…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 37 ADAM FINKEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER Meet Jeff Greenberg — The Tigers 20th General Manager Every grand slam starts with early base hits. Just ask Wolf Blitzer. The JN pub- lished a cover story written by the jour- nalist on Nov. 15, 1985. A few years later, he would begin his noted career at CNN. In that same month, the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle announced the birth of Jeffrey Samuel Greenberg. Last fall, the now 3...…
…38 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N faces&places JCRC/AJC’s 2023 Media Luncheon was a success. “We pride ourselves on forming positive relationships with members of the media, which now more than ever are vitally important,” said Sam Dubin, assistant director/director of media relations for the JCRC/AJC. “We especially thank the Detroit Jewish News’ Jackie Headapohl for her presence and greatly value and appreciate the DJN.” This year’s lunche...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 39 J N O h, what fun was had by one and all at Congregation Beth Shalom’s Chanu-Con! “Chanu-Con! is a labor of love, put on by Beth Shalom volunteers who want to bring the community together at the inclusive event,” said Beth Rodgers, event founder and participant. “It is meant for people of all ages, as there is truly something for everyone at Chanu-Con!” The array of vendors included everything from art and skin...…
…4 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N for openers Remembering a Master of Comedy T om Smothers, one half of the legendary comedy team the Smothers Brothers, passed away Dec. 26, 2023, at 86 after a battle with cancer. In a statement released on behalf of his family by the National Comedy Center (NCC), his brother Dick Smothers, 85, said: “Tom (who he often called Tommy) was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want i...…
…40 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N TOP, L TO R: Giane Portnoi, Chelsea Rebeck and Yevgeniya Gazman. Ryan J. Turell, Detroit Cruise basket- ball player. MIDDLE, L TO R: George M. Roberts, Eden and Sarah Roberts. Rochel Shemtov and Chana Shemtov. BOTTOM, L TO R: George M. Roberts, Rabbi Yisrael Pinson and Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh. Rabbi Yisrael Pinson lights the custom-made bas- ketball menorah on the Little Caesars Arena concourse during ...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 41 T he Jewish Senior Life residents who co-au- thored the new book Don’t Write Me Off! Thirty- Nine Stories of Older Adulthood were definitely the stars of the evening at the organization’s Lives Well Lived: Wrinkles in Time fundraiser on Nov. 14 at the Berman Center for The Performing Arts at The J in West Bloomfield. The beaming first-time authors smiled, posed for pic- tures in front of a life-sized image ...…
…42 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 A s a symbol of unity and coming together during these current times of division and increas- ing levels of antisemitism, the nonprofit foundation Spill the Honey recently hosted its annual gala. A “Celebration of Unity and Legacy” was held at the Atheneum Suite Hotel in Detroit to celebrate the shared histories and hardships that bond the African American and Jewish communities. The gala, attended by mor...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 43 G esher Human Services’ 15th annual Trade Secrets event held on Nov. 16 raised nearly $300,000 to support Gesher’s many workforce initiatives for women. More than 300 people attended the event held at the Detroit Marriott, Troy. The money raised will help support many of the programs that Gesher runs to improve the lives of women and their families, including Women to Work, financial education, computer trai...…
…44 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N MAZEL TOV! HOW TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Mazel Tov! announcements are welcomed for members of the Jewish community. Anniversaries, engagements and weddings with a photo (preferably color) can appear at a cost of $18 each. Births are $10. There is no charge for bar/bat mitzvahs or for special birthdays starting at the 90th. For information, contact Editorial Assistant Sy Manello at smanello@thejewishnews.com or (...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 45 J N SPIRIT TORAH PORTION Our Belief Is Tested M oses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and requested, at God’s bidding, that the Jews be allowed to travel into the wilderness to worship. Pharaoh refused and imposed even greater hardships on the Jewish slaves. The Jewish officers accused Moses and Aaron of bringing on further suffering. Moses then asks God, “Why do You treat the people so badly? From the time ...…
…T he Israelites were at their lowest ebb. They had been enslaved. A decree had been issued that every male child was to be killed. Moses had been sent to liberate them, but the first effect of his intervention was to make matters worse, not bet- ter. Their quota of brickmak- ing remained unchanged, but now they also had to provide their own straw. Initially, they had believed Moses when he performed the signs God had given h...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 47 meaning, I was not recognized by them in My attribute of ‘keeping faith,’ by reason of which My name is ‘Hashem,’ namely that I am faithful to fulfil My word, for I made promises to them but I did not fulfil them [during their lifetime].” Rashi commentary to Exodus 6:3. The patriarchs had received promises from God. They would multiply and become a nation. They would inherit a land. Neither of these prom- i...…
…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 Bloomfield (248) 78...…
…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 ...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 5 J N their material. Over the years, I’ve had the great fortune of meeting and interviewing many of the grand masters of Jewish comedy — Jackie Mason, Henny Youngman, Don Rickles, Marty Allen, Jerry Lewis, Harvey Korman, Soupy Sales and Shecky Green, who just passed away on New Year’s Eve at 97. It reminds me of what Dick Purtan used to say to me, “Funny is funny,” no matter what era of comedy you’re talki...…
…50 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N ARTS&LIFE ART F aina Lerman and Mitch Cope are two of the 23 artists select- ed for the new exhibition, Beyond Typography, being shown Jan. 14-Feb. 21 in the Janice Charach Gallery in the West Bloomfield J (Jewish Community Center). The artists were known and picked by curator Clinton Snider, who takes on art projects for himself and teach- es at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. He asked ...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 51 her artistic work has appeared at the Detroit Artists Market and Wasserman Projects in Detroit. Her performance art duo, Tzarinas of the Plane, was named a 2015 Kresge Visual Arts Fellow. MITCH COPE Cope is showing at least one large pencil drawing, the new- est artistic form he has been working on, and he thought the form would fit in with the theme of the show. Snider and Cope have known each other for ma...…
…52 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N TWO NEW FILMS; WWII VETS PASS ON, BUT ONE IS STILL INVENTING TOYS Self-Reliance, a comedy thriller, will premiere on Hulu on Jan. 14. Here’s the premise: A sad man (Andy Samberg, 45) receives an invitation to win $1 million by a reality TV game on the dark web. For 30 days, he must outwit hunters attempting to kill him. But, there’s a loophole: The hunters can only attack him when he’s alone — so he ...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 53 ARTS&LIFE JUST FOR FUN Judaism ABRAHAM COMMANDMENTS DAVID DREAMS EGYPT GOD GOLIATH GOLIATH ISRAEL ISRAELITES JACOB JEWISH JOSEPH JUDAISM MONOTHEISM MOSES NATHAN NILE PHARAOH PHILISTINES POLYTHEISM PYRAMIDS RAMSES RED SEA SABBATH SAMUEL SAUL SCRIBE SLAVE SOLOMON Z L E G Y P T F J E Q L S E N I T S I L I H P S P G N S O F A B A S R R U M S U I H Z W H T V O W C N D M O N O T H E I S M N O F...…
…54 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N BRAIN HEALTH 1:30-2:30 PM, JAN. 11 (WED.) “Six Secrets to Building a Resilient Brain” with Dr. Eric Mintz, brain-based chiro- practor certified in neuro- feedback. Discover how our brain’s neuroplasticity can increase our resilience throughout our lifetimes. Register in advance for this Zoom event at: us06web. zoom.us/meeting/register/ tZIld-ivqjIoHt3GQjedm- DtJqMuIUfl2ID2d. After registering, you will rec...…
…Jewish religion and tradi- tion. Leaders Rabbi Aaron Bergman, Hazzan Daniel Gross and Rabbi Blair Nosanwisch will explore a wide variety of Jewish top- ics. Cost $54/Adat Shalom member; $180 non-mem- ber. Registration and info: adatshalom.org/thrivalkit. Info: Jodi Gross at jgross@ adatshalom.org. DADS NIGHT OUT 7-9 PM, JAN. 17 (WED.) At Bowlero Lanes and Lounge in Royal Oak. Take some time with the guys in a relaxed environment ...…
… 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 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 ye...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 57 J N CLAIRE ARM, 98, of Oak Park, died Jan. 1, 2024. She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, David and Robin Arm of West Bloomfield, Rabbi Daniel and Chana Arm of Oak Park; daughter, Ilana Glickman of Teaneck, N.J.; sister, Hannah Kaminker; 10 grandchildren; 24 great- grandchildren. Claire was the beloved wife of the late Rabbi Milton Arm; dear mother- in-law of the late Rabbi Anthony Glickman....…
…58 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N D r. Steffan “Steve” Taub, 83, of Bloomfield Hills, passed away peacefully on Dec. 22, 2023, in the presence of loved ones. Steve was born in Detroit on March 5, 1940, to Edward and Lillian Taub. After WWII, his family moved to Arlington, Va., and then to Albuquerque, N.M. Steve graduated from Highland High School at 16. He com- pleted his freshman year at the University of New Mexico. The family th...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 59 J N continued from page 57 Mr. Gordon was the loving father of the late Barbara Klavons; dear brother and brother-in-law of the late Dr. Leonard Gordon, the late Gerald Herwitz. Contributions may be made to Plant a Tree in Israel, Zo Arzeinu, P.O. Box 241, Cedarhurst, NY 11516-0241; Michigan Humane Society, 30300 Telegraph Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms, MI 48025; American Society for the Prevention of C...…
…1942 - 2024 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week To make a donation to the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION go to the website www.thejewishnews.com 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: Detroit Jewish News, 322...…
…60 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N DANIEL PIKSTEIN, 80, of West Bloomfield, died Dec. 26, 2023. He is survived by his children, Marla (Joshua) Linderman-Richelew, Jason (Christine) Pikstein and Adam Mitchel; grandchildren, Zenah (Jonathan) Skidmore, Yakirah Mitchel, Naomi Richelew, Joshua Linderman, Avivah Mitchel and Jonathan Pikstein; many other loving family members and friends. Daniel was the beloved husband of the late Ronnie P...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 61 F red Kamienny, 82, of Birmingham, peace- fully passed away after sunset on Dec. 25, 2023, after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. Fred was born on June 11, 1941, to Edward and Helen (Erlich) Kamienny in Oak Park. After graduating from Oak Park High School, he continued his education at Wayne State University where he received his B.S. in Applied Health Sciences and his M.S. in Pharmaceutical S...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at thejewishnews.com 62 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J N The Candy Man I recently wrote about the release of Maestro, a Bradley Cooper film about the great American composer/direc- tor Leonard Bernstein. Another movie released last month caught my attention: Wonka. Wonka is the third musical film based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 book, Charlie and the Chocolat...…
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…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 7 J N DISCOVER THE POWER OF SANCTUARY Discover Lincoln Owner Benefits Custom Ordering & Home Delivery Upon Request A, Z, X Plans Specialist RICHARD WOLF LINCOLN PRODUCT SPECIALIST Office : 1950 W Maple Rd, Troy, MI 48084 Email : rwolf@lincolnoftroy.com 734.812.1125 …
…8 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 around the world, particularly in the U.S. I believe he was the victim most reported on in the days after the massacre, because of his U.S. citizenship, the years in Seattle and his peace activism (not to mention the abundance of flattering pictures). In “normal” times, people in communities take turns caring for sufferers. Death and illness happen more or less randomly. Before Oct. 7, paying a shivah visi...…
…JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 9 JOIN US! LUNCH & LEARN EVENT TUESDAY, JANUARY 23RD 12:00 - 2:00PM CRISPELLI’S BAKERY AND PIZZERIA 6690 ORCHARD LAKE ROAD WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI 48322 Join us for a special lunch and learn event with Rose Senior Living Farmington Hills, a brand-new senior living community in your neighborhood. Learn about Rose Senior Living and the benefits of joining our Founders Club! RSVP by Thursday, January 18th by callin...…
…THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS $200 Jan. 4-10, 2024 / 23-29 Tevet 5784 thejewishnews.com The 2023-24 Detroit Shinshinim have found purpose in Michigan while the crisis continues on the home front. See page 10 The 2023-24 Detroit Shinshinim have found purpose in Michigan while A Second A Second A Second A SecondHome The 2023-24 Detroit Shinshinim have found F amily …
…OUR COMMUNITY A Second Home, ON THE COVER 10 | JANUARY 4 • 2024 J N A Second Family Erela Sabag, Ofri Lellouche, Itay Nussbaum, Itamar Grife and Shahaf Harari …
…JANUARY 4 • 2024 | 11 J N A Second Home, JANUARY 4 • 2024 | 11 J N J N J W hen Shahaf Harari woke up on Oct. 7, 2023, her 18th birthday, she expected her phone to be overflowing with happy birthday mes- sages from her loved ones back home in Israel. Shahaf was one month into her stay across the world in Detroit as a community Shinshinim. Those mes- sages ended up being very different from what she expected. She didn’t understan...…
…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 11 ON THE COVER 12 | JANUARY 4 • 2024 J N The Shinshinim participate in community events almost nonstop, from various holiday events for Chanukah and Sukkot, speaking events with audiences ranging from students to Holocaust survivors, personal projects they’re working on and more. They work to present Israel in as many places as possible with as many perspectives and personal experiences as possibl...…
…JANUARY 4 • 2024 | 13 J N ELIGIBILITY FOR NOMINATION All Jewish communal professionals employed by Jewish Federation of Detroit or local constituent agencies of JFD who have been working in the Detroit Jewish community a minimum of five consecutive years may be nominated for the Mandell L. and Madeleine H. Berman Awards. *The CEOs of the Jewish Federation of Detroit and its constituent agencies are not eligible to win this award. **Fi...…
…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 12 ON THE COVER 14 | JANUARY 4 • 2024 J N since the first grade, and now he’s an only child, ” Shahaf said. “ And we know another family with two cousins who were murdered at the festival. ” Erela added that her swim teach- er and the barber of the moshav were also killed. “Getting the news of everything while we were here and not with our moshav was really hard, ” Shahaf said. “Everybody knows s...…
…JANUARY 4 • 2024 | 15 J N the religious schools or youth movements. A sizable portion of the Shinshinim’s job in bringing Israel to the community is bringing it to the younger community — students — who they’re able to connect with easily considering their close age. Shahaf and Itamar’s main worksite is Hillel Day School. Ofri and Itay’s main worksite is Frankel Jewish Academy. Erela’s main worksites are Jewish Federation of...…
…continued from page 15 16 | JANUARY 4 • 2024 J N scared to lose their friends. For me, hearing this was like, ‘Oh, my God.’” Hearing firsthand about the antisemitism some Jewish students experience at their public schools and jobs has been eye-opening for the Shinshinim. “To me, it was shocking because as an Israeli I don’t feel a lot of antisemitism — all of my friends are Jewish, and I go to a Jewish school. But here it’s not ...…
…JANUARY 4 • 2024 | 17 J N notice was incredible,” Shahaf said. “It was a moment of real- izing the Detroit Jewish com- munity has a lot of impact and power and they care so much about Israel.” A moment of great gravity for the Detroit Shinshinim was the community vigil for the hostages at Adat Shalom Synagogue. In front of 1,000 people in attendance, the names of each of the 242 hos- tages were read out loud by the five Shinshinim. ...…
…18 | JANUARY 4 • 2024 J N OUR COMMUNITY O n Dec. 16, Young Israel of Oak Park once again battled out one of Judaism’s most asked questions: What is the best cholent? In the shul’s 19th traditional “Iron Blech,” teams of married couples and friends competed for the championship cup. A delicious Shabbat lunch was pre- sented for the 160 guests by Gil Stebbins, the heart and brains behind the event. Then came the shining moment: Twelv...…
…JANUARY 4 • 2024 | 19 A dazzling demonstration of unity unfolded as the vibrant community of Genesee County came together with their Jewish brethren for an unforget- table Chanukah extravaganza, orchestrated by Chabad of Eastern Michigan. Held at Shea Automotive in Flint on Dec. 7, the event fea- tured a towering 22-foot public Chanukah menorah. In a show of solidarity, influen- tial community figures, including Michigan Supreme Cou...…
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…20 | JANUARY 4 • 2024 J N W hen Temple Kol Ami’s Rabbi Natalie Shribman first told her parents about her installation weekend, the response was, “What’s an installation?” This being the first installation experience for either her or her husband, Rabbi Benjamin Altshuler, the rabbi struggled with an answer! So, her mother did some research and shared with Shribman that a rabbinic installation “is a sacred occasion where the r...…
…JANUARY 4 • 2024 | 21 Further enhancing the Friday night service was the TKA band, choir and junior choir. “The sanctuary was so full — as full as it was for the High Holidays,” Shribman said. “This was very gratifying. This made me feel that I had already had an impact on the community in just six months. But the crowd wasn’t only for me; the crowd also came out to show how invested they are in our congregation growing.” A s...…
…22 | JANUARY 4 • 2024 J N A s Israel responds to the brutal attack by Hamas and engages in ongoing war, local rabbis and cantors are working around the clock to help the Jewish community navigate the grief, pain and antisemitism of our day, and to emerge resilient and ready to respond. To keep spiritually and intellectually prepared for this moment, members of the Michigan Board of Rabbis and the Michigan Board of Cantors gath...…
…JANUARY 4 • 2024 | 23 J N H appy new year, friends! We’ve spent the last year volunteering together, and I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished. I wanted to do a review of some of the organizations that I’ve high- lighted previously and are my favorites to volunteer with regularly and also introduce some brand- new opportunities for us to dive into. I love learning about and sharing new organizations with all of you. My inbox is ...…
