April 1 - April 7| 29 Adar II - 6 Nissan , 5782
Rabbi Silverman's Message

During Purim, we believe that the world can be turned upside down, and then right-side up. Vulnerability can turn to power. Terror can turn to joy. We celebrate this with revelry and noise and food and drink. We even try on different versions of ourselves as we dress in costume and yell during the public reading of a biblical text. We tell our children a story that includes attempted genocide and tremendous violence. But then we assure them that Esther’s bravery and cleverness helped save the Jews of Persia.

Pesach requires a different kind of belief. While the Book of Esther never mentions God, the haggadah certainly does. God’s power is evident in the plagues and the parting of the Sea and the eventual revelation at Sinai. We are asked to believe in divine miracles. Or at least to believe that the seemingly impossible can happen.

This year, as we transition from Purim to Pesach, our world feels upside down. We are living in a time of tremendous violence and suffering in Europe and across the globe, we are aware that the climate crisis could cause mass extinction and create a refugee crisis on an unprecedented scale, and we are still living with a global pandemic that has claimed millions of lives and demonstrated that human inequality continues to worsen. And yet. And yet human beings have demonstrated bravery and cleverness. There are countless stories of bravery in Ukraine and Eritrea and Yemen. Human beings working together across the globe developed a vaccine that prevented hundreds of millions of people from dying from COVID. And, I believe, if we actually made it a priority, we could find ways to avert the worst of the climate crisis.

And although I don’t know that God will directly intervene, I do know that seemingly impossible things can happen. Enslaved people can become free. Impenetrable passageways can become open. Wisdom can be revealed when we least expect it.

I still believe that the world can be turned right side up. I still believe that impossible things can happen. And as our community puts away the megillah and reaches for the haggadah, I hope that you will, too.
Upcoming Shabbat Schedule

Friday, April 1st - Virtual
6:00 PM Schmooze

Saturday, April 2nd - In-person
9:30 AM Torah Study
10:30 AM Shacharit

For a full calendar of services
We look forward to coming together for Shabbat! Services are held at Christ Church, 960 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48207.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us.
Events at IADS
Thursday Torah Study with Rabbi Silverman
Weekly on Thursdays, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Can't get enough Torah? Neither can we! Join Rabbi Silverman weekly on Thursday afternoons for virtual Torah Study to study the weekly parashah. We welcome those of you who cannot make it to Torah Study on Saturdays, those who are searching for an alternate virtual option, or those who just want to connect with your fellow partners in Torah.

Through Parted Waters: Community Passover Learning
Thursday, April 7th, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Congregation Shaarey Zedek (27375 Bell Road, Southfield, MI 48034)
Join Rabbi Ariana Silverman as one of the educators during this night of community learning! Rabbi Silverman's course "What if we were freed but never left Egypt?" tackles the ideas that the Exodus was not just a release from slavery to freedom but a total escape from the land of our enslavement. What are the conditions we need to fully feel free? Is it dependent on place, time, community? Join Rabbi Silverman's class at 8:00 p.m.

This year’s Through Parted Waters: a Community Pesach Learning, will seek to reset the table, to bring us back to a dialogue that builds and sustains rather than judges and divides. Passover is the holiday of questioning, so let’s ask those questions side by side, hand in hand, as we leave Egypt…together. Click here to register!

Passover Mini-Seder for Kiddos & Families
Sunday, April 10th, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Congregation T'chiyah's sanctuary (First United Methodist Church
You're invited to join Downtown Synagogue, Congregation T'chiyah, and Dor Hadash for a short, kid-focused Passover seder on the morning of Sunday, April 10 - designed to get you and your kiddo all ready for Passover! (Passover itself begins on the evening of Friday, April 15). We'll have singing, storytelling, and playful activities (afikomen hunting, anyone?) to get to know the major points of the holiday. In the interest of Covid safety, we will not be serving food/eating as part of this event. Space is limited, so please register ASAP! 

This event is designed be enjoyed for children ages 10 and under, and their families. You do not have to be a formal member / enrollee of the hosting congregations to attend, but registration is mandatory.

Interfaith Passover Seder
Sunday, April 10th, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
We welcome you to join us for the sweet return of our annual Interfaith Seder held in partnership with the Bethel Community Transformation Center community. This special Passover seder is rooted in community, justice, and freedom and is an opportunity for our communities to deepen our commitment to climate justice, racial equity, and collaboration as we reflect on the past two years.


Freedom Stories: From the Jewish and Black Experiences, A Fundraiser for Ukrainian Relief
Wednesday, April 20th, 7:00 p.m.
Temple Kol Ami, 5085 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323
Join storytellers Corinne Stavish and Rev. Robert Jones, Sr., for an evening of stories (and music from Robert) for adults on the theme of freedom. The artists are waiving their fees and all proceeds will be donated to HIAS, an international refugee relief organization, to help those fleeing the fighting in the Ukraine. Please register for either the in-person or live streamed event at tkolami.org/social-action/. Suggested donation of $18, multiples of $18, or whatever your heart allows. Advance registration requested, though walk-ins will be welcomed.
The Downtown Synagogue is pleased to be a co-sponsor of this program.
Welcome to our newest Downtown Synagogue members, Sarah and Wade Rose, and Lisa and Louis Corey! We are so excited for you to be a part of our special community.
Tributes

In appreciation of Rabbi Silverman performing a beautiful ceremony for Sarah and Wade’s wedding by Howard Katz
In memory of Terry T. Brown by Liz and Les Kannon
Marking the Yahrzeit of Judith Orbach by Geoffrey Orbach
Marking the Yahrzeit of Richard Robinson by Elizabeth Blase
Marking the Yahrzeit of George Simon by Arthur Simon
NEW: Simchah Shabbat
IADS wants to share in all your simchas! Each month we'll be including birthdays and anniversaries in our newsletter, and we invite you to join us on the last Shabbat of each month to celebrate in-person with an aliyah and special treat. This month’s Simcha Shabbat will be Saturday, April 30th. Please join us!

April Anniversaries
Tara and Jay Hack

April Birthdays
Aaron Mondry, Amy Jane Sayre, Andrew Doctoroff, Benny Reichman, Courtney Lane, Cynthia Brody, Daphne Logan, Edward Miller, Elika Ridelman
Elizabeth Blase, Erin Einhorn, Eva Bernstein, Honi Nosanwisch, Ilan Sussman, Jeremy Rosenberg, Joel Milinsky, Jonny Kest, Josh Berkow, Judy Grossman, Julie Teicher, Keyanna Silverman-Maddox, Lydia Levinson, Nathaniel Warshay, Nicole Doctoroff, Rabbi Ariana Silverman, Rabbi David Nelson, Rafi Milgrom, Richard Wiener, Scott Kirschner, Sheryl Lesser, Stanley Levine, Stuart Wolff, Wendy Pittman, and Zachary Slabotsky

If you would like to submit your birthday, anniversary, or special life event information to be included in our newsletters, please contact Liz.
Get Involved! Join a Commitee at IADS

Are you looking to make a difference in the Downtown Synagogue community? Do you have creative ideas for programming and engagement opportunities? Look no further than the NEW Membership & Engagement Committee!

If you are interested in joining this committee, or want to learn more about ways to get involved with the Downtown Synagogue, reach out to Nicole.
Be a part of Reimagining IADS
This upcoming December, the Downtown Synagogue will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Since the beginning, we have been rooted in the City of Detroit and focused on nurturing a welcoming and inclusive community. As we celebrate our 100th Anniversary, let us make sure that we meet the needs of Detroit’s Jewish community for the next 100 years.

The Downtown Synagogue board, staff, and lay leaders have spearheaded a $5.2 million capital campaign to make this vision a reality. We are thrilled to share that, to date, we have raised $4.9 million. We invite you to join us in reaching our goal of $5.2 million. Every dollar matters toward this effort. Join us and be a part of our exciting future with your financial commitment.
Community Support
The staff and board of the Downtown Synagogue is thinking of ways to support our community's needs right now. If you or a loved one needs help, please let us know- we will endeavor to connect you to services or help you directly. Please reach out to Rabbi Silverman with resource inquiries.
Call for Mi Shebeirach
During our Shabbat morning worship, we read the names of people in our community who are in need of healing. As we invoke God's blessing, we also become more aware of the people who could use a little extra care. Please let us know if you would like us to read the name of a loved one.