"Do we have to celebrate those who
I
/ brought shame to our history?" asked
Adele Smiler, JHS vice president and
head of the programming committee.
"We would have gone along with a
very limited, tasteful, low-level kind of
mention without names," said Judith
Levin Cantor, immediate past presi-
dent of the JHS, editor of Michigan
Jewish History and archivist for
Shaarey Zedek. "But I'm very much
against embarrassing people."
She said the JHS works to empha-
size positive aspects of Jewish identity.
"It's part of our mission to reflect
the proud history of the Jews of

The popular Mendelsons Atlantic
Resort in South Haven. Established in
1919, it was operated by David and
Eva Mendelson and their daughters
Rebecca, Sarah and Harriet.

Michigan, to reinforce the identity of
our kids," she said. "The Purple Gang
is a very small blip in our history. You
do not find other ethnic groups fea-
turing in their museums their gangster

element or their criminal element or
their convicted murderers element. It's
not proper."
Another group that would not par-
ticipate, or even assist, is the Jewish
Federation, which oversees the Jewish
Community Archives. The archives
are filled with photos from Detroit
Jewish history, some of which Rosman
hoped to include in his exhibit.
"We opted not to sponsor that pro-
gram," said Federation
Communications Director Charlotte
Dubin. "We do not let the photos go
out to everybody who asks for them.
They are Federation property."
What no one
brings up is the
fact that it's not
just Joe Average
who might be
embarrassed by
photos of the
Purple Gang.
Major givers to
local Jewish caus-
es, including
Federation, are
among the
descendants of
the gang.
Rosman has
done everything
but stand on his
head to appease
this concern. At the urging of commu-
nity leaders, he agreed to meet with
one leading Federation supporter —
who it turns out wasn't upset about
the exhibit to begin with. In fact, he
gave Rosman a donation for the pro-
gram.
"First, he asked me to talk to one of
his family members who he thought
might be concerned, so I did,"
Rosman said. "She told me, 'What do
I care? This happened 70 years ago.'"

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Gala Opening

"Jewish Detroit in the 1920s and '30s: Revisiting Our Past" will have its gala
opening 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Jewish Community Center in
West Bloomfield.
The program begins with "The Grand Re-opening of the Crystal
Ballroom," featuring refreshments and an 11-piece orchestra playing tunes to
which participants may dance the Charleston, the Jitterbug and the Lindy
Hop.
The guest speaker will be Detroit native Robert Rockaway, author of But
He Was Good to His Mother: The Lives and Crimes ofJewish Gangsters and The
Jews of Detroit; From the Beginning, 1762-1914.
To RSVP for the Saturday-night program, which costs $12.50 for general
seating, $25 for a donor, $50 for a patron, and $100 for a sponsor, call
Sandy Feldman, (248) 357 - 5745. 'rile photo exhibit is free and open to the
public and will run throughout October.

ISN'T IT TIME TO RETURN TO THE

"CANYON" RANCH?

Specially priced packages:

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Nov. 4-11, 1997
April 23-30, 1998

Feb. 8-11, 1998

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248-288-9600 •

Outside 248 Area Code

1-800-284-KALT

9/19

1997

11

