Compassionate
care when and
where you want it

Jail Seders'
Whitney Dies

AMY MINDELL
Special to the Jewish News

H

For 20 years, Hospice of Michigan has cared for people at
the end of life, enabling them to live fully and comfortably,
free from pain, surrounded by the people and things
important to them.

Hospice of Michigan works with each patient's primary
physician to create a plan of care based on individual needs.
With warmth and compassion, our expert staff addresses
the unique physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the
people who seek our care.

WHAT IS EXCEPTIONAL ABOUT
THE JEWISH HOSPICE PROGRAM?

This is a special program that ensures your loved

one is cared for in a way that is familiar and

am/ Whitney, the Jewish lifer
who sued the state and won, in
1989, the right for Jewish inmates to
attend religious services, died on April
24 at the Carson City Correctional
Whitney was 62 years old.
"Harry is a legend," said Joe Florian,
Whitney's friend and a former inmate.
"He'd been through a lot — prison
riots, violence. He spent (34) years in
prison, and had one of the greatest
reputations for respect. He didn't tell
on anyone, and was always wanting to
help people. He helped me a lot."
Florian recalled his friend's trade-
mark red yarmulke. "He was always
proud of being Jewish, and that was
one of his most recognizable character-
istics. The guards would sometimes
give him a hard time for wearina b it
but he never took it off," Florian said.
Prison officials said Whitney died of
heart failure.

,

comfortable — whether in your own home, a

hospital or nursing home, or our Farmington Hills

Hospice Home.

We assist with kosher meals, observance of Jewish
customs and holidays, and scheduling rabbinic
visits. Our staff respect and honor Jewish cultural
and spiritual traditions.

We Specialize in
New Landscapes & Re-Landscaping
with Designs, Construction & Installation

INaOR PO'RATEIY .

WE MAKE YOUR
DREAMS COME TRUE

BRICK PAVERS
RETAINING WALLS

2 Complete
Show Rooms

• New Home Landscapes in 1-2 Days
• Complete Design Service Available
Including Watercolors & Blueprints
• Low Voltage Landscape Lighting • Sprinkler Systems

of Floor Safes,
Wall Safes,

Gun Safes &

Drop Safes.

TL 15 & TOO Safes in Stock

WE CAN PROTECT YOU!

Residential &
Commercial
Licensed &
Insured

5/11
2001

26

FREE IN-HOME ESTIMATES
BY LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS

(248) 360-7000

4184 Pioneer Dr. • Commerce Twp.

(Southwest Corner of Richardson & Martin)

248-858-7100

SAFES
UNLIMITE
1991 ORCHARD LAKE RD

SYLVAN LAKE, MI

Mon. Tues. Thurs, Fri 9:00-5:00
Wed 9:00 - 2:00 - Sat 2:00 - 5:00

Religious services
at Jackson.

Whitney was given enormous credit
for his decisive legal battle against the
Michigan Department of Corrections
on behalf of four prisoners, himself
included, who claimed religious dis-
crimination over prison policy forbid-
ding a congregate weekly service.
After winning a federal appeals
court ruling, Whitney and other
Jewish inmates gathered the first min-
yan in four years for a Rosh Hashanah
service at Jackson State Prison.
Whitney was also active in the fight
ro institute a large Passover seder at
Jackson, where inmates' friends and
family could attend. This year, howev-
er, he was transferred to the Carson
City facility and missed the large
seder. Whitney participated in a small
seder with the six other Jewish inmates
at that institution.
Whitney \vas ready to fight the state
to ensure that prayer minyans could
be held at institutions besides Jackson,
bur died before he could pursue this
battle.
Whitney was convicted in 1.967,
and sentenced to life with no parole,
on a first—degree murder charge.

