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Downtown Synagogue profiled in The Detroit News

1/26/2017

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Click image to read Downtown Synagogue article in The Detroit News. 

As a member of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue (Downtown Synagogue), it was gratifying to pass by newsstands and see a feature about the congregation this week in
​The Detroit News. The story provided an overview of the congregation, including its history and recent revival.

Here are a few highlights from the piece: 

- The Downtown Synagogue formed in 1921 and has been at its current location in Downtown Detroit’s Capital Park neighborhood since the early 1960s. The striking
four-story building with multicolored windows is located at 1457 Griswold in Detroit.
 
- It is the only Jewish place of worship owned by a Jewish congregation in Detroit, and there are 300 member households. The synagogue began its resurgence about 10 years ago when a group of young people became involved and took on leadership roles. The congregation is now a fixture of Jewish life in Detroit, as more Jews have come to live and work in the city in recent years. 
 
- A component of the synagogue's comeback is Rabbi Ariana Silverman, its first rabbi in
​16 years. She was recently hired to tend to the congregation’s spiritual needs, as well as build relationships with churches in Detroit. At present, she is the only rabbi serving a synagogue in the City of Detroit. 

For more information on the Downtown Synagogue, visit either its website or Facebook page. 
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A recipe to (re)attract customers

1/8/2017

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So I renewed my Entertainment Weekly (EW) subscription. 

I wrote a post a few months ago ("Print media declines as public seeks online sources") 
in which I said I let my membership lapse when unread copies began piling up on my nightstand. This happened almost immediately after I purchased my first smartphone three years ago. Instead of reading the pop culture periodical before going to sleep as I had done in the time before I owned an iPhone, my bedtime routine now entailed flicking through Facebook and Instagram. I indicated at the time I had no plans to renew, but... they got me. 
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EW's year-end recap has always been a favorite. 
Why did I opt to return? I have a few ideas: 
 
1. Persistence and Repetition: EW sent me several “We want you back!” notices via snail mail and email. I ignored EW’s requests at first, but eventually I reconsidered. (“Hmmm... Maybe I should renew...”) No doubt the magazine realizes it’s easier to bring back a former subscriber than attract a new one and they played to that. As a former subscriber, I'm already familiar with the material. If, however, someone hadn't been in the routine of receiving the magazine, then I imagine it would be harder to persuade them to join. 

In addition, there is something to said for reiteration as a marketing tool – when a product or service is mentioned again and again it does have a way of imbedding in one’s mind and playing on one’s emotions. It’s almost as if familiarity is equated with a product's quality and a perceived need for the good or service. I've found that I'm more likely to buy something if I've "heard" of it. There have been several times when an item is familiar, but I'm not exactly sure why or how – marketing of some sort is probably a factor, be it social media, TV commercials, billboards, etc.
 
2. Subject Interest: I love pop culture, and I’ve had a lifelong interest in movies, TV, music, celebrity culture, and the rest. I've sought out other entertainment periodicals, but I've found EW does the best job of covering a variety of mainstream media and doing so in a visually interesting way through photos and graphics. I would probably be less interested if Cheese Quarterly were trying to sell me a subscription – not that there's anything wrong with hard dairy. It's just that I'd rather read about the latest "Star Wars" than the latest Gouda.
 
3. Celebrity Endorsement: I’d like to think I’m one who’s not susceptible to celebrity endorsements, but Billy Eichner got to me. I'm a fan of the host of truTV’s “Billy on the Street,” a humorous pop culture game show of sorts. In a recent interview, Eichner talked about his fondness for showbiz news AND the fact that he’s been an EW subscriber since he was a kid. I admit I became excited when he namechecked the glossy! If it's good enough for Billy, it's good enough for me!
There you have what I believe to be the keys to gain a new patron or bring back a former one – persistence and repetition, inherent interest, and the approval of a public figure. And since this post is about a pop culture mag, I feel it's fitting that I end with a movie quote. As Michael Corleone uttered so famously in “The Godfather: Part III”: “Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in!”
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Michael's mad! 
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Kudos on this year's Menorah in the D! 

1/1/2017

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Click the image to watch WXYZ-7's "Menorah in the D" segment. Thousands attended the sixth annual menorah lighting ceremony on December 27 in Detroit. 

Congratulations to Shul-Chabad Lubavitch in West Bloomfield and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit for another successful Menorah in the D! The gathering is Metro Detroit’s largest community wide menorah lighting, and thousands attend annually.

The sixth annual event was held on December 27 at Campus Martius in Detroit, and those of all faiths enjoyed the glow of a one-of-a-kind 24-foot, 2,600 pound, glass and steel menorah. Guests also experienced live entertainment, food, games, crafts, and other family-friendly fun.

 
I enjoyed assisting with “Menorah” for the fourth year, and I’ve included some media exposure the event received to give others a sense of what it all entailed. Click here to read an article that appeared in the Detroit Free Press, and click here to watch a segment that ran on WXYZ-7. 
 
I hope to see you at next year’s celebration! 
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    I'm Eli Natinsky and I'm a communication specialist. This blog explores my work and professional interests. I also delve into other topics, including media, marketing, pop culture, and technology.

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