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In The Spotlight

Passing traditions and love of Judaism are common
traits of Torah Center's honorees.

SUSAN TAWIL

Special to the Jewish News

6ET THE INFORMATION YOU
NEED ABOUT YOUR COMMU-
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IMPOPIEO VEBSITE!

Chaya Sarah describes her husband as
a "one-man crusade against Jewish igno-
rance," noting his willingness to "teach
any Jew anything; whatever, wherever."
Besides his position at Bais Chabad,
Rabbi Silberberg is on the presidium of

hey are "the sweetest, nicest,
armest, most charming bub-
bie (grandmother) and zayde
(grandfather) you
could find."
This is how Rabbi
F.1 imelech Silberberg of the
Sara Tugman Bais Chabad
Torah Center describes Sam
and Sarah Weinberger of West
Bloomfield. At the synagogue's
annual dinner, to be held Sept.
12 at Young Israel of Oak
The Weinbergers
The Silberbergs
Park, the Weinbergers will
receive Bais Chabad's Golden
the Vaad HaRabonim of Detroit, is exec-
Chain Award, a tribute honoring their
utive director of FREE (Friends of
transmission of Jewish values to the next
Refugees of Eastern Europe) and director
generation.
of Lubavitch Rabonim International. He
The dinner also honors Rabbi
has authored three books on contempo-
Silberberg and his wife, Chaya Sarah
rary issues in Jewish law In conjunction
Silberberg, for their 25 years of service to
with Southfield's Bernard Nadel, the
the West Bloomfield-based congregation.
Silberbergs help run Mit Maze4 a match-
The Weinbergers are Holocaust sur-
making Web site.
vivors who met each other at the end of
The rabbi humbly credits his wife for
World War II while working in the
the award. "It's really a tribute to her, to
underground. They were married in
her amazing ability to raise the family
1945, in Sam's hometown of Muncacz,
teach, entertain guests and juggle every-
Czechoslovakia, in the first Jewish wed-
thing."
ding ceremony held there after the war.
Chaya Sarah Silberberg, who teaches
The couple immigrated to America in
classes at Bais Chabad, formerly taught at
1948, settling in Oak Park, where Sam
Yeshivat Akiva for 14 years. She now also
became president of Oak Park's
teaches 12th grade at Bais Chaya
Congregation B'nai Zion. At first, he
Mushka in Oak Park.
worked in factories; later, he opened
Married 29 years, the Silberbergs have
Sam's Fruit Store, a grocery in Highland
10 children, 8 to 27 years old, and seven
Park, which he successfully ran until his
grandchildren.
retirement in 1978.
"The children really have a tremen-
Sam, 81, and Sarah, 78, are the
dous influence on people," she contin-
grandparents of Lisa, 20; Stefanie, 16;
ues. "They're helpful and, of course,
and Joshua, 14, children of their daugh-
Jewishly knowledgeable. People ask,
ter Doris and son-in-law Fred Blechman,
What do I have to do to have children
who live in Bloomfield Hills. They also
like this?' They see for themselves how
are the unofficial bubbie and zayde of the
beautiful Shabbos is, how beautiful a
Torah Center, where Sam is the candy
Torah family is. I don't have to say a
man, doling out sweets to the children at
word."
services.
The Sept. 12 dinner will feature a
"They deserve this honor. They're
video recounting highlights of the past
wonderful people," says daughter Doris.
25 years at Bais Chabad.
Rabbi Silberberg, 52, is originally from
"We've accomplished a lot," says
the Bronx. He moved to Detroit with his
Rabbi Silberberg.
wife and assumed leadership of the Torah
He notes, however, there are 15,000
Center in 1975.
to 20,000 Jews in the West Bloomfield
"Twenty-five years ago, no one was
area, many unaffiliated, intermarried or
out here," says Rabbi Silberberg. "Now it
not fully versed Jewishly. "We have to
is a beautiful, warm, friendly communi-
ty
make a dent; to get to make time to
investigate Torah, to convince them that
Bais Chahad has 150 members and
this is more valuable than other pursuits.
offers an array of classes and guest s
This is our challenge." Eli
ers to Detroit's Jewish community

33

Eilu vEilu
Marks Holidays

Eilu v'Eilu, the Michigan adult Jewish
learning project of the Conservative
Movement, has scheduled additional
learning opportunities for adults and
teens.
Dr. Richard Lederman, executive
director of the United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism Great Lakes and
Rivers Region, will discuss "Putting the
High Holidays in Context: How the
Jewish Calendar Links Us to God,
Nature and Jewish History" noon
Wednesday, Sept. 5, at the Max M.
Fisher Federation Building, 6375
Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township.
Tuition is $7. Advance registration is
encouraged, but not required. Students
may bring a brown-bag dairy or veggie .
lunch. No food will be served.
Dr. Lederman will reprise his shiur at
Borders Books and Music Cafe in
Arborland Mall (off Washtenaw Avenue
in Ann Arbor) at 8 p.m. that same night,
Sept. 5, and again at Borders in Novi
Town Center on Monday, Sept. 10, at
7:30 p.m. Both events are free, drop-in
sessions.
Rabbi Rob Dobrusin of Beth Israel
Congregation in Ann Arbor will lead a
study session titled "Parent, Ruler,
Protector and Judge: What the Avinu
Malkenu Prayer Tells Us About God"
noon Thursday, Sept. 6, at Borders
Books and Music in Novi Town Center.
This is a free, drop-in learning event.
Rabbi Dobrusin will reprise his shiur at
Borders at Arborland Mall 8 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 10. This is a free, drop-in
event.
On Sunday, Sept. 9, at 7:30 p.m.,
community educators Ahuva Newman
and Beth Greenbaum will lead a study
session titled "Yehuda Amichai: Poet of
Love, Life and Loss" in memory of
Israel's beloved poet on the first anniver-
sary, of his death. It will take place at
Congregation Beth Shalom. Tuition is
$7. Advance registration is suggested, but
not required. Some Hebrew reading abil-
ity would be helpful, but all of the
poems will be presented in English trans-
lation as well as in the original Hebrew.
The study session will be repeated the
following day, Sept. 10, at noon at the
Max M. Fisher Federation Building.
Tuition is $7. No food will be served.
Students may brown-bag a dairy or veg-
gie lunch. Pre-registration is encouraged
but not required.
The final event will take place on
Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at
Borders Books and Music Cafe, 34300
Woodward Avenue in downtown

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54