…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 27 SPORTS B eloved barnstorming Black basket- ball promoter Bobby Grund died in 1980 at age 76. Forty-one years later, his daughter, Patty Grund Ceresnie of Commerce Township, has written a book, Bobby Had Game, about her father’s life and times. Why write the book now? “My father’s story couldn’t be more timely with the calls for racial equality happening in our country, ” Grund Ceresnie said. “The book describes what...…
…28 | JUNE 3 • 2021 B eing involved with Hillel in college is an experi- ence that I have tremen- dous gratitude and pride in. It was crucial for me to be able to cultivate a space where I could reflect on what it means to be Jewish in the diaspora and how my Jewishness impacts other intersec- tions of my identity. Small-town Hillel engagement is import- ant because it offers a needed sense of community. Through Hillel, I have dis...…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 29 W hat does lead- ership mean in a Jewish way? How is lead- ership affected by Jewish values? I had the opportunity to help answer these questions and more with the planning of Hillel of Metro Detroit’s newest ini- tiative, Leadership Lab. This four-part series was a virtual, interactive program to further train student lead- ers at Hillel of Metro Detroit. Along with Leah Berman, I helped plan this opportu...…
…30 | JUNE 3 • 2021 MAZEL TOV! Olivia Mira Goldstein (Mira Shayna) of Huntington Woods became a bat mitzvah May 22, 2021, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. Participating in the ceremo- ny were her parents, Robin and Jonathan Goldstein, and proud grandparents Arna and Dr. Michael Goldstein of West Bloomfield, and Linda and Steven Friedlander of Pittsburgh, Pa. Her late grandfather David Schwartz was lovingly rememb...…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 31 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) 351-5147 for i...…
…SPIRIT W hether your background is Reform, Conservative or Orthodox, the term tikkun olam occupies a special place in Jewish practice. It is the teaching that we are here to try to fix, even per- fect, this imperfect world through a variety of posi- tive actions. But there seems to be quite a disparity as to what kinds of actions this refers to. Many Jews view tik- kun olam as having a very specific role, with social action being ...…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 33 What’s In A Name? I magine the scene at the beginning of this week’s por- tion: 12 leaders in Israel are preparing for their 40-day trip to spy out the Holy Land. As they complete prepara- tions, Moses approaches the group and pulls aside the leader from the tribe of Ephraim. They have a brief, but important conver- sation; during those few moments, Moses changes this man’s name. Though the Ephraimite was given...…
…34 | JUNE 3 • 2021 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 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 I...…
…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 Israel Lansing (517) 882-0049 kehillatisrael.net Congregation T’chiyah Oak Park (248) 823-7115 tchiyah.org Reco...…
…M ax Kresch, 25, an Oak Park native, is both an Akiva Hebrew Day School (Farber) and a Frankel Jewish Academy alumnus who was active in Bnei Akiva and NCSY in Michigan and now lives in Jerusalem. Q: What motivated you to make aliyah? MK: At Farber and FJA, it is the status quo to go to Israel for your gap year after high school, and many Farber and FJA graduates make ali- yah after that year and some after college. I came to y...…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 37 WORLD O n his way home for a surprise visit to see family and friends, native Detroiter Danny Fenster, 37, managing editor for Frontier Myanmar, was detained May 24 at Yangon International Airport shortly before boarding a flight to Kuala Lumpur and is being held in prison. He is one of many journalists who has been detained, imprisoned or expelled from the country since a military coup took over the governm...…
…38 | JUNE 3 • 2021 COURTESY OF JESSICA HAUSER ARTS&LIFE ART B y day, Jessica Hauser is a dynamic nonprofit leader doing everything in her power to ensure Detroit students have the tools they need to succeed. As executive direc- tor of the Downtown Boxing Gym, her days are filled with nonstop Zoom meetings and tackling significant concerns like funding, staffing and getting emergency food to families as well as overseeing the fr...…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 39 her dad, Hauser started painting doodles again as a way to relax and de-stress during the height of the pandemic. Today, her home art studio is filled with col- orful canvases including dozens of finished paintings and many works in progress. Her process always begins by painting the background first and drawing free-form swirls and designs on top of it. As she decorates the designs and fills them in, each pai...…
…A late grandfather’s Holocaust memo- ries inspired choices for an upcom- ing digital concert featuring violinist Arnaud Sussmann accompanied by pianist Michael Brown. The two will perform endur- ing music of five composers who also experi- enced Holocaust atrocities. “ A Violin Tribute to the Holocaust” features pieces by Erwin Schulhoff, Robert Dauber, Pavel Haas, Samuel Adler and Mieczyslaw Weinberg starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 8....…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 41 B ased on the award-win- ning and bestselling Israeli novel The Jewish Dog by Asher Kravitz, Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog recounts the history of the grad- ual eradication of Jewish life in Nazi Germany in the 1930s, as told through the bond between a boy and his German shepherd. The 94-minute film, which opened May 28 at the Maple Theater in Bloomfield Township, has a slow build, introducing viewers to t...…
…42 | JUNE 3 • 2021 ANIMATED CHOICES; KENNEDY CENTER HONORS Housebroken is a charming animated series about a varied group of neighborhood pets who meet frequently to discuss their problems. Lisa Kudrow, 57, voices Honey, a standard poodle who was forced into a “marriage” by humans to Chief, a sloppy St. Bernard (voiced by Nat Faxon, 45. His mother is Jewish). Fun note: There is an animal character named Tchotchke. (Began on May...…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 43 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, Mic...…
…44 | JUNE 3 • 2021 A s the pandemic recedes, going out to breakfast or brunch is suddenly back in style. Skillet omelets, breakfast bowls, waffles and pancakes — plus socializing — what could be more fun? I recommend trying the Breakfast Club. Founded in 1998, it offers a delicious dining experience at all nine local fran- chises, including Farmington Hills and Commerce Town- ship. The nearest to my home is the Breakfast Clu...…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 45 BUSINESS S outhfield resident Moshe Newman began his entrepreneurial life when he was less than 10 years old. Newman had his first business then, selling flowers door-to-door in honor of the weekend’s upcoming Shabbat. Not too long afterward, his great-grandfather passed away and left him and his siblings an inheritance. Newman invested his inheritance into a family member’s business. As a kid, he was told...…
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…LEONARD ABRAMS, 77, of Novi, died May 26, 2021. He is survived by his daughter, Diane “Dee Dee” Charette; sons and daughters-in-law, Daniel “Danny” and Jennifer Abrams, and David and Adrianne Abrams; grandchildren, Lola Abrams, Jonah Abrams, Talia Abrams, Noah Abrams, Haley Charette and Jeremy Charette. Mr. Abrams was the beloved husband for 53 years of the late Julia Ellen Abrams. Interment was at B’nai Israel Memorial Garden...…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 49 continued on page 50 She was preceded in death by her father, Charles Factor. Interment was at Paradise Memorial Park in Scottsdale. Memorial contributions may be made in Lori’s name to the Arizona Humane Society. azhumane.org LOIS LEDGER, 83, of West Bloomfield, died May 25, 2021. In her earlier years, Lois worked with children as a nanny and school monitor. When she eventually moved into Hechtman, she was ...…
…50 | JUNE 3 • 2021 continued from page 49 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY continued on page 52 SARAH “SALLY” MANDEL of Southfield, died peaceful- ly on April 23, 2021, at the home of her son, Harleigh Mandel, in California, where she had been living for the past 11 years. She and her late hus- band, Dr. Leslie Mandel, a rheumatologist, gave of themselves to their family, community and provided their children with a loving warm home...…
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…52 | JUNE 3 • 2021 continued from page 50 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY LEONARD “LARRY” RAIMI, 95, of Santa Monica, Calif., formerly of Michigan, died May 20, 2021. The retired owner of Central Outfitting Company, he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and his mas- ter’s in business from the University of Michigan. His grandchildren were the lights of his life, and he fol- lowed their lives and care...…
…JUNE 3 • 2021 | 53 C elebrating its anniver- sary this month, many say that his restaurant is better today than even those two highly prestigious ones where he used to be execu- tive chef. There wasn’t much doubt after dining at the French-style restaurant where Paul Grosz is also its owner-execu- tive chef … and is also noted for doing its own baking of assorted breads and elegant pastries that include a bevy of luscious offe...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org 54 | JUNE 3 • 2021 A UP Disaster that Mirrored Mt. Meron L ast month, Israel experienced the worst civil disaster in its history. On April 30, tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews attended a celebration of Lag b’Omer on Mt. Meron in northern Israel. As celebrants began to leave the event, they used narrow, slippery st...…
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…JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com $200 May 27-June 2, 2021 / 16-22 Sivan 5781 Our Zoo’s Guardian to Retire Detroit Zoo CEO Ron Kagan followed his moral compass ... and helped redefine how zoos are run. Page 14 …
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…MAY 27 • 2021 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-12 OUR COMMUNITY 14 Our Zoo’s Guardian to Retire Ron Kagan followed his moral compass … and helped redefine how we run our zoos. 18 Vaccines for Teens Farber vaccination program expands into the community, with 12-to-15-year-olds up next. 19 Protecting the Young Federation, JARC hold vaccine clinic for teens. 20 Solidarity with Israel ZOA-led rally on Orchard La...…
…4 | MAY 27 • 2021 Pro-Israel Rally Shows the Flag Israel won and Hamas lost on May 15 in West Bloomfield where 200 supporters of Israel gathered waving flags and cheering a triumphant Israel. Hundreds of cars passed the rally participants blowing their horns in support of the participants waiving American and Israeli flags. Many thanks to rally creator Eugene Greenstein and his team of Kobi Erez, Shel Freilich (both ZOA-MI), Re...…
…MAY 27 • 2021 | 5 Federation’s 2021 Annual Campaign ends on May 31, which is when we begin distributing resources to our partner agencies. Please consider joining with nearly 10,000 other Jewish Detroiters who are supporting our community. DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT: Until the end of this month—thanks to a generous supporter—any donor who did not donate last year will have their gift matched, dollar for dollar, up to $180. YOUR IMPACT Helping J...…
…6 | MAY 27 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY continued on page 12 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...…
…MAY 27 • 2021 | 7 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 248.289.0660 www.tusharvakhariya.com 6755 Telegraph Road | Bloomfield Hills MI 48301 210 S Old...…
…8 | MAY 27 • 2021 essay Israel Under Attack: A Community Briefing T his has been a tragic and terrifying time for the people of Israel. It has also been an extraor- dinarily difficult time for Jewish people across the world, as well as for anyone who hopes for peace. My perspec- tive is somewhat unique. As an Israeli citizen currently living in Detroit, thou- sands of miles away from my home, my friends and loved ones, I have w...…
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…10 | MAY 27 • 2021 essay The Four Absurd Criticisms of Israel’s War Conduct M uch of the media and many experts and observers have succumbed to what can be described as a complete loss of rational think- ing when it came to evalu- ating the Israel- Hamas war. Israel’s critics invented an entirely new set of illogical rules of war for Israel that one can only con- clude is aimed at leaving the Jewish state defenseless and all...…
…MAY 27 • 2021 | 11 In an editorial discussing civilian casualties caused by U.S. drone strikes in the Middle East, which number by estimates at over 1,000, the New York Times conceded, “no matter how precise the weap- ons, how careful the planners and how skilled the fighters, mistakes, faulty intelligence, even calculated decisions often led to civilians being killed” and that “There is no such thing as combat without risk.” In ...…
…PURELY COMMENTARY ANTI-ISRAEL MEDIA Also, the complexities of attempting to thwart a terror-state’s rocket fire, cynically launched from the midst of a civilian pop- ulation, have undermined Israel’s international stand- ing, with numerous world leaders and opinion-shapers maliciously or lazily compar- ing death tolls and conclud- ing that because Israel’s is lower, it must be the aggres- sor. The likes of HBO talk show host John Oli...…
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…14 | MAY 27 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY After 28 years, Detroit Zoo’s Ron Kagan to retire. A Friend to the Animals … and Other Inspiring ‘Tales’ ALAN MUSKOVITZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER BY JERRY ZOLYNSKY Ron Kagan at the Arctic Ring of Life …
…MAY 27 • 2021 | 15 continued on page 16 I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t in love with nature and critters, ” said Ron Kagan, executive director/ CEO of the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS), when I asked how far back his passion for animals went. It was the first question I posed to Kagan, 69, during our recent phone con- versation to discuss the major change coming in his life. Kagan officially announced his retirement earlie...…
…16 | MAY 27 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 15 certainly an interesting con- versation starter. I just wasn’t prepared to learn the incident included a surprising second biter. Four-year old Ron Kagan was nestled in the backseat of his parent’s car. The suburban Boston family had just picked up their new puppy — a boxer. “We were bringing him home, and I couldn’t have been more excited. His name was Bobby. I was pullin...…
…MAY 27 • 2021 | 17 something to help, ” Kagan recalled. “During those first 10 days, it looked like Israel was about to be pushed into the Mediterranean. So, the idea of waiting until next summer seemed ridiculous to me. ” Kagan remembers the image of the darkened runway upon his arrival in Tel Aviv, a black- out to prevent the airstrip from being a nighttime bombing tar- get. A long way from a college campus, Kagan said, “I didn’t ...…
…T o ensure Farber Hebrew Day School students who were eligible for, and wanted, COVID-19 vaccines received them, Dr. Howard Korman put on two hats — along with his regularly-worn kippah. A member of the Southfield school’s medical advisory board for the COVID program, as well as a self-described “vac- cine-activist, ” he created an avenue for high schoolers 16 years and older to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. And ...…
…MAY 27 • 2021 | 19 T he Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and JARC held a vaccine clinic at the Federation building on Thursday, May 13. The clinic took place the day after federal regulators expanded authorization for the use of Pfizer- BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine in children ages 12-15. The clinic was open to anybody but was aimed at 12-to-15-year-olds. JARC has been holding clinics, especially for the people ...…
…20 | MAY 27 • 2021 M ore than 100 people attended a pro-Israel rally on the west side of Orchard Lake Road in West Bloomfield on Friday, May 14, to show support for Israel in its ongoing clash with Hamas. The event was helmed by the Zionist Organization of America’s Michigan Region. In attendance was Eugene Greenstein, former ZOA-MI president, who hoped the rally expressed the local support for Israel. “We felt we needed to come o...…
