Top Left:
Lee and Emilee Lubinski loin In at
the piano.

/ 12

Ms. Fishman recalls that
one of the most fun-filled
days occurred when none of
the entertainers showed up.
Some of the women stood up
and led the group in X-rated
songs — all in Yiddish.
"It was hysterical," she
laughed. "The people loved it,
and a lot of them knew the
songs!"
The accordionist, Itzhok
Pirkupets, is from Russia and
cannot speak English. He
can, however, pick up on the
melodies and joins in with
the playing. Sometimes he
leaves the accordion and
dances with the ladies.
Through an interpreter, he
said, "I like to see people en-
joying themselves. It's a plea-
sure to be helpful."
Also sharing his pleasure
are the other performers who
volunteer their time: singers
Phyllis Bratt, David Gutman,
Sylvia Halliburton, Alex
Nemoff and Mimi Summers;
pianists Marlene Nessel and
Miriam Zacks; and violinist
Sid Mann.
"We get to know the peo-
ple, and they will come up
and say, 'I love you,' " Ms.
Summers said. "It's like a
family."
Many of the artists give
their time to other organiza-
tions and programs as well.
A few go the Jewish Home for
Aged, while others appear
with the Oak Park Civic
Chorus and the Music Study
Club.
"If we feel someone gets a

Opposite page:
Phyllis Bratt, Pearl Davidson,
Alex Nemoff and Sylvia Halliburton
Join their voices.

lift, it gives us a lift," Ms.
Hilliburton said.
The only fee is for the food,
and it has changed very little
over the years. It has in-
creased from 25 cents to 35
cents to 50 cents.
Sally Sidran, who has been
attending the programs for
about six months, said she
enjoys the
other mem-
bers of the
audience as
much as she
does the en-
tertainers.
Perhaps that
is because
people like
Dorothy
Ekelman
and Estyr
Reichstein
become the
entertainers
as they get
up and
dance.
"We have
so many peo-
ple who are
giving of
themselves
and are nice
to be with,"
Ms. Sidran
said.

For infor-
mation about
the socials,
which are held between and
3 p.m. Wednesdays, call
Leslie Bash at JPM, 967-
4030.0

Left:
Ann Brandman gets into the swing
of things.

Below:
Dorothy Ekelman is an appreciative
audience.

ltzhok Pirkupets backs up the
singers.