A Dynamic Duo
"and we now have a program geared
for these residents."
The service has taken on a person-
Special to The Jewish News
ality all its own under the leadership
is a Saturday morning in May.
of Korelitz and Lan.
A relatively small congregation
"We're on a time schedule,"
has gathered for Shabbat ser-
Korelitz said. "I read about 15 lines of
vices in West Bloomfield. The
Torah. And we try to finish the service
in 45 minutes. That's all they can
sanctuary is full.
In a distant row, a tallis has fallen
take."
Said Lan, "Whatever their abilities
off the shoulders of an elderly man
are, I want them to be involved. You
who is sitting in a wheelchair. Jay
Korelitz, who is leading the service
can see it in their faces — they're
excited when we sing or take the
that day, steps away from the bimah
Torah to them. They can do an aliyah
and gently puts it back in place.
In another aisle, a woman is groan-
without having to get out of their
ing, in apparent pain. Again, Korelitz
wheelchair."
And Sorkin sees their efforts pay
makes his way to the
off, particularly for residents who have
woman while others are
suffered memory loss. "We have peo-
singing the prayers. He
ple who can't talk, but they'll start
asks her if she is well
singing the old tunes and old prayers,"
enough to go on, and
she said. "We have a gentleman who
then jokes, "Don't moan
suffers from Alzheimer's and he's often
now — wait until you
so agitated he can't talk, but he did an
hear my Hebrew when I
aliyah.
read the Haftarah."
"When I see people kissing the
Korelitz, along with
Torah
and knowing what to do, I see
co-officiator Louis Lan,
it's
working,
I know we've done the
brings a tender yet light-
right
thing."
hearted approach to
Nearly half of Danto's 115 residents
Sabbath services each
came to a recent Saturday morning
Saturday morning at the
service.
Marvin and Betty Danto
But for Lan and Korelitz, their
Family Health Care
success is measured in the twinkle of
Center on the Jewish
the eyes of those who cannot talk. It
Community Campus in
is measured in the number of lips
West Bloomfield.
moving to the "Shema." And it is
What brings them
measured in the regular input from
here each week is a
those like Danto resident Arthur
mutual passion for shar-
Goldman.
ing their Judaism and a
While the spry octogenarian
pressing need to fill a
keeps them on their toes, correcting
void at the 1 1/2-year-old
their Yiddish and reminding them
nursing care facility.
to keep the proper order in the ser-
"I felt what was need-
vice, Goldman acknowledges that
ed to make this a Jewish
Lan and Korelitz have filled a void
Louis
Lan
and
Jay
Korelitz
provide
some
levity
in
their
Saturday
morning
Shabbat
service
at
the
nursing home was to
in his life.
have Shabbat services
Danto nursing care facility.
"I was raised as an Orthodox
here," said Bonnie Sorkin,
child,"
reflected the former Oak Park
Danto's activities director.
Lan and Korelitz have tinkered
began immediately between Korelitz,
resident,
"but I had to start working
"Ever since it opened in December
with it a bit here and there, adding
Lan and Rabbi Rabin. Despite differ-
Saturdays
to make a life for my family.
of 1996, it was always a goal for a
English translations and some Yiddish
ences
in
their
religious
backgrounds,
Now
that
I'm
here, I've regained my
Shabbos program," said Danto's rabbi,
songs. And the Lubavitch rabbi has
they came to agree easily upon a large-
These
gentlemen are to be
Yiddishkeit.
Yerachmiel Rabin.
encouraged them along the way.
print siddur for the residents. The
commended.
They
have brought me
But he was unable to officiate on
"There's nothing un-Orthodox
rabbi made sure that it had all the ele-
LI
back
my
youth."
Saturdays because he does not live
about praying in English," said Rabin,
ments of an Orthodox service.
near the facility and runs services at
CATHY SHAF RAN
I
\- T
Two local men
lend their
enthusiasm for
Judaism to a
West Bloomfield
nursing facility
each week.
the Huntington Woods Minyan. So
Sorkin began to look toward the local
community. She sent notices to every
temple and synagogue in the area.
As fate would have it, Korelitz and
Lan, acquaintances from Temple
Israel, were the only two who sought
the position.
"Lou called first, but I wasn't sur-
prised it was Lou who beat me out,"
said Korelitz. "We both are active,
conducting minyans for shivas. And
we were the only two who responded.
So it was beshert, it was meant to be."
A collaborative effort to create a
service for this special population
5/29
1998
9