Maze] TOE Elan Village rededicates chapel in memory of Rabbi Abraham Gardin. Above: Chapel ark and name plate, bearing Rabbi Gardin's name. Right: Joining together to honor Rabbi Gardin are Elan Village's Marcia Mittelman and Jewish Home and Aging Services' Margot Pan- and Carol Rosenberg SHELLI DORFMAN Editorial Assistant Iff any were touched by a man who shared his time and care, and the benefit of his knowledge. Some searched for a way to honor his memory They decided to dedicate, in his name, a place of ultimate importance to his life ... and then do it again. Elan Village in Southfield dedicated a chapel on Jan. 17, in the name of Rabbi Abraham Gardin. Elan Village is an assisted living facility at the former Prentis Manor, where Gardin was reli- gious director for 15 years. Following his death nearly five years ago, the initial dedication was made in his memory. With the sale of Prentis Manor, Elan Village became a privately owned and operated facility. When it opened last April, new owners John Hamburger and Richard Fink became preferred providers with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. This relationship includes 1/29 1999 38 Detroit Jewish News Elan Village as a Federation referral source involved with Jewish community agencies. Elan Village, in turn, furnishes its residents with reli- gious and cultural support. The West Bloomfield-based Jewish Home and Aging Services (JHAS) functions as com- munity liaison between Elan Village and Federation. Margot Parr, JHAS executive director, and Marcia Mittelman, Elan Village's executive director, jointly planned the rededication of the chapel in the remodeled facility which, in addi- tion to Jewish programming, has a kosher kitchen and mezuzot on the doors. Although Elan Village is in the former Prentis Manor building, its residents are all new. But some of the Prentis staff have returned, including Mittelman, who was Prentis adminis- trator. Jackie Langston, director of residential services, who worked at Prentis with Rabbi Gardin, said the rabbi made the facility "feel like home for its residents."