…MARCH 30 • 2023 | 93 D r. Jan Rival, 87, of Bloomfield Hills, died March 15, 2023. He was born in Bratislava of the former Czechoslovakia, and was married there in 1963 to Eva Slobodova. Both are Holocaust survivors. Raised in a fam- ily of doctors in Czechoslovakia, Jan never doubted that he would also become a physician. Dr. Rival became a renowned internist and cardiol- ogist respected by his peers, admired by his students ...…
…Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org 94 | MARCH 30 • 2023 The ‘Jewish Catskills’ T his past Jan. 3, our intrepid reporter Danny Schwartz swung his “Synagogue Spotlight” onto First Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in South Haven, Michigan. First Hebrew has served the small local Jewish com- munity since 1928. Moreover, it has served annual contingents of r...…
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…10 | MARCH 23 • 2023 PURELY COMMENTARY continued on page 13 student’s corner You Are Never Too Young to Repair the World I nterfaith relations, antisemitism and a bet- ter understanding of the world around us were just a few issues that more than 100 high school students took on while attending the American Jewish Committee Leaders for Tomorrow (AJC LFT) program in Washington, D.C., March 12-14. I had the privilege of rep- re...…
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…12 | MARCH 23 • 2023 PURELY COMMENTARY guest column Dream Big Getting big, bold things done requires determination and resilience. D reaming big was on my mind as I boarded my flight home after spending a few days in Israel last month. I traveled to Israel with Corewell Health and Henry Ford colleagues, and others from Michigan, to gain insights from Israeli culture, inno- vative start-ups and the country’s health care syst...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 13 have already partnered with in Michigan, some that have ideas we are following up on, and others that are pushing every boundary. I believe innovation starts with a healthy dissatisfaction with the status quo and deep curiosity. This is where Israel and the U.S. have a common- ality. We cannot be OK with the current situation, and thus we must invest in people and nurture their creativity to develop new ideas...…
…A century-old scandal at the U.S. Naval Academy continues to resonate today. A High Tide of Hate? SIDNEY HEISLER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS 14 | MARCH 23 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY ON THE COVER the U.S. Naval Academy continues to resonate …
…DARWIN BRANDIS / ISTOCK A century-old scandal at the U.S. Naval Academy continues to resonate today. A High Tide of Hate? A High Tide of Hate? T he year 1922 was at the beginning of the decade that became known as the “Roaring Twenties. ” Many of the inno- vations and notable personalities of this decade — Babe Ruth, the dawn of the Radio Age and Charles Lindbergh's historic flight — provided the energy and excitement for this re...…
…The story made headlines across the nation and around the world. The controversy made front-page news in the June 23, 1922, Detroit Jewish Chronicle. A BRILLIANT MIND But who was the real Leonard Kaplan? Kaplan, age 22, was a brilliant Jewish student who graduated second in his class. He won sev- eral academic prizes, including the Sexton Prize for excellence in practical and theoretical nav- igation and the Superintendent Award fo...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 17 drawn to Jerauld Olmsted, the editor-in-chief of the yearbook, who was deemed primarily responsible for the publication. Olmstead and Kaplan had an intense rivalry to be number one in the class. Olmsted ultimately finished as the top student in 1922. Olmsted was the regimental commander and also the president of the class. Additionally, Olmsted was among five members of the class slated to receive recognition for ...…
…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 17 18 | MARCH 23 • 2023 ON THE COVER for the yearbook page be punished. Harding referred the matter to Theodore Roosevelt Jr., who was the acting secretary of the Navy at the time. Roosevelt severely and publicly rebuked Olmsted. The rebuke stated in part: “You have been guilty of an action which casts grave doubt as to your … qualifications essential to an officer in the U.S. Navy. ” At the core ...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 19 continued on page 20 LACK OF COURAGE? In a letter to the American Israelite, Rear Adm. Wilson insisted that Kaplan could not have been a victim of antisemitism since he denied having a religion. Some also suggested that since Kaplan did not have the courage to admit that he was a Jew, he was presumed to be a coward and therefore could not be relied upon in dangerous situations. (It is unlikely that any of Kaplan’s...…
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…20 | MARCH 23 • 2023 continued from page 19 EPILOGUE Ensign Jerauld Olmsted died unexpectedly a little over a year later on Aug. 21, 1923, two days before his wedding. Polio was most- likely the cause of death. Leonard Kaplan served 27 years in the U.S. Navy, attaining the rank of cap- tain, and was awarded the Legion of Merit. Following his graduation from the Academy, Kaplan earned a master’s degree in Naval Architecture from ...…
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…OUR COMMUNITY B loomfield Hills Schools district is still feeling the sting of a diversity day at the high school that back- fired March 14 when panelist and anti-Israel activist Huwaida Arraf diverted from the topic of describing her childhood experiences of growing up Arab American in Metro Detroit to instead deliver her one-sided politicized views about Israel. She was allowed to deliver her agenda in four mandatory assemblies to a...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 23 Diversity Day Fallout to represent Michigan’s newly formed 10th Congressional District, referred to Zionists as occupiers running an apartheid state and accused Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip. In a video recording of the presentation shared with the JN, Arraf also denied Israel’s exis- tence, only referring to the land as Palestine. In reaction to Arraf’s unexpected anti-Israel message, some Jewish students abr...…
…OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 23 24 | MARCH 23 • 2023 FIRST APOLOGY A statement emailed to the Bloomfield Hills School District by BHHS Principal Lawrence Stroughter that afternoon explained to parents that the event was student led and organized, and that administrators met with each speaker to discuss the intent of the assembly. Other panelists included members of the Asian, Black, Indigenous and Transgender commu- nities. The ...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 25 a complete understanding that Arraf should have never been allowed to speak and had no place as an invited guest to the school.” Gamer said part of the problem was that administrators and school faculty do not understand the nuances between criticizing Israel and slipping into anti-Zionism as an expression of antisemitism. “There were 25 of us all in a room that included administrators and school board members,” ...…
…allowed to blast hate speech to the entire school?” On the day after the assemblies, the student stopped in a girl’s restroom between classes. In a locked handicapped stall, she noticed that several girls had gathered and were having a conversation about what had happened at the diversity assemblies. She heard them whisper- ing things about Jews. When another friend entered the bathroom, the student whispered to her to listen, and the...…
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…28 | MARCH 23 • 2023 O n Aug. 17, 2022, when Amanda Fahim, co-sponsorship coordinator at Jewish Family Services in Ann Arbor, and Spanish translator Zachary Kaiser drove to Detroit Metropolitan Airport to pick up a refugee family from Colombia, they were cognizant of how overwhelming the experience would be. Fahim, after all, had been through this process countless times. The family, a mom, dad and two teenage children, were f...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 29 “It’s an amazing family taking control of their own lives,” said Harvey Somers, who serves as a coordinator for JCOR. “We want them to be our independent neighbors.” JCOR volunteers report that it has been an eye-opening and transformative experience to be able to have a direct, tangible impact on a family, and one that hooks deep into Jewish values. Do not oppress the stranger — the Torah repeats 36 times, or ...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 3 PURELY COMMENTARY 4-13 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 14 A High Tide of Hate? A century-old scandal at the U.S. Naval Academy continues to resonate today. 22 Diversity Day Fallout Divisions at BHHS will take time to heal after speaker presents anti-Israel rhetoric. 28 It Takes a Jewish Village What does it take to resettle a refugee family? 32 Michigan Israel He...…
…30 | MARCH 23 • 2023 Michigan. Somers recalled the day in early August 2022, when Fahim attended a JCOR meeting with the news that there was a family arriving from Colombia in a little over a week that needed sponsorship. He wondered: Would they have ample time to help the family get settled? Within two days, the group committed to sponsoring the family and kicked into high gear. They had been training for weeks to be prepared for...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 31 Supported through the generosity of The Jewish Fund and the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Family Foundation. Facing financial dif iculty? ☐ 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 X Q We Have Answers. …
…32 | MARCH 23 • 2023 F rom Feb. 25 to March 3, 18 Michigan health tech representatives traveled to Israel to discuss innovative technologies in the health tech space and how to improve patient outcomes. It was the most recent delegation to Israel facilitated by Michigan Israel Business Accelerator, or MIBA, a nonprofit economic development organization funded by the State of Michigan. It is committed to accelerating the Michig...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 33 service. “This is the heartbeat, if you will, of the 911 response system in Israel, ” Davidoff explains. “We got a behind-the- scenes look at the integration of technology and volunteers to reduce response time in responding to emergencies. ” GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS It was an inspiring, educational mission that Davidoff says was a two-way experience for participants. “They’re serving as ambassadors for Michigan i...…
…34 | MARCH 23 • 2023 T he very fact that you are here, in this place, at this time and with these opportunities available to you, means that there is something to be done — something that only you can do, something of utmost importance to God. ” These words, credited to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, were shared during the presentation and printed in the program for UMatter’s fifth an...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 35 A s Jewish educators express a desire to earn qualifications, find jobs and earn salaries quicker, the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies announced a new format for its educator training program, now known as the Pardes Teacher Fellowship. Teachers will spend two summers and an academic year at Pardes in Jerusalem, including intensive Torah study, Hebrew language ulpan and pedagogic training. They will the...…
…36 | MARCH 23 • 2023 N ear the door to her makeup studio at Social Salon in West Bloomfield, Francie Fruitman has a $1 bill on the wall from her first client at that space that she calls her good-luck charm. “I wasn’t officially moved in, but I took them as a client that day, ” the makeup artist recalls. On the door itself is also a mezuzah that Fruitman says “makes me feel more at home. ” They’re both homages to two of the most ...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 37 MAKEUP AND JUDAISM As the momentum built, Fruitman also grew a dedicated and loyal client base in Metro Detroit that has led to power- ful discussions about Judaism and its relation to makeup and beauty. During the COVID-19 pan- demic, for example, Fruitman saw an uptick in requests for brow services. Microblading, or permanent tattoo eyebrows, were becoming increasingly popular. She decided to get her body art...…
…38 | MARCH 23 • 2023 OUR COMMUNITY G lobal Ties Detroit has one main mission in mind as the nonprofit organization strives to build lasting relationships between Metro Detroiters and international leaders worldwide: to promote global exchange and citizen diplomacy and, therefore, promote world peace. The organization is part of the larger Global Ties U.S. network, a private sector nonprofit partner to the U.S. Department of State ...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 39 Inclusion, Progressive Art Studio Collective, the Henry Ford Museum and Jewish agen- cy Gesher Human Services, among others. Participants built connections with their homestay host families or the volunteer families that offer to let delegates live with them during their time in Metro Detroit. Host families, like the delegates themselves, come from many different backgrounds, cultures and religions, and often inclu...…
…4 | MARCH 23 • 2023 for openers Refl ections on a Challenging Week A Message from Steven Ingber Federation Chief Executive Of cer I wanted to take a moment to share some information on what was a very eventful week for both our global and local Detroit Jewish community. To begin with, I just got back from a brief trip to Israel that I had planned in order to spend some time with our Motor City Mission. My plans changed, ho...…
…40 | MARCH 23 • 2023 A n early- to moder- ate-stage dementia or Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis can feel like a devastat- ing blow. Those diagnosed and their families often feel over- whelmed thinking about all the life changes to come. While a diagnosis can be difficult to process, finding support and resources early on is essential to increasing the quality of life of both the person living with the disease and their family careg...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 41 Additional Community Support The Dorothy & Peter Brown Adult Day Program, a partnership of Gesher Human Services and Jewish Senior Life, provides engaging programs and services for people living with dementia and their family caregivers, including a virtual support group. (248) 661-6390 or info@ brownadultday.org ElderCare Solutions of Michigan, a program of JFS, offers older adults and their loved ones o...…
…42 | MARCH 23 • 2023 MSU Chabad’s annual Mega Shabbat is taking on a different meaning this year. After the recent tragedy at Michigan State University, Chabad is helping a Jewish campus community heal together. The event will pay tribute to the victims of the mass shooting at Michigan State University. A mitzvah auction, bringing more good deeds into the world, will be held in memory of the victims. Students can bid on prizes b...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 43 M ichigan ranked fourth in the country during an all-time high year nationally for white supremacist propaganda distribution, according to a report released March 8 from the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL’s annual assessment of propaganda activity recorded 6,751 incidents nationally in 2022, a 38 percent increase over the previous year. White supremacists targeted Michigan 355 times — a 132 percent incre...…
…44 | MARCH 23 • 2023 S hari Cohen of Bloomfield Township is this week’s Volunteer of the Week. Since November 2021, Cohen has run a creative writing group at Jewish Senior Life’s Meer Apartments in West Bloomfield. In that time, it’s become a spe- cial, tight-knit group. Cohen has engaged in volunteer work for a long time and was a volunteer for Detroit Public Schools since 2009. When they were no longer permitting volunteers beca...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 45 A staple of Passover experiences for Metro Detroit children since the 1980s is back once again. The Barbara and Douglas Bloom Matzah Factory will be held on Sunday, April 2, from 3-5 p.m. at The J-Detroit in West Bloomfield. The annual event from JFamily, a program of The J, sees hundreds of local Jewish children learn the story of Exodus, enjoy hands-on activ- ities and, of course, learn to make matzah. Th...…
…46 | MARCH 23 • 2023 Members of JARC’s Board of Directors, along with community volunteers, visited JARC homes on March 6 and 7 to deliver 80 care packages of food and small gifts for the people JARC serves in celebration of Purim. This is the second year that volunteers of JARC, a nonprofit organization serving adults with developmental disabilities in the Metro Detroit area, have made surprise deliveries in celebration of t...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 47 The family-friendly, community-wide Purim celebration at Adat Shalom Synagogue on March 6, from the family Dr. Seuss-shan Shpiel to the Purim Carnival, and on through the service and Megillah reading, brought together people of all of ages. The carnival featured games led by enthusiastic teen volunteers, inflatables and music. Hebrew Free Loan, summer camps and Motor City USY (MCUSY) offered additional activity...…
…48 | MARCH 23 • 2023 A s a NEXTGen Employment Specialist at Gesher Human Services, Madeline Apple has a unique role where she works with not one, but two, Metro Detroit Jewish organizations. Apple, 26, of Birmingham, is one of the newest employees to work with NEXTGen Detroit, an arm of Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit that focuses on building a vibrant community for young Jewish adults. “Half of the week, I’m at Gesher ...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 49 SPORTS B ob Breitman learned from his mistakes. And it result- ed in him bowling his first perfect 300 game. Bowling Feb. 19 in the Sunday Morning Bowling Brothers league at Merri-Bowl Lanes in Livonia, Breitman rolled nine straight strikes to start a game. Then came the crucial 10th frame. On his first ball, the lefty left the 7 pin. He picked that up, then left another 7 pin and fin- ished with 274. “I cho...…
…MARCH 23 • 2023 | 5 …
…50 | MARCH 23 • 2023 SPIRIT Spiritual Communication T his week we begin the third book of the Torah, Vayikra, Leviticus. It is easy to write something about Genesis as it is full of stories of families that we can still relate to today. It is equally easy to compose a piece about Exodus with its accounts of slavery, emancipation, the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and the construction of our very first sanctuary, the M...…
