Mazel Toy!

family together foraappy
occasion."
His son Robert lives in the
metro Detroit area, but his
anny Franklin, at
daughter, five grandchildren and
age 83, remembers
11 great-grandchildren live else-
his bar mitzvah
where. Other than his grand-
like it was practi-
daughter and her children, who
cally yesterday. That's because this
live in Israel, the rest of the family
energetic West Bloomfield resi-
came to Detroit to celebrate
dent just celebrated his second bar
Franklin's simcha. Most everyone
mitzvah on Oct. 21, a week after
had a role in the service.
his 83rd birthday.
On Oct. 21, Rabbis M. Robert
Based on Psalm 90, verse 10,
Syme, Harold Loss, Paul Yedwab
which says "the days of our lives
and Marla Homsten, as well as
number 70 years," many consider
Cantors Harold Orbach and Lori
it a mitzvah to become bar mitz-
Corrsin, participated in Franklin's
vah again at age 83 (70 + 13).
event. He praised them all for
Five years ago, while wintering
making his day so special, along
in Florida, Franklin
with 300 guests and
saw a man read
family members
from the Torah to
who
filled the tem-
celebrate his 83rd
ple's
small
chapel.
birthday. Franklin
Franklin
is "an
vowed to do the
extraordinary
man
same, if he could.
who
has
shown
his
As his birthday
commitment
to
approached, he con-
Jewish life," says
tacted Temple Israel
Rabbi Harold Loss.
and was thrilled to
"He affirms what is
find that no one
best
about our
else had scheduled a
Jewish traditions."
bar mitzvah on
Franklin's eldest
Shemini Atzeret,
great-grandchild is
which happened to
just three years away
fall just one week
from her own bat
after he turned 83.
mitzvah, which will
After securing this
be held in Israel.
date with the tem-
Franklin is not cer-
ple, Franklin began
tain he will be up
to study with
for the trip, but is
Manny
Franklin
today.
Temple Israel tutor
proud of his family.
Barbara Gutman.
He hopes he is "set-
He found that studying the
ting a positive example," one that
second time around was not near-
will be followed for generations to
ly as difficult as it had been for
come.
him 70 years ago. His tutor "had
Franklin's first bar mitzvah
a lot of patience with me," he
was held at a Detroit synagogue
says. He read quite well from the
on East Six Mile Road, near
text that she copied for him.
Brush. The prayer book present-
That is, he laughs, until
ed to him at that event 70 years
Gutman presented him "with
ago was used by his grandson
the actual text from the Torah,
during his aliyah Oct. 21. To
with no vowels. That was much
complete the circle, Temple
harder to read." He wanted to
Israel presented Franklin with
have this second bar mitzvah,
another prayer book.
Franklin says, because he
Some things, however, never
"enjoyed his first one so much."
change, even after 70 years:
But more important to Franklin,
Franklin also received four foun-
"it was an opportunity to get my
tain pens. ❑

LISA BARSON
Special to the Jewish News

Se% ent74 sears since my

first Bar Nlitztah -
Enjoyed it so much,
Um doing it again!

Come celebrate %%ith
me at my second Bar
Nlitzvah as I read trmn
the Torah on m
birthday during the
festiNal of Shemi
Atzeret

Sat .rd
2000

)(Jotter-

the second day of Tishi
it the s ear 5761

10:30 in the morning

Tcmple Israel

57(H) NS alnut Lake 14
West Bloomfield, !te

Luncheon to follow
the kiddush

There's a certain thrill at
preparing again at age 83.