…DECEMBER 8 • 2022 | 67 Call today for your free in-home consultation 248.855.8747 Caren Bass Custom Closets,Inc. WHERE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE as featured on HGTV Leading the industry with over 30 years experience in the Metro Detroit Area. Now also organizing the Metro Denver Area with our 2nd location Custom Closets, West, Inc. Call today for your free in-home consultation www.loisharondesigns.com Lois Haron In...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 68 | DECEMBER 8 • 2022 MEL BALL, of West Bloomfield, died Nov. 26, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Gail Ball; son and daughter-in- law, Jason and Lyndsay Ball; daughter and daughter-in-law, Lauren and Pamela Stellings; grandchildren, Lily Ball and Noah Ball; stepmother, Margo Presnell; nieces and nephews, Karen and Eric Erickson, Mark and Kara Foster, Mandie Erickson, Monique and Ethan Erickson ...…
…DECEMBER 8 • 2022 | 69 made to Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy Network, 6555 W . Maple, West Bloomfield, MI 48322, jewishhospice. org/donate/tributes; or to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. SARA D. EASON, 104, of West Bloomfield, died Nov. 16, 2022. She is survived by her son, David Eason; son-in-law, Steve (Becky) Perry; loving grandchildren, Joshua and Alisa Perry; great- grandchildren, Charlie and ...…
…70 | DECEMBER 8 • 2022 H onorable was more than a title for Judge Jamie Wittenberg; it was his essence. His unsur- passed integrity, steadfastness and kindheartedness perme- ated every aspect of his life, from his career as a highly respected jurist to his most treasured role as a devoted husband, father, brother and son. After a long and fear- less battle against a deadly form of brain cancer, Jamie Wittenberg passed away on No...…
…DECEMBER 8 • 2022 | 71 continued from page 69 continued on page 72 was held at Hebrew Memorial Chapel. Interment took place at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. BETTY RUTH GILBERT, 90, of Farmington Hills, died Nov. 18, 2022. She is survived by her children, Jeff Hecker, Barbara Torango, Harlyn (Peter) Gosling, Karen Gilbert; brother and sister- in-law, Edward and Karin Ruzumna; grandchild...…
…72 | DECEMBER 8 • 2022 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY F ay Wish (nee Kosins), 94, of Akron, Ohio, the last surviving child of the founders of longtime Detroit institution Kosins Clothes, joined her beloved husband, Don, in eternity on Nov. 19, 2022. She was the treasure of her three daughters and their families, including five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was the heart and soul of Akron’s Lakeshore Jewelers...…
…DECEMBER 8 • 2022 | 73 continued on page 74 K eith McClellan, 85, of Oak Park, died Nov. 25, 2022. His wife, Marian, is the mayor of Oak Park. He was born in Iowa City, Iowa, Dec. 17, 1936. His great-grandparents moved to Iowa from Indiana in 1852. Keith grad- uated from Tipton High School in 1955, where he was an Honor Society student, captain of the football team, thespian and a State Science Fair winner. In January 1959, h...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 74 | DECEMBER 8 • 2022 continued from page 73 where he was admired by students, staff and the school’s administration for his work ethic, ability and efficiency. After retirement from Elan, Marc began collecting and selling works of art. He was a philanthropist and an astute investor in the equities (stock) market. Marc was the beloved husband of Mary Rosenberg, the love of his life, whom he met la...…
…DECEMBER 8 • 2022 | 75 continued on page 76 Jews believe that death is not a tragic end, but a transition. Let us assist your loved one in that journey. and Marcia Aaron. Interment was at Adat Shalom Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to JARC, the Tony Richman JOIN Fund, 6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 100, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48301, jarc.org/make-a-donation; or Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network, 6555 W. Maple, West B...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 76 | DECEMBER 8 • 2022 continued from page 75 children, Jeffrey (Michelle) Solomon and Daniel (Lisa) Solomon; grandchildren, Zoe Solomon, Gabriel Solomon and Silas Solomon; sister and brother-in-law, Wendy and Ron Gruskin; many other loving family members and friends. Interment was held at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in Birmingham. Contributions may be made to Tremble Clefs Arizona, to the National P...…
…DECEMBER 8 • 2022 | 77 L ibby Sherbin, 91, of Beverly Hills, Michigan, died Nov. 27, 2022. Raised on Chicago’s West Side, Libby and her twin sister Shuly were born less than a year after her parents, Paische and Rachel, were reunited following a yearlong separation forced on them by quota restrictions. Her father was unable to enter America due to limits on Russian immigrants and waited in London while still supporting h...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org 78 | DECEMBER 8 • 2022 Freedom Sunday L ast year, JN writer Ashley Zlatopolsky wrote two beautiful retrospectives about the histor- ic arrival of Soviet Jews in Detroit and members of our local Jewish community who were seriously involved in the effort to make this happen (March 11 and Sept. 16, 2021, JN). As I rere...…
…Happy Chanukah! A home is a great gift to give or get! Call one of our professionals today! The Moving Mavens Roberta "Bert" Nebus, RN, SRES, CNE 248-345-0362 rnebus@gmail.com Andi Sims andicode@gmail.com 248-613-2631 ILENE MITZ Cell 248-752-2330 LOREN STEWART Cell 248-622-8999 www.thehometeamreo.com thehometeam@realestateone.com thehometeam@maxbroock.com DANA PATCHAK ABR, SRES Office (248) 419-3118 Cell (248) 505-0303 e-fax (...…
…$200 Sept. 8-14, 2022 / 12-18 Elul 5782 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com The Jewish community has embraced the work of Detroit Dog Rescue, slated to open a new facility this fall. See page 12 for the Dogs A Mitzvah …
…10:30 a.m. • Wiliam Saulson Pavilion Experiences for youth of all ages, and their families: Your Jewish Journey. Here. Congregation Shaarey Zedek. 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, MI 48034 shaareyzedek.org HIGH HOLY DAYS SERVICES FOR ALL AGES. September 26th Rosh Hashanah Day 1 September 27th Rosh Hashanah Day 2 October 5th Yom Kippur Tween and Teen Tzedakah and Service Learning (ages 11-18) 10-11:45 a.m. Berman Educational Wing Parent and...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints OUR COMMUNITY 12 A Mitzvah for the Dogs The Jewish community has embraced the work of Detroit Dog Rescue, slated to pen a new facility this fall. 18 High Holiday Prayground Congregation Shaarey Zedek’s family event returns for second year. 20 A Lifelong Learner Nancy Kaplan, a force of nature for Judaism and Jewish education, reti...…
…4 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 PURELY COMMENTARY for openers Waiting for Liftoff I ’m writing this column on Aug. 28, days ahead of its Sept. 8 publication date. This morning I leapt (fact-checked: very slowly rolled) out of bed with the excitement of what it must feel like to be a little kid on Christmas morning, or so I’ve heard. I’m excited because it’s launch day at Cape Canaveral for NASA ’s Artemis 1 space mission to the moo...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 5 With Their Centennial Gift, Judith and Irwin Elson Continue Their Long Legacy of Support for the Jewish Community. Judith and Irwin Elson are lifelong Jewish Detroiters whose shared history reflects the story of the community itself. Descended from Eastern European immigrants, they grew up in households surrounded by family and a love of Jewish life. There they learned firsthand the power of community to connect a...…
…6 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 1942 - 2022 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week To make a donation to the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION go to the website www.djnfoundation.org The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) is published every Thursday at 32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, Farmington Hills, Michigan. Periodical postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send changes to: D...…
…DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com SEPTEMBER 8• 2022 | 7 try is uniquely pro-Israel. Organizations and legisla- tors seeking to weaken the U.S.-Israel relationship know that very well and for that reason cynically call them- selves “pro-Israel” while acting to the contrary. The AIPAC PAC endorsement clarifies which legislators are pro-Israel and which are ...…
…8 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 PURELY COMMENTARY guest column The U.S.-Israel Alliance Saves Lives E arlier this month, as Islamic Jihad, a proxy of the Ayatollah regime in Iran, launched some 1,100 rockets from Gaza toward Israeli communities from Sderot to Tel Aviv, Israel’s Defense Forces once again were challenged to protect their own citizens while avoiding civilian casualties in Gaza. These objectives were achieved largely t...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 9 With Their Centennial Gift, Merton J. and Beverly (z”l) Segal Continue to Enrich Jewish Lives Long into the Future As a longtime community leader and philanthropic supporter, Mert Segal has had an extraordinary impact on Jewish Detroit. “There was hardly a time in my life when I wasn’t involved in Jewish education or community affairs,” he recalls. Born in Detroit, Mert grew up in a kosher household, studied Hebr...…
…10 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 opinion ‘Quiet Quitting,’ The Sudden Trend in Work, Sounds Sort Of … Jewish? I hadn’t heard of “quiet quitting” until about 10 minutes ago. Since then every major news outlet has done a story on this purported trend, defined as a movement among office workers to draw firmer work-life boundaries by doing less work. It means closing your laptop at 5 p.m. when your cubicle- mate is staying late to fin...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 11 rejects “a frame of reference in which value is determined by productivity, the strength of one’s career and individual entrepreneurship.” Easier said than done, however. Her antidote — to “stand apart,” to embrace “solitude, observation and simple conviviality” — is perhaps more feasible if you are an artist rather than an office-worker, let alone a factory worker, home health aide or Amazon warehouse ru...…
…12 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY A Mitzvah for the RACHEL SWEET ASSOCIATE EDITOR PHOTOS COURTESY OF KRISTINA MILLMAN-RINALDI ON THE COVER The Jewish community has embraced the work of Detroit Dog Rescue, slated to open a new facility this fall. Dogs …
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 13 etroit Dog Rescue (DDR) started back during the Great Recession, when high unem- ployment drove foreclosures and bankruptcies, and many people had a hard time feeding themselves let alone their pets. Unfortunately, thousands of dogs were being abandoned, according to the orga- nization’s executive director Kristina Millman-Rinaldi. “The Big Three car companies were laying off employees and people were l...…
…OUR COMMUNITY ON THE COVER reform committee for the City of Detroit. The nonprofit continues to help 80 to 120 dogs at any given time and has helped res- cue and rehabilitate thousands of dogs in their shelter. “Our current facility is 2,000 square feet, and we can hold about 22 to 24 dogs there. We’ve obviously grown out of that space, ” she said. “I received a call one day from a veter- inarian who owned a building on Grand River an...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 15 WELCOME TO Exclusive collection of 52 attached condominium homes in the heart of West Bloomfield n Ranch & 1st Floor Owners Suite Layouts n 2-Car Garage & Full Basement n 1,491 - 2,377 Square Feet n Immediate Occupancy n Priced from $530,000 to $683,000+ Invest in your dreams, build your future with Hunter Pasteur EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY ASK OUR PREFERRED LENDER FOR MORE INFORMATION! Our mission is to ...…
…16 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 continued from page 14 farms to gather ideas for our space and programming, but, most importantly, I met with representatives, religious groups, block clubs and residents to hear what they needed in the city of Detroit. ” To renovate the existing Westcott Veterinary Hospital and sustain operations for the first year, DDR created a $2.3 million campaign. Millman-Rinaldi says the new building will include more ...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 17 headed nowhere. I went to DDR to find myself, but the outcome was so much more, Banooni explained. “My time at DDR matured me as an individual, shaping the person I am today on all fields, both professional and personal. To this day, I’m proud to say Kristina is my lifelong mentor and friend, ” added Banooni, the proud DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) student. When Charfoos heard about the new building fo...…
…18 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY C ongregation Shaarey Zedek will be bringing back High Holiday Prayground for a second year. Taking place during the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, this festival-style alternative program aims to provide a fun and unique twist on traditional services. “We’re trying to find a way for us to have our [typical] High Holiday experience and to have religious and mean- ingful servi...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 19 the event was well-received. “It was 75 degrees and sunny,” he recalls. “It’s hard to replicate that, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed.” Still, congregants enjoyed the idea of an alternative service regardless of weather. “We had a lot of people who came and told us that it was a really great experience for them,” Dahlen says. “Our alter- native service isn’t a watered- down service; it’s still a very meani...…
…20 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 N ancy Kaplan is a lifelong learner who has made it her mission to help others learn about and con- nect with Judaism. Recently retiring from her role at Congregation Beth Ahm in West Bloomfield, where she worked on rebuilding the daily minyan from 2007-2016 and various adult learning initiatives, Kaplan is now enjoying more free time. She’s looking forward to visiting her daughter Amy, son-in-law Oren and...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 21 Magnolia by the Lakes Independent & Assisted Living Resort Michigan’s No. 1 Senior Resort In the Heart of Oakland County 1700 Cass Lake Road, Keego Harbor, MI Call: (248) 681-8000 Never Compromise! Lakeside Living at its Best! Starting at $3,000/Month - Celebrate a Life Full of Joy, Love, & Laughter - Cruise on Cass Lake and capture your inner peace. - Join our Magnolia Family and leave your wo...…
…22 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 continued from page 20 LEFT: Nancy with Professor Howard Lupavitch. RIGHT: Nancy with Eilu v’ Eilu instructor Michael Weiss showing an audiocassette lending library of recorded classes. learner of Judaism. She’s held numerous roles and orga- nized volunteer efforts that have made lasting impact on Metro Detroit’s Jewish community, such as serving as director of the Midrasha Center for Adult Jewish Learning ...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 23 Whether at home or on the go, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is with you every step of the way. With the largest network of the highest-quality doctors and hospitals in Michigan, Blue Cross gives you access to the care you need however, wherever and whenever you need it. Including our 24-Hour Nurse Line, online visits, mental health support, urgent care and more. So, you’re covered anytime, anywhere. We’re ...…
…24 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 T o celebrate 20 years of operation, The Shul of West Bloomfield is marking the anniversary mile- stone with a special Broadway- esque night out for the commu- nity. On Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 6:30 p.m., the synagogue will host Broadway at The Shul, a musi- cal evening with Brooklyn-based hazan, sommelier, mixologist and vocal coach David Babinet. A classically trained musician, Babinet will perform a mi...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 25 OUR COMMUNITY C ongregation B’nai Moshe, by way of the Sharlene & Seymour Ungar Scholar-In-Residence Endowment Fund, welcomes Rabbi Josh Warshawsky as its scholar on Sept. 16-17. The weekend will begin with Warshawsky leading a spirited Kabbalat Shabbat ser- vice at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 16 followed by a Shabbat dinner. Afterwards, Warshawsky will lead a discussion: “The Power of Music: Understanding and ...…
…26 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 T he commandment to return lost objects is clearly stated in the Torah in the Book of Deuteronomy. This is a story of how this centuries-old commandment was fulfilled thanks to the 21st-century digital age, social media scrolling and a viral Facebook post. Irwin and Ruchie Weisberg, 76 and 72, love spending their retirement years antiquing. The former Southfield residents who now live in Miami would ...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 27 of the family’s possession. His father passed away in 1996 and his mother Florence died in 2013. It was at that point when his parents’ house was being cleared out and sold that items, including the tefillin, must have been included in an estate sale. “I do not know how or why they were put up for sale, but I am glad I have them back,” Blau said. “When my time comes, I intend to pass them along in my fa...…
…28 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY G esher Human Services, The J and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit are working together to hold a community-wide Jewish agency career expo to help Jewish communal agencies connect with more potential candidates and increase hiring opportunities. Around 15 Jewish agencies are expected to have booths at the career expo where they can meet, screen and interview candidates. Ca...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 29 A fter a two-year COVID interruption, the festive Shofar Factory Festival is back. At the Sherrill Berman Shofar Factory Festival, fun activities will be combined with creative, educational art, delicious food, music and a mitzvah kindness project. The event takes place on Sunday, Sept. 18, from 1-4 p.m. at the JCC in West Bloomfield. Activities include carving your own kosher-to-use shofar, designing a “...…
…30 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 K ehillat Etz Chayim was formed in 2018 as a Modern Orthodox congregation serv- ing Huntington Woods, Oak Park and surrounding areas, guided by the rabbinic leader- ship of Rabbi Asher Lopatin. Lopatin was transitioning from a job in New York run- ning a Modern Orthodox rab- binical seminary and looking at different possibilities when a group from Detroit were in search of a rabbi. “For whatever reason, t...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 31 PHOTOS COURTESY OF KEHILLAT ETZ CHAYIM Shabbat morning and holiday services for a while, but recently purchased a building of its own in north Oak Park. The last Shabbat in August was the first Shabbat that Kehillat Etz Chayim spent in its new space. They’re planning to do a major renovation of the new space that could put them back at Beth Shalom for a few months during that time, but at least for the next...…
…32 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY M ichigan-based nonprofit JARC nominated Rick Herman of Metro Detroit as Volunteer of the Week for his devotion to its Culture and Engagement Committee. The nonprofit serves people with developmental disabilities via group homes, independent living support and in-home respite care. “Rick’s unwavering commitment and extraordinary efforts for JARC is inspiring. Rick is a bastion of strength and...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 33 faces&places Through the generosity of the Joyce Keller & Michael A. Walch Staff Recognition Fund, the annual JARC Staff Appreciation Event was held on July 19 at Beverly Park in Beverly Hills. The event was held in person for the first time in two years and has been hosted every year since 1998 to highlight and appreciate the dedication of JARC’s staff members. Awards were presented in five different ca...…
…34 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 S loan Lemberg knows a little bit about winning medals at the JCC Maccabi Games. She piled up 26 of them competing as a Detroit dancer from 2014-17. So it was no surprise that the three Detroit dancers the 21-year-old West Bloomfield resident coached won a total of six medals at the Maccabi Games held last month in San Diego. Emily Feinstein, Addison Fenster and Madison Kraft were Detroit’s dancers. They...…
…SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 | 35 One was for cleaning the dressing room at the dance venue. Another was for doing the hair and makeup for Tamar Sigler, a dancer from Israel. Tamar was at the Maccabi Games with her mother, Maayan Sigler. As for the third Midot Medal, “all the dance coaches were called on stage to receive a medal because of the great camaraderie and sportsmanship among the dancers,” Lemberg said. “Unless you knew them, yo...…
…36 | SEPTEMBER 8 • 2022 J onah Hirsch grew up in a sports family. “My grandparents were huge on tennis,” explains the 24-year-old Detroit resident, who works as an account executive with the Detroit Tigers. “My mom was huge on basketball and baseball, so baseball was really a love that I shared with my mom and my grandfather.” Hirsch, who grew up north of Chicago and moved to Detroit in 2021 for his new role, knew he always wa...…
