Havdalah Service
Unites Quilt Viewers

LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER

B

eing in isolation is no
fun; my room has not
been cleaned for a
week now, due to peo-
ple being afraid of entering
my room. I am not a freak; I
am just sick, with an illness
anyone can get. I am alone
and full of desperation.
Surely even God must have
given up on me. I just
coughed up blood, the first
since I've been sick — to die
at 40. How does one face
that? — from Billy's journal,
included on his panel on the
NAMES Project AIDS
Memorial Quilt.
At each corner of each
panel section sat a box of
tissues.
About 500 people filed
through the doors of the
Macomb Hall at Cobo
Center each hour on Sunday
to view 2,400 of the 24,000
panels of the quilt.
Dinosaurs were sewn to
one panel; a stuffed pig was
placed lovingly on another.
Flowers were dropped on a
rhinestone-encrusted panel
naming Rock Hudson.
Names of individuals who

died from AIDS were read
by volunteers.
At 2 p.m. the reading
stopped.
Members of Michigan
Jewish AIDS Coalition
(MJAC) approached the
podium to begin a Havdalah
service.
Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg
of Congregation Shir Tikvah
led the service of what he
called "memorial prayers
and healing prayers."
"Hinei Ma Tov" was sung,
the twisted taper for
Havdalah was burned and
the spice box was passed
throughout the gathering of
people. Three panels creat-
ed by children at an AIDS
education seminar in March
were tacked to the stage
and later donated to the
quilt.
Following the service,
MJAC member Reuben
Rottman stood over a panel
for George Diamond. Satin
clouds reading Boston and
Washington, D.C., were
joined by a rainbow. The
words "architect," "artist,"
"travel," "son," "brother,"

The audience participated in Sunday's Havdalah service.

"uncle" and "friend" were
inscribed along with mes-
sages like, "I miss your sup-
port, your guidance, your
friendship and your special
generosity. Love, Reuben."
"He was my uncle," Mr.
Rottman said. "He died in
1988. He was 38."
Mr. Rottman's sister
designed the panel. Mr.
Rottman and others put
together the tribute.
"It's much more meaning-

Photo Exhibit Honors Elderly

RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER

F

annie May was feeling
snappy — the shutter-
happy way. The octo-
genarian was part of a
photography team that
shot pictures of elderly res-
idents of Jewish
Federation Apartments
(JFA). Members of the
photo team, all JFA ten-
ants, contributed to an
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exhibit at Sinai Hospital
celebrating Older
Americans Month.
The local photo exhibit
follows the month's nation-
al theme, "Look Through
The Eyes Of Someone
Wise.”
JFA and Sinai Hospital
held a reception on Sunday
to view the display. JFA

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Dr. Daniel Schechter looks at the exhibit.

residents took a field trip
to see the exhibit and reac-
quaint themselves with the
hospital some remember as
the birthplace of their chil-
dren — like Esther
Winkler, a resident of
Hechtman Federation
Apartments, who gave
birth to a daughter and son
at Sinai.
After touring another
exhibit detailing the histo-
ry of the hospital, JFA resi-
dents regrouped to view
their own photos.
Some snapshots depict
JFA residents celebrating
Jewish holidays. Others
show JFA residents volun-
teering for causes in the
Jewish community, a
favorite pastime of Fanny
May's.
Patricia Milner, adminis-
trator of Harriet and Ben
Teitel Apartments, said the
photographs aim to send a
positive message about
Jewish life at JFA.
"Friends. That's really
what (JFA) is all about.
People aren't living alone."

ful to visit the quilt than the
cemetery," Mr. Rottman
said.
Julie Frank, a social
worker from Southfield,
viewed the quilt for the
fourth time. "I go to keep
remembering, to keep active
and bring others who have
never been before," she said.
Rabbi Sleutelberg mir-
rored the sentiment.
"It's such a privilege to be
able to share one of our

most beautiful services with
thousands of non-Jews as
well as the hundreds of
Jews present," Rabbi
Sleutelberg said. "AIDS,
along with its misery and
pain, has brought countless
opportunities for bridges to
be built. This pandemic has
created a closely knit com-
munity crossing every
social, religious, racial and
economic category." 0

Seminar To Offer
Grandparent Aid

LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER

A

lawyer doesn't ap-
pear to fit into the
background of a pic-
ture of a loving
grandparent and grand-
child. However, increasing
numbers of attorneys are
finding their way into the
family unit.

"The common
interest is the
love of a child."

Attorney Richard Victor
will address the issue of
grandparents' rights June
8 at the Jewish Community
Center. He will be joining a
host of other speakers at
the "Creative Grand-
parenting" symposium on
June 1 and 8. The sessions
have been developed by the
Adult Services Department
of the JCC.
Both sessions will run

from 7 to 9 p.m. at the
Maple-Drake Jewish Com-
munity Center. Reserva-
tions can be made by call-
ing 661-1000, ext. 345.
There is no charge.
This is the first time the
Adult Services Department
has undertaken such a pro-
ject.
"I was speaking with
another worker here. She
told me she had seen a
seminar about grandpar-
enting. We thought it was
a great idea," said Eileen
Polk, program coordinator.
for the Adult Services
Department.
When she approached
Mr. Victor with the idea,
he immediately accepted.
In 1984 Mr. Victor, who
practices in Birmingham,
founded the Grandparents
Rights Organization. The
group works to inform

GRANDPARENT AID page 16