…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 31 other creative projects around Metro Detroit, aside from the legal advice trailer. In 2020, he opened a mini-Blockbuster out- side of the Rust Belt Market in Ferndale after being inspired by a Blockbuster documentary he had recently watched. The “skateboarding lawyer, ” who grew up regularly visiting the former Blockbuster on Maple and Orchard Lake Road, wanted to bring that same sense of nos- talgia back to the c...…
…32 | JUNE 2 • 2022 B irthright trips to Israel have picked back up again since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “ After a long hiatus, we are excited and honored to bring back so many participants from North America on these important and exciting tours to Israel, ” said Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark. About 2,000 Birthright Israel participants from 45 states and provinces in North America have made their way to Israel t...…
…Dr. Julian Levinson is the current Samuel Shetzer Professor of American Jewish Studies at University of Michigan. His publications include Exiles on Main Street: Jewish American Writers and American Literary Culture (Indiana University Press; winner of the National Jewish Book Award for American Jewish Studies, 2008) and articles about topics such as Yiddish modernism, Holocaust representation, and Jewish storytelling. He has translated ...…
…34 | JUNE 2 • 2022 SPORTS Z achary Felsenfeld went to Babson College to study business and finance. The West Bloomfield resident left the private business school in Wellesley, Massachusetts, last month with a bachelor’s degree in finance and entrepreneurship, a job in New York City, and a national championship in college club hockey. Felsenfeld was a member of the Babson club hockey team that won the 32-team College Hockey Federat...…
…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 the...…
…36 | JUNE 2 • 2022 Lake Perch Dinner FOOD FROM THE HOME KITCHEN OF CHEF AARON L ake Perch is a delight enjoyed by Michiganders across both peninsulas; prepared simply and served with a classic remoulade, they can be found on many a restaurant’s menu. This method of cooking — floured, then sauteed hot and fast in a well-oiled/buttered pan — works well for all sorts of thin fish, including rainbow trout, smaller whitefish and t...…
…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 37 REMOULADE Yield: 3 cups Remoulade is one of those quick-and-dirty sauces that many people will buy rather than make. Admittedly, there’s a couple more specific ingredients, but fresh herbs can find their way into many dishes and capers are an excellent thing to have on hand for their briny punch in chicken dishes, fish dishes and salads. They’re, of course, also excellent with gravlax. Ingredients 1½ cup mayo...…
…38 | JUNE 2 • 2022 MAZEL TOV! Matthew Harrison Ben, son of Jaime and Michael Ben, will become a bar mitzvah at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield on Friday, June 3, 2022. He will be joined in celebra- tion by his sisters Caryn and Hannah. Matthew is the loving grandchild of Barbara and Allan Ben, Sherry Cantor and the late George Cantor. He is the loving great-grandchild of Evelyn Cantor. Matthew is a student at West Hills M...…
…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 39 CAP & GOWN HIGH SCHOOL GRADS ASHLEIGH ADELSON Frankel Jewish Academy Varsity Soccer, Volleyball, Tennis, National Honor Society, Started her own baking busi- ness and donated proceeds to Feed America. MAX GORMAN Walled Lake Western High School Varsity Hockey, Active volunteer. Bowling Green State University ROBERT LAYNE WEIN Bloomfield Hills High School Summa cum laude, Vice President BBYO Michigan Region, Student Am...…
…40 | JUNE 2 • 2022 T his week’s parshah starts Bamidbar, the fourth of the five books of the Torah. As its name indicates — Bamidbar means “in the des- ert” — this book describes the lives of the Jewish people during their 40 years in the desert. The Jews at this point had received the Torah but had yet to reach the Land of Israel, and they already had strict instructions for how they were meant to behave. This week’s portio...…
…inspiration may fluctuate, but the time and order of our prayers do not. As a result, we can take comfort in our siddur the way we take comfort in a loyal companion who sticks with us when times are good and steadies us when times get bad. This sense of order helps guide us in all of our endeav- ors. If we applied ourselves to our marriages or jobs or friendships only when we felt like it, we would surely struggle to maintain the...…
…42 | JUNE 2 • 2022 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 Wes...…
…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 43 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 Hi...…
…44 | JUNE 2 • 2022 ARTS&LIFE VIDEO REVIEW I make a point of listening to archived Livestream or YouTube Festival services from some of my favorite congregations around the country. Particularly moving and relevant to world affairs is the recording of the Eighth Day of Passover Hallel (the Psalms 113-118 recited on festivals) from Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. With impeccable taste and winsome vocal talent, Hazzan D...…
…Propis’s introduction, at the 3:08 point in the Hallel video, to Hashem Zechoronu (“God has been mindful of us and will bless us,” Psalm 115:12-18), is a rousing 19th-century composition with a deep Ukraine connection. That composition, which ends with a stirring “Hallelujah,” was the work of David Nowakowsky (1848-1921). UKRAINIAN BACKGROUND Born in Kiev, Nowakowsky became choir director of the Brody Synagogue in Odessa, Ukraine, i...…
…46 | JUNE 2 • 2022 ARTS&LIFE FILM A t the age of 12, Jewish filmmaker Michael Chait, who grew up in the West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills area, wanted to be an actor. Other days, he wanted to be a pilot like his father. “I grew up with movies and I always liked aviation, ” Chait, 37, says. Yet everything changed when Chait saw The Rock, a 1996 film directed by Michael Bay. “Something just snapped in my head, ” recalls Chait, wh...…
…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 47 about having a prominent Jewish-American hero at the center of the movie because, to me, it’s like David and Goliath. ” Filmed over the course of two years, Chait shot several scenes at Yankee Air Museum in the same B-17 bomber that inspired it all. He also shot scenes at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, using real World War II aircraft. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES Working with such old planes was a de...…
…48 | JUNE 2 • 2022 ARTS&LIFE BOOK REVIEW E rnest Hemingway claimed that “a writer’s job is to tell the truth. ” The thought goes back a long way. About 25 centuries earlier, Confucius wrote that “Wisdom depends on calling things by their proper names. ” That sounds easy, but somehow, peo- ple get distracted. We do not see an event that happens in front of our eyes until a sharp-eyed writer names it truly. A sharp-eyed writer me...…
…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 49 America, families then told their children the soothing falsehood that their names were inadvertently changed at Ellis Island. Horn records, though, that Ellis Island had a staff of multilingual experts who checked travelers’ names against the names on ships’ manifests. Names did not get changed at Ellis Island. The soothing story preserves America’s good name as a haven for Jewish immigrants and covers the shame o...…
…50 | JUNE 2 • 2022 SANDLER HUSTLES, HIRSCH STAYS IN THE GAME, E.T.’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY Adam Sandler, 56, stars in the original Netflix film Hustle. It begins streaming on June 8. Sandler, a real- life basketball super fan, plays Stanley Sugarman, a much-travelled basket- ball coach for the (NBA) Philadelphia ’76ers. He dreams of being a basket- ball coach, but he is stuck on the road, year-after-year, looking for an undiscovered ...…
…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 51 ALS AUCTION 8 AM-10 PM, THROUGH JUNE 17 ALS Auction Mania is an online auction where you can bid on over 125 items all from the comfort of home to support people in Michigan who have Lou Gehrig’s disease. Visit the auction site to view all the great items at great prices, including a luxurious Mexican vacation, golf packages, wine tastings, overnight stays, restaurant and entertainment certificates, collectib...…
…52 | JUNE 2 • 2022 and how Jewish sources guide us to healthier communities. Register at congbethshalom.org. SHUL SISTERS CONCERT 7 PM, JUNE 9 At Congregation Shaarey Zedek; free admission. The group is the brainchild of three nationally acclaimed cantors, Laurie Akers, Rachel Brook and Rachel Goldman. This special concert is sponsored by the Irving and Beverly Laker Concert Series. Patron seating with dessert reception $100...…
…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 53 BUSINESS L ast month, the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator (MIBA) led a trade mission to Tel Aviv, Israel, to attend EcoMotion, the 10th annual conference dedicated to smart mobility and transportation high-tech. EcoMotion, a cooperative initiative of the Transportation Ministry and the Israel Innovation Authority, brings together startups, investors, government and academia to push forward Israeli smart ...…
…54 | JUNE 2 • 2022 LEFT: Elizabeth Mally, Rachel Lasser, Lauren Miller and Marianne Bloomberg. CENTER: Stacie Niskar. Right: L’chaim! T he Jewish Federation’s Young Women’s Philanthropy group gathered on the rooftop at Social in Birmingham May 11 for “Not Your Bubbie’s Manischewitz,” a mixology work- shop with a historic twist. The group, chaired by Stacey Goodman and Michele Rosenblum, was honored to partner with the Center for Mic...…
…HEALTHCARE A1 CAREGIVER/COMPANION. Experienced, excellent references. 248-991-4944 Looking for Reliable & Loving Care for a family member don't hesitate to contact Ever Lasting Impression Home Healthcare. We provide experience care givers and nurse assistance in the private of your home. Please call Brandis (313) 296-3966 or (586) 343-8662. 20+ YEARS EXP CAREGIVER, CNA, FULLY VACCINATED, REFERENCES. CALL CAROL (313) 443-8363 ...…
… 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 $65 SERVICE FEE 24/7 Emergency Service Junk-B-Gone We Haul It All! Still the Lowest Prices in Town! SAME DAY SERVICE! Proudly Serving the Jewish Community for over 25 Years Owner Present on EVERY job! 248-760-4450 SENIOR AND MILI...…
…JOSEPH BITTKER, 90, of New York City and Del Mar, Calif., died on May 19, 2022, after a year-long illness. He was born in Ann Arbor May 10, 1932. He graduated from Detroit College of Law, but never practiced. Instead, he joined the family business and, with his brother, grew it into a multi-national corporation. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Joseph was a devoted family man. Joseph and Deanna traveled the wo...…
…58 | JUNE 2 • 2022 continued from page 57 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY MILLIE CHARMER, 105, of Bloomfield Hills, died May 22, 2022. She is survived by her son and daughter- in-law, Stephen and Nancy Solomon; daughter and son- in-law, Debbie and Dennis Silber; grandchildren, Sheri (David) Whiteman, Jodi (Kenneth) Korotkin, Tony (Kati) Silber; six adoring great-grandchildren, many loving nieces, nephews, other family members and...…
…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 59 continued on page 60 She will be best remem- bered for her infectious laugh, determination, strength and her kind and caring heart. Mrs. Gans is survived by David Gans and his wife, Janet (Jonna) of Birmingham, Lisa Gans Goldberg of Bloomfield Hills; grandchildren, Jamie (Brandon Lefkowitz) Gans, Chad (Randell) Gans, Perry Goldberg, Ian Goldberg and Jolie Goldberg; sister- in-law, Gail Horwitz; niece, Julie Risd...…
…continued from page 59 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 60 | JUNE 2 • 2022 He was predeceased by his sister, Julie Gottlieb. A memorial service was held on May 15, 2022, and interment was at Temple Beth El Memorial Park in Hollywood, Fla. To honor Richard’s memory, contribu- tions may be made to afmda. org and sent to jill.horow- itzemail@gmail or adam@ jendetroit.com. DEBBY JILL HOCKING, 68, of West Bloomfield, died May 20, 2022. ...…
…JUNE 2 • 2022 | 61 Cemetery. Contributions may be made to a Jewish charity; the Salvation Army, 16310 Northland Drive, Southfield, MI 48075, salvationarmyusa. org; or Gleaners Community Food Bank, Oakland Distribution Center, P.O. Box 33321, Detroit, Michigan, MI 48232-5321, gcfb.org. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. ALVIN S. NODLER, 81, of Oak Park, died May 23, 2022. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Adele Nodler; ...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org The All-American Hot Dog I read about a new exhibit by a Jewish artist at the Museum at Eldridge Street in New York City: “Steve Marcus: Top Dog of Kosher Pop Art.” Its theme is Jewish connec- tions to that all-American food, the hot dog. I thought that the hot dog seemed liked a fine topic for a “Looking Back.” Kosher ...…
…See Our Improved Features to Help Manage Your Account! • Online Account Access for Immediate Updates • Submit Address Changes, Starts and Stops • Easy Renewal Payments • Manage Gift Subscriptions • More ways to get in touch Email Us: subscriptions@thejewishnews.com Reach Out Through Our Website: https://thejewishnews.com/contact/ Or Call 248.351.5108 Subscribe Today! $200 Feb. 11-17, 2021 / 29 Shevat-5 Adar 5781 JEWISH NEWS ...…
…248-762-5319 MCOLBURN@THEAGENCYRE.COM WWW.MEREDITHCOLBURN.COM MEREDITH COLBURN R E A L E S T A T E The Agency Hall & Hunter 442 S. Old Woodward Avenue Birmingham, MI 48009 THEAGENCYRE.COM AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED LICENSEE OF UMRO REALTY CORP. For us, luxury real estate isn't about a price, it's about an experience. T O P 1 % O F R E A LT O R S N AT I O N W I D E | # 1 T O P P R O D U C I N G T E A M 2 0 1 8 , 2 0 1 9 ...…
…JEWISH NEWS JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com A happy ending as an “only child,” 62, meets her unknown siblings for the first time. See page 12 $200 May 26-June 1, 2022 / 25 Iyar - 2 Sivan 5782 A happy ending as an “only child,” 62, meets A happy ending as an …
…2450 HAGGERTY ROAD | JUST SOUTH OF PONTIAC TRAIL | WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI 48323 | 248.671.4204 cranberrypark.net Exceeding expectations is simply the beginning. – WEST BLOOMFIELD’S NEWEST LUXURY ASSISTED LIVING – Luxury at a great value CALL FOR A TOUR! 248.671.4204 NOW LEASING PRIORITY STATUS SELECT PRICING MOVE IN IMMEDIATELY SPECIALIZING IN DEMENTIA AND MEMORY CARE ON SITE NURSING STAFF ASSIST DAILY LIVING TASKS AND MEDICATION MA...…
…MAY 26 • 2022 | 3 PURELY COMMENTARY 4-11 Essays and Viewpoints OUR COMMUNITY 12 Mystery Solved! A happy ending as an “only child,” 62, meets her unknown siblings for the first time. 18 A “Home for Everyone” Bais Chabad in final stages of opening a new mikvah and new playground. 20 Beth Shalom’s Mastermind of Events Beth Rodgers brings the community together through events. 22 ‘Charging Up’ Their Faith Kalamazoo’s B’n...…
…4 | MAY 26 • 2022 for openers Our Last Class with Mr. Leuchtenberg A nticipating a high school reunion can evoke varied reactions. Most folks look forward to seeing old friends. Some dread the return of high school angst. For some, it’s the push to really start following that diet. Everyone who attends tries to look their best. And, of course, some skip the whole darn thing. Every 10 years since my graduation, I’ve gone t...…
…MAY 26 • 2022 | 5 Member FDIC. ⬢®, Huntington® and ⬢ Huntington.® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2022 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated People expect banking that suits the bank. We do things differently at Huntington. We work to deliver services that feel intuitive, benefits that feel effortless, and experiences that feel tailored to your life and your goals. People tell us it’s hard ...…
…6 | MAY 26 • 2022 1942 - 2022 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 26 • 2022 | 7 brilliantly noted has the same three syllables as Leuchtenberg). I included a dubious line about how he had helped us to learn to fly like “Leuchtenbirds.” We watched our beloved teacher take it all in, and we just knew we had done something good. It was our chance to try to pay Mr. L. back for all he had given us many years ago. And something else happened as we went around the room that day. We were able to ...…
…8 | MAY 26 • 2022 PURELY COMMENTARY student’s corner The Bible’s Portrayal of Jewish Trauma U pon reading the books of Ruth and Esther, it may appear as though the only similarity between them is their resilient titular characters. However, when put parallel to one another, their boundless contrasts — from tone to demographic — serve to the Torah’s intent of revealing the difference outlooks on life bring to trauma. With...…
…MAY 26 • 2022 | 9 …
…10 | MAY 26 • 2022 guest column Detroit Project Understanding T he Jewish Community Relations Council/ American Jewish Committee of Detroit (JCRC/ AJC) kicked off the month of May with the inaugural 2022 Detroit Project Understanding fellowship sum- mit. The summit was designed to bring together emerging young leaders in the Black and/or Jewish communities of the Metropolitan Detroit area. It was co-sponsored by the Coalitio...…
…MAY 26 • 2022 | 11 I have a friend who just gave birth in Jerusalem. Her baby girl was struggling to latch, and awash in a flood of hormones and debilitating exhaustion, the two of them spent a long two hours sobbing together in the nursing room at Hadassah Hospital. My friend is Israeli. She wears a Star of David. There was another mother in the room — a Palestinian woman from East Jerusalem … she wore a purple hijab, ...…
…12 | MAY 26 • 2022 ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER E M YSt R At age 62, an “only child” meets her unknown siblings for the fi rst time. ON THE COVER ABOVE: Susie Simons Liebman (center) and her newly found siblings, Maureen Lefteroff and Marvin Katz. RIGHT: A collage of love between the two “new” sisters, Susie and Maureen. OPPOSITE PAGE, RIGHT: Susie with her son Benji Tarockoff and daughters Halli Tarockoff and Abbi Eme...…
…MAY 26 • 2022 | 13 E SOL D V MAY 26 • 2022 | 13 E L he pretty, outgoing little girl always knew she was adopted and therefore felt very special. Her late parents, Rachel and Jack Pludwinski of Southfield, did not believe in keeping the adoption a secret from the child they named Susan Beth Pludwinski. Susie, 62, now known as Susan Simons Liebman of Coral Springs, Fla., left Michigan in 2010 when her now deceased husband, Steven Si...…
…continued from page 13 decided, and went about her life. That includes working as a substi- tute teacher at Lubavitch Hebrew Academy in Margate, Fla. Susie became frum (Orthodox Jewish) 12 years ago and brought along second husband, Steven Simons, when Rabbi Yankie Denburg introduced her to the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, a form of Chasidic Judaism. Susie had met the rabbi when she had his daugh- ter in her class at the Hebrew Acade...…
…MAY 26 • 2022 | 15 Since the genetic genealo- gy revolution began in the late 1990s, DNA testing has provided valuable informa- tion to anyone interested in learning about their genetic ancestry. Researchers find the commercial DNA testing kits invaluable for untan- gling genealogical riddles on their family trees. The kits reveal how the custom- er’s DNA is similar to others from certain geographic regions. Results are shown by p...…
…16 | MAY 26 • 2022 After the portion stating, “In the Matter of, ” the line below reads “Baby Girl, ” followed by a redacted last name now known to be “Katz, ” and then “Pludwinski. ” Jack, Rachel and their attorney signed the document. FINDING OUT How did cousin Tracey’s mother, Janet, now deceased, learn about the adopted Katz baby? Tracey said the most likely source was Frances Jackson, her grandmother and Janet’s mother. Ethel a...…
