Vintage Vows A wedding-photo contest brings families together — past and present. BY DONNA PACE Best Dress winner: Benjamin and Bertha Bur t THE WINNERS Best Dress Bertha and Benjamin Burg, wed Aug. 1, 1908, submitted by Irma Allweiss of West Bloomfield Best Flowers Anna and Albert "Abe" Cooper, wed Dec. 26, 1929, submitted by Lorry Cooper of Bloomfield Hills Best Kiss Samuel and Lola Taubman, wed 1954, submitted by Rachel Taubman of Novi Best Wedding Party Bessie and Saul Rott, wed 1929, submitted by Zaneta Moser of Wixom Best Veil Albert and Florence Sklar, wed 1927, submitted by Karen Gordon of Farmington Hills Best Cake Arlene and Ray Zimberg, date unknown, submitted by Larry Zimberg of Southfield Best Setting Pauline and Ruby Samson, wed May 7, 1939, submitted by Barbara and Norman Samson of West Bloomfield Best Overall Lucy and Peter Castiglie, wed 1958, submitted by Lucy Castiglie of Boca Raton, Fla. THE JUDGES Ron Lieberman, photographer • Jon Gerych, florist • Richard Astrein, jeweler • Judy Eliyas, photographer • Blaine Siesser, photographer • Marlyss Hollyer, party decorator • Jeff Rosenberg, owner, Farmington Hills Kosher Catering • Simone Vitale, bandleader • Steve Kaufman, videographer THE PRIZES Ritz-Carlton of Dearborn: overnight pack- age • Gary Miller Photography: portrait sifting • Lieberman Photography: portrait sifting • Gerych's Distinctive Flowers & Gifts: fragrant basket • Farmington Hills Kosher Catering: two dinners • Steve Kaufman Video: foam-core mounted photo • Townsend Hotel: overnight package • Astrein's Creative Jewelers: pearl necklace Every week, 17-year-old Becca Leider of Bloomfield Hills has shared Shabbat dinner at the West Bloomfield home of her friend Jaime Solomon, also 17. But this was not always the case. Over the course of the girls' 14-year friendship, their mothers had become only casually acquainted. Becca's mother, Web designer Helene Held, knew nothing of her father's family and had always wanted to locate them. So three years ago, she began research with that goal in mind. She discovered that the maiden name of her paternal grandmother, Sadie, was Solomon. So she contacted Jaime's mother, Andrea Solomon, an event and wedding planner. Turns out, Andrea's husband, Tom, is the grandson of Sadie's brother, Mark Solomon. "In one phone call, I found my grandmother's entire family," says Helene. She set up a meeting with Tom's mother, Ann, who told her she sat at the head table of Helene's parents' wedding. And so, of course, not only are Becca and Jaime pals but cousins. "It was such a thrill going through that experience," says Helene. Adds Andrea, "In a time when the world is in such a state of turmoil over war and terrorism, this type of experience brings families together to share information and stories that transcend the generations." It was the desire to have other families share similarly bonding and nurturing experiences that inspired the two mothers — now also business partners — to join forces with Platinum magazine to sponsor a Vintage Wedding Photo Contest. Asking readers and Web surfers to submit their favorite vintage family photo- graph in a variety of categories, Andrea and Helene then created a panel of judges to determine the winners of each category. Entered photos dated as far back as 1860, for the Solomon/Allen wedding in Russia (submitted by Ann and Art Solomon of West Bloomfield) and Devorah and Eliyahu Tandowsky's vows in 1880 Poland (submitted by Donald Kitain of Commerce Township), to Edith Cantor and Harry Katz's union at B'nai David in 1950 (submitted by Robin Orechkin of Bloomfield Hills) and more. Among the winners is Norman Samson of West Bloomfield, who submitted his parents' wedding photo in the Best Setting category. The image was snapped in May of 1939 at the Samson Resort in South Haven — which was owned by Norman's grand- parents and was included in an exhibit Samson helped bring to Temple Israel in West Bloomfield last year. "Busloads of specta- tors arrived from many local Jewish homes for the aging. It was the greatest feeling in the world to see people happily reliving their youth," says Norman. "The resort age was a wonderful era in South Haven. And my parents' wedding photo was part of that era." Another of the winning photos was submitted by Irma Allweiss of West Bloomfield, into the Best Dress category. Today, Irma wears an antique pendant watch, long-stopped working, on a chain around her neck — given to her when her beloved moth- er passed away when Irma was 13. The watch, which is pink, yellow and green gold, is detailed with engraved birds on one side and her mother's initials on the other. In Irma's parents' portrait, which was taken in New York in October of 1908, her mother, Bertha Klatzkin, wears the watch — a gift from her betrothed, Benjamin Burg — pinned to her dress. "I knew this was a very special picture," says Allweiss. "I'm thrilled that it won." ❑