To Give With
Warm Hands

B

SHELLI LIEBIvIAN DORFMAN

StaffWriter

enjamin Kresch gave words of thanks each
and every day.
Despite living through famine, disease
and persecution, he focused on that for
which he was grateful.
"The words on Benny's lips were always hodu
l'HaShem ki toy [Give thanks to God, for He is
good], ''said his rabbi, Reuven Spolter of Young Israel
of Oak Park. "Only thanks for the blessings he had.
He didn't complain."
Ben Kresch was often heard to say, "I survived dur-
ing the darkest years in human history but was able
to live during the brightest."
Fleeing Nazi-occupied Poland on a raft, working in
Siberia as a mechanic in a sawmill, suffering for a year
-with typhus in Uzbekistan and later losing the
Detroit food market he owned with his brother Dave
during the 1967 riots, only made him stronger and
more grateful for what he did have.
"He was able to squeeze the sweet aroma of life
into every day that he lived," said his son Ari Kresch
of Farmington Hills. "He started his days with thanks
to HaShem. I never heard him ask for anything. His
focus was on gratitude.
"His legacy was to give with warm hands," Ari
Kresch said of the imperative of his father to give
what he could while still living.
"He was so happy to have a Torah dedicated in his
and my mother's honor rather than in his memory,"

GRACE BERMAN BRAMSON, 95, of
New Hampshire, died Dec. 20, 2002.
She was a WJR radio studio pianist with
Mother's Album, a pianist with Studio
Orchestra and studied with Moriz
Rosenthal.
Ms. Bramson is survived by her com-
panion, Harold Donohue; sister-in-law,
Jule Berman; niece and nephew, Sheila
Berman, Daniel Berman; great-nieces,
Julia and Zoe Berman. She was the
devoted sister of the late Dr. Robert
Berman.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

HUGH "SONNY" BRASS, former
Detroiter of Anacortes, Wash., died Dec.
19.
He is survived by his daughter, Terry
Brass and John Leibengut of
Washington; grandson, Zachary Brass;
sisters, Judith Dresner of Southfield,
Sylvia Roth of West Bloomfield. He was
the beloved husband of the late Barbara

said Ari of a June 2002 dedication
of a Sefer Torah to commemorate
his parents' 50th wedding anniver-
sary.
A staunch Zionist, Mr. KresCh;
while visiting Israel, often would
greet Israeli soldiers. "He took it
upon hirriself to personally thank
all the [soldiers] in the streets and
kiss and hug them and tell them
how important they are to him
and to our future," Ari. Kresch
said.
Ben Kresch of Southfield, died
Dec. 13, 2002, at age 78, follow-
ing a stroke he suffered in the syn-
agogue five weeks earlier.
Benjamin Kresch
"It was his usual custom to go
to minyan," Ari Kresch said of his
father, a 41-year member of the
Young Israel congregation.
"He loved going there. He would always get there
early and savor putting on his tallis and tefillin. He
was finished putting on his tallis," An Kresch said
of one day last month, "when he fell backwards."
He said it was fitting that his father's last act
before becoming ill was the performance of a
mitzvah.
Even before the ambulance arrived, Mr.
Kresch's three sons had been summoned to his
side — to join his two brothers-in-law who had H .
been with him at the service — an occurrence S
that An Kresch said "exemplified a life of being
so important to his family."
His first act upon awakening in the hospital
was, not to bemoan his illness, but to tell his
brothers-in-law how they had saved his life.
"Shalom bayis [peace in the home] and family
unity took precedence over all," said Mr. Kresch's
son-in-law Rabbi Ezriel Schur of Cleveland

Brass; loving father of the late David
Hahn.
Contributions may be made to a char-
ity of one's choice. This announcement
was placed at the request of the family by
Ira Kaufman Chapel.

MILTON BRODER, 73, of Livonia,
died Dec. 20, 2002.
He is survived by his beloved wife, •
Bryna Broder; son and daughter-in-law,
Marc and Darka Broder of Hamtramck;
daughter, Karen Broder of Livonia;
brother-in-law, Charles Blauer; grand-
daughter, Alana. He was the dear brother
of the late Diana Blauer.
Interment was held at the Adat
Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to a charity
of one's choice. Arrangements by
Dorfman Chapel.

HARVE' EDWARDS, 91, of

California, formerly of Detroit, died

Heights, Ohio. "[He found]
such nachas having all the family
together. Each member of his
family brought a deep pride."
Mr. Kresch's grandson Zvi
Kresch of Southfield is inspired
by his grandparents' love for one
another. "They were such a won-
derful example for us to follow,"
he said.
Said son Ari, "My father want-
ed to be able to see his family
enjoy what he gave them, to tell
them 'I love you' — to give us
whatever he had with warm
hands.
"My father's death marks the
beginning of a celebration of his
life. Every day that he woke up
and went to shul and spent with
his family was another time to say, 'Thank God."'
Rabbi Spolter said, "Every day was a blessing
and an opportunity to thank God. That was the
lesson he taught everyone, each and every day,
just by being himself."
Benjamin Kresch is survived by his wife,
Amalia Kresch; sons and daughters-in-law,
Simon and Ruchy Kresch of Southfield, Ari
and Lin Kresch of Farmington Hills, Ed
and Dr. Susan Kresch of Oak Park; daugh-
usT ter and son-in-law, Judy and Rabbi
Ezriel Schur of Cleveland Heights, Ohio;
brothers and sisters-in-law, Joe and Helen
Kresch of Sunrise, Fla., Dave and Rena
Kresch of West Bloomfield; 24 grandchildren;
two great-grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to a charity of
one's choice. Interment was at Hebrew Memorial
Park. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
Chapel. ❑

Dec. 19, 2002. He was a retired indus-
trial designer.
Mr. Edwards is survived by his wife
of 62 years, Rose Edwards; sisters-in-law
and brothers-in-law, Tina and Hy
Sussman, Betty and Bernard Mikofsky,
Sarah Kapetansky.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to a charity
of one's choice. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

beloved husband of the late Clara
Faxstein.
Contributions may be made to Alyn
Hospital, do Randee Lipman, 4729
Walnut Creek Dr., West Bloomfield,
MI 48322 or AMIT Women, 817
Broadway, New York, NY 10003.
Interment at Adat Shalom Memorial
Park. Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.

SHIRLEY FINK, 77, of Clearwater,

MANUEL FAXSTEIN, 90, of West --

Bloomfield, died Dec. 17, 2002:
He is survived by his son and daugh-
ter-in-law, Elliott and Christy Taylor
Faxstein of Napa Valley, Calif.; daugh-
ters and son-in-law, Terri and Michael
Dworkin of Southfield, Lyn Faxstein of
Oak Park; sister, Bess Glazier of
Farmington Hills; grandchildren,
Lauren and Jeffrey Katz, Wendy
Dworkin and fiance Brian Kraiem,
Geoffrey G. Dworkin. He was the

Fla., died Dec. 18, 2002. She was a sec-
retary-receptionist for Temple Israel for
eight years and a
member of Hadassah.
Mrs. Fink is sur-
vived by her daughter
and son-in-law, Leslie
and Mark Wasserman
of West Bloomfield;
sons and daughter-in-
law, Alan and Teresa
Fink of West
Shirley Fink

12/27

2002

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