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Shaarey Zedek honors Cantor and Mrs. Rube at a tribute/retirement dinner.
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62 Detroit Jewish News
,,
) 3
PARIS
t PARKER
and his wife Esther.
"The program will be short and
Special to the Jewish News
sweet, but will say what we all feel
through music."
en Gerrie Spalter
Rube, born in Milwaukee in 1934,
describes her boss, Cantor
began
his musical training as a child.
Sidney Rube, she does so
His grandfather, a master Baal Tefilah
in a way that many would
and Baal Menagain (prayer and song
never think of when they picture the
leader), coached him and sang duets and
man with the mellifluous voice.who has
other musical responses as they stood on
belted out High Holiday songs from the
the bima during the High Holidays. He
bima for more than three decades.
continued his study informally under
"He is a very quiet man," said the
another hazzan in
Congregation
his hometown.
Shaarey Zedek
At age 15,
secretary. "If you
Rube
left his
asked him to give
home congrega-
a speech, he
...
2 tion to lead High
probably couldn't
Holiday services at
do it, but if you
congregations dot-
asked him to
ting the Midwest.
sing ...
He continued this
"Davening is
role during his
what he does,
stay
in Chicago,
she said, "and he
where he received
is wonderful at it.
formal training at
the Hebrew
Many agree.
Theological
Two weeks
College and
before the May
Roosevelt
25 tribute din-
University, which
ner marking his
Esther and Cantor Sidney Rube
he attended from
retirement from
1949 to 1956.
the synagogue
"I was pretty sure I wanted to be a
after 33 years of service, organizers
cantor before leading those High
had sold more than 600 of the avail-
Holiday services, but you could say it
able 800 tickets.
confirmed
the path I was going to
"I am not surprised by the turnout,"
take,"
he
said.
said Anna Levin, a longtime congregant
Following graduation, Rube served
and co-chair of the event with Dr.
as
a
cantor and a teacher at a small
Richard Brown and Anita Naftaly.
congregation in Waco, Tex. One day,
"Cantor Rube and his wife have been
after performing a marriage, a wed-
a wonderful asset to the synagogue.
ding guest from Dallas introduced
There is not a person in the congrega-
herself and told him she might know
tion that he has not touched in a won-
of a few young women in whom he
derful way.
might be interested.
The gala dinner honoring Cantor
After traveling to Dallas, he met
Rube and his wife Esther will include a
the
woman again and was given
musical tribute. It will feature local and
three phone numbers of eligible
guest cantors directed by Shaarey
young women.
Zedek's Cantor Chaim Najman, the
"Esther was one of the three," he
recently installed president of the
said. "She was third on the list but I
Cantors Assembly of the Jewish
called her last. Thank goodness, when I
Theological Assembly and Rube's co-
called the other two nobody answered.
worker for the past 20 years.
Next month, we will celebrate our 40th
"Most of the cantors who will be per-
wedding
anniversary."
forming have worked with him in the
Esther followed him to his next
years that he has been here, " Najman
post in Grand Rapids, then to his
said. "Each has developed a very close,
next in Lincoln, Neb. it was there
personal relationship with Cantor Rube
JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR
that the couple realized they would
have to move yet again.
"The reason we came to Detroit is
because our oldest was approaching
school age and there were no day
schools where we were," Rube said. "We
didn't want to go to the East Coast or
the West Coast. I knew I wanted to stay
in the Midwest because I am a
Midwesterner."
On June 1, 1966, Rube joined the
clergy at Shaarey Zedek and has served
as associate cantor ever since. He served
the Detroit Jewish community as a
mohel (ritual circumciser) for 20 years.
During his 33 years at the Southfield
congregation, he has been a member of
the Cantors Assembly of the Jewish
Theological Seminary as well as a mem-
ber, officer and president of the Cantors
Council of Detroit.
At Shaarey Zedek, Rube also has
served as executive secretary of Chevra
Kadisha (he determines that the rituals
of burial are done with respect and dig-
nity) and Clover Hill Park Cemetery.
On his 25th anniversary at Shaarey
Zedek in 1991, the congregation estab-
lished a Cantors Institute Scholarship
Fund in his honor.
What Rube has loved most as a haz-
zan is the ability to inspire people
through his talent.
"I really feel my greatest work
achievement has been the satisfaction of
knowing that I have had an impact on
the people, that I have been able to
inspire people Jewishly through doing
what I love to do," he said.
Rube will remain in his role at the
congregation until July 1, then
become cantor emeritus. He and his
wife plan to move to Boca Raton, Fla.
They plan to return to metro Detroit
often to visit their three children,
David, Saul and Charles, as well as
their four grandchildren.
But while Rube is happy to spend
more time with his family, those at the
congregation are already contemplat-
ing how much they will miss his daily
presence.
Tickets for the Rube tribute/retire-
ment dinner on Tuesday, May 25, are
available from Congregation Shaarey
Zedek, (248) 357-5544.