…$200 July 20-26, 2023 / 2-8 Av 5783 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com ‘What’s Not to Like?’ The inspiring story of Nick Gilbert who lived every day of his 26 years to the fullest. See page 10 …
…10 | JULY 20 • 2023 An inspiring remembrance of Nick Gilbert who, despite enormous challenges, never gave up on life. ‘What’s Not to Like?’ DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER OUR COMMUNITY ON THE COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE GILBERT FAMILY …
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 11 N ick Gilbert climbed Masada. Picture a giant plateau on the edge of Israel’s Judean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea, about 1,300 feet straight up. The mountain is steep — so steep you can’t just climb up the side, but instead use switchbacks taking you up the incline. There are over 700 steps and endless rocky slopes, most of which have no railing. You have to start this hike at 4 a.m. when it’s already 105 de...…
…12 | JULY 20 • 2023 cally and mentally against the disease that he became a tougher, better person for it. It made him become comfortable in his own skin because he felt confident about what he was doing. In his mind, if he could beat brain tumors, he could beat anything.” DAD’S PERSONAL HERO When 14-year-old Nick Gilbert rep- resented the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team his father owns, in the 2011 NBA draft lottery, minutes before ...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 13 Cavaliers and the Michigan State Spartans, his alma mater. He loved the city of Detroit and the efforts being put into its revitalization. There was no food Nick loved more than cheese; in fact, it was mostly what he ate. Macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, cheese quesa- dilla, Cheetos, Cheez-Its. He loved cheese-flavored foods so much that his family and friends joked he would one day turn into a big block of c...…
…14 | JULY 20 • 2023 him to hold up his end of the deal by dropping down and giving him 20 push- ups. At a Pistons game many years ago, Nick successfully convinced singer Kid Rock to walk up to the concourse to grab him chips and cheese. Backstage before a concert in Cleveland, Nick ran up to 24-time Grammy Award winner Jay-Z and asked, “Jay-Z, what’s your favorite Jay-Z song?” Right before his first brain surgery when he was 10 yea...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 15 …
…16 | JULY 20 • 2023 them. “We wanted to help him. He could have picked anyone to help him navigate through life, but he picked us,” brother Grant said. “This meant we got to con- tribute to his happiness while spending bonus time laughing together. We needed these moments, and we absolutely needed him much more than he needed us. We simply would not be the same without the lessons he taught us.” People would meet Nick and then feel ...…
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…18 | JULY 20 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY ON THE COVER Nick remained in the hospital for more than two months, fighting for his life. Miraculously, Nick was able to come home in October, but sadly, with less vision and his hearing beginning to fade. By February, Nick could no longer see or hear and was on a feeding tube. The decision was made to once again give radiation a shot in hope of Nick regaining some hearing. It was unsuccessful. ...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 19 A DETERMINED FIGHTER Angela Sebald formed a special bond with Nick during his college years, working as MSU’s blindness and visual impairment specialist. Sebald’s job was to provide access so Nick could be successful in his courses. Sebald was in Nick’s life almost every day of his college career. In 2018, when Nick underwent the first of his two brain surgeries in a short span, he also happened to have three exa...…
…Two Generations, One Force. J E F F & M AT T B A R K E R ASSOCIATE BROKERS …
…20 | JULY 20 • 2023 T here are several things I ponder when I’m about to arrive at a Jewish wedding, like will there be little cocktail weenies during hors d’ oeuvres, and will I be able to navigate the hora without embarrassing myself? However, since Valerie Ross of Birmingham shared her family’s wed- ding stories with me, I’ll be paying closer atten- tion to more meaningful details the next time I attend a Jewish wedding. Of...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 21 old, when he originally received it from his parents, Sydney and Nellie Kraft. And it wasn’t a prayer shawl that just lay dormant over the years, only coming out of hibernation from Aaron’s blue velvet tallit bag in time for the High Holidays. “He enjoyed shul during the holidays, ” said Valerie, but he wore the tallit every Shabbat morning at Adat Shalom. He and my mother, Esther, were longtime members. “Each grand...…
…22 | JULY 20 • 2023 “Having my Grandpa Aaron’s tallit hanging above us was so special,” said Jeremy. “It also felt like my bubbie and other relatives who are no longer with us were watching over us on our special day. It was like having a piece of our family’s story woven into our own.” Helayne took great comfort in the symbolism that her father’s prayer shawl represented. “My father’s tallit reminded me of a long, warm hug around t...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 23 his tallit saving a full row of seats for the family at Adat Shalom. We feel lucky to have this artifact that was so core to how we remember him, built into our chuppah.” Don’t pack that prayer shawl up just yet. The Kraft family tallit tally has a shot at reaching six in five years because Helayne’s engaged daughter Carly and fian- cé, Josh Sternberg, are pondering their future wedding plans. Plus, a seventh we...…
…24 | JULY 20 • 2023 T wo Israeli performers, innovating food into artistic experiences shared by audiences, will be appearing in an event set by Hadassah to celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary. “Israeli Art in a Bite” spotlights Carmel Bar and Michal Evyatar working with authentic herbs from Israel to make sodas for tasting by audience members. The presentation runs 6:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, July 25, at Hadassah House. “We made an ext...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 25 Teaching throughout the fall at Michigan State University will carry the performers into the end of their yearlong visit to the United States. “Many of our presentations are going to be hands-on workshops for smaller groups and are mainly translations of Israeli paint- ings into eating experiences, ” Bar said. “ A group looks at a painting by Israeli artists, and we make an interpretation into a dish. This is mai...…
…26 | JULY 20 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY I n 2018, when Bracha Berenson turned 30, she decided it was time to get married and start a family. “My father had a life-changing moment on his 30th birthday, and I figured if he could change his life at 30, I could do the same, ” Bracha said. Back then, Bracha lived in Sacramento, California, across the street from her sister Amie, and she worked as a residential care- giver for a “swanky” seni...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 27 BRING THIS AD FOR $2 OFF ONE ADMISSION July 29 & 30 West Bloomfield hotworks.org Orchard Lake Fine Art Show Orna Amrani, Mixed Media Juried Fine Art & Craft Show – All Art is Original & Personally Handmade Voted Top 100 Art Shows in America Saturday, 10am-6pm & Sunday 10am-5pm – $5 Admission; 13 & under free Plus Youth Art Competition for Grades K-8 or Ages 5-13 – $250 cash awards! Great food, beer, wine, live enterta...…
…28 | JULY 20 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY J ewish Senior Life of Metropolitan Detroit held its Annual Board of Directors Meeting at Harriett & Ben Teitel Apartments in Oak Park on Tuesday, June 27. Sixty-five guests attended, including the nonprofit organization’s officers, executives, staff members, award recipients, agency partners and community members. Jewish Senior Life (JSL) has six inclusive residential communities with a continu...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 29 JSL CEO Nancy Heinrich shared how serving older adults has given her purpose as has helping residents find and embrace their unique purpose within each community. She spoke about exciting updates at the various buildings, including current apartment renovations at the Fleischman and Meer Residences, expanding the patio and garden in the Meer courtyard, and the upcoming completion of the expanded Hechtman Reside...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-9 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 10 ‘What’s Not to Like?’ The inspiring story of Nick Gilbert who lived every day of his 26 years to the fullest. 20 The Traveling Tallit Grandpa Aaron’s tallit has place of honor at grandchildren’s weddings. 24 Foodscape Hadassah welcomes Israeli food artists to July 25 event. 26 How We Met: ‘You Can’t Know Someone U...…
…30 | JULY 20 • 2023 The people served by JARC, a Bloomfield Township based nonprofit organization serving adults with developmental disabilities, enjoy a variety of life- enriching activities with each other and the larger community, and a recurring favorite activity that is always sure to bring smiles to their faces is playing Bingo. A recent lively, in-person Bingo event at Temple Beth El attracted 49 people JARC serves. The ...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 31 Jewish Senior Life recently hosted a free-to-the-community education- al event to help seniors and their families understand the choices available to them for retirement and what to consider as they begin planning for the future. Senior living experts Robin Heppler and Will Kieffer, both from Tandem Senior Living Advisors, discussed five common myths about retirement living options and answered questions from ...…
…32 | JULY 20 • 2023 M y brothers and I were raised as Reform Jews. We attended religious school through high school. Our education culminated with a six-week teen mission to Israel, an experi- ence of a lifetime. From what I understood as a kid, we were observing most of the important Jewish holidays. The High Holidays always dominated our fall schedules, complete with services, family gatherings, apples and honey. After Rosh Has...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 33 a plate with a bagel, already shmeared, and a round pastry or cookie. The same foods I’ve served to other mourners at shivahs over the years. Jewish culinary traditions connect sym- bolic dishes and customs to help us with our grief, whether it’s personal or public. Meals of condolence are served by others as part of the healing process, a custom that is centuries old. Tisha b’ Av is the scheduled yahrzeit for our ...…
…34 | JULY 20 • 2023 are still firm to the bite, between 5 and 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside, keeping the lentils in their cook- ing water. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or saucepan. Add the onions and remain- ing kosher salt. Cook the onions, stir- ring frequently, until all are thoroughly cooked and deep brown, between 20 and 30 minutes. Add the cumin and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1½ cups ...…
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…A dd another Jewish ath- lete to Central Michigan University’s sports rosters. Lucas Hutten, captain of the Novi High School hockey team last season, has joined Central Michigan’s club hockey team, which has played in the American Collegiate Hockey Association national tournament five straight years. Central Michigan basketball recruit Noah Adamczyk, a 6-foot guard who is the all-time leading scorer in Bloomfield Hills High Schoo...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 37 Temple Israel, Shir Tikvah Lead the Way in Men’s Club Softball League With the playoffs looming next month, teams in the weekly Inter- Congregational Men’s Club Summer Softball League are battling for position in their division. Through games played July 9 in the league’s 28th season, Temple Israel No. 2 and Temple Israel No. 6 were neck-in-neck at the top of the six-team Greenberg Division. Temple Israel No. 2 ...…
…38 | JULY 20 • 2023 T he ornate Fisher Building has been called Detroit’s biggest art object. The 28-story Art Deco mas- terpiece exudes Detroit history — from the Fisher brothers who built it in 1928, to another Fisher — the late Max Fisher — who owned it and maintained his office there. And now to its new owner, Michigan State University’s $4 billion endowment. The Fisher, as the office building and theater are know...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 39 PHOTO BY NADIR ALI tion at Milwaukee Junction “is the birthplace of the U.S. auto industry where, in the early 20th century, manufac- turers sprang up around the Milwaukee and Grand Trunk railroad lines. ” Interim MSU President Teresa K. Woodruff said MSU has been working “for decades with partners in Detroit to sup- port economic development, advance the arts, transform schools, improve health and sustain th...…
…4 | JULY 20 • 2023 essay How a Christian Holocaust Scholar Became a Jew A fter a life spent studying and working with the Jews, Stephen Smith became one. You would think then that Smith, with his international reputation as a scholar and archivist of the Holocaust, would now be joining the chorus of voices warning us that antisemitism is an existential threat to American Jews. You would be wrong. Smith’s journey to Judais...…
…40 | JULY 20 • 2023 M ichigan’s flag was held high and proudly at Israel’s largest smart mobility industry trade show on May 23 by bringing two dozen representa- tives from Michigan businesses, industry, research institutions and government agen- cies focused on the field. The “home team” and thousands of other participants were greeted by the enhanced Michigan Welcome Booth immediately upon entering the Tel Aviv Expo main pavilion...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 41 continued on page 42 situation leading to e-Car development. ” David Riemenschneider, a private equity automotive technology consultant from Europe, visited the Michigan booth hoping to help the effort. “ Among my jobs, I encourage overseas compa- nies to locate in Michigan by consulting on mergers and acquisitions, funding strategies and organization- al structure, ” he said. He worked at Ford Motor Company for ...…
…42 | JULY 20 • 2023 ERETZ front and dead center on the show floor, ” she said. “Given our focus, Israel’s Ecomotion Week is an important show for Lambert, my clients and my transportation-energy- focused team. ” ECOMOTION WEEK The Ecomotion pavilion was part of Ecomotion Week, which included 109 exhibit- ing startups from Israel and abroad, 75 sponsoring part- ner organizations, dozens of speakers and side events with 800 people...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 43 MAZEL TOV! May 21, 2023 Michelle and Eddie Rubin of West Bloomfield are proud to announce the birth of their son, Saul Benjamin Rubin, brother of Beatrice, 6, and Maeve, 1. Happy grandparents are Rick and Renee Unger, and Edie Rubin, also of West Bloomfield. Saul is named after his maternal great-grand- father Joseph Unger, maternal great-grandmother Sybil Einstandig, paternal grandfather Berry Rubin and paternal g...…
…44 | JULY 20 • 2023 I t was one of the great moments of per- sonal transformation, and it changed not only Moses but our very conception of leadership itself. By the end of the book of Bamidbar, Moses’ career as a leader would seem to be ending. He had appointed his succes- sor, Joshua, and it would be Joshua, not Moses, who would lead the people across the Jordan into the Promised Land. Moses seemed to have now achieved everything ...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 45 Talmud. Respect and rever- ence for your teacher should be greater even than respect and reverence for your parents, rules Rambam, because parents bring you into this world, while teachers give you entrance to the World to Come. When someone exercises power over us, they diminish us, but when someone teaches us, they help us grow. That is why Judaism, with its acute concern for human dignity, favors lead- ership...…
…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...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 47 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 H...…
…48 | JULY 20 • 2023 ARTS&LIFE ART FAIRS B ruce and Christine Green met at an art fes- tival in Florida, got to know each other with particular attention to shared artistic interests, married and merged their talents. Now, they are mak- ing bright, colorful abstract images on aluminum. Their various work, spanning 47 years of marriage, has been offered and made available by order through outdoor art fairs presented around the country. T...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 49 THEATER R yan Bernier, who recently received his master’s degree in acting from Wayne State University, is portraying Dorothy in an all-male par- ody of the TV show The Golden Girls. This will be the second time Bernier, a current Detroiter, has taken a strong female role. The actor, who has been cast in parts reach- ing from Antony in Julius Caesar to Star Cat in Psycho Beach Party, portrayed the mother (E...…
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…Festival Aug. 5-6. “I’ve always been an artist, finishing studies as an art major at the University of California at Irvine, ” said Bruce, who cel- ebrates Judaism by sharing holidays with family. “I was a potter for 30 years, and my wife painted on the pottery. At a certain point, we did a lot of tiles and tile murals. “We discovered that by using the comput- er and the scanner, we could scan ceramic tiles. When you enlarge the tiles, ...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 51 F or Detroit Jewish News readers who have wondered about the back- ground of Yiddish limerick writer Rachel Kapen, her son Udi is about to reveal part of that background in an enhanced and enacted play that aligns with the development of Israel. Rachel’s Song, presented in a short play festival by the Village Players of Birmingham, can be seen July 28-30, at the company playhouse on Woodward. Kapen’s 30-minute d...…
…52 | JULY 20 • 2023 ALL OPPENHEIMER — WITH ALMOST ALL THE JEWISH ‘PLAYERS!’ Oppenheimer, which opens in theaters on July 21, is a $100 million budget, big-cast film about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-67). He was the head of the Manhattan Project, the code- name given to the successful American program to develop an atomic weapon during WWII. Oppenheimer was not the most brilliant theoretical physicist, but he was “very ...…
…JULY 20 • 2023 | 53 SUMMER ART FAIR 10 AM-9 PM, JULY 21 (FRI.) In downtown Ann Arbor, organized by the Guild of Artists & Artisans. A juried fine art event featuring 400 exhibiting artist booths, live entertainment, art activities; it is just one of the three art fairs happening simultane- ously to create the Ann Arbor Art Fair. BIM BOM BABY 10-11 AM, JULY 21 (FRI.) Bim Bom Baby is a Shabbat celebration for babies to 5 years old...…
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