DJN January 28, 2021

200 Jan. 28-Feb. 3, 2021 / 15-21 Shevat 5781

$

Preserving the Legacy of

Albert Kahn New foundation to honor life’s work of Detroit’s master architect.

Page 14

Jewish Family Service

Sp light Event Shining a light on older adults

A VIRTUAL EVENING WITH

Kimb ly Wiiams-Paisley Actress, author and advocate NANCY and HARVEY SOLWAY Event Chairs

April 6

2021 7PM VIRTUAL EVENT Admission $36 For registration and sponsorship information:

jfsspotlightevent.org 248.592.2339

Jewish Family Service

B k Club

Many recognize Kimberly Williams-Paisley from her performances in Nashville and Father of the Bride.

But it was the mother of this bride who prompted Kimberly to step into the spotlight as an author and advocate.

Linda Williams was diagnosed with a rare form of dementia that turned a once passionate and joyful woman into someone unrecognizable. Kimberly’s book, Where The Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again, is a love letter to her mother that shares the family’s journey as they held on to humor and hope during the most trying of times in caring for her mother.

Join us as we discuss Kimberly Williams-Paisley’s book, Where The Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again

Wednesday, March 10 at 12pm Facilitated by Lynn Breuer, LMSW, CHC, CDP, Director of Community Outreach and Wellness at JFS $18 suggested donation For questions or to register, visit jfsspotlightevent.org or call 248.592.2339

contents Jan. 28-Feb. 3, 2021 / 15-21 Shevat 5781 | VOLUME CLVIII, ISSUE 26

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17 31 Views

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JEWS D IN THE

Preserving the Legacy of Albert Kahn

14

New foundation to honor life’s work of Detroit’s master architect.

17

Waiting on the Hug

18

Leadership Skills

New rabbi at Shir Tikvah can’t wait to lead services in person.

Federation COO chosen for prestigious fellowship.

19

Teaching Lifeskills

20

Making Learning Fun

Podcast aids 20-somethings.

Musical YouTube channel helps kids have fun while learning remotely.

New Digs for Dogs

21

Detroit Dog Rescue celebrates 10 years with a new headquarters.

Historic Presidency

22

All the ways Biden and Harris (and their families) made Jewish history on Inauguration Day.

Faces & Places

23

Video Love Letters

Now you can mail mini-movies of cherished moments to those without a computer or smartphone.

35 Health 35

Albion College student creates high heel stabilizing device for those with arthritis.

Moments 25

Moments

Spirit 27

Torah portion

ARTS&LIFE 28 30

31

You don’t have to order pizza … try these instead.

Rabbis on Capitol Hill

New book highlights rabbis, including those from Metro Detroit, who have blessed Congress.

Sophisticated Music

Celebrity Jews

Events 33

Etc.

The Exchange Soul Danny Raskin Looking Back

37 38 45 46

Recipes for the Big Game

New CD, Bernstein Reimagined, features variations in jazz styling.

32

A Better Foot Forward

Shabbat Lights

Tu b’Shevat: Thursday, Jan. 28 Shabbat Starts: Friday, Jan. 29, 5:25 p.m.

Shabbat Ends: Saturday, Jan. 30, 6:29 p.m. * Times according to Yeshiva Beth Yehudah calendar.

ON THE COVER: Cover photo/credit: The Fisher Building, the “largest art object” in Detroit. Photo by Michael G. Smith.

Cover design: Michelle Sheridan

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VIEWS for openers

Picture Book Parodies

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JANUARY 28 • 2021

AMAZON

T

hey say hindsight is 20/20.

Thank G-d for that, right? I think we’re all glad to see that toothache of a year from the rearview mirror fast receding into history.

There were a couple of personal gains last Rochel Burstyn year, though.

For example, last year I read more books (ahem … and watched more Netflix and ate more chocolate and gained more weight …). One genre I happened to be introduced to last year was picture book parodies.

Here are some of my favorites: • Move over, Cinderella!

Now there’s Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson, which tells the story of the girl next door, who also has evil step-relatives. Unlike Ella, Edna makes the best of it and is much more independent. There are no fairy godmothers in this girlnext-door’s life, so she happily buys a dress on layaway and takes the bus to the ball … The prince bores her to tears, but she bumps into the prince’s younger brother who’s into telling jokes, recycling and adopted kittens.

“Guess who lived happily ever after?”

• Perhaps Good Night Moon, which describes the peaceful, quiet bedtime routine of what’s got to be an only child (OK, rabbit) while the unrushed mother calmly knits in the rocking chair and whispers “hush” doesn’t

quite resemble bedtimes at your house. Welcome to the bookshelf, Good Night, Bubbala by Sheryl Haft. This “joyful parody” describes the chaos when the extended family rocks up for some Chanukah celebrating at bedtime (“… there were two little bubbies schlepping their hubbies … and one dozen bagels and a pot of kneidels …”) causing “Bubbala” to be illustrated bouncing around on his bed, most certainly experiencing the sugar high of his cheek-pinching grandparents.

• Oh, the Places You’ll Go

by Dr. Seuss has been a bestseller since its release in 1990, has sold more than 10 million copies to date and is a popular graduation gift.

Now there’s a new doctor in the ward, and he serves up a healthy dose of reality.

Attributed to “Dr. Suits,” Oh, the Meetings You’ll Go To describes in frank tones what happens to even the smartest grads and valedictorians out there. (“Despite your clear brilliance, you won’t

be the top. And bleary and weary, you’ll work till you drop…” “Some meetings are loud and some induce groaning, sometimes you’ll get tired of the PowerPoint droning…”)

• If you’ve always found it hard to relate to the birds in Are You My Mother?, try reading Are You My Uber? by Sarah Amelia Dooley. (“He looked up. He did not see it. He looked down. He did not see it. I will go and look for it, he said. And away he went …”) The poor fellow did not know what a Ford Taurus looked like though, so he walked right by it. Don’t worry, he did get to his location in the end; there’s always a happy ending in (most) children’s books.

• Everyone knows a cookie alone doesn’t do the trick anymore; now if you want a moment of peace, you have to give a mouse some mind-numbing technology … What’s the worst that can happen? You’ll find out in If You Give a Mouse an iPhone

by Ann Droyd. (“If you give a mouse an iPhone, he’s not going to ask for a cookie. Or a glass of milk. Or anything at all. In fact, he won’t hear a word you say.”) Spoiler alert: things go south really fast when the battery runs out!

I love the twists, the fun and the endless possibilities of these picture book parodies! There’s even a life lesson in there: If you don’t like the original ending, just rewrite your own!

letters

Jewish Working Women’s Network

I was so happily surprised to read the article in the Jan. 7 edition of the Jewish News “The Art of the Dance” (page 33) where Danny Schwartz reported that Cheryl Widener reached out to Shanon Stibor through a “Facebook Jewish women’s networking group.”

We were able to confirm via Cheryl that the two met through the Jewish Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy “Jewish Working Women’s Network” Facebook page. The Jewish Working Women’s Network (formerly Jewish Working Women’s Series) started in the early 2000s by community leaders who were looking for relevant programming for Jewish working women living in Metro Detroit. The JWWN Facebook page now has over 1,400 members currently and grows daily!

The Jewish Working Women’s Network’s mission is to provide engaging educational opportunities, enriching programs and the chance to connect with other Jewish working women in our community. Through the Facebook page, we provide “Plug Your Business Tuesday” — where women can promote their own businesses and the opportunity to connect. The page also hosts community job postings, special events and highlights JWWN programs. We often hear stories where women, like Cheryl and Shanon, have developed meaningful connections. We invite any Jewish woman continued on page 10

Nazli G. Sater

Roquia K. Draper

Family Law Practice Chair | Partner 248.784.5178 nsater@wnj.com

Family Law Attorney | Partner 248.784.5081 rdraper@wnj.com

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Contact: ddozeman@wnj.com or 616-752-2148. Please read our full privacy policy on our website.

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VIEWS essay

The Lessons of the Holocaust We Need Now More than Ever

J

an. 27 was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the date in 1945 when Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army. The liberators witnessed firsthand the extremes of where hate can lead. They saw human suffering unlike any Ruth Weiss other, all because Bergman some people could no longer see the humanity of others.

As responsible and ethical human beings we must instill, through our words and deeds, the lessons of the Holocaust, and empower people to speak up and take a stand. With the rise of antisemitism and other prejudices in the United States and across the world today, I’d like to take this opportunity to review a few of those lessons.

• First and foremost, we must

teach the value of all human life. We are all created “b’tzelem Elokim,” in the Divine image.

No one is the Other, and no one is less worthy of life or human rights. Disagreeing with someone about religion, politics or anything else is part of intelligent discourse and the sharing of ideas. Threatening people because of those differences

is not. Turning people with opposing viewpoints into the enemy is dangerous. Unchecked hate leads us down a very dark and dangerous path.

• The second lesson is about responsibility and choice. We all make choices, including how we deal with disappointment, illness, economic hardship and a million other chal-

lenges. Do we work to make life better, or do we blame the Other for our misery? Do we want to help all people, or just ourselves? Of course, we make our choices based on how we value other members of our community. This lesson must be built upon the first.

• The third lesson is that the words we hear and speak matter. Developing media literacy skills allows us to tell truth from fiction, fact from propaganda. It is easy to listen to the rhetoric that confirms our biases and justifies our prejudices; with social media, it is easy to repeat these lies to an international audience. Using our critical thinking skills to discover truth is essential for demanding accountability from our leadership and sustaining our democracy.

• The fourth lesson is that democracy is hard and messy.

It requires cooperation and working with people we don’t agree with. It means sometimes our preferred policy or candidate wins, and sometimes not. But democracy cannot continued on page 12

LETTERS continued from page 8

living in Metro Detroit who is interested to join the page at www.facebook.com/ groups/429457763787311 — Betsy S. Heuer President, Women’s Philanthropy

B. Siegel Correction According to Mike Smith in Looking Back, JN issue Jan. 7-13, B. Siegel closed in 1981. Not so! My late mom, Pauline Tischler, worked

at the Livernois/7 Mile B. Seigel until at least 1986. The Downtown store closed in 1985.

One thing is right for sure, it was a beautiful and classy store. I spent much of my childhood and young adult years on the Avenue of Fashion. I worked at Doubleday Book Shop. My mom managed that store and was a great boss. The B. Seigel building is being renovated for residential living. I’m happy to say that businesses

have emerged, and it’s a wonderful place to be.

— Gaye Tischler Via the web

Three Great Ideas

As covered in the Jewish News, the community has been presented with three great ideas.

The proposed merger of JVS, Jewish Family Service (JFS) and Kadima makes a great deal of sense. It will eliminate any duplication of services and encourage faster connec-

tivity.

The “Off-Site” proposal from the Jewish Community Center also makes a great deal of sense with possible sites in Oak Park/Berkley and Detroit. This, without expensive real estate, is the likely future of JCCs around the nation.

Finally, within the same thinking, the JCC in West Bloomfield would be a tenant, rather than a landlord (along with the Frankel Jewish continued on page 12

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JANUARY 28 • 2021

My STORY “There is a close connection between community engagement and a feeling of meaning and fulfillment in your life,” said Hebrew Free Loan Board member Andy Doctoroff.

“It’s admirable that Jews do so much to support each other. Being in a position to offer that support makes me more empathetic, more fulfilled. That’s like a gift you give yourself.”

Diplomacy plays a large role in daily life for Andy, a lawyer who serves as Michigan’s point person on the Gordie Howe International Bridge project. As an HFL Board member, Andy brings his legal and diplomatic skills into play, combining them with the varied areas of expertise shown by other HFL Board members.

“This is a very deep Board, with a lot of experience,” Andy said. “We come together well, see and hear people without judgment, and try to make a difference. I think we’ve all had vulnerable moments in our past. It’s our job to remember those feelings, and keep our interactions with our community on a gentle, supportive and respectful footing. To do what we do – providing support to so many, so consistently, so thoughtfully – seems pretty remarkable to me.”

Andy believes that there are a lot of people who go about their days working and taking care of their families, knowing they only have so much time to commit to something outside their daily routine. But the opportunity to be aware of the greater community, and to contribute, whether it’s money or time, brings meaning.

“I leave interviews and I tell my wife, Stacy, and my kids, Nicole, Alana and Matthew, how HFL means a lot to me because it embodies community. We make sure all Jews, however those Jews choose to define themselves, are supported in a dignified way that creates opportunity and reduces stress and anxiety. It’s an exemplar of how we should treat each other. I hope I pass that message on to my children.”

Click. Call. Give Now.

www.hfldetroit.org • 248.723.8184

Community donations help Hebrew Free Loan give interest-free loans to local Jews for a variety of personal, health, educational and small business needs.

6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 300 • Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48301 Hebrew Free Loan Detroit

@HFLDetroit

JANUARY 28 • 2021

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VIEWS LETTERS continued from page 10

Academy, the day camp, the nursery and the Berman Theater).

Let’s move forward.

— Harvey Bronstein Southfield

Heschel and King had Zionism in Common Marc Jacobs describes many aspects of the connection between Rabbi Heschel and Dr. King. (“This year for Martin Luther King Day — Be a Heschel”). Curiously, he ignored one of the most obvious connections between the two men, their Zionism.

Rabbi Heschel said:

“However it was not justice as an abstract principle which stirred us so deeply [in 1967].

Auschwitz is in our veins. It abides in the throbbing of our hearts. It burns in our imagination. It trembles in our conscience. We, the generation that witnessed the Holocaust, should stand by calmly when rulers proclaim their intention to bring about a new Holocaust? … One of the insights from the great crisis of May 1967, is the deep personal involvement of every Jew in the existence of Israel. It is not a matter of philanthropy or general charity but of spiritual identification. It is such personal

relationship to Israel upon which one’s dignity as a Jew is articulated.”

Of course, Rabbi Heschel’s comrade in arms, Dr. King, famously articulated his Zionism at Harvard shortly before his death in the wise and prescient words cited by Congressman John Lewis in an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle commemorating Martin Luther King Day in January 2002: “When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews; you’re talking anti-Semitism.”

Dr. King also said: “Peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all of our might to protect its right to

exist, its territorial integrity. I see Israel, and [I] never mind saying it, as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land almost can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy.

Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality.”

Since readers of the Jewish News are asked to emulate “the spirit of Dr. King’s and Rabbi Heschel’s friendship,” then their Zionism should be proudly mentioned — not omitted.

ple for the people was easier.

Choosing to boycott Jewishowned stores and silently accepting the Nuremberg laws was easier than standing up for one’s neighbors and friends. Choosing to accept the notion that the entire Jewish people should pay for the crime of one young man without considering the injustice of that idea was simply easier. The violence and murder of Kristallnacht happened because people made it happen. It was a choice.

I have the great honor of working with children and their teachers to instill the values upon which these lessons are built. Through our teacher workshops and museum education, we at the Holocaust Memorial Center teach about the values of compassion and speaking out when we see injustice. Through the exam-

ples of the Righteous Among the Nations we teach that choosing to fight hatred is always the better choice, even when it is hard and dangerous.

We teach that history does not happen; we make it happen. We can make a difference. We can make choices that matter. We can influence others to make ethical choices and stand up for what is right.

But it is not just educators

who must teach these lessons.

It is all of us. Despite the pandemic, despite living in a broken and hurting world (or maybe because of it), it is more important than ever that we stand up for all people, fight for democracy and value our neighbors. There is no Other. There is only Us.

— Richard Sherman Margate, Fla.

LESSONS continued from page 10

stand when we do not accept that it is not perfect, and that we don’t always get what we want. It requires compromise and agreeing to uphold the outcomes even when we are disappointed in them.

Life in Germany was hard after WWI. Weimar democracy was fragile and messy. It required patience, hard work and belief in its value to make life better and fair for everyone. Ultimately, the Germans found it too hard to sustain.

Choosing to scapegoat the Jewish people for Germany’s ills was easier than taking responsibility. Choosing to believe propaganda was easier than seeking the truth.

Choosing to believe the rhetoric that confirmed long-held antisemitism was simpler than questioning it. Choosing authoritarianism over government of the people by the peo-

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JANUARY 28 • 2021

Ruth Bergman is the director of education at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills.

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JANUARY 28 • 2021

BURTON HISTORICAL COLLECTION, DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY

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MICHAEL G. SMITH

MICHAEL G. SMITH

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TOP: Temple Beth El, Woodword and Elliot, 1903 (later the Bonstelle Theatre).

LEFT: Stained glass window from Kahn’s Temple Beth El, now on display at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township. A display from the Kahn Legacy Foundation quoting the architect, “Nine-tenths of my success has come because I listened to what people said they wanted and gave it to them.”

A photo of young Albert Kahn, in foreground, at the Mason & Rice firm, 1888.

JEWSINTHED ON THE COVER

Preserving the Legacy of

Albert Kahn Dedicated historical foundation to honor life’s work of Detroit’s master architect.

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

M

ALBERT KAHN ASSOCIATES

any Detroiters have visited the Fisher Building, Bonstelle Theatre or the University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium without realizing that they were designed by Albert Kahn.

“He hasn’t gotten his place among famous Detroiters — his story doesn’t go everywhere although his work does,” says Heidi Pfannes, senior associate and director of business development at Albert Kahn Associates Inc. and president of the new Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation board.

As an immigrant from a poor German Jewish family, Kahn’s formal education ended at the seventh grade. However, he was mentored by several Detroit architects, studied extensively on his own, and demonstrated extraordinary talent, focus and determination as an architect at an early age.

Kahn achieved great success at a time when antisemitism was widespread in the U.S. and Kahn at his desk, 1940.

Detroit. During the 1920s and ’30s, Detroit newspaper ads for apartment rentals could specify “No Jews or dogs.” Kahn designed at least two private clubs early in the 20th century — the Detroit Athletic Club and Detroit Golf Club — that did not admit Jewish members at the time they were built.

Despite all these obstacles, Kahn’s body of work is astonishing in its breadth of design styles, construction engineering innovations and the scope and volume of his projects — including factories, office buildings, synagogues, auditoriums and a hospital among many others.

The firm he established in 1895, now known as Albert Kahn Associates Inc., designed 2,000 factories between

1900 and 1940. His firm was the official consulting architect for the U.S.S.R.’s Five-Year Plan and designed 500 factories there from 1929-1931. In addition, Kahn designed many American military facilities for World Wars I and II, as well as factories that produced war materiel.

LEGACY CELEBRATED Last year, a group of local historians, architects, archivists and other interested volunteers established the Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation to “celebrate and preserve the legacy of Albert Kahn, often described as the foremost American industrial architect of the 20th century.” One of the motivating factors for the foundation’s creation was the 125th anniversary of Albert Kahn Associates Inc. last year.

“We were getting so many requests for the Albert Kahn archives,” Pfannes explains. “So many people are passionate about Albert Kahn. We didn’t want it to be a company foundation. We need to be supported by the community.”

About the same time, several Detroiters interested in history and architecture were talking about recognition for Kahn’s achievements. Kahn Legacy board member Levi Smith of Troy says that over the years he had visited The Henry Ford museum and Greenfield Village many times and noticed that there was no Jewish representation there. This oversight was particularly striking since Kahn designed the Ford plant, where the Model T was built, and the Ford River Rouge Complex among many other Fordrelated projects.

“I started talking to people, and we put together a group,” he said, with an initial goal of obtaining recognition for Kahn at The Henry Ford. Smith, besides being a Kahn Legacy Foundation board member, also chairs its Museum and Exhibits Committee. Detroit’s rebirth and the rehabilitation of some of Kahn’s Detroit buildings also made this particularly timely.

Eventually, the individuals interested in preserving Kahn’s legacy coalesced and established a nonprofit corporation — the Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation — last year. Their continued on page 16 JANUARY 28 • 2021

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MICHAEL G. SMITH

JEWSINTHED ON THE COVER

ALBERT KAHN ASSOCIATES

WIKIPEDIA

Hill Auditorium, the University of Michigan

Ford Motor Company Highland Park Assembly Plant. Built in 1910, it was nicknamed the “Crystal Palace.” continued from page 15

goal is to collect, preserve and display the public materials related to his life so that “researchers, students, historians and the general public will know and appreciate how his designs and ideas changed industrial America and helped make Detroit the manufacturing capital of the United States during the first half of the 20th century.”

POP-UP EXHIBIT The Legacy Foundation wants to provide a space for archives preservation and plans to create traveling exhibits and offer educational programs. Their first effort is a “pop-up” exhibit introducing Albert Kahn and his achievements, designed by Eric Keller, a volunteer. (Some images from the pop-up exhibit are included with this article.)

Volunteer board members are considering possible exhibition locations — museums or libraries in Detroit and Ann Arbor as well as Kahn-designed buildings. However, they may wait until the COVID pandemic restrictions are loosened and permit greater foot traffic

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in public buildings.

Long-term, the board is considering the feasibility of creating an Albert Kahn museum. “Ideally, we want something permanent,” Pfannes says, “but there are pop-ups in the meanwhile. We need to raise money for a feasibility study for a museum. We’re working on partnering with the Fisher Building, Argonaut Building and Urban League (which has its headquarters in Kahn’s family home) — all designed by Kahn.”

“He is part of the Detroit community, the Jewish community. We have so much history, but people aren’t aware of it,” says Barbara Cohn, Kahn Legacy Foundation board member and co-author of Detroit Public Library — An American Classic. The Foundation is hoping to attract paying members (beginning at $25) as a financial base. Members will receive discounts for events, such as educational programs.

A bicycle tour of Albert Kahn buildings in Detroit is planned for later this year.

For more information about the Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation, visit www.albertkahnlegacy.org.

Albert Kahn and Henry Ford

One of the ironies of Kahn’s career is that his single most prominent client was Henry Ford, automotive pioneer, who was wellknown for public expressions of antisemitism in his newspaper, The Dearborn Independent. The newspaper published numerous articles about a conspiracy of Jewish bankers and Jews being the instigators of World War I. Eventually, a Jewish businessman sued Henry Ford for libel, there were protests of its contents by multiple organizations and the newspaper was closed.

“Ford had no animus toward Jewish people individually,” says Michael G. Smith, a historian. Ford’s antisemitism stemmed from an experience with bankers when he sought a loan, Smith says. They wanted more control of the company than Ford was willing to provide. The bankers happened to be Jewish and from that encounter, Ford began to support a conspiracy theory about Jewish bankers and businessmen.

Eventually, Kahn would no longer meet with Ford, sending someone else in his place.

Why would Ford seek out a Jewish architect for his factories? It was basically due to Kahn’s ability to fulfill Ford’s ideas. “They had a great deal of respect for each other,” Smith says.

Factories at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries were multifloored, dark, airless buildings that were prone to fires. Ford wanted a factory that would accommodate his new assembly line rather than requiring cars to be built and transported between several levels of a building. Kahn was able to design a single-floor factory with lots of natural light, more floor space and better ventilation.

This resulted, in part, from his brother Julius’ development of an improved reinforced concrete that was stronger and required fewer support columns. Walls of windows provided much better lighting than other factories of the era.

This kind of construction provided a safer, more pleasant environment for workers and improved productivity. Kahn’s firm was also known for its efficiency and willingness to adapt to clients’ needs.

Waiting on the ‘Hug’ New rabbi at Shir Tikvah can’t wait to lead services in person.

BARBARA LEWIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

L

ike most rabbis, Alicia Harris looks forward to the post-COVID era when she’ll be able to greet her congregants in person.

Unlike most, for Harris it will be the first time. As a newly minted rabbi, she was hired to an interim position at Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy after the previous rabbi,

Aura Ahuvia, decided to return to Ann Arbor, where she’d lived for 30 years. Harris started in August and just a few months later, the congregation made her appointment permanent.

The Shir Tikvah pulpit is Harris’ first job as a rabbi. She was ordained in May at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the Reform move-

ANALICIA HONKANEN PHOTOGRAPHY

Rabbi Alicia Harris says Congregation Shir Tikvah is a shul with “incredible energy.”

ment’s seminary. Shir Tikvah is affiliated with both the Reform and the Jewish Renewal movements.

Harris, 30, grew up in Toledo, though her parents moved to Pittsburgh soon after she graduated from high school. She worked in the political arena while studying at the University of Pittsburgh, where she majored in political science and religious studies, but felt something was missing. She flirted with the idea of becoming a cantor, but after graduating, she took a job as executive assistant at Temple Sinai in Pittsburgh. Witnessing the dayto-day work of the temple up close made her realize her call to the rabbinate.

Although all her classmates at HUC-JIR have found work, COVID changed the whole rabbinical placement process.

“Many places I applied decided not to hire anyone who wasn’t absolutely essential,” she said.

Though she wasn’t initially interested in an interim position, she’s happy others encouraged her to check out Shir Tikvah.

It’s a cliché, but true, she said: “I love the community.”

‘WARM AND WELCOMING’ “From the moment I did my first interview, something felt very different about them. They are warm and welcoming and have incredible energy,” she said, “but more than that, the way they care for one another is really remarkable.”

The feeling was mutual.

“From our first conversation with Rabbi Harris, it was obvious that she is someone special,” said Shir Tikvah President Patti Rehfus, a teacher from Bloomfield Hills. “We were impressed with her resume but even more so with her

presence and warmth, which came through even over Zoom.

Most of all, it was her genuine desire to become part of the Shir Tikvah community that impressed us.”

Rehfus said Harris, who started in July, spent long hours meeting (mostly virtually) with the congregation’s staff and officers to understand how she could be most effective. “With the High Holidays approaching, she deftly managed the staff, volunteers and ritual committee to produce wonderful virtual services that brought the community together while keeping us safe.”

Harris also set up a series of virtual meet-and-greets that helped her connect with the 250-family congregation. With the congregation’s staff, she planned several well-received outdoor events where people were able to participate in person.

“She was able to connect with people of all ages and interests, in particular people who were experiencing difficulties or who had lost loved ones,” Rehfus said. “Her ability to connect with so many congregants under the most challenging circumstances, her positive energy, her commitment to social justice, her meaningful sermons, her creativity and her abundant kindness are a potent and unique combination.”

PERMANENT POSITION Almost immediately, congregants started asking Rehfus and members of the search committee, formed in July, to make Harris’ position permanent. At that point, no one on the search committee had met Harris in person.

“Our Family Education parents were particularly in favor of doing so,” said Joyce May, a continued on page 18 JANUARY 28 • 2021

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JEWSINTHED

Leadership Skills Federation’s COO chosen for prestigious learning fellowship.

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

S

teven Ingber, chief operating officer for the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, is among 15 Jewish professionals from across North America chosen for the new class of Wexner Field Fellows.

The fellowship was created in 2013 and focuses on developing promising Jewish professionals’ leadership skills.

The program lasts three years and fellows will participate in six cohort-based institutes on leadership and Jewish issues with leadership teachers and Jewish educators.

Fellows will receive coaching

and Jewish learning along with access to funds toward customized professional development.

“I’m super appreciative to the community for giving me the time and availability to partake in this, and I’m hoping to represent the city of Detroit and the Detroit Jewish community, learn a lot and

continue to make this a great town to live in,” Ingber said.

Fellows are selected based on their past accomplishments, current motivation and engagement, and the exceptional attributes they will contribute to their cohort of 15 Jewish professionals.

Ingber said he’s most excited about learning from the other members of the cohort and hopes it can put himself and JFMD in a better standing to continue to do great things.

“Judaism’s a team sport, as my mentor Scott Kaufman used to say, and I think learn-

“WE CAN REALLY MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER.”

ing from your peers is something our industry could really do better on,” Ingber said.

“This is a perfect example of working with people in different areas of the industry where we can really make positive changes and learn from one another.”

Ingber joined JFMD in 2016 as COO. As the organization has operated without a CEO for the past 14 months, he has taken on additional duties, managing day-to-day operations and working with senior leadership and boards.

Ingber is only the second Michigander to receive a Wexner Fellowship in the program’s five years, with Tilly Shemer, executive director of U-M Hillel, the other.

— STEVEN INGBER

continued from page 17

infectious, she speaks with a wisdom that goes beyond her years, and her voice is beautiful,” he said. “She makes you feel connected and shows true interest and compassion with people of all ages, even through Zoom.”

The rabbi’s first six months occurred during “very interesting times,” he said, “but there has been a lot of success and we are very excited to see what the ANALICIA HONKANEN PHOTOGRAPHY

psychologist from Linden who chaired the search committee.

“They felt the she made an excellent connection with the children.” When the committee formally interviewed Harris, “it was perfectly clear that she embodied the characteristics that our Shir Tikvah family was looking for,” May said.

Michael Silverstein of Troy, a past president of the congregation, agreed. “Her smile is

Shir Tikvah congregants unscroll the Torah during 2020’s COVID-safe outdoor Simchat Torah celebration.

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next few years will bring.”

Harris said she was “beyond thrilled.”

She works primarily from her home in Royal Oak, visiting her Shir Tikvah office occasionally to check the mail or for a change of scenery. She leads worship services from the congregation’s sanctuary.

Dealing with COVID restrictions has been difficult, both professionally and personally.

She was unable to say goodbye in person to her rabbinical school classmates and teachers.

She can’t enjoy impromptu meetings with congregants, chat over a post-service oneg or invite them for Shabbat dinner.

Personal life posed challenges, too. Harris loves Latin dancing and live music, neither of which she can enjoy now. “I’m very social and extroverted, so establishing a new community and a group of friends of my

own has been tough, too,” she said.

But Harris is becoming involved in the local clerical community. In December, she gave one of the invocations as Michigan’s electors gathered in Lansing to cast their votes. She serves on the lieutenant governor’s Ecumenical Advisory Roundtable.

After the November election, she organized a community-wide Havdalah service. “It was so moving to see people of all denominations come together for healing and unity,” she said, adding that she is impressed at the Detroit’s Jewish community’s involvement in social justice efforts.

Harris says she’s very excited to lead services in person after pandemic restrictions are eased. Most of all, she says, she “cannot wait” to hug people again.

COURTESY OF MAVERICK LEVY

W

hen 22-year-old Maverick Levy started his podcast The Best of the Best: Maverick’s Guide to Success last August, he wanted to help others his age learn the basics of everyday life.

By exploring topics like how to file taxes, secure a mortgage and understand health insurance, Levy, who attends Michigan State University and grew up in Commerce and Bloomfield Hills, helps teach listeners about the things they didn’t learn in school.

He interviews subject-matter experts — whom he appropriately calls “the best of the best” in their fields — to add background knowledge and personal perspective to each episode.

Now, Levy’s podcast, which is in its 22nd episode, has been picked up by Los Angeles-based DBPodcasts and is charting among the top 200 business podcasts in the country.

There was a void, he explains, surrounding education in life skills that are necessary in adulthood to be successful. Through his podcast, he aims to close that gap.

“I always say there’s no possible way that within a 45-minute interview you’re going to learn everything [about that topic],” Levy says. “But you’ll at least know the terms that the real estate agent or the mortgage company are talking about after listening to the show. You’ll know what to expect and how the process works.”

Each episode sees Levy asking the subject matter expert about what they wish they knew when they were in their 20s about their respective fields. He’s interviewed private jet brokers, vice presidents of mortgage companies, rappers and entrepreneurs in mental health care, to name a few. “It’s just been taking off like crazy,” he describes.

Maverick Levy works on his podcast.

What You Didn’t Learn in School New business podcast teaches people in their 20s how to be successful in life.

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The concept was born when Levy, who always wanted to start a podcast, made an Instagram post asking general questions about taxes. He had a social media following of mostly teens and people in their early 20s. One of his followers replied that he should start a

podcast about taxes, and the idea clicked.

“It automatically hit me about 10 minutes after that I can transition the idea of doing a podcast [about taxes] to teaching things that aren’t taught in school,” Levy explains, “whether that’s starting a business from

“YOU’LL KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT AND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.” — MAVERICK LEVY

the ground up or talking about how life insurance works.”

SUCCESS STORIES Levy also spotlights individuals on his podcast who have extraordinary business success stories, diving into their journey and the steps they took to create their brands. He focuses heavily on industries either growing or remaining steady throughout the pandemic as well, such as the episode about the private jet broker and his career path.

Getting a slot on Levy’s podcast isn’t easy, though. He means it when he says he only wants to include “the best of the best.” The young entrepreneur rigorously vets applicants before deciding to do an episode with them.

“It’s the best of the best in every industry so you can build a basic level of understanding of how these things work in reality,” he explains. “As long as you’re the best figure skater in the world and you have some information to offer the audience, I’m down to have a conversation with you so others can learn from you and be inspired by you.”

In both his podcast and personal life, Levy, who attended Temple Israel, has two values that he sticks by: always be learning, and lead by example.

“I’m trying to fill the gap,” he says, “of what’s not taught in school but is essential.”

His long-term goal with the podcast is to create a worldwide community and platform that people his age can go to when they need support with everyday matters.

“I really want to continue to be a resource that the younger generation can always rely on,” Levy says, “to give them that information that they need in life to succeed.”

JANUARY 28 • 2021

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r. S Kids Music was launched in September of last year to help kindergarteners learn and thrive during the pandemic. The educational music YouTube channel is the brainchild of Sean and Jamie Strasberger, ages 36 and 37 of Huntington Woods, who wanted to find a creative way to help their 5-year-old son Ezra and others excel in virtual school.

“There’s not a lot of time to teach all of the content [that kids need to learn],” says Sean Strasberger of his kindergartener learning on Zoom, a challenge many parents have had to navigate throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Hourlong classes are often condensed into 30-minute online sessions, he says, which can leave little room for the fun that younger kids need to learn and remain focused.

That’s where Dr. S Kids Music steps in to add a little color to the everyday school routine. The YouTube channel features episodes geared for young kids, created, filmed and edited by the Strasberger family, who fully include Ezra in the production process.

There is content about how to count to 10, word games and instructional dance videos that help kindergarteners take much needed (and fun) breaks throughout the day.

Sean Strasberger, who teaches at the middle school level, and Jamie Strasberger, who works with editing on a regular basis making bar and bat mitzvah montages, combined their skills of education and video production to develop the YouTube channel. “We wanted to help our son have some fun while learning academic content like phonics, reading, math

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Making Learning Fun

COURTESY OF SEAN AND JAMIE STRASBERGER

JEWSINTHED

Musical YouTube channel aims to help kids have fun while learning remotely.

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

and writing,” Sean Strasberger explains.

Ezra, who was more than eager to get involved, enjoys helping his parents write and produce original songs for episodes that give kids like himself an opportunity to have fun while learning, an element Jamie Strasberger says is essential throughout the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. S Kids Music even includes episodes centered on mental health, teaching kids mindfulness exercises and that it’s OK

to have worries and fears.

“Our son was showing some anxiety with the virtual learning,” Jamie Strasberger says. It inspired her and her husband to develop a song called “Belly Breath” that shows kids how to breathe in and out alongside music. “It really helped him,” she continues. “He still sings it, and we’ll all do it. It’s more playful and fun because we get to talk about why deep breaths will relax his body and keep him calmer.”

The Strasbergers have aimed

“I DON’T THINK KINDERGARTENERS WERE MEANT TO LEARN THROUGH ZOOM.” — SEAN STRASBERGER

to normalize these feelings throughout their content, which other parents have picked up on in their community. Many of Ezra’s friends at school now watch videos from Dr. S Kids Music’s YouTube channel as they learn remotely. Other families in the neighborhood have even come to Sean and Jamie with suggestions for future content, such as how to learn the ABCs or an alphabet song.

YOUTUBE POPULARITY “The traffic on YouTube has been great for just starting in September,” Jamie Strasberger says, noting that some episodes are getting upwards of 2,000 views. Through colorful, animated videos filmed in front of a greenscreen at their home, the Strasbergers are quickly building an online platform for kids anywhere who want to have a little fun while learning remotely.

The process starts on Mondays, when the family taps into a notebook full of content ideas to write and record songs.

Then on weekends, they’ll sit down and brainstorm how the videos will look, followed by actually filming them, and getting them to the editing and publishing process. Videos, which are released weekly, are free to access.

“I don’t think kindergarteners were meant to learn through Zoom because they need that interaction,” Sean Strasberger says. “They need to be singing, they need to be getting up.

Through our YouTube channel, we’re doing our best to include those elements that they might be able to do in-person.”

Watch Dr. S Kids Music at www. youtube.com/c/DrSKidsMusic/videos.

DDR

A rendering of the new Detroit Dog Rescue in Detroit’s Old Redford.

New Digs for Dogs

Detroit Dog Rescue celebrates 10 years with a new 11,000-square-foot headquarters.

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A

s no-kill animal shelter Detroit Dog Rescue nears its 10th anniversary on Feb. 1, it has big plans for its future.

The goal is to move into a new 11,000-square-foot facility on the West Side of Detroit in the Old Redford neighborhood that is nearly five times the size of its current East Side location.

Detroit Dog Rescue executive director Kristina Millman-Rinaldi says that one day, she received a call from a veterinarian hospital with 10 practices that planned to close down a location. Instead of shuttering it, the hospital offered it to the no-kill shelter.

“I was shocked and so grateful,” MillmanRinaldi recalls. “We had gotten to the point at our first location where we had issues with our laundry room not being big enough. We didn’t have a training room.

There were so many things missing.”

The new headquarters, which Detroit Dog Rescue is currently raising funding for, will fill those voids. The shelter plans to add a brand-new kitchen area, training facility, a puppy preschool for socializing young dogs and a maternity (spelled “mutternity”) room for pregnant mothers. But it’s not an easy process.

The building’s interior hasn’t been revamped since 1962, requiring a major overhaul. Millman-Rinaldi estimates the completed project to run about $1 million, with the shelter about halfway to its fundraising goal. Her hope, she says, is to move in by October.

“We have started the process of demoing

“I WAS SHOCKED AND SO GRATEFUL.” — KRISTINA MILLMAN-RINALDI the inside,” Millman-Rinaldi explains.

Once finished, Detroit Dog Rescue’s new headquarters will be able to house 68 dogs in its facility, which is 40 more than its current location. But the old center won’t shut down, Millman-Rinaldi says.

Instead, it will be turned into a low-cost spay, neuter and vaccination clinic.

‘PET PANTRY’ “We’re also going to have certain days where people can come and get resources,” she describes, “kind of like a pet pantry.” This

Kristina MillmanRinaldi gives a tour to Tyler Bertuzzi of the Detroit Red Wings.

will help people in the community support their dogs so they don’t have to turn to surrendering them, she continues.

“If all you need is some vaccinations for your pet, a dog license and six months’ worth of food, if it gets you through and you love your dog, we’re going to help you with that,” Millman-Rinaldi says. “We want you to keep your pet.”

Detroit Dog Rescue, which partners with numerous Jewish organizations in the area such as BBYO and AZA community service projects, says the past decade has seen immense growth for its program. Now, the new headquarters brings it one step closer to its mission of helping keep Detroit’s dogs safe and off of the streets.

“Here we are 10 years later, sustaining and learning,” Millman-Rinaldi says. “And that feels really good. We started as a renegade rescue, and we grew Detroit Dog Rescue as a group of people who wanted change.”

JANUARY 28 • 2021

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ANGELA WEISS/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES VIA JTA

JEWSINTHED NATIONAL

Historic Presidency All the ways Biden and Harris (and their families) made Jewish history on Inauguration Day.

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at an event to announce nominees for their science team in Wilmington, Del., Jan. 16, 2021.

URIEL HEILMAN JTA

W

hen Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office as U.S. president and vice president on Jan. 20, they made history in all sorts of ways — including Jewish history.

Some of the historical firsts are obvious: Biden is the oldest person ever to occupy the White House, and Harris is the first woman or person of color or person of South Asian descent ever to serve as vice president.

Their Jewish bona fides are also notable: Biden’s three children who survived into adulthood all married Jews, making him a grandfather to several Jewish grandchildren. (Biden’s first wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident in 1972.)

Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is Jewish, and the couple celebrate Jewish holidays together. Their 2014 wedding featured the traditional Jewish breaking of the glass, and Emhoff ’s two children from his first marriage refer to Harris as “Momala” — a mashup of Kamala and the Yiddishism “mamaleh.”

“I love Chanukah because it really is about the light, and bringing light where there has been darkness,” Harris said, pronouncing Chanukah with the guttural “chet” sound — rather than the Americanized “hey.” “And it is a celebration of, always, tikkun olam, which is about fighting for justice and fighting for the dignity of all people, and it’s about rededication.”

The blended Jewish families who will lead the new U.S. administration are not an anomaly — they are emblematic of the story of American Jewry.

Most American Jews marry outside the faith — 58% according to the most recent national survey, conducted in 2013 by the Pew Research Center.

However, rather than abandoning Judaism, these interfaith couples increasingly are raising their children as Jews or celebrating Jewish traditions alongside those of other faiths.

Some 45% of intermarried Jews are raising their children in the Jewish religion, according to Pew, up from 28% in 1990.

While half a century ago Jews

who intermarried were looked upon as a loss for the Jewish community, today interfaith families are part and parcel of the American Jewish community. In the Reform movement, the largest U.S. Jewish religious denomination, rabbis officiate at interfaith weddings, many synagogues have non-Jews as members, and certain ritual roles during synagogue services are open to non-Jews.

The Reconstructionist movement, which is the smallest of America’s liberal Jewish denominations with about 100 affiliated synagogues, made history in 2015 when it dropped a ban against accepting intermarried

students to the movement’s rabbinical school.

In the Conservative movement, more than one-quarter of all homes include a non-Jewish family member, according to the Pew survey.

Even among many Orthodox Jews, it has become more common to take a welcoming approach toward interfaith couples in the hope that a non-Jewish spouse ultimately converts rather than to ostracize intermarried Jews.

By the same token, the prevailing attitudes of Americans generally toward Jews have warmed over time. In the 1950s and ’60s, large swaths of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff send Chanukah greetings in a video, Dec. 10, 2020.

SCREEN SHOT FROM TWITTER VIA JTA

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“The wedding ceremony started with the traditional baruch haba and included the priestly blessing and the sheva brachot. The groom stepped on a glass at the end.”

At the reception, Biden danced the hora.

Biden’s son Beau, who died of cancer in 2015, also married a Jew: Hallie Olivere, whose Jewish mother Biden had known since his own childhood. At a 2015 event in Delaware, Biden joked that he had had a crush on Olivere’s mother as a kid.

“I was the Catholic kid. She was the Jewish girl. I still tried.

I didn’t get anywhere,” Biden said.

Biden’s second son, Hunter, recently married for the second time — this time to Melissa Cohen, a Jewish documentary filmmaker from South Africa. Within days of their meeting, Hunter Biden got a “Shalom” tattoo to match one that Cohen had. The couple had their first child, a son born in Los Angeles, last March.

That brought the number of Biden grandchildren with a Jewish parent to three, adding to Beau and Hallie’s two children.

Lior Zaltzman contributed to this report.

NCJW Helps Kids Keep Warm More than 300 low-income children in Metro Detroit, identified by 19 local agencies, nonprofit organizations and schools, received new winter coats, socks, mittens and PJ bottoms, in a drive-thru Jan. 13 event called ‘Wrapped in Warmth,’ arranged by the National Council of Jewish Women, Michigan (NCJW|MI).

“With the weather getting colder, and so many families impacted by job loss and hard times because of the pandemic, we just felt we needed to provide additional coats to children,” explained Amy Cutler, president of NCJW|MI. “Our volunteers went shopping for more

supplies and the agencies we contacted were overwhelmingly appreciative. We decided that cozy PJ bottoms might be useful at this time because of so many kids doing their school on Zoom.”

Veronica Johnson, project coordinator for D.L.I.V.E and Alkebu-lan Village, two organizations who will be receiving the clothing, said she works with so many people who cannot buy their kids the necessary supplies to keep them warm. “Even if they are working, they might only have the income to cover light, gas, rent and food, but not the additional funds needed to buy things so many of us take for granted.”

NCJW

Americans disdained Jews in one way or another: In 1958, only 62% of Americans said they’d be willing to vote for a well-qualified Jewish political candidate, compared to 91% in 2015, and a 1964 survey found that 43% of Americans held Jews responsible for the death of Jesus, compared to 26% in 2004.

While 2019 saw a 40-year high in antisemitic incidents in the United States, it’s common for non-Jews with Jews in their families to express pride about their Jewish relatives. Biden, a Catholic, is one example.

“I’m the only Irish Catholic you know who had his dream met because his daughter married a Jewish surgeon,” Biden quipped about his Jewish son-in-law, Howard Krein, at a political event in Ohio in 2016.

Krein, a doctor, married Biden’s youngest daughter, Ashley Biden, in an interfaith ceremony in 2012 officiated by a Roman Catholic priest and a Reform rabbi, Joseph M. Forman.

“A ketubah was signed. The couple got married under a beautiful chuppah, made of natural branches with a cloth covering,” Forman, rabbi at a New Jersey congregation, Or Chadash, told the Forward.

faces&places

Volunteers Margo Stocker of Farmington Hills and Katie Stocker of Huntington Woods, Diana Richards and William Barretto of Hope of Detroit Academy, and volunteer Ruth Zerin of West Bloomfield.

NCJW

Ashley Biden with her parents and her husband Howard Krein, second from left, as they depart St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church after morning mass in Wilmington, Del. Dec. 18, 2020

NCJW volunteers Linda Bodzin of Farmington Hills, Margo Stocker of Farmington Hills, NCJW|MI President Amy Cutler of West Bloomfield, Katie Stocker of Huntington Woods and Sarah Gottlieb of Birmingham load up clothing for the S.A.Y. Detroit Play Center.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ASHLEY KENNY

JEWSINTHED

Ashley Kenny, right, with her grandmother Fran Penskar

Video Letters to Loved Ones

Mail a mini-movie of your cherished moments — easily viewable without a computer or smartphone.

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

W

hen Ashley Kenny saw how isolated her 92-year-old grandmother Fran was throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she knew she had to do something to help make quarantining a little bit easier.

Fran, who lives at Meer Apartments on the Jewish Community Campus in West Bloomfield, has spent 10 months in a 540-square-foot apartment with little contact with the outside world. She has no cell phone, computer or Wi-Fi, and has food and books delivered outside her apartment door. Like

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many other older adults who are at higher risk for contracting COVID-19, Fran has been sheltering in place since the crisis first hit Michigan in March.

For Kenny, who grew up in West Bloomfield and now lives in Washington, D.C., where she works in media and documentary film production, it left little option for her grandmother to experience important milestones in life. Kenny’s 1-year-old son, Jack, had recently started to walk.

When she told her grandmother over the phone about this moment, Fran said how much she missed seeing her family. As

an expert in video, these words sparked an idea for Kenny.

“I turned that frustration of not being able to send videos to my grandma into finding a solution,” Kenny explains. That day, she found a video program she already had on hand and uploaded eight short videos of her sons laughing. It included moments from their birthdays, first time riding red wagons and walking. Similar to a photobook, but with video instead, Kenny took the completed project and sent it via snail mail to her grandmother.

When Fran received the thin, greeting-card-size videobook device, she was overjoyed. “She was so instantly happy,” Kenny recalls. “She just told me how much it meant to her seeing my sons.”

Fran ended up watching the video every single day. Kenny, alongside her brother Zach Bloom, who works in startup tech, realized they could scale the idea nationwide to help others like their grandmother navigate the pandemic and enjoy tangible memories that capture life’s most important moments.

From there, Heirloom was born. Set to launch Feb. 2, the new business allows people to send custom videobooks to those they love. Users upload videos through a mobile app that Bloom created, which are then transferred onto videobooks with 5-inch HD screens to be mailed out to recipients nationwide. Each videobook is recyclable, reloadable and Receiving an Heirloom videobook through the mail can bring joy to those isolated from loved ones during the pandemic.

rechargeable, and plays automatically upon receipt. A 10-minute videobook costs $49 and comes with free shipping.

POSITIVE RESPONSE App development began in July 2020. By November of that year, Kenny and Bloom, who attended Temple Israel as kids, softlaunched the product to gather feedback and test the process.

They found people were sending videos of birthday greetings, engagements, weddings and more, with many grandparents even sending videos back to their children and grandchildren. So far, Kenny says, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

“People keep sharing how much joy these cards give to their families,” Kenny says.

“It’s been amazing to hear how happy people are to see videos of events they couldn’t attend.”

Through Heirloom, Kenny and Bloom aim to solve a problem facing many families: increased isolation and social distancing. By using videobooks, they hope to close that gap and keep people connected. Even after the pandemic, they want Heirloom to be a tool people can use to share their memories.

“Everyone is supposed to be enjoying life, especially seniors who now feel so disconnected,” Kenny says. “We’d love to get a videobook in the hands of as many isolated seniors as possible, to lift them up and bring them the happiness and connection they deserve.”

MOMENTS

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MAZEL TOV! Evan Matthew Eisenberg (Raphael Chaim), son of Nicole and Stephen Eisenberg, will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. He will be joined in celebration by his brother Noah and proud grandparents Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg of Bloomfield Hills, and Linda Weingarden of West Bloomfield. He is also the grandson of the late Dr. Michael Weingard-en.

Evan is a student at Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills. His mitzvah project involves his ongoing support to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation with his own donations and his continuing as a conscientious ally to the LGBTQ+ community.

Emersyn Sloane Lazor, daughter of Kyley Kaplan Lazor and Jeffrey Lazor, will chant from the Torah on the occasion of her bat mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. She will be joined in celebration by her sisters Lila and Vivian, and her proud grandparents Debi and Larry Kaplan, and Mindy Lazor. Emersyn is the great-grandchild of Beverly Reichlin.

She attends Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit in Farmington Hills. As part of her most meaningful mitzvah project, Emersyn created and designed tzedakah boxes, which she sold on Facebook to be returned full after two months. Her goal was to encourage people to participate in daily tzedakah. All funds that she raised from this special project were donated to Tamarack’s Send A Kid to Camp fund.

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JANUARY 28 • 2021

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MOMENTS

Max Steven Weinberger (Moshe Shmuel) became a bar mitzvah on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021.

He is the son of Sara and Dr. Jeffrey Weinberger.

His brothers are Charlie and Sammy Weinberger.

Max was joined in celebration by grandparents Kaye and Dr. Allen Weinberger of West Bloomfield, Nancy Sergeant of Lake Orion and great-grand-

mother Ethel Shapiro of Farmington Hills. Max is also the grandson of the late Roger Sergeant, and great-grandson of the late Gita and the late Leonard Weinberger.

Max attends the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation in Indianapolis, Ind., and Fall Creek Junior High in Fishers, Ind. He chose the Million Meals Movement for his mitzvah project, and he prepared meals for those in need.

Feldscher-Venokur

Danto 90th

R

onald and Nancy Feldscher of West Bloomfield announce the engagement of their son Andrew Sarasohn Feldscher to Sari Brie Venokur, daughter of Stephen and Myrna Venokur of Coral Springs, Fla. Andrew earned a degree in communications from Michigan State University. He is employed at Fidelity Investments. Sari earned a degree in sociology from the University of Florida.

She is employed at Ultimate Kronos Group.

They currently reside in Cary, N.C., enjoying the ability to quarantine together. Andrew and Sari look forward to when they can hug their friends and family, travel the world and see live music again.

C

harles Danto turned 90 on Jan. 21, 2021. He is married to Ruthye Danto, 89; together they have four children, Irwin (Karen) Danto, Beth (Bob) Borson, Debby Farber and Jay (Debbie) Danto; grandchildren are Lauren (Steven) Bloom, Lindsey (Joe) Hill, Joel (Devonie) Danto, Adam Borson, Harris Farber, Josh (Jenna) Borson, Ashley (Nathan) Silverman, Zachary Farber, Samantha and Jillian Danto; great-grandchildren are Parker and Asher Bloom, Lucas, Jackson, Aiden and Grace Hill, Ava and Levi Borson, and Eden Silverman. They celebrated together with a drive-by celebration and weekly Zoom calls.

He loves spending time with his family and looks forward to more great-grandchildren this year.

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SPIRIT

TORAH PORTION

Happiness Is …

T

in which sins are forgiven. The he Jews leave Egypt and Baal Shem Tov emphasizes cross the sea. After the that the singing must be with crossing, Moshe and joy, which breaks through all Miriam led the Jewish people boundaries. in a song of praise known as Once our minds are in the Song by the Sea. It harmony with Hashem’s is written that one who reality and we achieve this joyfully recites the song state of mindfulness, then daily is granted spiritual all our foreign thoughts are and physical health, blocked. We can experiintellectual clarity, forRabbi ence the world as it will be giveness of wrongdoing Herschel in the time of Moshiach. and a general well-being.

Finman To illustrate the point, It is understood that Parshat let me recount the followthe Jews achieved a clarBshallach: ing story, which I heard ity of mind while crossExodus 13:17from Reb Zalman Posner, ing the sea; they were 17:16; Judges the late shaliach from able to point to Hashem 4:4-5:31..

Nashville, Tenn. and say, “This is my “I was 14 when the yeshivah God and I will glorify Him.” We started accepting young boys. recite the song and achieve the same clarity. Having achieved We were about a dozen in two groups, my brother’s and mine. it, we now enter a spiritual state

We were the only ones from ‘out-of-town’ (Chicago). Before going home for Pesach, Laibl and I had a private audience with the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe. When the he asked us how long it took to get home, I told him 24 hours. ‘Where will you daven?’ ‘On the bus.’ ‘And tefillin?’ he asked, with a bit of surprise, I think. He also asked if it would be warm on the bus.

“The following Passover, when we went in again for an audience, he asked, ‘With what are you going home?’

Remembering last year’s question very well, I confidently answered, ‘With the bus.’ ‘I’m not asking that. I’m asking with what are you going home? What are you taking with you? What did you add in Torah during the past six months since I saw you last?’ I just stood there for several eternities while the Rebbe stared down at his desk, waiting

for me to answer. Finally, mercifully, the Rebbe spoke. ‘I am not asking for you to answer; but you must ask yourself from time to time, ‘What have I added in making the world a better place?’”

Rabbi Herschel Finman is co-director (with his wife, Chana) of Jewish Ferndale and host of “The Jewish Hour” radio son WLQV 1500 AM - Sundays 11-noon; contact rabbifinman.com.

CONVERSATIONS

In light of the current health situation, what makes you happy? How have you recently made the world a better place?

The Jews experienced a revelation at the crossing of sea greater than the prophecies of Ezekiel; where do we see God’s presence in our lives?

The two young students in the story were happy to express their Judaism in a public forum (on a bus). Would you? Why or why not?

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ARTS&LIFE DINING IN

Recipes for the Big Game You don’t have to order pizza … try these instead.

T

he big day is almost here. On Super bowl Sunday, Americans will indulge in a truly nationalistic ritual. Of course, we can’t watch the game on an empty stomach.

The Super Bowl is the perfect occasion to entertain without fuss.

It is a football game, and it would seem silly to serve Annabel Cohen anything other Contributing writer than casual foods on disposable plates, right?

Well, mostly right. True, more pizza is served on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year (when all’s said and done, what’s easier than picking up the phone and feeding your crowd for cheap?).

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But, time out! There’s no reason we can’t be civilized on this day of touchdowns, half-time extravaganzas and millions spent on beer advertising. If you’re going to serve junk food, why not serve original, relatively inexpensive — yet impressive — junk food you can actually make yourself?

And, of course, offer-up a big display of fresh vegetables for dipping.

You may not be hosting a huge crowd, so you don’t want to over-prepare. The following recipes all serve about six people, but double or triple as desired.

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI WITH SWEET POTATOES This is not a creamy chili.

But if you want the liquid more “creamy,” whisk in 2

Tbsp. of flour and cook for 2 minutes before adding the chicken broth. Use turkey if you prefer.

Ingredients 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup chopped onions ½ cup chopped celery ½ cup diced carrots 2 tsp. minced garlic 1 pound raw ground chicken or boneless and skinless chicken, cooked any way and cut into ½-inch cubes 2 cups cup chicken broth ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to taste 1 Tbsp. chili powder 1 tsp. ground cumin Salt and white pepper to taste 1 medium sweet potato (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes 1 can (about 15 ounces) white navy or great northern beans, drained Optional garnishes: Fresh cilan-

tro, shredded cheese and sour cream Directions Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink. Add the broth and stir well. Add remaining ingredients. Cook for 30 minutes and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro. Makes 6 large servings.

GLUTEN-FREE BAKED CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE Ingredients 1 head cauliflower (cut into florets and stems) Water

Sauce: ½ cup half-and-half 4 ounces cream cheese 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Salt to taste Garnish: Paprika Directions Combine cauliflower and water (about 2 cups) in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 10-minutes. Drain well in a colander.

Preheat oven to 350F. Heat sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until smooth.

Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl. Add the sauce and use a rubber spatula to gently toss until covered. Adjust salt to taste.

Transfer the mixture into a small to medium baking dish, sprinkle with paprika and bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 6 servings.

SWEET APPLE AND CABBAGE VINAIGRETTE SLAW Ingredients 4 cups shredded cabbage (any color) 1 cup shredded carrots 1 granny smith apple, unpeeled, cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup) Dressing: ¼ cup apple cider vinegar ¼ cup vegetable oil (any kind that is not strong flavored) ¼ cup sugar 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds Salt and pepper to taste Directions Place vegetables in a large

bowl.

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well.

Pour half the dressing over the cabbage and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, taste the slaw and add more dressing to taste.

Store remaining dressing for another time, refrigerated. Makes 6 servings.

GINGER AND SPICE ROASTED CHICKEN WINGS Ingredients Spice mix: 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar 1 Tbsp parsley flakes 1 Tbsp. medium Chili powder 1 Tbsp. paprika 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. celery salt 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. granulated garlic ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper Wings: 2 pounds chicken wings, thawed completely if using a frozen bag 1 Tbsp. minced ginger root

¼ cup vegetable oil (any kind that is not strong flavored) Directions Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a large-rimmed baking sheet with 2 large sheets of foil (or 1 heavy-duty sheet). Be sure the foil goes over the edges of the baking sheet.

Combine all dry spice mix in a jar with a lid and shake well.

Combine the chicken wings and oil in a medium bowl and toss well. Add about half the spice mixture and toss well.

Arrange chicken wings on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes, turning once during cooking. Serve wings with additional spice mixture on the side. Makes 6 servings.

PULLED BARBECUE BRISKET Although this is made in the oven instead of slow cooking on a barbecue, the flavor is sweet and spicy with a wonderful combination of sweet

and spicy flavors. I make my own barbecue sauce (recipe below) or use your favorite bottled barbecue sauce. I serve these on small French rolls, but buns work well, too.

Ingredients 5-6 pounds beef brisket, most visible fat removed 2 Tbsp. granulated garlic 1 tsp. ground pepper 2 Tbsp. kosher salt 3 Tbsp. brown sugar 2 Tbsp. chili powder Sauce: 1-2 cups favorite barbecue sauce 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, optional Directions Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place brisket in a roasting pan or disposable aluminum pan and sprinkle with the garlic, pepper, salt, sugar and chili powder.

Cover the pan with foil and cook for 5 hours.

Remove from the oven and cool completely (you may cook the beef up to a day ahead). Use your fingers to pull apart or shred the beef with the grain to very thin small pieces.

Place the pulled beef in a pot with accumulated juices. Add all the sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat until very hot and saucy.

Keep warm until ready to eat. Serve the beef on small French rolls or burger buns.

Serve with mustard or other condiments, if desired. Makes 8-12 sandwiches.

JANUARY 28 • 2021

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ARTS&LIFE BOOKS

D

oes it seem strange that meetings of the Senate and the House of Representatives begin with an invocation delivered by an ordained clergy person? After all, the First Amendment to the Constitution states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

That wording appears to set up a “wall between church and state.” Requiring a prayer before Congress looks like establishing religion. How is that kosher?

The answer is a long story.

On Sept. 7, 1774, the Continental Congress began its deliberations in Philadelphia with a prayer by a local clergyman, the Rev. Jacob Duche of Christ Church. In the summer of 1776, the delegates appointed him chaplain to Congress.

At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Benjamin Franklin proposed that each session start with a “prayer for heavenly help.” Franklin himself usually took a benevolently skeptical stance toward religions of all varieties. This time, he thought we needed prayer.

Perhaps he felt too worried about the possible failure of the convention.

The Constitution that came out of that convention gave the Senate and House of Representatives the power to “chuse” their officers. The newly constituted legislatures each promptly appointed a chaplain in April and, in May 1789, Congress authorized paying the chaplains in September.

The Bill of Rights did not go into effect until Dec. 15, 1791.

Chaplains came before the First Amendment.

The originalist question, “What did the Founding

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JANUARY 28 • 2021

Rabbis on Capitol Hill New book highlights rabbis (including those from Metro Detroit) who have blessed Congress.

LOUIS FINKELMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fathers intend by adopting the First Amendment?” has a clear answer: The men who ratified the Bill of Rights approved of chaplains praying for the legislatures. However, James Madison, who wrote the Bill of Rights, called the office of chaplain “a violation of equal rights, as well as of Constitutional principles.” Ask the originalist question about the writer, rather than the ratifiers, and Madison intended to have no chaplain.

In the late 1850s, Congress tried to do without a paid chaplain; instead, any local clergyman could volunteer as guest chaplain. When it proved too hard to get volunteers, Congress went back to paying official chaplains, but the option of having a guest chaplain remained.

FIRST RABBI In 1860, Rabbi Morris Raphall of B’nai Jeshurun in New York delivered the opening prayer in the House, the first non-Christian guest chaplain. A Union supporter, Rabbi Raphall later delivered a sermon on slavery in the biblical tradition; the sermon was a big hit in the South.

Rabbi Raphall’s son served as an officer in the Union Army, even after losing his right arm at Gettysburg.

During the Civil War, Jews petitioned to make rabbis eligible to serve as chaplains in the Union Army. After all, a rabbi had already served as guest chaplain in the House. Rabbi Arnold Fischel of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York petitioned President Abraham Lincoln, who responded in a letter: “I shall try to have a new law broad enough to cover what is desired by you on behalf of the Israelites.”

On July 17, 1862, Rabbi Jacob Frankel became the first rabbi to serve as a chaplain in the Army of the United States.

As of February 2020, 441 rabbis have served as guest chaplain in the Senate or the House of Representatives.

In 2018, the total number of opening prayers led by rabbis reached 613. Howard Mortman’s quirky book When Rabbis Bless Congress records the history of the institution of guest chaplaincy, the names of rabbis who served, brief biographies of some rabbis, excerpts of the texts of some prayers and acknowledgement of the legislators who recommended these rabbis. Mortman provides statistical analyses of the appearance of rabbis before the legislature.

Some guest chaplains of

You can purchase a copy via Amazon.com.

interest to Detroit Jews: The book briefly mentions Rabbi Leon Fram, the founding rabbi of Temple Israel who served prominently in the Detroit rabbinate for 62 years, and Rabbi Morton Kanter, who offered an opening prayer in the Senate in 1971 while a rabbi at Temple Beth El. Other rabbis mentioned in the book have Detroit connections. Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, founder and rosh yeshivah of the Lubavitch Yeshiva of Cincinnati, served as a guest chaplain. Rabbi Avtzon’s father, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Avtzon, grew up in Michigan, one of the 15 children of Rabbi Meir and Mrs. Cheyena Bina Avtzon who came to Detroit from the Soviet Union in 1953.

Rabbi Abraham Shemtov and his son, Rabbi Levi Shemtov of Washington, D.C., both have served as guest chaplain. Rabbi Abraham Shemtov’s brother, Rabbi Berel Shemtov, came to Oak Park 60 years ago. He and his family have held leadership roles in the Detroit Jewish community ever since.

ARTS&LIFE MUSIC

Sophisticated Music New CD, Bernstein Reimagined, features variations in jazz styling.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

WIKIMEDIA

F

lavio Chamis, who worked with composer-conductor-pianist Leonard Bernstein in the 1980s, has entered a new presentation medium beyond lecturing on the Jewish heritage and religious commitments they had discussed while traveling together.

Chamis, who was Bernstein’s conducting assistant, has written the liner notes for a new album planned to introduce an innovative direction to Bernstein’s original music — variations in jazz styling.

Bernstein Reimagined, with a release date of Jan. 29, features the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra performing lesser-known pieces as arranged by five jazz artists working independently. It was produced by the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh.

Jay Ashby, Darryl Brenzel, Scott Silbert, Mike Tomaro and Steve Williams added their musical approaches to pieces taken from Bernstein’s compositions expressed through symphony, opera, musical theater and film.

“These are the very serious pieces of Bernstein and not the ones you would think would be used on a jazz recording,” said Chamis, a composer-conductor who teaches about the architecture of music at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh.

“There are other musicians who

took Bernstein’s pieces and did jazz improvisations, but those are the pieces that sound jazzy. These are not the obvious choices — so the more I listen, the more I find new things. That is the spirit of jazz.”

The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, an 18-piece orchestra-in-residence at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, was founded in 1990 as authorized

by Congress, and it became the nation’s only museum with its own jazz orchestra. Their Bernstein recording project was launched in 2018 as part of the centennial celebration of Bernstein’s life.

Among the sounds in the reinterpreted pieces are Silbert’s rapid-fire shifts in tempo and dynamics brought to “Times Square” from the Broadway musical On The Town, Williams’ reggae vibes introduced into “Waltz” from Divertimento for Orchestra written for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Tomaro’s improvised section for soprano saxophone and piano added to the “Postlude to Act I” from the opera A Quiet Place.

The only piece that has a Jewish connection, according to Chamis, is Brenzel’s joyful arrangement of continued on page 32

JANUARY 28 • 2021

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CELEBRITY JEWS

NATE BLOOM COLUMNIST

TWO BRAND NEW FILMS & DIAMOND SHINES AT 80 Locked Down, a new comedy/drama film, began streaming on HBO Max on Jan. 14. Here’s the basic plot: Linda (Anne Hathaway) and Paxton (Chiwetel Ejiofor) are a London married couple.

They are on the brink of divorce when the COVID pandemic hits. By coincidence, Linda, a fashion executive, and Paxton, a delivery driver, have access to Harrods, the famous British department store, while it is closed because of the pandemic. Linda knows that a very valuable diamond is in the store vault. The couple decide to steal it but give half what they get to COVID charities. Ben Stiller, 55, has a smallish supporting role as Solomon, Linda’s boss.

Director Doug Liman, 55, scored a coup when he got permission from Harrods (which was really closed) to film in the store (a first) and he eventually cajoled them into letting him shoot in the store’s secret vault.

Liman has helmed many hit films, including The Bourne Identity (2002), Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005) and Edge of Tomorrow (2014).

Palmer, another new film, begins streaming on Apple TV+ on Jan. 29. Justin Timberlake stars as Eddie Palmer, a football star whose pro career is destroyed when he is imprisoned. After his release, he returns to his hometown, and things don’t go well until he forms a friendship with a boy whose mother abandoned him.

He also begins a romantic relationship with an African American teacher. The supporting cast includes June Squibb, 91, as Eddie’s caring grandmother.

WIKIPEDIA

ARTS&LIFE

Neil Diamond

Palmer was directed by Fisher Stevens, 57. You probably know him as a still busy character actor (including costarring in the hit Short Circuit movies and recent recurring roles on Succession and The Good Fight). He is also an accomplished director.

Neil Diamond, who turned 80 on Jan. 24, gave an extensive interview to Parade Magazine (Jan. 10) and the news is surprisingly good. In July 2018, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and immediately

stopped touring. He now lives a comfortable life in an expansive cabin in the Colorado Rockies with his wife and dog. Unlike Linda Ronstadt, who also has Parkinson’s, his voice has not been affected by the disease.

Last November, he released “Classic Diamonds.”

Diamond reworked 14 of his biggest hits for the CD. He paired his voice with a symphony orchestra. He told Parade he is now working on an album of completely new songs. Also, he told Parade that “America,” written for the 1981 film remake of The Jazz Singer, was among his favorite songs.

The song, he said, “was the story of my grandparents coming to America for that freedom. My grandmother, ‘Bubbe Molly’ came to America in steerage … when she was 12, escaping Jewish oppression in Russia … It’s a musical expression of being free.”

continued from page 31

later performing as a conductor there, had studied on scholarship at the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv.

Among the countries where Bernstein and Chamis worked together were the United States, Israel and England.

“In principle, music does not need words, but this project has so much behind-the-scenes material,” Chamis said. “If listeners read before about the history and culture, they will COURTESY OF FLAVIO CHANMIS

“Chichester Psalms I.” The original composition had Hebrew text.

“Because Bernstein’s music is already sophisticated and a jazz band arrangement is sophisticated by definition, this album is sophistication by the sophisticated,” Chamis said.

Bernstein and Chamis met in Vienna, where Bernstein was conducting and Chamis was a university music student.

Chamis, raised in Brazil and

Flavio Chamis and Leonard Bernstein in Vienna in the 1980s.

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JANUARY 28 • 2021

experience the CD in a much deeper sense.”

BERNSTEIN’S ‘REACTION’ Chamis feels comfortable commenting on the way he believes Bernstein might have reacted to this recording because the two were personal friends as well as professional colleagues.

“I believe he would find things he didn’t know existed in his music, and that is why he would like it,” Chamis explained. “Jazz musicians explore new realms within the compositions of others and bring their own ideas out of that. It is communication, and I believe Bernstein would have been communicating with the jazz musicians today.”

Chamis, who worked with Bernstein during the last years of the honoree’s life, was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center during Bernstein’s last

summer at the Tanglewood Music Festival.

Chamis met his wife, Tatjana Mead Chamis, at Tanglewood, and the two decided to move to Pittsburgh when she was offered a viola position with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Raising three children, the couple became members of Temple Sinai, where they add their talents to temple services and programs.

“Bernstein was always open to new improvisation, and that’s probably why his music was so alive,” said Chamis, a Latin Grammy nominee. “He was always looking at the music in a new way — trying to find new things in the same old pieces.

“Every time was like a jazz improvisation because he found something different, something new, something fresh. He was not a jazz musician, but there was jazziness in him.”

ON THE GO

PEOPLE | PLACES | EVENTS

‘MIGRANTS IN ISRAEL’ 11 AM-12:30 PM, JAN. 31

Sarah Willen

‘BOOGIE WOOGIE KID’ 7:30 PM, JAN. 30 Matthew Ball

‘MIGRANTS IN ISRAEL’ 11 AM-12:30 PM, JAN. 31 The Sterling Institute for Jewish studies and Modern Israel in East Lansing will present a lecture by Sarah Willen about her book Fighting for Dignity: Migrant Lives at Israel’s Margins.

Visit jewishstudies@liost. msu.edu.

‘DISPLACED PERSONS’ 2 PM, FEB. 2 David Nasaw

‘SISTER SCHOLARS’ 7-8 PM, FEB. 3

JUDAISM & ISLAM NOON-1 PM, JAN. 28 The U-M Frankel Center for Judaic Studies will present a lecture by Guy G. Stroumsa. The lecture will survey a conception of Judaism and Islam, through an invention of the category of “Semitic religions.” Info: JudaicStudies@umich.edu.

FOLK MUSIC 7 PM, JAN. 29 & 30 The Ark in Ann Arbor and the Ford Motor Co. Fund will present the Ann Arbor Folk Festival at Home.

Each night includes a blend of well-known and up-and-coming artists playing 20- to 40-minute

sets, providing an opportunity to hear artists you know and love while discovering great new talent. The lineup delivers the full spectrum of “Ark music,” presenting a taste of what’s happening on the leading edge of acoustic music while delving into the very heart of folk and roots traditions. All funds raised through the festival benefit The Ark, Ann Arbor’s nonprofit home for folk, roots and ethnic music.

More info at theark.org.

‘BOOGIE WOOGIE KID’ 7:30 PM, JAN. 30 This evening will feature the Boogie Woogie Kid, Matthew Ball. His act includes piano, song, boogie-n-blues and jazz-nrags. The concert will run for 90 minutes. The cost is a minimum of $18 per family and can be purchased at bit.do/cafeshalomtick-

ets. The link to attend the event will be sent to those registered within a few days prior to Jan. 30. Info: call the Congregation Beth Shalom office at 248-5477970.

MUSICAL EVENING 8-9 PM, JAN. 30 The Chamber Music Society of Detroit will present Olga Kern, pianist. Visit info@ cmsdetroit.org.

HOW TO RAISE HEALTHY EATERS 11 AM-NOON, JAN. 31 Join Registered Dietician Dana Goldberg for this online class, as she gives tips and tricks for raising healthy eaters. Register at cszinfo@shaareyzedek.org to sign up for the session, as well as to receive a free bag of healthy kosher snacks from co-sponsor Savorfull. (#CSZHealthyEating)

‘DISPLACED PERSONS’ 2 PM, FEB. 2 The Jewish Historical Society of Michigan will host this virtual gathering on Zoom. Hear New York Times-lauded, award-winning author and historian Professor David Nasaw discuss his latest book, The Last Million: Europe’s Displaced Persons from World War to Cold War (Penguin: 2020). Cost: $10 for members, $18 for non-members. Register by 9 pm Feb. 1. Instructions for joining the Zoom call will be sent the day before.

STRESS MANAGEMENT 11 AM, FEB. 3 Hadassah Greater Detroit presents the virtual program “Don’t Let Stress Manage You!” for Wellness Wednesday. Lynn Breuer, director of Community Outreach & Wellness for JFS of Metropolitan Detroit, will speak on mancontinued on page 34 JANUARY 28 • 2021

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continued from page 33

aging stress during stressful times. This workshop focuses on helping people recognize the stress process and to learn techniques to interrupt the stress cycle. It will help you grow in body, mind and spirit. Register by Feb. 1. There is a $10 fee for this session or $40 for all five sessions of future Wellness Wednesday programs to be held on April 21, June 16, Aug. 11, and Oct. 27. Programs to be announced. Register at hadassahmidwest.org/ GDWW2-21 or call 248 683 5030.

‘SISTER SCHOLARS’ 7-8 PM, FEB. 3 U-M Frankel Center for Judaic Studies will host a Zoom webinar on “Sister Scholars: The Emergence of Orthodox Girls’ Education in Interwar Poland” with Naomi Seidman, Frankel Institute Fellow. This lecture will trace the revolution in the name of tradition enacted by Sarah Schenirer, a divorced seamstress with an eighth-grade education, who created a girls’ school system, Bais Yaakov, that rescued Orthodox Jewish society at a moment of peril. Info: judaicstudies@ umich.edu or 734-7639047.

JEWISH MULTILINGUALISM NOON-2 PM, FEB. 4-5 U-M Frankel Center of Judaic studies will present a Zoom webinar on “Jewish Multilingualism in the Midwest: Yiddish Translations of Urban Experience.” The presence of Jews in the big cities of the Midwest has been studied primarily through the lens of urban history, focusing on the post-war period. To this day, the

language continues to be studied at the University of Michigan; it is an ideal location for a seminar to reconstruct various histories of translating Detroit, as well as other Midwestern sites, both into and out of Yiddish. Info: judaicstudies@umich.edu or 734-763-9047.

COMPETITIVE COOKING 8 PM, FEB. 9 NEXTGen Detroit Couples and Laura Feld of Laura Rose Cookies bring the fun of competitive cookie decorating to a kitchen near you. Couples will work together to complete the challenge of replicating Laura’s Valentine’s Day-themed cookie designs within a time limit. Couples will be given one kit with four cookies, three bags of icing, sprinkles and an instruction card — but only limited instructions (this is a challenge, after all). At the end of the time allotted, Laura and Ken will review everyone’s cookie collections and declare a winner. Register by Feb. 1. The cost of the event is $18. Certified kosher cookie kits are available upon request. Cookies kits will be available for pickup at the Federation Building, 6735 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills, on Feb. 4 and Feb. 8 from 11 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 7 pm.

Select your preferred pickup date and time when registering. This online event is intended for NEXTGen Detroit couples, married or dating, ages 21 to 45. Questions? Contact Ken at Schneider@jfmd. org.

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

COURTESY OF LEIA SERLIN

HEALTH

A Better Foot Forward Albion College student creates high heel stabilizing device for those with arthritis.

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

L

eia Serlin was having trouble shopping for high heels to wear to her cousin’s wedding. Serlin, who suffers from an arthritis-based auto-immune disorder, was specifically struggling to find something fashion-forward that would also stabilize her foot and allow her to walk comfortably. “It didn’t exist on the market,” Serlin said.

Serlin, an Albion College senior majoring in biology and planning to go into dentistry, was in the midst of writing her honor’s thesis comparing dentistry and art.

It was then that Serlin came up with an idea: What if there were a device any person could put on their shoe that could stabilize it, arthritis issues or not?

Over the past four months, Serlin has brought that idea to fruition — designing, building and testing a high heel stabilizing device for her reimagined honor’s thesis.

“It really did come out of absolutely nowhere,” Serlin said. “I was doing my other thesis for a couple months before I came up with this, and I was like ‘could I potentially do this as my thesis?’

and my adviser said, ‘Yeah, why not?’”

The goal of Serlin’s thesis is to note if there is increased stability in arthritis and non-arthritis subjects when walking with the device support as compared to those without the support.

Serlin has seen a lot of adversity over the course of the thesis, but it hasn’t deterred her.

She has never created anything like the device before.

She has a background in art, specifically sculpture, metalwork and needlepoint, and some background in sewing, but didn’t have much experience using an actual sewing machine.

After weeks spent researching joint stability issues and treatments, Serlin had a plan of picking things apart to resew them to create the device. Many of her materials came from dissecting ankle wraps, ankle braces and brassieres. Then she added stabilization components.

Afterward, lace and rhinestones were added for the fashion-forward element.

“There was a lot of research that went into the design,” Serlin said. “Once

Leia Serlin and her high heel stabilizer

I had the design done, then I had to actually sew it and make it happen. I ended up making two sizes, using bra extenders for the attachment to expand the ankle as needed.”

Finding a sewing machine was even difficult for Serlin, with everybody buying them to make masks in the midst of the pandemic.

TESTING HER INVENTION Serlin, though, describes finding test subjects as the toughest part of the project.

“COVID made it really difficult to recruit participants,” she said. “That’s hard anyways, getting people to come to a location to walk around in high heels for 20 minutes, but then you throw in the pandemic. Especially because I’m looking for people with arthritis and that’s a common high-risk category.”

Serlin recruited hard on Facebook, Instagram and even had her mother help make calls.

By the end of the recruitment process, Serlin was continued on page 36

JANUARY 28 • 2021

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amazed at how many people ended up volunteering: 31 test subjects.

At one point, Serlin had a flare-up of her auto-immune disease and had to get her IV infusion done in the middle of the testing process. At some points, Serlin was trying to help people put on the devices while wearing a mask, gloves and the IV connection on the back of her hand, but her determination to help herself and, in turn, help others, encouraged her to persist.

The test subjects did a series of walking tests for the device with Serlin measuring the angles of their knees and ankles to see if there was a positive shift in the way they walked.

“Basically, for every per-

ankles.”

Serlin has received lots of positive feedback on the device, with some of the testers without arthritis saying they liked the additional stability, and people who have arthritis saying it helped them with their ailment.

HELPING OTHERS Serlin is in the process of finishing her thesis right now, currently having written 22 pages. Once that’s done, she hopes to possibly continue making the devices for people who both want and need them, even while applying for dental school.

“I’ve had a lot of people reaching out asking if they can buy them,” Serlin said.

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son, they shifted 10-20 degrees toward 180 degrees, which was a great thing,” Serlin said. “You can see there is clearly an increase in stability with the attachment for both people with and without arthritis.”

Serlin crafted three different prototypes of the device, settling on the one with a strapping system as the most effective.

“It was the most supportive,” she said. “I tried it on, everybody in my household tried it on, even my dad. I had to test all different sized

not clear yet what I’ll end up doing.”

Her goal is to help people, said Serlin, who spent more than two weeks volunteering at Israel’s Save a Child’s Heart children’s home in 2019.

“That’s all I want to do with my life. I’m going into dentistry; it’s to help people smile. But, for this, it’s a whole other ballgame I never thought I’d be in. As somebody who has these problems, I never expected to be the one helping people walk better.”

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DR. ROBERT B. ANCELL, 79, of Farmington Hills, died Jan. 12, 2021.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Judy Ancell; daughter and son-inlaw, Beth and David Fienman; son Michael David Sasson; grandchildren, Liam, Drew, Jonisha and Sequari; brothersin-law, Jack (Arlene) Schultz, David (the late Elaine) Steinhardt; many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, other family members and friends.

Dr. Ancell was the brother-in-law of the late Carol Greenwald.

Interment was held at Adat Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia. Contributions may be made to Send A Kid to Tamarack or the Dr. Robert B. Ancell Memorial Fund at Roeper School. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

ETHEL R. BROWN, 97, Farmington Hills, died Jan. 19, 2021.

She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Dennis and Judy (Schwimmer) Brown, Dr. Richard and Donna Brown; grandchildren, Justin (Mai Amrose Wagman) Brown, and Jared (Suzette) Brown; great-grandchild, Teddy Brown; many loving nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

Mrs. Brown was the beloved wife of the late Sidney Brown; the mother of the late Lawrence Brown.

Interment was held at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale. Contributions may be made to the Chabad House of Farmington Hills or the Michigan Humane Society. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

NEIL DAVIS, 61, of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Bloomfield Hills, died Jan. 18, 2021.

He is survived by his sister, Ruth Davis; brothers, Mark Davis and Gary Davis; stepson, Jeffrey Kanagur and his fiancee, Kristin Waite; nieces and nephews, Kaitlin Davis, Leah and Dakota Boisseaux, Rachelle Emerling, Benny Emerling and his fiancee, Briahna Shaw, Nathan Cumbo; a grand-niece and grand-nephews.

Interment was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, 20450 Civic Center Drive, Southfield, MI 48076, cancer. org; Michigan Humane Society, Development Dept., 30300 Telegraph Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms, MI 48025-4507, michiganhumane.org/tributes; or to a charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

ELAINE S. DICKSTEIN, 85, of Dayton, Ohio, died Jan. 16, 2021, surrounded by her children and grandchildren at Hospice of

Dayton after a onemonth battle with COVID-pneumonia.

Elaine was born to Stanley and Rose Baru in St. Louis, Mo., on Oct. 24, 1935. She grew up in Muskegon, attending the University of Michigan and graduating with a teaching degree in 1957.

She subsequently earned a master’s degree in education from Wayne State University. She dedicated 43 years of her life to teaching elementary and middle school children in the Hazel Park Public School district. She was a passionate educator and advocate for her students, many with whom she maintained contact.

Mrs. Dickstein was a fervent supporter of public education and the teachers’ union, representing her fellow teachers as a leader in her local branch of the Michigan Education Association. She actively supported both the performing and visual arts and never met a dog or cat she didn’t adore.

She is survived by her brother, David Baru (Lois Adler); children, Sheri Dickstein (Ira Silverman) and Gary Dickstein (Shelley Strang Dickstein); grandchildren, Aaron and Abigail Dickstein, and Lexie Silverman; dozens of bereaved nieces, nephews, great- and greatgreat-nieces and nephews on both the Baru and Dickstein sides of the family. She will also be greatly missed by her special girlfriends in the Detroit area.

Mrs. Dickstein was preceded in death by her parents and former huscontinued on page 40

38 | JANUARY 28 • 2021 38 | JANUARY 28 • 2021

Detroit’s Beloved Volunteer

T

he Jewish community lost one of its quintessential volunteers last week when Micki Grossman passed away unexpectedly.

She died doing what she loved — volunteering.

“She died doing a mitzvah, which is just how she’d want to go; being helpful, being productive and making a difference,” said her son Ross Grossman.

On the morning of Jan. 19, Micki got a call from Hazon Detroit asking if she could help out for a few hours that day. After playing the “Words with Friends” game online, reciting a healing prayer for those she knew were ill and checking in with others through email, she went to Temple Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield to help assemble boxes of food.

“She was so excited because there have not been many opportunities to volunteer in person during the pandemic,” said son Ross. “She was looking forward to being there, seeing people and helping out.

It’s what she loved to do.”

While packing boxes of food, Micki collapsed, presumably from a heart attack.

She was 86.

Rabbi Joseph Krakoff, Micki’s rabbi and friend, delivered the eulogy.

“Well over a decade ago, Micki came to meet with me to talk about this day,” he said during a graveside service.

“True to form, she had strong opinions about her funeral

JENNIFER LOVY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

and more than anything else, Micki asked that I offer only a brief eulogy.

“With great love and respect, I told her at the time that she was making an impossible request. For someone who truly had her hand in so much, it was the ultimate challenge to condense a lifetime of commitment to her family and community into just a few moments.”

In addition to being active on scores of committees throughout her lifetime, Micki served on the boards of Jewish Family Service, Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy, Hillel of Metropolitan Detroit and JCRC/AJC. Other organizations that benefited most recently from her dedication included Yad Ezra, Bookstock, Gleaners and NCJW. MANY MITZVAHS For several years, she was actively involved in organizing Federation’s hugely popular Mitzvah Day. She also enjoyed working with a variety of interfaith initiatives.

She was particularly passionate about youth mentoring programs and anything that involved getting books into the hands of underprivileged children.

She cultivated her Jewish identity as a lifelong learner by regularly attending Melton and JLearn classes, Bible study and weekly parshah classes. In 2005, she began a Tanach program with Rabbi Mitch Parker, called Torah

According to her son, his mother was most proud of her family and their accomplishments.

Micki Grossman

Line by Line.

“It took us 15 years to complete the study,” said Rabbi Parker. “Micki attended almost every class. She always had a funny story, an insight into the text or an important announcement about a volunteer opportunity. I can frankly say that our classes will never quite be the same without her.”

In an outpouring of support, friends in and out of the Jewish community expressed feelings of shock and grief, flooding the family with touching tributes and testaments to the kind, giving, caring and charismatic person she was.

Born and raised in Detroit, Micki earned a degree in elementary education from Wayne State University.

Following her graduation, she taught kindergarten in Detroit.

Ironically, it was in the same classroom where her kindergarten teacher inspired her to pursue a career in education.

She married her beloved husband, Louis Grossman, when she was 26. He passed away in 1986, one year after the couple celebrated their 25th anniversary.

A GREAT IMPACT “I think she’d also be proud of the difference she made in the Jewish community. I know she would be shocked and excited at all of the comments from the people who remember her well and see that she made a real mark on this community,” said her son Ross. “She won the Eight over 80 Award in 2016. That was something she was very proud of, although she didn’t want everyone to know she was over 80.”

Micki Grossman was the devoted mother of Ross (Alan Ellias) Grossman, Marci (Mark Lempert) Grossman and Gael Grossman. She was the loving grandmother of Evan Grossman-Lempert and Riley Grossman-Lempert.

She was the cherished sister of Kenneth Sherman, Sanford Sherman and Joyce (Elliott) Nelson. Many other loving relatives and friends also survive her.

Interment was at Hebrew Memorial Park. Those wishing to honor Micki’s memory can contribute to the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, (248) 624-4260; Hazon Detroit, 6735 Telegraph #320, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301; Yad Ezra, (248) 548-3663; or a charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements were by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

JANUARY 28 • 2021

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OF BLESSED MEMORY continued from page 38

band, the late Sidney Dickstein (Cindy Dickstein).

Interment was at Oakview Cemetery. Contributions may be made to JARC, 6735 Telegraph, Suite 100, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, jarc. org; American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 424 E. 92nd St., New York, NY 101286804, aspca.org; or Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, OH 45420, hospiceofdayton.org. Arrangements

by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

HARLAND “SONNY” WILLARD FINE, 90, died on Jan. 14, 2021.

He was born on June 30, 1930, in Burlington, Vt., to Minnie and Abraham Fine. When Sonny was 11, the family moved from Vermont to Michigan. He lived in Pontiac and then moved to Detroit.

When he was 19, he met the woman who he would build a family and life with, Fran Smolnick. They married in 1954.

Harland was a CPA. He belonged to the Accountants Guild and eventually set up his own practice. He had many clients who became friends, and friends who became clients for more than 50 years. He worked into his 80s, retiring after a stroke.

Mr. Fine loved fishing, playing Monday night poker with his buddies, being active with the Commerce Township Chabad and Temple Israel, making an outing into an adventure, going for a drive and being with his loved ones.

Sonny was uniquely able to bring a smile, a sly joke and a vast sense of love to those around him. He had a gentle spirit and an undeterred positive outlook. His bingo luck was unmatched.

Sonny became a passionate

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JANUARY 28 • 2021

walker before suffering the stroke. He had an incredible attitude afterward, looking forward to physical therapy appointments, working on becoming stronger and stronger and spending every day with his wife, Fran. Each morning when they woke up, they’d have “the whisper club.” They continued talking on the phone every morning even when they had to be physically apart. His love and memory will carry on in each of the family, who will miss him always.

Mr. Fine is survived by his wife, Fran Smolnick, his love of 71 years; sons and daughtersin-law, Rabbi David and Beth Fine of Bellevue, Wash., Robert and Betsy Fine of Maple Grove, Minn.; daughter and son-in-law, Sharon Fine and Lloyd Alpert of Bloomfield Hills; grandchildren, Rabbi Avi and Erin Fine, Naomi Fine, Sydney Fine, Abbi Fine; great-granddaughter, Maya Fine; nieces and nephews, Ilene and Ken Filipiak, Alan and Marianne Ellis, Rona Smith and Gary Smith.

Mr. Fine was the loving son of the late Minnie and the late Abraham Fine; dear brother and brother-in-law of the late Estelle and the late Norman Smith; treasured son-in-law of the late Minnie and the late Samuel Smolnick; dear brother-in-law of the late Edith and the late Ronald Ellis.

Contributions may be made to Chabad of Commerce, 810 Sleeth Road, Commerce Township., MI 48382; Temple Israel, 5725 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323.

A family graveside service was held at Hebrew Memorial Park. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

BERTHA “BABE” FINK, 94, of West Bloomfield, died Jan. 21, 2021.

She is survived by her daughter

and son-in-law, Faye Ellen and Jim Freidman; son, David Fink; grandchildren, Carole and Shlome BenEzra, Amy and Jacob Lingeman, Lauren and Cameron Fink, and Nathan and Katherin Fink; great-grandchildren, Noa, Ellie, Parker, Jack, Dvora, Matthew, Samantha, Ethan and Anthony.

Mrs. Fink was the beloved wife of the late Dr. Samuel Fink; the loving sister of the late Pearl Adler, the late Mary Frankel, the late Helen Bluford and the late Alan Slutsky.

Interment was at Adat Shalom Memorial Park.

Contributions may be made to Detroit Institute of Arts, Attn: Founders Society Fund, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, dia.org/support/ donate; ORT America Michigan Region, 6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 375, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, ortamerica.org; or to a charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

BARRY S. GLAZER, 77, of Oak Park, died Jan. 20, 2021.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Jackie Glazer of Warren; daughters and sonin-law, Stephanie Glazer of Farmington Hills, Sherri and Kevin Robinson of Mesa, Ariz.; grandchildren, Bryanna, Brendan, Quintin, Logan, Griffen, Hunter; sisterin-law, Phylis Glazer.

Mr. Glazer was the dear brother and brother-in-law of the late Al Glazer, the late Gloria and the late Raymond Portney.

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

A family graveside service was held at Adat Shalom Memorial Park in Livonia.

Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

ROSLYN KATZMAN, 91, of West Bloomfield, died Jan. 12, 2021.

She was a lifec. 1975 long member at Adat Shalom Synagogue and its sisterhood as well as with B’nai B’rith.

Mrs. Katzman is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Ronna Katzman and Kenneth Whiteman, Cheri and Sandy Topper, and Gayle and Gary Samuels; grandchildren, Robyn (Brian) Shapiro, William (Nancy Motyka) Bluford, Leslee (Dave) Caplan, Evan Samuels, Danielle Bluford and Seth (Alison Bloch) Samuels; great-grandchildren, Maya Caplan and Joey Caplan; sister and brother-in-law, Sheila and Ronald Schechter; niece, Marla (Bruce) Schechner; nephew, Dr. Steven Schechter. She is also survived by dear friend, Dora Campbell; and the wonderful staff at Coville as well as many other friends.

She was the beloved wife for 49 years of the late Manny Katzman.

Interment was held at Adat Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia.

Contributions may be made to Adat Shalom Synagogue, the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network, Hospice of Michigan, to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or to the Pinsker Progressive Aid Society. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

MARCIA KLAIN, 97, of Farmington Hills, died Jan. 2, 2021.

Family members and friends knew her for her zest for life, wonderful smile and unforgettable giggle and as a

friend to all.

Mrs. Klain is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Elliot and Elaine Klain of Las Vegas, Nev.; daughters and sons-in-law, Cynthia Klain of Farmington Hills, Eileen and Richard Polk of Huntington Woods, Alice and Richard Silbergleit of Birmingham; grandchildren, Daniel Klain and Meryn Gerdes, Samuel Polk and Kate Becker, Brian and Cadi Polk, Laura and Joshua Bobrow, Matthew Silbergleit; great-grandchildren, Evie Polk, Josie Polk, Hanna Polk, Jack Polk, Sophia Bobrow, Mackenzie Ward; many other loving friends and family.

She was the beloved wife of the late James J. Klain; dear sister and sister-in-law of the late Nate and the late Betty Zaron, the late Fay and the late Morris Woll, the late Sandra and the late David Goose, the late Belle and the late David Bernstein, the late Lillian and the late Irving Litvin, the late Sue and the late Max Lerner.

Contributions may be made to JVS Human Services, 29699 Southfield Road, Southfield, MI. 48076; Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan, 25200 Telegraph Road, Suite. 110, Southfield, MI 48033; or to a charity of one’s choice. A family graveside was held at Workmen’s Circle, Beth Isaac section. Rabbi Aaron Starr and Hazzan David Propis officiated. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

HAROLD LEIDER, 92, of Rochester Hills, died Jan. 16, 2021.

He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Sandra and Mark Sperling,

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SOUL

OF BLESSED MEMORY continued from page 41

Debra Leider-Kendler, Kelly Leider-Simakas and Nicholas Simakas; son, Paul Leider; grandchildren: Meredith Sperling-Jeffers (Brandon), Lindsay Sperling, Zachary Sperling, Geoffrey Sperling, Ginette Kendler, Courtney Kendler-Gelety (Steven), Max Kendler, Isabella Simakas and Leah Simakas.

Mr. Leider was the loving spouse for 65 years of the late Audrey Leider.

Interment was held at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale. Contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Arrangements by the Dorfman Chapel.

BEVERLY LEVINE, 91, of West Bloomfield, died Jan. 17, 2021.

She is survived c. 1970 by her children, Marc Levine and Ute Groening of Germany, Nancy and Daniel Blake of Huntington Woods, Bruce and Cindy Levine of Franklin, Lisa and Jonathan Adler of Bloomfield Township; grandchildren, Anna Levine, Rebecca Levine, Jessica Blake and Benjamin Benoliel, Emily and Jason Price, Samuel Blake, Blake Levine, Alec Levine, Shane Levine, Drew Levine, James Robinson and Lindsay Acker, Sarah Evelyn Adler, Kate Robinson, Ben Robinson, Katie Adler; great-grandchildren, Maya Benoliel, Phoebe Price, Josie Price; sister-in-law, Sheila Benjamin; many loving nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Mrs. Levine was the loving daughter of the late Shirley Jerris and the late Irving Benjamin; dear sister of the late Gerald Benjamin.

Contributions may be made to Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network, 6555 W.

Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322. A family graveside service was held at Adat Shalom Memorial Park in Livonia. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

VITA LISNEK, 83, of Southfield, died Jan. 7, 2021.

She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Arden Lisnek, Stacy and Eric Wolf, Marcy and Scott Lesser; daughter-in-law, Connee Lisnek; grandchildren, Leslee (Dania Pate) Lisnek-Pate, Perri (Josh) Hofferth and Cary Lisnek, Blake, Grant and Lance Lesser, Sydney, Carly and Jordyn Wolf; great-grandchild, Isaac; many other loving family members and friends.

Mrs. Lisnek was the beloved wife for 55 years of the late Jerry Lisnek; the mother of the late Jay Lisnek.

Interment was held at Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in Chicago.

Contributions may be made to the Geriatric Care Management Fund at Jewish Family Services or Kosher Meals on Wheels at the National Council of Jewish Women. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

HADASSAH ROSEN, 88, of Portage, Mich., died Jan. 19, 2021.

She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and Kevin Anderson, Debra and Scott Burdman; grandchildren, Emily and Ben Gross, Steven Anderson and Lissa Black, Brian Anderson and Kasey Hewson, Suzie Burdman, Beth Burdman; great-grandchildren, Adalyn Gross, Nolan Gross, Easton Gross; many other loving relatives and friends.

Mrs. Rosen was the beloved wife of the late Irving Rosen;

loving mother of the late Arthur Rosen and the late Barbara Rosen.

Contributions may be made to Hadassah, 5030 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323; Jewish National Fund, 24100 Chagrin Blvd., Suite 430, Cleveland, OH 44122; American Civil Liberties Union, aclu.org. A family graveside service was held at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale.

Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

DELORES SCHULDINGER, 88, of Novi, died Jan. 17, 2021.

She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Shep Schuldinger; daughters and sons-in-law, Sheila and Arthur

Ziedenweber, and Sherri and Milt Bonich; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Margie Schuldinger; grandchildren, Erin and Tim Martin, Adam Bonich, Elyssa and Reece Pierson, Daniel and Rebecca Schuldinger, and Mitchell Schuldinger. She is also survived by Anatoli and Natasha Buliga; great-grandchildren, Avery Martin, Owen Martin, Reed Pierson, Justice Pierson, Jaiden Forrester, Aubrey Pierson, and Valentin Buliga; brothers and sisters-in-law, Sheldon and Corinne Sinai, and Stuart Sinai and Carole Shaw; Ronnie Sinai.

Mrs. Schuldinger was the loving sister of the late David and the late Gloria Sinai.

Interment was at Adat Shalom Memorial Park.

Contributions may be made to

City of Hope, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, cityofhope.org; or to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

DIANE SILVERSTEIN, 75, of Farmington Hills, died Jan. 16, 2021.

She was an exemplary nurse and nursing educator, who dedicated her career to patient care and touched the lives of those for whom she cared; her legacy lives on through all those she taught.

Mrs. Silverstein is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Deena Michelle and Michael Edward Fahy; grandson, Jacob Fahy; her son, Howard David Silverstein

and his partner, Jennifer Skindell; Jennifer’s daughter, Audri Skindell; brother, Mark Lutvak; many other loving family members and friends.

Interment was held at Adat Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery in Livonia.

Contributions may be made to the Diane Silverstein Critical Care Nursing Scholarship through St. John’s Providence Foundation. Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

ROSE SOBEL, 88, of Scottsdale, Ariz., passed away on Sept. 3, 2020.

She was born on March 2, 1932, in Detroit to Anna and Louis Shatzman. Rose celebrated a lucrative real estate career, both in Michigan and continued on page 44

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SOUL

OF BLESSED MEMORY continued from page 43

Arizona. She will be fondly remembered for her incredible cooking and her beautiful appearance and the love of her family.

Mrs. Sobel is survived by her sons, Drs. Larry, Bruce and Jerry Sobel, who reside in the Phoenix area; they all practice together at Sobel Family Medicine and Sobel Spine & Sports. She is also survived by her daughtersin-law, Audrey and Debbie, and her granddaughters, Dr. Ashley Sobel Leonard and her husband, Dr. Jeremy Leonard, and Whitney Sobel.

Rose was preceded in death by her husband, Norman, following 61 years of marriage.

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BARBARA PHYLLIS WOLIN, 76, of Phoenix, Ariz., passed away peacefully on Jan. 14, 2021, from COVID-19.

She was born in Chicago, Ill., on July 8, 1944. Barbara moved to Detroit with her parents, Lenore (Muskovitz) and Chuck Wolin, and brother, Sidney, in 1952.

Upon her father’s retirement in 1978, Barbara moved with her parents to Phoenix. When her parents passed away in 1984, Barbara moved to a residential home for the mentally challenged. Though she led a sheltered life, she has been very happy surrounded by many loving friends and family.

Barbara leaves behind her loving and devoted caregiv-

er and friend for the past 23 years, Wendy Wiese of the Opportunity Tree, a residential group home management company; her brother, Charles Wolin and Judy (Fink) Wolin of Sun Lakes, Ariz.; niece, Susan (Wolin) Greene and Richard Greene of Redmond, Wash.; nephews, Mark Wolin and Jalynn (Chennault) Wolin of Austin, Texas, Kenneth Wolin and Teri (Davies) Wolin of Woodbridge, Va.; their extended Families.

She was transported to Detroit for interment alongside her loving parents.

Contributions may be made to Hospice of the Valley Thunderbird, 602-530-6900.

A family graveside service was held at Hebrew Memorial Park. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

OBITUARY CHARGES The processing fee for obituaries is: $125 for up to 100 words; $1 per word thereafter. A photo counts as 15 words. There is no charge for a Holocaust survivor icon.

The JN reserves the right to edit wording to conform to its style considerations. For information, have your funeral director call the JN or you may call Sy Manello, editorial assistant, at (248) 351-5147 or email him at smanello@ renmedia.us.

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Rearview Mirror:

Tribute was Fine Dining at Its Best

I

t was acclaimed in the late 1900s to be one of the finest restaurants in America.

Tribute, 12 Mile, Farmington Hills, had a goal at the beginning … to get even better than just being a fine dining institution … Inside of about five years Danny Raskin it reached that Senior Columnist goal as a glittering jewel.

But to its general manager, Mickey Bakst, and worldclass executive chef, Takashi Yagihashi, this wasn’t enough … There were more expensive

Chef Takashi Yagihashi

restaurants than Tribute … But when people came to Tribute, they got what was recognized by Food and Wine magazine as one of the finest dining experiences to be had.

A typical meal, for example, might have been lobster risotto, a Takashi salad and an excellent halibut with fresh truffles done in a corn broth … or a wonderful steak tenderloin … all for well under what customers would pay at many places elsewhere.

It was also a restaurant where numerous customers would go just to sit at the bar, have a glass of wine or champagne and some of the elegant hors d’oeuvres and an entree for under $45.

Many people would enjoy taking others out to dinner at an upscale restaurant like this … or to go to a highly regarded eatery just to drop in at its astoundingly low prices … On a Wednesday night, for example, driving over and having a

luscious piece of fish that would melt in their mouth and taste like Heaven … and not feel like spending a lot of money.

The food prepared at Tribute

by Takashi, who has an upscale eatery himself now in Chicago, was contemporary French, meaning light … It didn’t have the heavy cream or the heavy butter sauce so many places use … Simply put, it was excellent contemporary French with an Asian influence … In just a short while, Tribute’s accomplishments were discovered and unequaled … The prices were right for its warm elegance and an unbeatable dining experience.

OLDIE BUT GOODIE …

“Hello mom. Can I leave the kids with you tonight?”

“You’re going out? With whom? I don’t know why you left your husband. He is such a good man. You let him leave you, and now you go out with anybodies and nobodies!”

“I do not go out with anybody. Can I bring over the kids?”

“I never left you to go out with anybody but your father.”

“I just want to know if I can bring the kids over tonight.”

“A man who goes out with a divorced woman with children is a loser and a parasite. Poor children with such a mother. No wonder your husband left you.”

“Goodbye, mother.”

“Wait! Don’t hang up! When are you bringing them over?”

“I’m not bringing them over.

I’m not going out!”

“You never go out. How do you expect to meet anyone?”

CONGRATS … To Irving Waldman on his 80th birthday … To Barbara Cohen on her 73rd birthday… To Lois Robbins on her birthday …

To Howard Levin on his 78th birthday.

Danny’s email address is dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

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Looking Back

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

Jews & Hockey

I

really enjoyed JN sportswriter Steve Stein’s recent article about Eric Israel, a local Jewish kid playing for the Rapid City (S.D.) Rush in the East Coast Hockey League. Israel is a tough and resilient defenseman and, obviously, loves the game.

Reading about Israel, I wondered about the relationship between Detroit’s Jewish community and hockey. The William Mike Smith Davidson Digital Archive Alene and of Jewish Detroit History Graham Landau Archivist Chair provided the answer. To quote Frank Beckman’s sports column in the Nov. 14, 1947, issue of the Jewish Chronicle: “Yes, there are Jews in hockey.” (Note: this Frank Beckman reported on sports much earlier than WJR radio’s sports legend Frank Beckmann.)

Detroit Jews have a long relationship with the sport. Hockey is mentioned on 3,268 pages in the Davidson Archive; the Detroit Red Wings on 398 pages.

The earliest mention of hockey is in “The Jewish Girl at College,” an article in the April 26, 1918, issue of the Chronicle.

It discusses the increasing participation of Jewish women in a myriad of college activ-

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ities, from student leadership to sports, including “hockey” (although, I suspect this is a reference to field hockey).

There are many references to our hometown Detroit Red Wings. It was announced in the June 14, 1957, JN that the legendary Gordie Howe would speak at Beth Aaron Synagogue. There was a nice story about Jewish Detroiter Al Nagler in the April 2, 1948, Chronicle.

After a 10-year hiatus, the Red Wings were going back on the radio and Nagler would call the play-by-play. He was a forerunner of current announcer for televised Red Wings games, Jewish Sports Hall of Famer Ken Daniels.

Over the years, the JN published numerous announcements for trips to Red Wings games organized by Jewish communal groups. If you attended a game on one of these excursions over the past two decades, you also heard a wonderful voice sing the National Anthem, Jewish Detroiter Karen Newman.

Two other Red Wings-related stories were interesting. “Field of Dreams” in the Oct. 1, 1993, issue of the JN is about police officer Rich Markowitz, dentist Allen Tuchklaper and investment counselor Leonard Weiss attending a fantasy

camp with veteran Red Wings. A thrill, no doubt. In the Sept. 11, 1998, issue, there is “The Cats with the Hats” about Mark Kellman and his uncle David Kellman, the creators of the foam “Wing Nut!” hats. What a great invention!

Then, there are stories about the rare Jewish hockey players in the National Hockey League (NHL), who exemplify the pinnacle of success. A report in the July 17, 1987, issue of the JN is about Steven Richmond, only Jewish player in the NHL at that time. “Wandering Star” in the Feb. 19, 2006, issue is about then-Red Wing Mathieu Schneider, who over a long career logged 1,289 games in the NHL. Perhaps the best story about a hockey player is “Packing a Punch” in the Oct. 23, 1987, issue of the JN. It is about our own Jewish NHLer, left-winger Mike Hartman, a product of West Bloomfield High School, who played nearly 400 games for various teams in 13 seasons in the NHL. Hartman is also another Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Famer.

So, Beckman was right. Jews and hockey go together. Go Wings!

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

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