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…MAY 5 • 2022 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-12 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 14 Witness to War JFS social worker aids Ukrainian refugees in Poland. 20 Synagogue Spotlight: Temple Kol Ami Prides itself on inclusiveness and social action. 21 Meet Mike and Sandi Malowitz Windsor couple keeps things moving at the Windsor Jewish Community Center and Federation. 22 Honor These Eight Over...…
…4 | MAY 5 • 2022 for openers Of Pain And Suffering H amlet bemoaned suffering the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Many of us, it would seem, could easily share his feelings as we note the references to bodily discomfort we make in our daily conversations. If you know of an inci- dent where someone has done you wrong, you have experienced dealing with a back stabber. When hear- ing of bad news, you may respond, “Oh, my ...…
…Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 7pm Hosted by Devin Scillian, Channel 4 Anchor at The Zekelman Holocaust Center 28123 Orchard Lake Rd, Farmington Hills “The Final Solution.” It was meant to exterminate an entire race of people, people like Rita Smilovitz, mother of Bernie Smilovitz, sports anchor - Channel 4. RSVP by Tuesday May 10 to chaim2gen@ gmail.com Please join CHAIM for a Conversation with Bernie Smilovitz! Follow us on Fa...…
…6 | MAY 5 • 2022 essay Israel and Me: Birthday Twins M y Israeli husband, Mickey, and I are on our way to Israel. We will be celebrating Yom Ha’ Atzmaut, Israel’s 74th birth- day in the “hatzar, ” the yard, of the home where Mickey grew up and his family has lived continuously since 1934. Independence Day celebrations in Israel, in the yard, are a long-held tra- dition. It is a festive gathering for the extended family and fri...…
…my forthcoming adventure. She taught me important words in Hebrew: ice cream, bathroom, please and thank you. I have now visited Israel many times, yet the initial impressions of awe of actually seeing the land and places that I learned about, heard about and studied can never be forgotten. The phrase “So, this is …?” repeatedly played in my mind. “So, this is a kib- butz?” “So, this is Jerusalem?” “So, this is the Western Wall?” ...…
…essay The Love in the Room M y Aunt Jeannette London Lowen passed away in 2019 after living more than 100 years. Now that I’ve had some time to reflect on her life, this seems like a good time to write about her legacy. Aunt Jeannette (let’s call her AJ) led a most inter- esting and colorful life. I could write a book about her life and only scratch the surface. She was cer- tainly a survivor of many of life’s challenges. But t...…
…10 | MAY 5 • 2022 student corner Understanding Jewish Philanthropy T his year, I was fortunate to be included in a very rewarding Jewish program. As part of the Morris J. & Betty Kaplun Foundation Youth Board, I recently pre- sented $5,000 in grant money to two incredible nonprofits. The board, composed of passionate students from around the country, spent several months learning the grant-making process and eventually appli...…
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…12 | MAY 5 • 2022 PURELY COMMENTARY b’Shevat? Seeing Israel itself with my own eyes, I attempted to bring my experiences and visions into sync with my imagined images. I also discovered some- thing new, as well: the Chagall Windows at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. On a tour of this amazing world-class research hospital, I was smitten. I fell in love with the windows. I had no idea then that Hadassah, the Women’s Zioni...…
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…W hen the war in Ukraine started, I felt shocked. My family and friends speak Russian, and we are all from differ- ent parts of the former Soviet Union. Many of my friends and colleagues are from Ukraine. I am a social worker focusing on older adults at Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit, having come to the U.S. in 1995 as a refugee from Moscow, Russia. One of my grandparents was born in a little shtetl in Ukraine, and my mo...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 15 I tried to prepare the best I could, gathering donations for the urgent need items we received from JAFI staff. A week later, after running around like a wild woman, gathering medical certification that I was in good enough shape for this trip, signing my life away in liability forms, and meeting with my family and friends before I left, I was traveling to New York and onward to Warsaw, Poland, from there, with...…
…ON THE COVER continued from page 15 16 | MAY 5 • 2022 I was also busy assisting a Holocaust survivor in getting to the dining hall for breakfast, lunch and dinner, checking on families quarantined in their rooms due to COVID, and many other “small” things that were needed. Listening when there was a need to hear, hugging when a hug was needed, crying with those who cried and just being there for others. Our volunteers helped with a...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 17 ON THE COVER with personal care. I ended up helping to bathe her, as we couldn’t find anyone else to do it. • An elderly man from Mariupol, putting his 10-member family, a dog and a pregnant cat in three cars and slowly making his way out, having to stop for days at a time to gather enough gaso- line to continue their escape. He left his house after a rocket exploded in his yard, busting his windows and hitting ...…
…18 | MAY 5 • 2022 ON THE COVER “I WAS NOT THERE JUST TO HELP. WE WERE ALSO THERE TO WITNESS.” — JFS’ YULIA GAYDAYENKO continued from page 17 I am grateful and hon- ored to have met the Jewish Agency for Israel staff, many of whom are refugees from Kyiv themselves, working nonstop at all hours of the day and night on the border and then to settle newly arriving refugees from the border into the hotel, working with the Israeli...…
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…OUR COMMUNITY T emple Kol Ami is an intimate Reform congregation in West Bloomfield with roughly 250 mem- ber families. Daniel Mesa, TKA’s executive direc- tor, says what makes TKA special is its inclusiveness, its position as a social action temple and the well-roundedness in the activ- ities it does. “This year, eight new fam- ilies joined. For our congre- gation, that’s a huge number,” Mesa said. “The biggest reason they all said i...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 21 M ike and Sandi Malowitz have both been nominated to be our volunteers of the week for being active with the Windsor Jewish Community Center and Jewish Federation. The retired couple feel it’s important to keep the Jewish identity strong in their communi- ty and will do whatever they can to make it better. Mike is the president of Windsor JCC and Federation while his wife, Sandi, is an active volunteer for the...…
…22 | MAY 5 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY S ince 1993, Jewish Senior Life has honored eight remarkable peo- ple in our community, each 80 years of age or older, with the Tikkun Olam Award for helping to “Repair the World.” This year’s outstanding honorees are Shirley Benyas, Charles Danto, Dr. Joseph Jacobson, Sophie Klisman, Rene Lichtman, Rae Sharfman, Jerry Soble, and Sylvia Starkman. Among this year’s group of honorees are businessmen...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 23 Honor These Eight Over Eighty eight honorees and lifelong friendships are made. This year’s FJA students are Allison Feldman, Erin Grey, Aliyah Lofman, Merrick Michaelson, Caleb Robbins, Zion Rozin, Erin Starr and Ben Taylor- Abt. Eight Over Eighty is Jewish Senior Life’s major annual fundraiser. Proceeds from Eight Over Eighty enhance the qual- ity of life for residents throughout all JSL communities, with an emph...…
…24 | MAY 5 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY A fter a two-year COVID-induced absence, Metro Detroit’s “biggest and best used book and media sale” will return to Livonia’s Laurel Park Place from May 15-22. New this year, in addition to more than 200 tables brimming with used books and media inside the mall, shoppers can find a great sampling of Bookstock’s offerings in their outdoor tent. Even with the two-year pause, the Bookstock leader-...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 25 our community in terms of literacy,” Phillips said. Bookstock also had one event at the Southfield Library. Guests include local authors and bookstore own- ers. Phillips says Bookstock wants to come back in the biggest way possible, as they’ve been holding back for two years. “I hope it really solidifies people’s passion for literacy, education and their love of reading. Bookstock is a great recycling event be...…
…OUR COMMUNITY T he 2021 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents issued April 26 by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) shows antisemit- ic incidents in Michigan increasing on an alarming trend, mirroring nationwide figures. Michigan saw a sig- nificant increase from 51 incidents in 2020 to 112 inci- dents in 2021. Antisemitic incidents reached an all-time high in the United States in 2021, with a total of 2,717 inci- dents of assault, harass...…
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…28 | MAY 5 • 2022 harassment incidents in Michigan, cases where one or more Jews reported feeling harassed by antisemitic language or actions, and eight vandalism incidents, cases where property was damaged in a manner that harmed or intimidated Jews. Twelve of Michigan’s incidents were classified as extremist relat- ed; Folksfront, a neo-Nazi group, was very active with propaganda across the state. Eighteen incidents involved Je...…
…JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT 80 80th th Anniversary Anniversary For those without computer access, please mail the following to 32255 NORTHWESTERN HWY, SUITE 205 FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334: • Who is Turning 80? [first/last] • What Day is their Birthday? • Personalized Message and Signature • A picture of the birthday person (if you would like the picture returned, please include a stamped return envelope.) • A check Celebrate th...…
…30 | MAY 5 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY B arbara Madgy Cohn, a trained docent at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), has been to the museum many times, but a few years ago, she noticed for the first time four paint- ings that included Hebrew writing. An art history spe- cialist with a master’s degree in museum studies from Johns Hopkins University, Cohn undertook research to learn about the meaning and context of these paintings. This...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 31 explained that Rivera want- ed to depict a German per- son on the assembly line and thought that Glicksman was a Jewish name. (Glicksman was actually born in Poland.) In the mural, he wears a cap typical of the 1930s but switched to a yarmulke when he left the fac- tory. The DIA has benefited from many generous mem- bers of Detroit’s Jewish com- munity who have donated funds or artwork to the museum. Albert K...…
…L ast month, Farber High School students and staff came together to help those in need halfway around the world. Daphna Feldman, Farber High School’s Hebrew coordinator, watched the news when the war started in Ukraine and, like everybody else, was very upset and disturbed. Feldman then read about children from two Jewish orphan- ages in Odessa who fled the country seeking refuge and felt something needed to be done. Together with her f...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 33 was sold to Farber families and some families from Young Israel of Oak Park. About 30-35 Farber high school students and five Farber teachers from the Hebrew department did the cooking. The youth organi- zation Bnei Akiva also joined them. The cooking was done in stages and took place over two weeks. The food was cooked out of Farber’s school kitchen and the Young Israel of Oak Park kitchen. Rabbi Sharly Digedke...…
…34 | MAY 5 • 2022 T he Jewish Community Relations Council/American Jewish Committee had the honor of once again hosting its annual Diplomatic Seder in person, the first time since 2019, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in early April. An inspiring evening, Honorary Consul of Korea David Rodon served as the honorary chair and was joined by fellow members of the Michigan Diplomatic Corps representing countries such as Great Britain, ...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 35 SPORTS I n his job, Shawn Achtman says, it’s important to practice what you preach. Achtman is a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in a private practice. He helps patients with physical issues manage those issues and be as active as possible. Physical fitness is a core value of Achtman’s life. He lifts weights every day and plays basketball and golf competitively. Running isn’t one of his phys- ical f...…
…HEALTH G rowing up in in Milwaukee, Stefani Goerlich, 52, owner of Bound Together Counseling, recalled that there were three things polite people do not speak of openly in mixed company: religion, politics and sex. “I guess I’ve made a career of all the things you are not supposed to talk about, ” said Goerlich, a nationally known sex therapist and author of the bestseller, The Leather Couch: Clinical Practice with Kinky Clients ...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 37 T o bring in the spring sea- son, NEXTGen Detroit Volunteers partnered up with Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI) for a day of service. On Sunday, April 10, a group of volunteers helped the nonprofit organization get their garden ready for the spring and summer. “We had about 10 volunteers from NEXTGen Detroit come out to the farm for a couple hours,” said Alyse Waldhorn with NEXTGen Detroit Volunteer Co...…
…G rowing up, mental health therapist Ronit Szczotka read the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, where every- day people share personal journeys and challenges. “I would read the books and relate to others,” the 31-year-old recalls. She experienced mental health struggles in her family as a kid and didn’t understand them. “In the early-to-mid- ’90s, I saw how challenging it could be to not only access services, but als...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 39 more about mental health conditions and their diagno- ses. It led her to pursue an outpatient setting, where she continues to work today as a mental health therapist. “I primarily work with young adults struggling with various life stressors through the lens of anxiety and depression,” she says of her work’s focus. Szczotka is driven by the ability to pro- vide a safe place for individ- uals to share their thoughts...…
…40 | MAY 5 • 2022 Lexi Grand (Amiorah Sarah), daughter of Amy and Daniel Grand, will lead the congregation in prayer as she becomes a bat mitzvah at Temple Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield on Friday, May 6, 2022. She will be joined in celebration by her sister, Jordyn. Lexi is the loving granddaughter of Sharon and Michael Silverton of Farmington Hills, Cheryl and Joel Grand of West Bloomfield, and Bobbie Friedman of Las Vega...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 41 Richmond 61st G ene and Claire Richmond marked their 61st wedding anniversary on Dec. 26, 2021. They plan to cele- brate this summer, when COVID no longer threatens, with their children, grand- children and friends. Shapiro 100th Feldheim-Harvie E thel Shapiro of Farmington Hills turns 100 on May 24, 2022. At the age of 17, she married the “greatest man in the world, Seymour Shapiro.” She was known as “Dear”...…
…F rom the moment of our birth, we clamor for our wants and needs, and we spend the rest of our lives pursuing them. Clearly, God has hard- wired self-interest deep into the human psyche, so it’s certainly not something we view as nec- essarily evil. On the con- trary, halachah — Jewish law — explicitly reflects this. The Talmud sets out the following scenario: two people are walking in the desert, and one of them has a flask of wat...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 43 completely self-sufficient; He needs nothing, nor does He receive anything, and every- thing He does is therefore an act of pure, unreciprocated kindness — from the creation of the universe to taking care of our smallest needs, and the needs of the smallest and seemingly most insignificant of creatures. This selfless giv- ing is how Rabbi Shkop defines holiness, and it is this we are called on to emulate so that w...…
…44 | MAY 5 • 2022 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 Congregation 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 be...…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 45 Shomer Israel Oak Park (248) 542-4014 godaven.com Shomrey Emunah Southfield (248) 559-1533 congregation-shomrey- emunah-105705.square.site The Shul-Chabad Lubavitch West Bloomfield (248) 788-4000 theshul.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 Lans...…
…ARTS&LIFE MUSIC M axim Lando, in 2020, believed he was getting a scam call when hearing he won a $25,000 Young Artist Award given by the Gilmore International Piano Festival in Kalamazoo. The award is presented to go along with the biennial entertainment event and, in the same year, is received by two pianists age 22 and younger. It allots $15, 000 toward career and educational development and $10,000 toward a new piano commission....…
…MAY 5 • 2022 | 47 SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER Lando will be part of a program that additionally features two other Young Artist Award winners on stage with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Julian Kuerti. He will join Misha Galant, the other 2020 awardee, for Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos, and both will be joined by Wei Luo, a 2018 winner, for Bach’s Concerto for Three Pianos. “I’ve been wanting to do the Poulen...…
…ARTS&LIFE MUSICAL THEATER A s his mother tells the story, Jeffrey Lodin started playing music on a Magnus Chord Organ at age 3. By age 7, he was acting and starring in produc- tions at his school, community theater and synagogue. “I was humming songs before I could talk. Instead of playing chords with the buttons on the organ, I could just play chords with my left hand. It was like speaking English, ” says Lodin, a composer, music dire...…
