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SIMPLES
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Gail Katz and her mother, Dorothy Mazer, both of
West Bloomfield, share a moment of enjoyment at the concert.

Soulful Songs

Some songs brought guests to tears.
"We weren't allowed to listen to
Yiddish music in the former Soviet
Union," said Manya Mochulsky of Oak
Park, standing next to her daughter
Esfir and two grandchildren, Sofiya, 26
and Ilya Nozhnik, 23, all of Oak Park.
To be called a Jew in Russia was an
insult. Jews were not even identified as
Russians, the citizenship on their pass-
ports read "Jewish." Because of this
hOstility, Jewish life was either
repressed or forgotten.
When Russian Jews arrived in the
United States, many had never been to
a Passover seder. Organizers of Circle
of Friends taught them about the holi-
days, organized seders and invited
them into their homes.
The concert program was selected to
represent the Jewish component of the
Harvard University Pluralism Project
and its successful outreach to New
Americans through Circle of Friends.
"We love the volunteers," said
Matilda Polyak, of Southfield, a seven-
year Circle of Friends participant. "We
get great happiness as part of the
group."
The group made a quilt in gratitude
for Beth Shalom's 50th anniversary last

Below: The Overtime duo of key-
boardist Peter Levitin of Commerce and
violinist Harry Hovakimian of
Southfield performed "Sunrise, Sunset."

year. Each wrote a message on the dif-
ferent patches.
"I met the people of my tribe.
Thank you," wrote Mrs. Mochulsky.
"Thank you for teaching me to be
Jewish," Anna Kugel wrote.
"Because of Circle of Friends, my
grandchildren know what it is to be
Jewish," Mrs. Mochulsky added.

❑

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Tatyana Zut plays piano for her bal-
alaika-virtuoso husband, Gennadiy, on
the Beth Shalom bimah.

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Singer Lyudmila Lebedintseva, is
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947330

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