… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 3 contents Views 5-12 Special Coverage: Jews and Racial Justice “Heartbroken, Scared and Exhausted” 14 Local Jews of color respond to George Floyd’ s death. Jewish Groups Respond to Civil Unrest 18 Interfaith leaders stand together to denounce racial injustice. “I Want Them to be Visible” 20 Rep. Brenda Lawrence asks the Jewish community to stand in solidarity with the black community. Community Protests 22 The...…
…4 | JUNE 11 • 2020 | 29 Dear valued reader, Let’ s get right to it. During these very difficult times, why does the Jewish News matter more than ever? and Jewish Detroit. Arthur Horwitz …
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 5 Views for openers A Home-y Language W e know of “Home on the Range. ” We have been told that a house is not a home. We have seen how repairs go on This Old House. Often what has not been stressed is the prevalence of basic house components in our everyday speech. Not until now, that is. Do you often find that you need your space? You need to be able operate free of encum- brances. You badly need elbow ro...…
…6 | JUNE 11 • 2020 editor’ s note Learning from History Views Why Metro Detroit’ s Jews should stand up for justice and equality. I n March, the Jewish News ran a story about Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard and his senior staff paying their regular visit to the Holocaust Memorial Center. Sheriff Bouchard went there, he told us, so that he and his staff “can bet- ter prepare our- selves to not let history repeat itself....…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 7 Not i ce i s hereby gi ven t hat t he Annual Meeti ng of the Uni ted Jewi sh Foundati on wi ll t ake place on Thursday, October 1, 2020 7:30 p.m. Combi ned Annual Meeti ng Jewi sh Feder at i on of Met r opol i t an Det r oi t Uni t ed Jewi sh Feder at i on of Met r opol i t an Det r oi t Fi li ngs should be sent t o: Uni t ed Jewi sh Foundat i on of Met ropoli t an D...…
…Views 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 29200 Northwestern Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send changes to: Detroit Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern Hwy., #110, Southfield, MI 48034. 8 | JUNE 11 • 2020 194...…
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…Views 10 | JUNE 11 • 2020 promoting the area where most JN readers live as a thriving economic hub that welcomed Jews. Patterson did this while disparaging Detroit and its citizens in vile, heinous language, call- ing the city “an Indian res- ervation.” In his own words, he said he would “rather join the Klan” than help a group of CEOs rebuild Detroit. As the Oakland County prose- cutor prior to becoming its executive, he express...…
…ol he it. FRANKEL JEWISH ACADEMY OWN YOUR JOURNEY. DISCOVER YOUR TOMORROW. FRANKEL JEWISH ACADEMY C L A S S O F 2 0 2 0 …
…Views 12 | JUNE 11 • 2020 OUR JN MISSION: We aspire to communicate news and opinion that’ s trusted, valued, engaging and distinctive. We strive to refl ect diverse community viewpoints while also advocating positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continuity. As an independent, responsible, responsive community member, we actively engage with individuals and organizations dedicated to enhancing the quality of life, and Jewish life, ...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 13 …
…W hen Shabbat ended Saturday, May 30, Ashira Solomon sat uncomfortably in front of her computer as she pro- cessed images of protesters and police clashing on the streets of Detroit over police brutality and racial injustice. Solomon, who is a Jew of color, described feeling abso- lutely devastated. A subsequent text from her best friend helped ease some of the pain. “I hope you know this goes without saying, but I’ m going to s...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 15 go to marches, register new voters, organize … Ultimately, if you feel moved at the moment (and we all should), commit to being in it for the long haul. I would like to see the Jewish community using their political powers and platforms to align with the policies and campaigns that advocate for human rights and decency. Let this not be a moment but a movement. CHRIS HARRISON, WATERFORD As a Jew, I can’ t ...…
…16 | JUNE 11 • 2020 DANIEL Y. HODGES, NOVI My rabbi was the first Jewish person to reach out and ask me how I am. There have been others who’ ve responded to my Facebook posts, but my rabbi called me. For those protesting peace- fully, I applaud and hold high. I struggle to hold myself among you. But my pain is real. I lost my father to racists just after my bar mitzvah. I have not burned. I have not broken. But my eyes flame, a...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 17 This is one of those instanc- es where you’ re either on my team — the team of all that is good and just and right — or you’ re not. There are no blurry lines, and there is no gray area. Justice must be demanded. I will fully rebuke my sup- port for any organization or acquaintance who does not stand on the side of what is just and right. If your biggest outrage in all of this is rioting or looting, you’ re no...…
…18 | JUNE 11 • 2020 continued on page 21 Jewish Groups Respond to Civil Unrest Interfaith leaders stand together to denounce racial injustice. CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER A fter the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis May 25, civil unrest has broken out throughout the country, including in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and others. In response to the events, many Metro Detroit Jewish organizations have shared their thoug...…
…DIY VS. ALL-INCLUDED: What does your secure plan look like? Consider what daily life asks of you and your loved ones. Grocery and cooking chores, uncertainties about well-being, home maintenance, keeping in touch with family and friends – today we call that a normal daily routine. But tomorrow may bring something more rewarding. The Sheridan at Birmingham is an assisted living and ...…
…20 | JUNE 11 • 2020 T he Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations released a joint statement on June 2 con- demning the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, calling his death “nothing less than a modern-day lynching. ” The caucus also called for an end to systemic racism and demand- ing justice. U.S. Representative Brenda Lawrence (D), who represents Michigan’ s 14th district, is one of the co-chairs of the caucus. Lawre...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 21 can’ t legislate racism. ’ I can’ t make anyone like me or dislike me because of the color of my skin. But I sure can protect the environment we work and live in, create laws that will swiftly hold those to the judicial pro- cess and make sure everyone knows if you choose to do this, there are consequences. ” Lawrence was grateful for the peaceful protestors in Detroit, where there was little arson or looting...…
…Across Metro Detroit, many protesters in majority-white suburbs with large Jewish populations mobilized on foot and in vehicles in support of the Black Lives Matter move- ment. Jewish News staffers reported from several of these scenes. WEST BLOOMFIELD About 500 people gathered at a police reform protest in West Bloomfield Friday afternoon, June 5. As the crowd amassed, volunteers walked around to help attendees register to vote. Pr...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 23 spirits are dying and we’ re standing idly by… We’ ve lived too long in a completely ignorant and racist society, and I’ m sick of it. ” In the police station parking lot, Reynolds and Callahan each said a few words, followed by a short speech from West Bloomfield Police Chief Mike Patton. Protesters also observed a moment of silence for Breonna Taylor’ s birthday. Taylor was killed in her Kentucky home on March 13...…
…24 | JUNE 11 • 2020 every protester wore a mask. - Andrew Lapin A WOODWARD CARAVAN Folks along Woodward Avenue saw a different kind of cruise on Sunday, June 7. No muscle cars or roadsters revving their engines — just Subarus, Toyotas and Nissans driven by mostly white suburbanites, sporting signs like “Black Lives Matter” and “We Will Not be Silent. ” The vehicles were part of the 250-car “Suburban Silence is Racist Violence Car...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 25 O ren Goldenberg, local Jewish filmmaker and vice president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in Detroit, was beaten and arrested for loitering by Detroit police officers on Tuesday, June 2, during a peaceful protest against the police killing of George Floyd and racial injustice. Goldenberg said he was one of several protesters injured and arrested by police in the streets that night. Detroit protests sinc...…
…I n late March, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit announced the development of its COVID-19 Emergency Campaign. The campaign has now hit its goal of $7.5 million. The campaign was instituted to secure funds to ensure JFMD’ s agencies and other organizations could continue to provide services to the community during the coro- navirus pandemic. At the same time, JFMD also started the COVID-19 Task Force, chaired by Matt Les...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 27 KAREN BERGER KAREN GOLDBERG DRIGGS JERI FISHMAN DAVID GACH ALLAN GALE VERNE ROYAL Thank you to the board members who will be rolling off this year. We appreciate your time, talents and dedication in supporting the mission of Jewish Family Service. MICHAEL EIZELMAN MICKI GROSSMAN TODD SCHAFER NANCY SOLWAY Jewish Family Service is pleased to welcome incoming members of our Board of Directors Need Help With A...…
…28 | JUNE 11 • 2020 O ver the centuries Jews have been blamed for plagues, economic depressions and wars. Now the coronavirus is being connected to Jews by some conspiracy theorists and white suprema- cists on social media, includ- ing encrypt- ed online platforms as well as in tra- ditional media. In fact, the Leelenau Enterprise in Northern Michigan ran a letter to the edi- tor a few weeks back accusing COVID-19 of being a Je...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 29 NCJW’ s May 5 webinar provided an update on white supremacy and national efforts to com- bat racism and anti-Semitism. Cathy Cantor, NCJW state policy advocate, spoke about Women Confronting Racism, a nonprofit organi- zation dedicated to helping white women examine their biases and privilege. The organization brought 5,000 women to Detroit in 2017 for a conference and holds ongoing lectures. “We want to edu...…
…D alia Michaelson, 18, and her family felt especially proud of her graduation from Berkley High School. “It’ s a big deal that I graduat- ed, ” she said. “There was a time last year where we thought that I was going to need to be sent away. We didn’ t think I would be able to finish junior year. ” Michaelson refused to go to school during her junior year. Most mornings she wouldn’ t get up. If she did make the drive to school, she...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 31 continued on page 32 T he COVID-19 pan- demic has made us feel physically distant to each other. We cannot con- gregate at our synagogues, community cen- ters or summer camps. However, the Jewish com- munity has not shifted away from community during the quarantine. Rather, we have been brought together virtu- ally thanks to the Internet and streaming video conferencing. Three cutting-edge Jewish visionari...…
…32 | JUNE 11 • 2020 W ith schools closed, students of all ages have had to shift how they learn. Elementary students, especially, are struggling with productive engagement and the lack of the social connections. However, Bloomfield Hills High School students Noah Yaker, 15, and Noah Roslin, 16, devised a solution to help younger students and engage their peers in developing relationships. They call it Big Buddies of Bloomfiel...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 33 Wilhelm 60th N ancy and Stuart Wilhelm of Farmington Hills celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on May 29, 2020. Their children, Heidi and Michael Kurtz, Marcia and Arthur Wilhelm; grandchildren, Marisa and Jake, Rebecca and Sam; and great-granddaugh- ters, Orly and Adina, wish them good health and much happi- ness. Margolin 90th A rlene Margolin celebrated her 90th birthday on May 29, 2020. She is the ...…
…34 | JUNE 11 • 2020 HENRY FREEMAN Bloomfield Hills High School National Honor Society, Student Team Manager Varsity Hockey, Owner of Hank’ s Detailing. Michigan State University SPENSER KEYS Berkley High School Magna cum laude, National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, Dean’ s list, Early college/dual enrollment at Oakland Community College begin- ning junior year, First Robotics, Certifications in Sol...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 35 E very year I am surprised and amazed when some- thing from our tradition that we often overlook suddenly becomes incredibly important. This year, it was the role of Pesach Sheni (“second Passover”) from this week’ s portion described in Numbers 9:1-14. Pesach Sheni was created because of the distress of the Israelite popula- tion who were unable to perform and, therefore, celebrate the sacrifices associated...…
…36 | JUNE 11 • 2020 business SPOTlight brought to you in partnership with B I R M I N G H A M W hen corporate and business leaders gather in their c-suites these days, we remind our- selves of an adage as old as business: “A company is only as healthy as the com- munity it serves.” This ethic has never been truer than it is today — when the African American community has been inflicted with what my friend the Rev. Wendell Anthony ...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 37 who have endured the pain and suffering of bigotry. As a company, and as citizens of our community, we unite together in rejecting all forms of bias, racism and violence in our workplace and in our communities. We will meet this challenge with more than words. We will accelerate our unconscious bias training throughout our company to ensure we all have the tools to identify and respond to injus- tice. TCF Ban...…
…38 | JUNE 11 • 2020 A fter Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’ s June 1 announcement allowing most businesses to reopen, small business owners need to ensure that they are compliant with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that safe- guards the health of employees and customers. Many Jewish business own- ers are turning to Lindsay Sikora, owner and founder of Sikora Business Solutions, a consulting com...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 39 248-444-2430 TTY: 711 Hechtman II Apartments Senior Living At Its Finest Lillian & Samuel www.jslmi.org For more information or to schedule a tour call JACKIE ROSENDER Independent Senior Leasing Consultant 6760 West Maple Road, West Bloomfield Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus (Enter from Ring Road, across from Henry Ford Hospital West Bloomfield) 6690 West Maple Road, West Bloomfield Eugene ...…
…Arts&Life documentary 40 | JUNE 11 • 2020 Music Evokes Emotions from Armenian Genocide Album and documentary go digital. SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER P roducer-musician Ohad Wilner and film edi- tor Stewart Shevin grew up in Jewish families never forgetting the Holocaust, but they had no knowledge of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated years earlier by the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Their knowledge came as they worked on musical...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 41 tions associated with the 100th anniversary of the start of the atrocities in 1915, and the resulting symphony, “ An Armenian Trilogy” as performed by the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra in 2017, became the center of a new documentary with the same title. The film chronicles Yessian’ s journey from composing music for advertisements to writing his first classical composition in honor of the victims of the A...…
…42 | JUNE 11 • 2020 Arts&Life celebrity jews NEW OR NEWISH OFFERINGS AND MORE The High Note is a big-budget film about the music industry that was supposed to open in theaters but was diverted to rental streaming due to COVID-19. High Note centers on an aging superstar diva (Tracee Ellis Ross, 47) and her ambitious assistant (Dakota Johnson). The NY Times review said that the plot was implau- sible, and Johnson was bland. The T...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 43 STAYING CONNECTED At this time of social distancing, the Jewish News will try to bring awareness to events/learning situations offered online by synagogues, temples and community organizations. FAMILY CONCERT 7:30 PM, JUNE 14 The Ark in Ann Artbor presents a family concert on its Facebook page; a Facebook account is not necessary to view. This night it is Drew Nelson, storyteller, songwriter and multi- instrum...…
…eats | drinks | sweets Nosh 44 | JUNE 11 • 2020 BAR VERONA IN COMMERCE (248) 387-5400; barverona.com The new protocol permits only six or fewer to dine together. Multiple parties may not wait in the vesti- bule. Before starting their shift, team members have their temperatures taken outside the building. They must certify to not experiencing flu-like symptoms within the past 24 hours. Staff involved with meal preparation go through ...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 45 IF IT’ S AN EMERGENCY, DON’ T WAIT. Beaumont continues to lead Michigan through the COVID-19 crisis, and we have taken extra steps to protect the safety of all our patients and caregivers. When you have life-threatening symptoms, it’ s important to seek care immediately. Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you experience: • wheezing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • chest pain • fainting or dizzin...…
…46 | JUNE 11 • 2020 THE FLY TRAP IN FERNDALE (248) 399-5150; theflytrapferndale.com Reopened on June 9, social distancing is practiced between 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. KRUSE & MUER ON WOODWARD IN ROYAL OAK (248) 965-2101; krusemuerrestaurants.com “It’ s a challenging time, but we’ re adapting as needed, ” said Steve Nichols, director of K&M Operations. Every other table is available and bar stools are spaced 6 feet apart. Plex...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 47 NCJW Essay Contest Winners National Council of Jewish Women, Michigan Jewish Youth Awards is an annual scholarship program for high school seniors. Applicants are judged on a written essay, their leadership, and community service in the secu- lar and/or Jewish communities. This year’ s essay topic was “What experi- ence or person has had the greatest impact on your Jewish identity?” Eight finalists were awarded s...…
…48 | JUNE 11 2020 HEALTHCARE A1A CAREGIVER/COMPANION. Experienced, excellent references. 248-991-4944 Exp West Bloomfield Resident Caregiver. FT/PT with excellent reference. Mildred (248) 212-6173 Care Giver Mon-Fri. References available, 20+ yrs exp. Call 248-752-1782 Always Show’ guarantee. Experienced, mature and caring individual available for hourly or live-in position. Contact Amy 248-444-3353. TRANSPORTATION ...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 49 Soul of blessed memory BILL CITRON, 91, of Farmington Hills, died May 9, 2020. He is sur- vived by his wife of 58 years, Barbara Citron; son and daughter-in-law, Gregg and RuthAnn Citron; daughter, Leslie Citron; brother and sister-in-law, Henry and Janice Citron; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Sidney and Jackie Wineberg; many loving nieces, nephews and friends. Mr. Citron was the loving brother of the ...…
…50 | JUNE 11 • 2020 Soul of blessed memory continued from page 49 great-grandchildren, brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and neph- ews; she delighted in visits and outings with them. Bea was a true devotee of the mah jong game and gin rummy. At 94, she was still mastering the games and getting together with her friends to play and socialize several days a week. Always loving and caring, Bea will be missed by her beloved family an...…
… JUNE 11 • 2020 | 51 continued on page 52 Maya. He was moved to write Maya’ s First Rose, a memoir. He and illustrator Howard Fridson published it to local kudos. The book hit No. 1 on the Free Press best seller list. Random House purchased the rights and released it under their Villard imprint. Martin appeared on many TV and radio shows, including Sally Jessy Raphael, a national talk show, and was featured in a People Magazine a...…
…52 | JUNE 11 • 2020 Soul of blessed memory continued from page 51 OBITUARY CHARGES The processing fee for obituaries is: $125 for up to 100 words; $1 per word thereafter. A photo counts as 15 words. There is no charge for a Holocaust survivor icon. The JN reserves the right to edit wording to conform to its style considerations. For information, have your funeral director call the JN or you may call Sy Manello, editorial assist...…
