What does
being Jewish
mean to you?
What's In A Name?
After tying the knot, women are opting to keep their maiden names.
JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER
B
Steven Granitz, 28,
Southfield
"It's being part of a spe-
cial group where people are
very close. I think Jewish
people are generally hard
workers and are successful
because they have been per-
secuted for so long."
eth Cohen Radner spent a
long time thinking about
what to do with her name.
For 28 years she was
Beth Cohen. Then she met and
married Richard Radner, and the
now 30-year-old Huntington
Woods attorney had to decide
how to incorporate her married
name.
She did not want to drop her
maiden name because she felt
keeping Cohen is symbolic. "It
represents where I came from,"
she said. Professionally, her ca-
reer was established as Beth Co-
hen.
"It was important for me to
take my husband's last name be-
cause we are a family," she said.
"I spent a lot of time thinking
about what I was going to do and
what would make the most
sense."
At work she is Beth Cohen;
otherwise it's Beth Cohen Rad-
ner.
When most women get mar-
ried, they drop their maiden
name and take on their
husband's last name.
However, a handful of
women either keep
their last name, add
their husband's sur-
name or hyphenate
both last names.
Alyssa Gold- -
berg, 26, is not _
engaged. But
when she
does get mar-
ried,
she -
plans
on _ ;-
keeping her -
name for pro- .
fessional pur- -
poses.
"I'm proud to be a Goldberg,"
she said. "I want to maintain the
identity from my side of the fam-
ily. NI give up my name, I feel I'll
lose my identity."
••••_
Although Mrs. Cohen Radner
does not expect her son to use the
Cohen, she wanted it on his birth
certificate.
When Mrs. Cohen Radner
was deciding what to do with
her new name, she opted
not to hyphenate. It was
her feeling that using a hy-
phen would make her last
name into one word,
which she didn't want.
Ms. Goldberg said
_ she would not mind
. going the hyphen
1: route, but she does
not know how
fortable that would
make her boyfriend.
--r-
--=
"A lot of people
,
c• .:1"-
-
think this is about
feminism," Ms. Gold-
Mrs. Cohen Radner said her berg said. "I believe in that, but
husband respects her decision. not to the extreme that some peo-
The couple named their 6-month- ple perceive it." ❑
old son Alexander Jacob Cohen
Radner.
•
•••
•
-
.1.711
'
""`
Hand-Off
r
YAD installs its new president, Suzan Curhan.
RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY GLENN TRIEST
Jennifer Morse, 25,
Franklin
"It means so many spe-
cial things. It's heritage and
tradition and it's a way of
life for me."
Marc Bronsweig, 26,
Farmington Hills
"Being Jewish is special
to me because of the close-
ness we have with one an-
other. I don't know of
another religion where peo-
ple within that faith bond
with one another."
F
ederation's Young Adult
Division installed a new
president during its an-
nual meeting June 13 at
the Detroit Institute of Arts.
In YAD's first woman-to-
woman presidential hand-off,
Suzan Curhan replaced Eliza-
beth Kanter Groskind in the
one-year leadership role to a
metro population of nearly
3,600 Jewish young adults. Ms.
Curhan — a mom, M.S.W. and
veteran volunteer — says she
looks forward to building on
goals set forth by her prede-
cessor.
"My main role, I hope, is to
be a positive role model," she
said. "I really see myself as a
liaison to the community at
large."
Since drafting its new mis-
sion statement last year, YAD
leaders have fired up efforts to
target people between the ages
of 22 and 35. Along that broad
spectrum, Ms. Curhan aims to
continue programs for those in
the workforce, singles, couples
and couples with children. Ac-
tivities will include socials, ed-
ucational forums an Allied
Jewish Campaign fund-raisers.
"YAD knows how to toss a
great party, but if it never goes
beyond that, I don't think we've
achieved our goal," she said.
Though raising money for lo-
cal Jewish causes and Israel is
a priority, Ms. Curhan says the
organization is not all about
Campaign solicitations: "When
people say all we do is ask for
money, they just have to look
at our calendar to see that it's
not the case."
Ms. Curhan is married to
Michael Curhan. The couple
met at Camp Tamakwa when
she was a camper. He was part
-- ---
Suzan Curhan on the night of her instal-
of the staff. Ms. Curhan admits
lation as YAD president.
to having a big crush, which re-
mained inconsequential until
they met again at the Univer-
The kick-off, now in the plan- sity of Michigan in the early
ning stages, will take place this 1980s. They married in 1983
September, preceded by the and spent their first year to-
traditional boat cruise down gether in Israel.
the Detroit River in August.
Today, they live in Birming-
Ms. Curhan notes the im- ham with their two children,
portance of sponsoring boat Noah, 5, and Jessica, 3. Ms.
rides, Thanksgiving Day Curhan also serves in leader-
dances and other opportunities ship capacities with AIPAC,
for fun, but she says she Technion, JARC and other
doesn't want to dilute YAD's nonprofit organizations. ❑
message of tikkun olam, heal-
ing the world.
Calendar
July 10-July 23
Sunday, July 10 —
An afternoon of canoeing at
Heavner Park/Proud Lake
Recreation Area in Milford.
The event is sponsored by
Hillel of Metro Detroit. Call
577-3459 by July 6. Carpool
arrangements can be made.
Wednesday, July 20 —
The Maple/Drake Jewish
Community Center will host
a backyard BBQ for singles
21 and over. 7 p.m. at the
Centers outdoor pool.
There is a charge.
Saturday, July 23 —
Second annual "All That
JP 77" party. Sponsored by
B'nai B'rith Leadership Net-
work at the Village Green
Apartment Club House in
Southfield. 8:30 p.m. Call
352-3177. There is a charge,
but it will be applied to all
new memberships in July.
Do you have an item for our
young adult singles calen-
dar? Send it to Jennifer Fin-
er at The Jewish News,
27676 Franklin Rd.,
Southfield, MI 48034