Up Front

"Even when I was in Florida, I spoke with my
patient every week," he said. "I get enjoyment
from weekly visits, and hopefully I can continue
as long as I'm able."
Bielfield began working on the Allied Jewish
Campaign in 1934, when the goals were consid-
erably different than today. "Our goal then was
to raise $225,000. Now it's around $28 mil-
lion."
Bielfield also serves as president for the House
of Shelter, which was a home for Jewish tran-
sients who were traveling through the city. Dur-
ing World War II, in conjunction with Resettle-
ment Service, a dormitory was built for families

JEANETTE SERLING

eanette Serling left her hometown in
White Russia in 1926, shortly after her
father died. Most of her family made it
to the United States, but because of
immigration quotas, she was forced to go to
Montreal.
That was the first time Serling had parted
ways with her mother. She remembers it as "a
tragedy, because I never left my mother for one
minute, and here I had to go to another country.
I stayed in Montreal for three years," until a visa
came through to go to the States. She finally met
up with her family in Syracuse, N.Y.
Then a distant cousin visited Syracuse, setting
in motion a correspon-
dence that led to the mar-
riage between Jeanette
and Israel Serling. The
pair moved to Detroit, his
hometown.
The Serlings never had
children. Israel died in
1981, which Jeanette
admits has left her lonely.
For most of her life,
Serling, who is active in
Congregation Beth
Shalom and Israeli causes,
spent her time volunteer-
ing. "My husband was
the one who encouraged
me to do all these things,"
she recalled. But commit-
ment to volunteer work
grew out of lessons
learned at home when Serling was a child.
"My mama used to send me to the Jewish
people on Fridays to collect food," she said. "I
was raised to [emphasize] education and helping
out, charity, and that's how I remained this way. "
During World War II, Serling raised $23,000
to smuggle Jewish children out of Nazi-occupied
Poland. She lost many relatives to the Nazis.
Serling has volunteered with Israel Bonds, the
Labor Zionists, and served as president of the
Na'amat (Pioneer Women) for many years.
"I did an awful lot of work, whatever was
needed," she said.

— Lynne Meredith Cohn

LEON LUCAS

eon Lucas's Oak Park home is filled
with mint-condition 1950s and 1960s
furniture.
The 1955 house, of which Lucas,
83, and his wife, Hilda, are the original owners,
is also home to Hilda's extensive plant collection,
which gives their living room the feel of an atri-
um.
Lucas, a retired social worker, also knows how
to care for community. He is a founder of the
JCC's Institute for Retired Professionals and

4/24
1998

10

c\/

serves as chair of Oak Park's committee on social
services and vice-chair of the city's arts and cul-
ture committee.
A founding member of Beth Shalom, Lucas
has served on the congregation's board and
school board, recalling the days when —before
the shul was erected — meetings took place in
members' basements.
"I know him from every holiday and every
evening service," said Rabbi David Nelson. "He
is a very pleasant fixture here, and I don't think
that he's missed much. My attendance record
should be as good!"
When he's not at home or at the synagogue,
Lucas swims daily at the Jimmy Prentis Morris
Jewish Community Center and finds time four
days a week for a regimen of weightlifting and
calisthenics at its Health Club.
Born, raised and educated in New York City
(at City College and Columbia), Lucas met his
wife — also a social worker — when the two
had adjacent offices at the city's Jewish Bureau of
Guardians.
The two moved to Detroit in 1953. They
have two children and four grandchildren.
— Julie Wiener

JERRY BIELFIELD

J

erry Bielfield's interest in communal ser-
vice goes back to his grandfather Nathan,
who founded a housing program for
transient Jews during World War II.
Bielfield, 86, followed in his footsteps when
he and his wife, Eileen, endowed the Jewish
Hospice program, which falls under the auspices
of Hospice of Southeast Michigan.
"They do such wonderful work, I thought I'd
like to get involved," he said. "I thought Jewish
people may be hesitant about calling Southeast
Michigan Hospice and that Jews would be more
apt to call Jewish Family Service. Since it started,
the number of Jewish patients have increased,
and they are not hesitant to call."
Bielfield is also a volunteer for hospice, meet-
ing with a patient weekly.

when the House experienced a large influx of
Russian refugees. It is now run by JFS.
Bielfield, a former Ford salesman, also began
the transportation endowment at the Hebrew
Free Loan Association, which is named in honor
of his grandfather.
— Lonny Goldsmith

MAX SOSIN

is

ighty-seven-year-old Max Sosin never
performed his stand-up comedy as a
professional. Ask him why, and he
makes the answer sound obvious.
"I never needed the money," he said. It's that
simple."
Sosin moved to Detroit from Russia in 1923
and never left. The retired cosmetics salesman,
whose profession is now "nothing," describes
himself as "terrifically and wildly handsome.
"That's what my mother said," Sosin said.
"But I never heard that from anyone else."
Sosin began entertaining at parties, and got
talked into doing it on stage, which he has done
for the last 50 to 60 years. He has performed to
raise money for organizations such as the
National Zionist Organization and City of
Hope.
"When I was the chairman of the Balfour
Concert, I'd emcee and introduce the entertain-

