School," Epstein says. "In my family,
people don't forget a lost report card.
"During the ride, two people who
had married into the family realized they
had lived in the same apartment build-
ing at about the same time without
knowing each other."
Sharing those times from the past
was important to Epstein as was holding
on to a book that captured the family
history It rests on a shelf in her library,
filled with special-occasion photos,
ancestry charts, background narratives
and maps.
The book was put together by Jerry
Cook with the help of computer expert
and cousin-by-marriage Alan Schindler.
Family members contributed materials
saved over many years; relatives unable
to attend the bus tour bought copies of
the 55-page history
This was more work than I ever
imagined, and it took considerable time
over two years to complete," says Jerry
Cook of Farmington Hills, an attorney
with Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and
Cohn in Detroit. "I tried to picture
what a lot of us take for granted, but
what the kids don't know. I thought it
would be nice to create some documen-
tary keepsake to be enjoyed by cousins
and given as gifts to children and grand-
children for future generations."
The Cook Book — the family of
Meyer and Fannie Cook and of Morris
and Sophia Willage — begins with a
brief history-as roots were planted in
America. Six generations of the Cooks
and five generations of the Willages are
documented.
"We pray that our offspring will cher-
ish love of family as did Fannie, Meyer,
Sophia and Morris," the "Introduction"
states.
The pictures and information are
divided into five sections — "Europe,"
"U.S. Through World War II," "Recent
(After World War II)," "Individual
Families" and "Facts & Figures." Besides
the personal information, there are refer-
ences to history book references to the
Cook relatives. Extracts from Howard
Sacher's text, A History of the Jews, are
among the scholarly sections.
"Experience teaches us the meaning
of family, but some of that has gotten
lost today," says Jeanette Cook, 79,
Jerry's mother and narrator for part of
the tour. "On the bus ride, I was glad to
see three generations of some families,
and it was a real opportunity for shar-
ing. The fact that we have a common
background was right before our eyes."
Participants traveled into areas sur-
rounding Detroit high schools known to
different generations — Cass, old
Central High (now Wayne State
2/12
1999
32 Detroit Jewish News
University's Old Main), Northern,
Central and Mumford. They drove
along Dexter, Chicago Boulevard,
Linwood and many other streets that
once held large Jewish populations. The
Meyer Cook's parents
(Jerry Cook's fraternal
great-grandparents),
Solomon and Bayla
Rochul Karasick, in
the late 19th century.
Fannie Cook's parents
(Jerry Cook's maternal
great-grandparents),
Abe and Belle Girchek,
in the late 19th
century.
group went inside St. Paul Church,
which had been the Humphrey Street
Shul.
Adding to the mood was a videotape
with patriarch Oscar Cook, who wasn't
up to the event.
"We saw the flow of our family from
Detroit to the suburbs, and that meant
we saw the movement of the Jewish
community," says Marla Schindler, who
encouraged her husband's family-tree
computer work. "Two -of our three sons
went with us, and the experience was
very moving.
Jodie Friedman, 14, a ninth grader at
Farmington Harrison High, made some
practical use of the genealogy book by
applying it to a classroom project. She
also appreciated the stories she heard on
the bus.
"I like to know my roots," Jodie says.
"I expected to see a few houses, but I
got to see a whole lot more, including a
mix of generations."
Jodie's mom, Helene Friedman, had
never seen Dexter but understood what
the visit meant to the people who had
lived there. She has the same feeling for
Oak Park, the suburb of her childhood.
Jerry Cook's daughter, Beth, feels bet-
ter acquainted with family through both
the city visit and the book, which she
believes opened many conversations.
Taking a ride through the old neighbor-
hoods, though, has been a family tradi-
tion.
Josh Glowacki, 11, a student at
Doherty Elementary School in West
Bloomfield, had fun and believes he
learned a lot about his family and the
city.
"I met people I didn't know," Josh
says. The places were very old, but they
were new to me."
Diane Klein, Allan Nachman
Head Days Of Decision
Diane Klein and Allan Nachman are
chairing the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit's Days of
Decision community effort on
behalf of the 1999 Allied Jewish
Campaign.
During Days of Decision, March
18, 21, 22 and 23, everyone in the
community will have an opportunity
to volunteer and make a gift to sup-
port programs and services funded
by the Campaign.
Following Days of Decision, it
will be decided how Campaign dol-
lars will be allocated to Federation
agencies locally and beneficiaries
around the world.
Days of Decision volunteers are
needed to make phone calls and do
clerical work.
Klein is a Federation vice-presi-
dent and former treasurer and secre-
tary. She is a member of Federation's
Executive Committee and Board of
Governors. She has chaired or been
a member of several Federation corn-
mittees. In 1987, she was a Super
Sunday co-chair.
Past president, former Campaign
chair and chair of the 50th anniver-
sary celebration for the Federation
Women's Campaign and Education
Department, Klein is on the nation-
al board of the UJA Federations of
North America National Women's
Campaign.
She's affiliated with the Fresh Air
Society, Greater Detroit Chapter of
Hadassah, Israel Bonds and Detroit
Friends of Bar-Ilan University.
Nachman is a Federation vice-
president and a member of its board
of governors and executive commit-
tee. He chairs Federation's Jewish
Education Implementation
Committee and is former chair of
the Planning and Allocations
Steering Committee. He chaired the
1998 Teen Mission 2 Israel.
Since 1965, he has held many
Campaign leadership positions. He's
recipient of two Federation awards:
The William H. Boesky Memorial
Award for Outstanding Leadership
and the Frank A. Wetsman
Leadership Award.
Nachman is a member of the
board and executive committee of
Adat Shalom Synagogue and past
president of the Fresh Air Society.
He's on the board of the United
Way.
Increases in gifts to the Campaign
will be matched by the Nancy and
Jim Grosfeld Campaign Challenge
Fund. New donors' gifts will be dou-
bled.
To make a pledge or to volunteer
for the Days of Decision
phonathons, call Leonard Milstone
at Federation, (248) 203-1457.
Maimonides Society Hosts Surgeon
Pediatric surgeon Dr. Arnold Coran
will speak about his experiences bring-
ing relief to sick Israeli children at the
spring event of the Jewish Federation
Maimonides Society, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 17, at the Max M.
Fisher Federation Building.
In the past five years, Coran has
volunteered his expertise as a surgeon
and consultant to Ezra LaMarpah
(Help for the Sick) organization in
Israel, performing complex pediatric
surgical procedures.
Coran is surgeon-in-chief at the
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann
Arbor. He's professor of pediatrics and
surgery and head of the pediatric
surgery section at the University of
Michigan Medical School.
He sits on the
editorial boards of
health care publi-
cations and
received grants for
research in pedi-
atric health issues.
Chairing the
evening are Drs.
Jeffrey Devries,
David Harold and Dr. Arnold Coran
Ronald Fogel.
A light kosher
dinner will be served. There is a charge
of $8 per person.
For reservations by Wednesday,
Marsh 10, call Jodi Berger at the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit, (248) 203-1486.
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