…82 | MAY 20 • 2021 cap&gown 2021 continued from page 80 ALEXANDRA YAKER Bloomfield Hills High School Vice President Student Leadership, National Honor Society, Youth Federation of Temple Israel Board, Jewish Student Alliance, Yearbook Sports Editor, Poms, Tennis. University of Michigan DANIEL YELLEN Walled Lake Northern High School Honor Roll (4 years), AP Scholar Award, National Honor Society. Michigan State Univ...…
…MAY 20 • 2021 | 83 Mazel Tov! Micole, From the day you were born, you have surpassed any and all expectations; above and beyond! We are so amazed by all that you have accomplished, but we are even prouder of the person you have become. We wish you the best at Michigan State University. We love and adore you! All our love, Mom, Dad, Ari, Lola, Bubbie and Poppy Abigail Larky-Savin We are so very proud of all you have accomplish...…
…84 | MAY 20 • 2021 continued on page 86 T his academic year has been one full of challenges for me, as well as for many other students. Attending “Zoom University” sounds cuter than it is — even as someone who had the privilege of living in East Lansing these past two semesters, I still felt defeated and lonely at times. Sitting for hours a day staring at a computer screen can take a physical and emo- tional toll; never did I ...…
…MAY 20 • 2021 | 85 No one expected this last year to be what it was. But, true to form, you accepted the challenges and ended up one of the 4,100 new graduates of Wayne State, a premier urban research university. The only one that can call Detroit home. Where a Warrior isn’t just a mascot. It’s how you handle what life throws at you. And it’s how you’ll handle the next challenge that comes your way. Just like before, you’ll be sma...…
…86 | MAY 20 • 2021 continued from page 84 for college students by college students on campus started to take a turn for the worse. It’s safe to say that it was an emotional year for everyone, especially within the MSU Jewish com- munity, so Spartans for Israel really wanted to go out with a bang. We wanted to cele- brate our wonderful students and to celebrate Israel in a completely unadulterated fashion. What better way to do t...…
…MAY 20 • 2021 | 87 MAZEL TOV! DEC. 12, 2020 Allison (Gold) and Benjie Klein of West Bloomfield are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Alexis Izzy Klein. Alexis is the granddaughter of Esther and Ken Gold of Royal Oak, and Noreen and Al Klein of Farmington Hills. Alexis Izzy is named in memory of Allison’s aunt Alexis (Gold) Chassin and Benjie’s bubbie Isadora “Izzy” Helfman. Samson Green will chant from the Torah on ...…
…MAZEL TOV! 88 | MAY 20 • 2021 Blanck 100th L orraine Blanck, owner of Wallside Windows, cele- brated her 100th birthday on May 13, 2021. Her family consists of sons and daugh- ters-in-law, Stuart Blanck, Stanford and Roz Blanck, Fred Blanck and Andree Joyaux; grandchildren, Lisa and Peter Ehrlich, Mia Eherlich, Lexi Ehrlich, Adam and Lauren Blanck, Jenna Blanck and fian- cé, Jake Gutner; great-grand- son, Jesse Blanck. CAP & GOWN...…
…MAY 20 • 2021 | 89 SPIRIT TORAH PORTION Recognizing The Individual I n Parshat Naso, the longest parshah in the entire Torah, we read about the dedication of the altar and the gifts and sac- rifices that each Nasi (prince of the tribe) brought. It goes on to detail the sacrifices of all 12 Nesiim, making it clear that they all brought precisely the same things. When reading this, we have the question of why does the Torah repea...…
…90 | MAY 20 • 2021 Synagogue Directory CONSERVATIVE Adat Shalom Synagogue Farmington Hills (248) 851-5100 adatshalom.org Ahavas Israel Grand Rapids (616) 949-2840 ahavasisraelgr.org Congregation Beth Ahm West Bloomfield (248) 851-6880 cbahm.org Beth Israel Flint (810) 732-6310 cbiflint.org Congregation Beth Shalom Oak Park (248) 547-7970 congbethshalom.org Beth Tephilath Moses Mt. Clemens (586) 996-3138 bethtephilathmoses.com B’nai I...…
…MAY 20 • 2021 | 91 The Shul-Chabad Lubavitch West Bloomfield (248) 788-4000 theshul.net Woodward Avenue Shul Royal Oak (248) 414-7485 thewas.net Yagdil Torah Southfield (248) 559-5905 Young Israel of Oak Park (248) 967-3655 yiop.org Young Israel of Southfield (248) 358-0154 yisouthfield.org RECONSTRUCTIONIST Congregation Kehillat Israel Lansing (517) 882-0049 kehillatisrael.net Congregation T’chiyah Oak Park (248) 823-711...…
…92 | MAY 20 • 2021 ERETZ M ost people know about the tragic accident that caused the deaths of 45 Orthodox individuals during the recent mass celebration of Lag b’Omer on Mount Meron in Israel. But do they know of the swift and effective response offered by so many? Unfortunately, Israelis have experienced many trage- dies and people really know what to do. By the next morning, countless individuals, companies and organizations had j...…
…MAY 20 • 2021 | 93 O ver five weeks, the Michigan-Central Galilee Partnership Region participated in an inspiring pilot program “Café Hafooch” (“Cappuccino”) — an intergenerational program that aims to create meaningful connections between Jewish community adults and Israeli high school students. In addi- tion to the connections, the Israelis work on advancing their English skills. The Detroit pilot (adopted from the Toronto pro...…
…94 | MAY 20 • 2021 ARTS&LIFE EVENTS W hen I was a child, one of the peak experiences of every summer was going to the home of Flory and Harry Jagoda to experience a musical festival of folk ballads from Bosnia. During WWII, Flory became a translator for the American Army in Bari, Italy. There, she fell in love with Sgt. Harry Jagoda and immigrated to America with him in 1946. In America, they married, settled in Virginia and...…
…MAY 20 • 2021 | 95 R etired attorney Mark Bello of West Bloomfield spent his career try- ing cases for social justice. Now in retirement, he has culled knowledge from those cases and from other social justice issues plucked from the headlines to pen and self-publish Betrayal, a series of legal thriller novels. His sixth book in the series, Supreme Betrayal is loosely based on the hearing and appointment of Brent Kavanaugh to the U.S...…
…96 | MAY 20 • 2021 T he 20th annual Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival (AAJFF) begins this month with 22 films, including two short film programs. The festival starts May 22 and runs through Aug. 24. Noemi Herzig, director of Jewish Cultural Arts and Adult Education for the Ann Arbor JCC, believes the spread-out schedule allows time for moviegoers to take the movies in. “It’s such an eclectic festi- val this year, we have a littl...…
…MAY 20 • 2021 | 97 GENOCIDE TODAY? 7 pm May 20 The Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus presents via Zoom “Preventing Cambodia’s Genocidal Past from Becoming Afghanistan’s Future,” featuring John D. Ciorciari, associate professor of public policy and direc- tor of the Gerald R. Ford School’s International Policy Center at the University of Michigan. To register, visit holocaustcenter.org/May. To submit a question in a...…
… Aaron Mendelson Heating and Cooling 248-855-0437 Cell: 248-912-2292 License # 7118488 Maintenance, Installation, Repair & Hot Water Heaters Ajmendelson1@gmail.com FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1973 $65 SERVICE FEE Basement & Garage Epoxy Flooring Specials Decorative / Metallic Epoxy Flake Flooring • Polished Concrete Concrete Floor Cracking Repairs Anti-Slip Coatings LOW COST HIGH QUALITY Basement & Garage Epoxy Flooring Specials Decor...…
…HEALTHCARE A1 CAREGIVER/COMPANION. Experienced, excellent references. 248-991-4944 Private duty caregiver for the elderly. Available Sunday - Saturday. Please call (313) 258-3674 or (313) 285-6684 MALE LPN Private duty nurse, live-in, errands, companion, light gardening. Excellent references. Call 248-275-6752 24/7 Caregiver with 10+ years experience. Masters in mental health services. Errands and light housekeeping. Please ca...…
…$200 May 13-19, 2021 / 2-8 Sivan 5781 $200 May 13-19, 2021 / 2-8 Sivan 5781 JEWISH NEWS JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Making loans without interest for 125 years. See page 12 ‘Thanks, Hebrew Free Loan!’ …
…• Assisted Living & Memory Care • 3 Kosher Meals a Day • Nurse On Site or On Call 7 Days a Week • Specialized Programming for Memory Care • Independent Living • Wellness, Cultural and Social Programming • 5 Kosher Dinners Per Week • Amenities Include: Bistro, Boutique, and Salon NOW Accepting Applications Call to inquire about our MOve-iN SpeCiAlS! Fleischman Residence/ Blumberg plaza and Brown Memory Care pavilion 6710 W. Maple R...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Thanks, Hebrew Free Loan! Making loans, not interest for more than 125 years. 17 Helping Jewish Teens “Collective Compassion” project promotes mental health, coping. 18 Legal Warrior Retiring WSU law professor looks back on a lifetime of accomplishments. 20 A Guiding Hand New mapping system at Clover Hill makes finding ...…
…4 | MAY 13 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY B ella Abzug was a force of nature. She was the first Jewish woman elected to the U.S. Congress and a leader in the women’s movement. Abzug, who died 23 years ago, served three terms in the House of Representatives in the 1970s. Ahead of her time, she championed progres- sive changes, co-authored and shepherded through passage of the Freedom of Information Act and the Right to Privacy A...…
…YOU’RE INVITED TO AN ALL SEASONS EXCLUSIVE EVENT For the Joys of Independent Senior Living Managed by: Proud Recipient of the Prestigious Ask Us Why! Aging Well With All Seasons Hear from local experts on the topic of health and wellness as well as exercise and fitness for seniors May 25, 2021 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Light refreshments will be served Kindly RSVP to 248.260.2471 or email ASWBSalesCounselor@beztak.com by May 21, 2021 ...…
…6 | MAY 13 • 2021 1942 - 2021 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: Detroi...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 7 DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com essay What Would It Take for Me to Go Back to Synagogue? W hen I was very young, what moti- vated me to go to shul on Shabbat morning was the fire station two houses away from the synagogue. My dad was the rabbi of the only con- gregation in Annapolis, Md., and shul atten- dance was a family affair. ...…
…8 | MAY 13 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY continued from page 7 own pleasant pattern: sleeping later, praying at home, spend- ing more time with my wife and, when the weather allowed, meeting up with friends — 6 feet apart — on a bench out- side. I know I’m not alone in my ambivalence about going back to shul now. I’ve talked to friends about it and they, too, seem a bit mystified about what keeps some of us home. We know that going ba...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 9 People's Attorney The The role of Michigan’s Attorney General in today’s world. Thursday, May 20 Thursday, May 20 • 6pm 6pm Join Legal Referral Service, a program of Jewish Family Service, as we welcome Michigan Attorney General Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel for a timely discussion on the role of the Attorney General and how it impacts us as citizens of the state of Michigan. Q&A to follow To regis...…
…10 | MAY 13 • 2021 continued from page 8 ating in a joint effort to derail the Islamist regime’s nuclear ambitions, the administration went out of its way to disavow any role in Israel’s recent suc- cessful attack on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility. The implication of these off-the-record comments from “senior administration officials” is that the adminis- tration regarded Israel’s efforts as seeking to forestall an American push t...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 11 zolmanrestoration.com | 3285 Martin Road | Suite N-106 | Walled Lake, MI 48390 Commercial and Residential Restoration Services call us at 800.799.8560 | available 24/7/365 WATER & flood wind & storm Fire & smoke mold personal property established 2013 on this well-deserved new role! Congratulations to Steven Ingber on being named Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit Mazel Tov ...…
…12 | MAY 13 • 2021 Thanks, Thanks, Thanks, Hebrew Free Loan! Hebrew Free Loan! Hebrew Free Loan! Hebrew Free Loan! Hebrew Free Loan! Hebrew Free Loan! I t was 1895, and Detroit’s Jewish population was exploding with an influx of immigrants from Russia, Poland and other Eastern European countries. Most had few resources, but the Jewish community had only just begun to organize communal and charitable services. Looking for a way to ...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 13 continued on page 14 Eli Golshteyn: Getting Resettled as a New Immigrant Eli Golshteyn was only 6 when he left Novosibirsk in southwest Siberia with his parents, Alexander and Rufina, and his older brother, Roman. Golshteyn’s father held a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and his mother a master’s in civil engineer- ing. They knew they’d have to learn English before they could get profes- sional jobs here. His fath...…
…14 | MAY 13 • 2021 In the run-up to World War II, Hebrew Free Loan aided Jews escaping from Nazi Europe and, after the war, aided survi- vors who made it to Michigan. In the late 1960s, Hebrew Free Loan helped business- men whose properties were destroyed or damaged during Detroit’s racial turmoil. HFL also started making loans for tuition at Jewish day schools, enabling parents to make small- er monthly payments instead of one lar...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 15 who will complete her two-year term as president in June. She was impressed by how quickly staff and volunteers adapted to remote operations. “They didn’t miss a beat, ” she said. “The office ran like clock- work, and we didn’t have any layoffs or furloughs. ” And HFL gave borrowers a three- month extension on repayments, if request- ed. One thing hasn’t changed over the years: Hebrew Free Loan col- lects on 9...…
…16 | MAY 13 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY ON THE COVER dents up to $7,500 a year for full- time undergraduate study or $10,000 a year for graduate work, with 10 years post-graduation to repay. The program grew out of the Jewish Educational Loan Service, started in the 1940s. It was renamed after the William Davidson Foundation made $12 million worth of grants. Applications decreased somewhat in 2020 because of COVID, but the program serves...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 17 C ollective Compassion, a project of the Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Funder Collaborative takes place in May to acknowledge Mental Health Awareness Month. The organization is an innovative philanthropic col- laboration where national and local funders work together to develop new approaches to teen engagement. Collective Compassion shares events and resources from more than a dozen partners to address...…
…Y ou might not think Sens. Mitch McConnell and Gary Peters had anything in common. They are on opposite sides of nearly every important issue. The dour Senate minority leader is nearly old enough to be the hard-working Michigan Democrat’s father. But they do share something no other two U.S. senators do: Both are former law students of Robert “Bob” Sedler, now Wayne State University’s Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 19 in Ethiopia. Not until the international edition Newsweek arrived did they really know what had happened. They ended up staying in Ethiopia three years. While there, Bob wrote a legal text- book for Ethiopian law students, which “as far as I know may still be in use. ” When they returned, he taught at the University of Kentucky law school till 1977, where his students included McConnell, an Alabama native who went...…
…20 | MAY 13 • 2021 T rying to locate the gravesite of a loved one at Clover Hill Park Cemetery, a 60-acre cemetery with more than 15,000 burials, could make an already emotional situation even more stressful. Until last year, visitors to Clover Hill had to rely on their memory or a ceme- tery employee to help locate a gravesite. Now visitors can get driving or walking directions directly to a plot in the same way they would get dire...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 21 I t was the brainchild of a 9-year-old boy. When Avery Schwartz of Commerce, who attends Hillel Day School, wanted to give his Nana Margaret Garvin a hug, he created a “Hug Buddy. ” Since Avery couldn’t hug Nana in person because of pandemic distancing, he instead created a two-dimensional “hug” figure that was drawn on paper and mailed to Nana, who was moving to Traverse City. For Avery’s father, Glen Schwart...…
…22 | MAY 13 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY T he new survey from the Pew Research Center released May 11 paints a por- trait of Jewish Americans in 2020 that is not dramatically different from 2013, when the survey was last taken. For the survey, a total sampling of 4,718 people were counted as Jewish Americans, defined as having at least one Jewish parent or having been raised Jewish. Counting all Jewish adults — young and old, combined — the...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 23 Orthodox, 17% to 3% respective- ly. One-in-10 U.S. Jewish adults under 30 are ultra-Orthodox (11%), compared with 1% of Jews 65 and older. At the same time, 40% of Jewish adults under 30 identify as Jewish culturally, but describe themselves religiously as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particu- lar” rather than as Jewish. This is compared to 27% of all Jewish adults who do not identify with the Jewish religion....…
…24 | MAY 13 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY T wo exceptional Jewish law students will receive $1,500 scholarships from the Jewish Bar Association of Michigan (JBAM) at a free Zoom event on May 25. Jessica Davidova of Wayne State University Law School and Chase O. Yarber of University of Detroit Mercy School of Law will each receive JBAM’s Charles J. Cohen Scholarship, which recognizes law students who have demonstrated a commit- ment to maki...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 25 my commitment to the field of law, ” Yarber says, “and my growth as a future attorney. ” He says his experiences in Judaism have taught him passion, leadership and the importance of community. His mother, Judy Yarber, bravely fought leukemia for three years, and Chase was a bone marrow donor for her. Sadly, she died on May 4, and Chase is dedicating his award to his mother to honor the love and support she prov...…
…26 | MAY 13 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY T he Jewish Federation/ United Jewish Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit (JFMD/UJF) announced that it has named Steven Ingber as its new chief executive officer, effec- tive immediately. Ingber has served as the orga- nization’s chief operating officer since 2016. He succeeds former JFMD/UJF CEO Scott Kaufman, who stepped down from the role at the end of 2019 after nine years. The announcement come...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 27 MAZEL TOV! MARCH 25, 2021 Kelly and Brett Kifferstein of Chicago, Ill., are thrilled to announce the birth of daughter Shiloh Harley Kifferstein. Big sister, Saylor, welcomed her with open arms. Loving grand- parents are Marsha and Warren Kifferstein of Bloomfield Hills, and Judy and Jeff Silver of Moreland Hills, Ohio. Shiloh’s middle name, Harley, is in loving memory of her great-grandfathers, Harold, Harry and L...…
…SPIRIT TORAH PORTION 28 | MAY 13 • 2021 Everyone Counts W e’ve now arrived at the fourth book of the Torah, Bamidbar, “in the wilderness.” We refer to this book as Numbers. Both names are accurate since the narrative takes place in the desert, and there are many censuses taken through the story. The Torah por- tion opens with the scene of the Israelites organizing themselves for the long journey to the Promised Land. Since...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 29 S top counting and pass the cheesecake; it’s Shavuot! Shavuot — Z’man matan Torateinu — is “The time of the giving of our Torah,” when Moses ascended Mount Sinai to meet the Almighty “face to face” and bring back the divine teachings to the Children of Israel. That’s the historical side of the holiday. But what’s all this about counting and cheesecake? Counting refers to the fact that we determine the date o...…
…30 | MAY 13 • 2021 Synagogue Directory CONSERVATIVE Adat Shalom Synagogue Farmington Hills (248) 851-5100 adatshalom.org Ahavas Israel Grand Rapids (616) 949-2840 ahavasisraelgr.org Congregation Beth Ahm West Bloomfield (248) 851-6880 cbahm.org Beth Israel Flint (810) 732-6310 cbiflint.org Congregation Beth Shalom Oak Park (248) 547-7970 congbethshalom.org Beth Tephilath Moses Mt. Clemens (586) 996-3138 bethtephilathmoses.com B’nai I...…
…MAY 13 • 2021 | 31 The Shul-Chabad Lubavitch West Bloomfield (248) 788-4000 theshul.net Woodward Avenue Shul Royal Oak (248) 414-7485 thewas.net Yagdil Torah Southfield (248) 559-5905 Young Israel of Oak Park (248) 967-3655 yiop.org Young Israel of Southfield (248) 358-0154 yisouthfield.org RECONSTRUCTIONIST Congregation Kehillat Israel Lansing (517) 882-0049 kehillatisrael.net Congregation T’chiyah Oak Park (248) 823-711...…
…32 | MAY 13 • 2021 M ichigan-born reporter and editor Rebecca Blumenstein is stepping into a new role. After a long and storied career in journal- ism that has taken her from Newsday to the Wall Street Journal, Blumenstein, who grew up in Essexville outside of Bay City, is transitioning into a top leadership position as deputy editor in the pub- lisher’s office at the New York Times. Blumenstein, 54, of Maplewood, N.J., is a U...…
