…RABBI MATT ZERWEKH Rabbi Matt Zerwekh is the rabbi of Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park. Ordained at HUC-JIR in Cincinnati, Zerwekh is a prod- uct of the Detroit Jewish com- munity and grew up at Temple Emanu-El, which has situated him uniquely to help reinvigo- rate the congregation he has credited with helping to forge his earliest Jewish identity. Under his leadership, Temple Emanu-El has grown in size and prominence in the commu- n...…
…ON THE COVER OUR COMMUNITY uronic acid and natural extracts to help smooth skin and reduce signs of aging. Polaris Cream is available at NorthStarLuxe.com and in select salons. OLIVIA GUTERSON Olivia Guterson is a Detroit-based mother, creative and community organizer. She is committed to growing, building and sup- porting the diverse entrepre- neurs and artists in her com- munity and beyond. As an art- ist, she is deeply influenc...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 13 to our Director of Jewish Student Life Mazel Tov and the MSU Hillel/Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan Alumni in the 2021 Class of 36 Under 36 Jewish Student Life Mazel Tov Mazel Tov Nate Strauss Brittany Begun Audrey Bloomberg Jordan Ceresnie Jason Dizik Michael Emmer Hallie Eisenberg Nicole Feinberg Lauren Herrin Jamie Greene Kaniarz Shelby Miller Ellie Small Rabbi Matt Zerwekh Kyle Zwiren www.frankelja.or...…
…ALEX ROSENBERG Alex Rosenberg, 28, is the farm manager at Tamarack Camp’s Farber Farm. Alex’s work focus- es on holistic land stewardship and building positive, recipro- cal relationships with the plac- es we call home. Eight years ago, Alex began farming with a love of good food, being out- doors, community building and a desire to participate in land restoration. She believes that a healthy and equitable food system is reflectiv...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 15 NICOLE FEINBERG Nicole Feinberg graduated from Michigan State University in 2015 and is the current program coordina- tor at the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, the last freestanding synagogue in the city of Detroit. Before starting her role at the Downtown Synagogue, Nicole oversaw immigrant and refugee support programs with both Southwest Solutions and Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County. Sinc...…
…Make Them Afraid: A Rabbis Against Gun Violence Anthology and The Social Justice Torah Commentary (coming spring 2021). Chris lives with his partner, Christy, and four pets and serves on Temple Beth El’s Audacious Hospitality group, the Jewish Federation’s NEXTGen LGBTQA Pride Committee and the Hermelin Davidson Center for Congregational Excellence Committee. SARAH ROLLINS Sarah Rollins is a clinical social worker at the Univ...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 17 AGC Automotive Americas congratulates Daniel for the positive impact he has on his community. Service to the community is a value we take seriously, and are glad to be able to highlight our team members who go above and beyond. We look forward to the continued positive impact Daniel will make at AGC and in his community for many years to come. Congratulations TO Daniel Snyder on being chosen for the 36 U...…
…continued from page 16 ON THE COVER OUR COMMUNITY 18 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 DR. JOELLE ABRAMOVITZ Dr. Joelle Abramowitz is an economist at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research and serves as director of the Michigan Federal Statistical Research Data Center. Her research focuses on health insurance, medical expendi- tures, self-employment and the family. Joelle sits on the execu- tive board of the Jewish Fede...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 19 Nominations are now open for JN’s and JCC’s “Rising Stars.” JN STAFF We’re Seeking Terrific Teens! A t the JN, we often hear of young people doing great things and making a difference in our community and in the lives of others. We bet you know some, too, and have already sung their praises to those you know. Now is the time to shine the public spotlight on these remarkable young people. Once again, ...…
…20 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 A bout 170 Holocaust survivors received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, Jan. 29, at the Jewish Family Service (JFS) building in West Bloomfield. Brother and sister Alfred Zydower and Anna Lindemann, ages 91 and 89 respectively, were among those at the JFS building receiving the vaccine. Born in Germany, the sib- lings fled to Shanghai, China, in 1940 by way of Siberia. “I feel fine, ” Zy...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 21 CAREFUL PREPARATION Ohren said the OCHD has been great to work with, and JFS helped educate them on what they would be dealing with before they arrived. “We created an interesting flyer on the concept of trau- ma-informed care, to think about what it might be like for a survivor to have to stand in line, to smell something, to have somebody come at them with a needle, ” Ohren said. “We did a mini-crash cou...…
…22 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 C hrist Church Cranbrook needed space for offices and educational programs during a major renova- tion project. Temple Beth El opened its doors. Clergy from both congregations see it as a match made in heaven. Christ Church Cranbrook, a large Episcopalian congregation in Bloomfield Hills, embarked on a $10 million expan- sion and renovation project in 2019. The efforts focus on the church’s program center, wh...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 23 in numerous programs in recent years, including service projects over the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The church has participated in the temple’s annual Glazer Institute for several years. Christ Church Cranbrook took an active role in a vigil held at Beth El after the 2018 shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Last fall, the two congregations jointly sponsored a six-part class (p...…
…24 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 T his Purim, the Conservative Jewish community in Metro Detroit is reassuring its com- munity that on Zoom, as the Purim song goes, “we’ll merry merry be. ” Marking the one-year anniversary and noting that Purim was the last Jewish holiday that most Jews cel- ebrated together in the synagogue, Conservative congregations will com- bine their efforts to celebrate Purim virtually through a variety of program- mi...…
…pandemic, as we have created a community-wide website to bet- ter communicate about resourc- es and upcoming programming and educational opportunities. ” After Purim, the website, which is hosted by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, will remain as a resource for the synagogues to continue collaborating on efforts to serve the Jewish com- munity. Beth Ahm Executive Director David Goodman said the website will be a central...…
…A friend’s house fire nearly 100 years ago sparked a business idea that continues to grow and flourish, led by two local Jewish families. Globe Midwest Adjusters International traces its roots back to that century-old fire. In today’s world, public insur- ance adjusters help people get fair settlements from insurance companies after they suffer fires and other losses. Globe is now a national leader in the field. The Southfield-ba...…
…families together. Over the years, they’ve worked together and separately at different times, but by 1985, Globe Midwest Adjusters International was formed and the families have worked side-by-side ever since. “We took a local business and turned it into a national business and started generat- ing some of the largest clients around the country, ” says Bobby Levin, Globe’s president and chairman of the board. “We started with 10 em...…
…28 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 “I was always a grammar and words fanatic,” says Jamie Sherman, a Farmington Hills native now residing in Huntington Woods. “When I was trying to figure out what to major in in under- grad, I loved communications, I loved advertising, and I loved psychology. They all center around ways to get to know people, to express yourself and to understand people.” Her decision was ultimately determined by the fact...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 29 MAZEL TOV! DEC. 30, 2020 Brent Pliskow and Rabbi Lisa Delson of San Bruno, Calif., are proud to announce the birth of their son, Noam Jonathan Delson Pliskow. Sharing in their joy are big brothers Micah and Asher. Grandparents Rob Pliskow of Huntington Woods and Larry and Marci Delson of Dublin, Ohio, also share in the joy. Noam is also the grandson of the late Rhonda Pliskow. Noam is named for his great-gran...…
…30 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 SPIRIT Cost of Atonement T his Shabbat, when we read Parshat Mishpatim, is the first day of Adar. This week’s additional read- ing for the month of Adar is titled Parshat Shekalim; in it is the Jewish peo- ple’s half-shekel contri- bution to the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. After the Jewish people sinned with the Golden Calf, God commanded Moses to tell the people to each bring an atonement of a half-shekel....…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 31 J aclyn Goldis has written and critiqued her own novels and feels confident about the time to pursue pub- lication. Her first, completed when she was 17 and living in Bloomfield Hills, never reached an agent’s desk. Almost 20 years later, her fourth, completed in Tel Aviv, became the first submitted for agent consideration and was moved along to be accepted by a publisher. When We Were Young (Grand Centr...…
…32 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 R andy Kaplan teaches in two ways — through classes at Farber Hebrew Day School and through songs he writes, performs and records. Kaplan hopes both ways have the ele- ment of fun. During the pandemic, Kaplan instructs Farber classes that include lit- erature, composition and drama. His most recent song, “The Mouth Is Connected to the Nose,” explains why masks are needed. It asks: “Are you equal to the task ...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 33 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 Villag...…
…34 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, REDUX & HORROR/THRILLER Clarice, a new CBS series, starts Feb. 11 at 10 p.m. It follows FBI agent Clarice Sterling a year after (1993) the events depict- ed in the film The Silence of the Lambs. Michael Cudlitz, 56, whose father is Jewish, plays a main cast character. He was a series regular in Band of Brothers and Southland. Clarice was created by Alex Kurtzman, 47, and Jenny Lumet,...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 35 TOUR ISRAEL NOON-1PM, FEB. 11 Temple Shir Shalom is offer- ing a live, virtual “From the Underground to the IDF” tour with Rabbi Daniel Schwartz and Israeli tour guide Beni Levin. See three different fronts as we walk the Burma Road, fly with the air force in Ashdod and ride a tank at Latrun to learn about the for- mation of the Israel Defense Force. There is a charge. To register: shirshalom.org/ event/is...…
…36 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 about the effects of med- itation on emotional and physical well-being and dis- cuss techniques to devel- oping a meditation prac- tice. Register in advance at: zoom.us/meeting/ register/tJArcO-uqzsqHt- FwUiad4Hxm5KlWDTe- buGxn. After registering, you will receive a link via email to join the meeting. HEBREW POETRY 7-8 PM, FEB. 17 U-M Frankel Center for Judaic Studies will pres- ent a free Zoom webinar “Releasi...…
…the exchange community bulletin board | professional services For information regarding advertising please call 248-351-5116 or 248-234-9057 or email salessupport@renmedia.us Deadline for ad insertion is 10am on Friday prior to publication. JF Green Renovations Your Trusted Local Expert For Interior & Exterior Restorations ROOFING ROOFING SIDING SIDING CHIMNEY RESTORATION SEAMLESS GUTTERS MOLD & FLOOD REPAIRS SPECIALTY REPAIRS ...…
…38 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY WENDY MARIE BLAU, 71, passed away Jan. 25, 2021, in Virginia Beach, Va. Wendy was a very passionate person in her beliefs. She created her own company, Ethan’s Wooden Toys. Also, she loved the out- doors and exploring nature amongst many other hobbies. Wendy was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Harry Blau; and her brother, Jeffrey Blau. She is survived by her broth-...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 39 continued on page XX The Fan Behind the Legends STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER D r. Robert E. “Bob” Matthews, of Farmington Hills, famous for his sports mem- orabilia collection, died Feb. 2, 2021, at age 85. A private family service was held Feb. 5 at Dorfman Chapel. For those who want to learn about Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, Moe Berg, Al Rosen and other Jewish sports stars, the place to go is the ...…
…40 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 beloved husband of Shirley (nee Brody); devoted father of Dale Cohen (Cindy), Steven Cohen (Susan) and Lisa Keffer (Bryan); cherished grand- father of Robin, Ryan and Rachel Cohen, Jaymie Epstein (Matthew), Samuel, Noah and Joshua Cohen, Haley and Jayme Keffer; loving great-grandfather of Asher Bennett Epstein; dear brother of Sharon Ishee (Roger) and Leonard Cohen (the late Gloria Cohen). To view the se...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 41 Dept., 30300 Telegraph Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms, MI 48025-4507, mich- iganhumane.org/trib- utes; Holocaust Memorial Center, 28123 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, holocaust- center.org; or Tamarack Camps, 6735 Telegraph Road, #380, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, tamarackcamps.com/ tributes. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. LYNNE RAE KONSTANT, 76, of Huntington Woods, died Jan. 28, 202...…
…42 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 GERALD LORENCE, 92, of West Bloomfield, died Jan. 31, 2021. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sandra Sussman Lorence; sons and daugh- ters-in-law, Geff and Pepi Lorence, and Matthew and Hannah Lorence; grandchil- dren, Mallory Lorence, Zach Lorence, Noah Lorence and Lorelai Lorence. Mr. Lorence was the devoted son of the late Elemer and the late Shari Lorinczi. Interment was at Clover Hill Park Ceme...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 43 He was a longtime share- holder at Fraser Trebilcock, was a member of the State Bar of Michigan, U.S. District, Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan and a board mem- ber emeritus of Sparrow Health System. Mr. Raven is survived by his wife of 47 years, Leslie (Shapiro) Raven; a daughter, Jane (Brad) Rosen; grandchildren, Elana Rosen and Sydney Rosen; a son, David (Marisa) Raven; brothers: Jeremy Raven,...…
…44 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 Clover Hill Park Cemetery in Birmingham. Contributions may be made to the Macular Degeneration Research at BrightFocus Foundation. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel. c. 2010 FELA SZYMKOWICZ, 92, of Oak Park, died Feb. 3, 2021. She was active with Holocaust sur- vivor groups. Mrs. Szymkowicz is survived by her sons and daugh- ters-in-law, Marvin Szymkowicz and Diana Savit of Chevy Chase, Md., Michael and ...…
… FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 | 45 T here was a restaurant that served only French cuisine for just 42 people at one time … at booths and tables. Those who went to Raphael’s in Novi expected to spend at least three hours of epic moments in gas- tronomy. It was a high gourmet restaurant that did not place all the emphasis on show at the expense of its food … Surely, elegance symbolized by fire and ice is fake elegance … This, Raphael’s wa...…
…46 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021 Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org Displaced Children I nternational Holocaust Remembrance Day was commemorated two weeks ago on Jan. 27, 2021. The date marks the anniversary of the Soviet Union Army’s liberation of the largest Nazi death camp in Poland: Auschwitz-Birkenau. In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly designat...…
…SUPPORT INDEPENDENT, CREDIBLE, AWARD- WINNING JOURNALISM IN SERVICE TO THE DETROIT JEWISH COMMUNITY! SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS* *Already a subscriber? Please consider giving the Detroit Jewish News as a gif to a family member or friend! Go to https://thejewishnews.com/product/magazine-subscription/ today and enter code NEWSUBSCRIBER for $10 of a one year subscription. Not eligible with any other discount codes. ...…
…$200 Feb. 4-10, 2021 / 22-28 Shevat 5781 $200 Feb. 4-10, 2021 / 22-28 Shevat 5781 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Sheltering in One Place Multi-generational families move in together during the pandemic. See page 11 …
…• 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...…
… FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 5-9 OUR COMMUNITY 10 Mitzvah Makers 11 Sheltering in One Place Multi-generational families move in together during the pandemic. 16 Unsolicited Proselytizing Local Jews are mailed unwanted book about Christianity. 17 Focus on Unity and Inclusion JCRC/AJC names diversity associate. 18 Taking Time to Enjoy Family After 16 years, Rabbi Rachel Shere leaves Adat S...…
…4 | FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 Supported through the generosity of The Jewish Fund and the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Family Foundation. We Have Answers. Need to find help during a family crisis ¨ Call jhelp at 1-833-445-4357 ¨ Visit jhelp.org ¨ Chat online with a staff member or schedule a call at jhelp.org ¨ Do all of the above Q X zolmanrestoration.com | 3285 Martin Road | Suite N-106 | Walled Lake, MI 48390 Commercial ...…
… FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 | 5 1942 - 2021 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week jn 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...…
…6 | FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 4:30 A.M. THURSDAY, JAN. 14, 2021 W aking up at 4:30 this morning was standard procedure for me. It was an expected daily awakening usually reserved for a quick bathroom run and then back to sleep. It was exactly like the bathroom run I had at 2:30 this morning. (At 66 years old you chart these things.) But on this morning my iPhone had more than the time illuminated on the screen — there was an email...…
…311 Alfred St, Detroit 307 Anaconda St, Commerce 29298 Apple Blossom Ln, Farmington Hills * 4350 Apple Valley Ln, West Bloomfi eld 1386 Avondale, Sylvan Lake 4094 Bacon Ave, Berkley 3159 Bloomfi eld Shore, West Bloomfi eld 3171 Bloomfi eld Shore, West Bloomfi eld 2180 Bloomfi eld Woods Ct, West Bloomfi eld 10897 Bouldercrest Dr, Green Oak Twp. 16680 Brooklane Blvd, Northville 6051 Charles Dr, West Bloomfi eld 1433 Chesapeake, Royal Oak...…
…8 | FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 I solation. Fear. Grief. It is an unfortunate truth that Jewish history gives us a deep understanding of the same dif- ficulties we are all experiencing during this time of COVID. But our tradition was forged as a pow- erful response to the very hard- ships that can plague us. Huddled together at the edge of the Promised Land, the Torah envi- sions a people who easily could have been resigned to their fate,...…
… FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 | 9 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. Protecting you from self-dealing parties appointed by will, trust or the court. Protecting you from family members who always wan...…
…10 | FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 T he Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s monthly podcast series FedRadioDetroit is launching a new segment called “Mitzvah Makers, ” looking to shine a spot- light on some of the communi- ty’s unsung heroes. The podcast is asking lis- teners to nominate Mitzvah Makers in their lives or commu- nity — everyday people doing extraordinary things, whether it be a committed volunteer doing great work in the...…
… FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 | 11 Multi-generational families move in together during the pandemic. SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER T wenty years after Frank and Lisa Ellias’ eldest son, Jared, left for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and then to California for work, they never, ever imagined he would be living in their home again. But not only did he return for an extend- ed COVID-19 pandemic stay, his parents’ Farmington ...…
…12 | FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 continued from page 11 ON THE COVER OUR COMMUNITY until she was 2 or 3 otherwise.” In addition, Jared said their home in Berkeley, Calif., where they plan to return in April, was under renovation and they needed to live some- where else anyway. So, with a work-from-home requirement from both of their employers, instead of staying in the area, they packed up their car and set out for Michigan. “We drove here...…
