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…$200 Aug. 24-30, 2023 / 7-13 Elul 5783 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Community. Community Building. Building. Downtown Synagogue set to reopen Aug. 27 as a hub for Jewish life in Detroit. See page 12 Building Building …

…10 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 PURELY COMMENTARY column At CAMERA on Campus Conference, Learning Tools to Battle Jew-Hatred O n college campuses today, hearing false- hoods like “Zionism is racism” and “Israel is an apart- heid state” is a reprehensible but inevitable reality for most Jewish and pro-Israel students. What is to be done about it? CAMERA on Campus believes it has an answer. In light of the increasing chal- lenges posed aga...…

…These LEADING LAWYERS have been recommended by their peers to be among the TOP LAWYERS in Michigan A lawyer CANNOT buy the distinction of Leading Lawyer. The distinction was earned by being among those lawyers most often recommended by their peers. For a full description of our research process, a complete list of all Leading Lawyers, and to view profiles of the lawyers listed on this page, go to www.LeadingLawyers.com A Division of Law...…

…12 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 S ince its establishment on Oct. 28, 1921, as, first, the Isaac Agree Memorial Society — the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue (IADS) has been a fixture in Downtown Detroit. The synagogue on Griswold Street, with its signature stained- glass windows, has been closed as it underwent a complete renovation over the last year. The newly refurbished building is set to reopen to the public with a grand celebration on ...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 13 Barak in a 2009 featured article in the Michigan Jewish History publication of the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan. The founding families took on the full financial obligation of IADS for its first four decades, until 1962, when it was no longer tenable. The group applied for and received a charter from the state of Michigan. With the charter, IADS was officially named a Conservative congregation. Tha...…

…14 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 COMMUNITY BUILDING “Maintaining a synagogue in Downtown Detroit is hardly akin to living in a land of milk and honey. The challenges are many — a dwindling population and an aging building — but the rewards can be sweet and satisfying,” wrote Herman and Barak. Shortly after the turn of the millennium, IADS attracted new energy from younger Jews. In 2008, several were elected to leadership positions. Through...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 15 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! Call Melanie today! CHAD BISHOP and ALAN BISHOP 4 0 1 E . L A S O L A...…

…16 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 feet of space, including use of the third and fourth floors, which had been closed off and condemned for decades. Also, IADS now has a working elevator able to reach not only the sanctuary on the second floor, but also the rooftop, which will be completed as a usable event space in a future phase of renovation. The investment in IADS is an investment in the bright future of the Jewish community in Detroit. As ...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 17 …

…18 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 programs and services, and the partner organizations will work together to serve our community far beyond what we are able to as individual organizations. “We have modeled this space and collaborative spirit after successful community efforts in Chicago and San Diego and look forward to creating a new model here,” she added. The renovations include a first-floor community gathering space and a newly renovated...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 19 Guterson, Justin Hamburger, Lauren Kalman, Andrew Kaplowitz, Merav Ong, Robert Schefman, Katie Shulman, William Irving Singer, Jacob Smith, Lois Teicher and Reuben Telushkin. “The Metropolitan Detroit Jewish community is strongest when we’re united across our diverse community and when Jewish life in the city of Detroit is strong,” Roberts said. “The Downtown Synagogue building is the perfect place to unite with ...…

…Two Generations, One Force. J E F F & M AT T B A R K E R ASSOCIATE BROKERS …

…20 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 I n advance of this summer, Simon Mirkes and his mother, Michelle, were going back and forth over an important decision. Michelle wanted Simon to go to Israel this summer. Simon really wanted to go on Tamarack Camps’ Alaska trip. They each had a pros and cons list — literally, handwritten. Realizing how badly Simon wanted it, Michelle gave in and knew she couldn’t take the opportunity away from him. An agree...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 21 parent-teacher conferences, his teachers would all regularly comment on how Simon was the only student who every day, without fail, would wish them a good morning when arriving and a great day when leaving. “Every teacher said he was a teacher’s dream,” said Simon’s aunt, Lori Tunick. “I was an educator for over 20 years. When I hear teachers say that, they’re saying this kid was above and beyond. And that’s ho...…

…22 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 Simon’s respectful, kind nature was expressed in a multitude of ways. Helping his grandparents get around, checking on a loved one if they weren’t feeling well, riding over on his bike if an aunt or uncle needed something set up or a garage cleaned — Simon was there to help, simply because he wanted to. “Whatever crappy grunt work I needed help with, for Simon it was always, ‘Yes, how and when can I help you?’...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 23 Within our inspiring setting, your loved ones can craft a luxurious lifestyle at their own pace. Our full-time memory care team helps them make the most of each day. It’s an enriching lifestyle that connects with and comforts them to continue their life story with ease. Introducing Carefree, C O N N E C T E D L I V I N G WHY WAIT? ACT NOW! ANTHOLOGY OF FARMINGTON HILLS 248-534-4702 30637 W. 14 Mile Rd. / Farmi...…

…24 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 said. “Could he have had a blood clot? Could he have had an embolism? A prior heart issue we didn’t know about? All those are questions we’re just not going to know the answers to. Ultimately, he’s gone. And we didn’t feel like we needed to do anything to his body to find out more.” Tamarack’s follow-up went above and beyond, Simon’s parents said, with camp leadership being available and in constant contact wit...…

…Available on approved credit through Honda Financial Services. 3.29% APR for up to 60 months on select 2018–2023 HondaTrue Certified+ and HondaTrue Certified Accord and CR-V vehicles through 9/5/2023, 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 participation may affect actual payment. Dealer sets actual prices. See participatin...…

…26 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY A s a child, Temple Emanu-El’s new cantor, Rosalie Toubes, loved going to Hebrew school. “I want- ed to be there all the time, ” she recalls. At some point, the synagogue where her family belonged in her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, began experi- menting with holding Hebrew school on Saturday instead of Sunday. For Toubes, who grew up in a Conservative Jewish household, it was a welcome chan...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 27 O ne year ago, the community lost a beloved mentor and past president of JHSM (Jewish Historical Society of Michigan): Judith Levin Cantor. Almost immediately, Judy Cantor’s niece, Peggy Daitch, and the leadership of JHSM began a search for an appropriate and unique tribute to launch the Judith Levin Cantor Legacy Fund. They hit on an interesting connection between George and Ira Gershwin and the Universi...…

…T he Jewish Community Relations Council/ AJC, in cooperation with World Peace Outreach and the Interfaith Leadership Council, embarked on an interfaith mis- sion to the Holy Land earlier this summer, convening a group of leaders from the Muslim, Christian and Jewish communi- ties in Metro Detroit. The group — Rabbi Asher Lopatin, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Hadidi, his wife, Nada Al-Hadidi, Bob Bruttell, and Daniel Bucksbaum — began in Jerusa...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 29 our trip in its own way. Approaching the evening prayers for both Jews and Muslims, our members of all three faiths engaged in their own prayers, side by side, and refreshed ourselves with the cold water together. In what was perhaps the most meaningful and impact- ful moment of the trip, our group went atop the Temple Mount, or Haram Al-Shari. Jewish tradition claims this is the very spot where the world b...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Building Community. Community Building. Downtown Synagogue set to reopen Aug. 27 as a hub for Jewish life in Detroit. 20 A Legacy of Kindness Simon Mirkes, who tragically passed away on July 17 at 16 years old, had an innate kindness. 26 Meet Temple Emanu-El’s New Cantor Rosalie Toubes joins the temple ...…

…30 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY O ne hundred years ago, in 1923, the Russian Revolution came to a close. This was the revolution that led to the dissolution of the Russian Empire and formation of the Soviet Union. This drastic period of turmoil and shift in rule led those who had the opportunity and means to leave their former homeland. Many of those who left found their way to the United States, and many to Metro Detroit. W...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 31 continued on page 32 those connected through family. Also, many members are Jewish. When asked when Jews were welcomed to the club, or if there were ever restrictions, no one remembers. FUN AT FISH LAKE In the 1940s, RAAD obtained about 40 acres on Fish Lake in Rose Township, in the very north of Oakland County. In 1946, they built a pavilion at Fish Lake that became the center of activities for RAAD and wher...…

…32 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 a Russian-speaking community. When he started participating in RAAD in the 1990s, he met other Jewish members. The key connecting factor, he said, was Russian language and culture in a new country, not religious identity. In the 1990s, there was again a big swell in club attendance and membership, Voldman said. Especially when the newly arrived immigrants were living in small apartments, it was a treat in the ...…

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…34 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 I n the late 1970s, Metro Detroit native Pamela Cohen and her husband, Donald Cohen, left Michigan for Arizona to finish their schooling. With no family in the area, Pamela struggled with sending meaningful gifts via mail. She began by taking the usual route — sending a check with a card — but soon realized her gifts didn’t have the personal touch of giving a thoughtful gift in person. “I just didn’t think...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 35 FACING, LEFT: The Rosh Hashanah Gift Basket. A gift basket of amenities to send to a sick friend. within the continental United States and creates each gift basket herself. “I want to make them as customized as I can,” she says of the gift baskets, which each come with a butterfly on them, a sign of “good things” to come, Cohen explains. For each basket, Cohen will gather the appropriate items and arrange t...…

…36 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 J ewish Family Services of Washtenaw County (JFS) held a grand opening event of the Shalom Commercial Kitchen and Specialty Food Pantry on May 21. Over 100 guests attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, led by Sue Sefansky, JFS past president, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. With the completion of the year-long construction of the new Shalom Kitchen, located in the JFS building on 2245 S. State St., JFS ...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 37 Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Washtenaw County has been accepted into the latest cohort of the Food is Medicine Coalition’s Medically Tailored Meal Accelerator Program. This opportunity positions JFS to become a national leader in providing medically tailored meals and underscores the organization’s commitment to support- ing the ever-growing needs of the commu- nity. The Medically Tailored Meal Accelerator Pro...…

…38 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 Twenty-three new United States citizens representing 18 countries worldwide accepted the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship at a naturalization ceremony held at The Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills on Friday, July 21. Judge Bernard Friedman of the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, a staunch supporter of The HC who often brings law enforcement professionals for...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 39 The Rosh Hodesh Group of Metro Detroit, organized by Rabbi Dorit Edut and Sydney Skully, held a couple of interesting meetings recently. In June, the group learned about head coverings for women from Zarinah El-Amin of the Muslim Center of Detroit. She had organized a large-scale event on this topic at the Suburban Showplace in Novi, which attracted Orthodox Jewish women and Muslim women prior to the pande...…

…4 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 PURELY COMMENTARY column It’s Not Only Children Who Will Be Returning to Classrooms this Fall I t’s August, and our inboxes are already beginning to clutter with countless emails about back-to-school sales, while at the same time the educators and parents among us are working on preparing and transitioning students back into their classrooms. But while we typically think about the back-to-school season...…

…40 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 SPORTS M ax Sasson is one step away from living his dream of playing in the NHL. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound center from Birmingham was signed by the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks to a two-year, entry-level contract in May, and he reported to the Abbotsford Canucks for Abbotsford’s play- off push. Abbotsford is the Canucks’ affiliate in the American Hockey League, the top minor league for NHL teams. Sasson, 22, sig...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 41 last few seasons. We look for- ward to watching him develop at the professional level with our staffs in Vancouver and Abbotsford,” said Vancouver general manger Patrik Allvin. Sasson played in seven regular-season and six playoff games for Abbotsford in a short stint last spring, and he had three goals and one assist. Intensity of the professional game didn’t surprise him. “Of course, every higher level you pl...…

…42 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 R osh Hashanah is early this year — Sept. 16 and 17, so it’s time to get ready. Our holidays usually come with many symbolic foods, including honey, round challahs, apples dipped in honey and, of course, dinner with many holiday favorites. For some, Rosh Hashanah dinner begins with gefilte fish and matzah ball soup. Others, like me, like to mix it up. Soup and fish are optional at my table. While I...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 43 Kosher salt and pepper 1 cup corn flour ¼ cup olive oil 2 cups red or Bermuda onions, sliced 2 tsp. garlic, minced 4 cups fresh peaches, diced (you may use canned or frozen, if necessary) 1 cup fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed 2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes 2 cups dry white wine 1 cup chicken stock or broth Directions: Pound chicken breasts until thin or cut horizontally into thin slices. Season to...…

…44 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 ingredients, except chives, and transfer the mixture to a large baking dish. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are tender. Adjust seasonings, sprinkle with chives, and serve hot. Makes 12 servings. PFLAUMEN KUCHEN This old-fashioned coffeecake takes advantage of summer fruits. You can make this not-too-sweet kuchen with peaches or apples as well. Topping: 1 ...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 45 SPIRIT Behaving Ethically T he ancient world of the Torah addresses a society starkly different from ours. Nevertheless, what I often find is that despite the many differences, there are also many similarities. Perhaps that is because people are people, whether they lived in the ancient Near East thousands of years ago, or they live nearby in the 21st century. In examining parshat Ki Tetze, we find an ex...…

…46 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 T here is, on the face of it, a funda- mental contradiction in the Torah. On the one hand we hear, in the passage known as the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, the following words: “The Lord, the Lord, compas- sionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving-kindness and truth … but who does not acquit the guilty, holding descendants to account for the sins of the fathers, children and grandchildren...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 47 declared, ‘The one who sins is the one who will die.’” Makkot 2b In general, the Sages rejected the idea that children could be punished, even at the hands of Heaven, for the sins of their parents. As a result, they systematically reinterpreted every passage that gave the opposite impression, that children were indeed being punished for their parents’ sins. Their general position was this: “ Are not children then...…

…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...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 49 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...…

…HIGH HOLY DAYS SERVICES FOR ALL AGES. Be loved. Belong. Believe. Congregation Shaarey Zedek. 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, MI 48034 (248) 357-5544 • shaareyzedek.org For more infomation on High Holy Days, scan QR code or visit tinyurl.com/CSZHighHolyDays Other exciting opportunities during the holidays: September 21: Youth Tashlich at Franklin Cider Mill September 25: Yom Kippur N’ilah Under the Stars September 29: Community Sukkot Dinn...…

…50 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 T exas-raised pianist and composer Michael Weiss studied at Indiana University and met Detroit- raised pianist and composer Barry Harris in the 1970s. Their shared interests and talents launched a friendship that last- ed decades. This year, Weiss brings a trio to the Detroit Jazz Festival, running Labor Day weekend on Downtown stages, and cele- brates the work of the musician so important in his own career. ...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 51 programs. It was the largest, most expansive music school in the country. “I started composing in the mid-1980s and was motivated when I had my first recordings as a leader, deciding I had to have at least one original composition for record dates. I had different kinds of inspiration from the music I was listening to and some young players and saw that my tunes were viable and successful. ” Although Weiss...…

…52 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 CAN SANDLER PUT ON A GREAT BAT MITZVAH? A POLITICAL NOTE Last week, Netflix “popped” the news that on Aug. 25 they would premiere the original feature film You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah. Here is the basic plot of this mostly comedic coming- of-age story: Best friends Stacy (played by Sunny Sandler, 14, Adam Sandler’s daughter) and Lydia (Samantha Lorraine) are planning “epic” bat mitzvah partie...…

…AUGUST 24 • 2023 | 53 AT MOCAD NOW-SEPT. 10 “Free Your Mind: Art and Incarceration in Michigan,” showcasing inner worlds of incarcerated individuals and the fundamental issues that shape conversations around incarceration today, is on exhibit in Mike Kelley’s Mobile Homestead at Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), 4454 Woodward; 313-832-6622, with support from the Michigan Justice Fund. It features the work of artists ...…

…54 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 JFS Legal Referral Service Program Jewish Family Service Legal Referral Service presents Michigan Supreme Court Justice Megan K. Cavanagh and Molly Ranns, LPC, who will present Making the Case for Promoting Wellness in the Legal Community on Wednesday, Sept. 13, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Knollwood Country Club in West Bloomfield. Lawyers assume incredible responsibilities to ensure the best outcome for their cl...…