…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 11 Enjoy $150-$499 Karen and Allen Amber Amy Berlin CHAIM- Children of Holocaust- Survivors Assoc. In Michigan Barbara Cohen Rosa and George Chessler Judy and Chuck Domstein Shelley and Mickey Eizelman Jacqueline and Lawrence Elkus Elizabeth Erlich Harriet Gelfond Sherry and Scott Gittleman Esther and Ken Gold Janice and Irv Goldfein Stacey and Steve Gursten Cheryl Guyer Salute $500-$999 Susan Birnholtz Molly Chernow Joan a...…
…12 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N continued on page 14 Roeper of cials work with ADL for solutions to ease tensions regarding Israel-Hamas war. STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER OUR COMMUNITY Opening a Dialogue T he Roeper Upper School began to take positive steps forward to open dialogue and discussion and ease tensions between students after it was revealed to the JN that a group of students began creating inflammatory posters about...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 13 …
…14 | APRIL 4 • 2024 bites and catchphrases they have seen on social media. Both professors see this as a symptom that many young peo- ple are increasingly relying on brief social media posts rather than deeper analyses found in mainstream media or books. They quickly form opinions rather than take time to form them based on critical thinking and learning. “What these posters indi- cate to me here is that students are being confr...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 15 64 | MARCH 28 • 2024 JUST FOR KIDS G azelles are medium-sized antelopes found in Africa and Asia. They are noted for their graceful stride as well as for their beauty. The gazelle has large black eyes, a variety of stripes and markings that complement their tan-buff coats, and beautiful ringed horns. The coloration of gazelles, as well as the open areas in which they live, make them very conspicuous. Their horns ...…
…16 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N Bais Chabad of West Bloomfi eld Bais Chabad of West Bloomfi eld leads solidarity mission. leads solidarity mission. A Mission to Remember OUR COMMUNITY Noah and Aviel Miller of Bloomfield Hills are in prayer at the Western Wall. …
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 17 J N continued on page 18 A delegation of 20 people from Bais Chabad of West Bloomfield (members and friends) traveled to Israel on a solidarity mission from March 3-10, led by me. We were joined by 20 others from Chabad houses in Westchester and Midsuffolk, New York, as well as a group from Bethesda, Maryland. The six- day mission was focused primarily on meeting with as many people as possible and sha...…
…18 | APRIL 4 • 2024 now a massive operation which has brought in and distributed $75 million worth of clothing and materials. We helped sort through shoes, sweaters and coats. That evening, we visited the Kotel. Somehow, our holiest site, which usually provides such comfort, inspiration and joy, simply brought out a more painful, heartfelt prayer for salvation. The words we said together as a group, “I raise my eyes to the skie...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 19 in my life, and it highlights just how awful, terrible and deeply painful the attack at Nova was. Rami became a go-to number (he pulled out his phone to show the 4,000 messages) on that fateful day for young men and women hiding in trenches, behind trees and under dead bodies, to reach out beseeching to be rescued, and Rami did just that. Going back and forth, time and again, each time directly into the line ...…
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…20 | APRIL 4 • 2024 Visiting Chevron is always a highlight. We prayed at the gravesites of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rivkah and Leah, beseeching that they help bring home their captive grandchildren, and help bring healing, comfort and strength to their beleaguered descendants. We handed out pizza vouchers as well as handwritten cards from Hillel Day School and Detroit Cheder children. One soldier held up a card he recei...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 21 J N F rankel Jewish Academy’s Performing Arts Department is proud to present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Wednesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. and Thursday, April 18, at 7 p.m. at the Berman Center for the Performing Arts in West Bloomfield. This multiple Tony Award- winning musical comedy instantly spells E-N-T-E-R- T-A-I-N-I-N-G, as six quirky adolescent overachievers go head-to-head with each othe...…
…22 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N T he Barbara and Douglas Bloom Matzah Factory, under auspices of JFamily, will again offer educational fun to excite members of the Detroit Jewish community about the coming Passover holiday. The Matzah Factory, started at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Metropolitan Detroit — now “The J-Detroit” — was always a favorite program of its co-founder, community leader Douglas Bloom. The former JCC pre...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 23 Barbara and Douglas Bloom Matzah Factory Two family programs are scheduled. 3-5 p.m. Sunday, April 14, at The J-Detroit (formerly the JCC) in West Bloomfield. Matzah Factory, geared toward ages 4-8, will feature these activities: • Passover play, matzah- making and baking with Rabbi Shneur Silberberg • Hands-on experiences and crafts around the seder plate Mini Matzah Factory, geared toward ages 0-4, will ...…
…24 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N I n a heartwarming display of empathy and initiative, a group of second- grade students at Farber Hebrew Day School has taken it upon themselves to be pioneers, developing a student- driven recess program centered around inclusion and kindness that they call “Kidz Fun.” Led by their compassion and a desire to make a difference, these young leaders are proving that age is no barrier to creating positive change...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 25 J N J FS will have a presence at a local benefit con- cert to raise money for young musicians and raise awareness about suicide and suicide prevention. The benefit concert takes place Sunday, April 14, at the First Presbyterian Church in Royal Oak. The concert event starts at 3 p.m. The event is being orga- nized by Mary Robertson to benefit the Berkley Instrumental Boosters in her late daughter Alyssa’s memo...…
…26 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N OUR COMMUNITY T he Common Bond Institute and Michigan State University Dept. of Psychiatry will present “The 3rd Side,” a two-day nonpartisan conference April 13-14 at MSU that aims to raise public aware- ness and support for the many grassroots Palestinian/Israeli peace-building partnerships actively working on the ground in the region. The free conference is a hybrid in-person/virtual event that has ...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 27 …
…28 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N faces&places T he Coalition for Black and Jewish Unity Leadership Academy had an incredible kickoff on Feb. 29. The first class dealt with the history of Black and Jewish relations, and future classes will deal with antisemitism, racism, the Holocaust, Israel, the civil rights movement, slavery and other topics. All together, there will be six sessions, ending in May. The goal is to impart relevant and interes...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 29 J N R epair the World Detroit PeerCorps Teens had a mean- ingful Elu V’ Elu, a learning session where they talked about racial justice at the intersection of food security through the lens and value of Kavod Habriyot, preciousness of each human. The event took place at Yad Ezra, the Jewish food pantry. After the learning session, attendees “turned skills into ser- vice” by finding out how to make body butter to be di...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 3 J N PURELY COMMENTARY 4-11 Essays and viewpoints. OUR COMMUNITY 12 Opening a Dialogue Roeper officials work with ADL for solutions to ease tensions regarding Israel-Hamas war. 16 A Mission to Remember Bais Chabad of West Bloomfield leads solidarity mission. 21 FJA Performing Arts Department Presents ... The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee April 17-18. 22 Get Ready for the Matzah ...…
…30 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N T here’s an entire Talmudic debate about how to best clean for Pesach. Some say you’ve got to lift your entire home with a crane, turn it upside down and shake it free of chametz crumbs. Others say so long as you cannot see the crumbs, you’re totally fine, so they’ve created a loophole involving special-for-Pesach blindfolds. Most folks are somewhere in the middle. They keep their houses firmly rooted in ...…
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…32 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N P assover, the annu- al celebration of the Exodus from Egypt, is one of Judaism’s most beloved holidays — and also the one that requires the most preparation. The Torah teaches that one should remove leaven or cha- metz (understood by Jewish tradition to mean food that is made from one of five forbid- den grains and food that has been fermented) from one’s home — it should neither be seen nor found in one...…
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…34 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N A lthough not necessary for Passover, many people choose to do their spring cleaning at the same time. Here are some tips for cleaning out those closets. START FROM SCRATCH Empty your closet completely and sort through your items. Say goodbye to anything outdated, damaged or no longer loved. Donation is a wonderful next step for items that no longer serve you. An empty closet presents a great opportuni...…
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…T he idea of giving your home a thor- ough cleaning each spring is very appealing, but can also be over- whelming. It may even seem impossible, given today’s busy lifestyles, active children — and especially pets. You may love your pets, but the fur and stains they leave behind make it even more challenging to keep your home as clean as you’ d like. To get you started, the experts at Libman Company, manufacturer of household clean- ing...…
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…A s Israel’s war in Gaza grinds into its seventh month, the toll of battle is measured in funerals, hostages held captive and injuries — injuries of all types and severity suffered by Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldiers. Among the injuries suffered fre- quently by front-line IDF fighters are those to the eyes, caused by shrapnel and explosions, as well as bullet rico- chets in the form of shards of stone, sand, glass, metal and concr...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 39 J N charity already has sent more than 1,200 pairs of glasses to units in Gaza, northern Israel and to special police and Shin Bet teams. Fundraising efforts by Sosne and others are help- ing to buy glasses made of ImpactX polyurethane, a pat- ented family of optical poly- mers developed originally for military and space applica- tions. They have been com- mercialized for bicycle racers, skiers and other athletes b...…
…4 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N PURELY COMMENTARY opinion Every Jew Around the World is Fighting Hamas This article is a reprint. It was originally published in The Jerusalem Post and on JPost. com. I feel like I’m living through history. Like many Jewish kids, I grew up in the tra- ditional Jewish day school and camp system. I learned all about Israel, Jewish histo- ry and the Holocaust. I have always understood that there was this hist...…
…40 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N I n last week’s issue, we cov- ered Passover appetizers and sides. This week, we’ll be focusing on main dishes. I surveyed friends to learn more about the main dishes they would eat on Passover. What surprised me (but maybe shouldn’t have) was that no one responded with very much enthusiasm — I gener- ally didn’t hear about dishes I needed to try or particularly memorable flavors. I did hear about some fun...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 41 bubbling, cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and onions are meltingly tender, about 25 minutes. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl and drain potatoes and onions of excess oil. Reserve oil. Transfer potatoes and onions to a medium heat- proof bowl and season generously with salt, stirring well to combine. Beat eggs vigorously to re-froth, then scrape potato and onion in and stir until tho...…
…DOG OF THE WEEK H i! My name’s Wolfie, and I’m here to tell you why I’m the perfect addition to your home. First off, let me tell you a bit about myself. I’m a 13-pound bundle of love, and I’m 6 years old. I made my journey all the way from Texas to find my forever family, and I’m so excited to meet you. Now, when I first arrived, I was pretty scared and unsure about a lot of things. Walking on a leash? Forget about it! I was too scar...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 43 J N Avoiding Intoxication I n Shemini, Aaron’s elder sons Nadav and Avihu offer “strange fire” during the first sacrificial offerings and are suddenly incinerated. Why did Nadav and Avihu die? While the rabbis offer varied interpre- tations, many seize on God’s words following their deaths: “ And Adonai spoke to Aharon, saying: Drink no wine or other intoxicant, you or your sons, when you enter the Tent of ...…
…44 | APRIL 4 • 2024 E xcavating the history of words can sometimes be as revealing as excavating the ruins of an ancient city. Take the English word “enthusiasm.” Today we see this as something positive. One dictionary defines it as “a feeling of energetic interest in a particular subject or activity and an eagerness to be involved in it.” People with enthusiasm have passion, zest and excitement, and this can be contag...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 45 RATIONALE FOR THEIR PUNISHMENT Putting together clues in the biblical text, some speculated that they were guilty of entering the Holy of Holies; that they had given a ruling of their own accord without consulting Moses or Aaron; that they had become intoxicated; that they were not properly robed; that they had not purified themselves with water from the laver; that they were so self- important that they had n...…
…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 Bloomfield (248) 78...…
…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 ...…
…48 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N E lla Blank doesn’t sit on the sidelines. A three-sport athlete who played golf, basketball and softball at Birmingham Groves High School and the recipient of a Michigan High School Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Award, she was named a 2023 Jewish News High School Athlete of the Year. An accomplished musician who played in the Groves marching band for four years, the 18-year-old University of Michigan fresh...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 49 J N are struggling with mental health issues because of sports, raises awareness about those issues, and works to eliminate the stigma attached to them in the sports culture. The group’s causes appealed to Blank’s kindheartedness. “A student-athlete’s lifestyle of a daily commitment to their sport can be overwhelming,” Blank said. “It can lead to things like eating disorders, performance anxiety and confidence is...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 5 J N WE’LL SPLIT THE SEA FOR YOU Rely on The Grove for everything you need to make Passover happen. We go the extra mile with a selection that covers your entire shopping list. Rely on The Grove for everything you need to make Passover happen. We go the extra mile with a selection that covers your entire shopping list. Wine Tastings Thurs, April 11th 1pm - 5pm Sun, April 14th 2pm - 6pm P 248-569-5000 | 2515...…
…50 | APRIL 4 • 2024 J N E ven after her untimely death on Christmas Eve 2019, Allee Willis continues to be larger than life. Growing up in Detroit, “ Alta” Willis was a Jewish self-pro- fessed “outrageous tomboy” whose father only wanted her to be a teacher, like her moth- er, get married and “be more feminine, like all the other girls.” Bold, brassy and bois- terous, Willis struggled with not conforming to traditional sexual an...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 51 continued on page 52 “It was uncanny. She said it in many places — in her diary, on tapes — she said it a lot. When I first met Allee in 1992, when she was 45, she said that she wanted her house to be a museum. ‘I want to leave a big legacy for people to see how it’s possible to live a happy life.’ She was always saying that.” The legacy continues today through the Willis Wonderland Foundation that Fenton esta...…
…52 | APRIL 4 • 2024 State University shirts. The documentary spotlights all the iconic scenes of Detroit, including Motown, classic cars, the Riverfront and the Joe Louis fist statue. The “I Love Allee Willis” mural right near Willis’ favorite restaurant, Soul-N- The Wall on Curtis off of Wyoming and near Mumford, is also prominently featured. To honor his late friend, Chef Greg Beard renamed his most popular sandwich the “Boog...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 53 J N A nger over Brexit — the United Kingdom’s decision to pull out of the European Union in 2020 — led one of rock ’n’ roll’s most accomplished guitarists to discover his Jewish ancestry. And that includes a genuine pirate of the Caribbean, no less. The musician in question is Phil Manzanera, best known as guitarist in Roxy Music from 1972 until its recent farewell tour in 2022, and still working on arch...…
…54 | APRIL 4 • 2024 the colonial Dutch Indies. That part of the family presumably went further back to Spain and the Alhambra Decree of 1492 that forced any Jews living in Spain to convert to Catholicism or leave. His maternal great-grandmother, whose maiden name was Henriquez Cohen, hailed from Barranquilla in Columbia, and looking back even further, Manzanera discovered ancestors who had fled to Holland, including “great, great,...…
…APRIL 4 • 2024 | 55 J N ARTS&LIFE THEATER C hildren of Eden, a musical production that goes over stories of biblical families, has two members of a modern family in the cast. The production, presented now through April 21 by Stagecrafters in Royal Oak, spotlights a brother and sister from the Bigelman family of Bloomfield Hills. Both attend Hillel Day School, are members of Temple Israel and have a special interest in supporting...…
…56 | APRIL 4 • 2024 FRANKLIN, AMERICAN HORROR, STAR TREK DISCOVERY (LAST SEASON), MORE As noted in my last column, Franklin, an eight-episode Apple TV+ series about Benjamin Franklin begins on April 12. Michael Douglas, 79, plays Franklin. The series focuses on Franklin’s role in getting the French to aid Americans during the Revolutionary War. Franklin was 71 when he was dispatched to Paris (Oct. 1776) as the “commission- er”...…
