…Gary Torgow and Michael Berger succeed Matt Lester and Dennis Bernard at helm of Jewish Federation and Foundation. See page 12 WE STAND WITH ISRAEL Coverage begins on pags 23 thejewishnews.com JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT $200 Nov. 9-15, 2023 / 25 Cheshvan – 2 Kislev 5784 …
…10 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N humor A Backyard Turf War T his past May, I witnessed the birth of three baby deer in our garden. I chronicled the blessed event in the June 8 edition of the Jewish News. At the time, I referred to the mother deer as “Doe” and her three offspring as Re, Me and Fa. Back in the late 1990s, while on the Dick Purtan show on WOMC radio, I was an eyewitness to the live birth of a calf. I was doing interv...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 11 J N …
…OUR COMMUNITY ON THE COVER 12 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N …
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 13 J N T he Jewish Federation of Detroit and its sister organization, the United Jewish Foundation, officially welcomed their new leaders at Federation’s annual meeting in October. Gary Torgow is the incoming presi- dent, taking over from Matt Lester. Michael Berger is taking the reins of the United Jewish Foundation from Dennis Bernard. “It was a bless- ing of a lifetime to serve our great Jewish communi...…
…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 13 ON THE COVER 14 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N MEET THE NEW FEDERATION PRESIDENT After earning a law degree at Wayne State, Gary Torgow began his career in the law, then real estate, where he began a family enterprise called the Sterling Group. He then turned to the banking profession and is now the chairman of Huntington Bank. Torgow serves on the board of DTE Energy Company and as a director of Bl...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 15 J N Berger is a member of Temple Israel, but he “grew up at Beth Shalom. That’s where I went to religious school, where I had my bar mitzvah and where I married my wife, Debbie,” he said. His wife was one of the people instrumental in get- ting him involved with Jewish communal life. Both he and Debbie are alumni of the National Young Leadership Cabinet. “When I moved back to Michigan and met Debbie, she wa...…
…CEO Steve Ingber and the rest of the staff at Federation. “I’m grateful for the conversa- tions I’ve been having with Federation staff and former Federation presidents and their continued engagement, ” he said. “We have a great group of people on the Executive Committee at Federation. ” The priorities of the community haven’t changed much, Torgow said. Those pri- orities remain eldercare, education, Israel, NEXTGen, assisting all those ...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 17 Registration required: Scan the the QR code, visit shaareyzedek.org/shabbatlunches. Call: (248) 357-5544. Join us for Shabbat morning services at 9:30 a.m. Minchah begins immediately following lunch. CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK EVERY WEEK • 12 NOON (approx) WEEKLY Community Lunch …
…18 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY An An Overdue Overdue Honor Honor Nearly 80 years after his death in WWII, PFC Gilbert J. Himelhoch was memorialized with full military honors. Jewish War Veterans of the Department of Michigan were among those observing the flag-folding ceremony honoring Jewish WWII Pfc. Gilbert Himelhoch at the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly. …
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 19 A rmed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of May, while Memorial Day is the last Monday in May. This Saturday is Veterans Day, which is observed every Nov. 11. In chronological order, the three official holidays pay homage to active service men and women, fallen soldiers and sailors, and finally military veterans, which includes all who honorably wore the uniform. For me, every day is a day to pause...…
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…continued from page 19 20 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N Several family members spoke at the memo- rial, during which time a letter was shared by a relative who was unable to attend. It was among the many remembrances that spoke of a patriot- ic and empathetic young man who was mature beyond his years. The letter read in part: “He fought to fight for his country. When I say fought to fight, I mean he was determined to join in WWII and help the...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 21 J N little peace until he is brought home,” he said. “The family deserves it. Gilbert deserves it.” There is hope that one day soon the DPAA, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, will be able to iden- tify Gilbert’s remains through DNA testing, samples of which were provided by family mem- bers in 2017. The DPAA continues to actively pursue closure for all families, which to date still includes more than 81...…
…22 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 21 heart-wrenching letter finally received by his mother over a year later in response to her numerous inquiries about the circumstances surrounding her son’s death. It came in the form of a correspondence from a fellow soldier who said he “had the opportunity of becoming close to Gilbert” both stateside and during their tour of duty overseas. An edit- ed down version o...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 23 J N M ore than 1,000 Friends of the IDF (FIDF) supporters joined star of Netflix’s Fauda, Yaakov Zada- Daniel, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek on Oct. 24 in a strong show of solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers on the frontlines who are risking their lives to restore security in Israel after the horrendous massacre that occurred on Oct. 7 and the ongoing attacks perpe...…
…24 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY S ince the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, the community has rallied around Metro Detroit’s Jewish population, including staff and families at Hillel Day School. Now, nearly every Friday has marked a special and welcoming occasion for parents dropping off their students at the school. On Oct. 13, a frightening day for Jews worldwide amidst a call for a “global day of jihad” fro...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 25 MAKING AN IMPACT However, the support didn’t stop there. On Oct. 24 and 25, many local clergy returned to Hillel Day School to continue to stand in solidarity with families and staff. Jewish Michigan State Rep. Samantha Steckloff also came out to support Hillel Day School, which is in her district, and met with students and Israeli teachers. “We’ve had a lovely outpouring of support,” Katz says. In addition,...…
…26 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY A bout 50 individuals, including some reportedly wearing white lab coats with the Beaumont/ Corewell insignia, marched to “protest for Gaza” on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 22, on a public sidewalk adjacent to Corewell Health’s Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak. The protest was organized by the National Arab American Medical Association-Michigan. The organization’s advance publicity urged participants ...…
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…28 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY S ince the war with Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7, nothing has been the same in Israel. More than 360,000 reserve soldiers were called up to protect Israel in every way possible. Soldiers left their families, jobs and personal lives to serve their country. There are soldiers based in cities throughout the country, instilling safety and providing protection, if needed, to its citizens. ...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 29 J N A group of Bloomfield Hills High School students organized and participated in a “Students Organized for Palestine” walkout out- side Bloomfield Hills High School on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 25. The walkout was publicized in the Arab American News. Reportedly, 20 to 40 students partici- pated in the walkout/demonstration on school property. School officials would not confirm the number or exact location ...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 3 J N contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Passing the Torch Gary Torgow and Michael Berger succeed Matt Lester and Dennis Bernard as new leaders at Federation and Foundation. 18 An Overdue Honor Nearly 80 years after his death in WWII, PFC Gilbert J. Himelhoch was memorialized with full military honors. 23 Detroit Stands with Israel at FIDF Event Fa...…
…30 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY O ne person’s essay discusses preparing food specialties for neighbors at unexpected times. Another person’s essay stresses the importance of talking about early and ostensibly personal health issues. A third person’s essay recalls the significance of travel with family. The three essayists are among 39 residents of Jewish Senior Life of Metropolitan Detroit who contributed to a new bo...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 31 J N extended friendships. “Cancer is not a secret,” said Kalef, author of “Cancer Is a Pain in the Butt!” and whose earlier writing had been in column form, taking subjects from her former career responsibilities as a space organizer. “People should talk about it — what it feels like and how different modalities affect people differently. I have been president of the Meer Council, and people have been so s...…
…32 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY A mid the sorrow of the horrific terror attack on Israel and the war with Hamas, Sam Dubin and Beverly Liss of Fed Radio Detroit sat down with Rabbi Asher Lopatin, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council/ AJC, to share his mission, ambition and hope going forward. Lopatin explains how the JCRC/AJC acts as a bridge from the Jewish community of Detroit to the broader ...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 33 J N H igher Hopes! is celebrating 10 years of distributing 1,000 complete Thanksgiving meal kits allowing families to enjoy dinner at home with loved ones. These kits contain everything from a 12- to 14-pound turkey and all the sides, including stuffing, Michigan potatoes, yams, all of the ingredients for green bean casserole, Zoup! Chicken Broth, Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, cranberry sauce, apples, spices, Coca-...…
…O n Nov. 12, Jewish environmental orga- nization Adamah Detroit will host the Adamah Detroit Community Summit from 2-5 p.m. at the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit. The free summit, which focuses on climate action, climate finance, environ- mental education through a Jewish lens, and how Jewish history and tradition con- nects to the planet, will share actionable steps the commu- nity can take to battle the climate crisis. ...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 35 Adamah Detroit Community Summit. JEWISH ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY As a state full of natural resources and picturesque landscapes, Michigan faces many pressing environmen- tal challenges. This session will include input from local leaders engaged in climate advocacy on pending legisla- tion and how local organiza- tions can advocate for topics of their choosing. Jewish Environmental Advocacy was developed in p...…
…36 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N business SPOTlight brought to you in partnership with B I R M I N G H A M E ight years ago when now president and CEO Jacob Zuppke joined pet tech innovation company Whisker, he was one of a two-person marketing team charged with launching the next generation of Whisker’s claim-to-fame, the self-cleaning Litter-Robot. At the time, Zuppke, 35, of Bloomfield Hills and a lifelong Temple Shir Shalom membe...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 37 J N “The company has evolved so drastically over the last eight-and-a-half years, ” Zuppke explains. “It’s been a dream for me as a mar- keter and as an entrepreneur. ” In just one year of working at Whisker, Zuppke helped grow the then-15-year-old company by 80%. “It was a wake-up call for everybody on the team of what opportunity was in front of us, ” he explains. Having Zuppke originally join as the 25th emplo...…
…38 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N here’s to Warburg Pincus, a leading global growth investor, announced that Jeffrey Perlman, formerly of Michigan and current head of Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific Real Estate, will become president of the firm. Jeff has helped build a leading real estate franchise in Asia Pacific, including co- founding and sponsoring some of the largest real estate companies in the region, partnering with entrepr...…
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…4 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N PURELY COMMENTARY I recently became a life member of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America. JWV is “a Jewish voice for veterans and a veteran’s voice for Jews.” Whether or not you served in the military, you can join and support JWV. JWV defends the rights and benefits of all service members and veterans, fights antisemitism and supports the State of Israel.” It also provides educat...…
…40 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N Fox 65th T obi and Larry Fox of West Bloomfield celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Oct. 26, 2023. They are the proud parents of Michael and Stacy Fox, and Allan and Shelly Fox. They are even prouder of their grandchildren, Gabriel, Izzy, Eli, Simon and Goldie. MAZEL TOV! HOW TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Mazel Tov! announcements are welcomed for members of the Jewish community. Anniversaries, engagements...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 41 J N SPIRIT Our ‘Could Haves’ R ecently, during a reli- gious school pickup, I witnessed a fright- ening scene A child wriggled free from his mother’s grasp and ran across parking lot traffic. His mother got to him, weaving through cars to the other side of the driveway. She hugged her child close while simultaneously berating him, “You could have been killed, ” she shouted. She scolded and he cried, both ...…
…42 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 T he name of our parshah seems to embody a paradox. It is called Chaye Sarah, “the life of Sarah,” but it begins with the death of Sarah. What is more, toward the end, it records the death of Abraham. Why is a parshah about death called “life”? The answer, it seems to me, is that — not always, but often — death and how we face it is a commentary on life and how we live it. Which brings us to a deep...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 43 of the strong heart; even more, I find a people.” So despite his skepticism about religion in general and the Judeo-Christian heritage in particular, he had a genuine respect for Tanach.) HAVING A WHY Abraham and Sarah were among the supreme examples in all history of what it is to have a Why in life. The entire course of their lives came as a response to a call, a Divine voice, that told them to leave the...…
…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...…
…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 Hills (248) 477-1410 ...…
…46 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N P robing Judaism and history enter into the expressed interests of writer and Ohio bookstore owner Linda Kass, who worked in Detroit from 1978-80. During her Michigan years, she represented Time magazine and taught at Wayne State University. Kass made her interests known to Michigan readers when she returned to Metro Detroit Tuesday, Oct. 17, to introduce her third book, Bessie (She Writes Press), a...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 47 J N and earned a master’s degree in journalism from Ohio State University. Her career goes beyond magazine writing and into cable television and nonprofit work before opening Gramercy Books, a local, independent bookstore in Bexley, Ohio. The author’s personal life includes marriage for 36 years to Frank Kass, an urban real estate redeveloper who currently has a project around Lansing. They have a combin...…
…48 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N ISRAELI COMEDY SERIES, SILVERMAN HOSTS, TWO DOCUMENTARIES Bros is an eight-episode, comedic Israeli series that premieres on Netflix on Nov. 9. This Hebrew language series was co-created by Guy Amir, 46, and Hanan Savyon, 47, and they are Bros co-stars. The Jerusalem Post recently called the duo the “kings of Israeli comedy.” They co-wrote and co-starred-in the hit TV series Asfur and the hit movies,...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 49 J N HEALTH INSURANCE NOW-JAN. 1, 2024 Protect your financial health along with your physical health. The navigators at Jewish Family Service will answer your questions and help you enroll, whether through the Healthcare Marketplace or through Medicaid. Free and open to anyone who needs help. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact JFS navigators at 248-592-2662 or navigation@jfsdetro...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 5 J N Health insurance YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Learn more at MIBluesPerspectives.com/ReadyToHelp With the largest network of doctors and hospitals, coverage for mental health, an easy-to-use mobile app, a 24-hour nurse line and the MIBlue virtual assistant, Bl...…
…50 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J N Anniversary Benefit Dinner, at Huntington Place (1 Washington Blvd.) in Detroit. The organization will honor Cynthia and Marvin Zucker, who have made Holocaust education central to their philanthropy. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 pm; seated dinner and program at 6:30 pm. Keynote speaker: Dana Bash, CNN anchor and chief political correspondent. Registration is required. To purchase tickets o...…
…NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 51 MATERIALS Almost Anything* BOLD and BRIGHT. *Items not allowed: • Glitter • Light blue crayons • Pencils • Computer generated artwork REQUIREMENTS A fully completed entry form (below) as well as a color photo of the artist who submitted. Photos must be taped or glued to the back of the art submission, with the entry form. Please no staples or paperclips. Only one submission per child is allowed. PRIZES $...…
…52 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 A special group of volunteer judges will be reviewing submissions and choosing the 36 winners. Honorees will receive a free subscription to the JN and be featured in a February 2024 issue. GO ONLINE TO THEJEWISHNEWS.COM AND SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION BY DECEMBER 29, 2023 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT Do you know someone who gives of themselves to the community in robust — and often thankless — ways? Someone you admire and...…
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