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Crimes Or
Misdemeanors?

PHOTOS BY DANIEL L IPP ITT

6- )

Week's

Police and the victim dispute their
roles in the aftermath of a
harassment incident in an 1-696
deck park.

JULIE EDGAR STAFF WRITER

t the very least, Southfield police could
have built a good assault case against
a teen-ager who taunted and knocked
off the hat of an Orthodox Jew on his
way to services in late April.
But they say the victim, Dr. Joel Zaeks, has
refused to press charges. Without him, they
can't proceed with the case.
Dr. Zacks, on the other hand, says he was
never asked to press charges nor to testify
against the suspect, a 17-year-old who is
awaiting prosecution on an unrelated armed
robbery charge.
Moshe Lichtenstein, who has been active
in pressing police for added protection of the
neighborhood, particularly the deck park near
Lincoln, west of Greenfield, calls the dispute
a "political boondoggle." He believes police are
scapegoating the Orthodox Jewish commu-
nity to make it appear as if the police are not
receiving help they need to keep the neigh-
borhood safe.
According to po-
lice, two teen-agers
came up to Dr. Za-
cks and his com-
panion as they
walked with their
sons to Minchah
services at Yeshiva
Beth Yehudah
around 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 27.
The main suspect
asked Dr. Zacks for
his black hat and
then knocked it off
his head before tak-
ing off. Although
there were verbal
Southfield Police Chief
threats made to two
Joseph Thomas
other witnesses
who noticed the
scuffle and came over, the youths did not
make anti-Semitic remarks.
Thp suspect, whom Chief Thomas described
as a 17-year-old who gave addresses in Oak
Park and Southfield, is out on bond on the
armed robbery charge and living in Livonia.
The second teen-ager, who allegedly taunted
Dr. Zacks and his companion but did not par-
ticipate in the assault, was also identified but
did not commit any crime for which he could
be charged.
Dr. Zacks, an ophthalmologist, said the day
he reported the incidept, April 28, he was
asked if he would test* against a suspect if
one was identified. He declined, thinking that

A

Why Dads Are Speshle

A tribute to some fast-driving, joke-telling, rebus-writing fathers.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

II

on Apel is a great father. So
are Barry Weisberg, Steve
Margolin, Steve Kowalsky,
Leslie Kleiman, Paul Fried-
man, Gary Shiffulan, Raviv
Schwartz, Richard Rosenberg,
David Wallace, Rob Orley,
Alan Drucker, Mark Millman,
Jeffrey Devries, Elliot Baum, Irwin
Danto, Jay Welford and Joel Raitt.
Just ask their children. They'll be
more than glad to tell you all about
their wonderful fathers, everything
from how they take their daughters
out for ice cream and their sons on
bike trips to exactly how loud they
snore.
As they put the finishing touches on
gifts for the best dads in the world,
first-grade students in Sheila Charlip's
class at Hillel Day School took a few
moments this week to discuss why
they'll be thanking their lucky stars on
this upcoming Father's Day and every
day.
Tamar Friedman, 6 1/2, of Franklin,
wrote a letter to her father, Paul, to tell
him how "speshle" he is.
"He's funny and he writes me notes
like this," she said, drawing a rebus

late-raspberry with
with a picture of an eye, a
SnowCaps."
heart and a large letter U.
Steve Margolin of
Seven-year-old Matan
West Bloomfield
Schwartz of Farmington
treats his 6-year-old
Hills said his father also
daughter, Judy, to
has a good sense of humor.
donuts on the first
They like to go places to-
day of school. "We
gether, "like the car wash,"
get glazed. He had
he said.
Mrs. Charlip (as a
Josh Apel, 61/2, of South-
teacher) and I do, too.
field, has a lot to say about
She's a good teacher. My
his father, Don.
Dad is 41."
"He helps me play video
Daniel Kowalsky of
games; my favorite is Son-
West Bloomfield is 7 and
ic, that's S-o-n-i-c. Can I tell
you two more things? OK Top: Bradley M illman writes a he loves his father, Steve,
a lot. "We like to bike-ride
He's funny. One More thing. letter to his Path er.
together and play catch,
Now, hmmmm. He packs
me lunches with sandwich- Above: Tamar Friedman loves and he likes to drive over
the speed limit."
es and a dessert and a a good rebus.
Josh Rosenberg and
drink. One good sandwich
David Devries, both 7 and both of West
he makes me is turkey."
When it comes to food, two other dads Bloomfield, also enjoy riding bikes with
their fathers.
are tops, as well.
"He came to my Siddur party and he
Barry Weisberg of West Bloomfield
has a good sense of humor, his daugh- loves me," Josh said of his father.
"When Pm bored, my Dad plays with
ter, Jennifer, 7, said. "And he tries
to come home early so he can see me," David added. "And when I get sick,
me, and he walks me to Yoz Yogurt and he gives me medicine."
last night I went there and got choco-
FATHERS page 18

0.

DECK PARK page 19