For Openers 'cha Don't Know A Lifetime With Toddlers son and a real team player," says Pont, who is now the syna- arrying on a conversation with gogue's membership director. "She is so much of a calming Miriam Meyers when she's at work influence on the parents," Pont says. "Usually what you see at is a real challenge. If she's called to the beginning of the school year is a lot of tears, both from the phone, someone only 30 inch- the kids and from the parents. That is what I'll always es tall is liable to tug at her pant leg and remember about her — making everybody feel comfortable demand, "Who you talking at now?" and happy." Meyers, 75, is retiring at the close of the Rena Cohen, who leads the Southfield Beth Hayeled, says school year, after a record 50 years of teaching Meyers "gives a lot of hugs and kisses, and she never loses her DIANA at Beth Hayeled, the nursery school of temper. She feels the most important thing at that age is that LIEBERMAN Congregation Shaarey Zedek. For the past the children love coming to school because, if they love it, the Staff Writer few years, her class at the school's Southfield parents are happy. And that's what our parents want: happy, branch has been composed of 2-year-olds — well-adjusted children." her favorite age. Meyers and her husband, Charles, will celebrate their 55th "When they come to me, they're usually anniversary in August. "It's hard for me to imagine I'm 75 still in diapers, still sleeping in a crib," Meyers years old," she says. "I still have plenty of energy." says. "There's nothing more gratifying than seeing them utter Although she won't be at Shaarey Zedek every morning at their first half-sentence." 8 a.m., Meyers has no intention of sitting around the house. A graduate of Detroit's Central High School with a bache- She's already begun working part time at Nibbles & Nuts in lor's degree in education from Wayne State University, Meyers West Bloomfield, whose owners are old friends. "So many began working at Shaarey Zedek when the synagogue's times I'll recognize people when they come in or even a voice branch school was located on Seven Mile Road in Detroit. on the phone," she says. She lived only four blocks away at Hartwell and Vassar. And she can't avoid bumping into her former students — "Half the salary went to me, thousands of them — around half to the babysitter," she town. says. "I figured, 'Why not try "I've had time to see a lot of it for a while?"' kids grow up," she says. "If I Meyers worked through her can place a youngster with pregnancy with her third child another youngster, I can usu- — who is now 43 years old — ally remember them." ❑ and came right back after her maternity leave. "Sometimes, you just find your niche," says Meyers, who now lives in Southfield. "I've never taught anywhere else." Former Beth Hayeled direc- Shaarey Zedek will tor Janet Pont has known and honor Miriam Meyers admired Meyers for 44 years with a reservations-only "as my daughter's teacher, a Miriam Meyers with three of the 12 members of her final luncheon at its Southfield colleague and a member of class at Shaarey Zedek Beth Hayeled: Estee Brown of building on Saturday, May my staff." Southfield and twins Katie and Joey Wolberg of Huntington 31, immediately after "Miriam is a wonderful per- Woods. All three are 21/2 years old. Shabbat services. C © 2003 0 f the six fasts that occur during the Jewish year, only one sometimes falls on erev Shabbat, in effect causing those fasting to have to cook the Sabbath eve meal while hungry. Which one? — Goldfein 1DADI JO TO I Dip Jo :get atu :.1AASTINT Quotables "A Palestinian state is not my life's dream. But looking to the future, it is not just or right to continue ruling over 3.5 million Palestinians, of which 1.8 million are living off humanitari- an aid. It is a situation that we need to get out of . . .Will we forever sit in Jenin?" — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, endorsing the internationally brokered Mideast peace plan known as the road camp, in remarks broadcast over Israel Radio. Yiddish Limericks Miss Muffet one day gets a shreck.* A vance** makes its way past her neck. It lands in her whey. She shries*** out, "Oy vay!**** "It's trayl***** now!" un layft zee aveck.****** — Martha Jo Fleischmann Shabbat Candlelighting "As I light my Shabbos candles this week, I have an extra prayer in my heart. Together with millions of women and girls, I pray for peace for our brothers and sis- ters in Israel. May God bring an end to the terror that has reigned for too long, and bless the Jewish people with everlasting peace and serenity." — Miriam Amzalak, mother, Oak Park Related cover story on page 50 Sponsored by Lubavitch Women's Organization. To submit a candlelighting message or to receive complimentary candlesticks and information on Shabbat candlelighting, call Miriam Amzaletk of Oak Park at (248) 967-5056 or e-mail• manzzalak@juno.com Candlelighting Candlelighting Friday, May 30, 8:43 p.m. Friday, June 6, 8:48 p.m. Shabbat Ends Shabbat Ends Saturday, May 31, 9:55 p.m. Saturday, June 7, 10:01 p.m. terrible fright bedbug cries Dear me! not kosher and she runs away Yiddish-isms shmatte A rag; cheap, shoddy, junk. Source: From The New Joys of Yiddish by Leo Calvin Rosten, edited by Lawrence Bush, copyright 2001, by the Rosten Family LLC. Used by per- mission of the Rosten Family LLC. 5/30 2003 7