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TRADITION!
TRADITION!
•
Jewish class members: Front row, Michelle Kaufman Mountain of West
Bloomfield and Sheila Cohen of Warren; back row, Michael Meyers of Davie,
Fla., Michael Saginaw of Dallas, TX, Bob Lutren of Farmington Hills, Carolyn
Krieger-Cohen and Rick Hyman, both of West Bloomfield
Alicia R. Nelson I (248) 557-0109
www.allthingsjewish.com
1387050
How reuniting after 40 years has impacted
these 6th-grade classmates:
Robert "Bobby" Lutren, Farmington Hills
Dr. Mark Burnstein, Bloomfield Township
"There was unconditional acceptance. These
"I wish my son could grow up the same way
are unconditional friendships. Everyone was
I did with no worries walking to school and
equal in each other's eyes. No one was keep-
such a large group of friends within walk-
ing score, discussing money or bragging
ing or bike riding distance, but I know it will
about financial worth. In fact, it never came
never be like this again in any neighbor-
up at all. No one cared. It's as if we were all
hood."
still equals like we felt back in elementary
school. I can't wait for the next reunion. We
Michelle Kaufman Mountain, West
know now we will never lose touch and will
Bloomfield
continue to reunite again and again."
"What made the reunion amazing? Without
Sheila Cohen, Warren
ficult to put the feelings into words, I think
"I was apprehensive about attending at first
that 'acceptance' sums it up for me. It didn't
but found that we still cared about each
matter what you do for a living or how much
question, it was the people. While it is dif-
OCTOBER 5, 2008
SUNDAY 11:00
AM
—
3:0Q
PM
WEST BLOOMFIELD JCC
TREE • OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
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other from somewhere deep inside. It was
money you have; it was about shared experi-
extraordinary how we all opened up about
ences and finding each other again. Having
our lives. Something special started three
Carla Rizzie, who I had not seen in 40 years,
years ago with our first Simms reunion and it
scream, 'Oh my God, it's my Easy Bake Oven
continues. I now know I have friends for life
buddy!' when she saw me captured the
that I can count on."
essence of the weekend for me. I know we'll
do it again and I can't wait! I feel so fortu-
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Michael Meyers, Davie, Fla.
nate to have all of the 'Simms kids' back in
"My family moved away abruptly in seventh
my life!"
grade, and I never had the chance to say a
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proper goodbye to my neighborhood friends.
Dr. Michael Saginaw, Dallas, Texas
After 40 years, I finally had the opportunity
"I had a little anxiety about going to the
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to rekindle these relationships and explain
reunion. I had never attended any of my
what happened. It has brought back so many
Southfield-Lathrup reunions, but as soon as
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good memories and feelings. Unlike high
I saw the DVD from the last reunion and the
school, where small talk usually centers on
pictures of the kids I grew up with in our very
status and money, these reunions are all
middle-class neighborhood, I knew I would
about the friendships we had as kids and the
regret it if I missed it. The time and distance
fun times we shared together."
living in Dallas for the past 26 years vanished
within minutes of walking into Hartfield's [the
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Richard "Ricky" Hyman, West Bloomfield
Berkley bowling alley where the gang hung
"It is uncanny how so many kids in our
out]. I felt very at ease and confident with my
small neighborhood grew up experiencing
old friends. I have told so many stories and
so many unspoken commonalities that they
shown the memory book to all my relatives
were finally able to safely share when we
— they all tear up when they see it! (I think
reunited. It has helped a lot of people heal
they are envious!) I am very glad I came."
old wounds. We feel such a strong connec-
tion and genuine warmth for each and every
person. People who had spent their lives
David Newman
248 539 0800
carrying around old secrets don't feel alone
anymore."
1346770
B24
August 14 2008
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