,rtaPIPS.

Survivor Cabaret

A monthly "cafe" will offer refreshments and live
entertainment for Holocaust survivors and their
families.

JULIE EDGAR SENIOR WRITER

as part of the Sinai program like
to stick around after screenings to
schmooze and reminisce about
their lives in Europe before the
war. That sparked the decision to
open a cafe for survivors, an idea
that has been successful in Swe-
den, Israel and Los Angeles.

The cafe will feature
free live
entertainment,
cake and coffee.

"For them to be able to talk
about what a Jewish wedding was
like or what a bar mitzvah was
like or what Shabbos was like is
fascinating. We learn how Jewish
life was actually lived," Dr. Silow
says.
Beginning Monday, Feb. 24,
Cafe Europa Detroit will be held

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T

he idea at first sounds pre-
posterous: A European-style
cafe for Holocaust survivors
and their kin.
Why, some might ask, would
refugees from Europe want any
reminder of their exile?
It's not as simple as that, says
Dr. Charles Silow, a psychologist
who counsels Holocaust survivors
as head of Sinai Hospital's 4-year-
old Program for Holocaust Sur-
vivors and Families.
People tend to think of sur-
vivors as people whose lives be-
gan and ended with the
Holocaust, as if their prewar his-
tories were sucked into a black
hole of memory, he explains.
"In a way, I think it's a joyous
event. Many survivors love to
share," says Dr. Slow, who found-
ed CHAIM (Children of Holo-
caust-Survivors Association in
Michigan).
Audiences for a popular month-
ly Yiddish film series he started

in the Jimmy Prentis Morris ty outreach to the survivor com- ing end of the Sinai program —
branch of the Jewish Communi- munity, and this is a developing many European-born Jews har-
ty Center in Oak Park the last program. We anticipate as we get bor a distrust of psychotherapy,
Monday of each month and will more known and visible in the he says — survivors face a more
feature free live entertainment, community, more survivors and insidious problem.
"By and large, the survivor com-
cakes and coffee. The first cafe fea- their children will be contacting
munity has been ignored," Dr.
tures the Klezmer band Di us," Dr. Silow says.
While it isn't easy attracting Silow asserts.
Klezmer Tzvai. Cafe Europa is co-
The Yiddish film series, and
sponsored by the Jewish Com- new participants for the counsel-
munity Center and Sinai.
PHOTO BY DAM EL UPPIT1 now Cafe Europa, are
meant to counter the indif-
Dr. Silow, 46, counsels
ference.
about 20 survivors each
"It's our way of acknowl-
week in individual, group
edging how special they are.
and family counseling ses-
After all they endured, it's
sions. Many more attend
a way for the Jewish com-
the Yiddish film screenings
— about 100 on average at
munity to express how we
the Jewish Center in West
care about them," Dr. Silow
Bloomfield the last Sunday
says. ❑
each month and about 75
at the Oak Park branch the
/31 Cafe Europa Detroit
opens at 12:45 p.m. Mon-
first Monday of each
day, Feb. 24, at the JPM-
month.
The Sinai program is
Oak Park branch of the
Jewish Community Cen-
funded by a small grant
from the Sinai Health Care
ter. The band Di
Foundation — money that
Klezmer Tzvai will per-
does not cover the cost of
form. The second Cafe
the cafe. However, Jewish
Europa Detroit will be
Family Service and Sinai
held at 12:45 p.m. Mon-
have applied for repara-
day, March 31, with mu-
tions funds through the
sic by Sam Barnett.
Conference on Jewish Ma-
Thereafter, the pro-
terial Claims Against Ger-
gram will be held at the
many in hopes of funding
same time and location
Cafe Europa and ancillary
the last Monday of each
programs to serve the sur-
month. For information,
vivor community.
call (810) 356-6668.
"We do a lot of communi- Dr. Charles Silow

