THE JEWISH NEWS

UP FRONT

This Week's T o p Stories

PH OTO BY KRI STA HUSA

Helping Hands

A JVS program allows senior adults to continue to work.

LONNY GOLDSMITH STAFF WRITER

nderneath the fluorescent JVS. "Others have some disabil- program has had 95 participants.
lights of the Herman Teit- ities; most of those are age relat- Currently there are 24 men and
women in the program at the
el Senior Adult Workshop, ed."
The program also grew out of JVS building on Southfield Road,
busy hands assemble, sep-
the lengthening lifespans of with 24 more on a waiting list.
arate and stuff.
Despite all the good that the
They are the core of a senior many adults.
program does, it has run
adult workforce that
into two minor snags: lack
meets during the week to
of transportation and lack
work at the Jewish Vo-
of volunteers.
cational Service building
"We only have two vol-
in Southfield. Among the
unteers right now," Cook
companies who pay for
said. 'We could always use
their services are the
more to do a variety of
Lear Corporation and
jobs." They include work-
Weight Watchers.
ing with the participants
The workshop, started
and quality control.
in 1981, has other bene-
Transportation remains
fits: It provides relief for
a
problem.
"Some get a
family members who are
ride [to work] on the van,
caring for an older rela-
but it has to be within
tive and gives program
participants a renewed Isadore Kalish puts together pamphlets for Weight Watchers. pretty close proximity, like
Southfield or Oak Park,"
sense of purpose when
"People who lived longer and Remington said. "Right now we
their health and mental capabil-
wanted to work didn't really have only have one van driver."
ities slow.
The work varies. Wayne State
"The customers [workers] can places to go if they were slowed
be retired seniors who don't have down by age," said Linda Rem- University, according to Cook, is
the stamina they used to have," ington, director of public relations one of the biggest subcontractors.
said Fran Cook, program coordi- for JVS.
Since its inception in 1981, the
HELPING page 6
nator for adult day services at

U

Pride And Prowess

Detroit's Maccabi Games flagbearers have
the honor of leading the team into competition.

LONNY GOLDSMITH STAFF WRITER

A

s the 1997 Maccabi
Games get under way
across the United States,
the honor of carrying the
local flags goes to the athletes
with the longest tenure on the
team.
This year's Maccabi flag-
bearers, shown above, are Sean
Teeple, Allison Surowitz, Jared
Matz and Jeremy Landa. They
will be the first Detroit athletes
onto the field at the opening cer-
emonies.

t was going to be renamed Ami. "Everything comes a time,
and this is the time to quit."
Jerusalem Bakery.
The Mertzes would also like
Alas, the deal fell through.
As of today, Zeman's New to spend time with their daugh-
York Bakery on Southfield ter and grandchildren in Israel.
Road, one of two kosher retail The closure also coincides with
bakeries in town, has shut its their 47th wedding anniversary
— a "happy day," Mertz
doors for good.
The partnership be- Many Mertz is said.
Last year, a deal was
tween 74-year-old Morry
goin g into
almost complete to sell
Mertz and Morris Weiss,
retire ment.
the bakery in Southfield
who runs Zeman's on
to Aryeh Sharon, the
Greenfield Road in Oak
Park, officially ended on Aug. 1. owner of the kosher Jerusalem
But, 'Weiss told me that we'd Pizza on Southfield Road at 10
stay open until the 15th, and Mile.
"I had quotes on prices from
said to do what I've been doing
all the years we've done it," contractors, and had even reg-
Mertz said. "I was ready to re- istered the name 'Jerusalem
tire two-and-a-half years ago. Bakery,' " Sharon said. "At the
My health was not so great, and last minute, the deal didn't hap-
I was ready to be done. I told pen. Weiss wanted to avoid the
competition of another kosher
Weiss I needed to get out now.
"My father was a baker and bakery, and I was going to turn
all my life I grew up in the bak- [Zeman's] into a first-class es-
ery, and it's time for me to hang tablishment."
Dena Sanders, Weiss' daugh-
up the glove," he said.
"I think he wanted to do this ter, denied that her father was
and it's time," said Mertz's wife unwilling to sell.
"Sure, we are worried about
Sheila, who helps out in the
bakery and also works as a He-
brew teacher at Temple Kol HANGING page 29

I

Hanging Up The Glove

PHOTO BY KRISTA HUSA

Zeman's New York Bakery in Southfield closes,
leaving Detroit with only one kosher bakery.

LONNY GOLDSMITH STAFF WRITER

I I_

The Maccabi Games are tak-
ing place in six cities nationwide
this summer. Detroit's large del-
egation is represented in three
cities: Milwaukee, whose games
wrap up today; Seattle and
Pittsburgh, both of which begin
action with opening ceremonies
on Sunday.
The JCC North American
Maccabi Youth Games, which
take place in one city every oth-
er year, will be held in Detroit
in August 1998. ❑