…FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 | 61 B rigadier General Norman Ralph Thorpe (USAF Ret.), 87, of Birmingham, died on Jan. 24, 2022. He was born in 1934 in Carlinville, Ill. In his early years, he was raised by his mother, Imogene Thorpe, and grand- mother, Carrie Hayes. These strong women instilled in him an incredible work ethic and an appreciation of equality and fairness. Although the family was small and came from mod- est means, Norm love...…
…62 | FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 his best four-legged friend, Teddy. Mr. Fynke was the devoted son of the late Iris Ann Fynke and the late Richard Fynke; dear son-in-law of the late Joyce Rosett. Interment was at Beth El Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to Dr. Dennis D. and Flora Kerner Kovan Memorial Fund, Children’s Hospital of Michigan-Main Campus, 3901 Beaubien, Detroit, MI 48201, yourchildrensfoundation.org/ ways-to-give. If...…
…FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 | 63 continued on page 65 F or nearly a quarter- century, Arthur Tarnow was a United States District Court Judge in Detroit. A person of great empathy who cared about the disadvantaged, Judge Tarnow would daily box half his lunch and give it to homeless people on nearby Downtown streets. The judge’s empathy would also extend to the criminal defendants he sent to prison, explains his wife, Jackie Tarnow. “When ...…
…64 | FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY S aul Shepsol Saulson, 93, of Franklin, died Jan. 13, 2022. A friend described Saul as “The finest of men. A man’s man balanced with sensitivity and humility. A gem. Very dig- nified, never haughty. Grace, kindness and values to the highest degree. Tall in stature and in morals. ” His family saw him as “opti- mistic and adventuresome, fun-loving and curious, deter- mined and di...…
…FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 | 65 and daughters-in-law, Marc and Ellen Lipton, Craig and Miriam Lipton, Eric (John Gormley) Lifschitz; daughter and son-in-law, Jody (Geoff Kretchmer) Lipton; grandchildren, Corey, Celia, Noah, Emma, Eli and Esme, who all loved and will miss her. Mrs. Lipton was predeceased by her beloved husband, Bill Lipton; brother, Sheldon (Rhonda and Carli) Levine; her parents, Elkan and Betty Levine. Interment took ...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 66 | FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 c. 1980 MARVIN ALAN OLESHANSKY, 75, of Silver Springs, Md., died Jan. 20, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Joyce (nee Schoenheimer); children, Jacob, James and Celia; brothers and sisters-in-law, William and Marlene, and David and Deborah; and their families. Interment was at Machpelah Cemetery. Contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Ir...…
…FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 | 67 GAIL RUBY, 78, of Oak Park, died Jan. 24, 2022. She is survived by her sons, Irwin Ruby and Brian Ruby; daughter, Jodi Ruby; grandchildren, Whitney Ruby, Ryan Ruby and Jake Aguilar; great-grandchildren, Madison Ruby and Rylee Ruby; sisters and brothers- in-law, Sandra and Mike Goodman, and Hannah and Dave Sterngast; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Elissa Dishell and Richard “Rick” Ruby. Mrs. Ruby was ...…
…68 | FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 Ferguson, and his partner, Ailsa Wonnacott; sister and brother-in-law, Ginny and Michael Thorp; mother, Jacqueline Joyce Ferguson. Interment was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Michigan Humane Society, 30300 Telegraph Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms, MI 48025, michiganhumane. org/tributes; Alzheimer’s Association-Greater Michigan Chapter, 25200 Telegraph Road, Suite 100, Southfi...…
…FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 | 69 and great-nephews. He is also survived by many other loving family members and friends. Mr. Szlamkowicz was the loving brother of the late Dov Szlamkowicz and the late Abraham Szlamkowicz. Interment was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Hospice of Michigan, 43097 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302, hom.org/donations. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. SHEILA WEINBERG, 8...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org Hero Rabbis Hero Rabbis I t was another shocking occurrence. In Colleyville, Texas, a deranged person, spouting antisemitic tropes and slanders, took four people hos- tage at the Congregation Beth Israel. One of the hostages was Rabbi Charlie Cytron- Walker. The crisis began when the rabbi decid- ed to aid a seemin...…
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…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 3 contents Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2022 / 25 Shevat- 1 Adar 1 5782| VOLUME CLX, ISSUE 24 PURELY COMMENTARY 4-12 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 14 Hostage Aftermath Examining the courage required to be a rabbi, community support, antisemitism and security. 18 University of Michigan Removes Schlissel as President Former University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman has been appointed interim pre...…
…4 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 PURELY COMMENTARY opinion Jews And Muslims Can Walk a Common Path. Martin Luther King Jr. Showed Us How. I n 1957, at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered words whose wisdom continue to resound today: “For the person who hates, the true becomes false and the false becomes true. That’s what hate does. You can’t see right. The symbol of objectivity is lost. Hate dest...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 5 gather a book group for clergy, so that we can study deeply and reflect upon social issues that we can best address together. We need to establish advocacy coalitions to push together for better governmental monitoring of Islamophobia and the overdue confirmation of Dr. Deborah Lipstadt as U.S. Special Envoy to Combat and Monitor Antisemitism. We need to dream about more Muslim-Jewish community centers an...…
…6 | JANUARY 27 • 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: De...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 7 DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248-354-6060 thejewishnews.com Discover the Difference Mortgage Rates at an All-Time Low There’s no better time than right now to make your dream home a reality with Toll Brothers. Reserve at West Bloomfield combines spacious ranch-style homes, a convenient location, and resort-style amenities to create luxury, low-maintenance living j...…
…8 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 of 10 prisoners who were then building Monowitz, the vast synthetic rubber factory whose construction took thousands of lives, yet produced not an ounce of the precious material. Those who did not die that winter would “suffer minute by minute, all day, every day.” In fact, the very word “winter,” Levi argues, seems inadequate to what the prisoners had to endure. “Just as our hunger is not the feeling of ...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 9 After being a finalist on the NBC show Last Comic Standing, comedian Gary Gulman is shining a spotlight on mental health in his HBO special, The Great Depresh, from executive producer Judd Apatow. With humor, vulnerability, and honesty, Gary destigmatizes mental illness, normalizes treatment and offers hope. Join us as he takes the stage for a night of comedy and connection. For registration and sponsorship infor...…
…10 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 opinion Importance of In-Person Prayer T he Jan. 15 hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, has inspired many fears: that there will be more violence directed at synagogues, that this attack will fuel Islamophobia, that increased policing at shuls will harm Jews of color. I think there is yet another danger, less immediate but nonetheless worth discussing. As Jewish commun...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 11 We lead increasingly atomized lives, buying in private rather than being in public. Private spaces are also inherently unequal. Not everyone has a computer, a quiet room and a reliable internet connection to access online services. For all their inclusiveness, online services will likely marginalize unhoused people; they will be most comfortable for those with large, spacious houses and up-to-date technol...…
…12 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 opinion Schools Must Coexist with COVID I am tired of COVID. I know you are, too. But here we are, dealing with a fourth wave of coronavirus, and beginning to wonder if we’re going to work our way all the way through the Greek alphabet and ultimately get to an Omega variant sometime this year or next. At least for those of us who are vaccinated and boosted, each new outbreak is somewhat less disrupti...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 13 …
…14 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY A s far back as Abraham and Sarah, Jews have been taught to be a welcoming people. Congregations and those who lead them have long championed the message, opening their doors, literally and figuratively, to their members and the broader community. “These are open spaces; there’s a strong, deeply rooted notion in Judaism about kindness to strangers and welcoming strangers,” says Howard Lup...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 15 continued on page 16 service when she heard ranting and shouting. She was shocked to learn her rabbi and three congregants were being held hostage. “During the ordeal, I thought, if I was ever in such a situation, [Rabbi Charlie] would be the person I would want with me because he’s such a calming presence,” she tells the JN. “ After learning the details since they escaped, I feel certain that he is the ...…
…16 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 whatever way worked for her,” Miller says. “... It is paralyzing to simply wait in fear.” Miller usually does not use email or social media on Shabbat, yet he put out a post to inform the Beth El community and to ask for prayers while also protecting the identity of the rabbi’s family members. Additionally, he sent a message to the Temple’s board of trustees and notified them that he would only send out a...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 17 started a school security program and focused on agencies serving children. In recent years, Federation has additionally helped agencies apply for National Department of Homeland Security grants and offered grant-matching programs to help synagogues improve their security. And when it comes to responding to incidents like the one recently in Texas, Detroit’s community also relies on close relationships wit...…
…18 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY T he University of Michigan Board of Regents on Jan. 15 announced it unanimously voted to remove Mark Schlissel as president due to an alleged “inappropriate relationship with a university employee.” They said an anonymous tip came on Dec. 8 alleging that Schlissel, the second Jewish president in U-M’s history, and the sub-ordinate were having an affair. “After an investigation, we learned...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 19 T his February, Rabbi Levi Dubov of Chabad Jewish Center of Bloomfield Hills will offer Meditation from Sinai, a fascinat- ing and deeply mean- ingful new six-session course by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), exploring the nature of Jewish med- itation, mindfulness and spirituality, and the profound benefits it can bring to one’s daily life. Meditation from Sinai is a rev- olutionary, empowering c...…
…20 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 F or 18 years, a group of protesters has gathered every Saturday outside one of this city’s synagogues during Shabbat morning ser- vices, brandishing signs with slogans such as “Jewish Power Corrupts.” Last week, for the first time, the city council of Ann Arbor issued a formal resolution condemning the protests as antisemitic. The resolution answers the pleas of members of Beth Israel Congregation, a Co...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 21 He said the city had issued some proclamation against the group in 2004, before he became mayor, but that a 2021 resolution condemning anti-Asian harassment had “resurfaced” the desire to issue something more force- ful against this group. Taylor has spoken out against the protests before and has visited the syna- gogue to apologize directly to congregants. The protesters “express antisemitic tropes, they ped...…
…22 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 OUR COMMUNITY J ewish Family Service (JFS) of Metropolitan Detroit continues to develop Lev Detroit (lev means heart in Hebrew), directed specifically toward the local Orthodox Jewish community. “Lev Detroit, JFS’s recent initiative to be as frum-friendly as possible, began in 2019 with JFSers Dini Peterson and Sammie Rosenbloom leading the charge, ” says JFS CEO Perry Ohren. “This follows almost 100 years ...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 23 continued on page 24 HEALTH Struggling to Sleep Try these tips to ensure you get your Zzzzzs. DORON LAZARUS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS A re you feeling that tension right about now? Is it the latest wave of COVID that is causing stress? (As if we didn’t have anything to worry about before COVID). Perhaps it’s a per- sonal financial issue? New job or conflict in the workplace? Having a rough time with you...…
…24 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 HEALTH and paper and pour out your concerns. Plan your next day. Right out some of your emotional angst. If talking things out is better for you then find a friend. You don’t need to come to a resolution, but you do need to process thoughts and emotions beyond your own head. 3. Sacred Space: Kabbalistically, a couple’s bedroom in their home parallels the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem. And tha...…
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…26 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 I f you are like most people, you’ve thought of health-related issues and little else during the past year and a half. Yet, at the same time, many of us have neglected our health during the pandemic. If this seems like an oxymoron, consider the fact that despite hours spent wiping down groceries and researching the best masks for our families, many of us stopped paying careful attention to what we e...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 27 BRUCE SMOLER D.D.S., F.A.G.D., F.I.C.O.I Changing the lives of thousands of dental patients, giving back the simplest pleasures of living like chewing, eating, smiling and laughing. State of the art implant robotic technology Zygomatic Dental Implants; solution for patients with bone loss SMOLER SMILES FAMILY & IMPLANT DENTISTRY | WESTLAND, MI FIND OUT MORE AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE 855-NEED-TEETH www.SmolerSmil...…
…28 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 Tips to Help Reduce Stress Spend time outside … even if it is cold! Being in nature helps release stress so venture outside for a few minutes each day to nurture a sense of wellbeing. Limit exposure to the news. We all need to stay informed about the world around us. But 24/7 exposure can cause a tremendous increase in our baseline stress levels. Instead, limit yourself to one half-hour news show eac...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 29 Navigating these times together 6445 W. Maple Road | West Bloomfield, MI 48322 | 248-661-1600 | wbhrc.com Choosing a skilled nursing facility for your loved one during these trying times can certainly seem daunting. Thankfully, impartial third-party experts are available to help distinguish the very best in the industry. We are honored that U.S. News & World Report has named West Bloomfield Health & Rehabilitation C...…
…30 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 J anuary and February are some of the toughest months for Michiganders. In previous years, an increase in mental health concerns during this time could be attributed in part to seasonal depression. Now, however, the ongoing COVID- 19 pandemic and surge of the Omicron variant are making this winter more challenging than ever for people in Metro Detroit. “There’s a feeling of hopelessness right now, ” says...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 31 very helpless and like they don’t have any control over the situation. ” Now, Michiganders are growing irritable. Schwartz is seeing a lot of “when is this going to be over?”-type thinking, with frustration mounting over rapidly changing guidance from the CDC. “The information changes every day, which seems to also create anxiety for people because nobody knows what the right answer is anymore, ” she says...…
…32 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 E ating disorders can be serious health problems but often are unrecog- nized or misunderstood. Dini Peterson, chief program offi- cer, Family and Community Services, Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Metropolitan Detroit, says that 9% of the American popu- lation is believed to have an eating disorder — two-thirds of them girls and women. Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating are mo...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 33 D eborah Dash Moore has taught Jewish history surrounding the Holocaust for 30 years and is confi- dent there always is a lot more to be learned by students and teachers. Moore, the Frederick G.L. Huetwell Professor of history and professor of Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan as well as editor-in-chief of the Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, applied that stance throughout the pande...…
…34 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 S ix million Jewish individuals were killed during the Holocaust, and many of the hundreds of European communities where they lived were essentially decimated. Afterward, beginning in the 1950s and continuing even today, some Jewish survivors of European villages, cities and regions began to publish books about their communities. They wanted to document the rich Jewish life of their hometowns, often dating ...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 35 moved to Farmington Hills), a library with archives was an important part of his plan. According to Weiss, “He wanted documentation.” Today the Zekelman memorial book collection is an important resource for Holocaust survivors and their children; individuals doing genealogy research; as well as students, researchers and authors. Cheri Eisenberg, a former Detroiter who now lives in Atlanta, explains that th...…
…36 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 ERETZ A lot of hopes are riding on the skates of Hailey Kops and Evgeni Krasnopolski. The figure-skating pair are among six athletes expected to represent Israel at the Beijing Olympics, Feb. 4–20. And Israel has never medaled at the Winter Games. “Yes, there’s a little pressure — but in the best way possible,” Kops tells ISRAEL21c. This will be the first Olympics for Kops, 19, and the third for Krasnopolski,...…
…JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 37 COMMUNITY but his Outstanding Athlete status allowed him to contin- ue training and competing. Relocating to New Jersey for intensive training, he returned to Israel every three months to put in his required time on base over the next five years. Hailey Kops first ventured onto the rink at 3 years old under the tutelage of her mother, Lisa, a U.S. Figure Skating Association gold medalist. Within a few years...…
…38 | JANUARY 27 • 2022 faces&places O n Jan. 19, close to 250 members of Temple Shir Shalom joined in-person and online for their annual “Tikkun Olam-a-thon” — a day of social action celebrating both Jewish values and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. From toddlers to octogenarian participants, there were projects for every age benefitting 10 different local orga- nizations. Projects ranged from making peanut butter and jelly...…
