Wisdom Of The Ages

Detroit's 95-plus seniors reflect on their longevity.

Clockwise from top left..
Jack Halperin of Southfield, most senior member of the community -at 108, visits
with son Jerry Halperin, 74, of Birmingham.

Bess Spector, 101, ofWest Bloomfield freshens her lipstick at the ElderLink event.

Harold Finkel, 57, of Bloomfield Hills shares a smile with his father, Bernard
Finkeh 9Z ofWest Bloomfield.

PHOTOS BY ANGIE BAAN

Staff Photographer

I

n its third annual "Search for the Oldest
Members of the Jewish Community," the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's ElderLink
hosted a May luncheon honoring local Jews older than
95.
Of the 36 honorees, 21 attended the luncheon at the
Fleischman Residence in West Bloomfield along with
family members and supporting staff from Jewish
Apartments & Services.
Chair of the event and co-chair of the Commission
On Jewish Eldercare Services, Linda Lee welcomed the
group, noting that the event has grown from an inti-
mate group of 15 the first year to more than 100 peo-
ple in attendance this year.
Carol Rosenberg, associate director of Jewish Home

6/18
2004

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and Aging Services, recognized each honoree individu-
ally, posing the question, "What's the most wonderful
thing you've ever seen in your life?"
"Israel, without a doubt," answered Bess Spector,
101, of West Bloomfield.
"Longevity!" was the response from Bernard Finkel,
a 97-year-old resident of the Dorothy and Peter D.
Brown Memory Care Pavilion, recently opened at the
Fleischman.
"Best thing in my life," said Milton Ross, 96, "was
the birth of my son when I was 48. He's 48 now." Ross
attended the luncheon with his wife of 51 years, Ann,
91. They live together in their Oak Park home.
This year's honorees included: Clara Alzofon (Oak
Park), Helen August (Bloomfield Hills), Bessie
Columbus (Birmingham), Earl Davidson (Southfield),
Gladys Davis (Farmington Hills), Mary Fink (West
Bloomfield), Bernard Finkel (West Bloomfield), Betty

Garland (West Bloomfield), "Rebecca Goldberg (West
Bloomfield), Gladys Gubow (Livonia), Jack Halperin
(Southfield), Alex Hauser (Southfield), Norman Joseff
(West Bloomfield), Esther Kaplan (West Bloomfield),
Allen Kraft (West Bloomfield), Jennie Kwaselow-
Carnick (West Bloomfield), Alva Lavine (West
Bloomfield), Ida Lewis (West Bloomfield), Naomi
Mandlebaum (Bloomfield Hills), Harry Meretsky
(Southfield), Anne Mondrow (West Bloomfield), Rose
Paull (Huntington Woods), Ruth Redstone
(Southfield), Edith Rivkin (Southfield), Madolyn
Rosenthal (Troy), Milton Ross (Oak Park), Gertrude
Silverman (Farmington Hills), Mary Solomon (West
Bloomfield), Bess Spector (West Bloomfield) Arthur
Victor (Southfield), Mae Weintraub (Southfield),
Fannie Whiteman (West Bloomfield), Louis Zacks
(Southfield), Jane Zaks (Southfield), Lillian Zellman
(Oak Park) and Erna Zydower (Madison Heights). ❑