14 May 17 • 2018 jn

Soldiers Among

UsLong before Israel became a state, Detroiters

supported and worked for the dream of creating

a Jewish homeland. And many among us have

put themselves on the line as members of the

Israel Defense Forces to protect and preserve

the Jewish state.

These former and current IDF members are

Israelis now living in Metro Detroit and Americans

who believed so strongly in serving the Jewish

nation that many volunteered as Lone Soldiers,

those without family in Israel.

At Israel’s 70th anniversary, we salute some of

those in our midst who served in the IDF. •

@

continued on page 16

Sgt. Maj. Aron Zoldan of West

Bloomfield, Givati Brigade, 1950-52

Arik Ragowsky of Farmington

Hills, tank commander, 1970-

1973; photo taken during

Yom Kippur War just before

crossing the Suez Canal.

Cpl. Chloe Schwartz of West

Bloomfield currently serves in

the Israeli Air Force as a dog

handler. She is a Lone Soldier and

a 2016 graduate of Frankel Jewish

Academy.

William Cooper of West

Bloomfield was a Lone Soldier

who served from 2014-2015 as

a marksman/pointman in the

932nd Infantry Brigade.

Dave Kresch of West Bloomfield was an officer in

the 7th Armored Brigade. This picture was taken

in a parade for the creation of the State of Israel

in 1948. 

Lorem ipsum

To purchase tickets, visit israel70det.org For all questions, email Israel70@jccdet.org or call 248-952-8280

Join Our Community-Wide Celebration of This Historic Birthday!

A Special GM River Days preview event on the Detroit Riverfront

SUSIE & NORMAN

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An Evening on the River! Israeli Entertainment Authentic Israeli Pub

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16 May 17 • 2018 jn

Sgt. Corey Samuels Rosen of Franklin was

a Lone Soldier from 2014-2017 and served

as a Mashak Tash, an advocate for soldiers

needing welfare and social services.

Dahlia Rosen Berkovitz of West Bloomfield

served in the IDF from 1968-72.

Lt. Col. Dani Katsir served in Air Force intelligence from 1965-

1986.

@

David Yaari (formerly Greenwald) of West Bloomfield

is an American who made aliyah in 1981; he was part

of the 85th Artillery Brigade. Michael Goldenberg, Nachal, paratrooper,

1969-76

Steve Korn of Southfield, electrician, Israeli

Air Force, 2009-11

Rina Nina Yaari of West Bloomfield was part of the

81st Nachal Brigade, 1981. Rina met her husband,

David, above, while serving in the IDF.

Les Goldstein of West Bloomfield (shown

with his wife, Dora) served in the IDF

artillery from 1975-76.

Shalom Friedman of Farmington Hills served in IDF military

intelligence from 1965-67.

Merav Hazan of West Bloomfield served in

the Information Security Department of the

IDF from 1971-1993.

Miri Fadida of West Bloomfield served in Givati,

Shaked Unit, from 1995-97.

Omer and Romi Oppenheim are siblings from West Bloomfield.

He is currently serving in the 101st unit of the paratroopers.

She is currently serving in the Israeli Navy.

Shlomi Hamer of West Bloomfield served in

the IDF Paratrooper Brigade from 1971-74.

continued from page 14

FIDF Helps Israel’s SoldiersSince Israel’s founding in 1948, the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces have risked, and many times sacrificed, their lives for the Jewish state. And, since the Friends of the IDF was founded in 1981, the organization has stood by and sup-ported Israel’s soldiers. As David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime min-ister, said, “In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.” Israel’s survival is a miracle that can be primarily attributed to its sons and daughters in uniform.

For more information, call (248) 926-4110 or go to fidf.org/michigan-chapter.

Original Research by Walter L. Field Sponsored by Irwin S. Field Written by Jared Sichel

Jewish Scientists Who

ExplainedMedical Mysteries.

HERMANN JOSEPH MULLER (1890-1967). b. New York, New York. d. Indianapolis, Indiana. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1946. Mr. Mutant.An expert in genetic mutations, Muller discovered in 1926

a clear link between radiation, including x-rays, and danger-ous, sometimes lethal, mutations. He was awarded the No-bel Prize for this finding in 1946. This discovery had an im-pact on doctors who frequently used x-ray machines and on scientists’ understanding of how environmental factors can impact genetics. He practiced science in the Soviet Union for a short time in the 1930s, but was forced out after Stalin was unhappy with some of his scientific theories. Muller became

a prominent voice during the Cold War, warning about the dangers of nuclear fallout and radiation poisoning.

OTTO FRITZ MEYERHOF (1884-1951). b. Hanover, Germany. d. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1922.Connecting the dots of biology and energy.Raised, educated, and trained in medicine in Germany,

Meyerhof won a Nobel Prize in 1922 for his and physiologist A.V. Hill’s discovery that lactic acids (which build up in mus-cle tissue following exercise) metabolize faster when more oxygen is present. His discovery that an enzyme that helps produce lactic acid was the same enzyme that helps ferment alcohol in yeast was amazing evidence of the unity of bio-logical life across organisms. Along with two other scientists, he discovered the glycolysis process, a key step in the later discovery of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is a compound that plays a fundamental role in providing chemical energy for metabolism, and is considered by biologists to be the “energy currency” of life.

HANS ADOLF KREBS (1900-1981). b. Hildesheim, Germany. d. Oxford, United Kingdom.Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1953.He explained how food energizes us.As was the case with so many German scientists in the

1930s and 40s, the Nazis expelled Jews like Hans Adolf Krebs from prestigious academic and research positions. In 1932 before departing the University of Freiburg. Krebs, along with Kurt Henseleit, discovered the Urea Cycle—the first ever docu-mented metabolic process. Krebs showed how the body gets rid of excess nitrogen through the expulsion of urea, which is excreted with urine. Krebs’s greatest contribution, though,

came in England in 1937 at the University of Sheffield, where he discovered the citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle, which explains how cells derive energy from sugars, fats, and proteins, and how the food we eat sustains us. Krebs’s achievement has helped us understand health and disease at a deeper level, and has helped treat inborn errors of metabolism, the name for genetic orders that make it difficult for some people to properly convert food into energy.

Jewish Contributions to Humanity

#24 in a series#19 in a series

May 17 • 2018 17jn

May 14 marked the 70th anni-

versary of the establishment

of the modern State of Israel

and many commemorations and cele-

brations have taken place in Israel and

around the world. Indeed,

there is a lot to celebrate,

but it is good to remember

that Israel was only secured

after it successfully defend-

ed itself in the 1948 War of

Independence.

That war is still, by far,

the most devastating war in

Israel’s history. Nearly 6,400

Israeli military personnel

and civilians, or 1 percent

of the nation’s citizens, lost

their lives. More than 15,000 were

wounded. In the Yom Kippur War,

for comparison, the casualties were

roughly half that of 1948.

There are many books on the

War of Independence, but two have

received acclaim, and one of those

books, a lot of criticism. In these two

volumes, however, a reader can find

an excellent overall perspective of this

crucial Israeli conflict.

1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War by Benny Morris (Yale

University Press, 2008) is, perhaps, the

best single volume of the military his-

tory of the war. It is a lengthy, schol-

arly read. Morris narrates the war in

detail from its beginning in November

1948 until armistice agreements con-

cluded in July 1949.

A self-proclaimed “new historian,”

Morris reaches some controversial

conclusions. He believes the war soon

developed a religious and cultural

dimension and that if the Arabs sur-

rounding the nascent state had their

way, they would have eliminated any

trace of a Jewish state in Palestine.

This was a supreme motivator for

Israel’s soldiers and sailors. But,

Morris also concludes that by the

end of the war, the Israeli Defense

Forces (IDF) had developed from a

militia into the most powerful, well-

equipped, best-organized and best-led

military in the Middle East.

This dispels a historic notion of a

rag-tag Israeli military.

Along the way, Morris also shows

that, while few in number, Arab

forces, and in some instances

Israeli forces, had committed

war crimes against civilians.

A good history should evoke

questions and critical thought,

and Morris’s work certainly

does that.

One of the best memoirs

of 1948, a best-seller in Israel

in 1962, is now available in

English: Days of Lead: Defying Death During Israel’s War of

Independence by Moshe Rashkes

(Apollo Publishers, 2017). Moving

away from the big picture of strategy

and state politics, Rashkes writes

about the war in an immediate sense

— the war on the ground where a

soldier is faced with two primary

missions: to survive and to fight for

the man standing next to him.

Rashkes’ narrative is that of an

18-year-old soldier facing the bitter

fighting early in the war, on the road

to besieged Jerusalem. This is a most

personal story. Rashkes was indeed a

soldier who was seriously wounded

in the war; he later became chair-

man of the IDF’s veterans’ organiza-

tions. Rashkes’ rendition of how it

feels to be in combat, see the deaths

of his comrades and have the pain

of wounds is, to say the least, deeply

moving. One cannot read this rather

brief book without thinking of one

question: How did the IDF do it?

How did they overcome the suffering,

the deprivations and the deaths they

witnessed?

The 1948 War for Independence

was monumental, and the modern

State of Israel stands as a testament to

the war’s impact and result. Reading

these books provides good insight

into the nature of the war itself and

how it affected the participants. •

1948 WarTwo books give insight.

@book review

Mike Smith

Detroit Jewish News Foundation Archivist

@

Israel Through The Decades

Since its founding in 1942 by Philip Slomovitz, the Detroit Jewish News has chronicled the birth,

growth and global impact of Israel. Take a walk back in time and see how the paper has celebrated

previous Israel milestones. You can do your own searches about Israel over the decades

at www.djnfoundation.org.

1948 1958 1968

1978 1988 1998 2008

18 May 17 • 2018 jn

May 17 • 2018 19jn

5725 WALNUT LAKE ROAD, WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI 48323 248-661-5700 TEMPLE-ISRAEL.ORG

User’s Guide

Thursday Mornings

(and continuing)

of consciousness through the

for the

Join Brotherhood as we welcome guest speaker, Gerald E. Rosen, retired Chief Judge, US District Court for the Eastern

District of Michigan, as he shares the details of Detroit’s Bankruptcy.

Cost of breakfast is $20, and is open to the community. RSVP online at

temple-israel.org/Rosen.

Please join us in welcoming back Violinist and Native Detroiter

Gabriel Bolkosky.

Gabe is a much sought-after visiting artist and performer throughout North America. He is known for his versatility and sensitivity as a

violinist and has been praised for his ability to engage audiences

with his spectacular programs. For this performance Gabe is joined by

pianist Marta Aznavoorian.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Stephanie at 248-661-5700 or

stephanie@temple-israel.org.

Presented by the Regene & Leslie Schmier Concert Series Endowment Fund

20 May 17 • 2018 jn

Lasting Partnership

The Michigan Israel Business Accelerator

(MIBA), a bi-national nonprofit chamber

of commerce formed in 2017 dedicated

to increasing economic ties between Michigan

businesses and Israeli companies, is continuing

its efforts to strengthen and improve successful

partnerships initiated by its 10-year predecessor,

the Michigan Israel Business Bridge (MIBB).

The MIBA is a public-private partnership

funded by state dollars through the Michigan

Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) as

well as foundations, corporations and individual

donors.

The MIBA recently appointed Israeli-born

Sandy Selinger as its first chief executive officer.

He plans to address the group’s commitment to

improve the Michigan economy by expanding

collaboration with Israeli businesses, fostering

relationships in areas such as advanced manu-

facturing, mobility, cyber security, health and life

sciences, water technology and defense.

“Michigan businesses have unlimited potential

to work with Israel-based businesses and vice-

versa,” Selinger said. “As CEO, I plan to elevate

Michigan as the destination Israeli entrepre-

neurs think of when considering expanding busi-

ness operations into the United States.”

Selinger, a London School of Economics

graduate with 20 years’ experience building and

expanding the U.S. operations of Israeli start-

ups, recently relocated with his family to Grosse

Pointe Park from New York.

Previously, he was the head of website devel-

opment platform Wix.com’s Manhattan office,

overseeing its marketing team and increasing its

national presence. He also spearheaded opera-

tions and finance at Pysop Inc., a commercial

production company, overseeing its growth to

an international design and production firm

with 120 employees in New York, Los Angeles

and London. Selinger also served in the Israel

Defense Forces as a rescue and evacuation unit

operations officer and squad leader.

“I was born in Israel and grew up there,” he

said, “and over the years, I’ve seen Israel develop

into a technological and innovation world

leader. I now live in Michigan, where the poten-

tial and momentum for growth are palatable.

Israeli companies can gain much from being

in Michigan, which offers a business-friendly

environment, world-class academic institutions,

engineering and manufacturing, and access to a

standard of living that’s hard to match.”

This economic cooperation has been the focus

of MIBA and the MIBB before it. Former MIBB

Executive Director Hadas Bernard explained her

role in expanding the MIBB’s viability and its

membership, as well as promoting the successful

transition to its expanded impact as the MIBA.

“I was hired to be the ‘change agent’ for the

MIBB,” Bernard said. “My mission to increase the

scope and purpose of the organization included

organizing 300-plus business meetings between

Israeli and Michigan companies, creating new

partnerships and jobs. For example, a recent

meeting resulted in an Israeli company opening

a new office in Oakland County.”

Bernard’s efforts also resulted in networking

events in Tel Aviv, Detroit and Grand Rapids that

featured speakers such as Israeli cyber specialist

Rami Efrati and Crain’s Detroit Business Group

Publisher Mary Kramer.

A significant accomplishment was the 2017

Israel Michigan Cyber Mission, led by Gov. Rick

Snyder, and the Michigan Israel Defense Mission,

coordinated with SIBAT (Israel’s International

Defense Corporation), Israel’s Ministry of

Defense, Macomb County and the Michigan

Economic Development Corporation. In addi-

tion to meeting with Michigan companies, Israeli

defense participants met with the governor, U.S.

Sen. Gary Peters, the Israeli Deputy Counsel of

the Midwest and Macomb County Executive

Mark Hackel.

Beth Gotthelf, who served as MIBB president

from October 2015 until January 2018, recalled

the overwhelming success of the mission.

“It was the first time the Israeli Ministry of

Defense held a weeklong mission with a state,

rather than with a country,” Gotthelf said. “The

ministry describes the Michigan mission as the

gold standard it now measures all other mis-

sions against. Our missions have included auto-

motive companies, and we’ve expanded to areas

such as cyber security and mobility, and more.”

Selinger accentuated the importance of such

cooperation to expand opportunities in cutting-

edge concerns.

“MIBA is a catalyst focused on the economic

betterment of Michigan,” he said. “We have excit-

ing plans moving forward, including leading

a delegation to Israel in early May focused on

mobility with the American Center for Mobility

(a newly opened, Ypsilanti Township-based test

ground for intelligent vehicle technology) and

other Michigan companies.”

The importance of the Michigan-Israel rela-

tionship is evident in Detroit’s Jewish popula-

tion, especially when viewed through the eyes of

such advocacy groups at the Jewish Community

Relations Council/American Jewish Committee.

“The MIBA demonstrates practically how

Israel is producing startups and innovative

companies that greatly benefit the world,” JCRC/

AJC Executive Director David Kurzmann said.

“I’m delighted to see the increased collaboration

between Michigan and Israel, and all the good

the MIBA does fostering this relationship.”

MIBA Board Chairman Mark Davidoff also

indicated his support for the organization’s

efforts, support that was formed over 25 years of

association with the cooperative economic agen-

da between his home state and the Jewish state.

“The term ‘accelerator’ was coined to capture

the idea that with this new organization, we’re

going to take all of the energy created over the

past 25 years of Michigan-Israel economic devel-

opment and drive it forward, accelerate it.

“MIBA is the single portal for business-to-

business connections between Michigan and

Israel,” he continued, “driving our economic

development and providing Israeli companies

the opportunity to leverage the deep industrial

base here. It’s a win-win, for Michigan’s economy

and Israel.”

And what positive aspects does Selinger see

going forward with the MIBA?

“We’re in an amazing, privileged position of

supporting business owners that can affect an

economic revolution in Michigan,” he concluded.

“I have the envious position of meeting doers

who are passionate about what they’re creating,

and I’ll need to find ways to focus on creating

economic opportunities to help them do more. I

work at making connections, opening doors and

promoting two parts of the world I’m excited

about. This really is a great job!” •

JUDY GREENWALD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

@

Hadas Bernard

Mark Davidoff

Beth Gotthelf

David Kurzmann

Sandy Selinger

Michigan and Israel

economic partnership

continues to grow

thanks to MIBA.

May 17 • 2018 21jn

Should I follow my head, or my heart?

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When: Thursday, June 24th, 9am-12pm

Registration 8:45am Program 9:00am-12:30pm

Where: Jewish Family Service 6555 West Maple, West Bloomfield

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Registration 8:15am Program 8:30am-4:30pm

Where: Jewish Family Service 6555 West Maple, West Bloomfield

Open to anyone 16 or older.

To register or for more information contact resourcecenter@jfsdetroit.org or 248.592.2313.

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a two-day interactive workshop that teaches how to provide guidance to a person at risk and how to

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safeTALK helps you respond to situations where suicidal thoughts

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22 May 17 • 2018 jn

Unity is the strongest force

the Jewish people have.

Our Secret WeaponI

drafted as a Lone Soldier

to the Paratroopers Unit of

the Israel Defense Forces

in March 2017. After months

of challenging training, I now

participate in patrols and

missions that help ensure the

safety and the continuity of the

Jewish homeland. However, on

the fourth day of the month of

Iyar on the Jewish calendar, I

participated in a mission like

no other I have experienced

before.

The fourth of Iyar is the day

on the Hebrew calendar on

which we commemorate Yom

Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial

Day. On this day, the entire

country of Israel mourns the

loss of those who have died as

soldiers or as victims of ter-

ror. Yom Hazikaron starts at

sundown when a siren, which

is heard across the country,

is sounded for one minute.

Everyone stops what they are

doing and stands for a moment

of silence to show respect for

those who have fallen.

The following morning, the

National Memorial Ceremony

for fallen soldiers takes place

at Har Herzl, Israel’s military

cemetery. Friends and families

gather at the gravesides of their

loved ones for the ceremony

and at 11 a.m. the siren sounds

once again, this time for two

minutes.

The Israeli army sets out

to make sure proper honor is

given to all the brave soldiers

who have sacrificed for the

country and to bring comfort

to their families. The army

prepares with diligence and

seriousness for this ceremony

like they prepare for any of its

missions. Currently, enlisted

soldiers are carefully selected

to stand by each of the graves

at Har Herzl during the cer-

emony. When the siren wails,

not one of our brave fallen

heroes is alone as there is a

soldier standing at attention at

each graveside.

Each soldier who is assigned

to a grave learns about the

person whose grave they are

assigned to. I was assigned

the name Raphael Mordechai.

I learned that Raphael

Mordechai immigrated with his

family to Israel from Baghdad.

He lived in the northern part

of Israel and, as a teenager, he

served as a leader in Bnei Akiva

and other youth organizations.

He enjoyed playing sports,

especially basketball.

Raphael Mordechai served as

an officer in the same division

of paratroopers as I serve in

today. He fought in the War of

Attrition against Egypt and was

badly injured when he was shot

in the stomach. He managed

to recover from this injury and

returned to fight with his unit.

He fell in battle during the 1973

Yom Kippur War.

When I arrived at the cem-

etery and located Raphael

Mordechai’s grave, I found

there were about 20 people

of various ages standing

around the grave, clearly hav-

ing their family moment with

their departed. I was hesitant

to approach and introduce

myself,as my initial thought

was that I didn’t really belong

there and that I should be giv-

ing the family their privacy to

mourn their loss.

My commanding officer

encouraged me to go introduce

myself. I slowly made my way

toward the grave and wiggled

my way through the family

members to the eldest man at

the graveside who I assumed

was Raphael Mordechai’s

father. I put my hand on his

shoulder and when he turned

around he looked at me and

immediately gave me a hug. I

introduced myself as the repre-

sentative from the Paratroopers

Unit, and he began to cry and

grabbed me once again and

gave me a hug and a kiss.

He proceeded to introduce

me to the rest of the family

including his grandson, Rafi,

who is named in memory of

his brave uncle. I talked with

the family for the next hour as

they warmly welcomed me as

part of their group. I listened to

their stories about life “back in

the day” and the struggles and

sacrifices they have endured

and what they have given

up for Israel to be where it is

today.

As the ceremony was get-

ting ready to start, I assumed

my stance in amod dom (at

attention). At 11a.m., as the

siren started to wail, although

there were thousands of people

standing crowded together in

that cemetery, there was just

pure silence. It was deafening! I

felt Raphael Mordechai’s father

grab my hand and squeeze it

and I heard him start to cry

again. I realized tears were

streaming down my face as

well; and in that powerful

moment in time I understood

the meaning of my mission

on that day. This mission was

not about guns and grenades;

rather it was about our people’s

most powerful weapon — unity.

I stood there thinking about

how this man, who was a total

stranger to me just an hour ago,

had chosen to hold my hand

at this moment. How together

as one we were sharing the

pain of loss and at the same

time the pride in what Raphael

Mordechai had given for the

country. Knowing that we have

what we have today because

of soldiers like him and all the

other soldiers who lay in their

graves surrounding him.

I realized that I, in fact, did

belong there with him because

ZACH HERSCHFUS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

@essay

continued on page 24

IDF paratrooper Zach Herschfus in the field during

a training exercise.

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Marty Abrin’sAssociates in PhotographyThe ambiance provided by your

multi-generational photos enhanced this special evening.

I am able to stand beside him

proudly wearing my IDF uniform,

donning the red paratroopers’ beret

on my head and representing to him

that the dream of Israel still lives on

and his son did not die in vain.

Later that evening, I sat with

some friends on the rooftop of

Yeshivat Orayta, where I had stud-

ied before I drafted. The yeshivah is

located in the Old City of Jerusalem

and from the rooftop there is a

magnificent view of the Old City

and the Western Wall. As the sky

grew darker and the country transi-

tioned from Yom Hazikaron to Yom

HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence

Day), I looked out over the Old City,

and the feeling of sadness from what

we have lost started to give way into

the joy for what we have gained.

As we walked through the streets

of the city that night, we danced

and sang together with everyone

around us, friends and strangers,

there were no differences — we were

all together as one. As I experienced

this transition, I thought about how

the succession of these two holidays

represents who we are as a people

and why I chose to be standing

there in uniform.

In the history of the Jewish peo-

ple, we have suffered many atroci-

ties and defeats, but we have always

picked ourselves up and come back

stronger. As a people, when we fall

down we always get back up again

and the way we do that successfully

is when we do it together in unity.

Unity is the strongest weapon the

Jewish people have; that is our super

power. On Yom Hazikaron and Yom

HaAtzmaut, I was able to see this

super power activated so clearly

as everyone across the country set

aside their differences and came

together in sorrow and transitioned

together into pure joy. Although

my mission on Har Herzl was not

one that involved patrols or check-

points, it was definitely my most

meaningful and important mission

yet because I took part in activating

the super power of our nation as we

stood together in unity. •

24 May 17 • 2018 jn

continued from page 22

@essay

After advanced training, which included a

35-mile hike in full gear, Herschfus earned his

parachute-with-wings pin and his unit com-

mander gave him his own red paratrooper’s

beret, which was a special honor .

ZIONIST LEGACY Zach Herschfus, 20, is the son of Fern and Brian Herschfus of Southfield. He is currently a Lone Soldier serving in the Paratroopers unit of the Israel Defense Forces. He is a graduate of Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield. He also attended Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusalem and the Bnei David Pre-Military Academy in Eli, Israel.

He was sworn into the Paratroopers unit at the Western Wall last June, 50 years to the day the Wall was liberated by the paratroopers. His mother says he always dreamed of being a soldier in the Israeli army.

Soon after he drafted, Zach met with an older relative visiting Israel who had known Zach’s great-great-grandfather and namesake, Yisroel Dov Waxman (Zach’s Hebrew name is Yisroel Dov). When Waxman was 80, he moved to Israel to spend his final years there.

The relative told Zach this story about Waxman no one in the family had known before: When he arrived in Israel, he went to the IDF recruitment office and said, “I want to join the army; there must be something I can do.” They laughed and told him there was nothing they could offer a man his age. Still wanting to do something, he decided he would find a way to support the soldiers. He ended up spending hours standing at the bus stops where the soldiers would return from base, handing out candy and other treats and giving them blessings. This story con-tinues to empower Zach daily as he feels he is not only living the dream for himself but also for his namesake.

Zach’s great-grandparents Abraham and Sarah Cutter dedicated their lives to Israel and its causes. Abe Cutter was an Israel Bonds volunteer since its inception and sold millions of dollars of bonds in his life-time. During the Six-Day War in June 1967, Abe secured himself a spot on a cargo plane to Israel and took Sifrei Torah to the soldiers on the front lines. On that trip, he collected bullet shells from the battlefield and turned them into a menorah that Zach lights every year on Chanukah.

May 17 • 2018 25jn

RABBI IRWIN GRONER MEMORIAL LECTURE

27375 Bell Road � Southfield, Michigan 48034248.357.5544 � www.shaareyzedek.org

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Admission is free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Synagogue office at248.357.5544.

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26 May 17 • 2018 jn

Michigan and the Central Galilee

share an unbreakable bond.

Like Family

Since 1994, the Jewish Agency’s

Partnership2Gether (P2G) pro-

gram has united Metro Detroit,

Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor with

the Central Galilee region of Israel,

made up of three municipalities:

Migdal HaEmek, Nazareth Illit and

the Jezreel Valley. The region is

home to Orthodox Jews, Russian-

speaking immigrants, Arab villages

and, of course, many other Israeli

families and individuals.

The Jewish Federation of

Metropolitan Detroit was matched

initially in 1994 with this region as

part of a broader Israel-diaspora

initiative called Partnership 2000.

Under the leadership of then-

Federation Executive Vice President

Bob Aronson, this partnership has

grown from one originally designed

to address needs in Israel to an

unbreakable bond that mutually

benefits both communities.

The past several years have also

seen the creation of a new hiking/

biking path covering the entire

region. People from local schools,

Arab villages and all three munici-

palities have come together to clear

the path, dispose of litter and oth-

erwise develop the project. A large

event on May 11 brought together

individuals from across the Central

Galilee to celebrate the bike path’s

creation as the project nears com-

pletion.

The work done on the path has

created new relationships and a

renewed spirit of cooperation, both

within the Central Galilee and with

Michiganders, making it a testa-

ment to the hard work of commu-

nity members and the Michigan

Partnership 2Gether program.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTIONPerhaps the most vital and impor-

tant outcome of P2G has been the

partnership’s support of English

language instruction. In the Central

Galilee, it is often difficult to get

qualified English teachers, making

the instruction provided by the part-

nership invaluable. Since 2006, stu-

dents in the Central Galilee receive

extra hours of English instruction

thanks to a program in conjunction

with P2G and the Jerusalem Post’s

“Lite Talk” service.

“We are very proud of our English

language programs,” says Jennifer

Levine, Michigan Federation’s Israel

and Overseas Department Director.

Many of the region’s students have

passed their English oral matricula-

tion with the highest scores pos-

sible, citing the program as the

reason. This advanced English

language knowledge gives them an

advantage in their future educa-

tional and professional endeavors.

The program has since expanded

to include students from Grade 4

onwards, with 4,000 students par-

ticipating last year.

MORE BENEFITSIn the past year, Detroit delegations

have made 37 visits to the region,

representing more than 750 people.

These visits include Federation mis-

sions, congregation trips, school

trips and professional visits.

A People to People (P2P) program

within the partnership has twinned

Hillel Day School with the region’s

Western Valley School, and more

schools in the Detroit area will con-

tinue to partner with schools in the

region in the future.

Other P2P programs bring young

adults back and forth between both

regions, and a pilot program will

soon be launched for young families.

The Israeli Camper program

began in 2002, when 325 Israeli kids

were sent to Camp Tamarack as a

respite from the Second Intifada.

Each year since, nearly 100 Israelis

come to camp each summer, allow-

ing the partnership to strengthen

a sense of Jewish community both

here and in Israel.

In addition to the camp program,

P2G also engages young adults by

partnering with Teen Mission and

Taglit Birthright trips. Each year,

the Detroit Community Birthright

trip sends more than 80 local young

adults to Israel. Detroit’s Birthright

trip is unique for the emphasis it

places on its partnership region;

an entire day is spent touring the

region and with various programs,

and Detroiters are joined by Israeli

young adults from the partnership

region itself. Each trip also includes

a dinner with an Israeli family. Later

in the year, the Mifgash experience

brings these Israeli participants to

Detroit where they are hosted by

their American friends.

Teen Mission is an educational

experience allowing Jewish teens

the opportunity to experience Israel

and create friendships with each

other. This year, Teen Mission will

send about 100 Americans to Israel,

and 18 young Israelis will partici-

pate as well. Detroiters and Israelis

alike attend the first three weeks

of the trip in Israel while spending

the latter three weeks in the Detroit

area attending Camp Tamarack.

The Central Galilee-Michigan

partnership, currently led by

Partnership 2Gether Program Chair

Richard Broder, is one of reciprocal

and mutual success.

“The partnership programs are

both critical and effective,” Broder

said. “Of parallel importance are the

people-to-people relationships built

up over time through those pro-

grams that continue to strengthen.”

With new program advance-

ments on the horizon and inter-

est in participation steadily rising

among individuals in both coun-

tries, the future for the Central

Galilee-Michigan partnership is

brighter than ever. •

JASON RUBENFIRE SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

@

Central Galilee 11th-graders comingle on the Naim BeYahad bike trail.

FROM TOP: The Partnership2Gether steering committee

visits an Ethiopian National Project school in Migdal

Haemek this April. Pictured with students are Sylvia

Wolf, Karen Simmons, Rachael Gordon and Max Gordon.

The steering committee visits Beit She’an National Park.

A recent Detroit Community Birthright group visits

Kibbutz Merhavia in the Central Galilee.

May 17 • 2018 27jn

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28 May 17 • 2018 jn

It was the evening of the 29th of November 1947. I was

then an 8-year-old child who was aware that something

very important was about to happen. Only in the com-

ing years did I realize the full significance of the event.

Almost all the neighbors in the house on 97 Herzl St.,

located in the southernmost end of Tel Aviv, the house

my father built in 1935, gathered in our small apartment,

pencils and pieces of paper in hand. All ears were glued to

the radio as they tried to guess and assess the results of the

vote to take place in the U.N. Assembly in far-off New York

regarding the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab

states.

The hour was late, after midnight, and despite all my

efforts to stay awake, I finally succumbed to sleep only to

be summarily awakened by shouts of “mazal tov,” “L’chaim”

and “Shehechiyanu.” My father, a man not known for his

sentimentality, approached me with tears in his eyes and

said, “Roha’le (little Rachel), we have a state,” and gave me

a little kiss on my forehead. I will never forget those words

as long as I live.

Then came the unforgettable Friday afternoon of 1948

when our Old Man, as

David Ben-Gurion was

known, read the Scroll

of the Independence

of the State of Israel in

the old art museum in

Tel Aviv. The next day,

the British Mandate on

Palestine was over, and

the newly formed State

of Israel was formally

established after 2,000

years.

There was great

rejoicing among the

Yishuv, as our Jewish

community was called.

We all filled the streets

with spontaneous sing-

ing and dancing, which

is possible once in the

life of a person and in

the life of a nation.

Alas, Israel was

already engulfed in

a war with its Arab

neighbors who refused

to accept a state in

Palestine.

After the end of the war, we were proud spectators

as my father received a commendation from the mayor

of Tel Aviv for his brave service in the Mishmar Ezrahi,

Civil Guard, during the War of Independence or War of

Liberation as it was also called.

Now, as we mark the 70th birthday of the State, I wonder

what my parents and their founder friends would think in

facing an Israel that is not exactly what they dreamt about.

I still believe they would rejoice with their children, grand-

children and great-grandchildren in a State of Israel that

would not have come to reality without them. •

Rachel Kapen lives in West Bloomfield and contributes Yiddish limericks to

the Jewish News.

A Moment In History

A 9-year-old Rachel on April 21,1948, at what later became

known as Gan Ha’atzmaut — Independence Park

essay @

May 17 • 2018 29jn

30 May 17 • 2018 jn

BC

Farber students go all

out for the Jewish state’s

70th anniversary.

Celebrating Israel!M

ore than a half-century ago,

the founders of Akiva Hebrew

Day School (Yeshivat Akiva), an

Orthodox Zionist institution, intended

to create an educational institution dedi-

cated to Jewish and secular studies “while

imbuing its students with a love for and a

commitment to the land of Israel.”

The Southfield school, now known as

Farber Hebrew Day School, put that com-

mitment on vivid display April 19 at a

day-long school-wide celebration of Yom

HaAtzmaut, Israel’s 70th Independence

Day.

The celebration culminated in a mul-

timedia presentation of the history of

Israel, performed entirely by students,

on the premise of bringing back Israel’s

founders to encounter the current reality

of the country.

Theodore Herzl got to talk with

Benjamin Netanyahu; Rabbi Avraham

Kook, chief rabbi of pre-state Israel, spoke

with a student at Migdal Oz (a seminary

for female students of Torah); Chaim

Weitzman, the scientist who served as

first president of Israel, talked with Omer

Gal, an engineer who designs desaliniza-

tion plants.

Eliezer ben Yehudah, who invented

Hebrew words for new phenomena,

pioneering Hebrew as a modern spoken

language, got to observe a concert in con-

temporary Hebrew, filled with even newer

words. The program included a short

video address in Hebrew from Natan

Sharansky, the heroic refusenik who now

heads the Jewish Agency for Israel. The

event also featured the hope that Jews

around the world will make aliyah.

The script for this presentation was

written by Merav Edrei, based on an idea

suggested by Daphna Feldman, head

of the school’s Hebrew Department.

Merav and her husband, Yonatan, serve

as shlichim (emissaries) of Bnei Akiva,

a worldwide Jewish youth movement

dedicated to Torah, service and the land

of Israel. They came from Israel to head

Bnei Akiva Detroit, providing an Israeli

presence and leadership for the local

branch of the youth movement, for local

synagogue groups and for Farber Hebrew

Day School.

Merav summarized the theme of the

program: “Connecting the people who

made the country, and the people who

dreamt it, with the people who are now

making the country stronger and more

peaceful. Maybe 70 years from now, these

people now will be the subject of celebra-

tions of Israel.”

Also active behind the scenes in this

program are shlichot Avital Parnes, Tohar

Barsheshet and Hadar Sagiv, young

women doing national service for Israel

by staffing Bnei Akiva projects in the

Detroit area.

Commenting on the presentation,

Avital said it was designed “to connect

everyone with Israel.” Hadar emphasized

that it “connected us with each other.”

And Tohar added that she enjoys it “when

the kids get to know the songs that we

know in Israel.”

Posters introducing significant indi-

viduals in the history of Israel decorated

almost every inch of the main hallway of

the school. Pairs of students had done

the research, producing short essays in

English and Hebrew for each subject,

along with relevant photos.

Earlier in the day, the entire school took

part in a parade on 12 Mile and Lahser

roads, carrying Israeli flags and dem-

onstrating their commitment to Israel.

When the students returned, they were

able to visit stations with projects related

to Israel, including cooking and science

experiments. •

LOUIS FINKELMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERPHOTOS BY PAUL FISCHER

@

FROM TOP: Farber

Hebrew teacher and

shlicha Merav Edrei

introduces the evening’s

ceremony. 

Third-graders Amalya

Winer and Tiferet Stein

enjoy the parade.

Benjamin Netanyahu

(ninth-grader Joseph

Kornblum) with eighth-

graders dressed as a

farmer (Kiki Hyman), TV

host Hannah Herdman

and David Ben-Gurion

(Daniella Weil).

Elementary school

students perform

during event.

The entire school

population marched from

the school’s entrance up

12 Mile Road.

High school students

Molly Yarbrough, Estee

Brown and Zoe Korelitz.

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BCB139381 Jewish News Got Plans F1 indd 1 9/21/17 10:53 AM

32 May 17 • 2018 jn

Israel Independence Day Carnival & Kosher Rib Burn-Off,

Hillel Day School, Farmington Hills, April 19 •

PHOTOS BY ANTHONY LANZILOTE

faces&places

Bnei Avkiva’s Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut Event,

Young Israel of Oak Park, April 18 •

PHOTOS BY JERRY ZOLYNSKY

There was plenty to do at Hillel Day School’s Yom HaAtzmaut event April 19.

Willa Matthies, 3, of Farmington Hills

Rib Burn-Off judges at work: Head of School Steve Freedman, Athletic Director Nicole Miller and

Maintenance Worker Zack Toliver.

Elan Rosenberg, 10, of West Bloomfield after finishing a rib

Rib Burn-Off winner Rabbi Shalom Kantor, left,

of B’nai Moshe poses with the judges.

A member of the Holy Band gets out into the crowd.

@

Ethan Adler, 16, of Southfield lights a candle in

memory of those who died in service to Israel.

Rabbi Josh Strasberg of Oak Park leads the men’s group in prayer and song.

Event organizer Yonatan Edrei of Oak

Park addresses the audience.

Ezra Klausner of Southfield waves the flag of Israel as

the men and students dance around him. 

Josh Younger and his daughter, Hanna, 3, watch the

festivities.

Bnei Akiva students are recognized.

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May 17 • 2018 33jn

Walk For Israel, Temple Shir Shalom, West Bloomfield, May 6, 2018 •

PHOTOS BY JERRY ZOLYNSKY

Walkers head up Orchard Lake to show their support for

Israel.

Ray Rebeck of West Bloomfield

show his love of Israel.

Annette Meskin and Julie Blair, both of West

Bloomfield, hand out American and Israel

flags.

Jewish War Veteran Art Fishman of Oak Park is

recognized for his volunteer work by U.S. Rep.

Sander Levin.

Brianna Rohelier of New Haven paints tattoo

art on 11-year-old Ellery Gnesin of West

Bloomfield.

Olivia Lindsey, 8, of Birmingham holds her dog,

Daisy, while on the train ride with her mother,

Jennifer. 

Ari Kantor, 3, rides on the shoulders of his

dad, Rabbi Shalom Kantor of Congregation

B’nai Moshe.

Police handle traffic on Orchard Lake Road so

marchers can pass safely.

When Israel@70 meets River

Days on Wednesday, June

20, a sea of blue-and-white

flags will wave along the riverfront

where thousands of Jewish Detroiters

will gather for a good time and to cel-

ebrate a birthday to remember.

Marking the 70th year of Israel’s

statehood, the Jewish Community

Center and the Jewish Federation of

Metropolitan Detroit — in partnership

with GM River Days and the Detroit

Riverfront Conservancy — will host

festivities from 4-10 p.m. in an exclu-

sive River Days preview event one day

prior to opening to the

general public. In addi-

tion to sponsorship by

the Susie & Norman

Pappas Challenge

Fund, community

partners for the event

include more than 30

local congregations

and Jewish organiza-

tions.

“We chose the Riverfront — in the

heart of the city — to showcase the

diversity of Jewish Detroit and its abid-

ing connection to Israel,” said Jennifer

Levine, Federation’s director of Israel

and Overseas.

“Thanks to our partnerships in the

city, families can come down to enjoy

the mix of carnival rides, midway

games and vendors, all with an Israeli

blend of kosher and vegan fare, family

activities, music and entertainment.”

Hadag Nahash, Israel’s hottest band

to boom out of Jerusalem, will be the

headliner. From hip hop to rock,

reggae to funk, Hadag Nahash

is a melting pot of grooves with

Middle Eastern flavor.

Another bright star in Jewish

rock music, Sheldon Low (of

Songleader Boot Camp fame), will

open with his own family-friendly

tunes, including selections from

his children’s albums distributed

by PJ Library.

“Our goal is to bring the whole

community together for an eve-

ning that everyone, especially

our children, will remember

as bigger than life,” said Jeffrey

Lasday, JCC chief operating offi-

cer.

Bring the family, a camera,

your appetite for fun and every-

thing Israeli and enjoy carnival

rides ( free), midway games,

carnival food and fab Jewish fare

from more than a dozen food

trucks, including Chef Cari, Cool

Jacks and Nosh Pit.

“We are thrilled to invite the

community to commemorate

and celebrate Israel’s 70 years of

achievement,” said Federation

President Beverly Liss. “Israel’s

story is our story, and a part of

Michigan’s history, too. •

34 May 17 • 2018 jn

Israel@70 At River DaysCommunity celebration to be held on the Downtown riverfront.

Israeli Hadag Nahash

will headline the

entertainment.

Tickets for Israel@70 at River Days from 4-10 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, include unlimited carnival rides. Advance purchase tickets at discount prices are available at Israel@70det.org: general admission, $18; seniors (70+), $13; family ticket (2 adults, 3+ children) $75; born in 1948, free. Walk-in ticket prices to be announced.

For ways to get involved, volunteer, become a community partner, plan or sponsor an Israel event, contact Julie Yaker at jyaker@jccdetroit.org.

Israel@70 Detroit is a yearlong celebration in a coordinated effort of congregations and Jewish agencies throughout the community. To promote your Israel event on the community’s Israel@70 calendar, visit Israel@70det.org/eventform.

@

Jewish rock musician Sheldon Low

May 17 • 2018 35jn