In The Midst Of Life

he speaks, and even when he feels
passionately about issues (as cer-
tainly he does, especially when it
comes to Judaism) he prefers the
gentle path. He is not the type to
laugh too loudly, or talk in a voice
that fills the room, or let his emo-
tions jump out and show you
exactly what's in his heart.
But there is an exception.
Sarah Basya was little more than
1 year old when she was diagnosed
with leukemia. She died days after
she turned 2.
At first when he remembers her,
Rabbi Goldberg smiles. "She was
very precocious," he says.
Then he recalls how she became
ill. She endured a bone-marrow
transplant, constant pills and
injections, doctor visits and hospi-
tal stays. Sometimes, she would
bear it all without complaining.
Sometimes, she would say, "No
medications today, please."
He stops in the middle of the
conversation. His eyes fill with
tears. He waits in the thick silence,
then clears his throat. "The pain is
still very real," he says.
In Sarah Basya, Rabbi Goldberg found
not only his greatest agony, but also his
"greatest inspiration."
"She was a tremendous blessing, point-
ing us in a direction," he says.

Before he was a rabbi, Elimelech
Goldberg was a lawyer's son. He was
born and raised in New York, where his
father, Max, was an attorney and his
mother, Gertrude, was a homemaker
and executive assistant.
Elimelech's father hoped his son
would follow in his professional foot-
steps. The couple's children attended
public school in their younger years,
though by the time he was bar mitzvah,
Elimelech was at Yeshiva High School.
He loved Torah, loved learning, loved
God. He would call to his friends on the
basketball court to come inside and do a
bit of studying — something, anything
Jewish. "And incredibly," he says, "they
),
came.
"It was such an awakening to me. I
saw that I could be a vessel for teaching
God's Torah, that I could affect people's
lives. So I decided to become a rabbi.
Besides, there are enough lawyers."
After receiving smichah (ordination)
from Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik at New
York's Yeshiva University, Rabbi
Goldberg taught for three years at .
Yeshiva University in Los Angeles. Being
a rabbi was everything he had hoped it
would be, especially when it came to
working with congregants.
"I was immediately involved in coun-
seling; I felt a natural proclivity for
that," he says.
He also married and had a little girl.
Her name was Sarah Basya.
Those familiar at all with Rabbi
Goldberg know that he is a man of
restraint, a quiet person who carefully
weighs his words. He listens more than

The city of Detroit was never a part of
Rabbi Goldberg's career plan. When he
thought of the city at all, it was in terms
of "cars and gangsters."
But he was ready for change, and
Young Israel of Southfield was ready for
Flimelech Goldberg.
Among the first to meet the new rabbi
was Judy Pruchno. "My late husband [Dr.
Eugene Schwartz] was part of the com-
mittee that interviewed him [for a posi-
tion here]. I remember my husband came
home and said, 'Despite his very young
looks and his very young age, I promise
you he's going to be one of the great rab-
bis of Detroit.'"
For his part, Rabbi Goldberg "immedi-
ately fell in love with the warmth and the
heimishness of the community."
Also, he liked the fact that he would
not have to be a businessman.
"I was particularly blessed in that
regard," he says. "I never had to do fund
raising so I could focus instead on what I
really enjoy doing."
When Rabbi Goldberg came to Young
Israel of Southfield in September 1984,
62 families belonged to the synagogue.
Today, membership has grown to 130
families.
In addition to his congregation, the
rabbi has involved himself in the larger
Jewish community locally. He has been a
member of the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit's board of governors
and a guidance counselor at Yeshivat
Akiva. Today, he serves on the Council of

RABBI ELIMELECH GOLDBERG LEAVES

THE PULPIT. TO EMPOWER KIDS AND

THEIR FAMILIES TO FIGHT CANCER.

at his congregation — although he will
remain as rabbi emeritus — to expand
KKC into a nationwide program.

,
at,
Top: Robert Wood, 12, of
Waterford is a patient.

Above: Rabbi Goldberg shows
his students how to throw
punches. Behind him is Jeff
Davidson, a master guru of
Penchak Sikt, an Indonesian
form of martial arts. The
student is Scott Flanigan, 6,
of Clarkston, a patient.

Far left: Ruthie and Rabbi
Goldberg at their Southfield
home.

Left: Rabbi Goldberg and
Dr. Susan Gardin at
Young Israel of Southfield.

Principles
Of Kids Kicking
Cancer

Calm

We are able
to find inner
calm through
using our
relaxation
and our
breathing
technique&

,

Strength

We learn
the true les-
sons of mar-
tial arts, the
strongest part
of our being is our mind and soul.

The Detroit Experience

2/15
2002

59

