GLATT KOSHER
Sharing Justin's Magic
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the delight of others.
A self-taught artist, a poster of
Justin's original artwork was reprinted
and hung around town last month
advertising a concert organized and
day
practicing,
begging
me
to
watch
SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
run by his friends. The event's pro-
his
tricks."
Staff Writer
ceeds were donated to a fund at
Justin turned his penchant for
Temple Kol Ami in West Bloomfield
magic into performances at parties
ustin Scott Rochkind both gave
established to offset Justin's family's
and b'nai mitzvah celebrations, at one
and received the most from
expenses while he received treatments
time
even
owning
live
doves,
which
every adventure, every prospect,
at St. Jude Children's Research
were
a
part
of
the
act.
every journey.
Hospital in Memphis,
"Justin just loved living his
Tenn.
life," said Sandy Rochkind of
1 , .i>np':e Kul 2n
aeril. t2r 2Ustfzi 10 -:11kmtlFun
"He touched many peo-
his 18-year-old son, who
i5t
4 1805e5 Jil:1:, f1 11>2.1r":,
ple
with his positive and
died July 10, 2004. For the
forward-looking
attitude,"
past 3 1 /2 years, Justin, of
said
family
friend
Rabbi
West Bloomfield, battled
Julian Cook of Denver,
Ewing's sarcoma, a form of
formerly of Temple Beth
cancer.
El in Bloomfield
"Every experience Justin
Township.
Rabbi Cook,
sought had a sense of being
who
spoke
at the. funeral,
the very best possible. And
described Justin as having
he grabbed every opportuni-
"persistence and unbeliev-
ty to live life in a first-class
able
focus" and "creativity
way."
in
so
many different
When a new roller coaster
areas.
ride debuted at Cedar Point,
"Even at his sickest,"
his father said, "Justin need-
said Justin's dad, "he
ed to be on it -- opening
would always talk in terms
day — sitting in the front
of when I'm older and
car with his hands up."
when
I get better — right
New movies, too, had to
to
the
end," said. "The 3 1 /2
be seen on their first day
years that we knew Justin
out," he said. "He always
was sick is not a story
needed to have the greatest,
about dying, but a story
newest gadget — now, not
about living. In fact,
tomorrow," he said.
Justin's
entire life has been
A student and a filmmaker,
about living — living to
Justin saved up for and
the maximum.
bought a video camera when
"He taught me my most
he was just 16. It was "the
important
lesson: to look
kind of award-winning
at
life
as
an
hourglass filled
equipment that the best
with a finite amount of
independent films are made
sand — each falling grain
from," his father said.
representing an Opportuni-
And Justin had created his
tY.
own experimental short
"He rarely missed an
A poster showing Justin's original artwork was displayed
films. With an eye for
opportunity
[to touch
benefit
concert
to
around
town
last
month
advertising
a
unique camera shots, he once
another's life]. Justin
Justin's fu nd at Temple Kol Ami.
directed a film about bil-
taught me that a better
liards, getting a shot from
measure of a person's life is
inside the pocket as the ball
not how big their list of
approached.
- accomplishments, but how small is
Being a magician was Justin's
their list of missed opportunities —
"proudest accomplishment," said
the opportunities that matter most in
brother Chad Rochkind, 20. "He
Determination
our relationships with each other."
loved the look on people's faces as he
"He was the most determined person
In a 2003 profile of Justin by
made
cards
appear
from
nowhere
or
I've ever known," said Justin's 15-
Jeffrey
Zaslow in the Wall Street
made
handkerchiefs
disappear
before
year-old brother. Blake Rochkind.
Justin also used his own
Journal,
their
very
eyes."
"When he wanted to learn how to
experiences to teach a life-lesson for
With a gift for imaginative story-
play the guitar, he would play it until
children encountering traumas such
telling, Justin could observe strangers
his fingers were callused. When he
as illness or the death of a loved one.
and create a narrative about them to
wanted to be a magician, he spent all
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