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Obituaries are updated regularly and archived on JNOnline.com

A Passionate Leader

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN

StaffWriter

A

true, old-world patriarch,
Morris Novetsky was unique
to his time and place.
"My father was the genuine head of
our extended family," Terry Novetsky
said of his dad, who died July 15,
2005, at age 79. "He "adopted" his
nieces and nephews in a way that
made them fiercely loyal to him."
Mr. Novetsky found his niche in
religious leadership as a very young
man. Having served in both the
European and Pacific theaters in
World War II, he led High Holiday
services for fellow Jewish soldiers.
After V-J Day in 1945, he arranged a
seder for 8,000, in a stadium in
Yokahama, Japan. "He was originally
trained as a surgical assistant, but he
could read Hebrew and lead a service
so he became a chaplain's assistant,"
said Mr. Novetsky's son-in-law Judge
Daniel Butler.
"After the war, he attended Wayne
University and became a popular sci-
ence teacher in the Detroit schools,"
said son Dr. Jay Novetsky. Mr.
Novetsky later went to work with his
father-in-law in the family plumbing
business.
Mr. Novetsky's dedication to the
synagogue flourished when he was
only in his 20s and was elected the
founding president of Young Israel of
Oak-Woods, donating his wedding
money toward the purchase of the
synagogue's site on Coolidge in Oak
Park. As he approached retirement,

SYBIL AVISON,

*TN

7/21
2005

84

79, of West
Bloomfield, died
July 13, 2005. She
was a longtime
member of Temple
Beth El, a member
of Hadassah and for
Avison
many years volun-
teered at the
Fleishman Residence in West
Bloomfield.
Mrs. Avison is survived by her son
and daughter-in-law, Martin and
Diane Alvin of Huntington Woods;
daughter, Karen Pleasant of West
Bloomfield; grandchildren, Joanne
Alvin, Michelle Pleasant and Michael
Pleasant. She was the beloved wife of
the late Jerry Avison; dear sister of the
late Dorothy Milen.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to Jewish

Mr. Novetsky served as president of
Young Israel of Southfield. Through
the years, he sat on the executive
board — and led High Holiday servic-
es and blew shofar — at both syna-
gogues as well as at Congregation
B'nai David.
"Music and song — that was my
father," Jay said. "A year after he suf-
fered a stroke members of Young Israel
of Southfield encouraged him to lead a
short part of the Rosh Hashanah serv-
ice. He lost his ability to sing and each
word he spoke was an absolute strug-
gle for him to get out; but it was the
most significant, inspirational and
profound davening ever."
Terry added: "So much of what my
father did, including his davening, was
done out of his religious belief and
emotional and intuitive sense of tradi-
tion." .
Mr. Novetsky created what has
become a legacy at Young Israel of
Southfield. A blanket and pillow pur-
chased in Israel for his grandson
Mikey's bris 25-years-ago, has been
used at milestones in both Mikey's
hometown of Pittsburgh and "through
a whole generation of children at
Young Israel of Southfield," said Mr.
Novetsky's daughter Dr. Nina
Novetsky Butler. "My father could
take any Jewish observance and make
it more meaningful."
"My father was an amazing kiruv
(Jewish outreach) personality, someone
who always tried to bring people clos-
er to Torah Judaism," Jay said.
In addition to his religious ties, said
Mr. Novetsky's wife, Phyllis, "He also

Hospice and Chaplaincy Network,
Fleischman Residence or to a charity
of one's choice. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

ELAINE BARBAS,.
of Bloomfield Hills,
died July 13, 2005.
She was a former
treasurer of the
Michigan Chapter
of Women's
American ORT, a
member of
Knollwood Country Barbas
Club and
Frenchmen's Creek Palm Beach
Gardens.
Mrs. Barbas is survived by her hus-
band, Sidney Barbas; son and daugh-
ter-in-law, Andrew and Lisa Barbas of
West Bloomfield; daughter and son-
in-law, Dr. Nancy Barbas and Dr.

Morris Novetsky

had a whole set of secular friends out-
side of the Orthodox community.
These were a group of guys — some
from as far back as kindergarten, some
from high school and some from
Wayne — who stuck together and
remained lifelong friends.
"Some of them started Wayne's
AEPi [Jewish fraternity] together; all
were returning GIs when they started
to get together each week. They did
outlandish things, owned a boat
together, played practical jokes on one
another. He was the "rabbi" of the
group, the bridge, encouraging them
to donate and be a part of Jewish caus-
es.
In recent years, Judge Butler said,

Jonathan Sugar of Ann Arbor; grand-
children, Adrienne, Matthew and
Brian Barbas, Abby and Leigh Sugar;
brother, Sam B. Werney; sister, Violet
Bayer of West Bloomfield. She was the
loving sister of the late Ida Kramer,
the late Bess Mills, the late Rose
Perlman, the late Maury Werney; dear
sister-in-law of the late Allen Kramer,
the late Barney Mills, the late Harry
Perlman and the late Harry Bayer.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to
Women's American ORT or to the
American Diabetes Association.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

WAYNE BOYER, 59, of Farmington
Hills, died July 10, 2005.
He is survived by his beloved wife,
Mary Boyer; children, Josh, Marc,
Cathy, Tracey; brother and sister-in-
law, Eric and Cindy Bolokofsky of

"He became a professional grandfa-
ther, establishing an individual rela-
tionship that each of the grandchil-
dren cherishes."
Mr. Novetsky was a longtime
Shriner and along with his wife, was a
Yeshivat Akiva honoree. He received
the National Council of Young Israel's
Shofar Award and the Orthodox
Union's Patron Award for support of
the National Conference of
Synagogue Youth. .
Judge Butler remembered his father-
in-law as "an incredibly enthusiastic
and passionate person — about every-
thing. He thought if anything was
worth doing, it was worth overdoing,"
he said.
Mr. Novetsky is survived by his
wife, Phyllis Novetsky; children, Dr.
Jay and Paula Novetsky of Southfield,
Dr. Nina and Judge Daniel Butler of
Pittsburgh, Terry and Gail Novetsky
of Teaneck, N.J.; sisters and brother-
in-law, Sylvia and Mike Pomerantz of
Farmington Hills, Sally Margolis of
Southfield; brother, Herman
Novetsky of Lincolnwood, Ill.; grand-
children, Sara Novetsky, Adina
Novetsky, Rachel and Ian Kahn, Gavri
and Shani Butler, Uri Butler, Shoshi
and Ira Karoll, J.J. Butler, Yosef
Novetsky, Michal Novetsky, Rikki
Novetsky, Tamar Novetsky, Binyamin
Novetsky.
He was the loving grandfather of the
late Mikey Butler.
Interment was at Hebrew Memorial
Park. Contributions may be made to
the National Conference of Synagogue
Youth, 15919 W. 10 Mile, Suite 100,
Southfield, MI 48075. Arrangements
by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. ❑

Rochester; sister and brother-in-law,
Bobbie and Leonard Priest of
Bloomfield Hills; two dear grandchil-
dren.
Interment at Beth El Memorial Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be
made to the American Diabetes
Association, 30300 Telegraph Road,
Suite 117, Bingham Farms, MI 48025
or to the Michigan Humane Society,
26711 Northwestern Highway Suite
175, Southfield, MI 48034.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

HAL CANTOR, 41, of West
Bloomfield, died July 11, 2005. He
was the owner and founder of
Advance Sensor Technology.
Mr. Cantor is survived by his moth-
er, Rhoda Cantor of West Bloomfield;
brothers and sisters-in-law, Jeffrey and
Karen Cantor of West Bloomfield,
Scott Cantor of West Bloomfield;