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Synagogues
Applaudin
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Beth Abraham Hillel Moses to honor
Frank and Gerry Levy at Sunday dinner.
aliyot at Shabbos services,"continued
Bricker, "always with a smile, always
thinking of some way he could do
something to help someone.
hen a merger produced
For Levy, the duty of calling congre-
Congregation Beth
gants
to read from the Torah was always
Abraham Hillel Moses
a high honor he took seriously.
back in the 1970s,
"It was a way I could welcome new
there were some who questioned
faces.
I wanted everyone to feel welcome
whether the synagogues would be
in
our
synagogue," said Levy "Whether
able to blend together.
they
were
young or old, newer members
For Frank Levy, there was no
or older, it was my way of welcoming
question.
them into the community, welcoming
"My first love, outside my family,
them home.
was being active in the synagogue,"
Similarly, Levy's wife, Gerry, has
says the 73-year-old former congrega-
been
an ambassador for Jewish culture
tion president, who will be honored
and
education
for decades. She is a for-
with his wife, Gerry, at the syna-
mer
sisterhood
president of Evergreen
gogue's annual fund-raising dinner on
Jewish
Congregation,
a forerunner of
Sunday, July 25. "I wanted everyone
Beth
Moses
of
Beth
Abraham
Hillel
to feel they were at home.
Moses. She has worked in the account-
Many felt it was Levy's attitude that
ing office at Hillel Day School of
helped forge the cohesion that eventu-
Metropolitan Detroit in Farmington
ally materialized. "Frank worked hard
Hills for 37 years.
to create a bridge between the three
Working at the Jewish day school has
shuls," said one synagogue member.
been
a natural for Gerry Levy "I feel
"You walked into the shul every
very
comfortable
at Hillel, in a Jewish
Shabbos or High Holiday," she con-
setting.
But
I
also
have spent 15 years
tinued, "and it was Frank Levy there
volunteering
at
Beaumont
Hospital
as the unofficial greeter."
because it was important for me to give
"With his warm smile, he made
people feel welcome. He is 'Mr. Beth back to them after the care they gave my
mother-in-law."
Abraham'."
"When you think of loyalty and of
After a quarter century of dedica-
giving,"
said Beth Abraham Hillel Moses
tion to Beth Abraham Hillel Moses,
Rabbi
Aaron
Bergman, "Gerry and
the Levys will be honored for their
Frank
Levy
immediately
come to mind.
commitment to Jewish life and for
They're
great
people
who
truly deserve
bringing a sense of belonging to others
to be honored."
in the Jewish community.
For Gerry and Frank, devotion to
"Over the years, Frank has touched
Jewish
causes has been a reflection of
many people's lives," said past
their
upbringing.
President Al Bricker. For some who
"My parents, Hyman and Cecille
couldn't afford to pay their total dues,
Levy,
instilled the idea of Judaism in
he stepped in from his position on the
me," Frank said. "They taught me the
membership committee and would
love of the synagogue."
say, 'Yes, we'll help you.'"
He said it was much the same with
He was the one who gave out the
CATHY SHAFRAN
Special to the Jewish News
"
33
7/23
1999
58 Detroit Jewish News
Gerry's parents,
Aaron and Chessy
Allen.
And the hon-
orees have tried to
instill those same
Long-time volunteers Gerry and Frank Levy.
values in their chil-
dren, Ellen and
Stephen, and
far in his thoughts from the West
grandchildren Carrie, Dayna, Jason,
Bloomfield congregation.
Blake and Spencer.
"Frank would call me from the
Perhaps another explanation for
hospital
to share his thoughts about
Frank Levy's dedication to his religious
what
makes
a caring synagogue,"
community can be gleaned from the his-
said Executive Director Elliot Burns,
tory of his great- grandfather, Jacob
who has been with the synagogue
Sarasohn, the first president of Beth
two years.
Abraham 105 years ago.
"Frank would talk to me about our
A half-century later, Frank, an ex-
daily
minyan and how we were doing
Marine, was taking on his first leader-
the aliyot. He urged me to make sure we
ship role at the Evergreen Jewish
were open and friendly to new members
Congregation in Detroit..
and talked about how to welcome
By 1954; Frank was elected to
strangers during Shabbat.
Evergreen's board and then became
"It seems to me that what counts
president from 1959 to 1961. When
most in Frank's life, and in Gerry's,
Evergreen merged with Beth Moses,
is what they can do for others," said
Levy was again named president, from
Dr. Burns.
1968 to 1970. He also served as presi-
And the couple's caring for those
dent of Beth Abraham Hillel Moses
around them is reflected in the out-
from 1993 to 1995.
pouring of interest in the upcoming
"Wherever he belonged, he want-
dinner, which is expected to draw
ed to be active and make things hap-
about 225 guests.
pen for the better," said friend and
Said Rabbi Bergman, "There are
former board member Al Bricker.
many
in the synagogue who consider
"He and Gerry are wonderful peo-
Frank
and Gerry among their friends
ple, very compassionate. Whenever
and
want
to come to honor them."
they can help people, they do it."
As
Frank
returns to the synagogue
Over the past few years, serious ill-
that has been his life for the past quarter
ness associated with diabetes has pre-
century, he can't help but think how
vented Frank Levy — former president
good it will be to be home — home at
of the Furniture Club of Detroit, a long-
Beth Abraham Hillel Moses.
time member of the Southfield police
"I'm not a wealthy man," he reflect-
auxiliary and a life member of the
ed,
"but the friends I have made,
Jewish War Veterans and the Veterans of
mostly
through the synagogue, have
Foreign Wars — from being active at
made me very rich. And in the end,
the synagogue in a physical sense.
that's really all you have."
But the Southfield resident is never