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…$200 Aug. 3-9, 2023 / 16-22 Av 5783 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Jewish Life in Traverse City Chabad of Traverse City doubles the Jewish activities in the Up North destination. See page 12 …

…10 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 guest column Mr. Herzog Goes to Washington I t’s never a surprise to see that anything having to do with Israel is going to invoke controversy. Such was once again the case on Wednesday, July 19, when the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, a soft- spoken, center- left politician who holds a ceremonial position, came to Congress to address a joint session in commemoration of Israel’s 75th anniversary. Th...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 11 nuclear weapons for peaceful purposes.” “We have no conflict with the Iranian people,” he said, “but allowing Iran to become a nuclear state is unacceptable,” which once again sent the crowd to their feet in a loud show of support. On the issue of criticism of Israel, he made it clear that it’s perfectly acceptable, but when it “crosses the line of negation of Israel’s right to exist, that’s antisemitism.” H...…

…12 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 IN TRAVERSE CITY Jewish Life OUR COMMUNITY COVER STORY Chabad of Traverse City doubles the Jewish activities in the Up North destination. JENNIFER LOVY CONTRIBUTING WRITER …

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 13 W hen Peter Sander heard that a Chabad center was coming to Traverse City, he was excited to have a place to go for Jewish programming. When its founders, Rabbi Laibel and Chaya Shemtov, arrived earlier this year, he was there to help the young couple move in. Chabad of Traverse City opened its doors in March, joining Congregation Beth Shalom, the only synagogue in Traverse City, and doubling the opportu...…

…14 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 NEW RESOURCES AVAILABLE Five years ago, Sander says, the couple began transitioning to a more religious lifestyle, keeping kosher and observing Shabbat. They even thought of moving to a place with a more observant Jewish community. But then he saw a Facebook post announcing the Traverse City Chabad Center. “I was brought to tears, honestly. There is a significant Jewish population in Northern Michigan...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 15 Traverse City Highlights For people looking for a weekend Up North, Traverse City has a lot to offer — lakes, rivers, the trails through beautiful woodlands and vibrant agritourism. Known for the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, cherry orchards and vineyards, Traverse City provides a perfect backdrop to connect with family, friends or just yourself. Each weekend offers something special. See what’s com...…

…16 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY T he Ann Arbor Police Department (AAPD) is actively investigating “hate-motivated vandalism” — one with antisemitic intention — at two off-campus University of Michigan fraternity houses. The vandalism consists of homophobic and antisemitic sym- bols, including a swastika at one of the locations on Oxford Road, loca- tion of the Jewish frat house Sigma Alpha Mu. The other location is on Geddes ...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 17 F ourteen-year-old Ezra Shere holds the world record for completing a Pyraminx — just 1.14 seconds. The incoming West Bloomfield High School soph- omore can solve the Pyraminx even faster at home than in competition, averaging a mere 0.67 seconds. He lives in West Bloomfield with his mother, Adat Shalom Synagogue’s former longtime rabbi, Rachel Shere, his father, Dan, and brother, Avi. Solving a Pyraminx, or a...…

…18 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 W est Bloomfield’s Temple Shir Shalom was founded by Rabbi Dannel I. Schwartz in 1988 with just 30 families in a converted office building on Maple Road. The synagogue, now with more than 900 families, is expanding its facilities with an eye to the future. Schwartz founded the Reform congregation after leaving a position at Bloomfield Township’s Temple Beth El at the end of 1987. Shir Shalom’s 30 foundin...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 19 continued on page 20 was being constructed. “From day one, one thing I appreciated seeing in the mission statement was the idea of inclusion. Everyone has a voice; everyone has something to offer; everyone is valued here,” Moskowitz said. Rabbi Daniel A. Schwartz and Cantor Penny Steyer are also integral parts of Shir Shalom’s clergy. The temple hosts many special events and programs, including interac...…

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…20 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 Now Rabbi Emeritus Dannel Schwartz is proud to witness Shir Shalom’s expansion. A mission-driven, post-denominational congregation is what was needed in Detroit around the time of Shir Shalom’s creation, Schwartz says, and the continued growth shows there’s still something to that. “During the pandemic, a lot of congregations lost members, but we gained them. We’re not just a service station; we’re a meaningfu...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 21 A s disconcerting as it may feel to be set up with someone who’s totally wrong for you, worse yet is to be written off as incompatible before you’ve even gone out. If Maureen Greenwald had listened to her friend instead of her heart, she wouldn’t have gotten together with Lenny Schiffman, who’s been her husband for almost 50 years. In 1961, Maureen Greenwald was 11 years old and taking classes at the Julie ...…

…22 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 R abbi Bentzi Geisinsky of Chabad of Bingham Farms noted the unique timing on the Jewish calendar when he welcomed the community gathered for the grand open- ing and ribbon cutting of the summer pop-up Franklin Judaic Art Studio in Franklin. The opening of Franklin Judaic Art Studio fell during the three-week mourning period referred to as the Three Weeks that takes place annually between the 17th of Tammu...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 23 Judaic Art Studio is Marci Bratt Bykat. Marci turned to Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in response to the chal- lenge of raising children in America with a full appreciation of their Jewish identity. She wrote her thesis on the vital need for each Jewish community to have a Jewish art center. In her words, such a center fosters “collaboration, curiosity and diverse perspectives.” It is bash...…

…24 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 M ore children than ever are being diag- nosed with autism spectrum disorder, largely attributed to progress in early detection and greater under- standing and awareness; and the question of where families should turn and what decisions they should make after the diagnosis is a universal dilem- ma. A few months after Kim and Lenny Kerwin’s son Bennett was diagnosed with autism in November 2020 at 2 years old...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 25 coverage they might have for therapies, to helping find the right doctors and schools, all the way through helping place autistic individuals in good-paying jobs. No matter the question, the navigator becomes a resource to families and individuals seeking assistance. “You can call any of them and they’ll say, ‘Here’s who you talk to about a trust, here’s who you talk to about an Individualized Education Prog...…

…26 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 T he Sarah & Irving Pitt Early Childhood Center (ECC) located at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield will be holding an open house for prospective students and their families on Wednesday, Aug. 9, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. The preschool, founded in 1976 and accepts children as young as newborns up to pre-K 4-year-olds, will restart its enrichment program for the coming academic year alongside...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 27 thirds of students at the preschool are Jewish and a third are not, Bogorad, who lives in West Bloomfield and has two daughters ages 6 and 11, added: “Although we are a Jewish preschool, we find that our Jewish values are embraced by so many families in the community.” Many working families choose the school because of its flexible extended hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and because of the family atmosphere, with...…

…28 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 National Council of Jewish Women, Michigan (NCJW|MI) held its annual installation event at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, where new officers and board members were installed, and the Ruth Caplan Savage Volunteer Award was pre- sented. The program began with a wel- come speech by Janice Cherkasky, installation chair. Sallyjo Levine, president of NCJW|MI, delivered the annual report, and Lynn Lieberman, NCJW ...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 29 The People JARC Serves Journey Down the Yellow Brick Road A warm Michigan summer evening was the perfect setting for a recent outdoor movie night for the people JARC serves. Nearly 100 attendees, including adults with developmental disabilities accompanied by caregivers, guardians and JARC staff, gathered on June 21 at Bowers Farms in Bloomfield Hills to enjoy snacks and beverages as they watched a screen...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 3 contents Aug. 3-9, 2023 / 16-22 Av 5783 | VOLUME CLXXIII, ISSUE 25 PURELY COMMENTARY 4-11 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Jewish LIfe in Traverse City New Chabad house doubles Jewish activities in Up North destination. 16 Ann Arbor Frat House Hit with Antisemitic Vandalism Jewish U-M fraternity among two houses struck with hateful graffiti and vandalism. 17 Cubing for a Cause Wor...…

…30 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 E mily Gordon of Farmington Hills comes from a family of helpers. Her parents are both educators who worked in underserved and vulnerable communities, and she was driven to work in the Jewish communal space after watching her mother become a full-time caregiver to her own parents at the end of their lives. Those experienc- es and her Jewish values led Gordon to her current role as a family caregiver sup...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 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 4320 Orchard Lake Rd West Bloomfield Township,...…

…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 30 going to feel personally ful- filled by this work.” FINDING THE PERFECT JOB The logic that helped Jason Charnas, director of business and career services at Gesher Human Services, select his job still rings true for new employees today, he says. As job seekers look for work with con- nection, purpose and balance, agencies can pro- vide a match as far as mission, vision and values, he explain...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 33 CHOOSE A CAREER LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER Choosing a career in oncology means choosing a life dedicated to making a difference for others. Learn more on how you can help give others their best chance forward. Positions available in Detroit, Farmington Hills and Roseville: * Registered Nurse * Oncology Care Associate * Ambulatory Care Associate * Pharmacy Technician A sign-on bonus is available. APPLY TODAY! ...…

…34 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, moved into the Jewish nonprofit space when he relocated home to Detroit from San Francisco some 12 years ago. He’d worked in advertising for an agency that had some nonprofits clients, as well. “I always really enjoyed that work and being able to connect to the mission of an organization and understand the impact it was having,” he says. Today, he’s working with pro...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 35 Contact Raymond Jenkins 33700 Woodward Ave. • Between 14 Mile & Adams • Birmingham, MI If you are not wearing it… sell it!... or BORROW on it! You can’t enjoy jewelry if it’s sitting in your safe deposit box. Sell or borrow on it for immediate cash. We deal in jewelry, watches, diamonds and coins. A Service to Private Owners, Banks & Estates 33700 Woodward Ave. • Between 14 Mile & Adams • Birmingham, MI 248-644-85...…

…36 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 beyond. “To kind of know the scene, that’s a big part of it, and then in terms of problem solving, having a toolbox of social work methodology to say ‘this is how we understand a problem, this is how we might want to intervene, these are the kinds of concerns that come to mind,’” he says. Goldman also modeled how to work in a field that is one’s passion, Ehrlich says. Today he works as a spiritual leader a...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 37 T here are so many vol- unteer opportunities in August. Below you’ll find a variety of ways to give back in the sunshine as we roll into the last weeks of summer. More of an indoor person? There are plenty of options for you, too. On the eve- ning of Aug. 10, join NEXTGen Detroit, The Well and Adamah Detroit for Canoeing and Clean Up on the Huron River. The evening will start with a park-friendly dinner a...…

…38 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 NEXT DOR W hite is the color often associated with Shabbat, whether in welcoming the Shabbat bride or dressing up for Kabbalat Shabbat at summer camp. Well, The Well’s Shabbat Sh’Barbie was anything but white! It was head-to-toe, cupcakes to chocolate-covered bedazzled strawberries PINK! The Well started its Shabbat Sh’Barbie Kabbalat Shabbat extravaganza at Bamboo Royal Oak. The lower level of Bamboo t...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 39 persecution in Poland and immigrated to the United States in 1907. Based on questions raised by the film and to spark intentional discussion, Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh, executive director of The Well, facilitated an exploration of what it means to be Jewish and a member of any tribe in the 21st century. “At the core of these questions is the Jewish issue of choseness; the enduring tension between universalism a...…

…4 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 for openers A Wordy Workout P ilates? Jogging? Calisthenics? These workouts are familiar to the many who exercise regularly. However, are you familiar with the exercise involved in your everyday conversations? If you get misinformation, it may cause you to jump to conclusions. You will then have to swallow your pride and maybe even bend over backwards to make amends. It is important you rise on the la...…

…40 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 T he JCC Maccabi Games are coming back to Detroit. Jewish teen athletes from across the world will be here July 28 through Aug. 2, 2024, to not just compete in sports, but also to participate in social, cultural and religious activities. Amy Meisner from the host Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit is the games director. Co-chairs Karen Gordon, Franci Silver and Justin Jacobs are three of the hundre...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 41 SPIRIT Holy ‘Heeling’ T he aftermath of Tisha b’ Av always feels some- what counterintuitive. After mourning the loss of our Temples, we feel the void of our personal and commu- nal Judaism; and we go right back to the routines of our exilic lives. We return to our morning runs, our coffee breaks, our usual entertainment; and we move on from the mourning, despite the fact that nothing has filled that void....…

…42 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 S omething implicit in the Torah from the very beginning becomes explicit in the book of Devarim. God is the God of love. More than we love Him, He loves us. Here, for instance, is the beginning of this week’s parshah: “If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep His covenant of love [et ha-brit ve-et ha-chessed] with you, as He swore to your ancestor...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 43 medieval Christianity (the “chivalrous knight”) and Islam. The fourth, which he calls simply morality, he traces to Leviticus and Deuteronomy. He defines it simply as “the ethic of love,” and represents what made the West morally unique: “The biblical ‘love of one’s neighbor’ is a very special form of love, a unique development of the Judaic religion and unlike any to be encountered outside it. It is a supremely ...…

…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 3 • 2023 | 45 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 ...…

…46 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 N ew York City-based producers and filmmakers Amnon Carmi and Benjamin Ducoff have played the Israeli card game Yaniv for years, but one day imagined a twist on the popular pastime. “What if there was an underground card game where Chasidic Jews were playing Yaniv?” Ducoff, whose mother is a Huntington Woods native, mulled over during a run. The idea stuck, and the story for Yaniv — Carmi and Ducoff’s first f...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 47 DETROIT ROOTS Much of Yaniv was filmed in Detroit at the Display Group studio, which is owned by one of the film’s executive producers, Rick Portwood. Production began in July 2022 and included a robust cast of local Detroit actors secured by local casting director Janet Pound. Carmi and Ducoff say that filming in Detroit was to their benefit in terms of budget and connections, but also gave them a chance to meet...…

…48 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 ARTS&LIFE ART W omen who have been artists for many years were asked to think about creative ways they could express themselves, and 60 of them represented their personalities and outlooks through diverse styles. Those artworks are being displayed Aug. 6-Sept. 13 at the Janice Charach Gallery in the West Bloomfield Jewish Community Center. For clarification, each artwork is accompanied by a statement that com...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 49 who still have the shirts. Starting artwork when she was making the T-shirts, Kutinsky enhanced her skills at both the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC) in Birmingham and Atelier School of Art in Royal Oak. Sue Shlom of West Bloomfield welcomes the exhibit as a chance for women to look at themselves as they witness the artwork of others. In “Reaching for Light, ” Shlom establishes the image of trees with branch...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 5 The LOIS ZUSSMAN GOLF CLASSIC provides vital revenue to support the Lois and Milton Y. Zussman Activity Center / Clubhouse — a welcoming community for people served where they can benefit from social and cultural activities, vocational and educational support, horticultural and culinary activities, volunteer engagement, and a community atmosphere with peers. 2023 GESHER GOLF CLASSIC COMMITTEE | Harold Dubrowsky | A...…

…50 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 TONY B. AND MORE OPPENHEIMER As no doubt you heard, singer Tony Bennett died last week, age 96. His singing voice was strong well into his 80s, and he was still “very good” until he had to retire in 2021. I had the good fortune of hearing him (1996) sing a few of his classics in front of San Francisco’s City Hall. As I looked around, I noticed how diverse (age, race, etc.) the large adoring crowd was. I...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 51 NEW PLAY STAGED NOW-SEPT. 2 The Purple Rose Theatre Company announces the final production of their 32nd season, A Jukebox for the Algonquin, a world premiere by Paul Stroili. At a senior living community in the Adirondacks, a small group of residents decide they’re not quite ready to “go gentle into that good night.” It is a serious comedy about sex, drugs and rocking chairs; it contains adult content and...…

…GYPSY JAZZ 2-3:30 PM, AUG. 9 (WED.) At Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. A summer afternoon under the tent on the Saulson Pavilion: concert featuring Yiddish, Jewish and memorable folkloric songs with a jazzy twist by the fabulous local Ukrainian- Jewish musician Vlad Tovbin and his Gypsy Caravan Trio. Special guest Hazzan David Propis. Enjoy bagels and snacks after the show, along with a Q&A with the musicians. Info: j...…

…AUGUST 3 • 2023 | 53 Aaron Mendelson Heating and Cooling, LLC. 248-855-0437 Cell: 248-912-2292 License # 7118488 Maintenance, Installation, Repair & Hot Water Heaters Ajmendelson1@gmail.com FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1973 $85 SERVICE FEE 24/7 Emergency Service basketofsmiles.com pam@basketofsmiles.com 248-326-5684 basketofsmiles.com pam@basketofsmiles.com 248-326-5684 basketofsmiles.com pam@basketofsmiles.com 248-326-5684 Call t...…

…54 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY DR. RONALD LAWRENCE BIGMAN, 84, of Lake Worth, Fla., died on July 26, 2023. His sense of humor, love and generosity will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 61 years, Carol; children, Amy Bigman (Stefan Gleibermann), Jill (David) Kindy, and Kevin (Debra Goldberg) Bigman. He was the loving Papa of Drew (Emma) Kindy, Lauren Kindy, and Jack Bigman. He will be remembered with l...…