…RASKIN THE BEST OF EVERYTHING MAY 13 • 2021 | 53 W ho was that fel- low sitting with owner Pat Archer at his now-closed Excalibur Restaurant on Franklin and Northwestern Highway? He was the spitting image of Frank Sinatra … and Ol’ Blue Eyes himself enjoyed a stack of bar-b-q ribs after his show at the Fox Theatre … compliments of then-Executive Chef Marty Wilk who also sent some ribs to Sinatra at his hotel suite. Marty did...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org 54 | MAY 13 • 2021 O n April 30, President Joe Biden proclaimed May to be Jewish American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate all the Jewish contribu- tions to American culture and history over the past 370 years. Americans have been doing so every May for the past 15 years. The idea for an official Jewish American H...…
…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...…
…$200 May 6-12, 2021 / 24 Iyar – 1 Sivan 5781 JEWISH NEWS JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com Life: Done Jewishly Jewishly Jlife platform will transform Jewish community connections. Page 10 …
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…MAY 6 • 2021 | 3 contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-8 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 10 Life: Done Jewishly Jlife platform will transform Jewish community connections. 14 A Great Ability to Do Good Justice Bernstein advances Abraham Accords while advocating for the disabled. 16 Detroit Mourns Mount Meron Tragedy Federation and local clergy hold memorial. 18 The Great 8 Over 80 JSL honors seniors who strive to “rep...…
…4 | MAY 6 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY guest column Mother’s Day Viewed Through a Jewish Lens M y earliest memory of Mother’s Day goes back to when I was about 6 years old. I conspired with my sister, who is two years my senior, to surprise my mother by making dinner for the family. While she was still in bed, early on that Sunday morning, we attempted one of our favorites: spaghetti and meatballs. It was an absolute disa...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 5 For 82 years, our commitment has been the same. To serve everyone in Michigan with better health. In every ZIP code, we provide access to high-quality care. Throughout communities large and small, we support local efforts to improve health for all. Wherever you call home, we will be by your side. Because we’re here for it all and always will be. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit cor...…
…6 | MAY 6 • 2021 PURELY COMMENTARY 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 ch...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 7 DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com A Family Tradition Since 1964 Antipasto Salad Our Famous Baked Bread Lamb Chops Spaghetti Carbonara “Alla Bocelli” Steak and Cheese Calzoni Linguini with White Clam Sauce Veal Ossobuco Alle Verdure Dad’s Pizza Pie Recipe Farmington Hills (Corner of Halsted) 37646 W . 12 Mile Rd. 248.994.4000 Canton (Corn...…
…8 | MAY 6 • 2021 Dear Danny, I wholeheartedly appreciate your comments on the Derek Chauvin guilty verdicts. My heart rejoiced when Judge Cahill read those guilty verdicts … unlike in 1992 when four white police officers were acquitted in the videotaped beating of Rodney King. I lived in Los Angeles at the time and watched the city go up in flames in the worst civil unrest in the history of Los Angeles. So, the Derek Chauv...…
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…10 | MAY 6 • 2021 E very week, dozens of local Jewish congregations and organizations present a wide array of classes, lectures, religious and holiday observances, children’s activities, fundraisers and social events. Most are online due to the pandemic, but opportunities for Jewish connection and enrichment abound. However, it’s not always easy to discover what is available and find out how to participate. Jlife — a new initiative fro...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 11 The Montreal Connection The Jlife partnership between the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and Montreal’s Federation CJA evolved from a visit that Scott Kaufman made to the Montreal federa- tion several years ago. He was there for a presentation about organizational and leadership transitions and mentioned Jlife in his remarks. A Montreal federation staff member was impressed with the Jlife concept and asked h...…
…12 | MAY 6 • 2021 about the events, clearly display the co-sponsors’ logos and create and manage event registration,” says Jodi Gross, director of adult learning and youth engagement at Adat Shalom Synagogue. She credits Julie Yaker, their liaison with Jlife, for help with the launch page and event registration. The synagogues’ joint Purim programming illustrates key benefits of Jlife — the ability to collaborate — making more effect...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 13 participating organization will have its own page and maintain individual relationships with its customers. For those concerned about data security, Weisman provides the reassurance, “We take data and privacy very seriously. We can be sure that it’s not sold or shared.” Kaufman points out that Jlife’s development team includes Israeli partners with cyber security expertise. Participating organizations will be ab...…
…14 | MAY 6 • 2021 M ichigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein is now in Israel after a nearly three- month stay in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, doing disability advocacy work in relation to the Abraham Accords. Bernstein has also been at the center of slight controversy after backlash to him spending the last three months out of the country, with some Lansing Republicans questioning whether he has abandoned his Michigan ...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 15 ing, so everyone’s working from home. I felt that since the building was closed and, since I had ample time to get all of my work done and I’m working by telephone anyway, I looked at it and said, ‘what’s the difference?’ “If I’m doing it from my apartment in Birmingham or if I’m in the UAE, it’s the same phone, and all I’m doing is talking on the phone. If you’re asked to stay because what you’re doing has meani...…
…16 | MAY 6 • 2021 T he Detroit Jewish community gath- ered over Zoom Sunday night to mourn the loss of 45 lives at Mount Meron on Lag b’Omer, April 29. At least 150 were injured in the tragedy. Representatives of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and clergy from many streams of Judaism remembered the victims and shared their collective grief with the peo- ple of Israel through prayer and community. Steven Ingber, COO of Fe...…
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…18 | MAY 6 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY J ewish Senior Life (JSL) is celebrating its 28th Annual Fundraising event, 8 Over 80, on Sunday, May 23, at noon. The virtual Zoom event will include a film about the eight honorees. The annual event celebrates eight remarkable people in the community over age 80, who have demonstrated a lifetime of dedication to the Jewish value of tikkun olam — repairing the world. Honorees include Linda ...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 19 …
…20 | MAY 6 • 2021 B e it in-person or virtually, honoring senior members of our Jewish com- munity is what the annual Bessie Spector Oldest Jewish Americans Brunch is all about. This year, like in those preced- ing it, the more the merrier, with individ- uals 95 or older invited to be a part of the revised but perpetually fun celebration. “In spite of this pandemic, our com- mittee has a deep commitment to ensure that our valued elders...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 21 shows Rachel Fox, our oldest honoree who will be 106 in June, displaying what is in them, followed by an interview with her.” RESPECT, ADMIRATION “We have a long-established tradition, now in our 19th year, of showing our respect and admiration for the Greatest Generation,” Alterman said. “The members of this revered club are the cornerstone of our community. Their ethics, traditions and values shaped generati...…
…22 | MAY 6 • 2021 I n the midst of many positive changes and new initiatives underway, Temple Emanu-El aims to stay true to its over- arching goal: to try and “repair the world through the Jewish lens. ” “The temple has always seen itself as engaged with the world around it, ” explains Rabbi Matthew Zerwekh. “The times we’re in dictate action. Our congrega- tion is welcoming the opportu- nity to engage. ” As the only Reform congre- g...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 23 of worshippers and inter-re- ligious families, ” she explains. “Rabbi Zerwekh is also very committed to inclusion and social action. ” UPDATED SANCTUARY In addition to housing JGN, Temple Emanu-El is also focus- ing on revamping its own home by remodeling its sanctuary. “We brought our sanctuary more in line with how we pray, ” Zerwekh says. The first step was to replace some of the fixed pews with movable seat...…
…24 | MAY 6 • 2021 T wo luminaries of the Michigan legal community — one at the prime of her profession, and the other retired after an illustrious 70-year career — will be honored in a free online event presented by the Jewish Bar Association of Michigan (JBAM). Dana Nessel, Michigan’s attorney general since 2019, will receive JBAM’s inaugural Ruth Bader Ginsburg Champion of Justice Award. At the same event, United States Dis...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 25 T he 2020 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents issued April 27 by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) shows cases of antisemitism in the state of Michigan rose by 21% in 2020, which continues a concerning trend of upward increases. Five years ago, ADL documented only 15 incidents in its annual audit; this year’s spike represents an increase of 240% since 2016, with 51 incidents total. The 51 incidents place Michigan ...…
…26 | MAY 6 • 2021 MAZEL TOV! MARCH 10, 2021 Daniel and Jordan Wirt of Chicago happily announce the birth of their son, Jack Marlin. He and his 2-year-old sister, Stephanie Golde, are the grandchildren of Dena Jaffe Wirt and the late Stephen Wirt of Bay City, Mich., and of Judith and Michael Newmark of St. Louis, Mo. Their great-grandparents are the late Jack and Alice Wirt, the late Ruben and Judy Jaffe, the late Harold and Janice N...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 27 Yaari-Lebovic D iane and Joey Lebovic of Farmington Hills and Nira and David Yaari of West Bloomfield are thrilled to announce the upcoming marriage of their children Sara Lebovic and Tom Yaari. Sara received her bache- lor’s degree in nursing and her master’s degree in nurse midwifery from the University of Michigan. She has been a practicing certified nurse\mid- wife in private practice for five years. Tom rece...…
…28 | MAY 6 • 2021 SPIRIT W ords create people, and words create societies. Delving into the latest science around speech and neuroscience, communica- tion professor Mark Waldman, one of the world’s leading experts on communication, and Dr Andrew Newberg, a research director at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, explore the idea of “compassionate communication” in their book Words Can Change Your Brain. They describe how, fr...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 29 SPIRIT TORAH PORTION Take A Fresh Look A couple of years ago, I had an encounter at my favorite grocery store in Royal Oak that I still think about today. I was in the produce section when I happened upon a group of elementary school stu- dents, probably in fourth or fifth grade, with two teachers who were talking to them about fruits and vegetables. I was immediately intrigued. I wondered if it was maybe a less...…
…30 | MAY 6 • 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 Is...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 31 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...…
…32 | MAY 6 • 2021 T here will be a 30th annual Hank Greenberg Memorial Golf and Tennis Invitational after all. The milestone event was sup- posed to be held June 8, 2020, at Franklin Hills Country Club in Farmington Hills, but it was postponed to Sept. 14, 2020, by the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation because of the COVID-19 pandemic and later canceled. It was the first time in the invitational’s history that it was canceled. A...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 33 Paid & Free Announcement Submissions Now Open to All High School & College Graduates! Congratulatory announcements are a special way to honor your graduate and connect with the community. PAID ADS* INCLUDE: 1 image, title, student’s name, your own special message and signature. FREE LISTINGS* INCLUDE: 1 image, student’s name, high school, university, achievements, and featured in the online gallery. *Ads are booked ...…
…34 | MAY 6 • 2021 M other’s Day is near- ly here. This year, the date set aside expressly to pay tribute to mothers everywhere is this Sunday, May 9. Most moms don’t ask for much. They just want a little acknowledgement and perhaps a day off from everyday responsibilities — like preparing or organizing meals. If you’re the only mom in your family, you may want someone else to do the cooking if it’s usually your duty. If yo...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 35 with liquid (I use my hands). Add the bananas and pecans and toss again Pour this mixture into the baking dish. Wrap plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1-24 hours. When ready, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the French toast from the refrig- erator and when the oven reaches temperature, unwrap and place in the center of the oven. Bake 45-minutes to 1 hour until very puffy and golden. You can eithe...…
…36 | MAY 6 • 2021 A bigail Rojansky, violist with the Verona Quartet, began her musical leanings at a young age after coming to an agreement with her mom. Her professional accom- plishments advanced as she came to agreements with others. Although Rojansky wanted to con- centrate on ballet classes, her mom wanted her to enroll in violin lessons, following the avocation of the young- ster’s grandfather. The agreement had Rojansky stud...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 37 “THE CONCERT IS STRUNG FROM A BROAD RANGE OF OUR REPERTOIRE.” — ABIGAIL ROJANSKY DIVERSE CULTURES Verona, whose recogni- tion has included the 2020 Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award, performs music by many Jewish composers. “I’ve been doing a lot of research, especially on Jewish composers who have been lost in history, and I’ve been struck by the incredible music that is out there and the pr...…
…38 | MAY 6 • 2021 A local artist had more creativity to share after Lawrence Street Gallery in Ferndale previously presented his show, “Rene Lichtman: A Retrospective 1960-2018, Paintings & Collage.” Lichtman of West Bloomfield now returns to the fine arts gallery coop- erative with a collection of new abstract paintings. His exhibit, “Chance/ Choice,” opens today, May 6, and continues through May 30, including two receptions ...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 39 Lincoln Shopping Center Greenfield and 10½ Mile Advance America ALDI Bling Bling Book Beat Church’s Chicken Conservative Cuts Dollar Castle DTLR Dr. Lazar J Anthony Kroger Lee Beauty Supply McDonalds Metro PCS Metropolitan Dry Cleaners Mookey’s Beans & Greens Original Bread Basket Paper Goods Warehouse Rainbow Step In Style Street Corner Music Suit Depot T Nails Top That White Castle FROM THE SHOPS ...…
…40 | MAY 6 • 2021 CELEBRITY NEWS ARTS&LIFE VAX LIVE’S CHANUKAH MAN; BRIT BIO-PICS VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World airs at 8 p.m. on May 8 on ABC and CBS, and streams on YouTube. The program aims to inspire vaccine confidence worldwide and help get the COVID-19 vaccines to everyone, every- where. Global Citizen, which organized the concert, will urge philanthropists and cor- porations to donate enough funds to vaccinate...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 41 JEWS OF ETHIOPIA 10 AM, MAY 6 Hadassah Greater Detroit presents “Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Hidden Jews of Ethiopia” with Rabbi Josh Bennett. Register by Thursday, May 6, at hadas- sahmidwest.org/GDraiders. There is a $10 event fee. He will explore the history of the Ethiopian Jewish community and discover the roots of an African Jewish presence in the ancient Aksumite Kingdom. For questions, contact greaterde...…
…42 | MAY 6 • 2021 A favorite neighborhood restaurant in Oak Park is off to a fresh start. Eddie’s Gourmet Restaurant & Bar adapted last year when Michigan’s pandemic safety order ended service inside restaurants and bars. Everything was going well with the carryout orders; then, a grill grease fire on Oct. 15 shuttered the place. Regular customers were afraid — especially because of the COVID pandemic — that they’ d never dine ...…
…MAY 6 • 2021 | 43 O ver the last 12 years, Matt Ran has held nearly every role at Telemus — from intern to wealth analyst to chief operating officer. Now, he has a new title — partner. The oldest son of the firm’s founder, Gary Ran, recently became the company’s sixth partner, representing the next generation of leadership for the Southfield-based family- owned business. Telemus provides financial advisory, asset and liabil...…
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…MAY 6 • 2021 | 45 Call today for your free in-home consultation 248.855.8747 Caren Bass Custom Closets,Inc. WHERE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE as featured on HGTV Leading the industry with over 30 years experience in the Metro Detroit Area. Now also organizing the Metro Denver Area with our 2nd location Custom Closets, West, Inc. Call today for your free in-home consultation www.loisharondesigns.com Lois Haron Interi...…
…46 | MAY 6 • 2021 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY SEYMOUR DEITCH, 95, of Southfield, died April 27, 2021. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 73 years, Dorothy Deitch; son and daugh- ter-in-law, Dr. Howard and Neida Deitch of Portland, Ore.; brothers and sister-in-law, Lewis and Rida Deitch, Harry Deitch, Morris Deitch; sister, Delores Davis; grandchildren, Daniel, Sabra and Lenny, Jonathan and Liana, Jessica and Ken,...…
