Obituaries

Obituaries are updated regularly and archived on JN Online:

www.detroitjewishnews.com

to support Seeds of Peace, knowing
that's what John [Mr. Wallach] would
have wanted."
In a July 11 letter to the "Seeds fam-
ily," Mr. Wallach's son, Michael, wrote
that his father believed passionately in
the program and everyone who partic-
ipated in it.
for
more
than
one
summer.
Washington/JTA — John Wallach, 59,
"He knew that you were his dreams
In 1996, Mr. Wallach started a region- tr,,
the founder of Seeds of Peace, died July
come true," Michael Wallach wrote.
program that brought together Israeli,
al
10, 2002, of lung cancer in New York.
While the camp is often cited as one
Palestinian'and Jordanian "Seeds" alum-
A longtime journalist, Mr. Wallach
of
the last bastions of hope for fostering
ni for school presentations, home visits,
proposed in 1993 to then Israeli
peace, the escalating Israeli-Palestinian
workshops and field trips. The Center
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres that a
tensions have harmed camp life.
for Coexistence in Jerusalem opened in
group be created to bring Israeli,
Last year, the Palestinian Authority
1999
to
coordinate
and
help
former
Palestinian and Egyptian youths togeth-
refused to send a delegation to the
campers
continue
relationships.
er on neutral soil in the United States.
camp. As a result, instead of dealing
The camp and center have worked
Each summer since then, the Seeds of
directly with the Israeli-Palestinian con
with Greek Cypriot and Turkish
Peace program has sent hundreds of
flict, campers focused on tensions
Cypriot youths, as well as Moroccan,
Jewish and Arab teenagers into the
between Arabs and Jews within Israel
Tunisian,
Qatari,
Yemeni
and
other
woods of Maine in an effort to increase
and on Israel's regional concerns with its
Middle Eastern teenagers. More than
Seeds of Peace founder John Wallach,
their mutual understanding.
Arab neighbors.
2,000
"Seeds"
have
participated
from
That first summer, the camp hosted
center, with campers.
And while as many as 400 children
22 non-Middle Eastern nations, includ-
46 Egyptian, Israeli and Palestinian chil-
have attended the camp some years,
ing Pakistan, India, Greece, Bosnia,
the club and asked if anyone would be
dren. A few months later, a group of
only 323 attended last summer.
Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia and
interested in helping him with his new
campers attended the signing of agree-
Lewis Roth, an executive with
Afghanistan.
ments between Israeli Prime Minister
idea. Gottschalk signed on.
Americans for Peace Now, which works
From 1968-1994, Mr. Wallach
"We honestly didn't know what we
Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader
with the camp program, said Seeds of
worked for the Hearst Newspapers. He
Yasser Arafat on the White House lawn.
were facing," she told JTA.
Peace is Mr. Wallach's "legacy to a world
also
wrote
several
books,
including
a
There have always been worries
Mr. Wallach, a son of Holocaust sur-
in need of greater coexistence.
biography
of
Arafat.
about having enough money to keep
vivors, described the coexistence ses-
"It's now up to the rest of us to help
Barbara Gottschalk, executive vice
the program going but Mr. Wallach
sions at the camp, where everyone is
carry
out the spirit of his work," Roth
president of Seeds of Peace, worked
expected to voice all of their emotions,
was a "showman and consummate
with Mr. Wallach from the very start as
said.
as a "detox program to get rid of all the
fund-raiser," Gottschalk said.
Mr. Wallach is survived by his wife,
the
result
of
a
chance
meeting.
He
was
"synonymous"
with
the
peace
hatred that we have built up inside."
After her book club read his book The program, she said. "People will continue Janet, and sons, Michael and David.
He also worked to ensure. that the
New Palestinians, Mr. Wallach spoke to
benefits of the camp experience lasted

Seeds Of Peace Founder Dies

❑

JANET A. BASKIN, 42, of

Farmington Hills, died July 14, 2002.
She graduated from Kenbrook
Elementary, Dunckel Middle School
and North Farmington High School.
After high school, she attended
Henry Ford Hospital school of nurs-
ing and earned her registered nurse
certificate. For eight years, she worked
as a nurse and went to school at
Wayne State University to earn a
bachelor of science in nursing. Later,
she applied to and was accepted to
WSU's School of Anesthesia, where
she earned a master's degree and
became a certified registered nurse
anesthetist, accepting employment at
Providence Hospital.
She is survived by her husband,
Stuart Baskin; children, Robbie,
Roman, Sonya; mother, Martha
(Pryor) Hopkins; a brother and a sis-
ter. She was the daughter of the late J.
Thomas Hopkins.
Interment at Beth El Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made to
the American Cancer Society or the
Wayne State University School of

ft0,1,A

7/19

2002

130

She is survived by her husband,
Rabbi Shaul Engelsberg; parents, Aline
and Irving Shuraytz of Detroit; sons,
Mayer, Chaim and Yosef Engelsberg;
sister and brother-in-law, Diane
ELIAS BOOKMAN,
(Schuraytz) and Robert Moskowitz of
Oak Park; brothers and sisters-in-law,
84, of Oak Park, died
Dr. Benjamin and Debra Schuraytz of
July 11, 2002. He
ARTHUR DERSHWITZ, 90, former
maintained a successful
Los Angeles, Rabbi Michael and
Detroiter of Delray Beach, Fla., died
house painting business
Malki Schuraytz of Oak Park.
July 14, 2002. For many years he and
Contributions may be made to
until his retirement.
his wife owned and operated the
Over several decades,
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, P.O. Box 2044,
Surplus Shack in Royal Oak and sold
Elias
Mr. Bookman sang in
Southfield, MI 48037 or Matan
camping equipment to three genera-
Bookman
B'Seder, 15141 Dartmouth, Oak Park,
Detroit-area choral
tions of Tamarack campers. He retired
groups including the
MI 48237. Interment at Hebrew
in 1974 and moved to Florida.
Dan Frohman Chorus.
Mr. Dershwitz is survived by his son Memorial Park. Arrangements by
Mr. Bookman is survived by his sis-
Hebrew Memorial Chapel.
and daughter-in-law, Drs. Mark and
ters-in-law, Sylvia Sachs, Edith
Renee Dershwitz of Sherborn, Mass.;
Friedman and Sarah Friedman; nieces
SOPHIE. FISCHEL, .of West
grandchildren, Philip, Eli, Sally; sister,
Bloomfield, died July 9, 2002.
and nephews.
Lillian Greenwald of Oak Park; broth-
He was the beloved husband of 54
She is survived by her husband, Max
er, Alex of Oak Park, he was the lov-
years of the late Adele Bookman; dear
Fischel; son, William Fischel of West
ing husband for 54 years-to the late
brother-in-law of the late Martha
Bloomfield; daughter and son-in-law,
Tillie
(Segel) Dershwitz.
Goodman, the late Dr. Louis
Barbara and Irvin Kappy of Orchard
Interment in Boynton Beach, Fla.
Goodman, the late Jack Friedman,
Lake; grandchildren, Rebecca, David
the late Abe Friedman and the late
HELEN E. (CHAVIVA) SHURAYTZ and Sarah Fischel, Brandon and
Michelle Kappy; sister-in-law and
Frank Sachs.
ENGELSBERG, 33, of Southfield,
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
brothers-in-law, Fela and Bernard
died July 11, 2002.
Contributions may be made to the

Nursing Fund. Arrangements by
McCabe Funeral Home in
Farmington Hills.

Karmanos Cancer Institute, 24601
Northwestern Hwy., Southfield, MI
48075, or St. Jude's Hospital, 332 N.
Fort Lauderdale, Memphis, TN
38105. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.