The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit cordially invites you to Federation Forum featuring David M. Katz Director,Wayne County Airports Tuesday, June 22, 1999 Noon - 1:30 p.m. Townsend Hotel I 00 Townsend Street, Birmingham Dairy lunch $25 per person Kosher meal provided on request with payment Advance reservations required, please contact Dale Rubin at 248-203-1471 c 7Vorthuldod gewFlerc5 SILVERWARE CHINA AND CRYSTAL SALE THE BRIDAL STORE •P. 1- 4 • STERLING SILVER • SILVER PLATE • STAINLESS STEEL SAVE 20% - 60% ON THE FOLLOWING NAME BRANDS. CALL FOR PRICES. • REED & BARTON • JEAN COUZON • ROYAL DOULTON • TOWLE • YAMASAKI • NORITAKE • LUNT • SASAKI • MIKASA • GORHAM • KIRK STIEFF • HUTSHENREUTER •WALLACE • RETRONEAU • WEDGEWOOD • INTERNATIONAL • FRASER • ROSENTHAL • ONEIDA • WATERFORD • BLOCK • DANSK • LENOX • SPODE • PLUS MANY OTHERS We Will Not Be Undersold. Tell Us If We're Wrong* * Certain restrictions apply g■ lortinsZod gkfc5 EST. 1947 Hours: Tues.-Sat. 10:30-6:00 Closed Sundays & Mondays Your Hosts: Al & Ruth Beigler • .4 LENOX CHINA FAST DELIVERY ON ALL MERCHANDISE BRIDAL REGISTRY 30100 Woodward at 12 1 2 Mile Road • Royal Oak, MI • 248-549-1885 Manor Motorcar Company 39500 Grand River Avenue • Novi, Michigan 48375 (248) 426-9600 • Fax (248) 426-8686 Mercedes-Benz 2000 S Class 6/18 1999 Make Dego 1998 Salesman of The Year 70 Detroit Jewish News South Africa, he earned a medical degree from the University of Cape Town and a master's degree in public health from Yale University. He became a psychiatrist at age 50, and an anesthesiologist at 65. "He's a remarkable man," says Shani. The family recently visited his native Greece because Brownstone, now 80, wanted to show his Shani is involved in every aspect of the Troy store. children and grand- children where he was born and raised. to Houston where a brother was liv- The Holocaust had a profound ing. One of the first things she did impact on Shani. "I'm consumed while launching her career was to ini- with it," she confesses. "I can't read tiate an Orthodox get (Jewish docu- enough about it." ment of divorce) "because when I Two years ago, while going went back to Israel I wanted to be through the U.S. Holocaust legally divorced," she said. Memorial Museum in Washington, While going through the proce- D.C., with her mother, the two came dure, she met Asa Shani, who was upon a family picture of Barzelai rela then the economic consul for Israel in tives before the war. "It was an Houston. They married after she incredible moment," says Shani. obtained her divorce from the After earning a B.A. in English Orthodox Rabbinical Court in literature from the University of Memphis, Tenn. Connecticut, Shani made aliya to When his wife was offered the job Israel. She stayed with her maternal with Neiman Marcus, Asa Shani left grandparents while learning the Israeli government, but was Hebrew, then earned a teaching required to return to Israel for a year diploma at Hebrew University in before he could rejoin her in Texas. Jerusalem. He became an importer of Israeli She married an Israeli, became an goods, primarily silver jewelry. With Israeli citizen (she's also a natural- faxes, e-mail and computer technolo- ized American citizen) and taught gy, Ari can conduct his import busi- high school English in Beit ness anywhere," says Shani. Shemesh, an impoverished town Their daughter Daniela, 16, was outside Jerusalem. born in Dallas and son Orea, 11, was "The children were mostly North born in California after Ariela was African, quite deprived," said Shani, promoted to assistant manager of "but I loved teaching them." To free Neiman Marcus in Newport Beach. their emotions, Shani started after- She became manager of Neiman school jazz-dance classes. Marcus Houston a few years later and Although she loves Israel and the family moved back to Texas. returns often, Shani left when she Shani now lives with her family to decided her marriage was over. "I Rochester Hills. Mira graduated from packed one suitcase and got on a the University of Texas last month plane when I was eight months preg- and plans to join the family in nant," she says. Michigan in the fall. Returning temporarily to her par- Friends questioned Shani about ents in Connecticut, she awaited the moving to the Detroit area after so birth of her daughter Mira, now 22, many years in Houston. then was soon on her way with Mira Were are you going to live, to back to South Africa, where she shop, to send the kids to school?' they obtained an MBA in finance from the asked me," says Shani, laughing. "I University of Cape Town. said, 'No big deal.' I'm not afraid to As a single mother, Shani moved uproot, not afraid of change.