Obituaries

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A Builder Of Jewish Causes

Esther Allweiss Ingber

Special to the Jewish News

M

odesty accompanied the gener-
osity of builder Saul Waldman,
who supported Zionist and
Jewish causes all his life because "he
wanted things taken care of,' said Selma
Silverman, administrator of the Holocaust
Memorial Center (HMC).
As treasurer and building committee
chairman, he was instrumental in the
creation of the dramatic structure on the
Zekelman Family Campus in Farmington
Hills that replaced the original HMC in
West Bloomfield. He was a former HMC
president and Legacy Award winner.
Nearly four months after the death of
his close friend Rabbi Charles Rosenzveig,
HMC founder and CEO, Mr. Waldman, 80,
of Keego Harbor died on April 10, 2009.
Mr. Waldman's death happened on the
second full day of Passover. Although
weakened from congestive heart disease,
"what kept him going was having those
two seders, sitting at the head of the table,
doling out the parts," said Rabbi Eric
Yanoff of Congregation Shaarey Zedek of
Oakland County in his eulogy at Hebrew
Memorial Chapel in Oak Park.
Yanoff said Mr. Waldman, a shomer
Shabbos Jew,"wrapped tefillin every day,
tightly and was proud of the marks left on
his arm." He built a house on Bell Road
across from Shaarey Zedek while also
maintaining the family's membership at
Adat Shalom Synagogue, then in Detroit.
In later years, son Martin Waldman said
his parents joined a third congregation,
B'nai Torah, where they resided in Boca
Raton, Fla.,"because he said it wasn't right

ELIOT DISNER, 61, of Los Angeles, Calif.,
died April 4, 2009.
He is survived by his beloved wife,
Sandra Disner; sons, Perrin Disner and
Seth Disner; daughter, Madeleine Disner;
brothers and sisters-in-law, Harve and
Judy Disner of Commerce Twp., Burton
Disner and Adrienne Mark of San Diego,
Steven Disner; many other loving family
members and friends.
Mr. Disner was the dear son of the late
Devora Disner and the late Jerome Disner;
devoted brother-in-law of the late Susan
Disner and the late Shari Disner.
Interment at the Clover Hill Park
Cemetery in Birmingham. Contributions
may be made ALS Society or to a charity
of one's choice. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.

C32

April 16 2009

to attend a shul and not be a member."
The younger man diligently learned every
Martin said his father's "core value
aspect of the business before starting
was being Jewish and continuing Jewish
Waldman Construction Company. Martin
education. That's why he was so active in
said his dad built houses, commercial
creating Hillel Day School." Mr. Waldman,
apartment buildings and warehouses. He
a founder of the Farmington Hills school,
was part owner of Markley Marina on the
served as its only three-term president.
Clinton River.
The self-made businessman was
The construction company built
also a supporter of Bar-Ilan University
Cambridge Nursing Center in Madison
in Ramat-Gan, Israel, Frankel Jewish
Heights and three others in the group.
Academy in West Bloomfield and the
But first, because he was unfamiliar with
Conservative movement's Camp Ramah
nursing homes, Mr. Waldman went to
and Jewish Theological
night school to learn nursing
Seminary, which gave him
administration. "He wanted
its Second Century Award.
to build the best facilities,"
Additionally, Mr. Waldman
said son Gavin Waldman.
was president of the local
Mr. Waldman conducted
Zionist Organization of
business often without con-
America, Adat Shalom Men's
tracts for workers, with only
Club and Great Lakes Region
handshake deals because he
of Men's Clubs.
inspired trust and admira-
Life began for Saul
tion. Sylvia Waldman shared
Waldman, also known as
with Rabbi Yanoff that her
Shloime, in Vladimirets,
husband's "'word was his
Poland, on May 22, 1928. His Saul Waldm an
bond: and suppliers, bank
parents were Chanah and
loan officers and others
Herschel Waldman. When the boy was 7,
knew they could rely on him."
his father paid passage for his family to
The Waldmans raised their four children
join him in Montreal. Herschel owned a
to be observant and have "a strong attach-
dress manufacturing company. Another
ment to Israel and institutions that sup-
son, 13 years younger than Saul, was born
port Israel',' daughter Sheila Waldman said.
in Canada: Rabbi Leon "Label" Waldman.
A strict but fair father, Mr. Waldman
Mr. Waldman was 10 when he first
"would tell them,`This is a democracy,
encountered his future wife, Sylvia Rose,
with me as dictator,'"Yanoff relayed. A
a third cousin from Detroit, at their
family tragedy was losing daughter Karen
extended families' cottages on Cass Lake
to breast cancer at age 35.
in Michigan. They rediscovered each other
The father loved being a zaydie, happily
years later and were married at Shaarey
quizzing his grandkids about their educa-
Zedek on March 21, 1948.
tion. Being good with youngsters began
In Detroit, Mr. Waldman joined his
with the way Mr. Waldman brightened
homebuilder father-in-law, Louis Rose.
the life of his kid brother in Montreal.

"Weaving an imaginative narrative" about
what they'd see, he took excited little
Label to his first circus. Mr. Waldman's
gifts of a toy helicopter and train made
the boy the envy of his neighborhood.
"But my brother's gifts of the spirit are
the greatest legacy he gave me:' Label
said. "Saul was a sweetener; he made
things that were difficult a lot easier. He
was kind, gracious and a good listener.
He was the real thing — not a substitute."
The brothers' adult relationship was filled
with understanding.
When Martin sought to understand
his father's attachment to the HMC, Mr.
Waldman responded, "A lot of our family
members in Poland had been lost in the
Holocaust — 'how do you forget that?'"
Saul Waldman couldn't. He always took
care of everything.
Mr. Waldman is survived by his wife,
Sylvia Rose Waldman; daughter, Sheila
Waldman of Farmington Hills; sons
and daughter-in-law, Martin and Pearl
Waldman of Bloomfield Hills, Gavin
Waldman of Sylvan Lake; brother and
sister-in-law, Rabbi Leon "Label" and
Andrea Waldman of New York City;
grandchildren, Rachael Hoffenblum,
Robyn Hoffenblum, Jared Hoffenblum,
Jonathon and Christy Waldman,
Alexander Waldman, Brian Waldman,
Lisa Waldman; many loving nieces and
nephews.
He was the loving father of the late
Karen Waldman.
Contributions may be made to a
Jewish charity of one's choice. Interment
at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in
Birmingham. Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel. ❑

LEO FOGELMAN, 84,
of West Bloomfield, died
April 7, 2009.
He is survived by his
beloved wife, Lenore
Fogelman; daughters
and sons-in-law, Dana
and Marc Biederman of
Fogelman
Agoura Hills, Calif., Teri
and Wayne Weintraub of West Bloomfield,
Debbie and Mark Blumhardt of Westlake
Village, Calif.; sister-in-law, Goldie
Fogelman; grandchildren, Adam, Ryan,
Michael, Carly, David, Jamie and Jason.
Mr. Fogelman was the dear brother of
the late Max Fogelman, the late Paul Fogel
and the late Sarah Peitz.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery in
Ferndale. Contributions may be made to a

especially enjoyed antiques and had a
keen sense of style and design that were
evident in her home and garden.
Mrs. Frank is survived by her son-in-law,
Michael Anderson of Ann Arbor; grand-
children, Sofia Vrataric, D.D.M., and Joseph
Anderson; loving nieces and nephews.
She was the beloved wife of the late
Herman Kessell; the loving mother of
the late Julie Beth Caldwell; the devoted
daughter of the late Rose and the late Max
Bloom; the cherished sister of the late
Irving Bloom.
Interment at Beth El Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made to the Temple
Emanu-El Herman Kessell Memorial
Fund, 14450 W. 10 Mile, Oak Park, MI
48237, (248) 967-4020. Arrangements by
Ira Kaufman Chapel.

charity of one's choice. Arrangements by
Dorfman Chapel.

DOROTHY FRANK, 92,
of Ann Arbor, died April
10, 2009.
She was born on March
30, 1917, in Hannibal,
Mo., the daughter of Rose
and Max Bloom; she
resided most of her adult
Frank
life in the Detroit and
c. 1937
Ann Arbor area. A gradu-
ate of Beaver College in Pennsylvania and a
lifelong member of Temple Emanu-El, she
defined her life by her family.
She had a one-of-a-kind personality
and a zest for life. She made an unforget-
table impression on those she met. She