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Sephardic Heart

BILL CARROLL
Special to the Jewish News

T

he Detroit area's
Sephardic Jewish com-
munity lost one of its
staunchest supporters
and hardest workers when Mary
Papo, 93, died of cancer April 26,
2003, at the Fleischman Residence
in West Bloomfield.
Mrs. Papo was
the oldest member
of the Keter Torah
Synagogue in West
Bloomfield, having
worked for 65
years as a secretary
for the Sephardic
congregation
in
0 0
various locations in
the community.
The local
Sephardic organi-
zation is 87 years
old and the new
synagogue was
dedicated last year.
"My mother kept
the synagogue's
books even after
Mary Papo
she moved into
the Fleischman
home a few years ago," said her
son, Sander Papo of West
Bloomfield. "She had lists of every-
one who made donations at last
fall's High Holiday services. She
also volunteered for three different
cancer organizations and was still
keeping records for the Israel
Cancer Association until just before
her death."
Mrs. Papo's great-niece, Leslie
Zack, a University of Michigan stu-
dent and former volunteer at the
Fleischman Residence, said her
aunt "devoted her life to her family
and Jewish tradition ... with a car-
ing heart and outstretched hand" to
help others. Even as a youngster,
Mrs. Papo volunteered for many
charitable organizations.
Mrs. Papo was an Ashkenazic Jew
who became involved with the
Sephardic community when she
married Louis Papo, a public school
teacher, who died in 1984, just six
days short of their 50th wedding
anniversary. She maintained her

own home in Oak Park until two
years ago, moving to Fleischman
after injuring her hip and leg.
"But she still took a trip to
California for her granddaughter's
bat mitzvah, bad leg and all," said
her niece, Barbara Zack of
Farmington Hills. She never com-
plained. She always said, `Don't
worry ... everything will be OK."
Mrs. Papo attended Northern
High School and
City College of
Detroit (Wayne
State University)
and worked as a
secretary for sever-
al companies
before takina over
the books of b the
Sephardic commu-
nity. "She also had
an advanced level
of Jewish educa-
tion ... and was so
knowledgeable she
taught at the B'nai
Moshe Hebrew
School," pointed
out Avie Shapiro,
rabbi at the Fleis-
chman Residence,
in his eulogy at the
April 28 funeral, where Rabbi
Milton Arm also spoke.
Rabbi Shapiro said Mrs. Papo
was visited by many family mem-
bers and rabbis at the Fleischman
Residence. "She was the quintessen-
tial family matriarch, confidant and
adviser to many ... who always was
a straight shooter ... and told it as
it was," he said. "I told her I was
going to look into earning college
credits for the time I spent with her
because the experience added to my
wisdom."
Rabbi Michael Cohen of Keter
Torah Synagogue recently presented
Mrs. Papo with a lifetime recogni-
tion award for her many years of
work there. He referred to her as
his "mentor," who would become
emotional when she spoke about
the congregants realizing their
dream of having their own building
in which to hold services. "She
loved life and people and played a

SEPHARDIC HEART

on page 119

Our hear t felt
condolences
to the families
we have served.

BERNARD A. COLTON

We serve the entire
Jewish community
by bringing together
our rich traditions
with customized,
sensitive services.

Rabbi: David Nevins of
Adat Shalom Synagogue
Cantor: Larry Vieder of
Adat Shalom Synagogue
Hebrew Memorial Park

IRVEN LEIDER

Rabbi: David Nelson of
Beth Shalom Synagogue
Cantor: Samuel Greenbaum of
Beth Shalom Synagogue
Hebrew Memorial Park

ROCHELLE B. CHARNS

Associated with all cemeteries.

Rabbi: David Nelson of
Beth Shalom Synagogue
Hebrew Memorial Park

Please call us at:
(248) 543-1622

ROSA GRUNFELD

Rabbi: Yoel Sperka of
B'nai Israel-Beth Yehuda
Har Hazaitim, Israel

Outside Michigan at:
1-800-736-5033

DR. CALVIN CHARLES KAY

Rabbi: Joshua Bennett
of Temple Israel
Adat Shalom Memorial Park

26640 Greenfield Road
Oak Park, Michigan 48237

HILDA JACOBS

Rabbi: David Nelson
of Beth Shalom Synagogue
Clover Hill Park

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an

Rabbi Boruch E. Levin

Executive Director, H.B.S.

Funeral Director

itH

Asher T. Tatelbaum

Funeral Coordinator

Robert H. Bodzin

threw
etnorial
Chapel

From Generation to Generation

VA:47'

Mark E. Klinger

Funeral Director

5/ 9
2003

117