Moments

MAZEL TOV!

APRIL 12, 2022

Chad and Whitney Techner are delighted to announce the birth of their daughter, Nora Jane Techner. Thrilled big siblings are Eli, Miriam and Bonnie. Grandparents are David and Ilene Techner of Birmingham, and Cindy Brown of Corvallis, Ore. Great-grandparents are the late Babs and the late Herb Kaufman.

Brooks Kogan

Barron, son of Lori Kaftan and Marc Barron, will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield on Friday, May 27, 2022. He will be joined in celebration by his brother Quinn. Brooks is the loving grandchild of Carole Kaftan Rubin and Barry Rubin, Geraldine and Melvin Kaftan, and Nora and Guy Barron.

Brooks is a student at Birmingham Covington School in Bloomfield Hills. His most meaningful mitzvah project was packing backpacks and donating school supplies for elementary students in Detroit.

Preston Cole

Blum, son of Dr. Adina Blum, will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township on Saturday, May 28, 2022. He will be joined in celebration by his brother Bentley. Preston’s late grandparents are Phylis and Calvin Blum, and Constance and John Haimbaugh.

He is a student at Birmingham Covington School. One of his most meaningful mitzvah projects was making Spread Kindness bags during COVID with handmade masks, sanitizer, water, snacks and words of hope and encouragement, then personally handing them out to the homeless.

Sam Miles

Daitch, son of Heather and Andy Daitch, was called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah at Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills on Saturday, May 21, 2022. He was joined in celebration by his sisters Emily and Jillian. Sam is the loving grandchild of Dr. Mark and Lauren Rosenberg, and Dr. Jay and Sharon Daitch.

Sam is a student at Bloomfield Hills Middle School. For his mitzvah project, he has been collecting new and used sports equipment to donate to Detroit PAL.

David Patrick

Devaney, son of Caryn and Dennis Devaney, will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield on Friday, May 27, 2022. He will be joined in celebration by his brother Matthew and sister Lauren. David is the loving grandson of Marshall and the late Karen Weingarden, the late Helen and William Bush III, and the late Dorothy and Peter Devaney.

David’s most meaningful mitzvah project was working with Brilliant Detroit, collecting books to support reading and literacy for elementary-aged school children.

Lauren Elizabeth

Devaney, daughter of Caryn and Dennis Devaney, will be called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield on Friday, May 27, 2022. She will be joined in celebration by her brothers Matthew and David. Lauren is the loving granddaughter of Marshall and the late Karen Weingarden, the late Helen and William Bush III, and the late Dorothy and Peter Devaney.

Lauren’s most meaningful mitzvah project was working with Brilliant Detroit, collecting books to support reading and literacy for elementary-aged school children.

Eliana Lillian

Weiss, daughter of Amy and Kevin Weiss, will be called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield on Saturday, May 28, 2022. She will be joined in celebration by her siblings Samuel and Gwendolyn. Eliana is the loving grandchild of Andria and Mark Weiss, and Janice and Barry Kelman. She is the great-grandchild of Rose and Mark Hechler.

Eliana is a student at Norup International School in Oak Park. In addition to many mitzvah projects, her most meaningful was raising money by organizing donation drives for the Detroit Dog Rescue.

Goldsmith 60th

Barbara and Herman Goldsmith celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in April with a party at their home on SylvanOtter Lake in Waterford. Joining in the celebration were their children, grandchildren and six great-grandchildren as well as other family members and a host of friends. Barbara was a former teacher at Oak Park High School and just completed 35 years as a volunteer docent at the DIA. Herman, a retailer, was the original owner of Joe’s Army Navy Stores.

Marx-Grossman

Sally and Leonard Grossman of Berkley and Lynette and Eric Marx of Cape Town, South Africa, are thrilled to announce the engagement of their children Michelle Malka Grossman and Jason Yaakov Marx.

Michelle graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in journalism. She is senior marketing manager for a large digital marketing company, and her career has included serving in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit and reporting for The Jerusalem Post. She is the proud granddaughter of Hilda Grossman, the late Jack Grossman, the late Esther Kosova and the late Raymond Kosova.

Jason served in the IDF’s COGAT unit before attending Reichman University and graduating with a B.A. in communications. He is a sales development representative. He is the grandson of the late Esme and Jeffrey Marx, and the late Faye and Oliver Bark.

They are planning a June wedding in Herzliya, Israel.

Feinberg 75th

Shirley and Paul Feinberg are celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary on May 29, 2022. Celebrating with them will be their children, Henry and Lynn Feinberg, Susie and Theo Goodwin, Barbara and Steve Kronick, Debby and Mark Rosner, and Marcy and Barnet Leland. Also celebrating will be their grandchildren, Nicole and William Feinberg, Sarah (Goodwin) and Julian Weintraub, Sam Goodwin, Katie Kronick and Michael Wilson, Aly Kronick and Mallory Moser, Alex Rosner, Matthew Rosner, Lauren (Leland) and Josh Brand, and Jason Leland, as well as five and a half greatgrandchildren, other relatives and friends.

CAP & GOWN HIGH SCHOOL GRADS

LAUREN BROWN

Groves High School National Honor Society, National Math Honor Society, Varsity Volleyball, Varsity Tennis, Big Brother Big Sister.

University of Michigan

RJ CARREL

Groves High School Captain and All-State Singles Varsity Tennis, Assistant Captain Varsity Hockey.

University of Wisconsin

BREVIN CHERNETT

Bloomfield Hills High School Summa cum laude, National Honor Society, Advanced Placement Scholar, University of Michigan Regent Scholarship, President’s Award for Education, Varsity Tennis, President Investment Club, Teen Board JARC and Jewish Federation.

University of Michigan

EMMA CUTLER

North Farmington High School JCRC/AJC LFT Program, NCJW volunteer, Raiders of the Performing Arts, Academic Letter Awardee.

Michigan State University

ZOE GOLDMAN

Bloomfield Hills High School Summa cum laude, National Honor Society, Youth Federation of Temple Israel Executive Board, Varsity Tennis.

Indiana University

JOSH HALPRIN

Bloomfield Hills High School Head of Recruiting B’nai B’rith Youth Organization Michigan Region, Past President Evan Shapiro AZA, Bloomfield Chorale, Varsity Track & Field, National Competitor American Ninja Warrior World Championship Competition.

Michigan State University

EMILY RITS

Detroit Country Day

University of Michigan

CAP & GOWN HIGH SCHOOL GRADS

BENJAMIN STERN

Bloomfield Hills High School National Honor Society, International Thespian Society, BBYO Regional President, Nu?Detroit Teen Editor, Hawkeye Managing Editor, Jewish Fund Teen Board, Temple Israel Madrich, Roots, Youth Federation of Temple Israel, Teen Engagement Fellowship, Theater, Superior rating in acting, Student Leadership, Class VP, United and Varsity Soccer.

Elon University

HUNTER ZORN-BANOONI

Bowers Academy

Eastern Michigan University

Yiddish Limerick

Memorial Day

Mir vel gedaynkn di tayere neshomes fun alle, fun alle milchomes. Far undz they hobn gegebn gegebn tayere laybn, a laybn fun hope un chaloymes.

Mir vel gedaynkn - we will remember di tayere neshomes - the precious souls fun alle milchomes - from all the wars Far undz they hobn gegebn - for us they gave their tayere laybn - precious life a laybn fun - a life of un chaloymes - and dreams

By Rachel Kapen

TORAH PORTION

How Best to Serve

Over the course of thousands of years, the Jewish people have toiled endlessly to uncover and appreciate the depth and significance of the Torah and its commandments. Ultimately, many of its teachings and directives have been explained in a manner which is pleasing to the palate of the modern-day Jew.

However, there is a category of commandments nicknamed chukim in Hebrew, literally translated as “statutes,” which include all those teachings and directives which are incomprehensible to one’s sensibilities. (The name of this week’s Torah portion, Bechukotai, is rooted in the word chukim).

The question is, how can we come to a sense of appreciation for that which seems unappreciable and perhaps antithetical to our modern-day sensibilities?

Perhaps it would help to look at the original founding of the Jewish belief system by our forefather Abraham. The primary revolution of Abraham can be defined by the following question: Is God created by man or man is created by God?

In other words, idol worship (which was prevalent in Abraham’s times) was a manifestation of the belief that man is the one who chooses and assigns divinity to that which feels important and divine. Versus Abraham who recognized the profundity of the fact that if we are discussing the Creator, He must be beyond human choice and definition.

Similarly, one can apply this idea to the general performance and fulfillment of God’s will as expressed in His Torah. The idea of limiting our Jewish involvement and interests exclusively to that which is palatable to our sensibilities is, albeit on a minor level, one form of idolatry in that one is “creating God in man’s image.” The opportunity to con-

Rabbi Mendel Polter nect and submit ourselves to a truly “Higher power” lies specifically in that which may not sit well

Parshat with our emotional and Bechukotai: Leviticus 26:3-27:34; Jeremiah 16:19-17:14. intellectual capacities. The importance and significance in the specific act, speech, etc., does not lie in our personal palatable judgment which we assign to it, but rather to the fact that the Supreme Being considers it important. Rabbi Israel Ba’al Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, was a revolutionary in many ways. One of his primary accomplishments was the recognition and respect which he accorded to the sincere Jew. It did not matter to him if the person was intellectually or emotionally gifted. In fact, he would emphasize much care and concern toward the illiterate Jews of his time. He saw in them the soulful connection to God which was defined by their pure and sincere dedication and commitment to God and His Torah. Their relationship with God was entirely unadulterated by human definition, as mentioned above. Suggestion: Next time you are struggling with a Jewish teaching, directive or value, ponder the idea above and appreciate the opportunity to truly serve God in Abrahamic fashion. Rabbi Mendel Polter is a rabbi at the Woodward Avenue Shul.