Uses Kosher products in separate kitchen HIDING from page 69 between East and West. Working on this project has influ- enced the author's view of history. "It made me see the whole early 20th cen- tury as one continuous tragedy begin- ning in 1905 and ending in 1945. It was a disaster that began in Czarist Russia, for Jews and for everyone else." Did Reiss like his subject? "I grew very attached to Lev, as often hap- pens with a biographer. I grew defensive of him in an odd way and went through stages of being dis- turbed by his disguises and choice of friends. Over time, I grew to not exactly admire him; I grew deeply sympathetic. I guess that means I like him," he says. "He feels like a friend who you would want to shake, to come to his senses. But what does it mean to come to one's senses if living in Nazi Europe? If he was crazy in behavior, most people were much crazier. There's something inspiring in him — he's someone who creates ways of escape even if in the end it's just imag- inative." Reiss, who lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with his wife and two daughters, still has Nussimbaum's last notebooks and correspondence. His hope is to find an institution, per- haps in the United States or Israel, interested in creating a collection. He could see the letters published as "one of the most interesting 20th-entury correspondences." To Pima's practical questions, Lev would often respond with fantastical tales, drawn from the invented life he lived. "Up until his last letter," Reiss says, "he thought he could save him- self." ❑ • • Bloom's Kitchen voted Michigan's Best Jewish Catering 2005 by Detroit News Readers • MICHIGAN'S TAG TEAM from page 69 few complaints about disrespect." "Fortunately, we've always been included in the process," Mandel says. "Even early on, we worked with people who valued the creative contri- bution of anyone who seemed worthy of respect," Ganz notes. The pair's first films were with Ron Howard, starting with Night Shift. Since then, Ganz and Mandel have continued to work with people who did "not characterize us as somebody automatically subordinate." That's held true even to their latest film, Fever Pitch, where they worked with Peter and Bobby Farrelly, broth- ers who have "huge reputations," says Mandel. "Yet they were open and gen- erous and collaborative, and we've made them officially Jewish. We gave them a diploma and everything." To date, though, there has been no mention of a bris. "We're building up to it," says Mandel. The writing partners don't do scripts on spec. "We're not salespeople. We're not good at taking scripts and carrying them around town trying to get them produced," says Mandel. They prefer to have someone come to them with an idea, "someone who already has some enthusiasm," Ganz notes. And also has a hunger and desire to get it made," Mandel adds. "We take it back to the office and work on it." If something clicks, the pair sketch it out, bring it back and say, "If we were to do this movie, it would look like this. , . .5‘zidee Veo40.t'4, A Family Tradition for 56 Years! Call for complete Menu 248.855.9463 3241 8 Northwestern Hwy., - 110 between 14 & Middlebelt www.vineyarddeli.com PARTY PLANNING WINES • BEERS LIQUORS. • CHAMPAGNE Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel If that pleases them, we make a deal." That's what happened with Robots. "The people at Fox had this idea and were playing with a couple of scripts," Ganz says. "I guess it wasn't coming together. They asked us to look at test drawings of characters and atmosphere, and we made the decision the way we make all our decisions" — that is the project appealed to them. Over the years, they have built a reputation for having a nice, light way with comedies, and that's just fine with them. They have no desire to write something serious and grave, say The Passion of Moses. "If we did, it would be funny," Mandel contends. "Why fight with one hand tied behind our back?" Ganz adds. "We don't think we have to position our- selves differently." ❑ Robots, rated PG, is currently in theaters. Fever Pitch, rated PG- 13, opens Friday, April 8. Check your local movie listings. 959570 Itrl. *. • .•is v 4. • Or 4' At TAz 30. -a LeJ s 'tool! oftft 11 1 Kids 1,trider 2 Free Lunch starting at $5" for adults Lunch M-Sat, 11-3:30 Dinner Dinner M-Th, 4-10 Fri-Sat, 4-10:30 • Sun 11-10 starting at $999 for adults r r 10% OFF 20% OFF CARRY-OUT TOTAL BILL Expires 5-15-05 Dine-in Only Expires 5-15-05 L Ai Family r ► ianclly All You Can Eat Chinese 1314 G b'c*t' 14 : : We J www.drasonbuffetrestaurant.com Have BBQ Grill & S teak Fri - Sun onl 26855 Greenfield Rd. • Southfield Across from Hebrew 248-557-9898 • Fax: 248-557-2038 Memorial Chapel CALLTOOM FOR P., SUBSCRIPTION 248.351.5174 4/7 2005 71