DJN April 14, 2022 by The Detroit Jewish News

THE DETROIT

JEWISH NEWS

200 April 14-20, 2022 / 13-19 Nissan 5782

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We Wish Our Jewish Community A Healthy & Happy Passover!

April 14-20, 2022 / 13-19 Nissan 5782 | VOLUME CLXX, ISSUE 9

PURELY COMMENTARY 4-12

Essays and viewpoints.

SPORTS 41

OUR COMMUNITY 14

Sinai Hospital’s Community Service Legacy The Jewish Fund commemorates 25 years of improving community health.

Pesach — In Every Generation

Federation CEO Steven Ingber relates his experience representing Metro Detroit in Poland.

Torah Portion

Synagogue Directory

A ‘Dvar Challah’

PASSOVER

Local baker connects her challah to the weekly Torah portion.

Woodward Avenue Shul Provides a ‘Traditional’ Experience

A People Magnet

A ‘master of Jewish outreach,’ Erin Stiebel helps people connect to their Judaism.

Bates Street Society Dinner to Honor 5 Jewish ‘Pillars’

From a rabbi to a cardiology expert, honorees help others and give back to the community.

Dr. Nat Pernick Endows Award for Detroit Students

Awards will be presented during the inaugural annual ceremony on April 29.

A Seat at the Seder Table

Worldwide Passover Traditions

Teams from Frankel Jewish Academy won awards in two competitions.

Improving Employee Retention

A Modern-Day Passover Miracle

35 years ago, my mom — a human trafficking survivor — celebrated her first Pesach as a free woman.

Huntington Woods couple visits Jewish sites in Egypt.

Eight Days of Celebrating Recipes to add color to your holiday menu.

ARTS & LIFE 82

Artists Wanted

Celebrity News

New Janice Charach Gallery director aims to promote emerging artists.

EVENTS 85

Community Calendar

ETC. 86

Spotlight: Living the JewishAmerican Dream Groves student participates in JNF-USA’s Muss Study Abroad Program.

87 89 94

The Exchange Obits Looking Back

From Addiction to Freedom

A new Haggadah for recovering alcoholics brings a new perspective to the traditional seder.

A Prayer for Ukraine

Passover Parade

Mitzvah Tanks roll through Metro Detroit, offering cheer and Passover essentials.

Shabbat Lights

Passover Night 1/Shabbat: Friday, April 15, 7:56 p.m. Passover Night 2: Saturday, April 16, 9 p.m. Holiday ends: Sunday, April 17, 9:02 p.m. Passover Night 7: Thursday, April 21, 8:03 p.m. * Times according to Yeshiva Beth Yehudah calendar.

NEXT DOR 66

Meet Alana: Your Home, Made Healthy

Food blogger Alana Lieberman dishes out healthy, family-friendly recipes.

Moments

BUSINESS

Local families open their doors to non-Jewish friends for Pesach.

In Search of the True Exodus

FOOD

Pesach celebrations embody many religious and local traditions.

Mazel Tov, FJA Students

MAZEL TOV 36

Calgary Flames draftee Josh Nodler of Oak Park leaves the Michigan State hockey team after three seasons.

SPIRIT

The WAS has an open-door policy where all are welcome.

So Long, Spartans

On the Poland-Ukraine Border

Jewish Heritage Game

Detroit Pistons home game brings hundreds of Jewish people together.

Boon Health: a go-to resource for businesses looking to retain top talent.

TRAVEL

Here’s To

Digging Deep into a Troubled Past

A trip to Iraqi Kurdistan.

ON THE COVER: Cover Illustration/credit: Illustration by Naomi Broudo, Family Heirlooms for Life Cycle Events: www. freshketubahdesign.com or www.naomibroudo.etsy.com Cover design: Michelle Sheridan

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APRIL 14 • 2022

PURELY COMMENTARY essay

Treasured Traditions

o quote Forrest Gumpstein: “Seders are like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.” Some seders are sweet, some nutty. I hope your family’s seder is, to quote Goldie Lox: “Just right.” There are many differences in styles of seders, but the Alan basic elements Muskovitz are the same, Contributing Writer right? Of course, any seder worth its weight in matzah includes at least the Four Questions: • Who’s in charge of hiding the matzah? • Which of these two horseradishes is the hottest? • Can I have another piece of gefilte fish? • Can you please pass the salt water? For most of my young adult life, the first seder of Passover was always at my parents’ home, Dave and Florence Muskovitz, of blessed memory. I remember fondly the dining room table, lengthened with table leaves, with adjacent rooms outfitted with extra wiggly legged card tables for the kids. It was always a large gathering of our nuclear family, siblings, sons and daughters-inlaw, machatunim, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, newlyweds, kids of all ages and even a newborn or two. Oh, and for 15 years, our miniature schnauzer Freddie, of blessed memory. Upon my mom and dad’s passing, far too young in 1985 and 1986 respectively, my sister

TOP: Three generations of the Newman family at the seder: Chuck Newman, center, his son Steve on his right and grandson Zachary on the left.

and brother-in-law, Sharon and Chuck Newman, ran with the matzah ball and took over the seders in their Ann Arbor home where they remain to this day. They took it to a whole new level. I’m biased, but you would be hard pressed to find a more meaningful, reflective, humorous, delectable seder in town. The Newman Seder is as they say in Yiddish — the Katz Meow. My sister is chief caterer, with support from family and friends. Chuck is the Passover Cruise Director, leading about a 45-minute service filled with a perfect blend of tradition, respect and a side of humor. The seders are enriching, emotional and entertaining. My sister’s living room is packed to the gefilte gills with family, friends and often special invited guests. “I always loved calling the University of Michigan Hillel to invite outof-state students who couldn’t make it home for Passover,” Sharon says. Far and away, there are two

traditions Chuck has built into our seders that are the crème de la crème of the seder, though of course crème isn’t served with the meal. Prior to the commencement of the seder service, Chuck directs us to the inside cover of our individual Haggadahs, where we each sign our name and the year of participation. Each Haggadah now includes a long list of names — many who still attend and, of course, those of blessed memory. Chuck’s main, hardbound Haggadah includes a master list of those who have passed and each year he recites those names as their memories are rekindled in our hearts. Among them are Chuck’s mother, Dorothy, who shared her last Passover with us at 100 years old. It’s bittersweet. “I read the names, and we pause for a moment of silence,” Chuck says. “It gives me an opportunity to tell the very young members, the grandchildren and guests, who these people were. It solid-

ifies our family history.” While the list elicits some sadness, reviewing it is balanced by the humor in the visual created by children’s signatures who signed their names prior to them fully mastering the art of writing. Occasionally there’s one scribbled letter that takes up a quarter page. “Our grown children and our grandchildren love to search out their names from years past and share a laugh over their penmanship.” Arguably the highlight of the Newman Seder is the participation in the reciting and or singing of “Who Knows One?” I’m sure you know it. Wikipedia succinctly describes it as a “cumulative song on Passover in the Haggadah that enumerates common Jewish motifs and teachings … meant to be fun and humorous, while still imparting important lessons to the children present.” Each of 13 stanzas includes a continued on page 10

APRIL 14 • 2022

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PURELY COMMENTARY essay

On the Eve of Passover, Ramadan and Easter: A Call for Peace, Security and Safety for the People of Israel

his should be a joyous time for many around the world. For Jews getting ready for Passover. For Muslims preparing meals for the Ramadan fast. For Christians anticipating their holiest day of the year, Easter. Rabbi Asher Yet, instead Lopatin of peace, ISIS supporters and terrorists have murdered nine innocent Israelis and two beautiful souls from Adar Rubin Ukraine — Jews, Christians and

Druze — shocking a world that is already reeling from the weekslong Russian invasion of Ukraine. One of those murdered specifically touches us deeply here in Metropolitan Detroit. Amir Khoury was a Christian Arab from Nof Hagalil, which is in our partnership region. Even from thousands of miles away, we will not forget his sacrifice. We in the Jewish community, one which feels bonded to the State of Israel, are heartened by the support and solidarity of dozens of countries throughout the world in light of the attacks. Arab countries such as Jordan and the UAE have spoken out on behalf of

Israel and its people who are heartbroken by these horrible killings. We call on more countries to join in our collective outrage and demand a month of peace for Israel. Let Hamas, who has openly endorsed and celebrated these killings, know the whole world is watching. It also is a comfort that Mansour Abbas, who leads the United Arab List, part of the governing coalition in Israel, has called out these terrible murders, as he has in the past with other terrorist incidents, and issued the powerful truth: “Israeli cities are filled with Arab and Jewish citizens alike, and those who embark on a vicious killing spree do not

notice or differentiate between them.” Yes, the supporters of ISIS, Hamas and terror are celebrating Arab-Israelis and Palestinian-Israelis as their victims, as well as Israeli-Jews and the Druze. Those who allow hate to manifest their ambitions will do anything to spread their venom — at any time. We are heartened that Israel is being seen as a significant resource by her neighbors with whom she has recently created breakthrough partnerships in many different fields. Recently, ministers from four Arab countries gathered in Ben Gurion’s home of S’de Boker continued on page 8

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APRIL 14 • 2022

Through the Centennial Fund, Joanne Danto Continues to Set an Example for Future Generations. One of the most profound lessons that Betty and Marvin Danto shared with their daughter Joanne and her siblings, Jim and Gail, was the importance of setting an example for future generations. Marvin himself set a powerful example as a Jewish leader and philanthropist who made a transformative difference in the community. Following his inspiration, Joanne, along with her husband, Arnold Weingarden, have supported a diverse range of institutions across the Jewish and general community. “I’m just so grateful that I’m in a position to be doing what I’m doing and to be setting an example for my daughter and grandchildren,” Joanne says. “I feel like I’m carrying the torch forward for my father.” In particular, they have focused on educational, cultural and medical causes, including a number of local Jewish agencies, the DSO, Detroit Opera House, Michigan Medicine, Beaumont, Henry Ford Health System and the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

22_END_Centennial_Danto_JNad.indd 1

Throughout, Joanne remains closely involved in the causes they support, valuing the personal connections and collaborative spirit of her work. Now, with her commitment to the Centennial Fund, Joanne continues her family’s legacy by demonstrating a philanthropic vision that will stand as an example for the next generation. One of the several beneficiaries of the fund will be Hebrew Free Loan (HFL), an organization with whom Joanne—like her father—feels a deep connection. “My father’s family received a loan from HFL back in the 1930s, when he was 16 and they had fallen on hard times,” she notes. “It saved their lives, and so, growing up, I learned about what a great institution it was.” She will also be establishing a PACE Fund (Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment), so that future leaders can respond to needs as they arise. “My father always said that the giver is actually the biggest receiver,” says Joanne, reflecting on her experience as a donor, “and it’s so true.”

4/4/2022 9:51:01 AM

PURELY COMMENTARY essay

ON THE EVE OF continued from page 6

Hello, Metro Detroit Jewish Community

hen I was first approached to contribute to this year’s Passover edition, I didn’t really know what to write about. The Jewish calendar and the baseball calendar tend to line up so that Passover falls in the transition period between spring training Ryan Lavarnway and the regular season. To write about my experience celebrating Passover as a professional baseball player strays far from many traditional celebrations, but perhaps that is exactly what makes my story interesting. I love my job, but it’s not very lenient when it comes to having a life outside of baseball during the season. If there is a game, players are expected to be there. It makes sense. Taking a personal day is not fair to the fans who pay their hard-earned money to attend a game and see their favorite players. While Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax famously missed games during the Jewish High Holidays, more often than not, the schedule of the baseball season means that we, as players, miss birthday parties, weddings, and sometimes the births and deaths of loved ones. It also

APRIL 14 • 2022

leads to some improvisation when celebrating religious holidays around the baseball schedule. For the first eight years of our marriage, my wife, Jamie, and I have created new family traditions during the baseball season. For Passover, our tradition has become rolling with the punches and making a celebration happen however we can. One year during spring training with the Boston Red Sox, we used a dog treat as a shank bone and a bottle of hot sauce as our bitter maror because we were moving the next day and that is all we had available. A few years later, we celebrated the night before Major League Baseball’s Opening Day while I was with the Baltimore Orioles. After an evening practice, we ordered take-out and had an abbreviated seder at 11 p.m. on our hotel bed. During the rare year when we have actually been more settled, we’ve invited our non-Jewish teammates to celebrate with us. But more often, it seems we end up scouring whatever city in which we are currently residing for a Jewish deli that offers a take-out seder. We have even celebrated on FaceTime with our family while driving on the interstate; on our own

exodus from spring training to the regular season. This year, I will start the baseball season playing with the Detroit Tigers’ AAA affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens. Jamie and I are excited to become a part of the greater Detroit Jewish community. Passover for us will be during our first road trip of the year, so Jamie and I will celebrate at the team hotel in Des Moines, Iowa (unfortunately not a mecca for Jewish delis). I am proud to be a Jewish professional baseball player and to represent those who came before me. Jamie and I have embraced the idea that doing something for the Jewish holidays, even if it is rustic or strays from the norm, is much better than doing nothing. Celebrating freedom is one of the central themes of Passover, and we are grateful to be able to celebrate in our own unique way as I continue to live out my dream. So wherever and however you celebrate Passover this year, I hope you enjoy your holiday and create lasting memories with your family. Chag sameach from my family to yours. Ryan Lavarnway plays catcher for the Toledo Mud Hens.

with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in a beautiful illustration of a new Middle East that is looking forward to advancing peace, friendship and mutual protection. Locally, we at the Jewish Community Relations Council/ American Jewish Committee (JCRC/AJC) – Detroit, will continue to rally Israel’s friends in the interfaith community to be ready to add their voices to ours. We are deeply grateful to Michigan’s elected officials, including Reps. Levin, Stevens and Upton, who have expressed both their horror at the 11 lives recently lost and their solidarity with the people of Israel. Furthermore, we are taking the lessons we learned last Ramadan, especially during Israel’s Guardian of the Walls conflict with Hamas in May, to be more vigilant and vocal as we stand up for Israel. Currently, our organization is gathering pro-Israel groups in Detroit, as well as several that are national, to strategize ways we can collectively advocate for Israel. Together, we will use every method we can to get the word out. Let us not only pray but also commit ourselves to work hard to defend our Jewish State and people wherever they may face those who want to destroy them. Let us be strong with our allies and with each other so that Israel will continue to be a beacon of hope, diversity and peace for our world. Am Yisrael Chai — Israel is alive and strong. Rabbi Asher Lopatin is Executive Director of the JCRC/AJC. Adar Rubin is Israel Associate at JCRC/AJC.

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PURELY COMMENTARY TREASURED TRADITIONS continued from page 4

new Jewish motif for teaching, and the goal is to eventually read all 13 lines of the song as fast as possible. While our participation in this song may not be exclusive, I’d like to think we are among a very small minority who have turned this ritual into a speed-reading contest with participants being timed. The rules are pretty lax, as is evident by the mumbling renditions which are accepted as valid entries. Record holders in the past have read all 13 lines in under 9 seconds. To be fair, we have categories for both children and adults. When the dust finally settles, we have a bonus round for creative entries. My great-niece, Rebecca, does an incredible rap version of the song. One year, a guest impressed with her version in Japanese. I will occasionally chime in with one of my impersonations I used to perform on the Dick Purtan Show. Who knew Bill Clinton or Regis Philbin knew “Who Knows One?” Thankfully, after two years of Zoom seders, the Newman Seder is returning to in-person. It will be a pleasure to see everyone outside of their designated Zoom box. “Zoom kept us going,” Sharon says, “but nothing replaces the joy of being together, especially the nachas that comes with hearing children’s laughter.” I’m especially excited because I’ve been told we will actually see Elijah for the very first time. Supposedly his mask gives him away. Alan Muskovitz is a writer, voice-over/ acting talent, speaker, and emcee. Visit his website at laughwithbigal.com,“Like” Al on Facebook and reach him at amuskovitz@thejewishnews.com.

APRIL 14 • 2022

letters

Thank You, Soul Cafe I just had a recent heartwarming dining experience at the Soul Cafe in West Bloomfield. I brought a senior friend who was celebrating a special birthday and her caregiver to lunch. I had promised her daughter that, due to COVID concerns, we would eat outdoors. After making online reservations, I called and requested outdoor seating. Because it was a windy, cold day, when we arrived we were told they had not set the outdoor heater. When I explained, Chaim, the maître d’, and his staff bent over backward to accommodate our needs. While we ate the first course indoors (at a table far from other patrons), they turned on the outdoor heater. They seamlessly moved us outdoors for the main course when the temperature was comfortable. Later, when it got colder, they moved us indoors for coffee and dessert. We joked that we had eaten at three different locations. How impressive to share a lovely birthday meal in such a pleasant, sensitive environment! Kudos to the Soul Cafe! — Tamy Chelst Southfield

Passover in a Box Thinking back when I was a child, Passover was quite a production. My mother spent weeks cleaning the house. Taking out all the

Pesach dishes, pots and pans and silverware. We were so excited that Grandmother Ellis was coming and a slew of family. I didn’t understand a word she said, but she gave my sister and me a chocolate bar and a roll of Lifesavers. She had a beautiful Persian lamb coat. It smelled like mothballs. Everyone’s coats smelled like mothballs in the 1950s. After I married and had my own home, we always went to our Aunt Anne’s house for a fabulous seder. That was just a beautiful memory being with the cousins and their children. As the families grew, we each went to our own families’ homes. There were not enough chairs for the whole group. My oldest son was married, and we jammed their friends and families into the house. Adam would always bring a business friend from out of town. We were still young and enjoyed every minute. Life happens, and my youngest son was in a diving accident that left him paralyzed. That’s when our lives changed forever. It was still good but different. No one thinks about getting in and out of people’s homes with a wheelchair and no ramp. So, we decided that I would do all the shopping and cooking. I was working full time and that was quite a feat. I made the usual matzah balls with chicken soup, vegetarian chopped liver and

sweet and sour meatballs for our gentile guests. Also, Passover rolls, kugels, mock kishka, asparagus and a turkey. Choroses, matzah, boiled eggs and a seder plate. My sister always made the gefilte fish, and I insisted that a couple jars of Manischewitz fish and a jar of horseradish were fine. I made a sponge cake, and she made her special apple cake and cut up fruit. I was holding my back and moaning with pain when I realized I would have to get all this food to my son’s house. Thank G-d for my friend Bruce, who would bring a big box over and we would pack up everything including the wine, candles, etc. Then I put duct tape around the huge soup pot. We carefully packed up the car and trunk, and drove 25 miles an hour down Telegraph to my son’s house. I was holding the cake and wrapped my legs around the soup on the floor below me. The men carried the food into the house and nearly had to carry me, too. This became our family tradition. We had Rosh Hashanah in a box and Chanukah in a box, etc. My sister did get me a back brace for my birthday that year. I still use it while cooking. So, when you are cooking for Passover this year, don’t be stupid; ask a friend for help. Have a Zissen Pesach. From my house to yours. — Arlene Nisker Oak Park

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PURELY COMMENTARY student corner

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

ive years ago, I stepped on the scale and stared down at the fluorescent green digits. As my eyes remained glued to the number, my angst of feeling chubby was validated. At that moment I made a commitment to never let the scale hit my Merrick magic number. Michaelson Immediately after reading the scale, I never ate the same again. I consumed the same meal every morning for two straight years; I was entirely inflexible. Food was no longer a fuel; it was merely a number. In addition, I made it my mission to work out every single day. As progress continued, I found myself unsatisfied. No matter what I did, it was never enough. During the summer prior to eighth grade, I began camp. I had already lost weight, but I did not feel the sense of accom-

plishment that I craved. At camp, I basically starved myself — breakfast: very little, lunch: nothing, dinner: not nearly enough. At snack, I would literally walk away, resisting temptation. To top it off, I was miserable. Each day I wanted to go home. I missed the excitement of camp because of my own crankiness. All along, I thought that the problem was the events circling around me. However, truly, the real issue was the destruction within me. I had no physical or mental fuel — my body was running on fumes. To make matters worse, I still did not seek help. I was a wreck. The closer I got to what I thought would make me happy, the further off happiness seemed. My parents grew worried and sought professional help. When I was given my meal plan to start recovery, I almost fainted. It tripled the amount of food I was eating at that time. But, I put on a brave front and said, “No

Yiddish Limerick Pesach

Di shrub azay rayn un alles will shine der tish azay shayn mit der glazl of vine. Der Pesachdik food So batamt un so good, So please don’t be shy, kum, kum arayn. di shtib azay rayn: the house is so clean

APRIL 14 • 2022

un allles: and everything der tish azay shayn: the table so pretty mit der glazl of vine: with the little glass of wine der Pesachdik: of Pesach batamt: tasty kum arayn: come in. By Rachel Kapen

problem, this will be easy.” Over the next couple of months, it easily turned into throwing out lunches and cheating the system in every possible way. Yet, there was no way to escape. Rules started to get strict. My parents started cooking and watching me eat. No scale. No exercise. I broke. It got to a point where each time I ate a meal, I cried. My body refused the food; this was not because I was full, but rather the anguish of knowing I was being forced to gain weight. Things were not looking bright. However, ironically, what seemed to be a curse to most was a blessing for me. In March 2020, when COVID19 arose, I could no longer hide my eating disorder from my family. It was then I began to do the work to improve my relationship with food. With each meal I ate, the more rejuvenated I felt. People began feeling connected to me again and wanted to be around me. I felt reconnected

to my life. Weight was gained and before I knew it, I was already over the weight that had held me hostage for so long. I was beyond the magic number. It had no power over me. It was just a number. We are all made in the image of God — b’tzelem elohim, all special in our own way. When we struggle, it is okay, and through that adversity, it is critical to seek help. It is then that our b’tzelem elohim, our unique inner selves, will shine in this world and make a difference. Anyone, no matter one’s gender, who feels they might be struggling with an eating disorder or any mental health issue, I encourage you to find someone who can help. My healing, growth and progress exists because someone I trusted helped me through a significantly challenging time in my life. Merrick Michaelson is a junior at Frankel Jewish Academy.

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OUR COMMUNITY

Sinai Hospital’s Community Service Legacy The Jewish Fund commemorates 25 years of improving community health. SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jewish Senior Life has received funding for programs such as Dor l’dor.

APRIL 14 • 2022

COURTESY OF THE JEWISH FUND

or 44 years, Sinai Hospital of Detroit was a core institution of the Jewish community and Metro Detroit’s health care network. The hospital evolved from the North End Clinic, which provided outpatient medical care to the Jewish community beginning in the 1920s. Sinai Hospital was established in 1953, in part, because Jewish doctors had difficulty obtaining staff privileges at most local hospitals but also to provide kosher food and a Jewish atmosphere for Jewish patients. Sinai was well-regarded for its medical care, education of many interns and residents, and innovative medical research. But over the years, the health care field changed, making it difficult for smaller independent hospitals to thrive. In addition, most of Detroit’s Jewish community had moved from northwest Detroit, Sinai’s location, to nearby suburbs that had their own hospitals. In 1997 Sinai was sold to the Detroit Medical Center. As the acquisition was

The Jewish Fund helps the general community as well, with grants for organization such as Development Centers.

being finalized, a group of local Jewish leaders considered the best way to use the $63 million in sale proceeds for the community’s benefit. This group included members of the Sinai Hospital Board, the Sinai Health Care Foundation Board, and Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit staff and board. Mark Schlussel, a past president of the Sinai Health Care Foundation, was one of two founding co-chairs of the new Jewish Fund, along with the late Robert Sosnick. According to Mark Davidoff, then CFO of Jewish Federation, the group developed a mission statement, bylaws and other requirements for Mark the new foundation. He served as Schlussel the initial treasurer/secretary of the Jewish Fund. “The goal was to continue the good works of Sinai Hospital and the North End Clinic. We took an asset that had a declining value and turned it into a Mark separate organization to benefit the Davidoff general and Jewish communities. It has been a singular achievement for the Jewish community — a remarkable outcome of the sale of the hospital,” Schlussel believes. 25 YEARS LATER Twenty-five years after its establishment, the Jewish Fund has distributed more than $70 mil-

The Jewish Fund has provided grants for teen mental health programs for Jewish youth.

“THE GOAL WAS TO CONTINUE THE GOOD WORKS OF SINAI HOSPITAL AND THE NORTH END CLINIC. ” — MARK SCHLUSSEL

lion in grants, says Margo Pernick, executive director for the past 13 years. Most grants were used for programs in three priority areas — improving the health and well-being of vulnerable local Jewish residents; early health intervention for babies and young children; and expanding health care access Margo for underserved Detroit-area residents. Pernick The Jewish Fund has helped provide health care for uninsured low-income Jewish community members, paid for glasses for immigrant children attending Hamtramck public schools, and funded mental health counseling for Jewish teens. Pernick says that about 80 percent of the Fund’s annual grants benefit the Jewish community and 20 percent are designated for the general community. “The Jewish Fund is a great example of the value and importance of endowments. It’s a good balance between Jewish and general community needs,” says Nancy Grosfeld, board member and former chair. The Jewish Fund also supports collaboration among Jewish and Detroit-based organizations focused on quality of life in the region. In addition, grants provide professional development for nonprofit service agencies, and some funds are used Nancy Grosfeld for emergency assistance for families and nonprofit organizations. The Jewish Fund also manages two restricted funds — one for medical research and one for low-vision services for children. According to Pernick, grant applicants may hear about the Jewish Fund from a board member or another agency. Sometimes Pernick learns about an organization with a mission that fits with the Jewish Fund and she reaches out to them. The grant application process begins with a conversation with Pernick, then a proposal, site visit and review by the full board of the Jewish Fund. She says that about 45 applications are received annually and about 40 are approved through a consensus process. “Visits to programs are a way to engage the board. The Jewish Fund is a great connector Bob between the Jewish and general communities,” says Aronson Bob Aronson, who was CEO of Jewish Federation and among the leadership group that set up the Jewish Fund. One of the grants that benefited the general community was awarded to Authority Health, a nonprofit organization based continued on page 16 APRIL 14 • 2022

OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 15

The Jewish Fund provides grants to expand health care access for underserved Detroit-area residents.

Making an Impact Jewish Fund board members, past and present, identified some grants that had a particularly significant impact: PROJECT CHESED The Jewish Fund and Jewish Family Service created Project Chesed to provide free health care to low-income Jewish individuals prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act. Local physicians, dentists and hospitals donated their services. “This was truly innovative and impactful,” says Karen Sosnick Schoenberg. TEEN MENTAL HEALTH Michael Eizelman says a Jewish Fund-initiated-and-funded Federation survey of local Jewish teens indicated a need for more resources to help with mental health problems. “It was an eye opener — the stress the kids were under, some who were suicidal. I thought, ‘how did we not know this?’” The Jewish Fund provided funding for Jewish Family Service and Federation to work in Jewish day schools, educating staff about mental health issues, and providing counseling for teens. JEWISH HOSPICE AND CHAPLAINCY NETWORK—LIFE ENRICHMENTS PROGRAM The Jewish Fund provided a grant for expanded quality of life services including music, pet and art therapy for palliative care and hospice patients. This program received a Robert Sosnick Award of Excellence from The Jewish Fund. BURIAL SERVICES FOR THE INDIGENT When Mark Davidoff learned about 200 unclaimed bodies at the Wayne County Morgue, he quickly contacted David Techner, funeral director at Ira Kaufman Chapel, to come up with a solution. They met with Wayne County officials and obtained help from local Catholic cemeteries for burial plots and the Michigan Funeral Association to cover the costs of burial. The Jewish Fund paid for caskets for these indigent individuals. FUNDS FOR A JEWISH FEDERATION GRANT WRITER In 2011, a two-year grant enabled Jewish Federation to pay for a grant writer. According to Pernick, that capacity-building effort has now brought in $25 million in grants to help many Jewish agencies and congregations, since its initial development.

APRIL 14 • 2022

in Detroit, for its Nurse-Family Partnership. The grant provided prenatal and post-natal holistic care for 100 high-risk pregnant women in Wayne County — resulting in healthier babies and mothers, as well as enhanced parenting skills. Dennis Archambault, vice president/public affairs at Health Authority, was a primary contact with the Jewish Fund. He was impressed by the personal involvement of some Jewish Fund board members, who accompanied and talked with Nurse-Family Partnership clients on their weekly walks on the Detroit Riverfront to encourage physical activity. “One of the excellent aspects of the program is the annual luncheon when awards for grantees are announced. You get a sense of the community of the recipients including the past and present awardees,” he explains. Michael Eizelman, current chair, points out that the Jewish Fund has partnerships with other foundations, especially small ones, and offers them to opportunity to piggy-back with their grants. “We share our due diligence and can leverage grants,” he says. Michael Pernick and Jewish Eizelman Fund board members are especially proud of the Teen Board, which is a group of local young people who volunteer to Karen learn about communiSosnick ty needs and allocate Schoenberg grants to help worthy nonprofits. This is the seventh year of its operation. “It gets young people excited about the community,” says Karen Sosnick Schoenberg, Jewish Fund board member and past chair.

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For more information about the Program for Holocaust Survivors and Families, please contact Dr. Charles Silow at csilow@jslmi.org

APRIL 14 • 2022

OUR COMMUNITY

On the Poland-Ukraine Border Federation CEO Steven Ingber relates his experience representing Metro Detroit in Poland.

LEFT: Steve Ingber takes a selfie in Poland at the border with Ukraine. MIDDLE: A volunteer stands with Bella, who is fleeing Ukraine for the second time. RIGHT: A daycare program in Warsaw for refugees.

ast week, I stood in the Polish town of Medyka at the border with Ukraine, a site where thousands of refugees have streamed through daily as they flee the devastation of the Russian invasion. As CEO of the Detroit Federation, I— along with Leah Trosch, a volunteer leader and past president of Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy — was asked to represent our community Steven there, bearing witness to the Ingber humanitarian crisis now playing out. I can report that it was one of the most difficult and moving experiences of my life. Virtually all the refugees are women and children, since military-aged men are forbidden from leaving the country. It is hard to describe the combination of fatigue, desperation and relief on their faces as they cross the border. Weeks ago, they were living an ordinary life as teachers, doctors and shop owners; today, they are escaping with nothing more than a suitcase and cell phone. Their primary concern is simply finding food and shelter for their families.

The very first tents they encounter at the border are those operated by our international partners, JDC and JAFI. The agencies are there to welcome both Jews and nonJews alike, offering immediate care as well as longer-term support. One of the most extraordinary images I saw was that of the Israeli flag flying prominently at the crossing to Poland, a symbol of our people’s commitment to not just fellow Jews but to the healing and betterment of the world as a whole. It was also incredible to see that many of the aide volunteers had come from Israel — including individuals who made aliyah at some point in their lives and now feel an obligation to help others in return. They were not just there for Jews: Again and again, I was told that this is how we repay the “righteous gentiles” who put their lives at risk for us during the Holocaust, 80 years ago. Everywhere I went I saw the power of tzedakah in action. In Poland, I visited two processing centers — entire hotels which our partner agencies have transformed into free shelters for refugees. There are daycares in the open conference areas, mental health counselors on staff and several rooms filled

with donated funds for families to use as needed. UNFORGETTABLE PEOPLE Of the many people I met, two stories stuck in my heart. The first was Bella, an 87-year-old woman who had been forced to flee Odessa — for the second time. The first was in 1941, at the age of 7. Bella was taken to Siberia with her mother, where they had to begin a new life with nothing. She fought back tears as she told me how she never imagined this would happen again; she worries that she is too old to start over. I assured her that this time it will be different and that we are here to help. Thanks to JAFI, Bella will be making aliyah to Israel soon. I also met Shana at a JDC hotel. Shana ran a Jewish nursery school in Kharkiv, Ukraine, until, after weeks of heavy bombing, she finally decided to flee. She now runs the daycare program as a volunteer at a Hampton Inn in Warsaw, where refugees stay while they try to figure out where to go next. Shana told me of a continued on page 20

APRIL 14 • 2022

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JEWISH NEWS

OUR COMMUNITY

An Israeli flag welcomes refugees from Ukraine.

“IT IS BY THE GRACE OF G-D THAT WE ARE THE ONES ABLE TO HELP AND NOT THE ONES NEEDING IT.”

The Detroit News

Educator of the Year Teachers are often the unsung heroes who inspire our children to greater heights and whose lessons often last a lifetime. The Jewish News wants to honor the best-of-the-best teachers in our community — in elementary, middle and high school. To nominate a Jewish teacher or a teacher at one of Metro Detroit’s Jewish day schools, send an email to jheadapohl@thejewishnews.com with “Best Teachers” in the subject line. Include the teacher’s name, school, grade/ subject and why you think they deserve to be recognized. Then look for our “Educators of the Year” in the May 19, Cap & Gown issue.

APRIL 14 • 2022

— STEVE INGBER continued from page 18

4-year-old who recently drew his house and then scribbled it over in black marker to show how it looks today. The children don’t fully understand what is happening, let alone how to explain it. As difficult as it was to witness this tragedy, I have never been so proud to represent the Jewish Federation and the work we do to raise funds for our local and international Jewish family. I’m referring not only to the recent Ukraine Emergency Campaign, which provided millions of dollars to JDC and JAFI operations, but also the many decades of Annual Campaign support. Year after year, our campaign dollars fund the critical infrastructure that enabled this swift response. As we say, we are here for those in need today because we were there yesterday. There can be no better example of the impact of the Federation model of collective giving. 200,000 Ukrainian

Jews and countless others have access to life-saving resources thanks to support of donors across Jewish Detroit and other communities around the world. My hope is that everyone who has donated to our campaign understands the good they have done — and will continue to do — with their sustained support. Together, let’s pray for an end to this senseless conflict, and a return to safety and freedom for our Jewish family in Ukraine, as well as for all the Ukrainian people. It is by the grace of G-d that we are the ones able to help and not the ones needing it. I hope that none of you will ever be in that place of need. But know that if you are, the Federation and your Jewish community will be there for you. Steven Ingber is CEO of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. This message was sent to community members via email and is reprinted here with permission.

STEVE INGBER

THE DETROIT

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OUR COMMUNITY

A ‘Dvar Challah’

Local baker connects her challah to the weekly Torah portion. BARBARA LEWIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Davida (De-De) Robinson bakes challahs that illustrate the weekly Torah portion.

APRIL 14 • 2022

ots of people bake challah for Shabbat. And lots of people study the Torah portion that is read in synagogues every Shabbat. But only a few bake challahs that illustrate the weekly parshah. Davida (De-De) Robinson is one of them. She got the idea from her son Ian, who was working in Chile a few years ago. He told her the rebbitzin at the synagogue he attended made challah every week shaped to relate to the Torah reading. Robinson had just retired from teaching second grade at Congregation Shaarey Zedek’s religious school and thought this would be a good way to continue teaching and learning Torah. Her project forces her to dig deep and view the words through a new lens. Sometimes her breads are a more literal portrayal of the portion; other times the statement is more artistic. “When I can make these ancient words in the Torah relevant to life today, it all comes together for me,” said Robinson, who lives in Franklin with her husband, Warren, and is a member of B’nai Israel Synagogue and the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue. Interpreting and translating each Torah portion into a creative challah design can be challenging, she said. She’s going into her fourth year of baking Torah-related challahs and doesn’t want to repeat a design, or even the part of the weekly portion she references. Robinson posts photos of her challahs on her Facebook page, along with a “d’var challah,” a brief summary of the relationship of the challah to the parshah. For Parshat Vayishlach last November, which tells of the meeting between brothers Esau and Jacob after 20 years apart, Robinson related the story to Detroit-area brothers Bryan and Danny Fenster, who were reunited after Danny had been imprisoned for months in Myanmar. The challahs portrayed two figures hugging. “What we read in the Torah between Esau and Jacob gives us hope on repairing relationships; what we witnessed this week with Danny and Bryan also gives us hope, hope that justice can win over corruption,” she wrote. During the pandemic, Robinson found many of the Torah portions related to the experiences she and a lot of her

LEFT: Challahs can be a literal or artistic impression of the weekly Parshat. RIGHT: This challah for Parshat Bo is cloud-shaped with a slit to “let in the sunlight.”

“WHEN I CAN MAKE THESE ANCIENT WORDS IN THE TORAH RELEVANT TO LIFE TODAY, IT ALL COMES TOGETHER FOR ME.” ing the Torah project, she would acquaintances had been having. dabble in different designs or For Parshat Bo in early January, braids, sometimes making special which tells of the plague of darkshapes for Jewish holidays, birthness, her cloud-shaped challah was days or other occasions. thickly covered with poppy seeds. She never colors the dough and But there was a slit in the top. uses only seeds to decorate — “The darkness of COVID once except in the case of the teddy bear again feels insurmountable, not to challahs she makes every week for mention a sincere arrival of winher 2-year-old grandson, which ter,” she wrote that week on her have chocolate chips for eyes. Facebook page. “But we must all A challah for Shabbat Mishpatim, which notes the Torah’s Friends and neighbors often enjoy remember that after these plagues directive not to charge interest. the fruits of Robinson’s passion. the Hebrew nation is freed from Sometimes she just makes more bondage and soon dances at the challah than the family can use. “Then Red Sea shore celebrating their freedom! Downtown Synagogue picked up on I put a notice out on email and friends Looking at our fraught world today, the same theme in her weekly Shabbat come and pick it up,” she said, adding message and related the “no interest” we can see that there is a little bit more that this was helpful early in the panidea to Hebrew Free Loan of Michigan, sunlight each and every day. As Leonard demic to those who had trouble getting which Robinson has long supported. Cohen wrote ‘there is a crack, a crack in to bakeries or supermarkets. At the end of the year, Robinson creeverything, that’s how the light gets in.’” Robinson has kept up a corresponates a book with photos of her creations For Shabbat Mishpatim, which fell in dence with Ian’s former rebbitzin, late January this year, Robinson noted the and gives a copy to each of her three Gachi Waingartin. They exchange their Torah’s directive not to charge interest sons, Ruby, Ian and Avery. Sometimes challah photos every week. Waingartin on loans to fellow Israelites. That week, she’ll use a shot taken before the bread writes in Spanish, and Ian often serves one of her challahs was shaped like a big is baked, because the baking process as translator. zero while the other, along with two rolls, can affect the design in unanticipated ways. “Sometimes we have the same idea, but looked like a percentage symbol. Soon Robinson has been making challah the challahs look very different; we each after baking them, she was heartened to have our own style,” she said. every Friday for decades. Before startsee that Rabbi Arianna Silverman of the APRIL 14 • 2022

OUR COMMUNITY SYNAGOGUE SPOTLIGHT

Woodward Avenue Shul Provides a ‘Traditional’ Experience

The WAS has an open-door policy where all are welcome. DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

FROM TOP: Front of the shul, a quarter-mile from the Detroit Zoo. Woodward Avenue Shul’s Hanukkah menorah. WAS’s sanctuary.

APRIL 14 • 2022

he Woodward Avenue Shul (WAS) is situated in the center of the recent trend of Jewish migration to the surrounding cities of Huntington Woods, Royal Oak, Berkeley, Birmingham, Pleasant Ridge and Ferndale. The shul’s Rabbi Mendel Polter believes its location and intimate nature are what makes it unique. “We are proud to offer meaningful Jewish experiences fused with a very warm and inviting atmosphere, to cater to the palate of any level of Jewish practice,” Polter said. The WAS likes to call themselves “traditional,” which they understand to be a coupling of traditional Jewish standards with a userfriendly, relevant approach. Polter stepped into his role at WAS when founding rabbi Chanoch Hadar moved into a more administrative role. The WAS began as a neighborly gathering in the Hadar family home in 2005 and rapidly grew into their

Rabbi Mendel Polter

dedicated shul building in 2008. “While we continuously grow as a community, we strive to retain our intimate touch,” Polter said. “Our shul has been the meeting ground for many couples, leading to tens of marriages and the building of young families who have become integral to our community.” The WAS, defined as “Your Home for Everything Jewish,” is a multifaceted institution. “While our prayer services are one component of the shul activity, it is by no means our primary focus,” Polter said. “We constantly

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WAS’s women’s section during services.

seek new ways to create personal and intimate Jewish experiences. Our open house festivities are the cornerstone of every Shabbat and holiday. At the WAS, every occasion is capped off by dining and celebrating together.” As a growing but still intimate shul, Polter says while some may view the WAS as a one-man job, anyone who visits knows each of their loyal participants lend a hand. “One might say we are a Jewish family operation,” Polter adds. Even with a regular mailing list of a few hundred people who participate at some level or another, the WAS does not have an official membership, wanting everyone to feel welcome to participate in any WAS event or service that meets their interests or needs. “We have an open-door policy. All are welcome,” Polter said. “We are grateful to have a community where

no one reserves rights to the spotlight. It is truly like a family — everyone counts.” Among the programs the WAS offers is the hybrid “Soup and Study” program, an opportunity to participate in a weekly discussion analyzing a larger Jewish topic that connects with the weekly Torah portion, accompanied by a warm, hearty soup. Session topics so far have included trust and faith in God, and freedom of choice and determinism. “For anyone out there who feels curious but daunted by the prospect of a more traditional experience, I would invite you to sample a visit to the WAS.” Polter said. “I am confident you will be inspired by the richness of our Jewish legacy and touched by our embracing WAS family.” To contact Rabbi Polter, email office@ thewas.net. To see an interview with the rabbi, go to thejewishnews.com.

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OUR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK:

A People Magnet

A ‘master of Jewish outreach,’ Erin Stiebel helps people connect to their Judaism. RACHEL SWEET ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series showcasing volunteers making a difference in our community.

The Stiebel family

LEFT: Erin and David Stiebel at NEXTGen Detroit’s Distilled and Chilled Winter Fundraiser. ABOVE: Erin and friends at NEXTGen Detroit’s Epic fundraiser.

The Partners in Torah Spain/Portugal Trip: Bonnie Girson, Erin Stiebel, Shelby Miller, Ricki Feuerison, Natalie Blum, David Mettler, Danielle Brickner, Ryan Rosenberg, Noah Rozenberg, Ryan Brickner, Rabbi Noam Gross, Joe Roofeh.

APRIL 14 • 2022

rin Stiebel is an educator for Partners Detroit’s Young Professional Division and director of NCSY GIVE, an annual volunteer-focused Israel summer program for high school girls from across North America. Listing off Erin’s titles alone showcases why she was among the first volunteers to be nominated by readers. However, according to David Stiebel, Erin’s husband of nine years, it’s really just who she is. “Naturally she is very good at helping people. I think she finds value in it. She really will drop everything to go do whatever,” he said. David said he believes Erin takes after her late father, Dr. Louis Cooper. “He just cared about every single person around him, whether it was a kid or a high schooler. He was the big brother of his whole family. I’m sure it came from him.” David says he’s still amazed to see how Erin impacts people. Just recently, the couple went to a NEXTGen Detroit event and when they walked in, people immediately came up to Erin. “It’s not that people are flocking to her because she’s some popular celebrity. It’s the people who she’s personally impacted. I see it every time we go out. It’s a really nice thing to see, and it kind of just shows you what the type of person she is in these people’s lives,” he added. MAKING AN IMPACT WHEREVER SHE GOES Erin offers Jewish educational opportunities and hosts Shabbos meals at her home continued on page 28

OUR COMMUNITY continued from page 26

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for anyone and everyone. (Let her know when you’re free for Shabbos dinner!) “If you’ve met Erin Stiebel, odds are she has invited you over for a Shabbat meal,” said Jackie Yashinksky. Jackie met Erin during a Partners Detroit Jewish Poland trip, which Erin staffed. “In fact, the first time I met Erin, she said… ‘Hi, I’m Erin. Would you like to come over for Shabbat dinner?’ I thought, who is this stranger and why is she inviting me to her home?” David says Erin and Jackie’s friendship has continued to grow ever since and now Jackie is a regular guest at their Shabbos table. When the message got out that the JN was highlighting Erin, we got a flood of emails from people sharing how Erin has personally impacted their lives. “Erin has this amazing ability to welcome everyone and enrich their lives in the best way possible. She is one of the most authentic people on this planet and a master of Jewish outreach,” Partners in Torah Board Member Noah Rozenberg said. “She connects everyone to Judaism and having a Jewish life. She is the Jewish glue that connects and enriches all of us. “I went on the Partners in Torah Spain/Portugal trip in 2019 and having her on the trip elevated it to another level. She made a conscious effort to connect with and teach everyone on the trip and raised the energy a hundred-fold,” he added. Elisheva Samuels, a longtime friend of Erin’s, said, “No matter what is going on in Erin’s life (and as the busi-

est person I know — it’s plenty) she always makes time to think of the large and small things that people around her need — dropping off food or candy to someone who had a baby, suffered a loss or is navigating a challenging time; befriending unfamiliar faces (or familiar faces of employees in supermarkets); sending a Shipt order to non-local friends to celebrate birthdays or send support during hard times; opening her home to host community members every single Shabbos … There is just no one quite like Erin Stiebel.” Even those who haven’t known Erin for a long time felt it was important to share how much she has touched their lives. “Erin’s volunteer work is literally hour by hour, minute to minute, day to day within our community, in ways that I think people don’t always see volunteering,” Meredith Kay said. Meredith has known Erin for less than a year and was one of the many people who nominated her to be the volunteer of the week. “I thought she would just be a Jewish mentor, but as I watch the way she speaks to her children and how patient she is, and how she would go and drive soup to someone who says they aren’t feeling well. I think she has become more than a mentor to me while deepening my Jewish connection,” Meredith added. If you would like to nominate someone to be the next volunteer of the week, send a nomination with a short paragraph telling us why to socialmedia@thejewishnews.com.

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Sponsors to date

There’s still time to sponsor this event! For additional event or sponsorship info contact Michelle Malamis | Senior Director of Engagement p 248.233.4343 | michellem@kadimacenter.org

PRESENTING SPONSOR Barbara and Michael Kratchman VIRTUOSO SPONSOR Bluma Schechter

CONDUCTOR SPONSORS Judy and Jeff Aisen | Nancy and James Grosfeld Gail Katz – Hava Leichtman Creative Expressions Fund Katie and Evan Leibhan | Joy and Allan Nachman

OUR COMMUNITY

Bates Street Society Dinner to Honor 5 Jewish ‘Pillars’ Barry Franklin

From a rabbi to a cardiology expert, honorees help others and give back to the community. ROBIN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I Lila Lazarus

Linda Schlesinger-Wagner

Evan Weiner

Rabbi Daniel Syme

APRIL 14 • 2022

t took three tries — scheduling and rescheduling amid COVID-19 concerns — but as they say, the third time’s the charm for the sixth annual Bates Street Society Dinner. The black-tie optional gala, hosted by The Community House in Birmingham and The Community House Foundation Board of Directors, will finally take place in person April 30. Five members of the local Jewish community will be among those honored for their contributions in wellness, education, culture, business and philanthropy. “The Bates Street Society Dinner provides us with the opportunity to recognize ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It truly is a night of inspiration,” said William D. Seklar, president and CEO of The Community House and The Community House Foundation. “This is one day out of the year when we pause to celebrate the talents and contributions of those who exemplify our pillars with the goal of inspiring the broader community.” This year’s honorees,

known as the “Pillars of Vibrancy,” include: • Barry Franklin, Ph.D., director, Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation, Beaumont Health, and professor, Internal Medicine, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine • Lila Lazarus, an awardwinning news anchor and health reporter who serves as a spokesperson for Trinity Health • Rabbi Daniel Syme, rabbi emeritus at Temple Beth El who has dedicated his life to raising awareness of the issue of youth suicide • Linda SchlesingerWagner, fashion industry veteran and founder of skinnytees • Evan Weiner, president and CEO of the Edw. C. Levy Companies, a 100-yearold construction materials company Also being recognized are former Detroit mayor and retired NBA player Dave Bing; Dominic DiMarco, president of the Cranbrook Educational Community; Duane Mezwa, M.D., dean of the Oakland University

William Beaumont School of Medicine and chair of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Molecular Imaging at OUWB; and brand strategist Jessie BeldElliott. Recently retired Fox 2 News anchor Huel Perkins will serve as the evening’s emcee. “I am honored by this recognition relative to the research-based wellness, rehabilitation and health enhancement interventions we’ve developed over the years,” Dr. Franklin said. “I am indebted to Drs. Seymour Gordon and Gerald C. Timmis, who provided me with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to direct the preventive cardiology/ cardiac rehabilitation program at Beaumont Hospital. Also, special thanks to Beaumont Health who invariably supported my career aspirations and paid me to do what I love doing over the past 37 years.” Founded in 1923, The Community House is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides a place for personal, professional, philanthropic and recreational pursuits. Over nearly 100 years, it has continued on page 32

SOUPER WEDNESDAY

Tours and Soup Every Wednesday

Pick a Wednesday in April to tour any Anthology of Michigan community, and you’ll take home our chef’s flavorful simmering soup. There’s no better time than now to look into Anthology Senior Living communities and dive into a vibrant lifestyle rich with rewards. This will be a socially distanced event. Masks required.

RSVP FOR SOUP NOW CONTINUE YOUR LIFE STORY WITH US ANTHOLOGY OF NORTHVILLE

ANTHOLOGY OF NOVI

Assisted Living / Memory Care 44600 Five Mile Road / Northville, MI

Independent Living / Assisted Living / Memory Care 42400 W. 12 Mile Road / Novi, MI

ANTHOLOGY OF ROCHESTER HILLS

ANTHOLOGY OF TROY

Assisted Living / Memory Care 1775 S. Rochester Road / Rochester Hills, MI

Assisted Living / Memory Care 3400 Livernois Rd. / Troy, MI

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ANTHOLOGY OF FARMINGTON HILLS

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OUR COMMUNITY

A scene from a former Bates Street Society Dinner

continued from page 30

To schedule a personal tour and inquire about move-in specials, contact Tracey 248-661-1836 TTY# 711 or email: tproghovnick@jslmi.org

APRIL 14 • 2022

served tens of thousands of residents and dozens of charities, hosted hundreds of classes, and thousands of private and public events. Seklar says the Bates Street Society Dinner, featuring cocktails, a three-course dinner, live entertainment and the awards ceremony, has recognized 58 honorees over the years and has flourished thanks to the mentorship and support of philanthropist Lois Shaevsky. The gala event also serves as a chance to induct individuals into the Bates Street Society for making significant charitable contributions to support the work and mission of The Community House. “The Community House does an awful lot of outreach and good work in the community and probably doesn’t get as

much credit for what they do,” said Weiner, who is being honored for business and philanthropy. “They’re a modest organization. There’s a lot of good that’s done there.” Lazarus says her work in wellness and education are more important now than ever before in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to take new twists and turns. “If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that good health is everything,” Lazarus said. “My entire career has been focused on giving people not only information about the latest health news and breakthroughs, but also doing whatever I can to inspire people to live healthier lives.” The Community House is located at 380 S. Bates Street in Birmingham. To learn more, visit: communityhouse.com or call (248) 644-5832.

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APRIL 14 • 2022

OUR COMMUNITY

Dr. Nat Pernick Endows Award for Detroit Students Awards will be presented during the inaugural annual ceremony on April 29. DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

he Detroit Public Schools Foundation has launched the Pernick Prize, an annual merit-based award of $15,000 each year for two Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) students in mathematics and medicine. Endowed by former DPS Foundation board member and pathologist Dr. Nat Pernick, M.D., the hope is to motivate and inspire DPSCD students to excel and raise the stature

of DPSCD in these important fields while recognizing exceptional performances. Pernick, an ardent supporter and believer in the power of mathematics and science education, said students of Detroit’s schools deserve financial support for both their educational goals and career pursuits. Pernick previously set up a scholarship program for DPSCD students which is still ongoing, Detroit College Promise, and hopes the Pernick

Prize can complement it. “I think it’s important to inspire and motivate students to be the best they can be,” Pernick said. “I’m hoping this is just another grain of sand on the pile of improving education in Detroit.” The Pernick Prize Selection Committee includes experts in mathematics and medicine along with DPSCD and DPS Foundation staff. Awards will be presented during the inaugural annual ceremony on April 29.

Mazel Tov, FJA Students Teams from Frankel Jewish Academy won awards in two competitions.

he Frankel Jewish Academy team for this year’s Maimonides Moot Court Competition earned first place among the seven teams competing on April 3 in the Cardozo

APRIL 14 • 2022

Division of the MMCC Virtual Competition. This year, participating students were tasked with answering the question: Is online shaming permissible for a greater cause?

FJA

The team who delivered the thirdplace presentation at the Technion Robotraffic competition.

The students prepared both written and oral presentations by meeting weekly, since the beginning of the school year, and did additional preparation outside of school. Their response to the question was based on their study and analysis of traditional Jewish texts, including the Bible and Talmud, and commentaries spanning 2,000 years.

“Dr. Pernick’s generosity and this unique opportunity for students speak to his commitment by contributing to a rich educational experience and leveling the playing field,” said Pamela J. Moore, president and CEO of the DPS Foundation via press release. “We’re excited to showcase the phenomenal achievements of our students and to reward them as they pursue their dreams.” Pernick said the award helps the winning students directly in paying for college and other educational expenses. “I’m hoping other students will spend more time and focus in these areas, as well as education in general,” he said. “And another motivating factor, maybe some schools will improve their programs, maybe we’ll have a math club, science The FJA team participated in the Cardozo Division, in which teams are provided the Jewish sources, from which they choose which ones to include in their presentations. Some schools/ teams participated in an in-person competition, held near Baltimore on March 27. The FJA competed against six other teams — two from Israel, and four separate teams from a Jewish school in San Diego. Team members included Evan Weitzman ’23 (captain), Samantha Caminker ’24, Eliyah Fradkin ’24, and Esti Klein ’24 with Rabbi Elliot Pachter as the team advisor. All team members participated last year, and Evan Weitzman is now a three-year MMCC veteran. They have learned a lot from their past experiences, and their hard work paid off this year.

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Taneá Menifee, program manager; Pamela J. Moore, president and CEO; Nat Pernick, M.D.; Yesenia Roman-Murphy, chief administrative officer.

club or medicine club. Maybe some other businesses or organizations will pick up on this and think it’s a good idea and invest more in these areas.” Pernick said he is grateful to a lot of people who helped him along the way and is equally as grateful to have the opportunity to pay it forward. “It’s important we do what we can to support public eduAnother mazal tov goes out to the FJA Robotraffic team for receiving third place in the traffic safety initiatives category at this year’s Technion Robotraffic competition. The students proposed an in-road signal transmitter that could be received by cars to let the computer or the driver know if they were drifting out of their lanes.

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MAZEL TOV! MARCH 23, 2022 Tammy (Ram) and Steven Hurvitz of Huntington Woods are overjoyed to announce the birth of their daughter, Hannah Josephine (Chana Yosefa). Sharing in their happiness are siblings Nathan and Aaron Hurvitz, and grandparents Michal and Jeffrey Ram of Huntington Woods, and Ruth Hurvitz of West Bloomfield. Hannah is named for her great-grandparents Chana Livni, Harold Hurvitz and Joseph Ram. Also remembered is grandpa Alan Hurvitz.

Cohen 100th

iola “Vi” Cohen of West Bloomfield turns 100 on May 1, 2022. Born in Detroit as Viola Jean Shulman, she graduated from Central High. Vi married Sol in 1942 and was happily married for 67 years. Together, along with Sol’s brother Irv, they proudly owned the Princeton Shop men’s clothing stores in Detroit and Farmington Hills. Vi is celebrating with her three sons and families: Steve of California, Ron of Oregon and Jeff of New York, along with her seven grandchildren, one great-grandson, nieces, nephews and friends. HOW TO SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS Mazel Tov! announcements are welcomed for members of the Jewish community. Anniversaries, engagements and weddings with a photo (preferably color) can appear at a cost of $18 each. Births are $10. There is no charge for bar/bat mitzvahs or for special birthdays starting at the 90th.

APRIL 14 • 2022

Potash-Simmons

eesa and Morris Potash of Birmingham, and Francee Ford of Bloomfield Hills and Boca Raton, Fla., are thrilled to announce the marriage of their children, Jacqueline Potash and Daniel Simmons. Jacqueline is the granddaughter of the late Sadie and Bernard Pesick, and the late Phyllis and Nathan Potach. Danny is the son of the late Michael Simmons, and the grandson of Micki Kline, the late Joseph Kline, and the late Ruth and Carlton Pierce. They were married in an intimate backyard ceremony surrounded by their loving immediate family at the bride’s parents’ home on Sept. 5, 2020. Rabbi Emeritus Daniel B. Syme officiated. Due to the pandemic, the joyous celebration was held Nov. 6, 2021, at Wabeek Country Club. They enjoyed their wonderful honeymoon in Hawaii in February 2022. Jacqueline is a graduate of Oakland University; and Danny is a graduate of Michigan State University and earned a master’s degree from Oakland University.

For information, contact Editorial Assistant Sy Manello at smanello@thejewishnews.com or (248) 351-5147 for information or for a mailed or emailed copy of guidelines.

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business SPOTlight

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Improving Employee Retention

Boon Health: a go-to resource for businesses looking to retain top talent.

STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

aunched on the precipice of the pandemic and the ensuing Great Resignation, Birmingham-based Boon Health is a new employee-retention tool that is serving at the intersection of mental well being and professional development. The company’s diverse team of certified coaches are working with more than 50 companies across the country, ranging from the Detroit Lions to the Mars Agency, a

APRIL 14 • 2022

global marketing firm. Boon was founded by Alex Simmons, 31, a CPA who became accustomed to stress, anxiety and burnout through his work in the high-stress environments of Alex investment banking Simmons and private equity. “When I was working in investment banking, I came to realize that everyone

was stressed and burnt out, and my employer at the time didn’t have any resources to take care of us besides an old, antiquated Employee Assistance Program,” he said. “That is when I found meditation, therapy and coaching outside of work — all of which had a transformational impact on my life and made me realize there was a massive void in the workplace around companies taking care of their people. Enter Boon!” When it comes to mental health benefits, Simmons said about 80 percent of mid- to large corporations have employee assistance programs. But these programs address employees’ needs only when they reach a crisis mode, such as severe mental illness, suicidal thoughts or substance abuse and addiction. Think of it as a dental plan that doesn’t cover routine preventative care until a patient needs a root canal. Crafting a new business

model, the 2019 graduate of University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business launched Boon to offer an approachable, customized coaching platform that facilitates personal and professional growth. Just as he was building his network of certified coaches, the pandemic struck. In the thick of the pre-vaccine phase of the pandemic, corporations faced high turnover rates of employees adjusting to remote work and coping with stress, burnout and a lack of professional development resources. “Boon is is all about resilience: How do we help the people in the company as well as the companies perform at their best potential?” Simmons said. “Either because of the stigma surrounding mental health or the mere fact that most employees don’t know they have this benefit, the employee assistance program is meant to be more continued on page 40

here’s to

Business Leaders for Michigan announced that Ryan Tarrant has joined the organization as chief operating officer. Prior to joining the chamber, Tarrant held a variety of positions in government and politics.

Emily Rosberg of West Bloomfield, a second-year law student at Michigan State University, was recently elected to be the president of the Student Bar Association.

Professional Resolution Experts of Michigan, a group of renowned and respected alternative dispute resolution neutrals, is pleased to welcome Michael Leib. He is an arbitrator and mediator, located in southeast Michigan. While he mediates and arbitrates cases primarily located in the Detroit Metropolitan area, he is able to service a much larger area through remote platforms.

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of a crisis management solution, an end-of-the-line tool,” Simmons explained. In comparison, Simmons said that Boon has experienced an average employee utilization of 30% across its customer base. After six months of working with Boon, customers have experienced 50% reductions in employee turnover and after just six coaching sessions, 85% of employees are achieving higher levels of resilience — which leads to more productive, engaged, and overall happier employees. WHAT IS COACHING? Robin Axelrod, Boon co-founder and chief clinical officer, explained the difference between psychotherapy and professional coaching like this: Psychotherapy, based on the medical model, assumes there is a problem, and the therapist works with the patient to fix what is broken. “Coaching assumes that every single person is whole,” Axelrod Robin said. “And a coach Axelrod is the guide for their clients to access all the resources they have to identify and reach their goals. Then the next step is learning how to remove obstacles getting in the way or work around them, so coaching is very goal- and success-oriented.” Axlelrod, 60, was a Judaic studies major at the Univeristy of Michigan and went on to law school at Wayne State University before pursing another degree in social work. She received a Wexner Graduate Fellowship to study social work at U-M and a certificate in Jewish professional leadership.

APRIL 14 • 2022

Along the way, she said she was fortunate enough to find mentors and coaches to guide her career path. For many years she worked at the Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills as its founding director of education while she built her private coaching practice. She still volunteers there. Axelrod explained that Boon provides 30-minute coaching sessions for individuals every other week with certified coaches. At any time during the coaching process, if the coach detects the client may be suffering from anxiety, depression or other forms of mental illness, they will recommend a mental health screening and refer for additional treatment, such as arranging mental health care with a psychiatrist or a therapist. Axelrod explained that professional coaching can range from developing better executive presence skills to managing work-home balance. For example, if a client asks, ‘How can I improve my executive presence?’ we work on that. If a client is going through a rough patch at home that spills over into their work, we address that. Whatever the client’s needs — and needs are fluid — we provide personalized coaching to empower clients to become more resilient versions of themselves to overcome challenges and reach their goals. “The data are clear: consistent, goal-oriented and individualized coaching relationships are the best way to support employees’ personal and professional growth to build a happy, productive, and engaged team.” Learn more at www.boon-health.com.

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

SPORTS

Josh Nodler was strong in the faceoff circle during his three seasons on the Michigan State hockey team. He was 310-263 on faceoffs this season.

So Long, Spartans

Calgary Flames draftee Josh Nodler of Oak Park leaves the Michigan State hockey team after three seasons. STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“I thought about going into the portal after this season a little bit during the season, but my main focus was on helping our team. After the season was over, I gave the portal a lot of thought. “It was a tough decision to leave MSU, and it’s tough to pinpoint a specific reason for the decision, but hopefully a new place, a change of pace will help advance my development to the next level.” The next level is the pros. Nodler was selected by the Calgary Flames in the fifth round (150th overall) of the 2019 NHL draft after an outstanding season with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League, the top junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey. Nodler had 42 points in 54 games with the Force. Next season will be Nodler’s last as a Flames draftee. “If the Flames don’t sign me, I’ll essentially be a free agent,” he said. The ticking clock on his time in the Flames organization is one reason why MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

ometimes dreams don’t come true. Josh Nodler, who made a verbal commitment to play hockey for Michigan State University when he was a sophomore at Berkley High School, is leaving Michigan State after three seasons. Nodler, an assistant team captain this season, entered Josh the NCAA’s transfer portal Nodler early this month. The 5-foot10, 195-pound junior forward from Oak Park has two years of collegiate eligibility remaining. It didn’t take long for Nodler to generate interest from other college hockey programs after he made his decision to leave Michigan State. He said he heard from a couple of Division I schools a few days after he entered the portal. “I’m disappointed things didn’t work out at MSU because I’ve been an MSU hockey fan my whole life, but I have to do what’s best for my career,” he said.

Nodler decided to leave Michigan State. He needs to make a splash next season. Nodler, named Michigan State’s Rookie of the Year as a freshman, had 34 points in 99 games for the Spartans over three seasons. He played in every Michigan State game during his time with the Spartans and didn’t hurt his team with penalties. He was whistled just three times for six minutes. Nodler was on a roll at the start of this season with 11 points in Michigan State’s first 13 games. But then he slumped, with just one point from Nov. 19 through Feb. 25. He finished the season with seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 36 games in his most productive year as a Spartan. He had three goals and five assists in 36 games as a freshman and three goals and eight assists in 27 games as a sophomore. While those aren’t eye-catching scoring numbers, Nodler was one of the Michigan State’s best centers each season and an excellent faceoff man. Michigan State didn’t exactly set the world on fire in the standings during Nodler’s time there. The Spartans were a combined 34-605 in those three years including 12-23-1 this season, a year in which MSU lost all six games it played against arch-rival Michigan. A computer science major, Nodler has been a star in the classroom at Michigan State, earning winter Big Ten Academic All-Conference honors three times. He had a perfect 4.0 grade-point average as a freshman. Nodler won the team’s Amo Bessone Award as a sophomore. The award is for athletic and academic achievement along with community involvement. As Nodler contemplates the next stop on his hockey journey a few days before his 21st birthday (April 27), he’s looking back on what he calls “a positive college experience” during his time at Michigan State. “I had a ton of fun and made a lot of good memories with my teammates,” he said. “The academics and social life have been great.” Send sports news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com. APRIL 14 • 2022

SPIRIT

THESHABBOSPROJECT.ORG

A WORD OF TORAH

Pesach — In Every Generation

n 1947, David Ben Gurion famously said at the United Nations: “Three hundred years ago a ship called the Mayflower left for the new world … Is there a single Englishman who knows the exact date and hour of the Mayflower’s launch … do Rabbi they know how Warren many people Goldstein were in the boat? Their names? What they wore? What they ate? … “More than 3,300 years before the Mayflower set sail, the Jews left Egypt. Any Jewish child, whether in America or Russia, Yemen or Germany, knows that his forefathers left Egypt at dawn on the 15th of Nissan … Their belts were tied and their staffs were in their hands. They ate matzot and arrived at the Red Sea after seven days … Jews worldwide still eat matzah for seven days from the 15th of Nissan, and

APRIL 14 • 2022

retell the story of the Exodus, concluding with a fervent wish ‘Next year in Jerusalem.’ This is the nature of the Jewish people.” It is at the Pesach seder that these powerful facts of Jewish history are relayed — the facts which lay the foundation for our vision and values contained in the Torah and expressed through the mitzvot. The Pesach seder has a special place in the hearts of Jews across the world. More than 80% of Jews in Israel participate in some form of Pesach seder; and in South Africa the figure is more than 90%. (In America, it’s 70%, according to the Pew Research Center.) The power of the Pesach seder goes way beyond statistics. The seder is in our hearts because it is at the heart of Judaism and the future of the Jewish people. It is that time of the year when one generation hands over to the next the history, vision and values of what it means

to be a Jew. How does the seder ensure that the facts and values of our Divine mission are conveyed from one generation to the next? The clue is the mah nishtanah — the famous four questions. If you look carefully in the Haggadah, you will find that these questions are not answered immediately, and some are only answered indirectly. The inescapable conclusion is that in a certain fundamental sense the questions are more important than the answers, and that the Pesach seder is not merely a history lesson dictating dry facts to the new generation. The questions symbolize an active and lively interaction, which aims to nurture an open and loving atmosphere. The seder is a dynamic dialogue, not a monologue because it is conveying the very essence of who we are and what our purpose is on Earth. G-d has designed

the seder to be a space and a forum where the facts, values and vision of Judaism are transmitted from one generation to the next in the context of the bonds of love. The Pesach seder, with its potential to uplift and inspire families, can be a model for Jewish life in general. It is in the hearts of so many Jews across the globe because we intuitively understand its vital importance for a vibrant Jewish future. The seder is a call to Jewish families for how to live our lives. It teaches us all how we need to make time and space for one another in order to discuss and to debate the most important dimensions of what it means to be a Jew. Just as on the seder night when families sit together to discuss the big ideas of what it means to be a Jew, so too can we do that all year round, making time for each other. Let’s do it at the Shabbat table and during the week by learning Torah together. Let the dynamic conversations continue beyond the seder. Let families talk to each other, discussing and understanding what it means to be a Jew, our values, our faith, who we are, where we come from, our faith, our values, our vision for the future. Chag Sameach! Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein, who has a PhD. in Human Rights Law, is the chief rabbi of South Africa. This essay was written March 10, 2021, for theshabbosproject.org.

SPIRIT

TORAH PORTION

A Holiday for the World

assover is the holithe themes of freedom, national day of freedom and liberation (Zionism) and God’s national liberation of mighty salvation will resonate the Jewish people. As the rabbi far beyond just us Jews at the of a Modern Orthodox shul, seders. These are powerful uniKehillat Etz Chayim in versal themes. Huntington Woods and Our Haggadah is Oak Park, I get more aware of how powerful questions around this the themes are. After time than any other holthe universal activity of iday. eating dinner (Shulchan They’re specifically Rabbi Asher Oreich), the Haggadah Lopatin Jewish questions: When continues in a more unican I start the seder? versalistic way: God feeds Parshat Which types of coffee are the entire world (Hazon Pesach I: kosher for Passover? How at Hakol); we say in grace Exodus do I sell my chametz? after meals. In the Hallel, 12:21-51, Even though freedom said after benching, not Numbers and liberation are unionly the Jews praise God, 28:16-25; versal aspirations, on this but all nations (Hallelu Joshua 5:2-6:1. holiday we focus on our et HaShem Kol Goyim) own people. and we declare every We are supposed to see ourliving soul praises God’s name selves as Israelites getting out of (Nishmat Kol Chai). Egypt (Bechol Dor vador) and So, Passover really has two as Jews living through history aspects, two personalities. One, through God’s protection and internal, introspective, to get promise to the Jewish peous to search for the chametz in ple (vehi she’amda). Yes, God our own selves, our own people redeemed our ancestors and us and figure out how the Jewish as well (asher ge’alanu vega’al et people can be redeemed from avoteinu). difficult times that we face. The Yet, in my other role, director second is external: What we can of the JCRC/AJC, I get to see do as Jews to make this entire how profound an impact our world a better place, a place of Jewish history of freedom in freedom, where people are liberthe Torah has on the broadated and where God’s presence er non-Jewish world around is felt everywhere? us. By the time Pesach rolls From my family to yours, I around, we will have done wish you a meaningful Passover, a Diplomatic seder with the both internally and externally. Diplomatic Corps of Detroit May we truly sing with joy, and our interfaith partners, “Next year in Jerusalem,” in a seder with Gov. Gretchen the eternal capital of the Jewish Whitmer — with matzah ball people and the city of peace and soup — through our Coalition hope for the entire world. for Black and Jewish Unity; and Rabbi Asher Lopatin is rabbi of we even plan, in the future, to Congregation Etz Chaim in Huntington go a Motown Seder with the Woods and Oak Park and the Motown Museum. In all these, executive director of the JCRC/AJC.

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Temple Shir Shalom West Bloomfield (248) 737-8700 shirshalom.org

Temple Beth El Flint (810) 720-9494 tbeflint@gmail.com

REFORM/RENEWAL Congregation Shir Tikvah Troy (248) 649-4418 shirtikvah.org

Young Israel of Southfield (248) 358-0154 yisouthfield.org

Temple Beth El Midland (989) 496-3720 tbe_midland@yahoo.com

RECONSTRUCTIONIST Congregation Kehillat Israel Lansing (517) 882-0049 kehillatisrael.net

Temple Beth Israel Bay City (989) 893-7811 tbi-mich.org

SECULAR/HUMANISTIC Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit Farmington Hills (248) 477-1410 chj-detroit.org

Temple Beth Israel Jackson (517) 784-3862 tbijackson.org

Sholem Aleichem Institute West Bloomfield (248) 865-0117 secularsaimichigan.org

Congregation T’chiyah Ferndale (248) 823-7115 tchiyah.org Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit (313) 567-0306 reconstructingjudiasm.org REFORM Congregation Beth El Windsor (519) 969-2422 bethelwindsor.ca Congregation Beth Shalom Traverse City 231-946-1913 beth-shalom-tc.org Congregation B’nai Israel Muskegon (231) 722-2702 cbimkg@gmail.com

Temple Beth Sholom Marquette tbsmqt.org Temple B’nai Israel Kalamazoo (269) 342-9170 Templebnaiisrael.com Temple B’nai Israel Petoskey (231) 489-8269 templebnaiisraelofpetoskey. org Temple Emanuel Grand Rapids (616) 459-5976 grtemple.org

ANN ARBOR

CONSERVATIVE Beth Israel Congregation (734) 665-9897 @BethIsraelCongregation ORTHODOX Ann Arbor Chabad House (734) 995-3276 jewmich.com Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan annarborminyan.org RECONSTRUCTIONIST Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (734) 445-1910 aarecon.org REFORM Temple Beth Emeth (734) 665-4744 templebethemeth.org RENEWAL Pardes Hanah pardeshanah.org

SEPHARDIC Keter Torah Synagogue West Bloomfield (248) 681-3665 rabbisasson.wixsite.com/ keter

SECULAR HUMANISTIC Jewish Cultural Society (734) 975-9872 jewishculturalsociety.org

Ohr Hatorah Oak Park (248) 294-0613 Ohrhatorah.us

Please email factual corrections or additional synagogues to list to: smanello@thejewishnews.com.

TRADITIONAL Woodward Avenue Shul Royal Oak (248) 414-7485 thewas.net

Temple Emanu-El Oak Park (248) 967-4020 emanuel-mich.org APRIL 14 • 2022

PASSOVER

A Seat at the Seder Table

Local families open their doors to non-Jewish friends for Pesach.

icki Back, raised on a Missouri farm, did not get to know Jewish community members until moving to Bloomfield Hills. One friendly neighbor continues to be Elaine Sturman, whose commitments have included membership in Temple Israel and Temple Beth El while serving in leadership roles for Hadassah of Vicki Back Greater Detroit and the Jewish Ensemble Theatre (JET). Raising children in the same age ranges, the women became close; and Sturman invited the Back family to Elaine a seder filled with some 40 Sturman relatives and friends. That welcoming gesture placed the Sturmans among a number of Metro Detroit Jewish families who have asked guests of

APRIL 14 • 2022

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

other faiths to join Passover celebrations. “I had never been to a seder or even heard of it, but we just went,” recalled Back, who appreciated the content of the Haggadah. “We were totally open-minded and found it super interesting — the different foods, traditions and reading of prayers. “We enjoyed seeing what was going on, and everybody was very nice. They knew we weren’t Jewish and tried to include us and explain things. We observed and enjoyed it. “I think it’s wonderful for people of different faiths to share customs. It’s a learning experience that broadens everybody’s life.” Besides enjoying the Back family as guests, Sturman enjoyed taking her young children to Christmas displays at the church where the Back family worships and, much later, being a guest at a christening of a Back grandchild.

“I have a lot of non-Jewish friends, and I like them to see our traditions,” Sturman said. “I like to see their traditions. I used to do seders at a Catholic church in Grosse Pointe, and we used a very well-written Haggadah as an explanation of what a seder is. “Knowledge makes us closer.” SHARING TRADITIONS Sharing knowledge also is important to Diane Alvin of Huntington Woods and Nancy Adair of Royal Oak, who met through participation in tennis activities. Alvin includes Adair in seders, and Adair includes Alvin for Christmas meals. Alvin grew up in an Nancy extended Toledo family Adair having large seders similar to ones hosted by her late husband’s family in Michigan, but as

Martin and Diane Alvin

relatives dispersed to distant places, the Alvins became hosts to different kinds of guests. “I found myself wanting to have a big seder because I enjoyed the company and the feel of it,” said Alvin, a retired school social worker and member of Temple Shir Shalom. “Without having a natural group to do that, I put together my own family of friends. “I have a lot of friends who are not Jewish, and I started inviting them. Many had never been to a seder, so we used a Haggadah that was very accessible. I wanted my guests to appreciate the history and the culture and see another way families celebrate their past. “When biological families aren’t available, you cobble together a surrogate family.” Adair, a former school social worker now in private practice, has gone to quite a few seders at the Alvin home. She assumed she would be “walked through everything” she needed to know. “Every time I go, I love the traditions,” Adair said. “I think they’re an important part of family life and people’s lives. [The experience] was beautiful. It felt very comfortable and homey.” Adair, raised in a Presbyterian home, described her knowledge of Judaism as cursory before attending the seders. “Inviting others to Christmas celebrations probably came from a suggestion by Diane,” said Adair, who, with Alvin, belongs to a gourmet dinner group and includes about eight people for the holiday. “I think Christianity is so mainstream, other religions know more about Christianity than Christians know about other religions,” Adair said. “I don’t remember having to explain anything.”

SHARING THE MESSAGE OF FREEDOM Verne and Ed Royal also planned seders with friends after a move to Michigan separated them from family. The couple, who became active with Temple Israel, had about 20 guests each time and had included Suzanne and Joel Welsh, valued in a couples’ friendship launched while the two women worked together at Sinai Hospital. The Royals, now retired in New York state to be near their daughter’s family, listen to Temple Israel services online and stay in touch with the Welshes. “This is a very religious Christian couple who seemed to know a good deal about Judaism,” Verne Royal said. “I asked if she and her husband would be Verne and Ed Royal

interested in coming to our seder, and they were excited because they had never been to a seder before but knew about it. “We tried to make sure the message about freedom applies to everyone, and we pulled some readings to make it applicable to anyone, not just speaking to Jews. I think the overall message is a universal message that anyone can appreciate.” Verne, a longtime career consultant, and Ed, a longtime oral surgeon, often went out to dinner with the Welshes and were happy to attend their wedding, which combined Catholic and Protestant traditions. “We consider Passover as a time to open your doors to all and, for us, having somebody who is not Jewish was just another opening of the door,” said Ed Royal, who made sure Hebrew prayers were translated as well as explained along with the symbolism of items on the seder plate. “Because we had so many different people from so many different places, we began by having people introduce themselves and tell how they came to be at our table,” Verne Royal said. Since the seder experience, the Welshes send High Holidays greeting cards to the Royals. “I felt honored when I got the seder invitation,” said Suzanne Welsh of Lathrup Village, a career coach married to a computer businessman. “Verne and I had been talking about spirituality and found that we had a connection, and I treasure that to this day. “My husband and I are avid readers and students of Scripture, so we did read up on the seder before going into the dinner. We took away the warmth, love, openness, sharing and [sense of peace]. We saw a lot more similarities than differences. We didn’t feel like guests; we felt like family.” BUILDING INTERFAITH FRIENDSHIPS Another work friendship, which developed over 20 years at a West Bloomfield dental office, also led to a seder invitation. Carol Meyers of West Bloomfield, an office manager, invited Diane Gavron of Wixom, a dental hygienist. “We always like to have people, and Diane likes to join in and be part of the holiday,” said Meyers, who included some 20

Suzanne and Joel Welsh

continued on page 48

APRIL 14 • 2022

PASSOVER

continued from page 47

Carol Meyers and Diane Gavron

Ryan Donahoe and Family

“I LIKE INTRODUCING GUESTS TO A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT, AND OUR OTHER GUESTS ARE WELCOMING.” — CAROL MEYERS

APRIL 14 • 2022

guests to what she defines as a “low-key” observance. “I like introducing guests to a different viewpoint, and our other guests are welcoming. My cousin has the seder a lot of times and will have outside people as well. The door is always open.” Gavron, who prepared by reading about the holiday in advance, said she found it most interesting that each part of the meal had a purpose. “Carol and I had become so close that I felt like part of the family,” Gavron said. “Everybody knew I was not Jewish, and I never felt out of place. My kids have had a lot of really close Jewish friends, and I’ve gone to bar and bat mitzvahs. I’d have their friends over for Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner. “I think more people should experience different religions and different cultures. It’s important to understand that you can have differences, but you can still be really good friends and understand each other.” In Petoskey, there are community seders hosted by Temple B’nai Israel, which counts 40 members year-round and 80 in the summer. Among returning guests are family members of Rev. Ryan Donahoe, religious leader of the neighboring First Presbyterian Church. “He’s part of the interfaith group that our congregation is part of, and his church typically does a seder at Easter that I help him with so I wanted to invite him to our seder,” said Val Meyerson, a librarian for the Petoskey District Library, who is active with the temple and the Anti-Defamation League Michigan. “I want him to gain a stronger understanding of the Jewish traditions and a connection to the Jewish community in our area. We want to strengthen relationships in the community, and some of our temple members have participated in the Val seder he’s had for church members.” Meyerson Donahoe said his family looks forward to the Passover meals. “I see it as a learning opportunity,” said Donahoe, whose congregation numbers about 130. “For me, it’s getting in touch with where my faith comes from. Even as a Christian, our beginnings are in the Jewish faith, and it’s very important to know our Jewish ancestry. “Having the deepened meaning behind all the foods is very helpful. My kids remember what they’re going to eat, and I think it’s so wonderful.” Christopher Bremer has explored Jewish experiences during 21 years of staging religion-connected productions for the Jewish Ensemble Theatre, but he had not experienced an actual seder until Elaine Sturman invited his family. “Celebrating with caring families was fabulous for me and my family,” Bremer said. “I was thrilled when they included my daughters in reading from the Haggadah, and my wife has since cooked matzah ball soup [at the request of one of my daughters]. Christopher “I feel so lucky that board members and other conBremer tacts have been so open and giving.”

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PASSOVER

Lavish platters of sweets are featured at an Israeli Mimouna.

Worldwide Passover Traditions Pesach celebrations embody many religious and local traditions. SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

assover for most members of the Detroit Jewish community typically includes a recitation of the Haggadah, sometimes a contemporary or family version, a meal that includes ceremonial foods such as charoset and matzah, along with Ashkenazi fare — chicken soup with matzah balls, chopped liver, roast chicken, tzimmes and brisket. Pesach songs may be sung, and children enjoy looking for the hidden Afikomen matzah. Families with a Sephardic background may enjoy a somewhat different menu. But, in other parts of the world, traditions vary. While all seders include charoset to

APRIL 14 • 2022

symbolize the mortar used by Hebrew slaves building for the pharaoh, its components vary in different countries. Deborah Morosohk, Temple Beth El’s education director, recently presented a program titled “Passover around the World.” Deborah She explained that customs Morosohk and food evolved as Jews absorbed some aspects of local cuisine, using foods from available crops and animals. Apples, for example, are common in Europe so Ashkenazi Jews use them in charoset. In South Africa, Jews stew apples

with cinnamon and cloves for dessert, she says. In North Africa and the Middle East, dates, figs and almonds are plentiful so they are used in charoset and other foods. Morosohk adds that in Gibraltar the Jewish community includes dust from bricks in their charoset to intensify the memory of the Hebrew slaves toiling in Egypt. Ethiopian Jews made matzah from chickpea flour, Morosohk says, and ate lamb as these foods were easy to obtain. They do not eat yogurt, butter or cheese during Passover. Also, Ethiopian Jews read the Passover story from Exodus in the Torah rather than a Haggadah. Israeli families typically maintain some of the traditions of their family origins. Arye (Larry) Schwartz, a former Detroiter and Jerusalem resident since the 1970s, says, “The customs are passed down from generation to generation, especially special food dishes on holidays. A Arye family that emigrated from Schwartz Tunisia 70 years ago will still maintain a special dish served during the Pesach seder today. This applies to all the communities, especially from firstgeneration new immigrants. New olim (Israeli immigrants) will generally do exactly what they did before they arrived, without incorporating any new ‘Israeli’ customs.” However, he adds that those who have lived in Israel for a longer time often include a mix of dishes from different cultural and religious traditions. He has a friend — a Sephardic chef — who makes gefilte fish (an Ashkenazi dish) for his family seders. DIVERSE PRACTICES One increasingly popular Israeli Passover custom is the Mimouna — a post-Passover celebration that includes extensive desserts, music and dancing. Mufleta — a Moroccan crepe/pancake and donuts are featured. Prosperity is a Mimouna theme, reflected in gold-colored decorations and continued on page 52

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guests who wear chains with simulated gold coins around their waists. The Mimouna tradition originated in North Africa, and some Israelis wear traditional Moroccan dress, including a fez, at these festivities. Mimouna celebrations have expanded beyond Israelis of Moroccan and Algerian descent. Families host large-scale parties that have become very popular throughout Israel, with many Ashkenazi Jews participating as well. Jews of Moroccan descent who live in other countries sometimes celebrate Mimouna. Morosohk points out that Passover customs extend beyond the menu with special customs to help tell the Passover story. Afghan Jews “whip” each other with scallions or leeks — imitating the cruel Egyptian slave drivers — while singing “Dayanu.” She says that a Romanian tradition includes women walking around during the seder carrying pillow cases with heavy weights to symbolize the strenuous burden of the Hebrew slaves. “In Hungary, there is

a tradition of bling — having gold and silver on the table. In Poland, seder participants reenact the crossing of the Red Sea by pouring water on the floor while lifting their coats and other clothing,” she says. Myriam Cohen, a West Bloomfield resident of Moroccan descent, follows some Sephardic traditions in her family seder. A signature dish is a Passover soup with vegetables and fava beans. She says that they use Sephardic melodies as they recite the Haggadah. Another tradition is for a father or grandfather to hold the seder plate over each individual’s head while saying “May you succeed.” She has hosted Mimouna festivities — post-Passover parties with baked goods and traditional mufleta (pancakes) — to symbolize a wish for sweetness in life. Cohen says that she added pizza to please her children, who missed it during Passover. She adds that in Sephardic communities, families often went from house to house, participating in multiple Mimouna events.

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A Modern-Day Passover Miracle 35 years ago, my mom — a human trafficking survivor — celebrated her first Pesach as a free woman.

pril 14, 1987, the first night of Passover, was the date freedom came to my mother, Remy Sweet, who was enslaved as a domestic servant far from her native land. For her, it was truly the most zissen “sweet”

Pesach. “The day I finally had legal immigration status in this country is something I will never forget,” said my mom, who adds that all the experiences she overcame on her own personal journey to freedom culminated on that first night of Passover. This date serves as a symbol of “I was still living with [the my parents’ love, their hope for a promising future and miracles traffickers] when this beyond belief. In short, this date is picture was taken. Rachel my mom’s Independence Day. Sweet

Associate Editor

EARLY LIFE Before my mom was happily married to my father, Ben Sweet, she was a young woman in search of safety. Born and raised in the Philippines, my mom was the eldest of nine kids. She was reared in a home where food was scarce, but love was abundant. She naturally had a sense of leadership and maternal care for her younger siblings.

APRIL 14 • 2022

I got to dress up and play nice because they were having company over. I even made the shirt I am wearing myself.”

Then, at 16 years old, supposed “friends” of their family (the traffickers) promised my mother’s parents that my mom would get an education and earn enough money to send back home if she went with them to the U.S. to be their housekeeper and take care of their elderly mother. I asked my mom if she was excited to leave the Philippines. “At first, yes, I was happy,” she replied. “Then when you realize as a 16-year-old that you’re leaving the country … leaving the people who you love, your mom and dad, your siblings … as a young kid, I was scared. I didn’t want to go, but I didn’t have any choice.” My mom says the traffickers handled all her travel paperwork, and they left the Philippines on Christmas Day 1982. She arrived in Michigan just in time to see her first snowfall. THE HORROR BEGINS My mom’s first night in the States quickly took a turn for the worst. The Filipino traffickers kept my mom’s passport from her and kept her in their Metro Detroit home as an involuntary servant. She says she was overworked and lived in inhumane conditions, and all the promises they made were never fulfilled. “When I got to the house, they did not put me in a bedroom. I had to find places in their home where I could sleep. No bed. No nothing. I slept with the dogs. Literally, like a beanbag.” My mom said that first night in the U.S. she cried herself to sleep and prayed she would wake up back home with her family. But the nightmare just kept getting worse. “I woke up in the cold by myself. [The traffickers] celebrated Christmas and then they left to go and celebrate some

more with their friends … I was alone,” she said. My mom said she did whatever was asked of her, which included manual labor throughout the home and caring for an 80-year-old woman and a baby. “Every single day, I would do some work outside … whether it be clearing the snow, mowing the lawn or cleaning rugs by myself.” Neighbors would see her working hard and knew something was unusual. They saw a young woman doing so much work by herself, knowing that two big guys lived inside of the home. While the neighbors in the predominantly Polish neighborhood showed a bit of kindness toward my mother, it wasn’t easy for her to build relationships or make friends because the traffickers wouldn’t allow her to speak to anyone. For four years, she endured constant mistreatment. Without any money and knowing little to no English, her options seemed slim. One night, my then 19-yearold mother decided to rely on her faith and run away. THE GETAWAY While she didn’t speak English very well, she did manage to befriend a young Polish man in the neighborhood, whom we will call “Stan.” My mom said she knew Stan had taken a liking to her and offered to take her wherever she needed to go to escape. They planned a scheme where she would gather up garbage bags acting as if she was taking out the trash. One of the bags was filled with all her belongings. They agreed to meet at 1 p.m. in a nearby alleyway. But as the time got closer and closer, and as she began to take out the trash, the traffickers asked her to feed the baby. “It was five minutes to 1

Ben, age 22, outside his parents’ home

TOP: Remy and Ben sharing a kiss on their wedding day. MIDDLE: Ben and Remy during wedding toast. RIGHT: The Sweet clan all dressed up for a family friend’s wedding ceremony. Back row left to right: Remy and Ben; second row. Isaac, Amanda, Jeremy; front, Rachel.

continued on page 56 APRIL 14 • 2022

PASSOVER continued from page 54

p.m. and the baby wouldn’t eat. [Nervous that I would be late to meet up with Stan], I finally figured out why the baby didn’t want to eat. He was running a fever. So, I told the parents and they got mad at me, screaming, ‘Get out! Go take out the trash!’” She continued with her plan to meet Stan. Thankfully, he waited. When she finally got to his car, she apologized for being late and threw her stuff in the trunk and hid in the back seat, ready to hit the road. But then the car wouldn’t start! She said her heart began to race in panic, thinking it was all over. “If they would have seen me … I would have never gotten away,” she said. What felt like forever might have only been seconds. Finally, the car started, and she screamed, “Go fast!” He asked her where she wanted to go. “I don’t care,” she said. “Go fast, and let’s go now!” Soon, they got to the mall. As it got later, Stan asked where he should take her next because he had to go back home. Anxious and not knowing where to go, my mom recalled having a phone number in her pocket from a kind Polish neighbor she met in passing. We will call him “Theo.” Theo gave her a phone number a while back when they

The Sweet siblings all smiles at Rachel’s bat mitzvah ceremony: Jeremy, Amanda, Isaac and Rachel.

were moving out of the neighborhood and said, “Someday you’re going to need this. Call me when you do.” She found a pay phone and begged a stranger for some change to make the call that ultimately helped save her life. Theo knew exactly who it was and said, “Where are you? And who’s with you? Let me talk to them.” Theo and Stan spoke to each other in Polish. After he hung up the phone, Stan said he was going to take her to Theo’s house. THE TRANSITION As we get ready retell the story of Passover each year, we always feel so incredibly connected to the Israelite’s Exodus from

Egypt. We feel like God had a hand in leading my mom to her freedom. With the help of Stan and Theo, and after several transitions through families throughout Metro Detroit, my mom was finally able to make contact with her family in the Philippines by mail, letting them know she was safe. She eventually found a stable home with an Orthodox Jewish family in Oak Park. We will call them the “Yocheved” family. The Yocheveds gave my mom sanctuary as a live-in nanny. They also taught her what it meant to keep a Jewish home, all while encouraging her to go out, live her life and meet new people. For the first time, my mom

says, she felt like a free woman. Not long after, she met and began dating her future husband — my father, Ben, an electrical engineering student at Michigan State University. Home from school over the summer, he would meet up with friends after work at a park in Oak Park. He noticed my mom, who had made friends with some of the kids in the group. My dad said he was immediately attracted to her, saying that her smile was “like sunshine.” STUCK IN CANADA One day, the Yocheved family took my mom on an outing to Boblo Island, not realizing that it was in Canada. On their way continued on page 58

“THAT NIGHT, BEN’S FAMILY WELCOMED ME IN THEIR HOME TO CELEBRATE PASSOVER. AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED … THINKING BACK ON HOW I GOT THERE, IT WAS A LOT.” — REMY SWEET

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Canada. When my dad caught wind of what was going on, he filed a fiancée visa application. “I wasn’t considering marriage at that stage of my life, but the thought of her being gone made me realize I didn’t want to live without her,” he said. While in Canada, my mom stayed with several families, finally settling with a Filipino family in Windsor. My parents say it took two years for the visa to go through. My dad traveled from East Lansing to visit her on weekends, with the ongoing possibility of her deportation at any time. “The incredible thing is, after all that, it was the first night of Passover, and she came over the water [the Ambassador Bridge] for her Exodus. We find it hard to believe that was just a coincidence,” he added.

The Sweet family gathering together for a selfie. Remy, Ben, Megan Allen, Leila Allen-Sweet, Jeremy, Isaac; front row: Shirley, Amanda and Rachel.

back to Metro Detroit, a customs officer asked my mom for her travel papers. She did not have any. My mom said two big officers escorted her in front of everyone else on the boat, “I could hear [the Yocheveds’] kids asking, ‘Where are they going to take her?’ I tried to compose myself not to cry because there were so many people there,” she said. “I was so embarrassed. My emotions were everywhere. I didn’t know what was happening or what was going to happen next. I didn’t know how to respond. So basically, I just walked with them and didn’t say anything.” The Boblo boat brought her back to Detroit, where immigration then interrogated her for hours. “I was so scared. You know, with all these people asking constant questions over and over and over. From 4 o’clock that afternoon to 1 o’clock in the morning, I was interrogated,” my mom said. “I didn’t know what else I could say. They kept drilling me, and they didn’t even ask if I needed to go to the bathroom. They were inhumane,” my mom added with tears streaming down her face.

APRIL 14 • 2022

After the intense questioning, the officers said that she didn’t exist in the U.S.; there was no record that she was ever here, so they deported her back to Canada. When my mom arrived in Canada, Canadian immigration greeted her and asked her if she needed to go to the bathroom or if she was hungry. My mom said after hours of being terrified during the interrogation, “they treated me like a person, a human being.” She then broke down after being offered some kindness. The Canadian immigration authorities apologized and explained how she would have to stay the night in jail if she couldn’t pay for a $1,000 bond. She didn’t have any cash on her, so they contacted the Yocheveds. It was very early in the morning, and my mom said she didn’t know what was going to happen next. As time passed, they told my mom they hadn’t heard from the Yocheveds in a while — and not to worry about the other people in the holding cell; they were nice. As they began to get her ready for lockup, the Yocheveds knocked on the door with the cash in hand. That began my mom’s sojourning in

PASSOVER FREEDOM My mom, Remy, now resides locally with my dad, Ben Sweet, her husband of 35 years. Together, they raised four children. As the season of Passover begins, there are always bittersweet memories for my mom. “That night, Ben’s family welcomed me in their home to celebrate Passover. After everything that had happened … thinking back on how I got there, it was a lot,” she said with tears in her eyes. After receiving the fiancée visa, my parents say they had to get married within 90 days. June 25, 1987, my parents had a multicultural Jewish wedding filled with the Filipino friends my mom made and family and friends on my dad’s side, who happily welcomed her into the family. The two began their life together as an interracial Jewish couple. While my mom knew about Judaism, she was raised Catholic in the Philippines. However, she decided to raise their four children, including myself, in the Jewish faith. “I converted to Judaism when I felt ready, and after taking classes for a year learning more about the faith,” she said. My mom said raising a Jewish family just felt right. As she continued to learn more about Judaism, she felt even more connected and wanted to go through the mikvah conversion ritual along with my

older siblings. They were young children, and my mom was several months pregnant with me. While it’s hard for her to think back to those days in captivity, she is so proud of how far she has come and now holds Passover so close to her heart. “Passover for me … I love having all of my family here because it’s an accomplishment for me. When I see everyone together, that is what Passover is about. Because that’s the day I became free and legal to be in this country.” The Sweet family continues to grow and gather together to celebrate Pesach every year, alevei viter [may it be so further on], retelling the story of Passover while also celebrating

Remy’s liberation and everything she has overcome. My mom’s story is a reminder that freedom from slavery didn’t just happen thousands of years ago, but that it’s still happening to this day. We relate this to a quote from a Haggadah we use during Passover, “In every generation, each Jew must look upon himself as though he, personally, was among those who went forth from Egypt. Not our fathers alone did the Holy One, Blessed be He, redeem from suffering, but also us and our families.” To this day, it’s still hard for my mom to share her story. It’s a deep wound that has taken time to heal — and, as a family, we are still healing.

Ben and Remy at a Valentine’s Day ball

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PASSOVER

From Addiction to Freedom

A new Haggadah for recovering alcoholics brings a new perspective to the traditional seder. RONELLE GRIER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

or those in recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction, certain traditions can be challenging. On Purim, Jews are expected to drink until they cannot distinguish between wicked Haman and righteous Mordechai. On Passover, we are instructed to drink four cups of wine during the seder. A new Haggadah helps recovering addicts meet these challenges and find new meaning in the traditional seder. The Four Cups: A Recovery Haggadah is edited by Rabbi Shais Taub, author of the Jewish recovery classic G-d of Our Understanding, and coordinated by Rabbi Nechemia Schusterman, co-director of Chabad in Peabody, Massachusetts. Using anecdotes and personal stories from alcoholics that Taub collected over several years, the Haggadah exemplifies the distinct connection between the exodus from Egypt and the journey from addiction to freedom. “Only a slave can understand freedom,” said Rabbi Benny Greenwald, director of The Daniel B. Sobel Friendship House, a program of Friendship Circle of Michigan. Rabbi “Addiction is a form Benny Greenwald of enslavement.” The Four Cups is interspersed with commen-

APRIL 14 • 2022

tary based on the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) “Big Book.” The section on “Searching for Chametz (leavened food items)” is augmented with remarks on “Revealing Our Defects of Character,” part of the personal inventory process in Steps 4 and 5 of the 12 Steps of AA. Greenwald explains that chametz, such as bread made with yeast, represents the ego, an inflated view of the self. Conversely, matzah is considered the bread of faith and healing, a symbol of humility. To achieve inner freedom, it is necessary to remove the “hot air” and fill the space with spiritual, not material, pursuits. “Matzah is filling, physically and spiritually,” Greenwald said. “Having faith and humility are the first steps in leaving ‘Egypt’.” The book provides a recovery-oriented perspective on the four sons described in the Haggadah — the wise one, the wicked one, the simple one and the one who does not know how to ask. While the traditional text outlines the best way to respond to each child, The Four Cups adds the following explanation: “When it comes to the child who doesn’t know how to ask, we are told the parent is supposed to initiate by telling them the story of our redemption. “We know that there are those who still suffer, who aren’t even able to reach out for help.

“When we suspect that we are talking to such a prospect, we do not wait for them to initiate. Rather, we tell them the story of our miraculous redemption, and we hope that it will resonate with them — if not now, then perhaps with the passage of time.” “When we help a newcomer, it’s important to recognize where they are and tailor our answers according to the person,” Greenwald said. He takes the allegory a step further and describes a fifth child, one who does show up for the seder. While this child may be suffering from alcoholism or another form of addiction, we should reach out with an offer of help and a message of hope. “My addiction led to five years in prison,” said Jim.* “Before, I couldn’t relate to the story of Passover because I never experienced slavery or persecution. Now I know how it feels to be a slave to something I couldn’t break free of on my own.” Taub and Schusterman hope the new Haggadah will help increase awareness about addiction and reduce the stigma attached to the disease and those who suffer from it. The Four Cups: A Recovery Haggadah can be purchased at https://fourcups.org/ or at Amazon.com. *Names have been changed to protect anonymity.

Resources:

The Daniel B. Sobel Friendship House provides support and guidance to individuals and families struggling with addiction, isolation and other life crises. Contact Rabbi Benny Greenwald at benny@ friendshipcircle.org or (248) 788-8888, ext. 206, or visit www. friendshipcircle.org/ friendshiphouse/ Alcoholics Anonymous S.E. Michigan (248) 541-6565 www.aa.org Narcotics Anonymous Michigan (877) 338-1188 www.na.org Al-Anon, support for friends and family members of individuals struggling with addiction (248) 888-8586 www.al-anon.org Overeaters Anonymous www.oa.org, www. oagreaterdetroit.org Gamblers Anonymous (313) 792-2877 www.gamblersanonymous. org Suicide Hotline (800) 784-2433 Michigan Crisis 24/7 Helpline Call or text 844-44MICAL (844-446-4225) Chat is also available. at Michigan.gov/MiCAL

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A Prayer for Ukraine

onsider adding this prayer to your seder this year for the people of Ukraine. Shield of Abraham, Protector of Sarah, rise up in protection of our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, so that they may travel on eagles’ wings Rabbi Aaron safely to the Starr Promised Land. There may they know the loving embrace of family and kinsmen and, together with all Jews, may their futures hold blessing and success, prosperity and peace. Compassionate Creator of all, open our hearts so that our mercy and our kindness may be upon all Ukrainians. Inspire us for the sake of peace to care actively for their widows and their orphans, their poor and their suffering, that each and every person shall sit under his or her

vine and fig tree and none shall make them afraid. Heavenly Designer, grant understanding and wisdom to all leaders of this world. May they know humility and patience, benevolence and charity, to protect the God-given individual rights of humanity and the sanctity of democracy. May these leaders remember and fear the horrors of nuclear weaponry, and may they be emboldened and empowered to prevent the further military use of nuclear, chemical and biological technologies. May we together, You and us, work toward the day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and when justice, righteousness and lovingkindness shall flow like a mighty stream. And let us say, Amen! Rabbi Aaron Starr is a spiritual leader at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.

PASSOVER

Passover Parade

Mitzvah Tanks roll through Metro Detroit, offering cheer and Passover essentials.

welve Mitzvah mobile centers known as “Mitzvah Tanks” made their way through Metro Detroit April 6. The parade, which was held in Metro Detroit for the first time, is a long-running popular sight in New York City. Beginning in Oak Park and traveling down Woodward Avenue to Downtown Detroit, the Mitzvah Tanks aimed to engage the Jewish community ahead of the Passover holiday and to inspire the act of doing mitzvahs, or good deeds done from religious duty. The day-long program was put on by Chabad Lubavitch of Michigan and the Friday Mivtzoim Boys of Yeshiva Detroit Zekelman Campus in Oak Park in honor of the 120th birthday of the famous late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, born on April 12 (a day of celebration known as Yud Alef Nissan). “It was just exciting energy,” says Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, spiritual director of The Shul - Chabad Lubavitch in West Bloomfield. “There was a terrific response from members of the community.” The parade launched at Oak Park’s Lubavitch Yeshiva and later split up to 12 locations, including West Bloomfield,

Farmington Hills, Troy, Royal Oak and more. There, Mitzvah Tank representatives handed out Passover essentials like matzvah, helped with tefillin wraps and got to know members of Metro Detroit’s Jewish community and beyond. “Many packets for the Passover seder were passed out,” Shemtov says. “People were interested in hearing how to go about their seder, and many took down information to be able to go to a public seder. There were all different levels of engagement.”

THE SHUL

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

One of the “Friday Boys” engages a passerby. A parade of Mitzvah Tanks heads down Woodward Avenue in Detroit. BELOW: The caravan began in Oak Park.

A LONGSTANDING TRADITION Even though April 6 saw rain and cold in Michigan, the event was still a success. Mitzvah Tanks (a term coined by the Rebbe) were first launched in 1974. The longstanding tradition centers around the motto of “a mitzvah on the spot for people on the go,” a practice that can sometimes be difficult to maintain in today’s busy world. Mitzvah Tanks, however, give people a chance to slow down and reflect on Jewish values, cultures and traditions. They also offer a positive, inspirational alternative to tanks seen in today’s world,

continued on page 64 APRIL 14 • 2022

PASSOVER continued from page 63

especially as it pertains to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Held every year around the Rebbe’s birthday, Mitzvah Tanks also aim to introduce the Passover spirit to the Jewish community by handing out authentic and handmade Passover matzah known as “shmurah matzah” to use at the Passover seder. “When these boys go out with the music and the spirit just before Pesach, the Jews become connected and it’s really beautiful,” Shemtov describes. BRINGING CHEER TO THE COMMUNITY During Metro Detroit’s Mitzvah Tank Parade, Chabad emissaries and students from five continents and 20 countries, including Brazil and South Korea, participated in the day-long festivities. Following the split to their

APRIL 14 • 2022

Rabbi Shemtov and some of the Friday Boys

individual locations, Mitzvah Tanks stopped at schools like Frankel Jewish Academy. They also visited the elderly and homebound. “At the senior citizen homes, many of the residents came outside, even though it was rainy,” Shemtov says. “They wanted to be a part [of the event]. It was real-

ly very special.” After the first appearance of Mitzvah Tanks in Metro Detroit, Shemtov says the calls are already coming in to make the event an annual one. “It sounds like something worthwhile to do more often than not,” Shemtov says. “Once you do something

good, there’s always the recognition that it doesn’t only have to be on special anniversaries. We can try to do different activities like this at other times as well.” Those still in need of Passover essentials can contact The Shul to pick up a packet before the holiday.

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VOICE OF THE NEW JEWISH GENERATION

Your Home, Made Healthy

Food blogger Alana Lieberman dishes out healthy, familyfriendly recipes. RACHEL SWEET ASSOCIATE EDITOR

lana Lieberman, 27, says she has always had a true passion for cooking, “ever since I was tall enough to stand on a stool and peek over the kitchen counter.” The Berkley-based food blogger turned her love for cooking into a small business. It started as a side hustle in college, she says. “I called it Home, Made Healthy at the time and I did small catering jobs, some in-home personal cooking for working families, and made baked goods for friend and family events.” The money Lieberman made from her business wasn’t enough to pay the bills, so, she decided to get a job in the healthcare industry and put her passion for cooking to the side. “Though, when COVID hit, I was laid off from my full-time job and decided to give Home, Made Healthy a shot again.” With time and research, Lieberman found the field of food blogging and dived right in. “I started with an internship with another local blogger, where she taught me a lot of the behind-the-scenes work of running a recipe website.” Following the internship, Lieberman took on her business full time. PASSION TURNED INTO A BUSINESS “I bought a domain name, ‘yourhomemadehealthy. com,’ and changed the business name to Your Home, Made Healthy to represent the shift from cooking for others in their home to them cooking my recipes themselves.

continued on page 68

APRIL 14 • 2022

PHOTOS COURTESY OF YOUR HOME, MADE HEALTHY

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VOICE OF THE NEW JEWISH GENERATION continued from page 66

Almost two years later, Lieberman’s website has more than 100 recipes, and more are added each week. “I am able to make a full-time income from multiple streams of revenue, including freelance recipe development, food photography, website maintenance and meal prep services,” she says. In honor of her Jewish roots, she has a whole category dedicated to Jewish recipes. “Easy hamantaschen, air fryer latkes with homemade applesauce and the classic matzo ball soup, are made from fresh and healthy ingredients, but still allow you to celebrate in style,” she says. Lieberman hopes to continue doing what she loves while having the freedom to work on her own terms and provide healthier meals to the world. “My main goal for my readers, and basically my business’s mission in general, is to provide approachable, family-friendly ‘healthier’ meals to those that love to get in their kitchen and cook good food. “I never impose views on diets or restricted eating. Instead, I focus on using quality ingredients for made-from-scratch recipes. Food should be both enjoyable and fresh (i.e. lots of fruits, vegetables and other whole foods),” Lieberman adds. While Lieberman loves helping others in the kitchen, she also hopes to be a source of inspiration for those who feel “stuck” and want to make a change. “I hope I can encourage others to leap, even if they don’t know exactly where it’ll take them. Life is too short to live without passion, especially 40+ hours a week.”

APRIL 14 • 2022

Kosher For Passover Cheesecake

ALANA’S PASSOVER CHEESECAKE “I’ve been making a Passover cheesecake for at least five years now,” she says. “I originally came up with the idea because it’s one of the only desserts that does not require matzo meal or a different flour substitute since there isn’t any in the traditional version anyways. Instead, I simply opt to make the crust with coconut, just like coconut macaroons, for a grain-free substitution. Now, I can’t go a single Passover without making it because my family begs for it every year!” Ingredients For the Coconut Macaroon Crust: 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut ¼ cup granulated sugar 2 large egg whites ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon kosher salt For the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake 16 ounces cream cheese (2 blocks) room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup sour cream. room temperature 2 tablespoons potato starch ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon kosher salt vanilla bean seeds, scraped from 1 pod

For the White Chocolate Mousse 1 cup heavy cream ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 4 ounces cream cheese (½ a block) room temperature 4 ounces white chocolate (1 baking bar) melted Directions

Prepare a 9-inch spring form pan by spraying it with nonstick spray and adding a circular piece of parchment paper to the bottom. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Make the crust: Whisk together sugar, egg whites, vanilla extract and salt in a bowl until fully combined and frothy. Fold in the coconut until thick and evenly moistened. Scoop mixture into bottom of the prepared pan. Press down until it forms a thin layer of crust on the bottom, working your way up the sides to cover thinly about a ½-inch up the sides. Bake crust for 15 minutes until set on the bottom and lightly golden brown on the sides. Allow to cool completely. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Make the cheesecake filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese with a paddle attachment until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, sour cream, potato starch, vanilla, and salt and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the

bowl halfway through. Mix in the vanilla bean seeds until evenly incorporated, about 30 seconds. Don’t overmix. Spread the cheesecake over the cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Make the white chocolate mousse: Clean the bowl of your stand mixer. Then, add the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Beat with whisk attachment until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined and the peaks become stiffer, about 2 minutes. Carefully scoop out the whipped cream to a separate bowl and set aside. Again, in the bowl of your stand mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the melted white chocolate and mix until smooth and creamy. Remove the bowl from your stand mixer. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold the whipped cream into the beaten cream cheese by hand, taking care not to deflate the whipped cream. Spread the white chocolate mousse over the cooled cheesecake. Allow to set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Find more recipes from Your Home, Made Healthy at www.yourhomemadehealthy.com

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Jewish Heritage Game

Detroit Pistons home game brings hundreds of Jewish people together. RACHEL SWEET ASSOCIATE EDITOR

n an evening dedicated to bringing the Jewish community and sports together, the Detroit Pistons game on March 27, against the New York Knicks at Little Caesars Arena, was one of the first of many Jewish Heritage Game nights. Nikki Wald, group sales executive with the Pistons, says they often host heritage nights that have included “Celebrate Faith for Christian and Catholic communities, French Heritage Day and German etc.,” she said. As someone of the Jewish faith, she wondered if there had ever been a Jewish Heritage Game night. “There were some excuses here and there, but basically none of the excuses were valid. And so, I said, okay… I’m going to make it happen.” Nikki then began to put out feelers in the Jewish community and connected with Marisa Meyerson, director of operations of The Well. The Metro Detroit-based Jewish organization then partnered with several others, including NEXTGen Detroit, Hillel of Metro Detroit, Jewish Young Professionals of Ann Arbor and more. “I reached out personally to

APRIL 14 • 2022

different synagogues around the community, a couple of youth groups, so on so forth, and really just got the ball rolling. After that, it kind of took on a life of its own,” Nikki said. Due to their efforts and support from the Metro Detroit Jewish community, they had a successful event with more than 400 people throughout the community coming out. Happy with the turnout Nikki says there were some difficulties in the beginning. “There was so much behind-the-scenes work that went into it. The difficulty that was tough to overcome was getting kosher food. I know that not all in the Jewish community keep kosher and for those who do there’s different levels of kosher,” explained Nikki, who succeeded in her goal to have kosher foods available at the game. Nikki hopes to have more Jewish Heritage Game nights, even bigger and better next time. “This was definitely the foundation of what we’re hoping to build on next year. We are hoping to schedule it around Chanukah time so that we can incorporate the celebration of lights and really connect that to the game,” she added.

FROM TOP: Participants Nicole Gudeman, Brooke Bain, Lindsay Ishbia, Lindsey Eisenshtadt and Nikki Ishbia enjoy the game together. Carlee Meyers takes her shot on the court after the game. The Pistons Jewish Heritage Game was the perfect setting for reuniting with old friends and making new ones. The Well and Jewish Young Professionals of Ann Arbor were welcomed to the game on the big screen. (Followed by a slide welcoming NEXTGen Detroit and Hillel of Metro Detroit.)

Summer interns at the Royal Oak Golf Center.

Job Coaches to Support High School Students with Disabilities JVS + Kadima announced it will hire approximately 30 summer job coaches to provide training and support to high school students with disabilities in their summer internship jobs. The students will be working at restaurants, retail stores, golf courses and parks in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. The summer job coach will be responsible for supervising interns on the job to ensure that good quality and productive work is being completed. Job coach positions vary from 20 to 50 hours per week; rate of pay is $16 an hour with a $200 bonus for coaches who work from July 7-Aug. 19 with only one absence or less. “We find that summer coach positions appeal to teachers and teacher aides, college students interested in a career in social work or psychology, recently retired individuals who are looking for fulfilling work while boosting their income, and anyone who is looking to make a difference in young people’s lives,” said JVS + Kadima Vice President, Workforce Development & Rehabilitation, James Willis. “Job coaches are a vital part of our summer internship program, giving high school students who have a disability the opportunity to gain new skills and explore possible job options later on.”

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APRIL 14 • 2022

Digging Deep into a Troubled Past

DAN BROTMAN

TRAVEL

A trip to Iraqi Kurdistan. DAN BROTMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

ABOVE: In the ancient Jewish city of Amadiya. TOP RIGHT: U.S.-supplied tanks used against the Kurds on display at the Red Prison in Sulaymaniyah.

APRIL 14 • 2022

ig a hole in Kurdistan,” our local guide said, “and you will find a mass grave, oil or antiquities.” My previous associations with Iraq were Saddam Hussein and war, but I landed in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, with an open mind. The Kurds are a nation of 30 million without a state, straddling the modern-day borders of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. They are also the fourth largest ethnic group in the Middle East, most similar to Persians, and speak Kurdish, not Arabic. In fact, I do not think I heard Arabic spoken once during my Dan entire weeklong visit. Brotman Approximately 5 million Kurds live in an autonomous region of Iraq governed by the Kurdistan Regional Government, which has been recognized in the Iraqi Constitution since 2005, following Saddam Hussein’s downfall. Although they hold Iraqi passports and use Iraqi money, the Kurds have their own military, known as the Peshmergas, which means “those who face death.” Unlike their compatriots in southern Iraq, the Kurds generally hold favorable views toward both the U.S. and Israel, albeit complicated. They are grateful to the Americans for liberating them from their arch oppressor, Saddam Hussein, and to Israel for being the sole country to recognize their 2017 independence referendum. Last September, more than 300 prominent Iraqis from across the country gathered at a conference in Erbil, calling for the normalization of relations with Israel. A COMPLICATED HISTORY I was reminded of the Kurds’ complex relationship with the U.S. when we visited the Red Prison in Sulaymaniyah. Operational from 1979 until 1991, it was the location used continued on page 74

Martyrs Cafe in Duhok, where 25% of the proceeds go to the families of Peshmergas killed in the fight against ISIS.

APRIL 14 • 2022

TRAVEL

Celebrating Nowruz with locals in the village of Akre.

“AS A JEW, I IDENTIFIED THEMES IN THE KURDISH NARRATIVE NOT DISSIMILAR FROM OUR OWN … A TRANSNATIONAL IDENTITY, STATELESSNESS, GENOCIDE AND RESISTANCE.” continued from page 72

by the Baathist regime to imprison, torture and execute Kurdish men, women and children suspected of opposing the government. On display are tanks supplied by the U.S. government to Saddam Hussein

APRIL 14 • 2022

during the Iraq-Iran War, which he subsequently used against his Kurdish citizens. The Kurds lament President Donald Trump pulling troops out of Syria, which resulted in Turkey bombing Kurdish forces

and forcing tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds to flee their homes. We entered the museum through the Hall of Mirrors, whose walls are adorned with 182,000 shards of glass, reminiscent of the Children’s Memorial at Yad Vashem and representing the number of victims killed by Saddam Hussein’s soldiers. Above were 6,000 ceiling lights representing the number of villages wiped off the map during the late-1980s during a campaign known as the Anfal, meaning “Spoils of War ‘’ in Arabic. A new section of the museum honors Kurdish soldiers who were martyred in the fight against ISIS, including female fighters, whom ISIS feared most. In the city of Duhok, we had breakfast at a cafe where the walls are adorned from top to bottom with photos of Kurdish soldiers martyred fighting ISIS, with 25% of the cafe’s profits going directly to their families. The Graveyard & Monument for the Barzani Victims of Genocide displays the remains of 8,000 Kurdish boys and men from the Barzani tribe, who were alleged to have supported Iran during the Iran-Iraq War. In July 1983, men from the Barzani tribe, some as young as 10 years old, were kidnapped by the Iraqi army and never heard from again. It was only after Saddam Hussein’s defeat in 2003 that mass graves were discovered in the south, and the mystery surrounding their disappearance was solved. The haunting museum features identification documents, clothing and even prosthetic teeth belonging to the victims, some of whom were buried alive in mass graves. We were the only tourists at

Lalish, the holiest site for the 4,000-year-old Yazidi religion, which ISIS considered devil worship. The Yazidis have some unique traditions, including a prohibition of wearing the color blue and consuming pumpkin, fish and lettuce. We visited the temple where Yazidis are meant to make a pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. We had to remove our shoes when entering the temple and had to step over door thresholds, as these are meant to be the resting place of angels. I had first heard of the Yazidis when it was reported that ISIS was killing Yazidi men and selling Yazidi women as sex slaves. This atrocity made international headlines when former Yazidi sex slave Nadia Murad was awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. There are possibly today more Iraqi Yazidis living in Germany than in Iraq itself. Today Israel is home to more than 200,000 Jewish citizens of Kurdish descent. We got a taste of Kurdish-Jewish history when we visited Amadiya, an ancient Jewish city with a rich Jewish history, where the Iraqi Kurdistan government believes the biblical prophet Ezekiel is buried. As a Jew, I identified themes in the Kurdish narrative not dissimilar from our own, including a transnational identity, statelessness, genocide and resistance. Despite being in Iraq, I felt completely safe in Kurdistan, and encourage others looking to travel off the beaten track to visit and learn about a people most of us know very little about. Dan Brotman is the executive director of the Windsor Jewish Federation & Community Center. Iraq was his 73rd country visited to-date.

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TRAVEL

In Search of the True Exodus

David and Doris Schey in Egypt

Huntington Woods couple visits Jewish sites in Egypt. BARBARA LEWIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

…“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert … And on the pedestal, these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. …” From Ozymanidas by Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1818

avid Schey was amazed rather than in despair. He and his wife, Doris, were in Luxor during a trip billed as “the first ever kosher tour of Egypt through the eyes of the Tanakh (Jewish Bible)” — and he was looking at two enormous trunkless legs of stone that made him immediately recall Percy Bysshe Shelley’s ode written more than two centuries earlier.

APRIL 14 • 2022

He was even more amazed when their tour guide told them that Ozymandias was the Greek name of Ramesses II, the Egyptian pharaoh at the time of the Exodus — the one who enslaved the Israelites and tried to prevent them from leaving. For Schey, it was a highlight of a recent 10-day trip to Egypt. Inveterate travelers who need kosher food and Shabbat-friendly itineraries, the Scheys, of Huntington Woods, had taken several tours and river cruises with Kesher Tours, which works with an Israeli company, Shai Bar-Ilan Geographical Tours. The Scheys booked the trip many months ago but weren’t sure until Jan. 17, the day they left, that it would actually happen. While the tour was conducted in English, only three

couples among the 33 travelers hailed from the United States. The rest, though originally from the U.S., Canada or the U.K., lived in Israel. The tour was led by Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman of Israel’s Bar-Ilan University and an Egyptian Coptic Christian man with a deep knowledge of Egyptian history, including the ability to read hieroglyphics. The group visited Aswan, Cairo and Luxor; and in each area, they saw sites related to Jewish history. Near Aswan, they visited Elephantine, an island fortress in the Nile River and the site of the oldest known Jewish diaspora community. In Cairo, they saw the synagogue where Moses Ben Maimon, the Rambam, worshipped, as well as his home and medical clinic. They saw the Ben Ezra Synagogue, where the Cairo Geniza was found by two Scottish women in 1896; the documents buried in the geniza dated back to the 11th century and provided great insight into Jewish life in the area. The group planned to hold Shabbat services at the Sha’ar Hashamayim synagogue, the only one still functioning in Egypt, but for security reasons they prayed at their hotel instead. In the Cairo Museum, they saw a stele, an upright, engraved stone slab, dated to pre-Exodus times, that mentions the Israelites. Their guide pointed out the location of the Biblical Land of Goshen. In Luxor, a hieroglyphic inscription named sites conquered by Ramesses II,

including some, like Bet Shean, in Israel. At a temple in Luxor, they saw more inscriptions that related to the Exodus. The Scheys also enjoyed the non-Jewish sights on the tour, including several pyramids and temples. David was particularly impressed by a painted statue of Ramesses II that he described as “the most beautiful statue I’ve ever seen. It was very realistic; the skin tones were so lifelike!” While in Cairo, the group met with Israel’s ambassador to Egypt, Amira Oron, whose parents came from Egypt. She told them that the relationship between the two countries is better than it has been in years, and that Egypt is interested in Israel’s hightech achievements, especially in water conservation. Another highlight of the trip was a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings, the fertile area fed by the Nile. Though theirs may have been the first kosher tour to Egypt, it was obvious that Israelis were no strangers to the locals. Wherever they went, David said, vendors would shout, “Shalom, shalom! We love Jews. We love Israel!” What’s next for David, 81, a retired social worker, and Doris, 77, a retired teacher? They had signed up for a cruise to Scotland, Norway and Iceland, originally scheduled for last July. It has been rescheduled for August. They had also planned a river cruise to Vietnam and Cambodia in 2020 that was canceled. They’re hoping it might happen this December.

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FOOD

Eight Days of Celebrating Recipes to add color to your holiday menu.

assover is a long holiday. Eight days of celebrating. Eight days of a special (or restricted if you’re a half-empty thinker) eating regime. One way to add pizzazz is to add multihued side dishes to the menu. The following recipes are nothing if not colorful. They remain bright and add Ashkenazi-flavor to the meal. Roasted vegetables are a healthy alternative to the baked variety. Annabel Since cold vegetables are Cohen Contributing writer so often not included in the seder meal, roasted tomatoes add some bright fruits to the buffet. Try the recipes below to add colors as well as meats and chicken to your table. Or eat them sometime during the holiday. You’ll have plenty of opportunity during this week-long commemoration to enjoy many different and rich vibrant foods. Since most people observe seder for two nights and the holiday lasts for a

APRIL 14 • 2022

whole week, these are rich and hearty meal additions. And there are even sweets for every holiday. ROASTED TOMATOES WITH MATZAH MEAL AND GARLIC Ingredients 3 pounds ripe but not mushy tomatoes (any color) 1 tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. black pepper 1 cup matzah meal 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan ¼ cup olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. minced garlic Directions Preheat oven to 425ºF. Brush olive oil on a baking-sheet with sides. Set aside. Cut the tomatoes into thick (between ¼-inch and ½-inch) slices and place them on the baking sheet without overlapping, (you may need two baking sheets). Sprinkle

the tomatoes with matzah meal and cheese, if using. Combine the olive oil with the garlic and stir well with a fork. Drizzle the mixture over the tomatoes. Roast, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before arranging the tomatoes on a serving dish, overlapping them slightly. Serve at room temperature. Makes 8 servings. KIFTA KABOBS I remember these ground lamb kebabs on the streets of Rabat, the capital city of Morocco. Their aroma filled the small streets. They were served, stick removed, wrapped in bread (pita works great) and surrounded by a salsa made of cucumber, fresh tomato, onion, olive oil and lemon. It’s best to make these on the thicker round skewers, the kind used in the market’s butcher department. If you prefer to fry or bake these, you can also do it without the stick, forming each into a “hot dog” shape.

Ingredients 2 pounds ground lamb (preferably ground twice) 2 cup ground onions (you can do this in a food processor) ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley 2 Tbsp. fresh minced mint leaves ¼ cup chopped cilantro ¼ tsp. dried oregano ¼ tsp. ground cumin ¼ tsp. dried basil ¼ tsp. ground coriander ¼ tsp. ground ginger ¼ tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper 2 Tbsp. water 2 Tbsp. fine ground matzah meal (or more as needed) Salt and pepper to taste 12-18 thick wood skewers Lemon wedges, garnish Directions Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using wet hands, shape about one-third cup of the mixture into hotdog shapes around the skewer, or you could make the hot dog shapes smaller and place two to a skewer (if you use smaller amounts of meat, you may use the thinner bamboo skewers). Chill until ready to cook. Heat grill to medium-high. Cook

the kabobs on the hot grill, uncovered, for 4-8 minutes, until just cooked through, turning to grill all sides of the meat. (Do not overcook or the meat will be dry) or under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, until done, turning over once. Serve hot alone or with lemon wedges as garnish. Makes 8 to 12 servings or more. ROASTED SPINACH AND RED PEPPER BAKE Ingredients 2 10-ounce bags fresh spinach leaves 2 red bell peppers 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1½ cups chopped onions 1 tsp. minced garlic ½ cup non-dairy whipping cream or whipping cream 3 large eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup matzah meal 2 cups grated Swiss cheese, optional 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. black pepper Directions Place spinach in a plastic zipper-style bag and close almost to the end (do not seal completely). Microwave the spinach (in the bag) for 5 minutes. Remove the bag and seal it completely and allow the spinach to cool

to the touch. Meanwhile, cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove stem and seeds. Grill or broil peppers on the skin side until charred. Place in a plastic bag or wrap in foil and let stand for about 15 minutes. Remove the skin from the peppers by rubbing your fingers over them (don’t worry if you don’t remove all the skin). Chop the peppers and transfer to a large bowl. While the peppers are charring, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl. Chop the spinach and add it to the peppers and onions. Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the cream, eggs, matzah meal, cheese, if using, salt and pepper to the mixture and stir well. Transfer the mixture to an attractive 2-quart baking dish and bake for 30-50 minutes (the more shallow the mixture, the faster it will cook). Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Makes 8 servings.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH ROOT VEGETABLES An entrée with vegetables in one. Ingredients 16-20 chicken pieces (breasts or thighs and drumsticks), with skin and bones 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks 1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups chopped onions Kosher salt to taste Fresh ground pepper to taste 2 tbsp. thyme leaves, or 2 tsp. dried 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves, or 2 tsp. dried 1 Tbsp. minced garlic 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar or juice from 1 lemon 1 red bell pepper, chopped finely, garnish ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley Directions Preheat an oven to 375ºF. Arrange the chicken in one or two roasting pans (or use disposable aluminum pans), leaving room between the chicken pieces for

continued on page 80

the vegetables. (If you are using thighs and breasts both, place the white meat in one pan and the dark meat in the other — the white meat will cook faster). Arrange the carrots, turnips, parsnips and onions around the chicken. Drizzle the chicken and vegetables with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and garlic. Cover the pan(s) with foil and cook the chicken for 25 minutes for the breasts and 40 minutes for the dark meat. Raise the heat to 475ºF., uncover the pan cook the chicken and vegetables for another 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is golden (turn the chicken and vegetables over in the pan half-way through). Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving platter (or two if you want to serve the vegetables separately) and drizzle with the juices from the pan, if any, and the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the chopped pepper and parsley over and serve. Makes 8- 12 servings. APRIL 14 • 2022

FOOD continued from page 79

BAKED FLOURLESS BANANA PAN Ingredients 3 large eggs 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil 3 or 4 medium ripe bananas, no peels, mashed ½ cup white sugar 2 cups ground almond flour (made in a shopping store) ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda (if permissible by many) FLUFFY MATZAH MEAL PANCAKES WITH FRESH STRAWBERRY COMPOTE Feel free to add toasted chopped nuts, blueberries or even a bit of “charoset” to this recipe, which produces a fluffier, less-filling pancake. Ingredients Compote: 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced 1/3 cup sugar Pancakes: 3 large eggs, separated ½ tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. sugar ½ cup milk, water or orange juice ¾ cup matzah meal Vegetable oil for frying Directions Prepare the compote: Combine the strawberries with sugar in a medium bowl and toss well with your hands to coat. Cook over medium heat for about 6 minutes Allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour or more. Set aside. Make the pancakes: Place egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk well. Add salt, sugar and milk or juice and whisk well. Use a spoon to stir in the matzah meal. Let the batter sit for 20 minutes before beginning the next step. Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, and use a rubber spatula to fold into the matzah mixture. Heat about ¼ of oil (or less if your skillet is small or very good nonstick) in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Make a “test” pancake by dropping a tablespoonful of the mixture into the hot oil, using the back of the spoon to shape into a circle. Repeat until you fill the pan. Cook until lightly browned and turn over to cook on the other side. Remove the pancakes to a plate (or baking sheet to keep warm in a 200°F. oven) Repeat with all the batter.

APRIL 14 • 2022

Directions Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a loaf pan — about 8-inches — with parchment over all ends of the pan. Combine together the eggs, oil and whisk well. Add in the mashed bananas and sugar. Mix well with the almond flour, salt and baking soda. (Choose to make by hand with a whisker or electric mixer). Add to pan. Gently tap the pan on the countertop to evenly distribute the batter. Use a spatula in the loaf pan to add the banana to the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes if needed to bake well. Cool the bread until hot and remove from the loaf pan. Makes 8 or more servings. PESACH CREAM PUFFS Ingredients 1 cup water ½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cut into pieces 2 tablespoons sugar ½ tsp. salt 1 cup matzah cake flour or cake meal 4 large eggs Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Combine water, margarine, sugar and salt in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Add cake meal and stir with wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the pan and is very thick and smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Mix in eggs, one-

at-a-time, beat until smooth after each egg. Use a spoon to form 8 –12 mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, turn the trays around and bake another 20-30 minutes, until puffed and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and pierce the pastry with a sharp knife (this allows the steam to escape). Can be made up to a week ahead and frozen until ready to eat and reheated into a 375ºF oven to re-crisp. Split the puffs in half horizontally and fill with ice cream, sorbet, fresh fruit, whipped cream or filling of choice. Makes 8-12 cream puffs, depending on the size. MY FAVORITE FOREVER MANDELBREAD Ingredients 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups sugar 4 large eggs ½ tsp. salt 2¾ cups matzah cake meal 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts Juice of ½ orange Juice of ½ lemon Topping: 1 tsp. cinnamon mixed with 3 Tbsp. sugar, or more if needed Directions Preheat oven to 325ºF. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and beat until smooth. With the motor running, add remaining ingredients and beat until the batter is thick and smooth. Allow the batter to rest 20 minutes before dividing dough on an ungreased baking sheet and shaping it into two 2-inch wide slightly flattened logs (allow enough room for these logs to spread when baked). Sprinkle the tops of the logs with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake the mandelbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before slicing the loaves into ½-inch slices. Place the slices back on the baking sheet, cut sides down, sprinkle with more cinnamon and sugar and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more until the mandelbread is crispy and browned to your liking. Makes about 36 slices.

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ARTS&LIFE ART

Artists Wanted New Janice Charach Gallery director aims to promote emerging artists.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

rtist opportunities are opening up at the Janice Charach Gallery in West Bloomfield with the appointment of Natalie Balazovich as director. The soonest opportunity invites any artist 18 and older to submit works to be considered for the next Natalie exhibit, “Flight,” as Balazovich

APRIL 14 • 2022

long as each work offered suggests the theme, has never been shown before, reaches a size no larger than 36” x 36” x 36” and is available for sale. Interested artists must digitally submit their works for consideration by Monday, May 16, and be prepared to transport any accepted piece to and from the gallery. The exhibit will run June 26-Aug. 11.

An example of

the new direcbuilt sets for The “My goal is to see tor’s recent work: Berman Center for how many different “Your Dream is the Performing Arts interpretations we can My Nightmare” and taught drawget of that one word,” by Natalie Balazovich. Mixed ing and painting at said Balazovich, promedia on paper, the Frankel Jewish moted from her posi- 26” x42” Academy. tion serving as gallery When Balazovich applies coordinator for 10 years. her own artistic instincts away “I want to make this galfrom the gallery, she often lery, housed at the Jewish creates representational paintCommunity Center (JCC), more reflective of the commuings in watercolors, acrylics nity, and I want to partner with and oils. Her paintings have other departments whenever I been displayed in many group can. shows, including those pre“With so many valuable sented by the Northville Art artists within the Jewish comHouse, Livonia Public Library and Detroit’s Russel Industrial munity, I feel the artwork can Center. Solo shows have been at be more driven by Judaism and Jewish culture while keeping the Charach Gallery and Scarab in mind services to the entire Club in Detroit. community as a whole.” The first planned exhibits in her role as gallery director spotA HISTORY AT THE JCC light glass and are on display Balazovich has a career history simultaneously through May 18 — The 4th Bi-Annual Michigan with the JCC that precedes her work in the gallery. A Regional Glass Exhibition and SIP. graduate of the College for “I have a great appreciation Creative Studies in Detroit, she of all forms of art because of painted murals for the Shalom my background working in the Street Museum, designed and gallery for so long,” Balazovich

said. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with different types of artists and developed this extended interest and passion that I never would have had. “With the two current glass shows, glass became one of my favorite artistic materials to observe because it’s so interesting what can be done within the medium. For our viewers who also are fans of glass designs, we brought in some smaller pieces to be available in our gift shop area — flowers, paperweights and bowls.” A MORE MODERN SPACE As part of a modernization of the gallery space, the shop area was moved to the second floor and can be accessed by stairs and elevator. The space change opens visual possibilities at the first floor entrance. “As gallery coordinator, I was doing much of the same things I do now, but I have gained more of a say in what happens to the gallery as a whole,” explained Balazovich, a home gardener who especially enjoyed curating a Tu BiShvat exhibit.

“I did research to find out about this holiday that celebrates the beginning of spring in Israel and is marked with the planting of trees. The nicest thing was that we could tie in the elements of the holiday with lectures and crafts projects that involved the community. I think those kinds of things bring the JCC to more people in the area.” The upcoming fall exhibit will feature original artwork by members of the Jewish Artists Collective Chicago. “The true mission of this gallery is to help people developing artwork — where to take it, how to show it, who to go to for help,” said Balazovich, married to a 3-D designer. “The mission is a true passion of mine, and I’m trying to help this gallery fulfill the mission statement. “Helping emerging artists while providing an art forum for all people is so important to our gallery, and we want to provide as many services as we can. I hope we get lots of artists interested in showing their work in our ‘Flight’ exhibit.”

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ARTS&LIFE NATE BLOOM COLUMNIST

Jake Gyllenhaal

APRIL 14 • 2022

BY TOGLENN

AN AMBULANCE AND A HEDGEHOG; MINI-SERIES HERO IS JEWISH; MIRIAM IN A TUB —WHAT? Two big-budget films with a “Jewish connection” opened “wide” last week and are still in theaters: Ambulance, an action-thriller, and Sonic: The Hedgehog 2, a combination animation and live-action film that is appropriate for “children of all ages.” Here’s the capsule plot of Ambulance: William Sharp, an African American war vet, needs $231K for his wife’s surgery. He turns to his adoptive brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal, 41), a career criminal. Their attempt to rob a bank goes wrong — they shoot a police officer and flee in an ambulance carrying the wounded police officer and an EMT. In a recent Esquire interview, Gyllenhaal said it was time for him to do some big action movies again — and that’s the type of films that Ambulance director Michael Bay, 57, makes (Transformers, Pearl Harbor). The first Sonic The Hedgehog film (2020) was based on a popular video game of the same name. It

was a huge box-office office hit despite getting mixed reviews (story not so great; cast very good). The title character is a “humanized” blue hedgehog who can travel at supersonic speed. He’s a good guy who wants to help people. Sonic is animated in the original and in the sequel. Ben Schwartz, 40, voiced Sonic in both Sonic flicks. Schwartz has had many film and TV roles, but it hard to cite a role everyone knows. I best remember him in his recurring role as JeanRalphio Saperstein (what a name!) on Parks and Rec. Henry Winkler played his father, a doctor, and Jenny Slate played his crazy sister, Mona-Lisa Saperstein. Reprising their original Sonic film roles are Jim Carrey (as Sonic’s arch enemy) and James Marsden (as a sheriff who is a friend of Sonic). Adam Pally, 40, makes his Sonic debut in Sonic 2. He plays a deputy sheriff who serves under Marsden’s character. Pally is a real-life pal of Schwartz. The two have long been in a threeman comedy improv troupe that performs on stage now and again. MINI-SERIES HERO The six-part, NBC true-crime series The Thing About Pam concluded on April 14 (binge it on Peacock or Hulu). Reviews were mixed, but the true story was so weird that the series held my attention. As I previously wrote, the title character (played by Renee Zellweger) murdered a close female friend and attempted to frame her friend’s husband

Adam Pally

IMDB

CELEBRITY NEWS

(Russ Farina) for the murder. Gideon Adlon, 25, has a supporting role as the Farinas’ daughter. I noticed that Pam and the Farinas lived in a St. Louis suburb and Joel Schwartz, now 60, was the defense attorney who represented Farina at his two murder trials. I contacted the St. Louis Jewish Light, a paper that I write for, and asked the editor if he knew Schwartz to be Jewish. The editor then “reached out” to Schwartz, who confirmed he is Jewish. Schwartz (played by Josh Duhamel) is the hero of the series. He is a super-competent, super-ethical defense attorney who did everything humanly possible to uncover the evidence that ultimately proved Farina was completely innocent. In a brief interview with the Light, Schwartz said that he and Duhamel became friends during the series’ filming. They have much in common, he said. Both are musical and enjoy acting. Schwartz said he and his band played many bar mitzvahs when he was a teenager, and he has long “dabbled” in amateur acting roles. His first role, he said, was acting with his dad in a

play put on at the St. Louis JCC. Every year, around Pesach, ABC airs The Ten Commandments, the 1956 blockbuster about the life of Moses and the Israelites flight from Egypt. This year it will be shown on April 17, starting at 7 p.m. In a March column, I said I was recently contacted by Cantor Riselle Babette Bain, 74, who played “Young Miriam” in the film. I just concluded a long interview with Bain and her life story is truly amazing — and “celebrity laden.” Just too much “good stuff” to relate in this week’s column. But do watch The Ten Commandments and look for Bain in the scene in which Young Miriam steps into the Nile River and puts the basket holding the baby Moses into the river. Actually, Bain told me, she wasn’t in a river. She was in a big tub filled with warm water. In the film, it seems like Miriam is looking out on the Nile. But Bain wasn’t really doing that. It was a special effect. She was actually looking at director Cecil DeMille, who told her exactly what do (facial expressions, etc.)

Riselle Babette Bain

ON THE GO

PEOPLE | PLACES | EVENTS

FARM FESTIVAL 4 PM, APRIL 15 At Andy T’s Farm, 3131 US-127 BUS, St. Johns, MI.; bus pickup will be at 3 pm. Tickets $70 with $1 being donated to savethechildren. org for Ukraine. Get your tickets: posh.vip/e/andyts-farm-festival. Concert sponsored by University of Michigan and West Bloomfield resident Jackson Partrich, founder Schlepper Boy Vision, 15 Mile Drive-In and the Schlepper. Available: Merch Collab with Soho Youth Club, food trucks, petting zoo, photo booth, hennas, Yoga, phone charging stations. FOLK MUSIC 8 PM, APRIL 15 At The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor. Chris Smither with opener BettySoo. Honing a synthesis of folk and blues for 50 years, Chris Smither is truly an American original. Tickets: $35. Info: theark.org/ events.

Chris Smither

PESACH IN THE PARK 4 PM, APRIL 17 Hosted by Aish Detroit and JFamily Detroit. A relaxed, social gathering at the private Aish Park. There will

be lots of Passover-themed snacks and activities for the kids (best for toddlers-8). Tickets: form.jotform. com/220795800285055. SPORTS MEET-UP 4 PM, APRIL 19 Drake Sports Park meet-up for Michigan Region BBYO. We’ll have a few games available and kosher-forPassover snacks. Open to all 8th-12th graders. Info: abloomberg@bbyo.org. FOR NEW MOMS NOON-1 PM, APRIL 20 An online event sponsored by JFamily Detroit. Having a new baby is wonderful and joyous. Meet and connect with other moms to celebrate successes and help each other through the challenging days of babyhood. This program is intended for all moms with babies 0-6 months old. Offered at no cost thanks to the Adam and Hannah Kessler Family Fund. Register: jlive.app/ events/2021. BRAIN HEALTH 1-2:30 PM, APRIL 20 “The Powerful Impact of Music on the Brain” with Jody Conradi Stark, Ph.D., and Jing Zhang, violinist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will be in a Zoom presentation. Demonstrations of how music can “move” us, both physically and emotionally. Register in advance for this event: MindU@jfsdetroit. org or call 248-788-MIND. STORIES CONCERT 7 PM, APRIL 20 At Temple Kol Ami in West Bloomfield. Storyteller/musician Rev. Robert Jones Sr.

will join Professor Corinne Stavish of Lawrence Tech in a concert: “Freedom Stories: From the Jewish and Black Experiences.” This will be a fundraiser for Ukrainian Relief. Register for either the live or live-streamed event at: tkolami.org/social-action. Suggested donation is $18, multiples of $18 or whatever your heart allows. Advance registration requested, though walk-ins will be welcomed. For information, contact Temple Kol Ami, 248661-0040. LUNCHEON SET NOON, APRIL 21 CARE House of Oakland County will host its 26th Annual Circle of Friends Luncheon at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to the safety of children through prevention, intervention and treatment of child abuse and neglect, as well as educating community members and empowering survivors. This year’s event will feature keynote speaker Sasha Joseph Neulinger, the founder and president of advocacy organization Voice for the Kids and head of production for Voice 1 Films, creator of the acclaimed film Rewind. As a preview to the luncheon speaking program, CARE House will screen the film with a special appearance by Neulinger in a preview event the night before, Wednesday, April 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Maple Theater in Bloomfield Township. Tickets to the screening and luncheon may be purchased together or separately with all proceeds to benefit CARE House pro-

grams. Ticket prices start at $125. Luncheon tables, preview party and ticket packages are also available for purchase. For detailed ticket and additional sponsorship opportunities, contact CARE House at (248) 332-7173, ext. 206, or visit www.carehouse. org.

Minoru Yamasaki

ART EXHIBIT 3-5 PM, APRIL 24 At Temple Beth El, 7400 Telegraph, Bloomfield Township. “Hidden in Plain Sight” will showcase the art and design of Minoru Yamasaki’s awe-inspiring building along with many of the artworks, artifacts and rare documents that this 172-year-old congregation has preserved and integrated into a modern architectural masterpiece. Guests will experience curated docent tours, featured exhibits and enjoy hors d’oeuvres. General admission tickets: Individual $36, 18 and under $18. Register by April 18: tbebloomfieldhills.shulcloud.com/form/ HiddenInPlainSight_2022. Compiled by Sy Manello/Editorial Assistant. Send items at least 14 days in advance to calendar@ thejewishnews.com. APRIL 14 • 2022

SPOTLIGHT

PHOTO CREDIT

Jewish-American Dream

TOP: Participants of the JNF-USA’s Muss Study Abroad Program

Groves student participates in JNF-USA’s Muss Study Abroad Program. NOY MESSINGER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

ali Rubenstein, a senior at Groves High School from West Bloomfield and the daughter of a Conservative rabbi and a Jewish educator, went on a journey with Jewish National Fund-USA’s (JNF-USA) flagship study abroad program, Alexander Muss High School in Israel (Muss). One of the most impactful programs for JewishAmerican high school students, Muss blends a traditional high school education with a unique curriculum that teaches Israel’s history through interactive and rigor-

APRIL 14 • 2022

ous academic programming. Judaism has always played a significant role in Tali’s life, she says. She attended Hillel Day School until eighth grade and went to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin for years. Hence, upon discovering an opportunity to study abroad in Israel, she had to seize the moment. Like many students during the pandemic, Tali was not particularly fond of Zoom schooling. “I would still be online on Zoom, and that just wasn’t something I was interested in,” Tali says. “And when I found out I could study abroad in Israel, and I could

have a normal school semester, that was the main appeal … It was something new, totally out of my comfort zone, but it seemed great.” She did more research into Muss, discovering that some individuals she knew had previously gone on the program. After contacting JNF-USA, Tali decided this was the next step in her schooling and was thrilled to join like-minded individuals passionate about enhancing their Judaic studies. Tali joined other teens in this voyage to Israel during the Fall semester of her junior

year. She said that Muss supported students of all different streams of Judaism, regardless of religious observance level. Every Friday, students gathered for a Shabbat meal. “Everyone was open,” Tali says. “They made sure both people who observed Shabbat and people who didn’t were comfortable. Whether you were Orthodox, Conservative, Reform or secular, everyone fit right in.” Muss also strengthened Tali’s connection to Judaism. Despite her previous experiences growing up in a Jewish

household and attending Jewish day school, she discovered newfound knowledge while living in Israel for four months. In this time, she was able to take a deep dive into Israel’s immersive culture, with Muss using the Land of Israel as a living and breathing classroom. “What impacted me was talking about the political situation on the ground,” she says. “I feel like before, I was sheltered, and I was only learning one side. But Muss allowed us to take the time to hear from all perspectives.” Throughout the program, Tali also enjoyed taking Hebrew classes. “My Hebrew was more advanced than a little over a majority of my classmates,” she says. “I took Hebrew since kindergarten but, going into high school, I

lost some of it. It was nice to have a refresher.” The program also offered various levels of Hebrew for different Hebrew proficiencies. Not only was Tali intrigued by the coursework at Muss, but she was also excited to experience Israel’s beauty firsthand while traveling with her Israeli studies teachers. One of Tali’s best memories from Muss was traveling to Jerusalem and seeing the Old City for the first time. Tali recalls all of the students being blindfolded and escorted onto a bus. Once the bus came to a halt, everyone formed a trust walk. Upon removing their blindfolds, the sunset elegantly dawned over Jerusalem as the group chanted the popular song, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav (Jerusalem of Gold).

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“I think for everyone, this was a powerful moment. We barely even knew each other because we were just coming out of quarantine, but we were all still so connected. I think that was the best moment for me,” she says. Tali hopes to someday return to Israel, furthering her Judaic studies with a college study abroad program. In the meantime, she remains connected through weekly celebration of Shabbat with her family, summers at Camp Ramah, and keeping updated on Israeli current affairs. Additionally, she plans to have an active Jewish life on campus when she starts college in the fall. Tali encourages other students to take advantage of a gap semester at Muss. “I would 100% recommend

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Alexander Muss High School in Israel offers both semesters abroad in Israel and summer programs. For more information, go to amhsi.org or contact Sunny Nayberg at snayberg@jnf.org.

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the program to friends,” she says. “I feel like Muss gives you everything you need back in America. All the classes you need to take are synced with everyone else at home. You get to meet a whole new group of people from all different backgrounds. “I met my best friends on Muss, my college roommate for next year, and even created special one-on-one relationships with many of the teachers there. These relationships will shape the rest of my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.”

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OBITUARIES

OF BLESSED MEMORY

DAVID BERMAN, 95 of Atlanta, Ga., Florida and formerly of Detroit, died on March 6,

2022. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Recovered Personnel Detachment Armed Forces Western Pacific. He graduated Wayne State University in 1951 with a degree in pharmacy. While in school, he was president of both Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and Rho Pi Phi pharmacy fraternity. He worked as a pharmacist before going into the produce business. Mr. Berman leaves behind his beloved wife of 72 years, Diana; they enjoyed dancing, traveling and playing golf. He is also survived by his son, Ken Berman; daughter, Denise (Richard) Victor. He was Grandpa to the late Daniel R. Victor. He is survived by grandchildren, Tracy Moen Victor, Ronald (Heather) Victor, Sandra (Adam) Cosola; great-grandchildren, Davis Victor, Stirling Victor, Lucas Cosola, Daren Cosola. He was brother of the late Lucille Rossen Steinberg, the late Dr. Jack Rossen, the late Ned Steinberg, the late Peryle Moss, the late Dr. Arthur Moss, the late Marvin Berman, the late Marilou Berman, the late Sherwin Berman and Dr. O.T. (Dianne) New. He was the loving son of the late Anna and the late Ralph Berman; son-in-law of the late Millie and the late William New. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews, cousins, many friends and

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16 Nisan April 17 Edward E. Schultz Harry Schwartz Jennie Shoenig 17 Nisan April 18 Rozalia Fischer Charlotte Gould Morris Greenberg Jacob Gutterman Beverly Hacker Esther Manko Jacob David Pont Zelik Rivkin David Solomon Irving Sperka Helen Wachtenheim 18 Nisan April 19 Louis Forman Harry M. Goldfarb Wolf Henigman Joseph Jermias Ruth Kape Henriette Loewenstein

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OBITUARIES

OF BLESSED MEMORY continued from page 89

many loving caregivers. Interment took place at Adat Shalom Cemetery in Farmington Hills. Contributions may be made to the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society or the AntiDefamation League-MI. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. WALLACE BRATT, 91, of West Bloomfield, died April 1, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Marlene Bratt; son and daughter-in-law, Harry and Elizabeth Bratt of Mt. View, Calif.; daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Frank Ginis of Troy; grandchildren, Rachel Bratt, Owen Bratt and Charlotte Bratt. Mr. Bratt was the loving son of the late Ida and the late Harry Bratt; dear brother of the late Samuel Bratt, the late Bella Dinah Bratt. Contributions may be made to National Fragile X Foundation; or Yad Ezra, 2850 W. 11 Mile Road, Berkley, MI 48072. Graveside service was held at Hebrew Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. HARRIET GERSTEN, 73, of West Bloomfield, died April 2, 2022. She is survived by her son, Gabrial Gersten of Washington, D.C.; daughters and sons-in-law, Shira and Moshe Wax of Israel, Dr. Abigail and Dr. Alain Nordmann of Basel, Switzerland, Daniella and Hillel Israel of Ariel, Israel; sisters and brothers-inlaw, Myra and Richard Stone, Sandra and Hyman

Spekman; many loving nieces and nephews. Mrs. Gersten was the loving daughter of the late Seymour and the late Rosalyn Kraus; dear sister of the late Joel Kraus. Contributions may be made to kadimacenter.org (specify Harriet Gersten Fund); Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy Network, 6555 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322. A graveside service was held at Beth El Memorial Park in Livonia. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. DARREN HESSENTHALER, 56, of Huntington Woods, died March 29, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Lori (Eisenerg) Hessenthaler; sons, Noah Hessenthaler, Gabriel Hessenthaler; daughter and son-in-law, Emily and Jason Tisdale; mother, Harriet Hessenthaler; brothers and sisters-in-law, Bruce and Susan Hessenthaler, Mark and Djabriz Hessenthaler; nephew, Nitro Hessenthaler; mother-in-law, Diane Eisenberg; brotherin-law and sister-in-law, Steven Eisenberg and Cheryl Eisenberg; many other loving relatives and friends. Mr. Hessenthaler was the loving son of the late David Hessenthaler; dear son-in-law of the late Sander Eisenberg. Contributions may be made to Gilda’s Club, 3517 S. Rochester Road, Royal Oak, MI 48073; Sarcoma Foundation of America, 9899 Main St., #204, Damascus,

MD 20872; or University of Michigan, Sarcoma Research at Rogel Cancer Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. A funeral service was held at Hebrew Memorial Chapel. Interment took place at Hebrew Memorial Park. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. DR. IRVING M. LEFTON, 94, of Farmington Hills, died March 30, 2022. He is survived by his children, Charles and Hannah Lefton, Mitchell and Sherry Lefton, Gerald and Karen Jacknow, Janice Lefton, Barbara and Mark Jacknow Shreve, Eric and Pam Lefton, and Dale Jacknow Brenner and Daniel Brenner; grandchildren, Steven and Jen Lefton,

Kevin and Nicole Lefton, Julie Lefton, Alexis and Rick Jacknow Diaz, Alan Shreve, Lauren Shreve, Emma Lefton, Ben Lefton, Ari Brenner and Kira Brenner; great-grandchildren, Dylan Lefton, Owen Lefton, Caitlin Lefton, Caroline Lefton and Mallory Lefton. Dr. Lefton was the beloved husband of the late Sally August Lefton and the late Zenia Jacknow Lefton. Interment was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Temple Israel, Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund, 5725 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323; or Residential Hospice, 5440 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Troy, MI 48098, residentialhealthcaregroup. com. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

PHYLLIS SYLVIA LEVIN, 86, of West Bloomfield, died April 6, 2022. She is survived by her sons and daughter-inlaw, Dr. Leonard A. and Francine Levin of Mt. Royal, Canada, Henoch Moshe Levin of Lakewood, N.J.; daughter, Anita Sarah Levin of Ann Arbor; sister, Adele Wainstein of Perth, Australia; grandchildren, Emily Levin, Eric Levin, Eva Levin, Rachel Levin, Eli Levin, Miriam Shira and Nick King, Shonna Levin, Chaim Levin, Devora Levin, Sol Levin; great-grandchildren, Ness King, Mina King. Mrs. Levin was the dear sister and sister-in-law of the late Necha Hersch and the late Elliot Wainstein. Contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice. A funeral service was

held at Hebrew Memorial Chapel. Interment took place at Hebrew Memorial Park. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. LEANNE SMALL, 79, of West Bloomfield, died April 5, 2022. She loved to travel and was the “cruise queen” having decided flying was truly for the birds. She graduated with an art degree from the University of Michigan and applied her love of art throughout her adult life in designing, creating and painting elaborate needlepoint canvases, decorative pillows, talit bags and chuppahs. She was an avid reader and loved her children and grandchildren, taking great pride in their accomplishments. continued on page 92

We understand that grief is a part of love. Let us assist your family during this difficult period.

APRIL 14 • 2022

OBITUARIES

OF BLESSED MEMORY continued from page 91

Mrs. Small is survived by her husband of 58 years, Dr. Richard Small; sons and daughters-in-law, Brian and Amy Small, and Scott and Jenny Small; grandchildren, Eliana Small, Jared Small, Jacob Small, Samantha Vine and Evan Vine; brother-inlaw, Sheldon Alkon; other loving relatives and friends. Mrs. Small was the dear sister-in-law of the late Lorraine Alkon. Interment was at Beth El Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to Temple Israel, Susan and Rabbi Harold Loss Early Childhood Center Fund, 5725 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323; or to a charity of one’s

APRIL 14 • 2022

choice. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. DAVID “DAVE” USHER, 92, of Detroit, founder and chairman of Detroit’s Marine Pollution Control (MPC), a pioneer in cleaning up oil spills throughout the world, died peacefully in his home April 7, 2022. Usher, a world expert in cleaning up oil spills, began MPC in 1968. The company assisted in the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska that dumped more than 10 million gallons of crude into Prince William Sound. He was assigned by former President George H.W.

Bush to lead the cleanup of the Persian Gulf after Iraq’s president, Saddam Hussein, dumped oil into the gulf during the Iraq War (Desert Storm) in 1991. Usher helped launch the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA), of which he served as president for many years. He was also president of the International Spill Control Organization (ISCO); a director of the Marine Response Alliance; vice chairman of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM); and director and past president of the Liquid and Industrial Waste Haulers and Processors. Usher’s first career was

in music. He worked as an A&R man for Argo Records, producing jazz greats such as James Moody, Amhad Jamal and Yusef Lateef. He enjoyed a 50-year friendship with the great jazz trumpeter, Dizzy Gillespie. He traveled the world with Gillespie and produced some of the trumpeter’s music and was a partner in Gillespie’s label, Dee Gee Records. Besides the Exxon Valdez and Iraq projects, MPC assisted in Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history — and the oil spill in 2010 in which a 30-inch pipeline ruptured near Marshall, Michigan, and contaminated Talmadge Creek and the

SARA WEITZ, 67, of West Bloomfield, died March 31, 2022. After an 18-month hardfought battle with glioblastoma, Sara died peacefully at home with her family. Sara’s greatest joy was her family. She led a life of kindness and selflessness. Even during her health battle, Sara was most concerned that others were comfortable and taken care

of. She was so excited about the addition of Aiyla, her first grandchild. One of Sara’s greatest joys was taking a girls’ trip with Emily to Portugal just prior to COVID. Outside of family, special thanks goes out to Sara’s friends with whom she loved spending time, whether it was going for outdoor walks, canoeing at Kensington or having dinner accompanied by a glass of Chardonnay. Mrs. Weitz was the beloved wife of Edwin Weitz; mother of Michael (Maddi) Weitz and the late Emily Meredith Weitz; loving grandmother of Aiyla Weitz; devoted sister of Mark (Rita) Snyder. She is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, other family members and friends. Contributions may be made to Blessings in a Backpack-West Bloomfield/ Keego Harbor, c/o Community Foundation of Greater Rochester, 303 East St., Rochester, MI 48307. Interment took place at Beth El Memorial Park. Arrangements by Dorfman 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@thejewishnews.com.

JTA

stelle Harris, the Jewish actress who played George Costanza’s mother on the sitcom Seinfeld, died April 2, 2022, at the age of 93. Harris played the role of Estelle Costanza, the always shrill and frequently apoplectic mother to George Costanza, on the sitcom from 1992 until the show’s finale in 1998. According to Deadline, the character of George’s mother was named Estelle before Harris landed the part — but her name wasn’t the only thing Harris shared with her onscreen character. “I’m not that different from Estelle Costanza,” Harris told the Chicago Tribune in 1995, at the height of her Seinfeld fame. “I understand her frustrations. She needs to break away from her husband. She would be much happier doing her own thing. She doesn’t need therapy. She needs more love from George and her husband. Then she’d be a perfectly delightful and delighted human being.” Harris was born in New York City in 1928 where her parents, Jews of Polish descent, owned a candy store in Manhattan. When Harris was 7 years old, the family moved to Tarentum, Pennsylvania, where Harris suffered from antisemitic bullying at school. She quickly turned to the theater, aided by elocution lessons, and found her calling.

KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES

Kalamazoo River. Mr. Usher is survived by four children, Lisa, Ellen (Michael Rancilio), Amy and Charles (Hope); seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, Charles and Hannah Usher; siblings, William, Morris and Reva; daughter, Mary Belinda; and ex-wife/dear friend, Althea Dionne Usher. Interment was at Workmen’s Circle Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Hebrew Memorial Chapel, 26640 Greenfield Road, Oak Park, MI 48237. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

Estelle Harris, Actress Who Played George’s Mother On ‘Seinfeld,’ Has Died At 93

Estelle Harris and Jason Alexander greet each other at the after-party for The Producers at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, May 29, 2003.

Before working as a professional actress, Harris married Sy Harris, a window blinds salesman, with whom she had three children. After staying at home when her children were young, she began her career working at dinner theaters in New York City in the 1970s. Though Harris went on to a prolific career recording voiceovers for commercials and playing minor characters in movies and TV shows, she became so identified with her Seinfeld role that fans frequently stopped her on the street to tell her she reminded them of their own mothers. Jason Alexander, who played her character’s son George on Seinfeld, remembered his “tv mama” in a tweet April 3. “One of my favorite people has passed — my tv mama, Estelle Harris. The joy of playing with her and relishing her glorious laughter was a treat. I adore you, Estelle,” he wrote.

APRIL 14 • 2022

Looking Back

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

assover begins this Friday. Have you finished your shopping for the holiday? I thought I might help and explore Passover shopping in the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History for a few suggestions. I found plenty of Passover ideas. One of the early ads for Passover was in the March 13, 1931, issue of the Jewish Chronicle. Robinson Furniture suggested that you “Refurnish Your Home in Time for Passover.” Moreover, the store was offering a $245 “Suite in Antique Velvet and imported Linen Frieze” for a mere $98 (about $1,800 today). However, I’m not sure I can afford new furniture every Passover! Mike Smith Of course, the highpoint of the holiday is the Alene and seder, the gala family meal and the reading of Graham Landau Archivist Chair the Haggadah. In this regard, especially from the 1930s-1990s, the Archive holds many interesting advertisements for brands of Passover foods. Many of these also appear in ads for local markets such as the Dexter-Davison, Chatham, Farmer Jack, Food Fair, Great Scot and Kroger or, more recently, Busch’s, the Grove and Nino Salvaggio. Many advertisements are for coffee for Passover. Once it was determined that coffee beans were not legumes, then the ads flowed. Joseph Jacobs, a former advertising manager of the Forverts, or the Yiddish Forward, formed an ad agency in 1919 and was the driving force in 1923 behind making coffee OK for Passover. His inspiration? He wanted Maxwell House Coffee to place ads in Forverts. Once the bean vs. legume issue was settled by a group of rabbis, Maxwell House not only advertised in Forverts but published in 1932 a Haggadah and included it with coffee purchased for Passover. The Maxwell House Haggadah is one of most popular in American history.

APRIL 14 • 2022

The JN supported this revelation and published hundreds of ads for coffee. Along with Maxwell House, there are ads for Borden’s, Sanka, Maxim and Yuban coffees, to name a few. Matzah is another primary Passover food with lots of ads in the Archive. Manischewitz is one of the oldest food advertisers in the Archive, especially for matzah. Goodman’s “Matzos” — with “improved square, tea and egg varieties” — was the chief advertising rival to Manischewitz. That “matzah battle” ended when Manischewitz acquired Goodman’s. I also found ads for HorowitzMargareten “Passover Matzohs.” All the ads promoted “Passover Goodness” (I suppose one would not want “mediocreness” for Passover). By the way, in the 1970s, Arnold Margolis of Margolis Household Furniture would give you five pounds of matzah if he could not beat your best deal (Aug. 19, 1977, JN). If you or your bubbie did not make homemade gefilte fish, no worries. The Chronicle and JN have lots of ads for prepared Rokeach, Manischewitz (“The Lightest of Them All”) and Mother’s (“Ready to Serve Old Fashioned”) Gefilte Fish. Of course, I do not have room to fully discuss other Passover food topics. In the Archive, you can also find ads for hundreds of restaurants and delis featuring Passover menus such as Star Deli, Steve’s Deli, Stage Deli and Pickles & Rye. Or to make it easy, caterers such as Quality Kosher and Bloom’s. The JN also attempted to help its readers navigate Passover food. For one example, in the March 22, 1974, issue, a convenient checklist of kosher foods was published. Have a happy — and tasty — Passover. Chag Pesach Sameach! Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives, available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.

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DJN April 14, 2022

Articles inside

Moments

Bates Street Society Dinner to Honor 5 Jewish ‘Pillars’

A ‘Dvar Challah’

A People Magnet

Improving Employee Retention

So Long, Spartans

Here’s To