournament for the eighth time in 10 years, Frankel finished in seventh place among 24 teams and had players reach the semifinals in three flights. The seventh-place finish at state was the highest in team his...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 45 J N matches Oct. 21. Feldman and Witt played only their semifi- nal match Oct. 21. All the nighttime match- es and most of the daytime matches at the state tourna- ment were played indoors. The state tournament closed the door on Shaevsky’s Frankel tennis career. He was on the team for four years and went to the state tournament three times. After playing No. 4 doubles at state as a sophomore and junior, winnin...…
…G od appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men were standing over against him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent entrance, and bowed down to the earth… ” Genesis 18:1–2 Thus, Parshat Vayera opens with one of the most famous scenes in the Bible: Abraham’s meeting with the three enigmatic stra...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 47 Your eyes, do not leave Your servant [i.e. Please wait until I have given hospitality to these men]. ’ [He then turned to the men and said:] ‘Let me send for some water so that you may bathe your feet and rest under this tree… ’” This daring interpretation became the basis for a prin- ciple in Judaism: “Greater is hospitality than receiving the Divine Presence. ” Faced with a choice between listening to God ...…
…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...…
…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 Farmington Hills (248) 477-1410 ...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 5 J N with Life Remodeled. This has included dedicated volunteerism and generous philanthropic support to ensure more Detroiters have equitable access to educational youth programs, better job opportunities and various health and wellness resources. As all of you know by now, I am absolutely convinced systemic racism against Black Americans remains one of the greatest challenges in our country. I can also say...…
…50 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N ARTS&LIFE COMEDY T he comedian going by his middle name, Modi, was 7 years old when his family moved from Israel to America, and he returns to Israel for visits with cousins and performances in live shows. Modi’s last appearances in the country of his birth happened just days before the terrorist attacks. Now, looking forward to appearing Nov. 15 at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, he tells about Israeli com...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 51 in the office, and a friend suggested he try his talents in standup comedy and orga- nized that start. “The owner of the club said that I was very good and should stick with it, ” Modi said. “While I was working at the bank during the day and appearing at comedy clubs in the evenings, I decided to do comedy full time. ” The Comedy Cellar in New York is considered Modi’s home club, and he performs there when ...…
…52 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J N ARTS&LIFE MUSIC A banjo player and an organist have put together a ragtime concert to raise money for the restoration of the organ at the Masonic Temple in Detroit. The event is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12, in the Cathedral Theatre at the Masonic Temple. “I want the audience to learn how enjoyable it is to experience live music, especially with this instrumentation,” said Aaron Lewis, the banjo pl...…
…NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 | 53 J N SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT I almost never cover high- profile crimes. But this one is different. About 10 days ago, I stumbled on a YouTube video about the 2014 murder of Dan Markel. At the time of his death, Markel was 41 and a law professor at Florida State University (FSU), Tallahassee. Fairly quickly, I realized that this was a “big case” that had been covered, on-and-off, for almost a decade by 20...…
…MAGIC SHOW 3:30-4:30 PM, NOV. 2 (THURS.) At Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township. Grandparents and grandkids will have a fantastic time with Beth Elders of TBE. A magic show by Big Patric, cookies, chocolate milk and coffee. Open to everyone in the community, and it’s free. EVENING AT THE THEATER 7-10 PM, NOV. 2 (THURS.) Join NEXTGen Detroit for an evening at Detroit Public Theatre, 3690 Third Ave., Detroit. See a play by J...…
