I

Songs To God

Evanston, Ill. There, she wrote
psalms of comfort and hope for con-
gregants in need as well as words of
joy in celebration of their milestones
ebbie Perlman, whose
and simchot. Her book
health strug-
Flames to Heaven, New
gles led to her
Psalms for Healing 6.
career as
Praise (Rad Publishers;
"America's only full-time
$14), published in 1998,
psalmist," died Nov. 29
contains 160 songs of cel-
from the lingering after-
ebration, healing and
effects of cancer treat-
questioning.
ment.
"I feel that when I
Mrs. Perlman, 51, was
write, the words are not
a weekly contributor to
mine alone, but somehow
Jewish Renaissance
have Divine guidance,"
Media's Web site
she said.
Jewish.com and many of
"Many times it has
her psalms of healing
been 'too easy'; the words
and inspiration can be
Debbie Perlman
have been poured into
read there.
me. They wake me' and
Since 1996, Mrs.
sing in my dreams. I feel humbled
Perlman was resident psalmist at
and honored by people who tell me
Beth Emet The Free Synagogue in

DAVID SACHS
Senior Copy Editor

D

DOROTHY WEISS APPLE, 87, of
West Bloomfield, died Nov. 24. She
was a saleswoman for women's cloth-
ing at Sherri's, Belle Jacob and B.
Seigel and Co.
Mrs. Apple is survived by her son
and daughter-in-law, Allan and
Donna Apple of West Bloomfield;
son-in-law, Robert Schwarcz; grand-
children, Ken and Mildred
Schwarcz, Audrey Schwarcz, Susie
and Bruce Feinberg, Josie
Henderson, Julie and Steve Plotnik,
Jill and Jay Rupp, Brian and Shawna
Apple; great-grandchildren, Jeremy,
Sydney and Jordan Henderson,
Andy and Rachel Feinberg, Alyssa
and Brianna Schwarcz and Jacob
and Jordan Plotnik. She was the
beloved wife of the late Harry Apple
and the late Rubin Weiss; loving
mother of the late Barbara Schwarcz
and the late Lawrence Apple.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to
Jewish Home and Aging Services,
6710 W. Maple Road, West
Bloomfield, MI 48322.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.

HARRY ARONOVITZ, 86, of
Pompano Beach, Fla., died Dec. 1,
2002. He was the owner of
Domestic Outfitters, a retail furni-

ture business.. He was also a member
of B'nai B'rith, volunteer for Meals
on Wheels and a 20-year volunteer
for Hadassah's Resale Shop.
Mr. Aronovitz is survived by his -
sons and daughters-in-law, Dr.
Marvin and Adria Aronovitz of West
Bloomfield, Dr. Leonard and
Eleanor Aronovitz of Bloomfield
Hills; grandchildren, Dr. Daniel and
Joanne Aronovitz, Dr. James and
Mindy Aronovitz, Marjorie and
Marc Katz, Dana Aronovitz, Elyse
and Dr. Brian Aronovitz; great-
grandchildren, Sara, Benjamin,
Anna, Jordan, Sydney and Anthony
Aronovitz, Henry and Oliver Katz,
Zoe and Ruby Kolender; sisters,
Mary Barbas of Oak Park, Esther
Brodsky of Clarkston; sister-in-law,
Sarah Berman. For 62 years, he was
the beloved husband of the late
Sophie Aronovitz.
Interment at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

GERRY BARR, 88, of Southfield,
died Dec. 1, 2002. She was a found-
ing member of Adat Shalom
Synagogue and Shir Shalom, mem-
ber of Temple Beth El and the
Braille Binders, a member of the
Jewish Federation, a past president
of Beth Elders at Temple Beth El

they pray with my words, who point
out a favorite psalm that is part of
their daily affirmations.
"I don't think I'm the next, or the
only, but merely another in the line
of psalmists who have found and
continue to find songs to sing to
God," she said.
A month before she died, Mrs.
Perlman was buoyed by hope that a
new medication would alleviate her
pulmonary hypertension. In one her
final psalms, she wrote:

The intricacies of illness confront
me,
Treatment consequences engender
change;
My existence proves Your vigilance,
Holy One,
You do not abandon me to despair.

You knew me when my body
danced,
When my breath sustained constant
song;
I have mourned these losses, I can
smile at memory,

and a member of B'nai
Mrs. Barr is survived by her hus-
band of 67 years, George Barr;
daughters and son-
in-law, Lois Verona
of Florida, Diane
"DeeDee" and Dr.
Norman Lynn of
West Bloomfield; son
and daughter-in-law,
David and Phyllis
Barr of West
Bloomfield; son-in-
law, Paul Sislin;
grandchildren, John
Sislin, Kate Sislin,
Donald and Lynda Swartz, Ronald
Swartz, Julie and Steve Limberis,
Michael Lynn, Jeffrey and Paula
Lynn, Micki Lynn, Charles Barr,
Margo and Don Borkin, David and
Shelley Swartz; 13 great-grandchil-
dren. She was the beloved daughter
of the late John and the late Vera
Hayman; laving mother of the late
Phyllis Sislin.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to
Temple Shir Shalom or St. John
Hospice, 18303 10 Mile Road, Suite
300, Roseville, MI 48966. Arrange-
ments by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

ILENE BATCHKO, 90, of West
Bloomfield, died Nov. 29, 2002.

I still delineate my future.

You gentle me to adjustments,
A different bit between my teeth;
My struggles cease as You calm me to
acceptance,
You give me rein to choose another
gait.

There is luck in challenges, a. mazel,
a star,
Illumination formed of broken frag-
ments;
You help me piece them in new con-
stellations,
You light the purpose of my survival.

Mrs. Perlman is survived by her
husband, Dr. Reid Perlman; and
daughter and son-in-law, Eve-Gerri
and Mario Pagliarulo.
Contributions in her memory may
be made to a charity of one's choice
or to the Debbie Perlman Memorial
Fund at Beth Emet The Free
Synagogue, 1224 Dempster St.,
Evanston, IL 60202.

❑

She is survived by her sister, Ann
Welch of Toledo, Ohio; nieces and
nephews, Ida Lucas of Southfield,
Marilyn Berman of West
Bloomfield, Suzanne Lucas Binder
of Franklin, Burton Batchko of
Chicago, Sandy Isenberg of Ohio,
Arlene Frankel of Ohio, Barbara
Konop of Ohio. She was the loving
sister of the late Celia Gross, the late
Helen Batchko, the late Miriam
Mann, the late Morris Batchko, the
late Leo Batchko, the late Nathan
Batchko, the late Calle Batchko, the
late Scholke Batchko.
Services and interment at Nusach
Hari Cemetery. Arrangements by
Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

BERNARD BENKOFF, 78, of West
Bloomfield, died Nov. 25, 2002. He
was a wallpaper contractor and a
World War II Army veteran. He was
also a member of B'nai B'rith, an
amateur boxer and
during his enlist-
ment was on a bas-
ketball team.
Mr. Benkoff is sur-
vived by his son and
daughter-in-law, Dr.
David and Dr. Adrea
Benkoff of
Farmington Hills;
Bernard
daughters and sons-
Benkoff

12/ 6
2002

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