…46 | APRIL 20 • 2023 ARTS&LIFE THEATER his Christian trilogy led to him being banished by the editor of the Forverts, the most widely read Yiddish paper in America. So, he wrote for the only Yiddish-language outlet available to him, the Freiheit, a Communist paper. This last move resulted in his being called before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, which ultimately led to him leaving the United States permanently. Alm...…
…APRIL 20 • 2023 | 47 So, I said to him, I said “Bernie, you pop that gum one more time … “And he did. So I took the shotgun off the wall, and I fired two warning shots into his head!” Even though Douglas Anderson students performed the “teen edition” of Chicago, the script still includes the quoted lines — in a state where one of the worst mass shootings in a school was perpetrated. Writing to the school’s administrators, playwri...…
…48 | APRIL 20 • 2023 ARTS&LIFE THEATER J eff Thomakos built a varied perfor- mance and teaching career involving theater, and that included appear- ances for the Jewish Ensemble Theatre (JET). When he learned JET was closing, Thomakos decided this would be a chance to realize his dream of establishing a stage company. Putting his money together to rent the Walled Lake building that held JET and to buy the stagecraft structures used ...…
…APRIL 20 • 2023 | 49 that says we’re here to have fun. ” Thomakos, who holds a bachelor’s in theater from Kent State University in Ohio and a master’s in theater from Wayne State University, has worked freelance and headed the Water Works Theatre Company (now Shakespeare Royal Oak). Most recently, he was in charge of stage instruction at the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts. The cast he chose for Private Lives, wh...…
…APRIL 20 • 2023 | 5 …
…50 | APRIL 20 • 2023 BLUME-MANIA AND DEAD RINGERS, REDUX On April 21, Amazon Prime begins streaming Judy Blume Forever, a documentary about Judy Blume, 84. She’s the author of many best-selling novels for “tweens” and young adult audiences — and a few big-selling novels for adults. The respected Hollywood Reporter gave the “doc” a rave review, noting: “[The film] looks at the legacy of the pioneering young adult fiction write...…
…APRIL 20 • 2023 | 51 POP ART NOW-APRIL 31 At Art Leaders Gallery, 33086 Northwestern, West Bloomfield. The Pop Art movement made art accessible and connectible to the masses, influencing an entire new wave of artistry and expressionism. Art Leaders Gallery celebrates these iconic “characteristics” in the series of works by featured artists, highlighting these bold and vibrant colorways of popular imagery and satire that is P...…
…52 | APRIL 20 • 2023 on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester Hills. Country hits like “Stand by Your Man,” “9 to 5” and “Harper Valley PTA” tell the tale of three gutsy gals who follow their dreams of being country music stars. They may come from different backgrounds, but all roads to stardom lead to Nashville. Ticket info: 248- 377-3300. CAREGIVER SUPPORT 1:30-2:30 PM, APRIL 27 Virtual Caregiver Support Groups for ...…
…APRIL 20 • 2023 | 53 XXXX We are so proud of you! Congratulations on getting your Masters.You are an incredible person and will go far in life. All our love, Mom, Dad, Jeff and Shayna Mazel Tov! Ad Style #4 1/8 PAGE $150 XXXXXXX You continually make us proud, keep shining your light. Mom, Dad, Brianna, Hannah, Lacey, Mazel T ov! Ad Style #3 1/16 PAGE $125 Custom Style 1/2 PAGE $485 Can include multiple images & any design! ...…
…54 | APRIL 20 • 2023 the exchange community bulletin board | professional services For information regarding advertising please call 248-351-5116 or 248-234-9057 or email salessupport@thejewishnews.com Deadline for ad insertion is 9 a.m. on Friday prior to publication. Aaron Mendelson Heating and Cooling, LLC. 248-855-0437 Cell: 248-912-2292 License # 7118488 Maintenance, Installation, Repair & Hot Water Heaters Ajmendelson1@gmail....…
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…56 | APRIL 20 • 2023 S eymour Stein, one of the most influential music executives of the 20th century, who frequently throughout his career referred to his Jewish Brooklynite roots, died at 80 on April 2, 2023, at his home in Los Angeles. The cause was an unspecified form of cancer, according to reports. Stein, born Seymour Steinbigle in 1942 and raised near Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, signed artists to his Sire record label ranging ...…
…APRIL 20 • 2023 | 57 Fran loved life and people; so, after Lloyd’s death, she moved to the Fox Run community in Novi and involved herself in every possible way. She was greatly loved and admired by all who knew her. Fran will be dearly missed by all whose lives she touched. Mrs. Finsilver is survived by her daughter, Dr. Karen Bolak; son and daughter- in-law, Stanley and Shari Finsilver; grandchildren, Amy and Steven Ben- Ezra, B...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 58 | APRIL 20 • 2023 DR. WILLIAM SANDFORD FLOYD, 90, of Boca Raton, Fla., died April 8, 2023. Dr. Floyd is survived by his wife of 46 years, Gayle Floyd; children, Jered Floyd, Brian Gibbons, Richard Nordin, Jennifer Floyd, Scott Floyd, Linda and Dan Berger, and Debbie Snoek; grandchildren, Hjalmar Floyd and Caitlin Berger; sisters-in-law, Lynne Levine, Karen Ginsburg and Suzanne Ginsburg; niece...…
…APRIL 20 • 2023 | 59 dear son-in-law of the late Elaine and the late Steven Fish. Contributions may be made to Bais Chabad of West Bloomfield, 5595 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322; Friends of Israeli Defense Forces, P.O. Box 999, Walled Lake, MI 48390; or Farber Hebrew Day School, 21100 W. 12 Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48076. A funeral was held at Hebrew Memorial Chapel. Interment took place at Machpelah Cemetery in F...…
…6 | APRIL 20 • 2023 1942 - 2023 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: Detr...…
…60 | APRIL 20 • 2023 to Hospice of Michigan, 400 Galleria Officenter, Suite 400, Southfield, MI 48034, hom. org/donations; or Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network, 6555 W. Maple, West Bloomfield, MI 48322, jewishhospice.org/donate/ tributes. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. FREDERICK “FRED” SCHATZ, 87, of West Bloomfield, died April 6, 2023. He was born in Detroit. Fred was a graduate of Mumford High School and the Unive...…
…APRIL 20 • 2023 | 61 B enjamin Ferencz, the last surviv- ing member of the prosecuting team at the Nuremberg trials that convicted Nazi ringleaders for crimes against humanity, died April 7, 2023, in Florida. He was 103. Ferencz was 27 and a graduate of Harvard Law School when he was named as the chief prosecutor at the Einsatzgruppen Trial, in which 20 mem- bers of the SS’s mobile death squads were convicted of war crimes and crimes...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org 62 | APRIL 20 • 2023 Children Learning Hand in Hand O n our recent Israel adventure with the Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s Motor City Mission, JN Editorial Director Jackie Headapohl and I took a diversity excursion in Jerusalem. It was a most enlightening experience. Our first stop was the Hand in Hand Center fo...…
… FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER Classically Classically CHARLEVOIX Many may recognize the architectural style of Earl Young from its famed stone work and undulating rooflines. Few know about the SECRET EARL YOUNG PENTHOUSE within the Weathervane Terrace Inn & Suites. For the FIRST TIME EVER, this hidden gem is available for daily and weekly rental. The Earl Young Tower Suite offers THE BEST VIEWS in Charlevoix with a ...…
…Member FDIC. ⬢®, Huntington® and ⬢ Huntington. Welcome.® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2023 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. People are at the heart of what we do. At its heart, a business is about people. A group of people coming together to create something bigger than themselves. To create a solution or a product or an experience in the service of other people. At Huntington, it’s our...…
…DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com APRIL 20• 2023 | 7 A PREMIER DESTINATION FOR GOLF A JACK NICKLAUS & PETE DYE 18-HOLE GOLF COURSE SAVOR THE FLAVORS: FOOD & BEVERAGE PROGRAMS INDULGE IN A CULINARY ADVENTURE AT OUR DIVERSE FOOD & BEVERAGE PROGRAMS REJUVENATE AND RELAX: SPA & FITNESS REVITALIZE YOUR BODY AND MIND AT OUR SPA FOCUSED LOCKER ROOMS AND FITNESS C...…
…8 | APRIL 20 • 2023 guest column The Problem in Israel I have been trying to write this piece for a while now. Every day in the past three months seemed to be a dawn of a new era, and a moment I had to express myself and share how it feels to be an Israeli. I found it extremely challenging to find the words or even to identify what it is that I think and feel. I see myself as a critical thinker and a hopeful dreamer. Stil...…
…APRIL 20 • 2023 | 9 agree upon the majority of issues. One of our biggest problems is we are held hostage by leaders who create a culture of catchy, divisive and power-driven discourse. HOPE AND DESPAIR Am I hopeful? Of course, I am. Is this the first time our society is in danger? Hell no. We fought with one another for thousands of years, and have been able to overcome and establish our own state. We are the “start-up nation.”...…
…$200 April 6-12, 2023 / 15-21 Nisan 5783 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Motor City Mission Memories Impressions of the Holy Land from a first-timer to Israel. See page 12 …
…10 | APRIL 6 • 2023 the other side. It must con- fine itself to its original pur- pose: protecting the indepen- dence of the justice system against the intrusion of the government. A miracle has occurred: the labor unions joined the effort to defend democracy in full force, the economy’s big employers stood ready to close the shopping malls, the universities stopped teaching, and the doctors suspended their mission in non-life-th...…
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…12 | APRIL 6 • 2023 I t was surreal when I first stepped off the plane in Israel. I’d been anticipating the trip for months, since I first learned last year that leadership of the Detroit Jewish News Foundation would send me and my colleague Mike Smith, the Foundation’s archivist, to Israel as a part of the Motor City Mission. I couldn’t believe it was finally happening. Many of the people I’ve worked with and met during the dozen ye...…
…APRIL 6 • 2023 | 13 “IT WILL TRANSFORM YOU, THEY SAID. BRING KLEENEX. EVERYONE WHO GOES TO ISRAEL ENDS UP CRYING.” continued on page 14 deep understanding, love and respect for both religions), I wasn’t expecting a “spiritual” transformation, nor did I expect anything to move me to tears. I was wrong. DAY 1: HAVA NAGILA! Due to the late arrival of the flight, our mission trip orga- nizers gave us a generous 10 minutes to freshen ...…
…14 | APRIL 6 • 2023 guide, Zalman Spivak, who was determined to transmit as much information as possible about the founding of this city by the sea since April 11, 1909, the date 66 Jewish fami- lies gathered on a desolate sand dune to par- cel out the land by lottery using seashells. The highlight of the tour was the mural by Nahum Guttman depicting the early history of Tel Aviv in the foyer of the Shalom Tower, what was the site of ...…
…APRIL 6 • 2023 | 15 Looking into the ancient mikveh at Kibbutz Hannaton in Federation’s Partnership2Gether region JOHN HARDWICK/FEDERATION An ancient mosaic at Tsippori An expansive view of the Jezreel Valley …
…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 14 16 | APRIL 6 • 2023 ON THE COVER synagogue, which dated to the end of the Byzantine period and whose mosaic floor was divided into four parts: the sacrifice of Isaac, the signs of the Zodiac, a description of the Tabernacle in the desert and the Ark of the Covenant in the Jerusalem Temple. While I was listening to Zalman explain the mean- ing of the art depicted in the mosaic, my mind’s eye was b...…
…OUR COMMUNITY continued on page 18 The Motor City Mission to Israel was noth- ing short of fantastic. Seeing the sites and meeting the people of Israel was, as adver- tised, a life-changing experi- ence. Beyond experiencing the culture and land of Israel, the mission was also an opportu- nity to for us to connect with Jewish Detroiters on the tour. And, the first connection was made at Metropolitan Airport. As we waited for our connec...…
…18 | APRIL 6 • 2023 worries what politicians might do to upend your country … We have so much in common with one another. DAY 5: MY SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION We leave Nazareth for Jerusalem. Our first stop is Mt. Herzl, where we gathered for a mission ceremony at the newly opened National Museum for Fallen Soldiers. Each person who lost their life in service to Israel is memorialized on a brick and remembered every year on their...…
…EXPLORING ISRAEL We moved to the Upper Galilee area of Israel, to visit our partnership region, and learned that, in Israel, there is no such thing as the Central Galilee area. That’s a Detroit-only designa- tion. Regardless of nomenclature, we received a most warm welcome, a great dinner and friendship. By the way, our primary Bus No. 3 guide was Zalman Spivak, the “Z-man.” It is an understatement to say that he was one knowledgeable...…
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…20 | APRIL 6 • 2023 by new friends, amidst voices lifted in songs that I couldn’t understand but could feel, I had my transformational moment. Spiritual Moment No. 4 left me a different woman. I was overcome with joy and a feeling of camaraderie and something I can’t even name — maybe the touch of God’s finger on our little group — and the tears came unbidden. Nothing I could do to stop them. I was still wiping them away when we eac...…
…unbidden. Spiritual moment No. 5 for me. When I remember my visit to Yad Vashem, the memory that stands out will be that of Rabbi Bergman, whose honesty and vulnerability allowed me to process my own feelings of all I saw and learned that morning. That afternoon, our group, which was set to learn about the “people of Israel — understanding the challeng- es of Jerusalem’s religious, secular and Jewish and Arab populations” visited the ...…
…22 | APRIL 6 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY V isiting Israel is a life-changing experience for every first- time traveler, and this year’s Motor City Mission to Israel was no exception — one that had a profound impact on many participants, but not necessarily for the typical reasons. For the first time in 30 years, JARC, a Metro Detroit nonprofit dedicated to provid- ing housing and services to adults with developmental disabilities, accompa...…
…APRIL 6 • 2023 | 23 …
…24 | APRIL 6 • 2023 it and continued to be impressed by every food item he tried, filling up his plate with small tastes of everything whenever meals were served buffet-style. Brooke wasn’t a big fan of some of the new foods, but she made an effort the entire trip to go out of her comfort zone and try as many new things as she could. She was excited when she loved some- thing new, which included fresh juice, duck, pickled carrots an...…
…APRIL 6 • 2023 | 25 A PREMIER DESTINATION FOR GOLF A JACK NICKLAUS & PETE DYE 18-HOLE GOLF COURSE SAVOR THE FLAVORS: FOOD & BEVERAGE PROGRAMS INDULGE IN A CULINARY ADVENTURE AT OUR DIVERSE FOOD & BEVERAGE PROGRAMS REJUVENATE AND RELAX: SPA & FITNESS REVITALIZE YOUR BODY AND MIND AT OUR SPA FOCUSED LOCKER ROOMS AND FITNESS CENTER FAMILY FUN FOR EVERYONE ENDLESS KIDS & FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS ALL YEAR ROUND ELEGANT CELEBRATIONS 400-PE...…
…26 | APRIL 6 • 2023 feeling relaxed and proud she accepted the challenge, not allowing her fear to hold her back, enjoying the view peak to peak and taking in the story of the Masada. An afternoon in the Dead Sea found Brooke and Jonathan in full laughter with Woodside, Gottlieb and the other travelers. Though the Dead Sea has changed significantly over the years and has shrunk to the point that there isn’t enough mud for tourist...…
…CLASS OF 2022 JENAE LODEWYK CLASS OF 2022 NALANI RENTA-VILLANUEVA CLASS OF 2019 GUS NAVARRO CLASS OF 2021 SIMON MOURANI CLASS OF 2016 RAJ CHHAYA CLASS OF 2022 KIANNA MATEEN CLASS OF 2011 TERONTO ROBINSON, M.D. CLASS OF 2015 CHRISTINA GUSTIN W A R R I O R S T R O N G Every year, Wayne State University graduates start making an impact the moment they earn their diplomas. That’s because a Wayne State education combines academic excelle...…
…28 | APRIL 6 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY T he 2022 Audit of Anti- semitic Incidents issued March 23 by the Anti- Defamation League (ADL) shows antisemitic incidents in Michigan remaining at an alarming number, mirroring even more troubling nationwide figures. Antisemitic incidents once again reached an all-time high in the United States in 2022, with a total of 3,697 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism reported to the ADL. T...…
…APRIL 6 • 2023 | 29 Nationally, there were increases across the board compared to 2021 numbers. Incidents of harassment rose 29 percent, acts of vandalism surged 51 percent, physical assaults jumped 26 percent, activity by organized white supremacist groups doubled and antisemitic activity on college campuses rose 41 percent. The audit found, on average, 10 incidents each day in 2022. To ADL Michigan regional director Carolyn No...…
…APRIL 6 • 2023 | 3 PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Motor City Mission Memories Impressions of the Holy Land from a first-timer to Israel. 22 Life-Changing Trip How a trip to Israel changed the lives of two people served by JARC. 28 ADL: 2022 Antisemitic Incident Numbers Continue Troubling Trend The ADL has released its 2022 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. 30 Passover Wine ...…
…30 | APRIL 6 • 2023 T he Passover seder is often celebrated with family and friends and, unlike other holidays, it is commonly done in individ- ual homes. Being outside of the synagogue, it impacts the communal feeling of a holiday that celebrates the freedom of our people. For this reason, Congregation Beth Ahm in West Bloomfield found a way to bring the synagogue to the seders of its members. The congregation organized an ini...…
…APRIL 6 • 2023 | 31 for a RETIREMENT, REAL ESTATE, AND RIGHT-SIZING EVENT at Jewish Senior Life Join Us The best-laid plans are those empowered by education. When you are ready to retire, your home could be one of your most valuable assets. We know how daunting the thought of downsizing and moving into a more practical home can be. That’s why we’ve created AN EXCLUSIVE EVENT with on-site professionals offering helpful tips you ca...…
…32 | APRIL 6 • 2023 A n endless line of cars filled with smiles and a deep sense of gratefulness filled the grounds of Yad Ezra from March 26-27, as the Berkley-based food pantry held its annual distribution of food to clients for Passover. Looming large over this year’s distribution is the chal- lenge of rising food costs, which has affected everyone — including both Yad Ezra and its clients. But just as they did during the ...…
