Norm Herbst, Barbara Keen, Donna Abets
and Sid Rosenberg

"Who do

you know"

turned into a

rare surprise

for two

couples.

LISA BARSON
Special to the Jewish News

arbara Keen of Novi knew right from the
start that her blind date was someone spe-
cial.
Mutual friends set her up with Norm
Herbst, 59, of West Bloomfield. The two were having
an enjoyable time, talking about their lives and their
families.
Keen, 52, spoke about her sister Donna, who lives
in Okemos. Playing the "Jewish Geography" game,
Herbst mentioned that he, too, had an old friend who
also lives in Okemos — Sid Rosenberg. Herbst has
known Rosenberg since he was a college freshman and
worked at Rosenberg's drugstore in Lansing. The two
have remained friends, meeting each other for lunch a
few times a year.
When Keen heard Herbst mention Rosenberg, she
couldn't believe it. Her sister Donna Abels and
Rosenberg had been together for five years.
Ironically, Rosenberg had toyed with the thought of
setting Keen up with Herbst, but hadn't followed
through. Abels, 56, and Rosenberg, 66, had also met
through mutual friends, and Abels moved to Okemos
nearly five years ago.
"When I first met Sid, I really wasn't a football fan,
but I knew he was very active at MSU, so I told him I
was," laughs Abels.
Now, the two go to most Michigan State games and
host large tailgate parties. In addition to their place in
Okemos, they have a house up north, and spend their
time between the two locales.
But marriage wasn't high on their "to-do" list until

Keen called with a proposal of her own.
After a year-and-a-half of dating, Herbst proposed
to Keen. She was elated. "We are so lucky to have
found each other at this stage in our lives," she says.
But Keen "didn't want to get married before my older
sister." So one evening, when Keen and Herbst went
to Okemos for a visit, they suggested a double wed-
ding.
"Donna and I were always close growing up," says
Keen of her sister. "Since we were both fortunate
enough to find such wonderful, caring men, I thought
it would be fun to celebrate together." Abels and
Rosenberg loved the idea, and the four began to make
plans.
The double wedding was held in the atrium at Morels
Restaurant in Bingham Farms on Aug. 19, officiated by
Rabbi Harold Loss of Temple Israel. One-hundred-fifty
friends and family members were invited, which both
Keen and Abels describe as "unconventional." And while
both couples were married at the same-time, Rabbi Loss
actually performed two separate ceremonies.
Since this was a second wedding for each of the
four, instead of walking down an aisle to the chuppah,
the couples' children and grandchildren brought the
chuppah to them.
Keen has one son; Herbst has two; Abels has two
daughters and two granddaughters; and Rosenberg has
a son, a daughter and four grandchildren.
Herbst's son Brad, a trained opera singer, serenaded
the couples with a piece by Andrea Bochelli.
"Our kids are very happy for us," says Keen. Abel
concurs. "When we told my daughters about the plan,
my youngest told me it was hard raising a mom, and
she was glad we were finally getting married."

❑

8/24
2001

57