…66 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 “People were blamed for having mental health problems, ” Edelson explains. “People were seen as somehow inadequate or inferior. ” While neither is ultimately true, mental health often car- ried a sense of shame in the decades prior. Rather than seeking outpatient therapy, people experiencing mental health challenges often resorted to inpatient care at psychiatric facilities or hospitals. As she guided the c...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 67 Join us for a virtual conversation with director Keren Perlmutter about her father Avraham’s war-torn childhood and his determination to survive in the face of evil. Keren will be joined by descendants of the Beijers family that hid him in the Netherlands during the Holocaust, a testament to the lasting efects of human kindness. Tuesday, December 5 7:00 pm EST Register and learn how to watch the film at Hol...…
…68 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N A lex Grossman hasn’t forgotten about growing up in Michigan. That can be observed through people, places and messages about living expressed through his new film, That’s Funny. As writer, director and actor in That’s Funny, Grossman made use of the production and performance talents of friends kept from his years living in Flint and came to the state to film different scenes, such as those in Char...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 69 that there is always time to enjoy what you’re doing,” said Grossman, whose film shows him trying to put together a standup routine for television in one week’s time. “So often, people think if they’re not improving in leaps and bounds then what’s the point. Studies have shown that just getting a little bit better at something every day can make you great over time,” he said. “The film is only showing the...…
…Learn more! www.geshermi.org | 29699 Southfield Road | Southfield, MI 48076 | 248.559.5000 | DIAMOND SPONSOR SAPPHIRE SPONSORS EMERALD SPONSORS RUBY SPONSORS BAR SPONSOR PEARL SPONSORS TOPAZ SPONSORS JADE SPONSORS OPAL SPONSORS AMETHYST SPONSORS RAFFLE SPONSOR Elaine Fieldman Shari and Stan Finsilver Lisa Keramedjian Meer and Brian Meer Douglas C. Lane and Associates | Cyril Moscow Monni and Joel Must | Stone Foundation of Michi...…
…70 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N G eddy Lee set out “to talk about who I am” in his new memoir, My Effin’ Life. And a big part of that identity is being Jewish. It’s not something Lee, co-founder and vocalist/ bassist/keyboardist for the band Rush, ever kept secret. But given the Toronto trio’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career — encompassing 50 years, 19 studio albums and global record sales of more than 42 million — it was seldom ...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 71 were separated when she was sent to Bergen-Belsen and he to Dachau, but after the war Morris found her in a displaced persons camp. They married and immigrated to Canada along with surviving members of their extended families. Lee also shares an emotional remembrance about him, his brother and sister accompanying their mother to the 50th anniversary commemoration of Bergen-Belsen in 1995. “My parents an...…
…72 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N T he largest potters fair in the country returns Nov. 30-Dec. 3 to the Southfield Pavilion in the Southfield Municipal Complex, and two of the returning artists, among the 140 artists showing their works, are Rachail Laine of Ann Arbor and George Erdstein of Huntington Woods. While Laine showcases very functional works using a lot of shades of blue, Erdstein has functional, decorative and whimsical p...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 73 “I’ve been designing things my whole life, and ceramics became a natural transi- tion from architecture, ” said Erdstein, 85, who has a daugh- ter-in-law in Israel who also has turned ceramic projects into a specialized form of art- istry. “We admire each other’s work, and I think including faces on some of the pieces I do gives them life, ” he said. Erdstein uses equipment at Oakland Community College in Ro...…
…74 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N NATALIE PORTMAN, HARRISON FORD AND MORE ALBERT BROOKS May December, a com- edy-drama, opened in a handful of theaters on Nov. 17 (so it will be eligible for Oscar nominations) and begins streaming on Netflix on Dec. 1. This film is loosely based on the late Mary Kay Letourneau, a schoolteacher who was 34 (1996) when she began an affair with Vili Fualaau, a 12-year-old stu- dent. She had two children ...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 75 A special group of volunteer judges will be reviewing submissions and choosing the 36 winners. Honorees will receive a free subscription to the JN and be featured in a February 2024 issue. GO ONLINE TO THEJEWISHNEWS.COM AND SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION BY DECEMBER 29, 2023 JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT Do you know someone who gives of themselves to the community in robust — and often thankless — ways? Someone you admire and...…
…76 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N CSZ CHANUKAH DINNER 5:30 PM, DEC. 1 (FRI.) Congregation Shaarey Zedek will hold a special Chanukah- themed dinner and service. Families and individuals of all ages are welcome to join for prayers, food and cookie decorating. Family service: 5:30 pm; Shabbat dinner: 6 pm. There is no charge to join for the service. For dinner: tinyurl.com/CSZchanukah. HAZZAN CLASS 10-11 AM, DEC. 3 (SUN.) “Exploring th...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 77 J N honor of 75 years of Israel’s independence, this exhibit captures pivotal moments in Israel’s history, and the contributions of Jewish Detroiters throughout. Now through mid-December, come explore the panels that capture over 100 years of storytelling from the Detroit Jewish Chronicle and the Detroit Jewish News. Curator Mike Smith, the Alene and Graham Landau Archivist Chair of the Detroit Jewish Ne...…
…78 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N the exchange community bulletin board | professional services For information regarding advertising please call 248-351-5116 or 248-234-9057 or email salessupport@thejewishnews.com Deadline for ad insertion is 9 a.m. on Friday prior to publication. Aaron Mendelson Heating and Cooling, LLC. 248-855-0437 Cell: 248-912-2292 License # 7118488 Maintenance, Installation, Repair & Hot Water Heaters Ajmendelson1...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 79 J N SAMUEL BLUMENSTEIN, 86, of Novi, died Nov. 16, 2023. He is survived by his children, Lori Blumenstein-Bott and Dennis Bott, Karen Blumenstein and Lauren Engel, and Dr. Brian and Ann Blumenstein; grand- children, Danielle DePriest and Matthew Newman, Justin DePriest, Nicole Blumenstein and Brett Kerstein, Alivia Blumenstein, and Raquel Blumenstein; great-grandson, Max Newman; brother-in-law and siste...…
…8 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N Tales from the Tarmac United as a Community I woke up at 5 a.m. eager for a journey to witness a monumental moment in Jewish history. Anticipation surged within me. Boarding the buses at Shaarey Zedek, I saw a diverse assembly of individuals — representing various shapes, sizes and ages — a living embodiment of our shared heritage, filling me with pride. Arriving in D.C., excitement filled the air,...…
…80 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 Natalie Charach was a fixture in the Jewish Community and truly one of a kind. Her generosity, along with Manny’s, has ensured that those needing transportation could turn to Jewish Family Service thanks to the Charach Fleet of vehicles. Her memory will live on in every ride that we provide and we are forever grateful. We offer our heartfelt condolences to her family. May her memory be for a blessing. In loving ...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 81 J N Norah Cykiert and Ivy Cykiert. Mrs. Davis was the beloved wife of the late Marshall Davis. Contributions may be made to Michigan Humane Society, Development Dept., 30300 Telegraph Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms, MI 48025- 4507, michiganhumane.org/ tributes. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. WILLIAM “BILL” GOODMAN, 83, of Detroit, died Nov. 17, 2023. He was a lifelong fighter for justice and tireles...…
…82 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N R obert Schweiger, 102, of Bradenton, Fla., died Nov. 15, 2023. Robert arrived in Detroit in 1939 with his beloved parents, Hugo and Jolan. They had left Austria, their home, their lives, their possessions. When they fled Austria, their destination was Mexico, with visas secured from the Mexican consulate. Bob, his parents, and other family members were among the 21 Jews who boarded the S.S. Orino...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 83 J N was admitted to the hospital. His requests were simple: Please bring my cologne (so he could flirt with the nurs- es) and his electronics (for YouTube, FaceTime and doing work on his computer). He even joked about having his weekly card game moved to the hospital. Robert Schweiger was one of a kind. He had movie star good looks, a wonderful Austrian accent, a personality like no other, a strong work et...…
…84 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N michigannlg.org/donations; or Sugar Law Center, 4605 Cass Ave., Second Floor, Detroit, MI 48201, www.sugarlaw.org. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. MITZI JOAN JACOBS, 92, of West Bloomfield, died Nov. 19, 2023. She is survived by her sons and daughter-in-law, Mark and Linda Jacobs, and Mitchell Jacobs; grandchildren, Scott (Beth) Jacobs and Brandon (Jessica) Jacobs; great-grandchildren, Anna, Br...…
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 85 J N Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at thejewishnews.com Let’s Think About Summer T he JN will publish its annual summer camp guide next week. At this time, with winter coming amid worries about Israel, summer 2024 may seem like a long way off. Summer camps for youth in America first appeared in the 1870s and 1880s. The first Jewish summer camp was foun...…
…Just for Fun Candles Celebration Chanukah Community Dreidel Eight Faith Family Gelt Gimmel Hanukkiyah Hey Latke Menorah Miracle Nun Shamash Shin Sufganiyot Temple See solution in next week’s issue. Chanukah Word Search 86 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 J N Jewish Joke of the Week “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.” — Groucho Marx …
…JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT Scan the QR code to book. We Still Do. Celebrate your anniversary with the Detroit Jewish community. …
…We Stand with Israel Over 80 homes sold in 2023 Here, there, & everywhere. 248.658.8030 | info@cooperglasshomes.com | cooperglasshomes.com 2 7 5 S . O L D W O O D WA R D AV E . B I R M I N G H A M , M I 4 8 0 0 9 DANA COOPER & LAURIE GLASS …
…NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 9 J N brought with us. And on this bright, cool, D.C. autumn afternoon, spirited and united (no airline pun intended), we talked, we laughed, we took pictures, we sang “ Am Yisrael Chai.” By now, the rally had ended. Many of us had live- streamed it on our phones, listened to the speakers, and had heard the original 60,000-person estimate grow to 90,000 and rising. Capitol police would ultimately give an est...…
…JEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT thejewishnews.com $200 Nov. 23-29, 2023 / 10-16 Kislev 5784 March for Israel Detroit’s 900+ participants show strength and unity at national rally — and on the tarmac. See page 10 …
…10 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY COVER STORY March for …
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 11 Detroit Federation brings 900+, but not all make it to the event. KERI GUTEN COHEN CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Detroit Federation brings 900+, but not all make it to the event. KERI GUTEN COHEN Israel An overall view of the Nov. 14 March for Israel on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Nearly 300,000 people participated. ETHAN SHULMAN/JFNA …
…12 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 T he March for Israel held Nov. 14 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., drew nearly 300,000 people to proclaim their support for Israel, to demand the release of the 240 hostages and to decry the surge in antisemitism. Participants included Jews and non-Jews, old and young, and people of all races, backgrounds and political persuasions. And Detroit showed up in force. “Today’s crowd brings together ever...…
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 13 women speak, for me, was the most powerful part of the march, ” said Karen Alpiner of Franklin, who was there with her husband, Neal. “These women were strong in the face of what we can’t imagine. They got the biggest response. People kept chanting ‘Bring them home!’ to let them know we were with them. ” Marcie Rosen of Farmington Hills, incoming president of Hadassah Greater Detroit, said, “It was the exper...…
…14 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 At about 4 p.m. on Nov. 6, the Jewish Federation of Detroit sent an email saying at 8 p.m. they’d offer a limited number of seats on chartered flights to Washington, D.C., for a national March for Israel on Nov. 14. Within days, a diverse group of 900 Jews and others had filled three planes to stand for Israel, demand the release of the hostages, and call out and oppose antisemitism. The morning of th...…
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 15 Ayal was fortunate to join his parents, Rebecca and Rabbi Aaron Starr, at the march. His brother Caleb, 16, a junior at Frankel Jewish Academy, was stuck in a plane on the tarmac at Dulles airport. Unfortunately, one full plane of Detroiters never left the airport. (See sidebar.) “The buses hired to take over 900 participants from Dulles International Airport to the site of the march failed to appear, dela...…
…16 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 Federations of North America (JFNA), one of two rally sponsors, took the mike. He shared a statement from the Detroit Federation that the bus company had experienced a “deliberate and malicious walk-off of drivers.” He added it appeared the cause was antisemitism, saying even though they did not make it to the rally, their experience was of extra value as Federation, ADL, JFNA and other pro- fessionals ...…
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 17 Federation and everyone who worked on this trip. It was an amazing, first- class effort and we ended up with a meaningful, memorable experience. As we all know, God runs the world. Everything happens for a reason. The only way they win is through petty and cowardly acts, as we saw on Oct. 7.” Brandon Epstein of Birmingham, who has been helping a friend collect and ship needed items to Israel, was disa...…
…18 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 J N I n late October, Jane F. Sherman participated in a powerful Jewish Federations of North America solidarity mission to Israel. Already planning to travel to Israel under any circumstances to visit her four kids there, Sherman quickly agreed to go on this mission when it came up following the Hamas terror of Oct. 7. The mission was of great importance to Sherman, as she hasn’t missed a war in Israe...…
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 19 which will provide immediate money to these individuals and families. And it’s ongoing for the next three years,” Sherman explained. “And obviously the Jewish Agency needs to provide some housing for them. They have nothing; they left their homes with nothing.” But beyond those basics, Sherman is aware that possibly the most important thing these people are going to need is psychological help. “You can ge...…
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…20 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY L ocal members of the Israeli and Jewish communities held an “empty shoe display” Saturday, Nov. 11, next to the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market in Kerrytown. The display and information table were designed to highlight the issue of the 240 hostages, including 30 children, being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Among the hostages are citizens of 30 countries, including the United States. The...…
…A fter nearly 40 years, Hersh’s — the fashion destination for countless women in the Bloomfield area and beyond — has moved into a new location, with new opportunities and growth around the corner. “We are loving the adventure of a new store,” said Harold Rothenberg, the owner of Hersh’s. “Brick-and-mortar stores are what built this country, specialty businesses like ours. And we plan to continue that.” Hersh’s opened their new ...…
…22 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 J N L ately, different cities around the world have been setting up tables with empty place settings and empty chairs in honor of the 242 hostages kidnapped by Hamas during the terror attacks on Oct. 7 in Israel. Sometimes each of the empty chairs has a picture of a hostage taped to it. One woman, a relative of seven of the hostages, tearfully rearranged some of the empty chairs of the display in Chicago so ...…
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 23 J N RIGHT, CLOCKWISE: Dr. Josh Levisohn with his dog tag. Lailie Greenbaum with her dog tag. Eitan Schon with his dog tag. other side of the dog tag is the Israeli flag and the words “Am Yisrael Chai.” Smith gave his first batch of dog tags to Farber Hebrew Day School, where his two sons graduated. The dog tags were gifted to students in grades 6-12 at an inspiring in-school program. “The idea is that each kid ...…
…24 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 J N OUR COMMUNITY O n Oct. 8, Shira Brown’s husband, Menachem, was called up as a reservist, and Shira struggled to care for their two children Ori, 4, and Hadar, 9 months, by herself. On Oct. 9, Shira created a Facebook post about the tactical needs of her husband’s unit and was gratified at the many donations that came flooding in. She raised more than 3,000 NIS (about $800) in a few hours. One don...…
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 25 In that way, Shira set up more than 100 Lone Soldiers with host families. She matched her parents with a certain Lone Soldier called Menachem Brown who visited his host family one Shabbat. He immediately caught Shira’s eye. “I already had his phone number, so I made a move,” Shira said. She called him after Shabbat and asked him out. They married in 2018, four days after Menachem finished his service. A...…
…26 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 J N S ometimes the most random interactions can leave the most long-lasting impressions. Just ask Michelle and David Bungum. Religious Catholics, the Minnesota couple had traveled on their first 12-day pilgrimage to Israel in May 2023. On their flight back to the United States, “chance” had them sitting next to a 19-year-old young man. Michelle, a friendly, outgoing therapist, asked this teenager who he...…
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 27 J N “Michelle was at that moment in church lighting a candle for Daniel,” said Margery. “She felt the vibration of her phone and ran out of church to answer it. When she realized it was me, she burst into tears.” Margery updated Michelle; that Daniel is doing fine, how he’s been involved in various classified missions. Margery and Howard hardly hear from their son and worry about him constantly. Margery a...…
…28 | NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 J N G orman’s Home Furnishings & Interior Design contributed furniture to Michigan State University’s Chabad Jewish Center Lounge, giving a much- needed lift to the look and feel of the space. Additionally, thanks to a monetary contribution totaling $6,750 made by Gorman’s to support the Center, a portion of the funds allowed more than 150 students to enjoy a special Shabbat dinner on Sept. 15 this p...…
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 29 J N W hen 74-year-old retired Farmington Hills firefighter Richard Levine received a call to volunteer his firefighting services in Israel shortly after the deadly Hamas attack, he had no hesitations. “They asked, ‘Can you be available at a moment’s notice to leave?’ And I said, ‘Yes, I could,’” the Huntington Woods resident recalls of the message he received while attending the Oct. 9 Israel solidarity e...…
…NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 3 J N PURELY COMMENTARY 4-9 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 10 March for Israel Detroit Federation brings 900+, but not all make it to the event. 18 Jane Sherman Reflects on JFNA Solidarity Mission to Israel The mission was of great importance to Sherman, as she hasn’t missed a war in Israel since 1973. 20 Ann Arbor’s Bring Them Home Campaign Jewish Federation of Greater Ann A...…
…OUR COMMUNITY A few weeks ago, Palestinian flags were posted facing out- ward in the windows of some art studios at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. The flags were reportedly removed on Nov. 4 at the direction of Cranbrook Academy’s admin- istration. A subsequent message to the Cranbrook community from its president, Aimeclaire Roche, and Jeff Suzik, director of schools, explained that “… Given the collective size, scope and posit...…
