Synagogues With Heart And Soul Shaarey Zedek honors Cantor and Mrs. Rube at a tribute/retirement dinner. on the Boardwalk 6901 Orchard Lake Road (248) 626-7776 IN OT OT YOUR AVERAGE GARDEN-VARIETY GARDENING STORE. -.) 7.rHE GARDEN ROYAL OF . OAK : 515 South Lafayette, Royal Oak (248) 547-4420 No - 1- YoUR AVERAGE GARDEN-VARIE-TY GARDENING s- roRE. PEN SALE BIG DISCOUNTS PENS WRITE... A WATERAILAN EXPRESSES. We Carry a Full Line of • Fountain Pens • Ball Points • Rollers • Pencils Buy Now & Save! WATERMAN NEW DUOFOLD COLORS ELECTRIC SHAVERS CUISINART KITCHEN-AID MIXERS BRAUN-SONICARE TOOTHBRUSHES Oscar Braun's 15075 W. Lincoln, Oak Park (2481 968-5858 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10-4 American Heart Association. FightingHaart D,soase and Shako 5/21 1999 ill Medical miracles start with research 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.