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Kid Brother Wows 'Em

Pianist David Syme makes pops and classics shine.

p

otpourri ...
Introducing his kid brother,
Rabbi Daniel Syme, recalled, "Our
guest today ended my career as a concert
pianist when I was 12 years old. At the age
of 12, I played my first piano recital, the
obligatory `Fur Elise' by Beethoven, which I
had practiced for some six months. I must
say that I played it very well.
"When I got home, my younger brother,
David, then only 9 years old, said to me,
`Danny, I thought you played that beautifully:
"Those of you who have younger siblings
will understand that I looked at him, nod-
ded, and said simply, `Thank you, where-
upon he sat down at the piano and played
the piece by ear, having never taken a piano
lesson. I never touched the piano again."
The place was packed ... Few seats left
... As electricity filled the air with excite-
ment ... the strong nimble fingers of con-
cert pianist David Syme wove a striking
pattern of rhythmic genius that mesmer-
ized the huge throng recently in the more
than 1,000-seat Helen DeRoy Sanctuary
of Temple Beth El, Bloomfield Township
... There was no charge for the temple's
2008 Senior Concert, but hearing and see-
ing David would have been worthy of any
admission price ... He wasn't just good ...
He was great!
Few pianists are better, especially on
Gershwin, of whom he is easily among
the world's finest piano interpreters ...
David's hand-over passes and running
fingers on Billy Joel's classic "Root Beer
Rag" were exquisite in bringing out sheer
magnificence ... As did David's medley of
six composers (Mozart, Beethoven, Glen
Miller, etc.) doing "Yankee Doodle".

David and wife, Suzanne,
ing Katey, daughter of Kenny
live in Houston and Ireland,
and Carolyn Moses, in show-
where he is near so many of
ing others like new gal Ashley
his European appearances ...
Calderon, the proper ins and
In November, David will be at
outs of customer satisfaction.
Carnegie Hall in New York ...
Deli Unique of West
Both he and Rabbi Daniel Syme
Bloomfield's new menu items
are sons of the late Rabbi M.
have taken off with loud
Robert and Sonya Syme.
bangs, including the Healthy
Dann y Raskin
THE TIME FRAME may
& Healing Sandwiches, lunch
Senior Columnist
have been pushed to a later date
or dinner, like a meatless
for opening of Mykonos Greek
Reuben (toasted onion rye
Taverna at the former Macaroni Grill on
with Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian
Northwestern, Farmington Hills, but more dressing), $4.99; or the Energy Turkey
important are the plans in front of me ...
Special of low sodium roasted turkey on
Being a former planning commissioner, I
multigrain toast, $5.29 ... and dinner
can appreciate the precise site plans and
items that include beef pot pie, $11.99;
internal layouts that are now in the hands
and vegetarian sweet and sour "faux"
of the many necessary governmental
chicken on rice pilaf and Asian vegetables,
departments for approval ... Those folks
$11.99.
who might have been leery because no
A BEST BET of the Weekend ...
activity has gone on yet at the location,
Tomorrow night, Friday, April 18, 7:30
can hopefully expect to see work galore in p.m., the Pre-Pesach Glatt Kosher Buffet
about 30 to 45 days, says developer Robert Dinner by Jeff Rosenberg at Adat Shalom
Asmar, who with son Vincent are ready for Synagogue, Farmington Hills.
a gung-ho labor load toward completion
SO MANY PARENTS and grandparents
of the almost 350-seating Mykonos Greek
bring the kids that this year special added
restaurant.
attractions will be included at the Sixth
NO WONDER THE service has got-
Annual Walk of Ages, Sunday, May 18, 9
ten so much better at Deli Unique of
a.m. ... The personality-studded event put
West Bloomfield, West Bloomfield Plaza,
on yearly by the Auxiliary for Jewish Home
Orchard Lake Road, south of 15 Mile ...
& Aging Services is at the Eugene and
Alicia (Lisa) Prentice, Matt's wife of 28
Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community
years, is now devoting her time to being
Campus at Maple and Drake in West
an everyday all-around gal there ... She
Bloomfield ... There'll also be the usual
and Deli Unique's fine manager, Katey
refreshments plus available hot dogs,
Moses, have developed the service into a
chips, drinks, etc., following the Walk at its
major priority ... Among her oodles of
tent sale ... Radio super star Dick Purtan,
duties, Alicia is also doing everything it
this year's grand marshal, heads a long
takes for smiling service attention, assist-
list of local noted media individuals that

always show up ... If you haven't as yet
signed to stroll, call Judy Dunn, Walk coor-
dinator, at (248) 661-2969 ... A record
crowd is expected.
MAIL DEPT. ... "Buddy's Pizza on
Northwestern Highway in Farmington
Hills has so many wonderful and dedi-
cated servers, it is difficult to point any
one out. But my personal favorite is Carol
(Jasinski), who always works so hard to
please her demanding clientele' ... Maria
Kaminsky.
"In my letter to you about restaurants
here, it might have sounded like Chef
Allen's, Morton's and Houston's are all
kosher. They are not" ... Leonard Schultz,
Aventura, Florida.
QUESTION & ANSWER DEPT. ...
Q. "Isn't Kevin Youkilis of the Boston
Red Sox more Greek than he is Jewish?"
... Norman Goodman.
A. No, Youkilis, or "Youk", as he is called,
is 100 percent Jewish ... The slugging first
baseman of the world champion Boston
Red Sox was once called "The Greek God
of Walks" but, although his last name
is from the Greek culture, Youkilis is all
Jewish of Romanian descent ... Back in
2004, after being called up from the Red
Sox's Triple-A farm club, Youkilis, just like
Tiger legend Hank Greenberg, did not play
in a game that fell on Yom Kippur.
CONGRATS ... To Libbie Sneider on
her 90th birthday ... To Steve Richter on
his 40th birthday ... To Dr. Scott Sircus on
his 50th birthday ... To Sylvia and Saul
Waldman on their 60th anniversary. II

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobaLnet.

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