DJN 082020

200 Aug. 20-26, 2020/ 30 Av-6 Elul 5780

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Back to School?

Parents and teachers scramble to adjust to learning during a pandemic. Full coverage g inside.

See page 14

INSIDE Jewish Day Schools, pg. 16 Jewish Preschools, pg. 20 University Plans, pg. 22

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contents Aug. 20-26, 2020/ 30 Av-6 Elul 5780| VOLUME CLVIII, ISSUE 3

Views 5-12

Back to School New Heads of Schools on the Block 14 Hillel and Farber, under new leadership during a tumultuous year, plan to hold in-person instruction.

Return to Learn 16 Jewish day schools plan for in-person and remote learning.

(Not) Back-to-School Diary 18

Jewish Preschools Prepare for In-Person Fall Classes

20 Shabbat Lights

On the cover:

Shabbat starts: Friday, Aug. 21, 8:06 p.m.

Shabbat ends: Saturday, Aug. 22, 9:07 p.m.

Cover photo/credit: Spiro Farber/Photo

by Alexander Clegg Cover design: Kaitlyn Schoen

* Times according to Yeshiva Beth Yehuda

20 ECC directors have been meeting to discuss how to safely open preschools during the COVID19 pandemic.

Parents of public-school children can check the jewishnews.com for the most up-to-date plans for the start of school.

40 Spirit Torah portion 32

Sports They’re Reaching for the Stars 34 JN Athletes of the Year, Rosen Scholarship winners share their passions, life lessons learned from high school sports.

Quick Hits 34

Arts&Life Change of Plans 36 Pandemic spurred book featuring Metro Detroit artists.

36 Campus Challenges

40

22 Michigan colleges, and their Jewish student organizations, navigate an unusual fall semester.

Celeb Jews

Meeting Students’ Needs

34

24 Hillel Day School director of student services emphasizes mental health.

Eretz

thejewishnews.com Follow Us on Social Media: Facebook @DetroitJewishNews Twitter @JewishNewsDet Instagram @detroitjewishnews

There’s Never Been a Cozier back to school!

Diplomatic Breakthrough 28 Israel suspends West Bank annexation and United Arab Emirates agrees to normalization

Moments

42

Online Events 43

Etc. The Exchange Soul Raskin Looking Back

44 46 53 54

Moments 30

OUR JN MISSION: We aspire to communicate news and opinion that’s trusted, valued, engaging and distinctive. We strive to reflect diverse community viewpoints while also advocating positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continuity. As an independent, responsible, responsive community member, we actively engage with individuals and organizations dedicated to enhancing the quality of life, and Jewish life, in Southeast Michigan.

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Ask Us Why!

Views Jewfro

M

aybe you’re like me and you’ve got a short stack of tickets, whose perforated edges are perfectly intact, whose dates have passed and whose stages remain dark.

Swan Lake at the Opera House. Wu-Tang Clan x DSO. Shakespeare in Ben Falik Love.

Maybe you’re like me and you’ve got a child heading to a new school, whose principal is emailing, whose bike racks are beckoning and whose doors will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

Maybe like me, you’re finding connections between the disparate things around you in lieu of our perennial practice of populating fall calendars during the dog days of summer when you’d be better off getting dragged behind a motorboat.

The sets and costumes are all cued up for Shakespeare in Love, the Bloomfield Hills High School stage production, directed by Mary Bogrette.

Mary first welcomed me into her middle school cafetorium over 25 years ago, which I’m told is the statute of limitations for addressing teachers by their last names.

It’s hard to believe I was that awkward kid from the wrong side of the tracks inspired to unlock raw talent by an idealistic young teacher.

Hard to believe because of the notable absence of talent or tracks, though not for lack of awkwardness or inspiration or locks.

Mary’s engagement and encouragement made an indelible impression on me.

The confidence and composure I developed have long outlasted the VHS copy of me singing You Can’t Take That Away from Me in a key (keys?) that would have made the Gershwins grit their teeth — each other’s teeth.

Or maybe I was objectively every bit as amazing as my mom The BHHS production of Clue said.

In any case, my son is heading to sixth grade, Mary is in-person, distance, and virtual starting her 30th year teaching teaching and learning.” (third in high school) and the For Mary, robust includes only local performances we’ve Acting, Acting 2, Acting been treated to lately are the 3 — “script analysis, design melodramatic monologues of considerations, construction anti-maskers. of a set, designing and What’s it like teaching creating costumes and maketheater far from the theater? up, directing and rehearsal Hard, according to Mary, but of a play, all of the technical worth it. Different degree of considerations (lights, sound, difficulty, but as worth it as special effects) of theater ever. production, performance for Last spring, some students a panel of evaluators (theater zoomed to Zoom and flipped professionals and university for Flipgrid. Others opted for professors) and performance online office hours. Then there for peer audiences” — were those who went incognito musical theater and theater until some Instagram production courses, with a new investigating turned them up.

International Baccalaureate With Shakespeare in limbo, Diploma Programme (so furloughed professionals from spelled), not to mention the West Coast to the West the eventual extracurricular End volunteered to work productions of Music Man and remotely with high school Into the Woods ... drama students.

Friends, we’ve got trouble “Theater people of the Right here in Detroit City world united.” Good thing, Trouble with a capital “T” considering Bloomfield And that rhymes with “C” Schools recently made the And that stands for COVID. “unanticipated” decision to Into the woods, indeed. For start the year remotely, with all the severe summertime “robust plans developed for semantics about the “essential”

GEORGIA ZIMMERMAN

All the World’s a Cafetorium

nature of teachers, this virus was bound to spread unimpeded through our threadbare social safety net. Symptoms may include congested unemployment insurance, emaciated wage growth, shortness of parental leave, sniffling childcare, swollen prescription prices and, let’s say, diarrhea of public revenue for failure to properly tax capital gains.

It doesn’t take a pandemic to create anxiety this time of year for even the most august educators. They’ve been on the front lines this whole time.

School districts, for their part, should remove every other desk and keep them gone to rein in class sizes; postpone further standardized testing until we determine the final digit of Pi; quit trying to teach 16-year-olds to derive at 7:30 in the morning; and cease contracting for lunches with companies that specialize in feeding prisoners poorly profitably.

Bit dramatic? You know who to blame.

AUGUST 20 • 2020

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Views Editor’s Note

An Education

B

ack to school is normally such an exciting time. New teachers, new books, new classmates to make friends with. This year, it’s terrifying. Everything seems to have danger attached to it. Parents and teachers alike are trapped in this Andrew Lapin mutual anxiety over the safest, healthiest, most intellectually stimulating way to educate people during a pandemic. There doesn’t seem to be

a perfect solution anywhere.

I have many friends who are parents, many friends who are teachers and several friends who are both. I myself am neither. But I have a responsibility as editor to listen to and understand the concerns of the many parents and teachers in our Jewish community. The JN cares very deeply about our local schooling, and we pledge to cover our community’s response to this at every level.

In this issue, you will find stories on what our Jewish day schools, preschools and univer-

sities have in store (check out public school info at thejewishnews.com), including our interviews with the new heads of Hillel Day School and Farber Hebrew Day School.

These stories are changing every day, and the plans we have printed in this issue may have been updated by the time you read this, so we tried to focus on the big-picture questions: What is really on people’s minds as this uncertain school year looms? How can we find a way forward that protects students, teachers and

families, without setting child development too far behind?

You will also find first-person perspectives from educators and parents.

As with every story we tackle, we want to keep this conversation going. We know this is a challenging, confusing time, and we want to be here for the Jewish community at every level. Let us know where you want our ongoing coverage of this school year to focus on. It seems that we all are about to receive an education of a different sort.

Community Statement

Day School Executives Express Unity

O

ur Jewish future lies in the hands of our children. For thousands of years, we have transmitted our culture, our traditions, our values, our obligations and our concern for the world from parents to children. The passing of our heritage from one generation to the next has been the backbone of our people.

We are united in our belief that Jewish education is vitally important for our community in Metro Detroit. In these trying times, we believe even more strongly in our mission, and we are committed to providing the Jewish children in our community with the very best secular and religious education, in whatever form it may take.

All over the country, schools in general and Jewish day schools, in particular, are trying to determine the best course of action to balance the safety and

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

health of students and staff with the educational and emotional needs of the students. For all of us, this involves some very difficult, occasionally costly, decisions.

We all prefer to teach our students within the environs of our schools, and we all recognize that circumstances may, at some point, force us to take advantage of remote learning opportunities for a period of time.

We recognize that while we have different constituencies, physical spaces and needs, we share the same core values and desire to provide a world class education.

Those shared values inform our weekly meetings, under the auspices of the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit, and allow us to share best practices, discuss our individual planning processes and learn from one another. We will continue to do so well past

the opening of school because we know that the coming days will require innovative and creative solutions.

We realize that by working together we are more likely to find these solutions and effectively implement them. The saying that if you want to go fast “go alone” but if you want to go far “go together” has never been truer.

While we collectively believe the value of Jewish education is evident, in and of itself, we also believe that now more than ever Jewish education is needed in our world. Although we may do it differently, effectively we do exactly the same thing — we teach our kids to be good people and to care for themselves, each other, the Jewish community and the world.

At a time when we are witnessing increasing levels of hatred and polarization, those

lessons must be taught and shared. The world needs more of the wisdom that our teachers impart to your children each day.

We will surely endure continued challenges over the coming days and months. However, we want the community to know that we will continue to work together and regardless of the difficulties, our commitment to Jewish education will not waver.

With much appreciation for the continued support from our parents and the broader Jewish community.

— Rabbi Yehuda Amsel, Yeshivas Darchei Torah — Rabbi Azaryah Cohen, Frankel Jewish Academy — Dr. Darin Katz, Hillel Day School — Dr. Josh Levisohn, Farber Hebrew Day School — Rabbi Shragie Myers, Yeshiva Beth Yehudah

AUGUST 20 • 2020

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Views guest column

Protecting Children’s Mental Health

W

e talk about parenting children’s emotional development as though it is stop-motion animation: manipulate each frame, small changes each time, and the entire reel will give the illusion of independent motion.

Erika Under stress, we Bocknek are more likely to examine each frame, make adjustments and control the storylines.

But here’s what’s true if we step back. Disaster teaches us that we are animators whose characters have leapt from our pages. They live in worlds more like Coco than Steamboat Willie — worlds filled with color and dimension and characters beyond our reach who will share their own truths. They will have their hearts broken, and they will break other people’s hearts.

Still, we search for the “right” way to parent. We know a sin-

gle pen stroke can make a child different from the next and the world through which they walk will change them, too. But we try to do what’s “right.”

Each day, I hear someone ask: “How will we protect children’s mental health?” This has been an issue long before the weight of this pandemic settled in.

People are stressed, lonely and isolated, and that was before we had to stay 6 feet apart.

Perhaps the pandemic has opened this conversation up in earnest. So many more Americans than ever before feel the weight of how policies and related practices impact mental health in children.

What’s certain is that, as a collective society, we know this: Healthy relationships matter most. We may finally realize just how much children need connection with us, and with the wider world, to thrive. They need this connection not only to fill their time but, indeed, they need it in order to be whole. We are forced to reimag-

ine connection and, in doing so, we may unlock the secrets to resilience and mental wellness.

ALTERNATIVE TO THE CLASSROOM Connection will not be guaranteed in classrooms in the fall, where students sit behind plexiglass and teachers attempt the stop-motion version of normalcy in an abnormal world.

Nor is connection guaranteed behind tablets at kitchen tables with uncertain internet.

In both these scenarios, the social rules have changed, and the kinds of interactions that matter most for the full-color version of children’s developmental trajectories have been changed as well.

Learning pods engineered by parents are moving in the direction of change. What is a learning pod? In some cases, families are banding together to share childcare and pitch in on tutors while staying connected to their regular schools through remote learning plans. Other families

are seeking more flexibility and accessing homeschool curricula, hiring teachers to administer lessons to small groups of kids.

These plans for pods resolve some problems by offering safe, face-to-face interaction between children and adults, and they supplement childcare in many cases, a huge source of stress for families. However, they may exacerbate other problems at the community level, including increasing social and educational disparities based on resources.

Learning pods may also reduce variability in children’s peer exposure, an important element of the school environment and one that is important to optimal social and emotional development. Institutions can and should work with families to help emphasize broader inclusion and supplement learning pods with support.

Children who receive special education and learning support at school are particularly left out of our current conversacontinued on page 10

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Views letters

Thoughts On Henry Ford I found Rabbi Spolter’s op-ed suggesting that Henry Ford’s name be taken out of The Henry Ford museum complex’s name (Aug. 6, pg. 9) very disturbing.

I am well aware of Henry Ford’s bigotry and its worldwide impact. As past president of the Zionist Organization of America Michigan Region, I am very sensitive to antisemitism and anti-Zionism. I have addressed the University of Michigan Board of Regents numerous times on double standards applied to Jewish students when the rest of our community was silent. I am a longtime member of the Henry Ford, a proud retiree of Ford Motor Company and

a volunteer helping to restore Ford’s Piquette Avenue Plant as a Model T museum.

People are complex, and there is good and bad in all of us. Henry Ford changed society for the good by putting it on wheels, creating the moving assembly line and by introducing the $5 a day wage, which was revolutionary at the time. He employed hundreds of thousands. He built the B-24 bomber plant and made more jeeps than Jeep to help defeat Hitler. His museum complex is a Detroit-area and world treasure. His architect was a Jew, Albert Kahn, and he personally awarded Ed Levy Sr., another Jew, a slag hauling contract that was the foundation of the Edward C. Levy Company. He gave his neighbor, Rabbi Leo

Franklin, a new car every year.

The Ford family has done their best to make restitution for Henry Ford’s antisemitism, and a Jew recently was president of Ford Motor Company. We need to remember Ford for his greatness without forgetting his bigotry. Living with hate is destructive as is obliterating history.

The Bible is made up of flawed characters and we learn moral lessons from them.

Would the rabbi consider canceling their names from our Bible in this new woke world?

A forthright plaque at the base of Ford’s statue can tell the story. There can also be a display at the museum on antisemitism in Detroit. We learn from history and we should not erase it. While I get deeply depressed

thinking about Henry Ford’s antisemitism, I am proud to say I am and have been part of what he created. I am also proud of The Henry Ford.

— Eugene Greenstein Farmington Hills

These days it’s difficult to remember what day or even year it is. So, when I started reading Mr. Spolter’s essay about The Henry Ford, I had to double-check that it was 2020 and not 1950 because there is nothing in the column that hasn’t been commonly known for decades. The bigotry of Henry Ford has been covered from several angles in the Jewish News, the Forward and many other publications. The Edison Institute, incorporated in 1929, is the private nonprofit continued on page 12

continued from page 8

tions.

Learning pods may signal a viable future but will fall short without partnership from institutions to meet the full scope of children’s learning and social emotional needs. We will learn, as we already have, that we are a society in progress who is still finding solutions. When we center children’s mental health in these conversations, we will ask, what matters most?

WHAT CHILDREN NEED Even in a pandemic, children need opportunities to leap. They need chances to build their identities, both in response to their individual lives, and in response to the color in the world around them. They need to solve problems with others, learn from interpersonal differences and make sense of

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

their developing sense of self.

They need creative expression.

They need to know they have strengths inside them to confront challenges, and they need to know who to ask when they are without the right skills.

They need their parents to notice the best in them, practice joy and make this shared connection the basis for who they will become. They need their parents to be well.

For generations, group-based education and care have served as an important setting for these areas of development, though research shows they are only one context in which children develop. We know that early childhood education, in particular, helps children make significant gains across areas of development, with impacts identified into adulthood.

However, with the world of education changed so drastically during COVID-19, it’s time to drill down on what matters most for children and consider how to deliver the supports and resources they need in the current environment. One-size-fits all approaches will fall short.

Relationships are at the heart of all learning outcomes. When families must adapt and help children practice important social skills within a more restricted set of interactions, those interactions must be prioritized and given maximum support. Individuals, organizations and communities must partner to identify local needs and come together in ways that make the relationships in which children will thrive as healthy as possible.

Our children’s lives will be

different from our own and different from what we imagined for them. It’s our imaginations that hold us back from the kind of solutions that will grow with them into the world they occupy. If the buildings and the computers inhibit their growth, we must give them opportunities and resources to leap into the next liminal space where crisis, coping and solutions form adaptation.

Erika London Bocknek, Ph.D., is a licensed family therapist and associate professor of educational psychology at Wayne State University in Detroit. She directs the Family Resilience Laboratory at Wayne State, is associate editor of the Infant Mental Health Journal and serves on the editorial boards of the journals Infancy and Adversity and Resilience Science.

AUGUST 20 • 2020

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Views continued from page 10

Contact Us

corporation that operates The Henry Ford and its constituent programs and institutions, including the Rouge Plant Tour. Demanding that it “must” rename the museum “The Ford Museum” (not much of a pseudonym, really) is not the hill anyone should want to die on.

— Cynthia Brody Beverly Hills

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It’s about time someone told the true story of Henry Ford.

At Yad Vashem, his name and exploits are prominently mentioned in regards to antisemitism. A story is written in the Jewish News. It seems to me that all the negative information about Mr. Ford is presented to predominately Jewish people. Somehow, the information in your article needs to be disseminated globally.

— Milton Dzodin Southfield

Response from Reform and Orthodox Rabbis Although it is an ancient Jewish practice to argue and disagree about many points of Jewish law, it is also undeniable that we are one community united in our covenant with God. Two weeks ago, there was an unfortunate letter published in the DJN (“Abortion and Jewish

values,” Aug. 6) claiming that Reform Judaism’s “value system is the antithesis of Orthodox Judaism.” As a Reform rabbi and an Orthodox rabbi, we could not disagree more.

Jews from across the religious spectrum read from the same Torah, learn from the same Talmud, observe the same holidays and do our best to put the same core Jewish values into practice. Certainly, there are differences in how we approach this, how we interpret the text and how we prioritize various elements of a vast tradition.

But our passionate arguing about these differences has only demonstrated how unified we are as a people, how much we share the same identity.

Nearly 20 years ago, the State of Israel had a campaign to help its citizens understand this very concept. You could find posters across the country reading “There is more than one way to be Jewish” — a celebration of our diversity of opinion.

In much the same way, our tradition emphasizes the classic phrase, “All Jews are responsible for one another.”

As rabbis, we agree far more often than we disagree. And we state unequivocally that we all share the same system of Jewish values.

—Rabbi Asher Lopatin Rabbi Mark Miller

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

| 13

back to school

New Heads of Schools on the Block Hillel and Farber, under new leadership during a tumultuous year, plan to hold in-person instruction.

COURTESY OF DARIN KATZ

Jews in the D

Jonah, Dr. Marsha Pincus Katz, Dr. Darin Katz and Eli

CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER

W

ith COVID still jeopardizing the classroom for the upcoming school year, two local Jewish day schools have new leadership to help guide them through these unprecedented times.

As of press time, both Hillel Day School and Farber Hebrew Day School are planning to re-open their physical buildings to all students this academic year, while preparing for all-virtual backup options.

D. KATZ

DR. DARIN KATZ, HILLEL DAY SCHOOL When Hillel Day School students return to class on Sept. 1 for the first day of school, they will encounter a new head of school.

Following an eightmonth search process, Hillel announced Dec. 6 that Dr. Darin Katz would serve as Darin Katz the next head of school. He replaced interim Head of School Naty Katz (no direct relation) in July.

“I have a mix of emotions, as you would expect,” Darin Katz told the JN. “I’m a bit nervous, but very, very excited and confident that we can meet the expectations of students and parents and provide an outstanding education, regardless of whether instruction takes place in-person or remotely.”

Katz attended Penn State University for his undergraduate studies and received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Prizmah YOU Lead Program and the Harvard University/AVI Chai Principals’

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

Center, which are Jewish leadership developmental programs that help school professionals improve their skillsets.

Previously, Katz worked at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Philadelphia for eight years, starting in 2012 as the school’s academic dean before becoming the director of the upper school in 2016. Katz has also taught science for two decades.

Katz and his wife, Dr. Marsha Pincus Katz, a small animal veterinarian, have been married for 25 years and have two sons, Eli, 22, and Jonah, 18.

Originally scheduled to arrive in Michigan

approach to education,” Katz said. “Our facility is simply breathtaking and provides for creative and flexible teaching methods.

Hillel’s approach to Jewish pluralism aligned closely with my own view of Judaism and Jewish education. As soon as I stepped onto campus, I sensed the incredibly warm and supportive environment among students and parents.”

Although his term officially began in July, Katz has been deeply engaged in all aspects of planning for months preparing for the students’ return to campus this fall. He’s been sending out weekly emails to parents,

“The transformation that this building has undergone in order to be prepared for all of our students to return to in-person learning five days a week … has been nothing short of remarkable.”

— DR. DARIN KATZ in June, Katz had to change his plans due to the coronavirus pandemic. He officially arrived in the Metro Detroit area at the end of July. His family will join him at the end of the next school year after his youngest son finishes high school in Pennsylvania.

“There are dozens of reasons that attracted me to Hillel. Hillel is a national leader among Jewish day schools for our innovative

keeping them abreast of the school’s changing COVID-19 plans. Although he knows that things can change in an instance, Katz is confident in what the school has done to prepare for the arrival of their students.

“The transformation that this building has undergone in order to be prepared for all of our students to return to in-person learning five days a week … has been nothing short

J. LEVISOHN

FARBER’S DR. JOSH LEVISOHN On March 13, Farber Hebrew Day School announced the hiring of Dr. Josh Levisohn as its new head of school, replacing Rabbi Scot A. Berman, who made aliyah to Israel with his family this summer.

Levisohn’s term officially began on July 1, but he’s been involved Josh with school decisions since the Levisohn announcement in March.

Although Levisohn’s term has officially begun, he will continue to reside in his current home of Silver Spring, Maryland, until next summer after his daughter Yonina grad-

uates from high school. He plans to spend time with his family but make trips to Farber each month. The Levisohns will relocate to Michigan at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year.

Throughout his younger years, Levisohn attended Jewish day schools from kindergarten all the way to his senior year. Levisohn earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, and his Ph.D. in Jewish studies from Harvard as well.

COURTESY OF JOSH LEVISOHN

of remarkable,” Katz said. “I knew it was happening but seeing it in person is a totally different experience. When I walked around the building, I saw what we had been planning on doing for months.”

As for Hillel’s reopening plan for this fall, it plans to welcome back all students for in-person instruction. In addition to the precautions it has taken for the students’ return, Hillel has also revamped its virtual learning, in case of a shutdown, and also provides parents a choice to keep their students enrolled in virtual learning if they are not ready to send their kids back or if there are underlying health concerns.

“We began planning for the 2020-2021 school year back in early May. Two task forces have met weekly since then and [have] devoted hundreds, if not thousands, of hours on every aspect of our path to reopening,” Katz said. “We have the blessing of a large building with flexible spaces that allows us to bring all students back to campus safely five days a week this year. We have left no stone unturned and will employ the most stringent of safety protocols to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.”

The plans for Hillel also include the wearing of masks, physical distancing in class by keeping small class sizes and spreading out desks, daily screening for parents and faculty, daily cleaning and more.

“I consider myself to be a decisive person who is not afraid to make a hard decision and take responsibility for it. Having said that, I am blessed to have the best leadership team of any school in the country who helps me to solve problems,” Katz said. “I believe resilience is one of the most important social-emotional competencies that an individual can have.”

Ari, Yonina, Dr. Lisi Levisohn, Dr. Josh Levisohn and Tani

“As soon as I started, I fell in love with it.”

— DR. JOSH LEVISOHN Levisohn began his career teaching Jewish history at Maimonides School in Boston and served as principal of Jewish Studies at Akiba Hebrew Academy (now Barrack Hebrew Academy) in Merion, Pennsylvania, for eight years. Beginning in 2006, Levisohn was recruited and became the head of school at Berman Hebrew Academy in Rockville, Maryland. He served in that position for 12 years.

“As soon as I started, I fell in love with it. I love the environment, and I love being with kids and developing relationships with them and watching them grow,” Levisohn told the JN. “It is such a dynamic environment.”

In 2018, he stepped away from school administration to work as an educational consultant with EduCannon Consulting, which works with schools to advise and support sustainable changes, where he was involved in a number of projects, including leading the merger of two day schools in West Hartford, building the new Coaching Institute for Prizmah, the network for Jewish day schools across North America, to support day school leaders, and providing advice and consulting to other schools.

But, after two years of educational consulting, Levisohn was ready and eager to

return to day school leadership. As he began his search for a new position in day schools, Levisohn focused heavily on finding an area with a warm and welcoming environment.

“We were looking for a place that has the right environment, and someone said, in one of the interviews here, that this area is a great place to raise kids. That’s exactly what my wife and I were looking for,” Levisohn said.

“Although all our kids are older, we are both heavily involved with children. Detroit is also a resurgent community and offers a lot of growth opportunities.”

Levisohn and his wife, Dr. Lisi, who is a developmental neuropsychologist, have three children: Ari, 23, Tani, 20, and Yonina, 17.

Not only is Levisohn tasked with the transitional phase of becoming a new head of school, he has also been heavily involved with determining plans for this upcoming school year in response to the coronavirus.

“I have been involved in a lot of decision making and planning from March on, partially due to Rabbi Berman’s credit,” Levisohn said. “Obviously, being someone who is new to the Farber team, someone who is new to the community and someone who is not even physically there yet has been a significant challenge.

“But, the truth of the matter is that it has been a challenge for everyone in the day school world. Everyone is trying to prepare for an extremely unusual year in person, with all the requirements, restrictions and guidelines that we are putting into the place, which are very extensive. At the same time, also trying to prepare for the eventuality of the possibility that we will end up going virtual at some point.”

As far as Farber’s plan, it will welcome students for in-person education Aug. 24. It has put all the precautions in place, including the wearing of masks, hand sanitizers, hand washing, limiting the number of people in spaces and keeping class sizes small. Farber is a smaller school, normally averaging 13 middle schoolers in a classroom and graduating only eight seniors in the 2020 class.

“We are trying to do this as best as possible. But obviously, this makes for a new start in a new place quite different than I was anticipating,” Levisohn said. “If the governor’s orders change or the situation in the community changes, obviously we will need to reconsider our plan based on what is best for the public’s health and what is best for the safety of our kids and our staff.”

AUGUST 20 • 2020

| 15

Jews in the D

Return to Learn Jewish day schools plan for in-person and remote learning.

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

FRANKEL JEWISH ACADEMY Frankel Jewish Academy (FJA) educates 135 students in grades 9-12, at the Jewish Community Campus in West Bloomfield.

According to FJA director of advancement Shana Kantor, the March transition to virtual learning was easier because students have had school-issued Macbooks for two years.

“They were unbelievable right out of the gate with really good communication with parents,” says Julie Feldman of West Bloomfield, whose daughter Emily just completed her senior year at Frankel. Her daughter Allie will be a sophomore this year.

FJA’s new school year begins Aug. 31. To help develop its “Return to Learn Plan,” the school surveyed parents, students, faculty and other staff, according to Kantor. “They asked about what went well [with virtual learning] and what didn’t,” said FJA parent Meredith Weingarden of Farmington Hills. “They asked what would make us comfortable about sending them to school or staying home.”

She added that her daughter, Emilie, a 17-year-old senior, did “pretty well” with online instruction and had good results on three AP (advanced placement) exams. Emilie describes the online format as a “pretty good experience. Everyone was going into it at the same time, which made it easier.”

FJA’s “Return to Learn Plan,” available on the school’s website, begins with a letter from Rabbi Azaryah Cohen, head of school, and Randell Gawel, principal. “Technology provided us with an opportunity for connection during a time when we were grappling with the challenges of social distancing and

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

self-quarantine. It also became apparent that nothing, despite the tremendous effort and dedication of those involved, could fully replace the real benefit of face-to-face human contact and real time communication.”

A footnote to their letter notes that the plan is subject to revision, based on changing circumstances and any new guidance from the Michigan Safe Schools Roadmap, the Centers for Disease Control Rabbi and local medical professionals.

Azaryah Recognizing the limitations of Cohen virtual learning, FJA will offer on-campus, in-person instruction with stringent health screening, social distancing, required masks, sanitation measures and other safeguards. The plan notes that the school will follow not only Randell state-required safety protocols Gawel but also its “recommended” and “strongly recommended” practices. Remote, synchronous classes will be available online for students who prefer not to be physically present or who are home due to a mild illness or quarantine for COVID-19.

With the goal of minimizing time spent onsite, the FJA school day will be shortened to slightly less than five hours, with another virtual hour scheduled Monday through Thursday. Students will follow the same schedule whether learning on campus or at home. Synchronous classes will enable remote students to ask questions, see their classmates and participate in real time through a Zoom format.

“Our revised schedule, and health and safety procedures, will help ensure that there are multiple layers of intervention to safeguard our school community and prevent the spread of COVID-19 while students and staff are in the building,” the FJA statement said.

Feldman thinks that the plan is “wellthought out and safe. There is no zero risk but FJA

I

n developing back-to-school plans amid COVID-19 this fall, some Jewish day schools have certain organizational advantages over public schools — less bureaucracy to cope with and often a smaller student body with smaller class sizes. However, the pandemic is an equalizer in some ways — making everything more complicated.

FJA Entrance

it’s low risk.” Weingarden concurs: “I think it’s pretty comprehensive. I think they’re doing everything they can.”

However, she is concerned about keeping her family safe when Emilie returns to school because one family member is immuno-compromised, wondering if they need to be kept 6 feet apart.

Emilie said she wants to return to school in-person, especially because she doesn’t want to miss out on all the fun things of senior year — prom, graduation and spirit week. Most of her friends are going in person. “My school did a great job in coming up with a plan — it’s very comprehensive.”

Kantor said FJA administrators expect that 75 to 80 percent of students will choose in-person instruction. Also, the school is receiving inquiries from prospective students because many other local schools will offer only remote learning this fall.

ORTHODOX DAY SCHOOLS Yeshiva Beth Yehudah provides preschool through high school for girls and preschool through eighth grade for boys with 1,150 students at schools in Oak Park and Southfield.

According to Rabbi Yitzchok Grossbard, dean of the Yeshiva, online instruction has been provided since the school buildings closed earlier in the year.

Yeshiva Beth Yehudah has a plan for in-school instruction this fall as well as an online “learning accommodations for those who are medically unable to participate in in-person classes,” Rabbi Grossbard said. He expects the plan to be finalized and released by late August.

Yeshivas Darchai Torah, located in Southfield, was closed until Aug. 17. Efforts to reach school officials by phone were unsuccessful. The school enrolls around 300 students in grades pre-K through 12.

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back to school

STACY GITTLEMAN

Jews in the D

O

n the first day of his freshman year, my third and youngest child Toby confidently strode into the front entrance of the gleaming new Bloomfield Hills High School with a cup of Starbucks in his hand. He’d bought it for a girl. On it was inscribed the words: I like you a Latte. Will you go to HoCo with me?

His intended homecoming date had a Stacy scheduling conflict that Gittleman night. But that morning of Contributing Writer September 2017 was the auspicious beginning of a sometimes rocky, sometimes scary, but what we now look back on as a relatively normal high school career.

For him, and every student out there, all normalcy came to a screeching halt on March 12, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not even the horror of school shootings in recent years could have prepared any of us for such a complete and total disruption in our children’s academic careers.

In the normal life of a high school junior, by spring Toby and his peers would have taken one round of college entrance exams and visited some college campuses. But now they must get a feel for what life will be like as a collegiate through a website or a brochure. The College Board in the spring canceled entrance exams twice. By mid-summer, new test dates were announced. He scrambled to get a local test date but got shut out. So, bright and early a few Saturdays from now, we’ll be driving to Toledo so he can take the SAT in an unknown school. In a classroom with an unknown number of students, with desks dubiously spaced. Who knows what the ventilation system will be like?

That’s unless, of course, the exam gets canceled. Again. Even if these tests do go on, it is unclear how much college admissions will be taking them into account as they also pivot in the pandemic age.

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

(Not) Back-to-School Diary Since March, we had all hoped against hope for normalcy to return in September. But neither parents, nor educators, nor school administrators call the shots.

The pandemic does.

On Aug. 6, the Bloomfield Hills Schools Board of Education, after a Zoom meeting that lasted seven hours, voted to forgo all in-person instruction for K-12 students, at least for the first few months of the 2020-2021 school year.

Just as it was in the spring, learning in isolation online will be tortuous for my very extroverted and theatrical son.

Lifesaving, yes. Sanity-saving for all involved? Not so much.

Toby suffers from anxiety and depression. His mental illness has taken us down a continuing road of therapists and meds and coping and not coping with an academic system often structured, not on what a child knows, but on when and if they hand in assignments. School can be a roller coaster ride even when a global pandemic is not threatening to sabotage your senior year.

Toby misses participating in lively classroom dialogue at school with his peers. At least at school, when things go bad and the stress is high, you have your friends around you to commiserate at the lunch table.

Learning online again, Toby anticipates a struggle to stay on task. The silver lining is that his classes on the performing and media arts will be made available. To ease the isolation, he plans to find trusted study buddies to work with either in person or over FaceTime.

More than classes, it is your community of peers that makes high school some of the best years of your life. This summer, Toby and other BHHS students continued to be involved with their high school by forming a Student Equity Council.

Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and this summer’s civil rights protests, they are actively petitioning school administrators to create a more inclusive and equitable social studies curriculum to fight racism through education.

Whatever happens this school year, Toby knows he is blessed and privileged.

Our family is healthy and relatively untouched by the economic woes of COVID. Plus, we have a pandemic puppy to give us love and lots of hairballs.

So, whatever this new year brings, we are strapped in and ready. It’s going to be a bumpy ride to graduation.

This is the first in a series of diaries from Stacy Gittleman.

AUGUST 20 • 2020

| 19

Jews in the D

Ganeinu’s preschool

Jewish Preschools Prepare for In-Person Fall Classes ECC directors have been meeting to discuss how to safely open preschools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MAYA GOLDMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A

s Jewish preschools in Metro Detroit prepare to open for in-person learning, early childhood center directors are asking themselves a lot of questions: How will they communicate new safety protocol to parents? What happens if a student or teacher gets sick? What kind of personal protective equipment is needed? Where will students put their coats and backpacks?

Do they need school nurses?

These are some challenges facing ECC directors this fall, said Lisa Seigmann, senior director of development, innovation, collaboration and education at the JCC. She’s been assisting a group of 12 ECC directors from community Jewish preschools as they work to figure out how to open safely this fall.

All 12 schools in the group have decided to begin the school year with in-person classes, Seigmann told the Jewish News. But there will be some key differences in how the schools look this year.

For example, at the JCC’s own preschool, “we’re going to err on the side of safety, so there’ll be wearing of masks and cleaning of rooms, we’ll have smaller class sizes, social distancing — all to create as safe an environment for children as we can,” said JCC COO Jeff Lasday.

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

JCC’s preschool won’t have early drop-off or late pick-up options because students will be staying in their classroom “pods” for the entire day to limit the number of people who are interacting with each other.

Temple Israel’s Susan and Rabbi Harold Loss Early Childhood Center will also use the pod model. Parents will be required to complete a health screening of their children each morning and drop them off outside building, where temperatures will be taken, according to Julie Levy, the ECC director.

At Ganeinu, the Jewish Montessori school affiliated with Chabad of Farmington Hills, COVID-19 will bring new learning experiences for students, too. Director Chaya Bergstein said teachers will sanitize the classroom at the end of each day, but students will also learn to wipe down their toys before putting them back on the shelf.

“It will be an educational process for them — that they understand that when they put away some of the materials, they have to clean it for the next person,” Bergstein told the JN. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order earlier this month requiring children over the age of 2 to wear masks on school buses and children over the age of 4 to be masked in all indoor common spaces and

COURTESY CHAYA BERGSTEIN

back to school

hallways. Forest Wolfe, who has just begun a new role as Temple Beth El’s ECC director, said the kids at Temple Beth El’s week-long camp from Aug. 10-14 didn’t have a problem keeping their masks on.

“One of the things people are always scared about with this age group is that the mask wearing is going to be so difficult,” Wolfe said.

“But they’ve been great with it.”

While many public school districts in the Metro Detroit area will begin the school year fully online, ECC directors say the needs of younger students are different.

“The things that we could do over remote were the ABCs and the 123s — the academics,” said Robin Pappas, director of Hillel Day School’s ECC. Hillel switched to virtual learning in March. “But what we can’t do when we’re not in person is the ‘I love you’ and the caring and the socializing.”

In-person Jewish preschool is important for building a child’s Jewish identity, too, Bergstein said.

“In the school,they are connecting with Jewish rituals and Jewish knowledge and Jewish learning, ,” she said. “They take it to heart, and build their Jewish future on it.”

Directors know that a lot can change between now and the first day of school.

Pappas said most of Hillel ECC’s teachers plan to come back in the fall, but “I can say something today and tomorrow can be totally different.”

Not all parents are comfortable sending their children back to preschool, either, but Erin Budisak is excited for her 4-year-old daughter Ali to return to Temple Beth El’s preschool this fall. The virtual programming Temple Beth El put on for students in the spring was hard for Ali, Budisak said.

“When temple said they were going to try to offer this opportunity, I talked it over with our pediatrician and as a family. We’re like, you know what? We feel like everything in COVID is a calculated risk, and this is one that’s worth taking for her developmentally.”

Directors just want to provide a safe environment for their young students like Ali. “I want these children back and I can’t wait. I feel like we plan and we plan and we plan until the children are here,” Pappas said.

“Then we can take a breath of relief and feel like ‘oh my gosh, this is what we are meant to do. This is who we are, and this is where we need to be.’”

LINDSAY LEHMANN

Detroit Country Day School welcomes Rich Dempsey as new Head of School

BY ELIZABETH KATZ

A

s a former student who began his academic career in the public schools outside of Boston but then transitioned to a private school environment, Rich Dempsey knows the transformative power of a private school education.

“There were doors that opened that I never knew existed,” he said about his attendance at St. George’s School in Newport, R.I. “The relationships and connections students had with each other and adults in that community were extraordinary. That’s true for every private school. It was magnetic.”

Now, Dempsey plans to share that experience with students at Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills. Dempsey, the former Associate Head of School at Pomfret School in Pomfret, Conn., has taken over leadership of Detroit Country Day as Head of School, effective July 1.

He replaces Glen Shilling, who served as Headmaster since 2007.

Dempsey has 24 years of administrative and teaching experience in independent day and boarding schools. He began his career in education as chemistry and math teacher at St. George’s, where he also served as an advisor, dorm parent and head coach of hockey and baseball. He also held leadership and administrative positions, including Director of Summer Session and Associate Dean of Students, while continuing to teach in the classroom.

When Dempsey, his wife Mary and their seven-year-old

son Teddy were looking to make a move, Dempsey said he did a national search for his next career opportunity, ideally as head of a private school.

“I wanted to be the head of the right school, a school that had an extraordinary educational community,” he said. “I wanted to not only work with older students but with younger students too. I wanted to find that school that I felt prepared kids best.”

Dempsey found that in Detroit Country Day, which was established 106 years ago by F. Alden Shaw, a Harvard-educated Minnesotan who wanted to create a school that emphasized academic rigor and preparedness for higher education as well as the immersion of students in athletics and the arts. DCDS students also draw on the school’s traditions of character-building, mutual respect among themselves and faculty, and the skills to embrace social and personal responsibility.

Dempsey began working with school administrators and staff in March. He said he recalls his visit to DCDS in May 2019 as a finalist for the position.

“One can only be overwhelmed by the warmth and strong sense of community that we have here at Detroit Country Day,” he said, characterizing those he met as “real, authentic and genuine.”

“This school community embraces tradition while also evolving, modernizing and accepting change,” he said.

As Head of School, Dempsey

says he’ll be drawing on his experience at Pomfret School, as well as his time spent at Rocky Hill School in East Greenwich, R.I., where he served as Head of the Upper School for five years.

Dempsey graduated from Bowdoin College with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and extensive work in English.

He earned a Master’s of Education Degree in Educational Administration from Boston University and completed a National Association of Independent Schools Fellowship for Aspiring Heads of School.

Dempsey’s vision for the current and future Detroit Country Day School is one focused on students rather than a teacher-based model emphasizing lectures.

“Education must switch to … one that focuses on the individual student and is skills based and content rich,” he said. “The skills-focused model that schools need to follow will allow for students to develop skills including learning to think critically, how to be creative, how to be a strong communicator, how to be a thoughtful listener, and how to be able to champion your own ideas. That’s critical in this day and age.”

Dempsey said it’s also imperative to prepare kids for jobs that

SPONSORED BY DETROIT COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

don’t exist yet, and to impart the knowledge that today’s world is much more diverse and interconnected. He wants to promote deeper and more meaningful learning experiences and an education that is both thoughtful and project based.

Like all schools, Detroit Country Day has had to adapt to the current coronavirus pandemic. Dempsey sees this as not only an opportunity to assimilate to the rapidly changing times but to embrace the moment as an opportunity to look long term at DCDS’s future.

“We need to shift our practice to provide more enhanced educational opportunities for our students,” he said. “We recognize that this is a moment to step back and evaluate thoroughly our student experience from the perspective of their well-being, resiliency, and perseverance.

It is also time to reflect on our empathy for and appreciation of others. This moment calls for us to reinvent, pivot and make an even better overall experience for all our students.”

DETROIT COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL 22305 West 13 Mile Road Beverly Hills, MI 48025 248.646.7717 dcds.edu

AUGUST 20 • 2020

| 21

Jews in the D

BRANISLAV ONDRASIK VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

back to school

Campus

Challenges Michigan colleges, and their Jewish student organizations, navigate an unusual fall semester.

W

S.POMERANTZ

ith a new school year on the horizon, universities across the country are preparing for a fall semester the likes of which no one has ever seen.

Michigan universities with notable Jewish presences, such as the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Oakland University and Wayne State University, are all taking similar precautions against COVID-19.

For U-M, classes will be delivered in a variety of formats including in-person, remote and a hybrid mix of both.

In an Aug. 6 email to U-M alumni and donors, university President Mark Schlissel wrote that “about 70 percent of credit hours for undergraduates will be taken fully remotely this fall, while courses that can only or best be offered in person, like lab and studio courses, will be offered in person.” Students whose classes are available remotely may choose to remain at home.

Sarah Pomerantz, an incoming junior and the chair of U-M Hillel’s governing board, is interested in what professors are expecting out of their students in these unique circumstances.

“It’s difficult because you Sarah understand the risks that there Pomerantz are, and you understand the reasoning for virtual classes, yet it’s still hard to adapt,” Pomerantz said. “I’m taking Hebrew, and it’s difficult to take language classes online, so I’m interested to see how much the academic rigor continues.”

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

Oakland University

Face coverings are required while on U-M property, including when inside buildings, outdoors and on U-M transportation.

Students planning to move into U-M housing are expected to be tested for COVID-19, and cleared, prior to campus arrival.

U-M is partnering with Quest Diagnostics to provide testing kits directly to students and is offering testing for students who are symptomatic or who meet specific criteria through University Health Service.

For Oakland University, classes will be offered in-person, online with recorded lectures, through livestream courses, as well as hybrid courses.

OU has adopted a daily health screening process to prevent faculty, staff, students and guests from coming to campus if they are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or have had contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.

In addition to answering self-screening questions online, campus community members are asked to take the Honor Pledge, which is designed to limit the spread of infection through the use of facial coverings, social distancing and practice of other infection-prevention behaviors.

Wayne State’s campus must also take a daily campus screener, which must be completed every day, beginning 48 hours before one’s return to campus and continuing each day on campus.

WSU anticipates the proportion of each type of course instruction to be 20% traditional, 46% remote and online, 2% hybrid and 32% individually arranged. For cam-

University of Michigan

pus housing, all residents will be tested for COVID-19 as part of the move-in process and will be periodically re-tested over the course of the semester. Face coverings are required in public as well as 6-foot social distancing between residents.

For Michigan State, about half of classes will be online, a quarter of classes will be in hybrid mode of instruction, and the remaining classes will be in-person, in larger rooms to allow for 6-foot social distancing.

Any student showing symptoms will have access to testing through MSU’s Olin Health Center and other sites on campus.

MSU will also be doing a COVID-19 Community Detection Program, collecting saliva samples from thousands of faculty, staff and student volunteers throughout the semester to analyze and identify the presence of the virus in people who are asymptomatic. The technique allows MSU to “process a large volume of samples, identifying carriers of the virus before outbreaks occur.”

Jules Levy, the president of MSU’s Jewish Student Union, is one of many incoming seniors knowing their final year of college is under less than ideal circumstances, but she’s hoping to roll with the punches.

“I think it’s going to be really Jules Levy tough to make this a fun year,” she said. “But my goal going into it is to really make the best of it, get a lot of freshmen involved in Hillel and keep going with what we’ve been doing before, but changing it to work with the new guidelines.”

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COURTESY OF HILLEL DAY SCHOOL

Jews in the D back to school

Kim Love with Hillel Day School students

Meeting Students’ Needs Hillel Day School director of student services emphasizes mental health.

CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER

W

ith much uncertainty about how schools will look this fall, Kim Love, Hillel Day School’s director of student services, is focusing her attention on the social and emotional needs of all her students, especially those with disabilities.

Love has been engaged with two groups and their outreach surrounding education, especially related to the COVID-19 panKim Love demic and its effect on students’ mental health.

Before assuming her role as the director of student services last year, Love served as one of Hillel’s full-time social workers for three years. In her new position, Love oversees all of Hillel’s support services, including learning specialists and social workers. She said she makes sure “all students’ learning needs, as well as social, emotional and behavioral needs, are met within the school.”

Due to the pandemic, Love had to modify and expand how Hillel’s students received learning support this spring.

“All of our students who needed help got the help they needed remotely,” Love said.

“We continued servicing the students who were receiving services prior to COVID, but we also did crisis intervention and offered services to students that required extra support during quarantine that may not have been receiving support when we were in school.”

Love has been selected as a 2020-

24 |

AUGUST 20 • 2020

2021 Member at Large for the Michigan Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC), which advises both the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Office of Special Education and the State Board of Education (SBE) on how to provide positive outcomes for all Michigan students with disabilities. Her three-year term will begin in September.

The state committee is composed of delegates from across Michigan who represent different educational organizations.

According to Love, 51% of the committee is also made up of either parents of students with disabilities or people with disabilities themselves. There are 33 representatives and Love is the only member from the Jewish community.

“As members, we meet monthly and our activities or conversations during that meeting depend on what the needs are at any given time in the year,” Love said. “For example, we sometimes work on proposed policies and leave our suggestions before they appear in the state legislation. We also identify unmet needs in the state and help advise the MDE and the SBE on best practices of how to go about making sure these things are put in place so the students of our state are getting what they need to be successful in school and beyond.”

Previously, Love served on the committee as a delegate representing the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, which is the organization for all charter

schools throughout Michigan. That term was from 2013-2016.

“I think what is really unique about being a member at large is that I am a voice for independent schools because I do work at a Jewish day school, but also because I think Jewish people are underrepresented in our state agencies,” Love said. “I get to bring that diversity to the panel but also advocate for the needs of our specific community and students with disabilities within our specific community. That was something that was not there the few years ago when I previously served.”

Although Love hasn’t had the opportunity to attend a SEAC meeting yet — they’re on summer hiatus and will resume in September — she believes that with remote learning bringing new challenges for students with disabilities, there will be a strong focus in the first part of the year to address and develop policies on how to deliver special educational programs and services for students with disabilities throughout the state.

In addition to SEAC, Love has also been attending meetings for the Oakland Schools’ “Unpacking the Governor’s Back to School Plan Mental and Social-Emotional Health Sections,” where she virtually meets with Oakland County leaders and other school administrators to focus on how mental health will play a large role in the upcoming school year.

“Aside from being a fierce advocate for students with disabilities, and especially Jewish students with disabilities, mental health is another huge passion of mine,” Love said.

“One of my other social work colleagues, Barb Kenny, was joining this and we decided to do it together so we can really help our students at Hillel.”

She has currently attended two sessions and there is one more planned. Love is confident, however, that since they “are only scratching the surface,” Oakland County will extend the meetings throughout August.

“The roadmap is broad. They recommend we destigmatize COVID and that we screen our students for mental health needs, but it doesn’t say how we should do that,” Love said. “That is what is so wonderful about partaking in these meetings because we are sharing with other educators ‘the how’ so we can make the best plan possible for Hillel to address the social, emotional needs of our students when we return to school.”

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YOSSI ALONI/FLASH90

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a military base in Ramla, Israel, Aug. 4, 2020.

Eretz

Diplomatic Breakthrough Israel suspends West Bank annexation and United Arab Emirates agrees to normalization.

JOSEFIN DOLSTEN JTA

I

n a diplomatic breakthrough, Israel and the United Arab Emirates are normalizing ties.

As part of a peace deal brokered by President Donald Trump, Israel will pause its plans to annex areas of the West Bank, according to a joint statement released Thursday, Aug. 13, by the White House. “Israel will suspend declaring sovereignty over areas outlined in the President’s Vision for Peace and focus its efforts now on expanding ties with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world. The United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates are confident that added diplomatic

breakthroughs with other nations are possible, and will work together to achieve this goal,� the statement read.

The statement, which referred to the two countries as “two of America’s most reliable and capable regional partners,� said that Israel and the UAE will sign agreements in the coming weeks related to investment, tourism, air travel, security, opening embassies and more. The two nations also will work together on developing a vaccine for the coronavirus, it said.

The Gulf states have been growing closer with Israel in recent years, but the

UAE is the first to establish formal ties with the Jewish state. The countries share a goal of countering Iranian influence in the Middle East.

Most Arab countries do not recognize Israel’s existence. The Jewish state currently has ties only with Egypt and Jordan. “The UAE is employing its decision for normal relations with Israel,� the UAE’s foreign minister said in a statement, according to the Times of Israel.

Speaking to media Aug. 13, Trump suggested that agreements between Israel and some of its

other Muslim neighbors in the region could come soon, the Times of Israel reported. “Things are happening that I can’t talk about,� he said.

After promising the move during multiple election campaigns last year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been pushing to annex parts of West Bank around July 1.

The plans were delayed after the Trump administration voiced concern with the idea.

See more in-depth coverage of this breakthrough in the Aug. 27, 2020, edition of the Jewish News.

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Moments Luke Riley Fenberg, son of Lisa and Aaron Fenberg, will lead the congregation in prayer as he becomes a bar mitzvah at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020. He will be joined in celebration by his brother Justin and his proud grandparents Robin and Michael Fenberg, Sandy and Jeff Kopelman, and Lynne and Leslie Schultz.

Luke is a student at Walnut Creek Middle School in West Bloomfield. As part of his most meaningful mitzvah project, he organized a basketball tournament to raise funds for Rett Syndrome. He also volunteers each year for the Stroll for Rett Syndrome.

Andrew James Greenhut, son of Dana and David Greenhut, will chant from the Torah on the occasion of his bar mitzvah at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020. He will be joined in celebration by his sister Alyssa, his proud grandparents Sue and Jerry Hoffman, and Elaine and Kerry Greenhut, and his great-grandmothers Lillian Greenhut and Norma Stoller. He is a student at West Hills Middle School in Bloomfield Hills.

For his mitzvah project, Andrew gave his time volunteering to alleviate food insecurity in our community at the Gleaner’s Food Bank and the Temple Israel Free Fresh Food Pantry.

Jacob Matthew Semel will chant from the Torah as he becomes a bar mitzvah at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020. He will be joined in celebration by his proud parents, Lori and Ronald Semel, and sister Lilli. Jacob is the loving grandchild of Fran Wolok, the late Harvey Wolok, and the late Mary and Robert Semel.

He is a student at Walnut Creek Middle School in West Bloomfield. For his mitzvah project, Jacob babysat and donated his earnings to No Kid Hungry, an organization that helps to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the United States.

Madeline Ava Shapiro (Meira Yochana), daughter of Lainie and Michael Shapiro and sister of Jacob, was called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah on Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, at Temple Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield. She is the loving grandchild of Stephen Margulis, the late Sharon Margulis, the late Phil Shapiro and the late Toby Shapiro.

Maddie is a student at Warner Middle School in Farmington Hills. For her mitzvah project, which she will be launching in September (Childhood Cancer Awareness Month), she will put together makeup kits for childhood cancer fighters.

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What The World Needs Now

I

f I were to choose a phrase and house and found herself from this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s portion living out of a truck. Child that is most well-known, it Protective Services threatened to would be Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof take her son if she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find a (Deuteronomy 16:20a). safe place.

These words have been With the help of a generous understood in many social worker, the first few ways. Rashi translates nights of a hotel stay were tzedek as â&#x20AC;&#x153;justice.â&#x20AC;? In this paid for. And then Curtis context, the words mean, showed up, demonstratâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Justice, Justice, Shall ing what it means to You Pursueâ&#x20AC;? and refers to pursue righteousness. the idea that we should Rabbi Daniel Every day, he would Schwartz pursue reliable courts pay Elyseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hotel bill and that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be swayed by had been doing so for Parshat friendships, promises, months when the story Shoftim: political pressure or even Deuteronomy was published. Homeless bribes, but by the merits 16:18-21:9; himself, Curtis Jackson of each individual case. panhandled daily until he Isaiah 51:12-52:12. had enough money for The world of Jewish social justice often transfood and to pay for Elyseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lates tzedek as â&#x20AC;&#x153;righteousroom. ness.â&#x20AC;? It became the mantra as When asked why he did it, he they translated the phrase as responded, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m out here for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Righteousness, Righteousness, purpose,â&#x20AC;? he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;to help someShall You Pursue.â&#x20AC;? one; and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to A third explanation comes do, is help someone that needs from Rabbi Elliot Dorff who help, right at this moment.â&#x20AC;? taught that â&#x20AC;&#x153;tzedek means that Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tzedek, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s righteouswe must ensure that everyone ness. What he says next, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gets at least the minimum of tirdof, pursuing it. Curtis said, what is necessary to live. It â&#x20AC;&#x153;And once she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need help means teaching about fundaanymore, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll move on to helping mental human rights, which someone else.â&#x20AC;? every person should enjoy. This Pursuing righteousness form of righteousness means means not just waiting for an believing in the fundamental opportunity to fall into your lap equality of all people â&#x20AC;Ś that we ... it means looking for opporare all equal regardless of race, tunities. religion, gender, sexual orientaEvery day, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re supposed tion or economic situation.â&#x20AC;? to seek and find who weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re But whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the tirdof? What supposed to help until that does it mean that we pursue righ- injustice is fixed or we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help teousness? How do we do that? anymore. And then, when that A true story demonstrates time comes, we go on to find how. The story is about the next. a woman weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll call Elyse.

Rabbi Daniel A. Schwartz is a rabbi Everything was going right for at Temple Shir Shalom in West her. Suddenly, she lost her job Bloomfield.

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sports HIGHlights brought to you in partnership with

JN Athletes of the Year, Rosen Scholarship winners share what they learned from high school sports.

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MICHIGAN JEWISH SPORTS FOUNDATION

T

hey’re outstanding athletes and good students.

They’re the Jewish News High School Athletes of the Year and Dr. Steve and Evelyn Rosen Stars of Tomorrow Scholarship recipients for 2020.

Ben Rosenblatt, Jenna Silverman, Olivia Warren and Andie Wolfe are the Athletes of the Year. Mitch Blackman, Will Bloomberg, Noa Green, Hannah Resnick and Rosenblatt are the recipients of $1,500 Stars of Tomorrow scholarships.

They were chosen from applications submitted to

selection committees in a process organized by the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundatio.

“This is a really good crop of Athletes of the Year,” said committee member Harry Glanz.

Indeed they are. They checked off all the boxes of athletic accomplishments and longevity, importance to their teams and playing sports in college.

The Stars of Tomorrow scholarships were funded originally by a donation made in honor of Steve Rosen, a Michigan Jewish Sports Hall

quick hits

BY STEVE STEIN

It’s been a busy summer of baseball for Ben Chosid.

The Kalamazoo College junior from Ann Arbor has been playing in the three-team South Division in the Michigan pod of the Northwoods League, a prestigious summer league for college baseball players.

Chosid plays for the Kalamazoo Growlers.

Some days, the Growlers play two five-inning games. Some days, the Growlers play three five-inning games.

That’s a lot better than not playing at all. Kalamazoo College’s baseball season

34 |

AUGUST 20 • 2020

of Fame member who died in 2016.

The oldest of five children, Rosen excelled in track and field at Mount Clemens High School and the University of Michigan and eventually became a radiologist.

“But Steve always felt he could have been a better athlete and a better student if he didn’t have to work while he was in school,” Evelyn Rosen said about her husband. “What we’re trying to do with these scholarships is help Jewish athletes focus on their sports and academics.”

Let’s meet the Athletes of the Year and Stars of Tomorrow scholarship winners: ATHLETES OF THE YEAR Name: Ben Rosenblatt High school: Berkley High school sports resume: He played boys soccer only as a sophomore and was one of

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was cut short after just seven games this spring when college sports were shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were 5-2 when we had to stop playing. We were going to have a good season,” Chosid said.

Ben Chosid Chosid has enjoyed his time with the Growlers, who are joined by the Kalamazoo Mac Daddies and Battle Creek Bombers in the South Division.

The season began July 1 and will conclude with a championship game Sept. 5.

Each of the three teams will play 60 regularseason games at Homer Stryder Field in

just four sophomores to earn All-State honorable mention recognition that season.

College: Elon University (will play soccer).

Best memory from high school sports: “I’ll most remember the friendships I made. My one season of high school soccer allowed me to become friends with kids I never would have known if I hadn’t played.”

Life lesson learned from high school sports: “It’s important to be responsible and loyal to the ones you’re closest to.”

Name: Jenna Silverman High school: Bloomfield Hills High school sports resume: A four-year member of the girls tennis team, she won the No. 4 singles state championship in Division 1 as a sophomore.

She was a Division 1 state semifinalist in No. 4 singles as a freshman and a Division 1

Kalamazoo and C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek.

The Growlers (28-16-3) were in first place as of last week.

“I’m grateful to get a chance to play,” Chosid said. “And being in the same league as guys from from the Power 5 conferences has been nothing short of incredible.”

This is the first time Chosid has played in a collegiate summer league. Kalamazoo College baseball coach Mike Ott told him about the opportunity late in the school year.

Chosid plays shortstop for Kalamazoo College, but he’s playing mostly second base for the Growlers.

state finalist at No. 3 singles as a junior, losing to the No. 1 seed from Midland Dow in the title match. She beat the No. 2 seed from Grosse Pointe South in a three-set semifinal match.

College: University of Michigan (will play club tennis).

Best memories from high school sports: “I was able to overcome immense pressure and persevere through tough competition when I won a state championship as a sophomore. I’ll also cherish the small things like cheering for my teammates, team talks before and after matches, and the friendships our team built through our shared love of tennis.”

Life lessons learned from high school sports: “While playing in the state final match as a sophomore, I realized that no matter how stressful a situation is, when you dig down deep within yourself, you will find a

way to be successful. I will use the grit, passion and determination I cultivated from high school tennis to accomplish my goals in life.”

Name: Olivia Warren High school: Walled Lake Western High school sports resume: The three-year girls basketball player and twoyear team captain was an honorable mention All-State selection in 2020 and a three-time academic allstater. The 5-foot-6 senior guard was the mlive.com Metro Detroit Unsung Hero in girls basketball for 2020 after averaging 10 points and 4.9 assists per game for a 20-4 WL Western team that qualified for the regional finals. She received 12,415 of the 37,049 votes cast.

College: Alma College (will play basketball).

Chaben (56) and Gary way in the individual Klinger (56).

Josh Baker and standings as the B’nai B’rith golf league Josh Harvith had some entered the home breathing room atop the stretch of the season. league’s team standings Ruskin had 59 with 122 points, four in Mark Ruskin points through 11 front of runners-up Jeff weeks of the 16-week Novick and Ruskin (118). season. He was 40-33-26 in 99 Baker and Harvith were 44-34holes and had won six matches, 21 and had won 6.5 matches.

Josh Baker and the duo of Bob Dale Taub and Klinger (116), Shapiro and Chuck Houmaian Luger and Spalter (115) and were tied for second place behind Larry Shapiro and Bob ShapiroRuskin with 58.5 points and Mitch Houmaian (114) trailed the Lefton had 58 points. leaders.

Not far behind were Rich Luger League golfers play nine holes (57.5), Richard Spalter (57), Kerry on Thursdays at the Links of Novi.

Marc Ruskin led the

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sports HIGHlights Continued from page 35

Best memory from high school sports: “The relationships and memories I created with my teammates.”

Life lessons learned from high school sports: “Time management, discipline, teamwork and leadership.”

Name: Andie Wolfe High school: Walled Lake Northern High school sports resume: She played girls basketball and girls soccer for four years and was named AllState in girls soccer and one of the top 50 high school girls soccer players in Michigan. She was a captain of the girls basketball and girls soccer teams.

College: Michigan State University (will play soccer).

Best memories from high school sports: “The times I shared on the soccer field with my sister. I also will never forget the excitement and school camaraderie of a game day. The energy that came from my friends, family and the entire school rooting me on was unmatchable.”

Life lesson learned from high school sports: “Your team is like a family. You spend copious hours practicing, playing and bonding off the field or court. We laugh, cry, and we share a passion for the game that creates a family.”

36 |

AUGUST 20 • 2020

STARS OF TOMORROW Name: Mitch Blackman High school: Frankel Jewish Academy High school sports resume: He played baseball, boys basketball and boys tennis. He scored 19 points in a Feb. 11 basketball game vs. Allen Park Cabrini, setting a school record with six 3-pointers and helping the Jaguars set a team record with 14 triples.

High school GPA 3.75 College: Michigan State University (might play club baseball).

Passion outside of sports: “I love traveling to different places and learning about the culture and how each place is unique.”

Career: “I see myself going into business because I love meeting new people, solving problems and making a difference.”

Name: Will Bloomberg High school: Frankel Jewish Academy High school sports resume: The 2019-20 FJA Male Athlete of the Year was a four-year boys soccer player and a three-year boys basketball player. He was a captain of both teams, including three seasons on the soccer team. He led the soccer team in scoring as a junior and he helped the Jaguars win their first district game in many years.

High school GPA: 3.98

College: Michigan State University Passion outside of sports: “I’m passionate about helping other people succeed. I’ve turned that passion into an annual 3x3 basketball tournament that raises money for charity.”

Career: “I see myself as a sports agent because of my passion for sports and business.”

Name: Noa Green High school: Berkley High school sports resume: A girls soccer player for three years, she led the Bears to a district championship in 2019.

High school GPA: 3.9 College: University of Michigan Passion outside of sports: “I really enjoy hiking and being in nature. Other than playing sports outside, I’ve spent every summer enjoying the outdoors at camp or on vacation. I love going on back-country hiking trips and I hope to hike in Iceland one day.”

Career: “I’m not exactly sure. However, I see myself choosing a career that involves helping people live better lives.”

Name: Hannah Resnick High school: Frankel Jewish Academy High school sports resume: A four-year volleyball player

and a three-year bowler, she was a captain of both teams as a senior and the only girl on the boys bowling team. She was a team MVP in volleyball and bowling and FJA’s Female Athlete of the Year for 2019-20. She scored 16 straight points serving in volleyball in both her sophomore and senior seasons.

High school GPA: 3.55 College: Lawrence Technological University (will bowl and play volleyball).

Passion outside of sports: “Making art and being creative in different ways.

I love expressing myself through my artwork and allowing others to see a different side of me.”

Career: “I see myself working at a company where I can design homes.

More specifically, I want to flip homes in rundown neighborhoods so I can rebuild cities into nicer places.”

Name: Ben Rosenblatt High school: Berkley High school GPA 3.9 College: Elon University (will play soccer).

Passion outside of sports: “Healthy living. I enjoy working out and cooking healthy meals.”

Career: “I’d like to become a lawyer. I’m interested in law because I really enjoy writing.”

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| 37

Arts&Life photography

SIDD FINCH

Jonah Grey Sam Silverstein

Change T of Plans Pandemic spurred book featuring Metro Detroit artists.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

38 |

AUGUST 20 • 2020

he month of March held the promise of career opportunities for Zachary Oshinsky, but the pandemic forced a change of plans.

Canceled was a temporary move to Los Angeles, where he would be searching for full-time work as a photographer. The move was to follow an assignment as a one-time roadie for Yoshi Flower and his band. He was asked to drive their van, generally help out and take pictures of the musicians on stage and off. The tour was also canceled because of the pandemic.

Although Oshinsky had earned a bachelor’s degree in sports psychology at Olivet College, his interests had turned to photography, and he began using the professional name Sidd Finch, derived from a fictitious character portrayed in a sports magazine.

“I was about to leave for the airport when I got the call that the tour was canceled,” said Oshinsky, 24, of Sylvan Lake. “Soon, it was out of a desperation to create that I figured out what was next.”

He started taking pictures of friends in the Metro Detroit creative commu-

nity, whether in music, art or entrepreneurial initiatives. People he knew passed along names of people they knew, and he wound up with subjects in 80 locations, individuals and small groups caught up in their change of plans.

“I thought I could use this project simply as a way to create a portfolio,” the photographer said. “The people mostly were on their porches because of social distancing.”

As those close to Oshinsky viewed the pictures, they offered encouragement and suggestions to forge the images into a book and art exhibit, both entitled Change of Plans. Friend Zach Hagy, who self-published some of his own work, took on the photo book project. The gallery Playground Detroit agreed to showcase 183 images enlarged by Unfolding Creative in Ferndale.

As he was putting the book and the exhibit together, Oshinsky worked with his personal partner, Anna Orletski, who introduced him to photography.

She added pages of illustrations that can be colored by readers, and she col-

laborated on the exhibit design.

Focused on what he defines as “cool” efforts in the metro area, Oshinsky extended experience he had gained working on portraits, concerts and events.

“I think one of the most dramatic pictures I took is of a music producer who goes by the name Dagger,” Oshinsky said. “His hands are covering his face so you can just see his eyes and tattooed hands. Another dramatic picture is of a musician, Amp Fiddler, wearing a hat with the name of his deceased brother, who also was a musician.

“Some of these people hold other jobs to support themselves but have spent the pandemic making music or art or just relaxing, and I was taking snapshots of them during this important time.”

The photographer, who had his bar mitzvah at Temple Shir Shalom, has included images of three people in the Jewish community — video producer-director Sam Silverstein, DJ Rebecca Goldberg and musician Jonah Grey.

“When I went to college, I played four years of baseball while Anna encouraged me to try something else,” Oshinsky recalled. “She stressed that I wasn’t going to be able to play baseball forever and suggested photography. She’s a photographer as well and thought it was for me.”

Oshinsky took pictures for the college newspaper and launched his portfolio. During the rigors of the

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details The exhibit “Change of Plans” can be seen by appointment and from 4-8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 20, at the gallery Playground Detroit, 2845 Gratiot. (313) 649-7741. playgrounddetroit.com.

The book ($40) is available through the gallery.

Anna Orletski and Zachary Oshinsky, aka Sidd Finch

THEY’RE YOUR METROPARKS. SPLASH AND PLAY BUT KEEP 6 FT AWAY. METROPARKS.COM

pandemic, he considers photography a healthy way to spend his time.

“Anna is in grad school for addiction counseling, and she’s a mental health advocate,” he said. “She uses art as a way of coping with anxieties. By giving me the knowledge and the skills to create when things aren’t going the right way, she definitely has been helpful.

I’ve learned from her.”

AUGUST 20 • 2020

| 39

Arts&Life back to school

There’s Never Been a Cozier LYNNE KONSTANTIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

W

hether your kids are hitting the books in person or hopping on the virtual highway, we can still make backto-school shopping fun for them (and us!). Fall 2020 is certainly not as anyone imagined, but local businesses are taking the “cool and comfy” approach to dressing for school.

“They are going to be online most of the time,” says Julie Feldman, owner of Guys n Gals in West Bloomfield. “They’ll want to look good, but also be comfortable. So, we’re getting tons of sweats and loungewear in bright, fun colors and tie-dyes.”

Abercrombie Kids PLAYSTATION TEE, SHERPA-LINED HOODIE and BANDED CAMO SWEATPANTS. Abercrombie.com.

Virtual learning still requires backpacks to keep kids organized: Iscream SCRIBBLES BACKPACK, at Perfect Trading; Iscream SHERPA BACKPACK with faux leather straps, at Neimanmarcus.com; Bari Lynn DENIM TIE-DYE BACKPACK, BALLET UNICORN TROLLEY BACKPACK and AVIATOR BEAR, both with removable plush toys, all at Guys N Gals, West Bloomfield.

Turn study time into sunshine and rainbows: ISCREAM RAINBOW LAPTOP DESK. Perfect Trading Co., Bloomfield Hills.

Bari Lynn QUILTED TIEDYE PENCIL CASE. N Neimanmarcus.com.

Rehydrate your lips with a cuppa Friends CENTRAL PERK LIP BALM SET. Urbanoutfitters.com.

Retro and snuggly twopack of KIDS’ TUBE SOCKS. Gap.com.

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

Retro-styled JOURNEY TEE. Guys N Gals, West Bloomfield.

PART TIGER MASK. Guys N Gals, West Bloomfield.

North Face FLEECE HOODIE and Joe’s TIE-DYE TIE E-DYE JOGGER SHORTS, S SH HORTS, both at Nordstrom.com.

N orrdstrom.com. d

Trend Notes FRENCH TERRY S. SWEATPANTS. g Perfect Trading d Co., Bloomfield Hills. n Express yourself on o your laptop or Hydro e Flask with a 100-piece R COOL STICKER PACK. Amazon.com..

BEADED MASK CHAINS keeps kids’ (and adults) face masks handy. Guys N Gals, West Bloomfield.

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

| 41

Arts&Life

We Are Open!

Come V Us and W isit a for Excit tch ing Change s Coming

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Lincoln Shopping Center Advance America ALDI Bling Bling • Book Beat Conservative Cuts Dollar Castle DTLR • Dr. Lazar J Anthony Lee Beauty Supply Metro PCS Metropolitan Dry Cleaners Mookey’s Beans & Greens Original Bread Basket Paper Goods Warehouse Rainbow Street Corner Music Step In Style • Suit Depot T Nails • Top That White Castle / Church’s Chicken

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

DISNEY MEDIA

celebrity jews

NATE BLOOM COLUMNIST

IVAN, SETH ROGEN AND HUNTERS The new film The One and Only Ivan begins streaming on Disney+ on Aug. 21. It is based on a best-selling children’s novel of the same name. Ivan is a gorilla who lives in a very run-down mall. Also living in the mall is Stella, an aging elephant. Ruby, an abused baby elephant, shows up one day. Ivan, Stella and Julia, the mall janitor’s daughter, take care of Ruby and try to find a way to turn the mall around.

Most of the characters are animated and are voiced by top notch actors (including Angelina Jolie and Helen Mirren). The “live” actors include Bryan Cranston as the kindly owner of the mall and Ariana Greenblatt as Julia. Greenblatt, 12, has been acting since she was 6. From 2016 to 2018, she played the youngest daughter on the Disney series Stuck in the Middle.

Greenblatt, who has 1 million social media followers, will appear in several upcoming big films (including In the Heights, the film production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway musical). The young actress is the daughter of a Jewish father and a Puerto Rican mother. As is common with child actors, it is hard to find out, now, how she identifies in a religious sense.

I could write a full column on the blow-back following Seth Rogen’s podcast interview (July 27) with Marc Maron. Rogen,

38, seemed to imply that Israel shouldn’t exist, only to quickly deny that was his position in follow-up statements. On Aug. 5, Rogen gave a 35-minute interview to Ha’aretz, the Israeli paper.

Ha’aretz posted the full audio for free listening on its website (much of Ha’aretz content is behind a pay wall).

I recommend you listen to the interview for a full, clarified picture of Rogen’s view of Israel and just about everything Jewish in his personal and professional life (including his Jewish wife’s criticism of some podcast comments). Google “Haaretz The Interview Seth Rogen Sets the Record Straight.”

I was surprised when it was recently announced that the Amazon Prime Video series Hunters had been renewed for a second season. Before the series premiered, I was looking forward to a show that starred Al Pacino and Logan Lerman, 28, as Nazi hunters in the 1970s.

But Hunters was a mess, despite some good performances (Lerman, especially). The plotting was clunky and the scripts were often second rate. Also, there was a very real problem with the writers inventing Holocaust horror stories. Doing this just feeds the junk that Holocaust deniers write. Besides, there are so many real Holocaust atrocity stories, nobody has to invent them for dramatic effect. Almost all respected critics gave the show a thumbs-down. Maybe the second season will be better.

On The Go virtual events | learnings

STAYING CONNECTED

At this time of social distancing, the Jewish News will try to bring awareness to events/learning situations offered online by synagogues, temples and community organizations.

MOVIES IN THE PARK 9-11 PM, AUG. 21 In real (and reel) time, Ford vs. Ferrari will be shown at Wagner Park in Downtown Dearborn. Free movies begin after dusk, with the film starting as soon as the night sky allows. To follow ongoing social distancing guidelines, Downtown Dearborn staff will assist attendees in arranging enjoyable views while remaining socially distant and monitor on-site activity to maintain a safe number of participants. The public is invited to bring a lawn chair or blanket and settle in for a fun night.

VIRTUAL CONCERTS The Ark in Ann Arbor will present its Family Room Series: Gina Chavez, Latin pop artist, 8 pm, Aug. 21; Griffin House, pop rock songwriter, 7 pm,

SPOTLIGHT ON BOOKS 6:30 PM, AUG. 25

Aug. 23; Miss Tess, contemporary music, 8 pm, Aug. 25. View on the Ark Facebook page or on YouTube.

Pages Bookshop in Detroit will virtually host poet Francine J. Harris and debut novelist Raven Leilani for their newest books: Here is the Sweet Hand and Luster. This conversation with be hosted on Crowdcast. Info: pagesbkshop. com.

CELEBRATION OF MUSIC 4:15 PM, AUG. 23 The Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor will present Alvin Waddles playing classical, jazz, gospel and Broadway music. View: Live @ The 415.

ANTI-RACISM GROUP 10 AM, AUG. 23 Facilitated by Dr. Aja Burks, LMSW, owner of Transformative Mind Counseling in Southfield, this group will meet once-a-month for six months in order to discuss self-awareness and race; self-awareness and history; race relations and more. Subsidized by the Rabbi Aaron Starr Discretionary Account at CSZ, the cost per participant is $100 (covers the entire course).

Register at shaareyzedek.org/eventsliving-our-values-the-anti-racism-group.

CANTOR IN CONCERT 2 PM, AUG. 25 Congregation B’nai Moshe is pleased to announce a free virtual concert featuring the celebrated cantorial stylings of Cantor Zachary Mondrow, a native of West Bloomfield, on the synagogue’s

website bnaimoshe.org. The concert is sponsored by the Nettie A. and Norman Freilich Senior Fund. Cantor Mondrow will feature songs from Broadway, Jewish liturgy, Yiddish favorites and something he wrote for the current pandemic.

RURAL JEWISH LIFE 3 PM, AUG. 25 The Jewish Historical Society of Michigan will present “There Are Jews Up There? Northern Michigan’s Jewish Life.” This will be a virtual gathering on Zoom. No charge. Register by 9 pm Monday, Aug. 24. Instructions for joining the Zoom call will be sent the day before. Info: michiganjewishhistory.org.

IMPACT OF RACISM 7 PM, SEPT. 3 The Coalition for Black & Jewish Unity will present a meeting on Zoom titled “Racism and the Jews: History, Conscience and the Future.” Prof.

Susannah Heschel, chair of the Jewish Studies program at Dartmouth College, will speak on this topic from the current headlines. The program will feature a clip from Shared Legacies, which features lessons of BlackJewish cooperation and a discussion with a new generation of Black leaders. Other sponsors include the Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC and Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. Info: contact Sam Englender, 248-891-4837 or englender@jfmd.org.

Compiled by Sy Manello/Editorial Assistant. Send items at least 14 days in advance to calendar@ thejewishnews.com.

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n Aug. 12, the National Council of Jewish Women, Michigan (NCJW|MI) held its annual Back 2 School Store at Congregation Shaarey Zedek. Although this year’s store looked different due to the pandemic, the members of NCJW|MI said they knew they couldn’t abandon the children they serve.

For the past six years, the NCJW|MI has held ItS Back 2 School Store, a popup “store” that invites over 700 kids from grades K-5 from Detroit to pick out free school supplies.

Each child would normally pick out a new winter coat, hat, gloves, pants, two shirts, socks, underwear, shoes, school supplies and a book.

This year, since they could not hold the full-service store, they had to cut their numbers down to serve 500 kids. The NCJW|MI worked with 22 different service agencies, who designated one person to come pick up the supplies Aug. 12 at a specific time.

In addition to the clothing, students received masks and letters from the NCJW|MI members to provide inspiration.

“Hopefully, by this time next year, we’ll be back to doing the full-service store,” Sallyjo Levine, one of the vice presidents of the NCJW|MI, said.

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of blessed memory

HARVEY BAUM, 84, of West Bloomfield, died Aug. 10, 2020.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Marilyn Baum; son, Andy Baum; daughters and son-inlaw, Sheryl and Joe Inwald, and Susanne Baum; grandchildren, Arielle Inwald, Joshua Inwald, Shayna Ostrow and Dylan Ostrow; sister, Estelle Karbrin; many loving nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

Mr. Baum was the brother of the late Sidney Baum and the late David Baum.

Interment took place at Beth El Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia. Contributions may be made to Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network, the Dorothy and Peter Brown Jewish Community Adult Day Care Program or to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

PATRICIA BECKER, 80, of Southfield, died Aug. 11, 2020.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Allan Becker; daughters and sons-in-law, Julie (Alan Silverleib) Becker, Barbara (Jonathan Bilmes) Becker, Ruth Becker; grandchildren, Anna and Rebecca Silverleib, Eli, Naomi and Uri Bilmes, Leah Rose Becker; great-grandchildren, Hillel and Aryeh Bilmes; brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Bonnie Cousens; sister and brother-in-law, Marsha (Michael Weinstein) Meckler; many loving nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

Interment took place at Workmen’s Circle Cemetery in Clinton Township.

Contributions may be made to the Birmingham Temple.

Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

NORMAN BERKOWITZ, 99, of Lansing, passed away peacefully on Aug. 3, 2020, of natural causes.

He was born in Detroit, the son of Abraham and Anna Berkowitz.

Norman graduated from Wayne State University and went on to a long career in local and state government in Michigan. He made extraordinary contributions to the Michigan Public Service Commission, the Michigan Department of Education and most especially to the Michigan Department of State, where he served as chief deputy to Secretary of State Richard Austin.

He was known in his family as a favorite uncle, always having a wonderful sense of humor and a sincere caring for his family. His generosity was in juxtaposition to his valued image of being cheap, not unlike Jack Benny. Norman still wore shoes he purchased at Nordstrom’s in 1946. They were in fine shape. He often kidded about returning them one day for a refund. In fact, Norman kidded about almost everything all the time and always kept the family entertained with his own brand of humor.

He loved to relax at a delicatessen and enjoy food and conversation. He once argued with a friend about the number of layers of a seven-layer cake on display at a bakery. He argued it was six and his friend argued it was seven. The owner of the bakery invited him to leave and not return.

Norman loved the theater and made an annual trip to New York City well into his 90s to attend several plays. He was also a huge fan of the Detroit Pistons, rarely missing a game.

Norman’s accomplishments, idiosyncrasies, circle of friends and legacy are far too extensive

to provide in this brief commentary on his life. Therefore, a celebration of life will be held at a date to be determined at which family and friends will be able to share memories of this remarkable man.

He had a wonderful marriage with the late Nancy Berkowitz (Otis). He grew up with two loving brothers, the late Dr. Meyer (Eve) Berk and the late Julius (Molly) Berkowitz.

Norman is survived by his nieces, Harriet (Bob) Schwartz and Shelley (Michael) Eizelman; nephews, Charles (Debra) Berk, Richard (Marilyn) Berk; several great- and great-great-nieces and nephews. He will also be greatly missed by his close friends, Marvin and Nancy Goldstein.

Contributions may be made to the Capital Area Humane Society or the A.C.L.U. MARILYN BERMAN, 79, of West Bloomfield, died Aug. 9, 2020.

She is survived by her son, Alan c. 1968 Berman; brothers and sister-in-law, Daniel Feldman, Raymond and Janet Feldman; many other loving family members and friends.

Mrs. Berman was the beloved wife of the late Ben Berman; the sister-in-law of the late Marilyn Feldman.

Interment took place at Adat Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia.

Contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

BERNARD BOCKNEK, 95, of West Bloomfield, died Aug. 8, 2020.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Craig and Gail Bocknek; daughters and son-in-

law, Debbie Hirsch, Sheryl and Randy Stone; grandchildren, Rachel and Hillary Bocknek, Julie (Aaron) Friedman, Andrea Hirsch, Brian (Dayna) Stone and Brad (Rachel) Stone; great-grandchildren, Brooklyn Stone and Alex Friedman; sister-in-law, Laura Cole; many other loving family members and friends.

Mr. Bocknek was the beloved husband of the late Madeline Bocknek; brother-in-law of the late Arthur Cole.

Interment took place at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale. Contributions may be made to Hospice of Michigan.

Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

BEATRICE COHAN, 97, of Bloomfield Hills, died Aug. 11, 2020.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Elaine and Sheldon Adelson; son, Arthur Cohan; grandchildren, Scott and Mihaela Adelson, Anne Adelson, and Jay and Brenda Adelson; great-grandchildren, Ian Adelson, Cody Adelson, Eitan Kalmowitz, Ezra Kalmowitz, Rowan Adelson, Benjamin Adelson and Lisa Adelson; sister, Lenore Shapiro; many loving nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Cohan was the beloved wife of the late Israel Cohan; the cherished mother of the late Bernard E. Cohan; the loving sister of the late Anne Feldman and the late Lottie Koltonow; and the dear sister-in-law of the late David Shapiro.

Interment was at Adat Shalom Memorial Park.

Contributions may be made to JARC, 6735 Telegraph, Suite 100, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, jarc.org; or to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements

by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

ROSE FINEMAN, 94, of West Bloomfield, died Aug. 7, 2020.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Sheldon and Nancy Fineman; daughter and son-in-law, Judith and Ron Ossipove; grandchildren, Adam (Brittany) Ossipove, Amanda (Daniel) Levine, Ashley Fineman, Kelly (Nick Ross) Fineman; great-grandchildren, Talia, Lainie, Jacques, Colette and Mason; many loving nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

Mrs. Fineman was the beloved wife of the late Albert Fineman; sister of the late Alice Moss, the late Paul Weinger and the late Ben Weinger.

Interment took place at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale.

Contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

DR. LAURIE BETH GLANZ, 67, of Orchard Lake, died Aug. 9, 2020.

She lived a very full, fulfilling life.

She practiced podiatric medicine in Mt. Clemens for more than 40 years, making house calls to patients unable to leave their homes.

She was known for her heart of gold, reaching out to anyone who needed help. Her generosity had no limits. Anyone in need had a true friend in Dr. Glanz.

She volunteered for Breast Cancer Awareness Runs, setting up in tents to help runners with foot injuries.

Dr. Glanz brought happiness and love to her mother, Lillian, with her daily visits. Lillian looked forward to her darling Laurie and will miss her beyond words.

Dr. Glanz is survived by her daughter, Remi Ariel; mother, Lillian Grunt Glanz; sister, Debbie Glanz Gabe; brother-inlaw, Dr. Timothy Gabe; nieces, Jenna and Mara Gabe; sister-in-

A Life Of Healing

D

r. George Mogill, 103, of Bloomfield Hills, died Aug. 9, 2020.

He was born to Ann Soroko Mogill and Hazzan Samuel Mogill (Mogilevski) on July 28, 1917.

He graduated Detroit’s Northern High School at age 15 and attended Wayne State University and WSU School of Medicine. He completed one year of internship at Wayne County General Hospital and one year of a surgical residency at the Alexander Blain Hospital before leaving to join the military. Assigned to the 8th Field Hospital, he landed at Normandy four days after D-Day. In recent years, Dr. Mogill was interviewed in his home by a representative of the World War II Museum in New Orleans to record facts pertaining to his years of service. He came home after the war to find that his residency had been reassigned; he then opened an office in Midtown, refusing to segregate his patients. Dr. Mogill was instrumental in integrating multiple hospitals and clinics, explaining that people are people and should be treated as such.

In 1952, when traveling to Malden, Mass., to visit his brother, he was introduced to his niece’s babysitter, Irma Traibman, took her out; on this first date, he proposed.

She asked, “What do you think I am?” He responded, “Available.” They had five more dates; eventually they returned to Detroit, where they married and raised a family. The marriage lasted 60 years and she was the love of

his life.

Dr. Mogill was one of the first people to pass his Family Practice Boards, choosing to take them every three years for a decade or so before it was required.

Eventually, he rose to the rank of clinical professor at the med school.

He was a teacher and family doctor through and through. Dr. Mogill was chief of the Department of Family Practice at Harper-Grace Hospital from 1977 to 1984.

Dr. Mogill received the Wayne State University School of Medicine’s Staff Award twice, presented by the graduating medical students. He was a graduate of the class of 1942, and the medical school honored him with a special Lifetime Achievement Citation for his meritorious loyalty and commitment to the School of Medicine, the field of medicine, and the teaching and mentoring of medical students and residents. He had previously received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Michigan Academy of Family Practice, the Exemplary Teaching Award from the American Academy of Family Practice and the 2016 Archie Award of Excellence as well as being named Crain’s Healthcare Hero in 2018.

All his adult life, he was an avid squash player. Each one of his medical students joined him on the squash courts daily before rounds. He taught many of these students how to play the game, handing each one of them their own personal gift of a squash racquet. He was a student, friend and personal physician

of world champion squash player Hashim Khan. He, along with a large group of local squash colleagues, helped to create RacquetUpDetroit, an organization based at the Northwest Activities Center in Detroit, which educates inner city youth in academics, the game of squash and life. To date, RacquetUpDetroit boasts a 100% graduation rate from high school with 90% of the students going onto college.

Dr. Mogill leaves his children, Jain and Dr. Carl Lauter, David Mogill, Elizabeth and Kenneth Silver; grandchildren, Shira and Lyle Wolberg, Rebekah Lauter, Liza and Jonathan Lauter, Joe Silver (fiancée, Grace Erdmann), Shelby Silver, Annie Silver, Danny Mogill (Sydney Lubeck), Anna Mogill; great-grandchildren, Joey, Katie and Maya Wolberg, and Talia and Henry Lauter. He leaves hundreds of friends and family because patients were family and family were patients.

He was the brother of the late Harry and Belle Mogill, the late Norton Mogill; brother-in-law of the late Marshall Traibman.

Interment was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to the George Mogill M.D. Award in Family Medicine; Wayne State University School of Medicine, 540 Canfield, Detroit, MI 48201, giving.wayne. edu; or Racquet Up Detroit, 18100 Meyers Road, Detroit, MI. 48325, racquetup.org. Arrangements

by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

continued on page 48 AUGUST 20 • 2020

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of blessed memory CAPITALIMPACT.ORG

continued from page 47

Longtime Detroit Developer Dies RONELLE GRIER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

V

isionary real estate developer Joel Landy was a Detroit booster long before it was fashionable.

He was instrumental in revitalizing Midtown and Downtown Detroit, saving and renovating many of the city’s historic buildings and turning them into sought-after apartments and commercial spaces. Joel died Aug. 2, 2020. He was 68.

Joel grew up in Oak Park and attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit. After a brief stint in Chicago, he returned to Detroit and opened a business repairing foreign cars. As he began to make money, he invested in real estate, focusing on the area then known as the Cass Corridor. Over the years, he bought and renovated more than 100 buildings others had long given up on.

Joel enjoyed telling people about the house he bought for $4,500; a 23-room mansion filled with antiques and a garage with two Packards inside.

In 2009, he bought the former Burton International School and turned its auditorium into a 140-seat movie theater that he named the Cass City Cinema at the Burton Theatre (now called Cinema Detroit). As resourceful as he was creative, he constructed a sound system from components he bought on eBay, where he also found projectors, seats and popcorn machines.

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AUGUST 20 • 2020

In addition to the theater, the building was home to a nursery school, artist studios and professional offices.

Alan Lichtenstein, longtime friend and executive director for the Nederlander Organization, remembers when The Who’s rock opera Tommy was playing at Masonic Temple.

When sub-zero temperatures rendered the theater uninhabitable, Lichtenstein called Joel, who helped him scour the city to find several used — and broken — portable heaters. By curtain time, Joel had repaired every heater and the show opened as planned.

“He was one of those guys who could fix anything,” said Lichtenstein. “He was a ‘crusty genius’ who practically invented Midtown. And he could build a (Jaguar) XKE from the ground up.”

Joel was an eccentric who cared nothing about fashion, spending most days in jeans and a signature black T-shirt.

He suffered from chronic pain caused by Crohn’s disease but never complained or let it slow him down. He seldom left his beloved city and worked nonstop, involving himself in every aspect of his projects.

Joel was an avid collector.

He had a stash of ’60s rock art from the days he ran a print shop that produced posters for the former Grande Ballroom.

He amassed a legendary collection of model trains, including a human-sized version that ran

around his compound on a track he laid himself. He owned dozens of classic cars and dreamed of building a handson museum where he could share his treasured vehicles with the public, according to Senad Ahmic, a property manager who worked with Joel.

“He was a great man,” Ahmic said. “Everyone who was around him gained something from him. He helped a lot of people.”

Last year Joel celebrated the completion of his most ambitious project, the renovation of the historic James Scott House on Peterboro in Detroit. Through his business, Cass Avenue Development, he turned the 20,000-squarefoot castle-like mansion into a building with 26 apartments and one commercial space.

He spent years on the $6 million renovation, fighting his own health challenges and a bureaucracy that would have destroyed the building with a wrecking ball.

“It was a herculean task,” Lichtenstein said, “but once Joel put his mind to something, he figured out a way to get it done.”

Joel is survived by longtime partner, Linda Morris, and many friends. In addition to a graveside service arranged by Hebrew Memorial Chapel, a memorial service was held at the former Burton school in Detroit.

law, Sara Mayes; numerous loving cousins and friends; her cherished dog, Yoshi.

She was the dear sister of the late Phyllis and the late Renee Glanz; loving daughter of the late Samuel Glanz; loving granddaughter of the late Jerry and the late Dora Glanz, and the late Yetta Grunt.

Contributions may be made to the Phyllis Glanz Research Fund, c/o Department of Medicine at University of Michigan. A graveside service was held at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale.

Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

JAY GREENSPAN, 59, of Bloomfield Hills, died Aug. 10, 2020.

He is survived by his partner of 15 years, Karen Laub; daughters and son-in-law, Stefani Greenspan, Carly and Matthew Monheit; stepchildren, Jami, Sydney and Ryan Laub; mother, Dolores Greenspan; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Marilyn and Barry Charlip; sister and brother-in-law, Lori and Steve Smith; brothersin-law and sisters-in-law, David and Maureen Charlip, Julie and Larry Winkelman; former wife, Jody Greenspan; many loving nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

Mr. Greenspan was the son of the late Harold Greenspan; brother of the late Wendy Bundgaard.

Interment took place at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale.

Contributions may be made to the Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

DR. MARTIN HART, 81, of West Bloomfield, died Aug. 9, 2020.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Hart; children, Dr. Tae Hart, and Dr. Trevor and Zal Hart; grandchildren, Ariel and Ilan Hart; sisterin-law and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Dr. Ernest Ring.

Dr. Hart was the devoted son of the late Ida and the late Theodore Hart; the dear sonin-law of the late Anne and the late Aaron Gunsberg.

Interment was at Adat Shalom Memorial Park.

Contributions may be made to Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, 1 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 1730, Chicago, IL 60601, dystoniafoundation.org; Adat Shalom Synagogue, Cantor Larry and Gitta Vieder Memorial Fund, 29901 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, adatshalom.org/tributes-makea-donation-in-honor-orin-memory; or Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, Leadership Development Program, 6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 260, P.O. Box 2030, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303, jewishdetroit.org/send-a-tribute.

Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

BERNARD HIRSCH, 100, died peacefully surrounded by his family on Aug. 8, 2020.

He was born on May 28, 1920, in Petrovice, Czechoslovakia.

He served in the Czechoslovakian army. As the Germans were closing in, he left the army and went into hiding. His entire family were taken to the camps and never heard from again.

Bernard survived the war, hiding in the forest until the Jews in Czechoslovakia were liberated. He then met his wife-to-be, Hermina. They came to the United States through Canada shortly after they wed and lived in New York before moving to Detroit in 1953. Bernard jointly owned Sam’s Carpet Cleaning company, retiring at age 85.

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His love of family and Jewish traditions was instilled in each of the following generations. He was a beloved lifelong member of Congregation Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nai Moshe. His passions were horse racing, playing cards with his friends and the Detroit Tigers. Going downtown to a Coney Island for hot dogs became a family tradition, always ordering heavy chili and onions.

Mr. Hirsch is survived by his wife of 73 years, Hermina; sisters-in-law, Eta Moss (the late Sam) and Hilda Wasserman (the late Jack); sons, Henry (Caryn) Hirsch, Daniel (Cindy) Hirsch and Steven Hirsch; grandchildren, Stacey (Brian) Jeffries, Ryan (Lori) Hirsch, Andrea (Michael) Hirsch, Julie (Aaron) Friedman, Jessica (Zach) Shenitsky, and Michelle Wayne; great-grandchildren, Sylvia, Isaac, Sam, Ruthie, Zev, Alex and Lyla; many nieces and nephews here and in Israel.

A private graveside funeral was held for the family.

Interment was at Oakview Cemetery. Contributions may be made to the Holocaust Memorial Center, C.H.A.I.M. or to a charity of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice.

Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

JULIE KARABENICK, Ph.D., 73, of Ann Arbor, died Aug. 8, 2020.

She is survived by her daughters, Rachel and Leah Karabenick; sister and brother-in-law, Wendy and Byron Dyke; husband Stuartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children, Robin Leavy and Scott (Brenda) Karabenick; Stuartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandchildren, Zoe and Anthony Karabenick; nieces and nephews, Emily Dyke, Justin Dyke Moro and Barby Moro, and Ambrose Moro.

She was the beloved wife of the late Stuart Karabenick; devoted daughter of the late Ambrose and the late Virginia Drew.

Interment was at Machpelah Cemetery. Contributions may be made to American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, P.O. Box 96929, Washington, D.C. 20090-6929, aspca.org. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

SHIRLEY KATZ, 91, of Farmington Hills, died Aug. 9, 2020.

Mrs. Katz, who worked up till just a few years ago, was a volunteer for Jewish Family Service and Providence Hospital.

She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Lynn Robert Katz of The Villages, Fla., Steven and Lynn Downing Katz of Birmingham, Sheldon and Claudia Berger Katz of Burlington, Vt.; grandchildren, Julia Katz, Justin Katz, Erin Katz, Gabriel Katz, Amy Katz. She is also survived

by Sherry and Howard Berris, Ronnie Warren; other dear nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Mrs. Katz was the beloved wife of the late Joseph Katz; loving daughter of the late Anna and the late Isadore Handelman; dear sister and sister-in-law of the late Frances and the late Herman Warren, the late Seymour and the late Lori Handelman, and the late Max Handelman.

Contributions may be made to Jewish Family Service, 6555 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322. A graveside service was held at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

BONNIE KOWAL, 69, of Southfield, died Aug. 13, 2020.

She is survived by her sisters, Brenda Kovinsky and Marsha Kowal; aunt, Sandy Tuttleman; nephews and nieces, Milton and Cheryl Kovinsky, and Matthew and Anna Kovinsky; great-nieces and great-nephew, Hannah, Max, Tessa and Rosie Kovinsky; many loving cousins.

Mrs. Kowal was the cherished daughter of the late Meyer Kowal and the late Sylvia Kraft; the dear sister-in-law of the late Skip Kovinsky.

Interment was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made to JARC, 6735 Telegraph, Suite 100, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, jarc. org; Temple Israel, 5725 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323, temple-israel. org; or Congregation Beth Shalom, 14601 W. Lincoln, Oak Park, MI 48237, congbethsha-

lom.org. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

WILBURT OLSHANSKY, 89, of Southfield, died Aug. 11, 2020.

He loved woodworking, sailing, bicycle riding, and he followed a healthy diet with lots of supplements. Later in life, he became interested in a more traditional Jewish lifestyle.

Mr. Olshansky is survived by loving family members and friends. He was the loving son of the late Fanny and the late Samuel Olshansky; dear brother of the late Leon Olshansky.

Contributions may be made to a charity of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice. A graveside service was held at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in Birmingham. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

FLORINE ROTHENBERG, 93, of West Bloomfield, died Aug.10, 2020.

She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Adrienne and Jerry Weinstein, and Linda and Marc Siegler; grandchildren, Jeffrey Weinstein, Randy and Lisa Weinstein, Aaron Siegler and Jori Trelfa; great-grandchildren, Shane and Hope Trelfa, and Elly, Levi and Leni Weinstein; brother and sister-in-law, Raymond and Margery Franklin.

Interment took place at Adat Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia.

Contributions may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

OSCAR SCHWARTZ, 61, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., formerly of Huntington Woods, died Aug. 3, 2020.

He is survived by his sons, Max Schwartz and Joey Schwartz: his daughter, Samantha Schwartz; the

mother of his children, Leslie Schwartz; brother and sister-inlaw, Seymour and Mary Ann Schwartz; sisters and brother-inlaw, Ruth and Marty Seltzer, and Mindi Schwartz, aunt and uncle, Rudy and Roseanne Simons; many wonderful friends, both from Michigan and Manhattan Beach.

Mr. Schwartz was the youngest son of Charles and Shirley Schwartz. Interment took place at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in Birmingham. Contributions may be made to the Michigan Humane Society, the California Humane Society or to a charity that benefits addiction.

Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

DR. MORDECAI SHELEF, 89, of West Bloomfield, died Aug. 11, 2020.

He was born in the coldest corner of Poland. When Mordechai continued on page 52

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was just 8 years old, his father was murdered by bandits in Belarus. He, his mother and sister survived an incredible odyssey through Belarus, Russia, Uzbekistan, back through Poland, Austria, Italy and finally made it to Israel. It was in Haifa, Israel, Mordechai met his wife to be, Leora. He went on to receive an engineering education from the Technion.

Following the birth of their sons, Roy and Dore, Mordecai and Leora emigrated to the United States. After a graduate education at Penn State in fuel science, he enjoyed a career at Ford Motor Company, where he proudly contributed to dozens of patents and the development of technology that greatly reduced the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. His work was honored by admission to the National Academy of

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Engineering.

An inveterate reader fluent in seven languages, Mordechai translated conversations between Henry Ford II and visiting Russian dignitaries. He also loved playing tennis and squash and watching European football. His granddaughter Honor brought great joy to his later years.

Dr. Shelef is survived by his wife of 65 years, Leora Shelef; children, Roy and Elana Shelef, and Dore Simon and Yoshie Masuda; grandchild, Honor Shelef.

He was the dear brother of the late Raya Bar Peled.

Interment was at Beth El Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to American Technion Society, 55 E. 59th St., New York, NY 10022.

Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

FAYE STARR, 93, of Mooresville, N.C., and West Bloomfield, passed away on Aug. 8, 2020.

She was born in Detroit on Dec. 2, 1926, to Marcus and Ida Ronis.

Mrs. Starr was the cherished mother of Sylvia (Ron) Marabate, Janice Starr (Jeff Lawrence) and Craig Starr; beloved Nana to Mark (Christen) Marabate and Allison (Blake) Rochkind; adoring GiGi to her great-granddaughter, Anna Marabate; special aunt to niece, Judy Ronis.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Louis Starr; siblings, Alice (the late Victor) Ross, Benjamin Ronis and David (Barbara) Ronis.

A memorial service celebrating the life of this amazing

woman will be held in the future. Contributions may be made to the West Bloomfield Township Public Library or the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills.

Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at KepnerFH.com.

Correction The obituary for Richard Menczer (Aug. 6) should have indicated that he was born Dec. 25, 1934.

Raskin the best of everything

A Look Back at Mei Ling This Chinese vegetarian restaurant, now closed, was ahead of its time.

I

t was many years back that I recall eating food that today might be classified somewhat like the Impossible Burger … but a whole lot different.

The menu read “Vegetarian Cashew Chicken” … and although Danny Raskin not a vegetarian Senior Columnist by any means, I had to find out what so many people were raving about.

The taste was hard to believe … at Mei Ling Vegetarian Chinese Restaurant …

Vegetarian “meat” there was made from soy protein, then fla-

vored accordingly with spices …

It was owned by a body builder wife and husband …the latter also a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Favorite dishes were a honey sesame vegetarian chicken and a spicy eggplant in a special ginger garlic sauce with red peppers, scallions and bamboo shoots, and a Pineapple Passion of string beans … pineapple bean curd and onions. Even Peking duck could be ordered ahead of time and gotten with little notice.

Mei Ling was not a large restaurant … Seating was only 85 … The wife was a vegetarian and hubby loved Chinese cooking, too … When in training, high-protein food is called for … For those who desired, there was also fresh fish dishes, but the emphasis was very much on vegetarian Chinese … over 99 percent.

Repeat customers were many at Mei Ling … The vegetarian hot soup made with vegetables

and tofu was excellent … And Mei Ling’s homemade spring rolls, called Autumn Rolls, were made with a tofu skin and panfried after being broiled.

No. 1 sellers were vegetarian chicken dishes with their amazing soybean and wheat consistency and taste … Second biggest were the various stir-fries.

If folks wanted a steak burger made with tofu … They could have had this and more …Many of the numerous menu items were seen only on restaurants of much notable esteem.

Mei Ling, although closed many years ago, was certainly a most wonderful experience.

THE SPRING WAS too short for many to enjoy the hardly believable spring menu that Matt Prentis presented at the Three Cats restaurant … It was very much outstanding and included items not seen before on any bill of fare … Some of the items will no doubt appear on a latter menu, if not already so … Matt,

by the way, may be looking at a site in Farmington Hills.

OLDIE BUT GOODIE …

One night a burglar broke into the house and heard a voice say, “Jesus is watching you!” while the burglar rummaged through the desk.

The burglar looked up and replied, “Who said that?”

Once again, he heard the same thing, “Jesus is watching you!”

The robber looked around the room only to see a parrot … He asked the parrot what its name was … The parrot replied, “Cornelius.”

“What kind of name is that?” asked the burglar. “Who names a parrot that?”

The parrot replied, “The same person who named that German Shepherd behind you Jesus!”

CONGRATS TO … Gail and Lonnie Zimmerman on their anniversary.

Email dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

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| 53

Looking Back From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

Antisemitism Deja Vu

T

his is not the the “Looking Back” that I first thought I would write for the JN’s annual “Back to School” issue.

Of course, in the midst of a pandemic, it will be a much different return to classes for children and college students this year.

So, I thought I would explore Mike Smith the William Davidson Digital Alene and Graham Landau Archive of Jewish Detroit Archivist Chair History and see if I could find any parallels to school days during the Spanish Flu epidemic a century ago.

I found a big fat nothing. The Spanish Flu peaked during the late-fall and winter of 1918-1919, with a brief resurgence in spring 1920. I could not find any articles related to children, the flu and a return to school.

I went to Plan B. I searched for plain old “Back to School” articles from 100 years ago. There were plenty of advertisements for fall fashions and sales at Hudson’s and Himelhoch’s, as well as piano sales at Grinnell Brother’s. Since it was an election season in 1920, there were also plenty of political ads. There was nothing regarding the back-to-school season we have come to expect. It did not develop until some years later. There was a poem by Enoch Mebs in the Aug. 27, 1920, issue of the Chronicle, “The Hurried Parting,” about children leaving home for their first days at school.

However, I did find an interesting — albeit disgusting and unfortunate — article that relates to current affairs today. One that reminded me of the primary reason for the JN’s antisemitism project this year.

You may have read last week about an article twice-published in the Polishlanguage newspaper in Toronto, the Glos Polish weekly, that blamed Jews for the

coronavirus pandemic. While conducting research for this week’s k’s column, I found an eerily similar article on the front page of the Aug. 6, 1920 issue of the Detroit Jewish Chronicle: “Polish Newspaper Repeats Articles Defaming the Jews.”

This headline referred to a letter ter from Mr. Kuzelewski, published in one of Detroit’s contemporary Polishlanguage newspapers, the Polish Daily Record. He wrote that, along with Russia, Germany and Austria, Jews were ere “the fourth and most important enemyy of Poland …” Furthermore, “the Jew … took our Father’s soil from us, who sold ld our white women into slavery… is and d wants to be in the future a parasite on n our nation.” It was despicable and full of the tropes that, unfortunately, we still see today.

Ironically, the letter was written during ring the Polish-Russian war of 1919-1920, when Poland was fighting for its freedom and nd rights. Freedom was relative, it appears. rs. As reported in the Chronicle, pogroms against gainst Jews in Poland were commonplace during ring this era.

The Detroit branch of the ADL as well ll as local citizens rallied against the Polish Daily Record. Chagrined, its editor claimed that its readers knew “that its policy is not, nor ever was, anti-Semitic.” Right. Same thing the Canadian newspaper claims.

Then, why print such letters?

In the end, my hunt for interesting back-to-school articles resulted in a history lesson about antisemitism that I did not expect. It’s not a fun topic but it is a necessary one.

AntiSemitism Project

54 |

AUGUST 20 • 2020

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives, available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.