To Life!

SPORTS

Heart-Felt

Ref returns to high school
soccer fields after surgery.

He also fondly remembers working
at youth games involving future U.S.
World Cup team members Alexi Lalas
and Kate Sobrero (now Markgraf.)
heldon Larky is back where
In 1997, Larky was named the
he belongs. He's officiating
Michigan Soccer Official of the
at area high school soccer
Year by the National Federation
games, just like he's done for 20 years.
of Interscholastic Officials
The boys soccer season
Association.
this fall is special, not only
Larky has been president of
because Larky was among
the Soccer Referees Association
the officials honored by
for 10 years. The association pro-
the Michigan High School
vides officials for area leagues.
Athletic Association in May
Larky also been the editor of the
for their 20 years of service.
association's Hey Refit newsletter
Larky, 66, underwent
triple-bypass heart surgery Sheldon L arky since its inception in 2002.
Dec. 5 at Beaumont Hospital
Perfect Match
in Royal Oak. He felt chest pains while
Jordan Milan had never competed
working at a game in mid-October
and flunked a stress test two days later, in match play before participating in
Knollwood Country Club's club cham-
bringing his season to an early end.
pionship golf tournament.
There's no doubt in Larky's mind
The inexperience wasn't
that he could have officiated at
a factor as Milan, 18, won
girls soccer games last spring.
three straight matches over
He resumed working full-time
two days and captured the
at his "day job" (he's an arbitra-
title. Milan defeated his
tor and mediator) eight weeks
friend David Bleznak 3
after the surgery and he felt fine
and 1 in a rainy champion-
physically, but he wisely decided
ship match.
to sit out the girls season.
"I thought I played pretty
"My physician said it was OK
Jord an Milan
well against David, espe-
for me to officiate, but my wife
cially for the conditions," Milan said.
said no," Larky said.
Larky jumped back into officiat-
"My dad (Mitchell) caddied for me.
He did a great job helping me deal
ing with both feet Aug. 28 when he
with the pressure'
worked the Birmingham Groves vs.
Milan is facing a different kind of
Royal Oak junior varsity and varsity
pressure these days. After graduat-
games. The results of his heart sur-
ing from Birmingham Seaholm High
gery were obvious.
School with a 3.99 grade point aver-
"From the waist up, I never felt bet-
age, he's now a freshman at Harvard
ter," the Huntington Woods resident
University.
said. "My breathing was great. But my
An A-minus in a first-semester
legs were stiff because I hadn't done
freshman English class was the lone
my usual exercise routine during the
blemish on Milan's Seaholm academic
summer! ,
scorecard. He earned all As the rest of
Two days later, Larky officiated the
the way while playing golf and basket-
Birmingham Seaholm vs. Berkley JV
and varsity games. His legs were much ball for the Maples.
Knollwood head golf professional
stronger.
Tom Fortuna is one of Milan's biggest
Larky has been officiating since
fans. "Jordan is a polite, good-looking
1985. He's only doing high school
kid, a terrific athlete, and he's going
games now after giving up adult, col-
to Harvard;' Fortuna said. "He doesn't
lege and youth games last fall.
have very much going for him, does
One of his best moments as an
he?"
official came in 1990, when he was
the center referee for the Detroit JCC
Please send sports news to
Maccabi Games soccer champion-
sports@thejewishnews.com .
ship at West Bloomfield High School.

Steve Stein
Special to The Jewish News

S

60

September 27 a 2007

INTERFAITH

Integrity, Continuity

Inside Intermarriage: A Christian
Partner's Perspective on Raising a Jewish
Family, by Jim Keen, URJ Press, New York,
2006. 146 pp., $15.95

And just what do the girls think when
they go to a Protestant service with
their father? "This is Daddy's Church;
they go to a synagogue." And he sweetly
describes his encounters with Jewish hol-
idays, Shabbat, the lifecycle, Jewish cul-
hen an interfaith relation-
ture and Jewish attitudes toward inter-
ship gets serious, a call
marriage, all intertwined as an inviting,
to clergy may follow."I'm
Jewish. She's not. We're in love. And we're
easily read introduction to Judaism.
When religion looms as an insur-
not sure what to do."
mountable obstacle, Keen shows how one
I hear it often. As a rabbi, I recognize
couple worked it through with the sup-
the delicacy of the situation: It's a bal-
port of loving family and
ance of Jewish communal integ-
attentive clergy. This couple
rity, Jewish continuity, romantic
finds childcare, friendship
ties and family bonds. My counsel
and volunteer opportunities
can be a multi relationship-
at the Jewish Community
breaker.
Center and religious educa-
Of course, some couples
tion and spiritual life at the
figure things out on their own
synagogue. We quickly real-
— conversation with clergy not
ize that their achievement
required. Others need profession-
Reviewed
is thanks, in large part, to
al assistance to reach an accom-
by Rabbi
their willingness to turn to
modation. For many, Detroit
Dennis S. Ross outside personal and insti-
Jewish News columnist Jim Keen's
Special to the
tutional resources, people
Inside Intermarriage: A Christian
Jewish News
and organizations that are
Partner's Perspective on Raising a
really there for them.
Jewish Family will be a valuable
Each brief chapter is punctuated by a
resource as it is for anyone concerned
"Postscript," practical advice offered by a
about Jewish peoplehood, intermarriage
Jewish professional. One Postscript offers
and outreach.
pointers on maintaining warm relation-
Writes Keen, an Ann Arbor resident:
ships with parents: caution the family of
"It's purely frightening to be in love
origin not to jump to conclusions about
with someone so much, yet also to have
the couple's religious future, offer reas-
this nagging feeling that your union
surance about continuing commitments
will implode because of your religious
to all relatives, emphasize commonality
differences. Don't lose hope, though. It
rather than differences, talk in person
is possible for the situation to be suc-
rather than over the phone or by e-mail,
cessfully resolved." Keen well recognizes
and sooner is better than later.
the potential complexity of an interfaith
Folks, like me, who marry and live
marriage, especially one like his — Jim,
a Protestant, and Bonnie, a Jew, each kept comfortably in the birth religion, some-
times fail to recognize the bravery it
their birth faith.
takes to walk into an unfamiliar house
Inside Intermarriage is a gently told
of worship, all the while wondering,
story of one couple's journey, uniquely
"Yes, I am in love with a person. But is
written from the perspective of a
this place for me?" In Keen's words, "It's
Christian father living in a Jewish home:
purely frightening." Our visitors summon
"I am a Christian dad helping to raise a
courage; what is our response? How will
Jewish family." And he adds, "Interfaith
we reciprocate, all the while recognizing
homes come in all shapes and sizes. No
that the future of our people is at stake?
two are alike." Each couple builds the
Jim Keen's story in Inside Intermarriage
household that is right for them, clumsy
shows how we can welcome the stranger
as the process may be.
and, at the same time, serve Jewish integ-
Keen reveals how he and his wife-to-
rity and Jewish continuity.
be decided that neither would convert,
that children would be raised in one faith
Rabbi Dennis S. Ross, serving at Temple
only, that the faith would be Judaism,
that he would retain his Protestant belief Emanuel in Worcester, Mass., is author of God
in Our Relationships: Spirituality between
and practice, that all family members
People from the Teachings of Martin Buber
— children-to-be included — would
by Jewish Lights Publishing. His
released
participate in the religious lives of the
Web site is www.DennisRoss.net .
others, all the while honoring their own
faith commitments.

W