Metro

MEMORIAL DAY

Left: Jewish War Veteran Saul
Arsht of Farmington Hills

Below: Cantorial Soloist Rachel

Kalmowitz of Temple Beth El

Paying Respect

Memorial Day service remembers those who served the country.

T

he annual community Memorial Day service was held in the chapel
at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township this year for the first time
rather than at Beth El Memorial Park cemetery in Livonia. The move
made it more accessible for some Jewish War Veteran (JWV) members and also
allowed for a display of World War II memorabilia from the vast collection of the
temple's Leo M. Franklin Archives.
Presentation of the American and Israel flags began the simple service, which
included an explanation of "Taps" by JWV Cmdr. Gerald Order of Oak Park,
music from Cantorial Soloist Rachel Kalmowitz and a short talk by Beth El
Executive Director Tom Jablonski, who recently was honored by the JWV, which
makes its home at Beth El.
Names of fallen soldiers, offered by many of the close to 100 people at the ser-
vice, were also read as well as names of veterans who had died in the past year.
"It was an honor to be in the presence of people who gave so much and asked
so little," said Rabbi Daniel Syme. "It was very touching to me."

- Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor

Above left: Jewish War Veteran Harmon Tron of Southfield
listens to the Memorial Day service.

Far left: Looking over the World War II display at Temple
Beth El is veteran Harmon Tron.

Near left: Rabbi Rabbi Syme; James Deutchman, president
of Temple Beth El; Jewish War Veteran Gerald Order of Oak
Park; and Thomas Jablonski, executive director of Temple
Beth El

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May 28 e 2009