May 2015Sivan/Tammuz/Av/Elul 5775
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Washtenaw Jewish News Presort Standard In this issue… c/o Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor U.S. Postage PAID 2939 Birch Hollow Drive Ann Arbor, MI Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Permit No. 85 Lichter Yom Yip Scholorship Ha'Atzmaut Harburg’s Recipients 2015 Legacy Israel at 67 page 7 page 12 page 18 May 2015 Sivan/Tammuz/Av/Elul 5775 Volume XXXVIII: Number 8 FREE WASHTENAW Celebrate Israel 2015: kumzitz and more JCC t o host Rabbi Ilana Baden, special to the WJN he Ann Arbor Jewish community ties such as pita baking, wine tasting, story- Israel will host the “Nahalal Tent,” which will Chaverim B’Shirim’s once again looks forward to its an- telling, toy making, and arts and craft projects convey the spirit and joy of the moshav (agri- spring concert T nual opportunity to cultural village). honor Israel and what she rep- At 5:30 p.m., everyone will Clara Silver, special to the WJN resents through the Celebrate gather around the campfire The Jewish Community Center of Greater Israel program on Sunday af- and will have an opportunity to Ann Arbor will host Chaverim B’Shirim’s ternoon, May 17. sing, dance, and prepare some Spring Concert on May 3, at 3 p.m.; admis- The highlight of Celebrate traditional kumzitz food on the sion is free. For over 20 years, this “friends in Israel 2015 will be a commu- flames. nity kumzitz. Kumzitz comes “We are so excited to help from the Yiddish words kum, produce this year’s Celebrate which means come, and zitz, Israel event,” shared Neal and which means sit. In contempo- Bunky Elyakin, who are this rary Hebrew, it signifies a social year’s Celebrate Israel chairs. “We gathering around a campfire both remember sitting around with music, food and drink. kumzitz fires in Israel, with lots Participants will also enjoy a of dancing and music, great falafel bar (kosher under su- food, and wonderful friends. pervision) and a wide array of Our Ann Arbor community has interactive activities. The cost so much to offer to everyone. for this event is $10 per person This year’s celebration of Israel is songs” volunteer choir has been entertaining or $25 per family with registra- one of our Jewish community’s Nahalal delegation at Celebrate Israel 2011 the Ann Arbor Jewish community with Mari- tion before May 11, or $15 per premier events. We look forward lyn Krimm as the conductor and director in person or $36 per family after May 11. for children and adults. There will even be a to seeing everyone there!” several concerts each year. This spring’s con- Celebrate Israel will begin at 4 p.m. with chance for participants to get their photo tak- For more information and to register for cert of secular music by Jewish composers activity stations. Many of the local Jewish en with “historical” figures. Moreover, mem- the events, visit www.jewishannarbor.org or promises to be a timely and eclectic mix of agencies and synagogues will sponsor activi- bers from Ann Arbor’s sister community in call 677-0100. n the familiar from then and now. The chosen composers include George and Ira Gershwin, Steven Sondheim, Leonard Cohen, and Bob Dylan. The musical selections are a collabora- Federation annual meeting set for May 27 tive effort among the members of the choir. David Shtulman, special to the WJN This spring, selections will include ex- aurie Barnett will conclude three Division to Allocations chair, chair of the a profound force at EMU, and in the South- cerpts from Porgy and Bess and Into the Woods, years as president of the Jewish Jewish Community Impact Fund and several east Michigan Jewish community, at engag- both critically acclaimed musicals which have L Federation when the 2015 Annual other Federation committees and task forces. ing both the university administration and seen high profile revivals in recent years, the Meeting is held at the Jewish Community the community in the establishment of this former on the Broadway stage, and the latter Center of Greater Ann Arbor, at 7 p.m., on program that recently offered its first minor via Disney’s wildly popular film adaptation. Wednesday, May 27. Barnett’s tenure has degree in Jewish Studies. In addition to his The Cohen and Dylan songs were chosen by been marked by an agenda of outreach work in building the Jewish Studies program, those choir members who will perform them. and inclusiveness by the Federation, an Shichtman has become an important leader Chaverim B’Shirim originated when increase in fundraising and community in the fight against BDS in academia, lectur- Krimm, who earned her Doctor of Musical services and a restructuring of the Federa- ing nationally and in Israel on the subject. Arts degree from the University of Michigan, tion board and operations. A revised set of The annual meeting will also feature the retired from serving Temple Beth Emeth in Federation bylaws reflecting the Federa- presentation of the Susan L. Lichter Memo- 1992, where, among other things, she was the tion restructuring will be voted upon at the rial Endowed Israel Scholarships to Zachary choir director. Many members of the TBE meeting. Barnett’s remarks will reflect on Bernstein and Miriam Hamermesh. choir wanted to continue singing with Krimm her time as Federation president and her Rabbi Ilana Baden, who will be leaving and eventually decided that the best rehearsal feelings about the role of Federation in the Laurie Barnett and Neal Blatt the Federation staff in June, will present the and performance venue to reach the widest Ann Arbor Jewish community. In addition to the recognition of incoming opening D’var Torah. audience was the JCC Since the establishment Neal Blatt, a physician and long-time and outgoing board members, the Federa- The Federation Annual Meeting is open of “a musical family of sorts,” said Krimm, board member, will succeed Barnett as presi- tion will honor Martin Shichtman, founding to all Federation members and their guests. many original members have passed away or dent. Blatt has served many roles in the Fed- chair of the Jewish Studies Program at East- RSVPs should be sent to Cindy Adams at moved away from Ann Arbor, n eration, from his time in the Young Adult ern Michigan University. Shichtman has been [email protected]. n I Community 2935 Birch Hollow Drive Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108 JLI course explores the origins of Judasim voice: 734/971-1800 Rabbi Aharon Goldstein, special to the WJN e-mail: [email protected] www.washtenawjewishnews.org he Rohr Jewish Learning Institute the nature and legitimacy of rabbinic law,” says (JLI) will present Judaism Decoded: Dr. Eugene Kontorovich, a law professor at T The Origins and Evolution of Jewish Northwestern University and contributor to Editor and Publisher Tradition, a new six-week spring course which theinfluential Volokh Conspiracy law blog. The Susan Kravitz Ayer will uncover the unique formula that has sus- course, he says, combines “high academic rigor tained Jewish tradition for millennia. with fundamental rooting in Jewish tradition.” Calendar Editor Claire Sandler “Judaism encourages us to question,” adds Rabbi Goldstein, the localJLI instructor Advertising Manager in [Ann Arbor. “Torah law is built on a com- Gordon White plex source code, and we’re going to examine it in detail. But we’re going to reach back even Design and Layout further: How do we even know the Torah is Dennis Platte true inthe first place? Staff Writers “This course is going to address these con- Mary Bilyeu, Sandor Slomovits, Rochel Urist troversial questions head on. I don’t think any- one will want to miss this.” Contributing Writers Like all previous JLI programs, Judaism Rabbi Ilana Baden, Jeffrey F. Barken, Alina Dain Decoded is designed to appeal to people at all Sharon, Rabbi Robert Dobrusin, Hadar Dohn, levels of Jewish knowledge, including those Deborah Fineblum Schabb, Karen Freedland, Paul Shapiro and Rabbi Goldstein Robert Gluck, Rabbi Aharon Goldstein, Maayan without any prior experience or background Jaffe, Yaffa Klugerman, Joan Levitt, Father Gabriel Rabbi Aharon Gold- Naddaf, Avital Ostfield, Sarah Schneider Hong, stein of the Chabad Henry Sholk, David Shtulman, Clara Silver, Maxine House will conduct the six Solvay, Elliot Sorkin course sessions at 9:30 a.m., and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, The Washtenaw Jewish News is published monthly, with the exception of January and from May 12, at Jewish July. It is registered as a Non-profit Michigan Commuicty Center of Corporation. Opinions expressed in this pub- Greater Ann Arbor and the lication do not necessarily reflect those of its Chabad House. Paul Shapiro and Rabbi Goldstein editors or staff “Just as science follows the scientific method, Ju- ©2015 by the Washtenaw Jewish News. daism has its own system All rights reserved. No portion of the Washtenaw Jewish News may be reproduced without to ensure authenticity permission of the publisher. remains intact,” explains Signed letters to the editor are welcome; they should Rabbi Zalman Abraham not exceed 400 words. Letters can be emailed to the of JLI’s New York head- editor at [email protected]. Name will be Not Just A quarters. “We wanted to withheld at the discretion of the editor. shed light on the mystery Circulation: 5,000 Photobooth! JCI Graduates, 2014 that surrounds biblical Subscriptions: $12 bulk rate inside Washtenaw County WEDDINGS interpretations. This really is an eye-open- in Jewish learning. AllJLI courses are open to $18 first-class su bscription ing course.” the public, and attendees need not be affiliated BAR/BAT With the world changing at a rapid pace, Ju- with a particular synagogue, temple, or other The deadline for the June/July/August issue of MITZVAHS daism Decoded tackles the intricate questions house of worship.