sort of that experimental
ground where we all reside in
one way or another," Harelik
says.
The Immigrant opened at
the Denver Theatre Center in
1985, starring Harelik as his
own grandfather. The play
has subsequently been pro-
duced in about 50 theaters
throughout the country.
Haskell Harelik died in
1987,one month shy of his
100th birthday. Mark Harelik
says he was close to his grand-
father, a one-time banana
seller who eventually owned
a successful department store
in Hamilton.
"My grandfather started it
and ran it until the mid-to-
late- 1950s, and then my
father took it over," says
Harelik, 38. "My father just
retired in November."
Mark's father is named
Milton, after the banker who
helped Haskell get establish-
ed. His parents still live in
Hamilton, a town between
Austin and Waco.
There's more to the Jewish
community of Hamilton than
the play would indicate,
Harelik says. "I put two Jews
in central Texas and actually
there were many more than
that. The experience that my
grandfather had was shared
by a lot of people throughout
central Texas."
At the beginning of the
play, Haskell is 19 years old
and as religious as possible in
this new world dominated by
Baptist congregations.
"The dilution of my grand-
father's orthodoxy was fairly
complete by the time my
father was born in the early
1920s," Harelik says. "We had
a faith that was preserved as
it could be within the four
walls of our house, which, to
some Jews, seems like not
very much at all, and to
others seems like plenty.
"We were isolated. We were
about 80 miles away from the
congregation that my grand-
parents joined in Waco. We
had our Hebrew-Jewish
calendar on the wall. Every
Friday night we had a Sab-
bath service in our house,
which amounted to no more
than two or three prayers said
over the lit candles before din-
ner. To us, there was a very
strong Jewish continuity."
At one time, the Harelik
household was a three-
generation home, and Mark
grew up hearing stories about
his immigrant grandfather's
life.
Harelik heard so many
stories he became "suspicious
what took place or not. Every
family has its own apocrypha,
and it's defeating to look into
the true source of it because
the facts obscure the truth. ❑
.
EASTER ;RUNCH
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Menu
Management
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Fresh Vegetable Crudités with Assorted Dips
Array of Salads with Dressings
Pate Display, Deli Meats
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Call 827-1382 for reservations.
Radisson Plaza Hotel
Passover
At Town Center
1 500 Town Center
Southfield, Michigan 48075
Our Sincerest
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OPEN 6 DAYS, MON. THRU SAT. 7 a.m. TIL 9 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
87