…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 3 J N contents PURELY COMMENTARY 4-10 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 We Are Stronger Together The Metro Detroit Jewish community — more than 2,000 strong —came together for an evening of solidarity for our Jewish state. 20 Rally to Support Israel #EndJewHatred organizes rally in support of Israel in West Bloomfield. 24 Moms of Lone Soldiers Community supports parents of those ...…
…30 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N I t is time to grab your family and friends, lace up your favorite kicks, and head over to Southfield City Center for the 2023 ADL Michigan Walk Against Hate on Oct. 22. Everyone is invited to participate to move toward a future without antisemitism, racism or bigotry. Planned speakers at this year’s ADL Michigan Walk Against Hate include Southfield Mayor Kenson Siver, ADL Senior Vice President for Public...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 31 J N Available on approved credit through Honda Financial Services. 2.99% APR for up to 36 months on select 2018–2023 HondaTrue Certified+ and HondaTrue Certified Accord, Civic, CR-V, and Pilot vehicles through 10/31/2023, for well-qualified buyers. Not all buyers will qualify. Higher financing rates apply for buyers with lower credit ratings. Actual down payment may vary. Dealer participation may affect actual payment....…
…32 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N BOOK CLUB NIGHT Monday, November 6 @ 6 PM The Majority Elizabeth L. Silver Spotlight Events For the whole brochure, please visit: jccdet.org/bookfair | 248-609-3303 PATRON NIGHT Oscar Wars | Michael Schulman Thursday, November 2 @ 7:30 PM A captivating history of the Academy Awards featuring a star-studded cast of Hollywood players and a live concert of Oscar favorites! To become a Book Fair patron, plea...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 33 J N DATE TIME BOOK TITLE/PROGRAM AUTHOR/GUEST SUN. OCT. 22 1:00 pm (P) BEFORE THE FAIR – LIVE at the DIA! Brushed Aside: The Untold Story of Women in Art (NF) Noah Charney 4 WED. NOV. 1 1:00 pm (P) She’s Up to No Good (F) Sarah Goodman Confino 7:00 pm (P) We Need to Talk About Antisemitism (NF) Rabbi Diana Fersko 4 ...…
…JAMAL AWAD/FLASH90/JTA Israeli security forces search from Hamas Militants in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, Oct. 7, 2023. OUR COMMUNITY Initial reaction from Metro Detroiters who made aliyah. The Shemini Atzeret/ Simchat Torah War: Operation Iron Swords NATHANIEL WARSHAY EFRAT, ISRAEL I n the western Midwest states of Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and others, where it is so flat you can see from one state line across to th...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 35 J N YOSSI ZAMIR/FLASH90/JTA Israeli security seen next to burnt cars at the entrance to Kibbutz Be’eri, near the Israeli-Gaza Border, in southern Israel, Oct. 9, 2023. mass murder, kidnapping. Stories abound in the Israeli press of terrorists entering unlocked homes and safe rooms during air raid sirens, killing, raping and stealing children and adults of all ages. The Times of Israel told of one man who r...…
…36 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N DETROITERS IN ISRAEL Moshe “Mark” and Badonna Berkman lived in Flint for 10 years and Oak Park for 15 years before making aliyah and settling in Ranana. “Badonna and I have some fear for personal safety, but a strong sense of anger for what has happened,” Moshe said. “Think of it, Hamas launched literally thousands of missiles into areas where people live, trying to kill them on a holiday (Simchat Tor...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 37 J N to serve. “Both of my sisters’ husbands were called, and the son of my family’s next- door neighbors is missing.” Meirav, who is the Eim Bayit or House Mother at Lindenbaum Seminary in Jerusalem’s southeastern Arnona neighborhood, said, “Our group trip to Poland that was supposed to leave tonight (Oct. 8) was canceled because of the situation.” Lindenbaum, which is affiliated with Ohr Torah Stone, found...…
…38 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N A s the horrifying reality of war between Israel and Hamas became known, over 360,000 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reservists, both inside the country and abroad, were summoned to join the battle in a matter of hours. Those living abroad quickly scrambled to find ways into the homeland amid endless canceled and delayed flights. Many are leaving their families for an indefinite amount of time and a sto...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 39 J N M.I.A, I don’t know if he’s dead or kidnapped. My family is sheltering in place. My sister, with her year-old baby, moved in with my parents because her husband got called in to serve. The angst is very high.” Leaving a wife and two kids under the age of 3 to go halfway around the world to war as Levy has is something no one would do lightly. Levy has had people tell him he’s courageous for dropping e...…
…4 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N from the Executive Director Our Duty to Our Community F irst, I would like to send blessings and strength to all of you, your friends and family as we go through these horrendous, unprecedented times. I’m sending prayers to all of our people who are in harm’s way. May God keep them safe. Like you, I have been both devastated and speechless by the events in Israel. But at the same time, I have been truly...…
…40 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N something like that,” he said. “I’m also 42. So at my age, I’d be dismissed from service anyway.” Lieberman still wants to find a way to return to Israel and help in any way he can. “If it means to push a gurney, I’ll do that. If it means to help bring people water, I’ll do that. Whatever it needs to be, I’m willing to do it. And I am trying to make it happen.” Leiberman is coordinating with the head o...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 41 J N ROCHE BOBOIS NOVI 43235 Twelve Mile Rd. Novi, MI 48377 Tel: 248 833 0300 Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm The 8 Exceptional Days: exceptional prices on all collections. Until October 22nd, it’s the perfect time to bring all your wishes of comfort and design to life, while enjoying exceptional prices on our collection of sofas, furniture pieces and accessories. We look forward to seeing you! PR...…
…OUR COMMUNITY E ven though she feels confi- dent in Hillel Day School’s security protocols and staff and is grateful her 5-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son are at school with supportive peers and professionals, school drop-off hasn’t been easy this week, says Danielle Gordon of Farmington Hills. Like so many other parents whose children attend Jewish day schools around Metro Detroit, she’s had a hard time saying “see you late...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 43 J N Sarah Schjoneman of Waterford says she feels secure and proud of her choice to send her 5-year-old daughter to a Jewish day school. “Even in the aftermath of everything that is happening and will continue to happen, I think the communal aspect of sur- rounding herself with Jewish peers is important, and I think safety is always my top con- cern as a parent,” she said. Sheina Kopstein, of Farmington Hills,...…
…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 43 44 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N In terms of safety, there’s safety and perceived safety, he says, adding that the school is in constant contact with Jewish Community Security Inc., which is in constant contact with the FBI and police. The school has had security audits several times and is fairly secure, he says, add- ing that it has also ramped up security some to address parent concerns. “We have...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 45 J N Vigil at University of Michigan Jewish groups held an Israel solidarity event on Oct. 9. JN STAFF A long with you, our hearts are aching as we watch the events unfolding in Israel — there are truly no words, wrote Abbey Frank, chair of the Board of Trustees at the University of Michigan Hillel, in an email to students and friends of the university. Michigan Hillel, along with the Jewish Resource Center...…
…46 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N A s the Israeli death toll following the unprecedented attack from Hamas continues to rise, the Metro Detroit Jewish community is grappling with the effects of the crisis. On Oct. 7 alone, more than 1,300 soldiers and civilians were killed, a dark day that many say is the largest number of Jews killed in a single day since the Holocaust. For many, the trauma of what has now been declared an “all-out ...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 47 J N funds or volunteer for a program at a synagogue or organization supporting the emergency. You can also volunteer in another way, such as reading to children in a kindergarten classroom or visiting isolated older adults. “ Anything we do to help others makes us feel a little less helpless, ” she explains. STEP 8: STICK TO ROUTINE WHEN POSSIBLE A routine can help you feel in control, which Breuer says is i...…
…48 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N SPORTS quick hits BY STEVE STEIN R at” seems like a perfect nickname for a softball umpire. But Barry “Rat” Lepofsky doesn’t fit that narrative. He’s a good guy. “Rat is a consummate pro. He’s a student of the game,” said fellow softball umpire and longtime friend Rob Landaw, who hired Lepofsky to work in the Inter-Congregational Men’s Club Summer Softball League about a decade ago. “Rat knows ho...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 49 J N Associated Endocrinologists welcomes our newest physician Ewa Gniado, M.D. Karen K. Berris, M.D. • Howard S. Blank, M.D. • Gary W. Edelson, M.D. • Leedor Lieberman, M.D. Jacob Moe, D.O. • Lowell R. Schmeltz, M.D. • Samina Syed, M.D. • Carla Ferrise, FNP-BC Erica Forbes, FNP • Meryl Krochmal, RD, CDCES 32255 Northwestern Highway, Suite 214 | Farmington Hills, MI | Phone (248) 855-5620 | Fax: (248) 855-5628 ...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 5 J N essay We Cannot Be Silent I never post on social media. I have children and friends and business colleagues with whom I sometimes dis- agree on politics and have always chosen to keep those discussions pri- vate. Why add my voice to the cacophony of social media opinions? But today is different … we cannot be silent. I have always been grateful to live in a country where I feel relatively safe, alth...…
…50 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N SPORTS quick hits BY STEVE STEIN The 73-year-old Farmington Hills resident was one of the Pillars of Excellence recipients at the foundation’s Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet. Landaw, who has been umpiring softball for 45 years, was a Pillars of Excellence recipient in 2016. “Getting a Pillars of Excellence award came out of nowhere,” Lepofsky said. “I was humbled to say the least...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 51 J N The story of Dean Kremer caught the attention of Joey Yashinsky last week. Yashinsky is a knowledgeable baseball fan and shortstop on the championship-winning Congregation Shaarey Zedek team in the Inter-Congregational Men’s Club Summer Softball League. Kremer is an Israeli- American pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. He has dual citizenship in the two countries, with much of his extended family livi...…
…52 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N 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 (...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 53 J N O ne question, asked in faith, has the power to change a life. I know because it changed mine. It happens when you ask: What is God calling on me to do in these circum- stances at this time? To believe in Divine Providence is to trust that God is interwoven in our lives. This does not make suffering less painful. But it opens a door that leads us to the light. It helps us live a life that is an ans...…
…Synagogue Directory METRO DETROIT CONSERVATIVE Adat Shalom Synagogue Farmington Hills (248) 851-5100 adatshalom.org Congregation Beth Ahm West Bloomfield (248) 851-6880 cbahm.org Congregation Beth Shalom Oak Park (248) 547-7970 congbethshalom.org Beth Tephilath Moses Mt. Clemens (586) 996-3138 bethtephilathmoses.com B’nai Israel Synagogue West Bloomfield (248) 432-2729 bnaiisraelwb.org Congregation B’nai Moshe West Blo...…
…Temple Emanu-El Oak Park (248) 967-4020 emanuel-mich.org Temple Israel West Bloomfield (248) 661-5700 temple-israel.org Temple Kol Ami West Bloomfield (248) 661-0040 tkolami.org Temple Shir Shalom West Bloomfield (248) 737-8700 shirshalom.org REFORM/RENEWAL Congregation Shir Tikvah Troy (248) 649-4418 shirtikvah.org SECULAR/HUMANISTIC Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit Farmington Hills (248) 477-1410 ...…
…56 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N I n the course of serving a musical residency at Temple Israel, Aaron Markovitz is in the midst of highlights from his experiences — the release of an eight-song album with music and lyrics he wrote and performs, as well as the live introduction of that album at a Kabbalat Shabbat service on Oct. 20. The album, An Infinite Wave, showcases other talented musicians in addition to Markovitz and was inte...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 57 J N of country and the genre called Americana, which encompasses bluegrass, country and rock. There is no traditional cantorial Jewish music on this recording. “Cantor Smolash mentioned to me that one of the things he wanted to come out of this residency was to get this music recorded and put it out to the Jewish community, so that’s where the idea for the album came from,” Markovitz said. “I’ve spent th...…
…58 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON WITH A SIDE OF SOONER JEWS Killers of the Flower Moon, a Martin Scorsese film, has received great advance reviews. It opens in theaters on Oct. 20. You should be aware that the film is 3 hours and 25 min- utes. That’s a long time, especially if you, or a com- panion, have issues that make sitting for a long time difficult. Killers is based on David Grann’s critically acclaimed...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 59 J N ‘SEVEN SAMURAI’ 7 PM, OCT. 20 (FRI.) At the Detroit Film Theatre in the DIA, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, (313) 833-7900. A film from Japan (1954) directed by Akira Kurosawa. Consistently called one of the best movies ever made, with an influence on movie-making that resonates to the present day. In 16th century Japan, a small village is regularly plundered by bandits until a band of unemployed samu...…
…PURELY COMMENTARY continued from page 4 1942 - 2023 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week To make a donation to the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION go to the website www.thejewishnews.com 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: sen...…
…60 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N SHOPPING EVENT 10:30 AM-4:30 PM, OCT. 22 (SUN.) Shop an exclusive collection of designer artwork, jewelry, clothing, sweet treats, home goods and more. Support local artists. 20% of proceeds will benefit Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network. At 630 Waddington, Bloomfield Hills. Info: 248-599-3969 or mtopper@jhcn.org. FOR GRANDPARENTS 2-4 PM, OCT. 22+ (SUN.) Temple Israel and JGrand (a program of J...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 61 J N JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT Scan the QR code to book. We Still Do. Celebrate your anniversary with the Detroit Jewish community. …
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…64 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N A self-proclaimed “professional volunteer” and devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Ellen Labes was an inspirational role model to her community and the many people whose lives she touched. Her generous spirit and natural leader- ship skills made her an asset to the many organizations she served and a beloved matriarch to her cherished husband and family. Ellen, who lived in Bloomfield Hills, passed aw...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 65 J N ARLINE CARRIS, 86, of Bloomfield Hills, died on Oct. 12, 2023. She is survived by her daughter and son-in- law, Jodi and Adam Becker; grandchildren, Ellory, Eric and Ryan Becker, Karen Carris; sister, Sandra Sipher; many other loving family members and friends. Arline was the beloved wife of the late Harry Carris; mother of the late Michael Carris and the late Matthew Carris. Interment was held at B...…
…OBITUARIES OF BLESSED MEMORY 66 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N Marv Scheflin. Interment was held at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in Birmingham. Contributions may be made to Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, to the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center, to Jewish Senior Life or to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel. JANE JACOBS, 62, of Farmington Hills, died on Oct. 8, 2023. She is survived by her beloved husband...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 67 J N Richard was the proud son of the late Barnet and the late Ida Leland. He was also preceded in death by his doting sisters, Sylvia (Bernie) Bielous, Beatrice Leland, Hilda Levitan. Interment was at Beth El Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. STUART PINSKY, 74, of Farmington Hills, died Oct. 8, 2023. He will be remembered for his l...…
…68 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N Editor’s Note: A full tribute to the life of Florine Mark will appear in next week’s Jewish News. F lorine Mark, the entrepre- neur, philanthropist, Israel supporter and weight-loss guru, died Oct. 13, 2023, at age 90. She was the former owner of Weight Watchers franchises in Michigan and several other states, Canada and Mexico. Her numerous affiliations include the board of directors for Business Leaders...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 69 J N Resilience in the Face of Tragedy A t weekly JN editorial meetings, I usually report about the topic of my next Looking Back column. The heinous Hamas attack on Israel last Saturday, on Oct. 7, changed everything. This week, I wasn’t sure as to what I would write about. At this week’s meeting, the attack dominated our conversations, our minds and our emo- tions, along with an abrupt need to revamp the focus of...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 7 J N Are your teens prepared for this war online? Instead of asking what we can do to help educate today’s young people after the tensions rise, OpenDor Media is already educating them with over 300 videos on all the hardest topics. With years of experience in this space, we have designed our videos to rise to the top of the search results so when people ask the questions, we’re already there giving them the an...…
…Jewish Joke of the Week Who led the Jewish people across a semi permeable membrane? Os-Moses Just for Fun Jewish Star You’ll need six craft sticks to make two sets of equilateral triangles; once you do that, just glue one triangle on top of the other, and voila — you have a Jewish Star! Decorate it with blue and white embellishments — buttons, sequins, pom poms, beads or anything else that you like. (from makeitjewish.com) Salt Paint...…
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…8 | OCTOBER 19 • 2023 J N prayer Let’s Light Shabbat Candles I urge Jews around the world to come together to light Shabbat candles in support of Israel. Together with my wife, Gina, we offer you our personal prayer to recite after you light your Shabbat candles this week. This is a spiritual war by those who seek to destroy Israel not because of its borders, but because of what it stands for — the world’s only Jewish st...…
…OCTOBER 19 • 2023 | 9 J N our aged, men and women and children all who were wounded at the hands of the cruel enemy. Illuminate your presence for them and send them a complete healing, speedily in our days. God, full of mercy and com- passion, provide tranquil rest on the wings of the Divine Presence, for the souls of Your nation, men, women, and children, murdered in cold blood, their blood spilled like water. May their eternal r...…
