The Gem Theatre presents by special arrangement with the Purple Rose Theatre Company 17- By Jeff Daniels I Sanville Directed by Guy episodes of discrimination in the early Return To Judaism years in an expedition world that was It was only after Blum became a moth- dominated by wealthy gentile men. She er that she came to understand the dif- includes photographs (and many more ficulties of her mother's and grandpar- are available on her Web site, ents' lives, and the tragedies her father www.arleneblum.com , in color). had experienced. She realized that With much candor, Blum looks back indeed she had received much love and at her early life, beginning each chapter attention, which, ultimately, gave her with some recollection from childhood, strength. and then leaps ahead to her moun- Now, she says, she feels both curiosity taineering journeys. As a child, she was and sympathy toward her family, sorry discouraged from learning to swim but that she didn't ask more questions she persisted; she wasn't when she had the opportuni- allowed to accept a scholar- ty. One of the pleasures of her ship to a private high school book tour is that she is meet- that recognized her talent. ing many cousins who are After being taught Hebrew able to fill her in on family prayers by her grandfather stories — and literally fill in and able to read better than the names of a family por- any of the boys in her class, trait from 1919 that she is she stopped going to Hebrew carrying around. school when she wasn't Several years ago, she allowed to read the prayers out Arlene Blum: returned to the Judaism Risk to ker. loud because she was a girl. she'd been angry at as a The early memories are told child, attending egalitarian in the present tense. Only later, the services at Hillel in Berkeley. She was :author comes to learn about her fami- moved by seeing women leading serv- ly's background. ices for the first time, loved the music Her mother grew up in an affluent and felt embraced by the community, home in Davenport, Iowa, with three which included old friends from her sisters. She married early, to a German- climbing and scientific worlds. Jewish immigrant, a doctor, just as she When asked to carry the Torah, she and her mother had dreamed. But their was trembling and thrilled. During the marriage was troubled, in part for the mourner's Kaddish, when the leader tragedy that befell his family, left suggested that she say the name and a behind in Germany. Both of her parents memory of the person she wanted to were emotionally unfit for this mar- remember, she spoke of her grandfa- riage; her mother suffered greatly and ther."I was coming home at last',' she was hospitalized, treated for her emo- writes. tional wounds in ways from which she Her daughter celebrated her bat would never recover. mitzvah, and Arlene remains involved When Arlene was a toddler, she and in the Jewish Renewal movement, her mother moved in with her grand- where she finds "real substance and parents who, out of shame, left spirituality" she didn't know in her Davenport for Chicago. Arlene's father early years. went to New York, and she didn't meet "I feel a lot of connection and appre- him until she was a teenager. In fact, ciation for how Jews have traditionally she grew up looking at family photos cared about making the world a better where he had been cut out. The place,' she says-."I want to be part of Holocaust was never mentioned in her that tradition." home. Now that her daughter, who doesn't Life in Chicago for Arlene was domi- much like walking, is on her own, Blum nated by her grandparents. Her mother plans to do more climbing, again lead- really couldn't care for her. Her grand- ing trips, but not the life-threatening mother had little education, many fears ones. She also hopes to return to her and many strict rules, while her grand- scientific work and public policy work father showed her some kindness. on toxic chemicals, as she is "heartbro- At a recent reunion of her ken at the destruction of our planet's Annapurna team, she and a friend environment and at the increasing gap mused about their painful childhoods between rich and poor." and thought that perhaps they were "I've had success if I dream things able to take huge risks as climbers up," she says. "I can make things hap- because they didn't think their lives pen." ❑ mattered that much. It wasn't that they felt suicidal, just unimportant as indi- viduals. \ thrilling, fun ride."— The Ann Arbor News "Thrills, surprises... characters that really — Current Magazine resonate." Opens February 21st at the Gem Theatre Two very different sisters, an old high school boyfriend, a chaotic church social, and a secret family recipe for Christmas sausage — hilarious ingredients for a great comedy! g a . Preview week tickets Half Price: Feb 21-26 Dinner & show packages are available at the Century Grille and the Elwood Bar & Grill. (313) 963-9800 THE HISTORIC 3Eivr) , www.gemtheatre.com • 333 Madison • Detroit Bring a group of 10 or more and save up to $5! 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