say, their daughters love the parties, "but
they also attend different services" at
congregations around town. Best of all,
"they have made some really nice
friends," Mark says.
Marla describes Elizabeth as "very
sweet and very shy. She loves nature
and animals and has two turtles that
she inherited from a cousin who went
off to college. We are just so thrilled
to have them."
Elizabeth also cares for the family
dog, Chip, a golden retriever that,
Mark points out, provides him with
the only opportunity for male bond-
ing in the house.
Life At Beth El Today: Mark is trea-
surer of the temple and has been on
the board of trustees for six years.
He has been the congregation's
secretary and on the Beth El execu-
tive committee. Additionally, he is
active in the Jewish community at
large, serving on the board of the
Jewish Community Center and the
Alliance for Jewish Education.
Mark describes Rabbi Daniel
Syme of Beth El as "a great spiritual
leader and a great rabbi. He has
brought in a team, and the people
around him are very warm, heimish,
friendly." He describes Stephen
Dubov as "the hardest-working can-
tor in America."
Mark notes, "Our membership,
which is at its highest ever, continues
to grow. We have many young fami-
lies, and they often bring their fami-
lies who join, too. One example:
Marla's brother and sister-in-law, who
became Beth El members soon after
Rabbi Syme's appointment.
Additionally, Mark's two older broth-
ers and sister continue to be affiliated
with Beth El, and Marla's parents
often come for services.
Mark says he especially loves Shabbat
at the temple. "Services are beautiful,
very spiritual, warm and friendly,. It's
seldom on a typical Saturday morning
that you'll see a dry eye."
They like the fact that Rabbi Syme
has made it a point to welcome chil-
dren of all ages. Each Shabbat, he
invites them to help themselves to a
treat from his bag of chocolates,
while the service ends with all the
children coming to the bimah —
"and there must be at least 100 of
them," Mark notes — to hold hands
and sing songs.
"That's one thing I really like
about Beth El," Marla says. "There's
always an opportunity to participate.
You never feel like you're just a
number."
How to enjoy
cleaning and cooking
for Passover this year
Hopes for the Future: Marla made
her first trip to Israel with her family
in 1972; Mark went on a National
Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY)
trip in 1978. The Canvassers are
considering their own family mission
to Israel this summer with Rabbi
David Castiglione of Beth El.
Marla hopes her children "will be
as happy as I am. I want them to be
healthy, independent, doing some-
thing with their lives that they love,
making a difference in the world.
Our dream is that they keep their
Jewish heritage and be happy."
Mark adds: "I've known Marla half
my life. I hope that our kids meet a
partner just like the person I met."
He notes that his wife has worked
professionally since the couple mar-
ried, and he believes this serves as a
model for his girls to be "self-suffi-
cient and independent. They'll be
able to do things on their own terms
and with the right values.
"We also want them to appreciate,
as do Marla and I, the value of good
health."
Listen to a FREE
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Only Yesterday: Several months ago,
Mark went back to visit the building
in Detroit, designed by Albert Kahn,
that housed Beth El when he was a
little boy. Some of it was new, some
familiar.
"It's a church now, very well main-
tained," he says. "But a lot of the
original features still exist. I was sur-
prised because the building was sold
almost 30 years ago."
The visit brought back memories.
"I remember when I was young,
looking up at the chandelier, count-
ing all the light bulbs during ser-
vices, and the four murals on the
ceiling, and the stained-glass win-
dows, which were moved to the new
building."
He thought of Rabbi Hertz, "a gen-
tle man who loved what he did. He
had a great voice; no one recited Chad
Gadya at Passover the way he did.
"When he became sick, after his
stroke, he could no longer chant. It
was like an artist losing his ability to
paint."
Read by
Bess Myerson
and Adam
Grupper
•4 cassettes,
approx. 6 hours
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•9 cassettes,
approx. 9 hours
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Just Around The Corner: The
Canvassers love holidays and are
looking forward to Passover.
"It will be at least 20 people at
the seder — and that's immediate
family," Marla says. "The more the
merrier."
"We always want our family
together on the holidays," Mark
says. ❑
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