THE MEMORY OF ALL THAL ..
HEART FOR HISTORY from page 18
SIE51-1113N
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own Detroit history: What it was
like to grow up on 12th Street,
attend Hutchins Intermediate and
Northern High School and live
upstairs over her family-owned gro-
cery store. She tells about the war
years, how becoming a pen-pal to a
Jewish Canadian soldier serving over-
seas led to a 46-year marriage to the
late Abraham Schiffman.
Caring for daughters Rosalynn,
Marcia, Diane and Jeanie was her
full-time career until she was 40;
then Schiffman, a self-described late
bloomer, enrolled at Wayne State to
become a teacher. She added a mas-
ter's degree and 30 hours of post-
master's work during the years she
AT THE DETROIT OPERA HOUSE
That's right.... An ice rink on the Opera House stage!
Starring
DOROTHY HAMILL
A dazzling tribute to legendary songwriters George
and Ira Gershwin on the centennial of their births.
Saturday, Nov. 8 at 2p.m. & 8p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2p.m.
DETROIT
Tickets for as little as
$15!
CALL TICKETMASTER AT
(248) 645-6666
Produced by
On Ice, Inc.
"There are
three floors
at the museum,
and she is
all over the
place."
— Bonnie Cohn
WHERE TO GO1
WUXI' TO DOI
WHOMI TO SEE!
Find out in this w eek's
JN Entertainmen t
section.
taught at Vandenberg. She still corre-
sponds with several former students
who mail her pictures of their chil-
dren, and she stays in touch with her
former Vandenberg colleagues.
Schiffman also volunteers on
Tuesdays at the Northville District
Public Library, updating its vertical
files, and on Thursdays at the Jewish
Community Center in West
Bloomfield, where she reads to three
pre-school groups.
At home, Schiffman's days are
equally full. She relishes being the
traditional bubbie who prepares kre-
plach, matzah balls, chopped liver,
farfel, mandel bread and honey cake
for the family. And while grandchil-
dren Jason and Jennifer Kief are both
in college, she cherishes time with
Michael Chait, age 13, and Abby *
Davidson, age 7. She also needle-
points, collects stamps, hooks rugs,
reads voraciously (she owns every
novel written by romance writer
Betty Beals, a total of 106 volumes)
and rarely misses a word in the daily
crossword puzzle.
Schiffman has no problem with
the energy level of children. At the
museum, she is on her feet for hours,
but she never feels fatigued.
Bonnie Cohn, director of volun-
teers at the museum, marvels at
Schiffman's pace.
"She is a tireless lady. There are
three floors at the museum, and she
is all over the place. She is always
able to hold the attention of her tour
groups," Cohn said.
Schiffman loves singing. If you
remember hearing a nostalgic version
of "My Yiddishe Mama" during a
visit to the "Becoming American
Women: The Jewish Immigrant
Experience 1880-1920" exhibit at
the museum, it was her voice you
heard, painstakingly recorded with
the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra as
background. She formerly sang with
the Oak Park Civic Chorus.
A widow for 11 years, Schiffman
refuses to dwell on sorrow or listen
to negative news on television.
"Why don't they talk about the
wonderful things people do?" she
questions with uncharacteristic
pique. "Detroit is such a vibrant city.
I meet so many wonderful people
from all walks of life, and they tell
me wonderful stories."
As a panacea for loneliness,
Schiffman recommends her approach
to life: "getting out of the house."
Ever the teacher, she adds a few more
admonishments: "Don't be grumpy.
Don't be impatient. Learn to wait.
And remember to start off each day
with a song." 0
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10/31
1997
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