…O n July 28, 82 students graduated from the Uriel Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture, the world’s lon- gest-running Yiddish summer program. The program, offered by YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, saw a diverse range of graduates that included Armenian native and current Ann Arbor resident Emma Avagyan, 27, who is work- ing toward her degree at the University of Michigan. Avagyan, a U-M Ph.D. ...…
…AUGUST 31 • 2023 | 81 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY continued on page 82 PHYLLIS COHN, 90, of Farmington Hills, died Aug. 23, 2023. She is sur- vived by her sons and daughter-in-law, Mark and Lori Cohn, and Steven Cohn; grandchildren, Ryan Cohn, and Taylor and Ryan Mann; brother and sister- in-law, Edwin and Kristine Levy; many close friends. Mrs. Cohn was the beloved wife for 61 years of the late Dr. S. Leonard Cohn; the lovi...…
…82 | AUGUST 31 • 2023 continued from page 81 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY George Tourkow; great-niec- es and great-nephew, Ellyssa, Alexandra, Tyler, Penelope. Miriam was the beloved wife of the late Jimmy Ciaccio; loving daughter of the late Alex and the late Molca Falcon. Contributions may be made to Young Israel of Oak Park, 15140 W. 10 Mile Road, Oak Park, MI 48237. A funeral service was held at Hebrew Memorial Chapel. Int...…
…AUGUST 31 • 2023 | 83 continued on page 84 Gutter, Jaime Gutter, Jennifer Gutter and Ryan (Parvonneh) Gutter; broth- ers, Paul (Varda) Wasser and Sam Wasser (Liz Welch); grandchildren, Jasmine, Isabella and Kyler Gutter; brother-in-law, Marc (Linda) Gutter; sister-in-law, Sue (Chuck) Bengele; sister-in- law, Gloria Gutter; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Interment was at New Tifereth Israel Cemetery. In lieu of flower...…
…84 | AUGUST 31 • 2023 continued from page 83 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY donate; Congregation Beth Ahm, 5075 W. Maple, West Bloomfield, MI 48322, cbahm. org; or Friendship Circle, Meer Family Friendship Center, 6892 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322, friendshipcircle.org/donate. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. SANDRA NATHANSON, 87, of Franklin, died Aug. 17, 2023. She is sur- vived by her sons and daughters-in-la...…
…AUGUST 31 • 2023 | 85 Mile Road, Berkley, MI 48072; or Almost Home Animal Rescue, P .O. Box 250602, West Bloomfield, MI 48325. A funer- al service was held at Hebrew Memorial Chapel. Interment took place at Hebrew Memorial Park. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. DIANE SCHOLNICK, 87, of New York, N.Y., formerly of Birmingham, died Aug. 21, 2023. She was the beloved wife for 52 years of the late Morton Scholnick. She is su...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org L ast week, my Looking Back was about Barbie. Unless you never read a newspaper or turn on a radio or TV, or engage with social media, by now, you know that Barbie, the movie, is a bona fide block- buster hit. It has earned over $1 billion at box offices around the world, one of the highest grossing films this year...…
…MEREDITH COLBURN Associate Broker/Team Leader NANCI J. RANDS Associate Broker JESSICA WEISMAN Realtor® ADRIANE DUNDON Realtor® CAROLINE JOHNSON Realtor® LAUREN COLBURN Marketing Director/Realtor® BROOKE GOODSTEIN Director of Operations/Realtor® T O P 1 % O F R E A L T O R S N A T I O N W I D E | # 1 T O P P R O D U C I N G T E A M 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 2 2 The Agency Hall & Hunter 442 S. Old Woodward Avenue Birmingham, MI 48009 THEAG...…
…AUGUST 31 • 2023 | 9 THE SUITCASE: One Family’s Story of Survival After miraculously receiving the suitcase his great-uncle Julius brought to a Nazi concentration camp, musician Tim Lorsch embarked on a journey to share his family’s story. The Suitcase is a meditation on memory, hope, and resilience that recounts the lives of European Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust and illuminates the Jewish communities that were rebuilt a...…
…$200 March 31- April 6, 2022 / 28 Adar II – 5 Nissan 5782 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Through the Rearview Mirror WAR On the ground with Ukrainian refugees fleeing into Poland. See page 12 …
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…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-11 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 War Through the Rearview Mirror On the ground with Ukrainian refugees fleeing into Poland. 18 JCC in Krakow Aids Refugees 20 Sensational Soiree in the Sunshine State Friendship Circle hosted an elegant evening in Palm Beach County, showcasing the talent from the Soul Studio Art Program. 22 Feeling the Impact ...…
…4 | MARCH 31 • 2022 essay The Surprising Power of Diplomacy S everal years ago, I joined the board of the Jewish Community Relations Council/American Jewish Committee (JCRC/AJC). Much of the organi- zation’s mission spoke to me then and continues to do so, maybe even more, now as I have joined the executive committee. Part of the mission of the nonprofit is to represent the Metropolitan Detroit Jewish community, Israel and ...…
…Join Us for the Journey of a Lifetime! March 12 – 21, 2023 It’s on! We’re going back to Israel as a community for the fi rst time in over a decade and want you to join us. Here’s your chance to experience the heart and soul of Israel and the Detroit Jewish community at the same time. With exciting adventures, unique historic visits, fi rst-class accommodations and VIP encounters, whether it’s your fi rst time or next time to Israel, ...…
…6 | MARCH 31 • 2022 essay Europe’s ‘Bloodlands’ W illiam Brawer, my maternal great-grandfather, was born in a village just outside the Galician town of Rohatyn. An acquaintance has devoted herself to pre- serving the history of that shtetl — erect- ing a memorial, creating a vast digital archive, retrieving matzevot (sacred pillars) unearthed during construction projects. She and her husband, both from California, even rel...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 7 Ukrainian capital. I had read a great deal about what was perpetrated at BabynYar, the ravine in Kyiv where in September 1941 more than 30,000 Jews were murdered in two days, but never expected to stand there. As soon as we arrived in Kyiv, however, I noted the complex and conflicted relationships faced by those seeking traces of Jewish life. Concerned mostly with the past, we were faced with a city scarred ...…
…8 | MARCH 31 • 2022 opinion What Zelensky Gets Wrong About the Holocaust in Ukraine I n his March 20 speech to Israeli lawmakers, Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelensky invoked the Holocaust as analogous to what his country is currently experiencing. “I have the right to this par- allel and to this comparison,” he said in his video address. But as a his- torian of the Holocaust in Ukraine, I know how problematic this compar- ...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 9 DAYEINU DAYEINU DAYEINU The Grove is your one-stop-shop for everything Passover. From the largest wine selection in the region, to matzah, meat, fish and an extensive list of Kosher for Passover items, we make your holiday shopping convenient, smooth and successful! SHOP UNTIL YOU SAY P 248-569-5000 | 25155 Greenfield Road, Southfield | @grove.kosher.detroit Hours S 8 AM - 7 PM M - W 8 AM - 8 PM T 8 AM - 9:30...…
…10 | MARCH 31 • 2022 student corner Just Call Me 42 W hen I was 6 years old, a random act of strangeness changed my life. It all started when my dad picked me up from gymnastics practice. I got in his car and randomly said to him, “From now on, call me 42. ” My dad was beyond confused and still, to this day, we’re perplexed as to where it came from. Nevertheless, ever since that car ride, the number 42 has become my number...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 11 ence. “The ones that did the shooting, and the ones that did the arresting, and the ones that carried out these atrocities were not Germans; this was the local Ukrainian police,” recalled Simon Feldman of Boremel. As the Germans moved further east into Ukraine, they intensified their massa- cres. In hundreds of locales with the assistance of local Ukrainian collaborators, they gathered Jewish men, women and ...…
…12 | MARCH 31 • 2022 WAR Rearview Mirror Through the CAROLE ROSENBLAT …
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 13 Editor’s Note: Carole Rosenblat is an American journalist living in Budapest. She headed to the Polish border with Ukraine on a humanitarian mission and found herself wit- ness to a mass exodus from a brutal war. Here is her witness testimony and stories of the people who fled. A nna Yemchenko sits next to 4-year-old Yeva at a picnic table under the perpetu- ally gray, early March skies of Hrebenne, Poland. Smoke fr...…
…ON THE COVER TOP/MIDDLE: individuals hold signs at a main refugee center offering rides to cities across Europe. RIGHT: Helen, a Ukrainian English teacher, fled with her dog. They wait for their ride on the Polish side of the border. FACING PAGE: Volunteers help in a refugee center near the Ukrainian border. continued from page 13 may or may not personally know. The connection is made, and we hug goodbye. HOW DID I GET HERE...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 15 the room, I invite a photog- rapher to sleep on the floor. These are not normal times. The following day I hear about a refugee center set up in what had been a shopping center about 80 minutes away. On my arrival, I find a parking lot filled with buses, cars, peo- ple, outdoor cooking tents, first aid stations and news crews from around the world. Inside are thousands of people, some walking around and some pl...…
…LEFT: Unidentified woman holds a flag signed by 14 members of a Ukrainian army battalion. At the time this photo was taken, the woman said three had survived. RIGHT: Irina and her daughter, Anastasia, head into the Warsaw train station to an uncertain future. continued from page 15 16 | MARCH 31 • 2022 A smaller refugee center was opened in a school across the street from my hotel. I pick up Yaroslava and her 13-year-old daughter alon...…
…hillel day school at our annual gala NANCY AND BOBBY SCHOSTAK RECIPIENTS OF THE 2022 DREAM MAKER AND RABBI JACOB E. SEGAL (Z”L) AWARDS ANNIE SLABOTSKY (CLASS OF 2011) RECIPIENT OF THE 2022 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD 322OO MIDDLEBELT ROAD FARMINGTON HILLS MI 48334 TICKETS AND JOURNAL ADS CAN BE PURCHASED NOW AT WWW.HILLELDAY .ORG/GALA22. SILENT AUCTION WILL GO LIVE ON APRIL 13, 2022. THANK YOU TO OUR ANNUAL GALA SPONSORS PRESENTING SP...…
…J onathan Ornstein, executive director of Krakow’s Jewish Community Center, has spent years working to rebuild Jewish life in a city that was an important Jewish center before the Holocaust. Now he finds himself working tirelessly to assist the wave of Ukrainian refugees. As of mid-March, Poland has welcomed nearly 1.8 million refugees, about 140,000 in Krakow. Neither the U.S.-born Ornstein nor his JCC mem- bers expected a full...…
…JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT 80 80th th Anniversary Anniversary For those without computer access, please mail the following to 32255 NORTHWESTERN HWY, SUITE 205 FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334: • Who is Turning 80? [fi rst/last] • What Day is their Birthday? • Personalized Message and Signature • A picture of the birthday person or business (if you would like the picture returned, please include a stamped return envelope.) • A check ...…
…OUR COMMUNITY “T his was a crazy idea we had a year ago, but our friends helped us” said Rabbi Levi Shemtov of Friendship Circle. The rabbi is referencing “Soiree in the Sunshine State, ” an event filled with extraordinary art, food and libations. More than 160 patrons and friends attended the event and auction. The evening began with schmoozing and viewing the exhibition at the Arts Warehouse in Delray Beach, Florida. A variety ...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 21 Township, who has autism, had three artworks on display. One was a ceramic clam with a pearl inside and the others were multimedia paintings. “I just love animals, and I’m very passionate, ” Somberg said. One animal painting had a three-dimensional look with turtles, fishes and birds sus- pended. His fascination with nature and geometric shapes combines many processes and techniques. Dylan’s mom, Jeannine S...…
…22 | MARCH 31 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY A s the war in Ukraine rages on, Holocaust survivors are feeling the impact. “There is a highly emo- tional response,” says Yuliya Gaydayenko, chief program officer of older adult services at Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit. This sector of JFS, which works with older populations that include Holocaust survivors, is active- ly providing support to those who are being emotional...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 23 knew somebody in Detroit,” Gaydayenko says. Now, JFS and other human services agencies are hope- ful that the U.S. will reopen and expand the Lautenberg Amendment, first enacted in 1990 to facilitate resettle- ment of Jews from the former Soviet Union, to include the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The amendment allows certain individuals legally residing in the United States to bring their family members to t...…
…I t was a warm, spiritual and total- ly welcoming Shabbat service as Congregation Shir Tikvah honored Rabbi Alicia Harris on her installation at Shir Tikvah on March 11. The rabbi’s family, special guests from Jewish, Muslim and interfaith groups, along with Mayor Ethan Baker of Troy, Mayor Roslyn Grafstein of Madison Heights, and Sooji Min-Maranda, the executive Director of ALEPH, joined the congregation to celebrate the new rabbi ...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 25 Shir Tikvah during the pan- demic summer of 2020. She held dozens of meetings with the staff and committees, “meet-and-greets” with fam- ilies and made new friends with the Sunday school stu- dents, all virtually. By the time the High Holidays came around, Shir Tikvah was ready to wel- come its congregation. Using Zoom, YouTube and the out- door sanctuary, Rabbi Alicia conducted beautiful and inspiring services....…
…OUR COMMUNITY W hen Jerusalem Post Political Analyst and Chief Political Correspondent Gil Hoffman crossed through four countries in early March to cover Russia’s war on Ukraine from Moldova, he saw throngs of women and children passing through the border. Many of the little girls car- ried pink backpacks stuffed with as much of their pre- cious belongings as they could carry. “I really felt like I was traveling back through tim...…
…R E S C H E D U L E D F O R A 10, 2 22 0 p i r l A 10, 2 22 0 p i r l Please note our new Super Sunday date and time! On Sunday, April 10 between 9:30 AM and 1 PM, our community volunteers will be making calls to secure donations to Federation’s 2022 Annual Campaign. Every day, Federation’s partner agencies are taking care of older adults, children and other vulnerable individuals. Providing emergency financial assistance for fa...…
…28 | MARCH 31 • 2022 U nless you’ve been hibernating for the past couple of years, you’ve probably heard of TikTok. It’s a social networking app that features short videos and has taken the world by storm. Today, you can watch the latest dance craze or see teens doing pranks and stunts. You can also watch actual video footage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine shot on cell phones along with stay-at-home dads tell- ing their favorit...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 29 by setting the record straight. Many of their videos just put a Jewish spin on viral TikTok dances and memes. For example, they remade the famous Island Boys video substituting the lyrics with “I’m a Menorah Boy. ” Like other popular Jewish TikTok users, @JewCrazy has had Jewish- and Israel-related videos censored on the app and has even been banned for several weeks. The pair does not do anything more obscene ...…
…OUR COMMUNITY M ichigan U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, chair- man of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas visited the Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills on March 18 to discuss threats against houses of worship and funding increases for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). Peters helped secure nearly $250 million for t...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 31 I f you have a loved one who’s aging and wonder how to deal with the many chal- lenges that stage of life brings, a new support group series is now available to anyone in the community. Novi senior living communi- ty Waltonwood Twelve Oaks is presenting the series with insights into common issues associ- ated with aging, presented by Independent Living Manager Alyssa Tobias, LLMSW . The events take place f...…
…32 | MARCH 31 • 2022 T he family-friendly, community-wide Purim celebration at Adat Shalom Synagogue, from the Megillah & Shpiel to the Purim Carnival, and on through the service and Megillah reading brought together people of all of ages. The car- nival featured games, inflatables, music and activity booths led by summer camps and Motor City USY (MCUSY). The enthu- siasm was high, the costumes were spectacular, and participants helped...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 33 Experiential Judaism is one of Temple Kol Ami’s core religious school missions, and its annual Purim Carnival was another huge success. As much fun as it for the younger kids to attend, it’s just as much fun for the West Bloomfield syna- gogue’s teenagers to organize and work the event. It was yet another great day at Temple for both age groups, with many wonderful memories created. PHOTOS COURTESY OF TEMPLE KOL AMI...…
…SPORTS T he David Tanzman Memorial Tournament returned to Farber Hebrew Day School in Southfield this year after a one-year absence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the unexpected layoff, the tour- nament was a slam dunk. Players on six basket- ball teams from small Jewish high schools of less than 100 students competed, socialized with new and old friends, and ate meals and spent Shabbos together over four busy days duri...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 35 always challenging. It pushes us to the limit,” he said. “But while competitive basketball is the focus of the tournament, the tone always is an opportu- nity for each player to connect with the other players and grow as a person. ” Farber went 3-1 in its four tournament games and fin- ished in third place. After an exciting 43-40 victory over Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh and a 55-47 win over Columbus Torah Aca...…
…P artners Detroit Women’s Division Team hosted a Pre- Purim Hamentash Bake in February to help get into the Purim spirit. “It was really a display of Jewish unity from women across the Jewish spectrum coming together and enjoying each other and unit- ing with what we all have in common, which is our Jewish heritage,” said Shaindel Fink, a member of the Women’s Division Team. The event took place at the Partners Detroit Royal Oak...…
…N EXTGen Detroit hosted a successful winter fundraiser on March 10 at the Whiskey Factory in Detroit. “Over 200 young adults joined us at Distilled & Chilled, and each one of them made a donation to the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s 2022 Annual Campaign, ” said Mimi Marcus, NEXTGen Detroit Senior Campaign Associate and lead staff for the event. The fundraiser featured live music from local artists Sean Blackman, Thor...…
…F or Passover, I prefer the gastro- nomic “middle ground” which means you make your usual entrees — simple and delicious — and elaborate on the side dishes. But in truth, foods do not have to be “traditional” to any holiday for inclu- sion. Salad for example, is an American addition that has nothing to do with, well, anything. Still, we like to serve greens in one form or another. They make us feel light- er and healthier. And the...…
…MARCH 31 • 2022 | 39 continued on page 40 Ingredients 1 5- to 6-pound beef brisket (first cut is best), trimmed of extra fat Salt and pepper to taste 4 cups chopped onions 1 Tbsp. minced garlic 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 2 cups red wine, any kind 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce 1 bay leaf Water Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Place brisket in a large roasting pan. Season it with salt and pepper and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Turn briske...…
…40 | MARCH 31 • 2022 serve. Reheat in the microwave and serve warm. Makes 8 or more for servings. KEFTES DE PESCADA (Sephardic Fish Patties) For variety, replace the fish with fresh cooked spinach (well drained) and serve with a wedge of lemon. Ingredients Sauce: 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 tsp. minced garlic 1 can (28-ounces) diced toma- toes in juice or 4 cups fresh chopped plum tomatoes 2 bay leaves Salt and fr...…
