r Eighty
JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR STAFF WRITER
continued from page 3
BERMAN CANNER
At the recent Purim party at Adat
Shalom Synagogue, revellers were
treated to the sight of synagogue
board member Herman Canner
spinning his lovely wife Pauline
about the dance floor.
"He was out there cutting a rug,"
said Rabbi Efry Spectre. "He is a
terrific dancer."
Aside from getting people out on
the dance floor to join him in the
fun, Herman Canner has goaded
others to become involved in adult
Jewish education and a number of
Israel activities.
Rabbi Spectre said Mr. Canner,
a businessman who continues to
work daily, serves as a role mod-
el for people seeking to lead an ac-
tive life at any age.
"He is a businessman and one
who has limited time, but I am
pleased to say that he is never too
busy when I call him," Rabbi Spec-
tre said. "When he sees a project to
be done, he does it and does it well.
"He sees and understands what
his Judaism must be," Rabbi Spec-
tre said. "He is forthcoming with
his time and a leader hi the com-
munity."
MARY FINK
All of her life, Mary Fink has faced
challenges.
As a child, she sought shelter in
the safety of cellars as bombs fell
in her native Romania. After she
moved to Detroit, she married Har-
ry Katz and became pregnant.
Harry died during the pregnancy,
leaving Mary to support herself
and her infant son.
She later married Irving Fink
and raised his two children from a
previous marriage as well as her
own son, now attorney Herschel
Fink.
All seemed to go well for the
Finks until Irving contracted can-
cer. He sought treatment at
William Beaumont Hospital in
Royal Oak where Mary found com-
fort in the caring relationships she
developed with the hospital's vol-
unteers.
Although Irving later died . of
cancer, Mrs. Fink continued her
attachment to the volunteers she
befriended. She began to give her
time to the hospital and to Temple
Beth El while maintaining a full-
time job as a bookkeeper.
In 1983 at the age of 74, she re-
tired and committed herself to vol-
unteerism. Mrs. Fink continues
today, at 88, as a volunteer chap-
lain at Beaumont.
"I love doing it because I ain do-
ing something for people," Mrs.
Fink said. "If I can comfort them,
if I can understand their feelings
and their hurts, I am very happy
about it."
Mrs. Fink was nominated for
••••••,•
THE D ETROI T JE WISH NE WS
•
ItIgNV%
*,■ c 'C
k Mk4
the award by her granddaughter,
Sheri Lee Fink, a medical student
in Palo Alto, Calif. The young Ms.
Fink said she had a difficult time
deciding which of her three grand-
parents to nominate. Elma and
Phillip Rader of Southfield, her
maternal grandparents, are active
in Jewish causes as well.
"I have to say I have some pret-
ty inspiring grandparents," Ms.
Fink said. "I know they are special,
and I know I am lucky."
CHARLES FINK
Rabbi Noah Gamze of the Down-
town Synagogue can think of few
as dedicated to maintaining a Jew-
ish presence in Detroit as Charles
Fink.
The 88-year-old Southfield res-
ident rises every day early enough
to be a part of the morning minyan
at either Congregation Beth
Shalom in Oak Park or Congre-
gation Beth Achim in Southfield.
He then travels to the Isaac Agree
Downtown Synagogue on Griswold
in Detroit to help Rabbi Gamze in
any way he can.
"It is simple," Rabbi Gamze said.
"We nominated him because the
man has done a tremendous
amount for the Jewish communi-
ty:,
Judy Wolin, an Oak Park resi-
dent who also nominated Mr. Fink
for the award, said Mr. Fink works
to make others feel comfortable at
the synagogue, including non-Jews
who seek assistance.
"He ensures that the homeless
and indigent as well as the tran-
sient are made welcome in the
synagogue with a warm meal,
sometimes with clothing but al-
ways with Jewish fellowship," she
wrote.
But his synagogue participation
is just the latest volunteer en-
deavor Mr. Fink has been engaged
in since long before his retirement.
As a lifetime member of the
Louis Marshall B'nai B'rith Lodge,
Mr. Fink has served on many com-
mittees and worked as an adviser
to B'nai B'rith Youth groups. In
addition, he has devoted many
hours visiting Jewish war veter-
ans at health care institutions,
generally located far from his
home.
"It is a long schlep and I don't
like doing it, but once I get there it
is worthwhile," he said.
Mr. Fink said his father, an Or-
thodox Jew, inspired his volunteer
work and devotion to Judaism.
"My dad was a very, very pious
Jew, and it kind of rubbed off on
me," he said.
BESS KROLIK
Longtime Jewish activist Tillie
Brandwine considers Bess Krolik
an inspiration for anyone wanting
to lead an active life.
Starting with her early involve-