Business calls. family) and the roads blanketed with snow. And they were noisy. \---"We're all hams in one way or /another," says Seymour Zate. "We don't take things too seriously." The Levins are descendants of three brothers and a sister from the town of Ruzan, in Poland. In 1905, 16-year- old Morris Yellen (the surname was changed to Levin at Ellis Island) set off for America, escaping draft in the Polish army. Morris found his way to ,LJetroit, where he worked at a bakery, saved money, then returned to Poland to fetch his family. Eventually, brothers Benjamin and Jacob and sister Rachel joined Morris in Detroit, bringing their spouses and chil- dren. In 1948, after years of informal Saturday night card games at Jacob's house on Pingree Street in Detroit, the declared itself a club. Eventually, Jacob's son Meyer took on responsibility for hosting, and now Meyer's son Yale, who cousins describe as the "family patriarch," hosts two 75-person seders each year. Numbering more than 200, with addresses not just in Michigan, but in Israel, Argentina, New York and else- where, the Levin family parties together 'tor major Jewish holidays plus picnics, weenie roasts and club anniversaries. Every few years, the Elmhurst Players — 10 Levin cousins who grew up on and around Elmhurst Street in Detroit -- perform elaborately scripted musical comedies poking fun at the family and its most celebrated characters. Like other families, the Levins lave scattered geographically as well as religiously. The founding mem- bers were Orthodox, and most now Opposite page, counterclockwise from top right: Jacob Levin (center), with his daughter, Mary Zate, her husband Kalman and \--`,heir children in Poland in 1933, just they came to America. The Levins at their annual picnic, in 1970. Make sure you have the right answer. The demands of business have never been greater. Shorter turnaround times. Tighter budgets. Enter Nextel. The only all-digital national network combining cellular, text messaging and Nextel Direct Connect,' our built-in two-way radio feature. Direct Connect is a fast, . easy and cost-effective way to communicate with your co-workers anywhere in your Nextel coverage area. Better yet, it's now available in our high-quality Motorola' phones for as little as $99. Making the question not whether to buy Nextel phones, but how many. To find out how Nextel can help your business get the right answer, call 1-800-NEXTEL9. www.nextel.com 1-800-N EXTE L9 INIMEL Nextel phones are manufactured by ( Sign up with Nextel and double your digital MOTOROLA Available at LET'S TO cellular minutes until December 31, 1999. CELLULAR A WIRELESS Call now and get twice the airtime at the same cost. CAMERA Office "WPM", Promo: NXG L99-004-003 Activation fees and rate plan restrictions may apply. Promotional phone prices valid through 2/28/99. ©1999 Nextel Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Nextel, the Nextel logo, Nextel Business Networks, and Nextel Direct Connect are trademarks and/or service marks of Nextel Communications, Inc. SMotorola, iDEN, i390, i600, and 11000 are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Motorola, Inc. The family in 1948, just after becoming a club. The November 1998 meeting: Front row — Goldie Levin, Molly revin, Gladys Zate, Seymour Zate, Ileene Zate, Ari Levin, Esther Mandelbaum, Shmuli Mandelbaum; Second row — Larry Ashley, Samantha Ashley, Adele Nodler, Yale Levin, Dolores Fox, Linda Ashley, Erica Grushoff Claudia Cotter, Terry Grushoffl Lauren Grushoff; Melvyn Levin, Rita Levin. offers quality craftsmanship in all of our custom designed pieces and repairs. Couple that with the most talented designers in the jewelry industry and you can be assured that your next purchase will be perfect. M.B. Jewelry offers full service — appraisals, watch repair, lapidary service and jewelry repair. We carry many stones, diamonds and colored gems. Photos courtesy of the Levin family INTERNATIONAL NEWS PLUS 372 Oullette Avenue Windsor, Canada A Simple repairs while you wait. M.B. A J pE ple l/V gatE e L sci f u l lf r, D , 2E 98 S 4 1 7 G N orthwestern thwesternF H6 w ym . LTD. Southfield, Ml 48034 • (248) 356-7007 1/1 199 Detroit Jewish News El