…$200 March 21-27, 2024 / 11-17 Adar II 5784 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Bubbie’ s Bubbie’ s Kitchen is back! Online series relaunches with a new look and a favorite Purim recipe. See page 34 …
…continued on page 12 G ina Erpardo of Farmington Hills had never been to a school board meeting until March 5. She went to listen after hearing about the February meet- ing from a friend, who was concerned that Jewish parents’ voices weren’t being heard in the debate about the school board calling for a ceasefire resolution. She went to listen and to add to Jewish representation at the meet- ing, as her children, 17 and 12, attend Nor...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 11 MATTHILDUR MARK KELLER SINCE 1975 SPRING/SUMMER 24 929 S ETON STREET OPEN THU - FRI 12-5PM SAT 11AM-6PM OR BY APPOINTMENT 248.550.1008 mark@matthildur.com www.MATTHILDUR.com …
…12 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N the Facebook group Blocking Schoolboards From Calling For a Ceasefire, which now has close to 130 members. The first Facebook group she’s ever started, it’s a place for people to share information, from asking for copies of referendums to updates on meetings. “We have to stop this in its tracks, ” she says. Sharon Sorkin of Ann Arbor went to her first school board meeting after Oct. 7 to make sure a Jewish p...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 13 An ual Event CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK FARBER HEBREW DAY SCHOOL Celebrating our 60th Anniversary event24@farberhds.org www.farberhds.org/giving/annual-event AND TO HONOR FARBER ALUMNI SERVING IN THE IDF 11:30 AM | CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, MI 48034 April 14, 2024 Rachel & Josh Op erer is proud to recognize EVENT CHAIRS Julie and Eugene Sherizen Drs. Ora and Michael Singer HONOR...…
…14 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N A West Michigan cou- ple, both attorneys, and their children have reached a landmark set- tlement with Portage Public Schools that enables Jewish students to observe religious holidays without missing out on important school events. Saraphoena Austin Koffron and Mike Koffron, owners of Austin+Koffron in Kalamazoo, which specializes in family law, have three children, Blue, 25, Minaleah, 19, and a younger ...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 15 J N • Formalize absence policies for minority religious holi- days • Reschedule major events if written notice of the conflict is given to the principal or superintendent • Improve communications to staff about the district’s non-discrimination policy • Expedite notice to the Board of Education of complaints of discrimination Also, absences for religious observance of minority religious holidays will not be cou...…
…16 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N Three past athletes share how the Games shaped them as adults. Maccabi Breeds Success ALISON SCHWARTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS OUR COMMUNITY Madison Narens at the JCC Maccabi Games in Florida Sloan Lemberg performs at the JCC Maccabi Games in Miami. Noah Adamczyk, Central Michigan University basketball player …
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 17 J N continued on page 18 T he JCC Maccabi Games will be rolling into town on July 28 and running until Aug. 2, which is the seventh time Detroit has hosted the Games, more than any other city in the U.S. Hosted by The J in West Bloomfield, 1,000 volunteers and 400 host families are needed to work with The J’s professional staff to ensure that the event goes smoothly. No one knows more about the passion and e...…
…18 | MARCH 21 • 2024 At Bloomfield Hills High School, Narens was on the Varsity team and, in 2019, her senior year, she won the State Finals in the singles division. Narens appreciated meeting people from other states. “For a lot of the kids I met, this was their first chance to be around a lot of Jewish people,” she said. “I think the Games really allow you to feel closer to Judaism.” Narens achieved gold medals in all three JCC ...…
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…20 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N I n late January, four local rabbis — Rabbi Daniel Schwartz from Temple Shir Shalom, Rabbi Steven Rubenstein from Congregation Beth Ahm, Rabbi Shalom Kantor from Congregation B’nai Moshe and Rabbi Harold Loss from Temple Israel — visited Israel for a brief but impactful rabbinic mission on behalf of their congregations. Rabbi Schwartz coordinated the trip and said it had a three- fold mission — to witnes...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 21 J N Rahat, the Arab Bedouin city in southern Israel, where they sat and listened to the Bedouin and heard their stories. Another stop was visiting Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where the rabbis witnessed the remnants of the massive devastation and horror of Oct. 7. They also went to the site of the Nova Music Festival massa- cre and Kikar HaHatufim, the hostage square. “The experience was over- whelming but incredibly im...…
…22 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N F or more than 50 years, Thursday nights have had Thursday Night Social Group (TNSG) on the calendar for Julie Charron of Bloomfield Hills. She’s one of a number of participants from around Metro Detroit who come together with volunteers and caregivers to relax, take part in activities and have fun with friends at the twice-monthly events. “I like to socialize with other people and get to them and ma...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 23 J N Thank God it’s who wants to hang out with their friends.” Larry Stillwater of West Bloomfield has been volun- teering with the tight-knit group since the 1980s. “They’re really energetic,” he says of participants, who share holiday events, gym nights and more. “They know when they’re at the social group they’re with a bunch of people having a good time. There’s no pres- sure on them to do anything they...…
…24 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N M ichal Oshman borrowed the name of her book What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid? from a sign she saw at Facebook when she arrived for her job interview. This question, as well as company culture at Facebook, not only caught her attention, it also shifted her paradigm from risk aversion to embracing and leaning into the unknown. Being in an environment where failure is not only normalized, but actually...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 25 J N LEFT: Michael Pytlik, director of Judaic Studies and Cis Maisel Center. RIGHT: Jean Boyer reads Oshman’s book. Jewish Center of Troy and recently recognized by the Detroit Jewish News as part of the 2024 36 under 36 cohort of community leaders, reflected briefly on the fuel of a successful four years and counting of the center. “Jews are hungry to learn more. ” In his introductory remarks, Rabbi Kasriel Shemt...…
…26 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N A lec Cohen, a BBYO Michigan Region volunteer adviser, is this year’s recipient of the David Bittker Unsung Hero Award for Adviser of the Year. Alec was nominated by local teens and staff and was chosen out of all the volunteer advisers serving BBYO chapters across America. The David Bittker Unsung Hero Award is presented annually by BBYO to an outstanding adviser who demonstrates David’s qualities: i...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 27 J N B atyah and Yehudah Hertz of Huntington Woods look for- ward to Shabbat with their kids Avi, 6, Shayna, 4, and Yonah, 2, every week. It’s a time when they don’t take out their phones or use electronics, and they don’t cook. They have rules around what they can carry and where. This kind of Shabbat practice is something they’ve incorporated into their lives as adults, says Batyah Hertz, explaining that it al...…
…28 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N M aintaining your health and vitality as you age includes taking care of your mouth. Neglecting dental health can make you susceptible to gum disease, lead to poor nutrition, put you at risk for infections and even impact your emo- tional well-being. Yet, many older adults aren’t receiving proper oral care. Research from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that more than one in five Medicare beneficiarie...…
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…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 3 J N contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-8 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 10 Making Jewish Voices Heard Parents mobilize against antisemitism in schools. 14 Landmark Settlement Lawsuit ends exclusion of Jewish students from school events in Portage school district. 16 Maccabi Breeds Success Three past athletes share how the Games shaped them as adults. 20 Local Rabbis Visit Israel on Sol...…
…30 | MARCH 21 • 2024 Lifetime dental group is a locally owned dental practice providing complete dental care for the entire family. Our experienced dentists utilize the most advanced technology to provide elite dental care. For over 25 years we have been entrusted by thousands of patients and we are honored to now serve the city of West Bloomfield! (248) 855-8000 4320 Orchard Lake Rd West Bloomfield Township, MI 48323 www.lifetim...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 31 Lifetime dental group is a locally owned dental practice providing complete dental care for the entire family. Our experienced dentists utilize the most advanced technology to provide elite dental care. For over 25 years we have been entrusted by thousands of patients and we are honored to now serve the city of West Bloomfield! (248) 855-8000 4320 Orchard Lake Rd West Bloomfield Township, MI 48323 www.lifetime...…
…32 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N T ooth decay is the most common preventable chronic disease among children in the United States. If left untreated, it can negatively affect a child’s physical and social development, as well as their school performance. Toothaches and cavities can cause pain, infection and ultimately affect overall wellness, including children’s behavioral health. Mental health and oral health can be intertwined; mental h...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 33 ASPIRE ORTHODONTICS 31435 Northwestern Hwy. Farmington Hills, MI 48334 (248) 533-0908 www.aspire-ortho.com Drs. Jason and Mary Sherbel are a husband-and-wife orthodontic team who are passionate about creating healthy and beautiful smiles in a welcoming and fun atmosphere. They use state- of-the-art technology to help make treatment faster and more comfortable for patients of all ages. At their of ce, they believe...…
…Watch Bubbie’s Kitchen Detroit. Bubbie’s Kitchen host Joshua Goldberg and Cookie Lachover TRIPP AUDIO VISUAL 34 | MARCH 21 • 2024 …
…T he JN online video series Bubbie’s Kitchen Detroit is back! Kicking off the second season is featured bub- bie Cookie Lachover baking hamantashen. (Access the series using the QR code on the previous page or search for Bubbie’s Kitchen Detroit on YouTube.) It was fitting for us to bake hamantashen since they’re cookies, right? Well, sometimes they are; more on that below. As for Cookie Lachover, she was born Eileen Markofsky but...…
…COOKIE’S HOMEMADE HAMANTASH RECIPE FOR A DELICIOUS PURIM Poppy Seed Filling (Parve) Ingredients: 1 cup poppy seeds (ground or whole) ½ cup water ½ cup sugar Lemon zest, to taste (optional) Instructions: Combine poppy seeds, water, sugar and lemon zest (if using) in a saucepan. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the water is absorbed and the mixture thickens (about 15 minutes). Note: Grinding the poppy seeds ...…
…friends and wasn’t seeking a date. But he con- vinced me, ” Cookie said. She and Lenny went out and had a great time. Cookie returned to Chicago, but soon, a Detroit cousin asked if she would work with him at his insurance business. “The truth was, I wanted to move back to be with my family and Detroit friends. I wanted to get married and have a family of my own, ” she said. “I thought that would happen in Detroit. ” She took the job....…
…38 | MARCH 21 • 2024 The Whole Megillah Getting ready for Purim. KAREN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER JUST FOR KIDS H enry Stern’s getting ready for Purim. On the holiday itself, which starts in the evening of March 23, the 13-year- old will give mishloach manot, gifts of food, hear the Megillah, the story of Purim, have a festive meal and give tzedakah. Those are the main mitzvot of the holiday, says Stern, which is sure to br...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 39 | Purim comes around every year, but in some ways feels more relevant this year because we are facing a time of antisemitism, says Ayala Kohn, director of education at Aish Detroit. Kids can relate to the heroism of Esther in the sense that the king chose her, and she stepped up for her people, she says. “A lot of us are trying our best to step up for those who feel less safe,” Kohn says. “It’s like how history ...…
…4 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N guest column The Masks Are Of : To Battle Antisemitism, We Need Action and Organization I n the first couple months after Oct. 7, many pro- Palestinian/anti-Israel protesters wore masks. Perhaps they feared the repercussions of their actions if their friends or employers were to discover their ideology. Perhaps the masks allowed individuals with no connection to the universities at which they were p...…
…40 | MARCH 21 • 2024 K ids all over the world are getting their Purim costumes ready. Rabbi Shneur Silberberg, rabbi of Bais Chabad of West Bloomfield, recently returned from Israel, where he helped bring Purim costumes to kids whose families have been displaced by the war. Purim is a joyous day tied to the concept of giving, he says — gifts for the poor, mishloach manot and inviting friends. “Aside from the Megillah reading, every ...…
…Every year our school holds a huge Purim carnival with a ___________________________ costume contest. There are tons of prizes. People win ___________________________, ___________________________ gift certificates, and even season tickets to the _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ team games. For the last ___________________________ years, I’ve been second place or first runner up. This year thoug...…
…BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION 42 | MARCH 21 • 2024 JUST FOR KIDS …
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 43 SUPPORT JEWISH JOURNALISM JOURNALISM JOURNALISM JOURNALISM JOURNALISM The Detroit Jewish News has been telling and preserving our stories since 1942. Subscribe today so that we can continue telling them tomorrow. JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT SCAN TO DONATE OR SUBSCRIBE TODAY! …
…44 | MARCH 14 • 2024 J N I sraeli entrepreneur Hila Rom was 30 years old when she visited New York City for the first time, pitching her startup company to potential investors. The businesswoman with a law degree said she had just raised enough seed money for her startup and was excited to network in the United States when she got the call from her base. It was 2008 and Operation Cast Lead, the second stage of the Gaza War, ha...…
…MARCH 14 • 2024 | 45 University and value the deter- mination of Israelis in their continuation to build and innovate even under the most stressful situations like war. “The number of startups that are emerging (from Reichman) is huge, and the investors really understood that the current challenges and disagreements (within the Israeli government) will not affect our business activity,” Rom said. “There is trust and investment i...…
…46 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N M y daughter, Elana Chanofsky, drafted as a Lone Soldier in the IDF in 2019 and served in a mixed combat unit. When the war broke out, she’ d been out of the army for two years already; to her disappoint- ment, she was not called up as a reservist. Since Oct. 7, I’ve listened to her accounts of running for shelter during rocket attacks, heard which of her friends were called up, and the horror she felt...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 47 There we were, driving on the dark dirt roads, Waze wasn’t working and knowing that Arab villages were just over the wall gave me a ominous feel- ing. Finally, I said, “Elana, I’ll drive. If there’s a need for you to shoot, then shoot — but you can’t do both. ” Thankfully, we got there without incident. I was also in Israel during the ceasefire. All Shabbat, we were on tenterhooks, waiting anxiously for the fi...…
…48 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N M ike Rosenbaum has been a University of Michigan sports fan for a long time. He considers himself quite knowledgeable about the Wolverines, especially because he’s a U-M grad (1980) and he covered the school’s sports teams for three years while he was working for the student- run radio station. But when the veteran sportswriter embarked on a journey to write a historical book about the U-M basketball ...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 49 J N the early 1960s because they made for a good starting point. Michigan’s national championship in 1989 made for a good ending.” Two free throws with three seconds left in overtime by Rumeal Robinson gave U-M an 80-79 win over Seton Hall in the 1989 NCAA title game. U-M athletic director Bo Schembechler fired Freider as the Wolverines’ coach just before the start of the 1989 NCAA tournament and replaced h...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 5 J N View the catalog & bid online now at: www.liveauctioneers.com Schmidt's Antiques Inc. Since 1911 www.SchmidtsAntiques.com 5138 West Michigan Avenue Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197 734-434-2660 Over 250 lots with Antique Clocks from Ohio, Indiana, New York and Michigan Estates and Private Collections! Including Black Forest clocks, Ansonia figural clocks, E N Welch wall and shelf clocks, French mantel clocks and much m...…
…50 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N MAZEL TOV! Fishman-Blume H annah Blume and Jarrett Fishman were recently married. Joyous parents are Laurie and David Blume of Bloomfield Hills, and Sue and Graham Fishman of West Bloomfield. The couple had a small cer- emony at Selden Standard in Detroit and celebrated with a honeymoon in southern Spain. Feb. 28, 2024 With much joy, Vadim and Rachel Avshalumov of Birmingham announce the birth of their ...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 51 248-353-1000 Drew Ruby Bobby Raitt …
…52 | MARCH 21 • 2024 J N F ollowing the pioneer- ing work of Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, there have been hundreds of books published on happiness. The American Declaration of Independence speaks of the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yet there is some- thing more fundamental still to the sense of a life well lived, namely, meaning. Happiness is largely a matter of satisf...…
…MARCH 21 • 2024 | 51 J N feel this is your meaning and mission in life. This is what you were placed on earth to do. There are many such calls in Tanach. There was the call Abraham received, telling him to leave his land and family. There was the call to Moses at the Burning Bush (Ex. 3:4). There was the one experienced by Isaiah when he saw in a mys- tical vision God enthroned and surrounded by angels: “Then I heard the voice of t...…
…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...…
