KIDS page 3 FORGOTTEN page 3 father doesn't have perpetual care, they said they may not be able to do anything," he said. David Techner of Ira Kaufman Funeral Chapel said Goldstein's decision to not pay for perpetual care was the right one; without a sprinkler system, regular flower planting and regular mowing, there's no reason to spend the money. "They have a burial, put dirt on top and a great big mound of dirt and then you return a month later and there've been cave-ins of the earth. Often- times you can see the vault. They have no sense of dignity in terms of managing this part of the cemetery. Oakland Hills is a moneymaker; this [B'nai Israel] is the ugly stepsister," he said. The less-than-perfect condition of B'nai Israel has been a sore spot for many families Techner has served. He said he's got a list of 100 graveplots to sell from people who bought at the cemetery. "I've worked on this issue for the last five years. This is what you call a real donnybrook, and the reason I refer to it as a don- nybrook is that the condition of the cemetery is reprehensible — more so the Jewish section," he said. He told a particularly disturb- ing anecdote: A family disinterred the caskets of six family members and moved them to Adat Shalom Memorial Park because B'nai Is- rael buried a relative in the wrong grave. The cemetery picked up the cost of the disinterrment and the reburial. Jonathan Doi finan of Alan H. Dorfman Funeral Direction, which performs about 5 percent of its funerals at B'nai Israel, said he 0 has received complaints from families about the cemetery, such as peo- ple being buried in the wrong grave. "We've got notices on our board from five peo- ple who want to sell plots they bought for $295," the cost of a plot when B'nai Israel was created. Ten or so years ago, when Oak- land Hills decided to create a Jew- ish section of the cemetery, B'nai Israel sold dirt-cheap plots and showed a blueprint of the ceme- tery that included a beautiful sign at the entrance. Since then, noth- ing has been done in accordance with the original plan, Techner said. At the time B'nai Israel was cm- Tw yea rs with no gra ss on the gra ye. DESIGNS IN DECORATOR LAMINATES, LTD. ated, Machpelah Cemetery in Fer- ndale was close to being full and only Congregation Shaarey Zedek members could buy plots at Clover Hill Memorial Park in Birming- ham. Adat Shalom and Beth El memorial parks in Livonia had space, "but other than that, it seemed to be good timing for a new cemetery. It happens to be not a bad location and a nice piece of property if somebody would pay an ounce of attention to it," Tech- ner said. Cemetery sales manager Gary Eppolito said he tries to take care of customers, and in fact, has signed seven work orders in re- sponse to Goldstein's complaints about the lack of grass and the mud-spattered marker. He sug- gested that wild animals or geese have eaten the grass seed or that the grave's incline causes the seed to be washed away in the rain. But late last week, Eppolito said he would see to it that some of the topsoil at William Gold- stein's gravesite was removed and the marker raised to level the grave. However, he said, the grounds supervisor is really the person in charge of maintaining the gravesites. In the future, he said, he will refer angry customers to him. Ultimately, however, the real problem is that people unreason- Although he complains about ably expected a "mature ground" the hefty class sizes at Cass (of- within a year, Eppolito said. "It's probably the last new ten numbering 35 students per cemetery dedicated to Jewish in- class), which he feels made the terment in the area. I think there transition to high school chal- are a lot of things people are over- lenging, Schenk feels the school looking. There's nothing else out is a place where what you learn in the northwest location. People "depends on how much work you don't consider that the property put in as a student." Schenk argues that, contrary could've been used for some other to the belief of many suburban- use," he said. Of the 2,042 spaces near the ites, there is little violence at his "Tree of Life" sculpture at the alma mater. "I never saw a gun opening of the park, half are sold, or knives while I was at Cass," he said. 'There were never shootings Eppolito said. Rabbi Boruch Levin, director of at Cass or any school function Hebrew Memorial Chapel, be- that I know of. I never feared for lieves families may have bought t lny safety at Cass." For Schenk, whose family is ac- in B'nai Israel because of the rel- atively low cost of a plot without tive in Congregation Tchiyah, be- ing Jewish at Cass was not a figuring in additional costs. Area cemeteries charge be- problem. "There was no anti- tween $600 and $1,250 for a plot, Semitism, but I also didn't go but some cemeteries, like B'nai Is- around announcing that I was rael, charge more for grave mark- Jewish," he said, adding that he ers and opening and closing costs. knew of only three other Jewish At B'nai Israel, the typical cost students in the school — "the of a plot is $900, which includes most secular Jews you will find." Schenk's father, Alan, a law seeding and keeping the grave lev- el. Opening and closing costs are professor at Wayne State Uni- $925, and flower planting is $75 versity, says he and his wife, Bet- ty, have no regrets about sending to $85 per year. The average opening and dos- their three children to Detroit ing cost is $700 at other area Public Schools for elementary and cemeteries. A one-time fee for per- high school. "We think they got a different petual care, which means flower planting at most Jewish cemeter- kind of education at Cass Tech," ies, runs between $700 and KIDS page 26 $1,000. ❑ WHO SAID HAIR CAN'T BE FUN B SEXY IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COST A FORTUNE...ONLY LOOK LIKE IT! FEATURING • • • • • • Wall Units Bedrooms Dining Rooms Credenzas Tables Offices SPECIALTIES • • • • • Formica Woods Stones Glass Lucite LOIS HARON 851.6989 Allied Member ASID Cle,661e. 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