…OUR COMMUNITY D an Brotman began his new position as executive director of the Windsor Jewish Federation and Community Centre at a less than ideal time — during the middle of the pandemic last year. COVID vaccinations were not yet available, and Windsor was “one of the most locked-down places in North America,” he says. The city’s retail businesses were suffering greatly from the government’s COVID restrictions and a lack of...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 27 international city, separated from Detroit by only a short bridge or tunnel ride. He hopes the Windsor Jewish community will expand its view as part of a larger Detroit-Windsor metropolitan area and forge stronger connections across the border. “Together with the Jewish community of Hamilton, Ontario, we will be launching a new proactive marketing campaign in the next several months to attract both domesti...…
…28 | OCTOBER 7 • 2021 S uicide is an epidemic of epic proportions that steals the people we love and devastates fami- lies all over Detroit every day. In honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, A Single Soul, a suicide pre- vention and training program housed at Jewish Family Service of Metro Detroit; Black Family Development, a Detroit nonprofit dedicated to the health and wellbe- ing of Black families; and L!FELeaders Inc...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 29 As featured on: Need Help with an IRS or State Tax Problem? Call the experts at 1-800-TAX-LEVY (829-5389) • Tax Liens • Collection Notices • Penalties • Unfi led Tax Returns • Audits Call us today to answer your questions or to schedule a meeting and say goodbye to those sleepless nights! 1-800-TAX-LEVY (829-5389) www.levytaxhelp.com We Listen …. We Care … We Help! HQ: 28400 Southf eld Road., Lathrup Village, ...…
…OUR COMMUNITY T he short film Bear and Fred, which is a part of local filmmaker Keith Famie’s Shoah Ambassadors Holocaust documentary, was featured in and won Best Documentary Short in this year’s Royal Starr Film Festival on Sept. 18 at the Royal Oak Emagine Theatre. Bear and Fred has been touring with a great deal of excitement in film festivals nationally, seeing much success. To date, the film has won Best Documentary Short in t...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 31 faces&places On Friday, Aug. 27, JARC held its annual Shabbat Cookout as an in-person gathering — safely and following COVID restrictions. Despite the heat, it was a beautiful evening filled with delicious food, awesome music and, most importantly, camaraderie. JARC thanks its volun- teers, Rabbi Joey and Cantor Gross and the SQ3 Band. The event was sponsored by Jack Kaufman on behalf of the Ethel Hyman an...…
…32 | OCTOBER 7 • 2021 faces&places Families from The Shul of West Bloomfield gathered at a lake to explore highlights of the High Holidays. Using dissolvable paper, children saw how they can gain atonement for mistakes, bringing the idea of teshuvah (repentence) to life. The event was hosted by Alon and Shari Kaufman. The Shul’s J.E.M.S program (Jewish Education Matters) offers a Jewish experience for children and their famili...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 33 T he William Davidson Foundation and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy announced that a new Sport House in the future 22-acre park on Detroit’s West Riverfront will be named after Detroit businessman, philanthropist and former NBA Detroit Pistons owner William “Bill” Davidson (1922-2009). With its most recent commitments to the Conservancy, the William Davidson Foundation has now granted more than $11 ...…
…ERETZ J ulia Weinberg, 34, made aliyah to Israel in July of this year. She came with her husband, Josh, whose grandparents were Benno and Ruth Levi of Oak Park, and their children Sultana, Netanel, Benno and Bella. Q: Growing up in Yardley, Pennsylvania, did you have an early Zionist education? JW: I grew up Conservative, and at Hebrew school, we talked about Israel but not in a partic- ularly Zionist way. In the history books t...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 35 SPORTS I t would be tough to find a better Jewish bowler in Detroit bowling history than Phil Horowitz. Perhaps impossible. The 2004 inductee into the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was a gold-medal winner at the Maccabiah Games and National Senior Games. He’s the holder of four Michigan Senior Olympics age-group state records, two for singles and two for doubles. He was a competitor on the Professional Bo...…
…36 | OCTOBER 7 • 2021 MAZEL TOV! HOW TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Mazel Tov! announcements are welcomed for members of the Jewish community. Anniversaries, engagements and weddings with a photo (preferably color) can appear at a cost of $18 each. Births are $10. There is no charge for bar/bat mitzvahs or for special birthdays starting at the 90th. For information, contact Editorial Assistant Sy Manello at smanello@thejewishnews.com or (248)...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 37 SPIRIT Moderation & Responsibility W hat a great Torah portion for meat eaters, like me. And a great portion for those who enjoy a l’ chaim at kiddush. However, this is also a por- tion which warns us of some of the consequences of drinking to excess and of the importance of eating meat in a moral and ethical way. In Bereshit, God only permitted Adam and Eve to eat from vegetables and fruit of the trees ...…
…F or each of us there are milestones on our spiritual journey that change the direction of our life and set us on a new path. For me, one such moment came when I was a rabbinical student at Jews’ College and thus had the privilege of studying with one of the great rabbinic schol- ars of our time, Rabbi Dr. Nachum Rabinovitch. He was, and is, a giant: one of the most profound Maimonidean scholars of the modern age, equally at home ...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 39 but with Abraham. Noah, says the Torah, “walked with God” (6:9). But God said to Abraham, “Walk on ahead of Me …” (Gen. 17:1). So the point was not new, but the drama and power of the Midrash were stunning. COURAGE TO TAKE RISKS Suddenly, I understood that this is a significant part of what faith is in Judaism: to have the courage to pioneer, to do something new, to take the road less traveled, to venture o...…
…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 bethtephilathmoses.com B’nai Israel Sy...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 41 Shomrey Emunah Southfield (248) 559-1533 congregation-shomrey- emunah-105705.square.site 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 Is...…
…W endy Evans has long presented diverse fine arts history through the art of presentation. Whether in a college classroom, an art showplace or a public speaking venue, she has told the stories behind treasured paintings, sculptures, fabrics and other media according to differ- ent themes through creative talks supplemented with images. For many years preceding the pandemic, Evans communicated in person before art history stu- dent...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 43 pher Diane Arbus, surrealistic photographer Claude Cahun, installation specialist Judy Chicago, sculptor Eva Hesse, abstract expressionist Elaine de Kooning, collage expres- sionist Lee Krasner and sculp- tor Louise Nevelson. “Most of the time, the more I study an artist, the more I like that person’s work, ” Evans says. “I don’t show images I don’t like, and I don’t generally show imagines I think are inappro...…
…T o enhance the safety of theater- goers, performers and employees, Broadway In Detroit announces new health and safety protocols for the 2021- 2022 season. To be admitted, audience members must show proof of full COVID- 19 vaccination (second dose received at least 14 days prior) with government-issued ID or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance date. Additionally, masks must be worn inside the th...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 45 NEW JEWISH SNL CAST MEMBER; PLAYOFF HEBREWS; ‘JEWISH’ GHOST The season premiere of Saturday Night Live was Oct. 2. However, the three new SNL cast members were not announced until just a few days before the premiere show. So, as usual, I am doing a bit of catch-up in this column. Fortunately, it was surprisingly easy to quickly confirm that one of three, Sarah Sherman, is Jewish. Sherman, who is about 27,...…
…46 | OCTOBER 7 • 2021 MEN’S HEALTH EVENT 9 AM- 4 PM, OCT. 9 The Michigan Institute of Urology (MIU) Men’s Health Foundation will host its 11th annual Men’s Health Event at Ford Field in Detroit. Metro Detroit-area men 18 years and older with or without insurance are encouraged to attend. Services will include a comprehensive bloodwork panel, flu vaccinations, COVID-19 screenings and vaccinations. A half- time show will include ...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 47 FOOD E very culture fries dough in some form or anoth- er. As I’ve mentioned before, Jewish cuisine has long embraced frying as a primary method of cooking, from the origination of fish and chips many years ago, to lat- kes and sufganiy- ot on Chanukah. Fried doughs pop up in many Jewish commu- nities around the world, and this one is probably a lot like many others. The base here is Escoffier’s beignet pa...…
…GARAGE • ENTRANCE • STORM 23701 HALSTED ROAD FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48335 Toll Free 1-800-478-9060 DuraScreen Motorized Retractable Screens are the affordable way to turn virtually any outdoor area into a cool, comfortable and pest-free sanctuary. The screens are custom built to any opening, have whisper quiet operation, and keep out wind and rain, while allowing fresh air to flow through. They are also available in solid vinyl and solid ...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 49 ESTHER APPLEBAUM, 74, of Southfield, passed away in her Southfield home on the evening of Sept. 26, 2021. Born in Detroit on July 7, 1924, to Sol and Rose Ryback, Esther was the only daughter and the first of their four children, fol- lowed by her three broth- ers Bernard, Gordon and Ralph. As a teenager, she worked with her parents in the family store while attending first ...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 50 | OCTOBER 7 • 2021 member of Israel chapter B’nai B’rith, which was char- tered on her birthday in 1948. She served as president several times as well as the Louis Marshall president, when the chapters eventually merged. She also served on the B’nai B’rith Council of Metropolitan Detroit. She loved meeting new people and giving of her time and energy for worthy causes. She had a knack for making ...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 51 Contributions may be made to National Kidney Foundation, 30 E. 33rd St., New York, NY 10016, kidney. org/donation. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. BARBARA HUBERT, 83, of West Bloomfield, died Sept. 27, 2021. She was a pub- lic school educator for 40 years and a volunteer docent at the Holocaust Memorial Center. Mrs. Hubert is survived by her husband of 62 years, Leslie Edward Hubert; sons and daughter...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 52 | OCTOBER 7 • 2021 Phillip (Phyllis) Shusterman. Interment was held at Beth El Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia. Contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Heart Association. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel. SHELDON G. LEVIN, 81, of West Bloomfield, died Sept. 29, 2021. He is survived by his sister and brother-in- law, Susan and Gary Meklir of West Bloomfield; sis...…
…OCTOBER 7 • 2021 | 53 THEDA SCHEFMAN, 97, of Bloomfield Hills, died Sept. 28, 2021. She is survived by her sons and daughters- in-law, Leslie and Carol Schefman, Robert and Christine Schefman, and Bryan and Amy Schefman; grandchildren, Lauren and Scott Lichtenstein, Alyssa and J.P. Affeld, Jamie Schefman, Samantha Schefman, Nicolas Schefman, Jordan and Aaron Staenberg, Zachary and Jessica Schefman, Michael and Lauren Schefm...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org 54 | OCTOBER 7 • 2021 Jewish ‘Superheroes’ I t was recently announced that Americans will have a new hero. To be precise, a new Jewish superhero. DC Comics, creators of Superman, Batman, the Flash and other comic book and movie superheroes, debuted Jewish Superhero, “Whistle, ” in September. “Whistle” is the heroine i...…
…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 NEW...…
…PAMandASHLEY.COM BUYER AND SELLER CONCIERGE SERVICES PAM STOLER 248.840.0044 PAM@PAMandASHLEY.COM ASHLEY MANN 248.721.0987 ASHLEY@PAMandASHLEY.COM 442 South Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI 48009 BETTER TOGETHER. …
…JEWISH NEWS $200 Sept.30-Oct. 6, 2021 / 24-30 Tishri 5782 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com How Bob Naftaly, in the face of automaker bankruptcies, helped save health benefits for 872,000 UAW retirees. See page 14 A Masterful Achievement! …
…SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-13 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 14 A Masterful Achievement! How Bob Naftaly, in the face of automaker bankruptcies, helped save health benefits for 872,000 UAW retirees. 18 ‘A Dynamic Leader’ For a lifetime of service, Larry Wolfe will receive Federation’s Butzel award. 20 Still No Charges Danny Fenster’s family, friends keep raising awareness of his plight. 21 ...…
…4 | SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY essay Abraham’s Tent is Staked in Detroit Mark Davidoff is General Chair of this year’s Yeshiva Beth Yehudah annual dinner. F or many years, Yeshiva Beth Yehudah has held an annual dinner to further the educational mission of this essential Detroit Torah institution. The dinner enables an introduction of the school to the broader community — highlighting the Yeshivah’s incredible...…
…SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 | 5 T O B E N E F I T T H E K A D I M A C R E A T I V E E X P R E S S I O N S P R O G R A M Supported by the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Foundation shopcreativeexpressions.com Purchase member-designed merchandise featuring original paintings, textiles, illustrations, photographs, comic books and more! LEARN MORE ABOUT CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS AT ... PRESENTING SPONSOR Barbara and Michael Kratchman VIRTUOSO SPONSORS Gail Kat...…
…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: Detroit Jewish News, 322...…
…DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 | 7 continued on page 8 24725 West 12 Mile – Ste. 110 Southfield, MI 48034 1-248-945-1111 24725 West 12 Mile – Ste. 110 Southfield, MI 48034 1-248-945-1111 What Is Your Plan?..... Call Us. We focus on Probate Litigation and Administration. Administering estates where everyone is on the same page...…
…8 | SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY continued from page 7 “American-Israeli relations.” Why do Ann Arbor’s anti- Israel zealots find it most meaningful to express their “public discourse in public fora” on Saturday mornings between 9:30 and 11:30 adja- cent to a synagogue? Is this truly “public dis- course” on “matters of public concern?” Are those who gather for two hours on Saturday mornings really trying to persuade th...…
…SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 | 9 INNOVATIVE. ENGAGING. ENLIVENING. TOTALLY CAPTIVATING. An expansive menu of freshly prepared meals and daily chef specials Fine arts performances A variety of thoughtfully planned, engaging activities Individual chauffeured transportation A host of technology- based enrichment Family engagement app All Seasons emboldens you to discover a dynamic range of enlightening perspectives and ex...…
…10 | SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY essay My Heartfelt Thanks to Rabbi Sasson H ow does a commu- nity say goodbye to a rabbi who single- handedly saved them from closing their synagogue’s doors? Rabbi Sasson Natan, whose Iraqi roots encouraged us to call him by his first name, came to Detroit in 1991 as an Israeli engineer- ing contractor with General Motors. Rabbi Sasson became the first chazan of our con- gregation, a...…
…SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 | 11 SERVING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS! 4130 Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 NOAH BISHOP COHEN The Next Generation of “SOLD” ns.cohen26@gmail.com MELANIE BISHOP “SOLD” is my middle name melaniesold@aol.com MelanieSold.com 248.867.7800 OVER $63 MILLION SOLD IN 2020! BLOOMFIELD HILLS Newer built with 4 bed, 4.1 bath, 3648 sq. ft. plus f n. low- er level. Open f oor plan, hardwood f oors, hi...…
…2 | SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 YESHIVA BETH YEHUDAH e v e n t c h a i r j e r r y n o r c i a h o n o r a r y c h a i r a m b a s s a d o r d a v i d t. f i s c h e r g e n e r a l c h a i r m a r k d a v i d o f f c a m p a i g n c h a i r s a n d r a p i e r c e d i n n e r c h a i r s t e v e s t e i n o u r g e n e r a l c h a i r s j i m & n a n c y g r o s f e l d M A R Y B A R R A c h a i r & c e o , g e n e r a l m o t o r s o u t...…
…S P O N S O R S * D R . J I L L B I D E N i n p e r s o n g u e s t s p e a k e r f i r s t l a d y o f t h e u n i t e d s t a t e s *IN FORMATION F O R S P O N S O R S H I P S , A D V E R T I S I N G A N D R E S E R V AT I O N S V I S I T W W W .Y B Y D I N N E R . O R G O R C A L L 2 4 8 . 6 6 3 . 8 2 9 9 GUEST SPEAKER S PA C E I S L I M I T E D ! M A K E Y O U R R E S E R V AT I O N S T O D AY D E T R O I T M A R R I O T T R ...…
…OUR COMMUNITY T he future of Detroit and the U.S.-based automakers during the summer of 2007 had never looked so dreadful. General Motors, negotiating with the United Auto Workers union toward a new labor contract, had lost more than $12 billion during the previous two years. Bankruptcies for one or more of the Big Three automakers were growing more likely. Desperate to stave off col- lapse, the Big Three proposed shrinking larg...…
…SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 | 15 continued on page 16 him as chair of an earlier, much smaller VEBA trust that administered dental benefits to union retirees. AUTOMOBILE SLUMP IMPERILED RETIREES Health benefits — with the specter of bankruptcy loom- ing — was a whole different, larger and more complex undertaking. “The auto industry and the union had a common problem” in 2007, Naftaly recalled. “They were worried about who would pay for t...…
…direction: As a youngster, he’d never imagined such a life. At Central High, astonishing- ly, he had no inkling as to a future career. Fortuitously, a relative stepped in. “My Uncle Sam Geller encouraged me to become a certified public accountant,” he said. “He told me to take bookkeeping in high school and then come to work for his accounting firm while taking college courses at night and on the weekends.” Naftaly graduated from ...…
…SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 | 17 Jewish Federation’s board — who says, ‘I hear you’re a Jewish boy who knows something about nursing homes. We could use your help.’” Two nursing homes operated by Federation, Borman Hall in Detroit and Prentis Manor in Southfield, were “draining the Federation’s resources and also raising questions about the level of care” for the more than 300 elderly Jewish residents, Davidoff said. The two homes sto...…
…OUR COMMUNITY I n 1983, Jewish community leader and philanthropist Larry Wolfe experienced a major change in his outlook and attitude toward Jewish life. While on a mission to Israel with his wife, Andi, Larry, despite not wanting to go ini- tially, had a revelation as to what being Jewish truly meant. It was the mission leader, David Hermelin, and Larry’s father-in-law, D. Dan Kahn, both of blessed memory, who had encouraged him ...…
…Jewish affairs, largely inspired by his father-in-law and that Israel trip. In the late 1980s, Wolfe was introduced to the Jewish Community Center by his friend and mentor Jerry Sobel. Calling it a “natural fit, ” Wolfe became involved with the organization and worked his way up to eventually be elected president in 1997. There, he met various Jewish commu- nity leaders, including people involved with Federation. When asked to take...…
