ETHEL MERMAN'S

BROADWAY

starring

FAITH from page 99

Christmas tree and a Chanukah bush,
one day celebrating a Christian holi-
day and then a Jewish holiday.

JN: Has the reawakening of your
interest in Judaism brought any
new observance into your life?
MA: The biggest ritual was going
to see the Reb all those times and feel-
ing like I was having my own private
talmudic study on a regular basis.
Ironically, I've gotten more involved
going to the church here because there's
need. I go to Sunday services and see
Henry. There's a lot of Old Testament
that he ends up preaching about so
I've learned some things about the Old
Testament even from his church. I've
found myself reading more, going back
to the things that I studied and remem-
bering a lot of it. I had to bone up on
it quite a bit just to write the book. In
the educational sense, there's been a lot
more of that ritual.

JN: With Morrie and the rabbi
gone, is there another senior that
you're currently connecting with?
MA: I cherish older people, whether
it's a guy on the next seat on an air-
plane or a World War II veteran in a
shelter. I look at anybody older than
me as someone who has something to
teach me. I think we live in a country
that worships youth and somehow

thinks kids have all the answers. We go
to them for marketing. We make our
movies, television shows and products
for them. We're slanted toward the
young, and the young are not wise.
They can't be. They haven't had enough
years to become wise. I learn some-
thing every day from an older person. I
just hope I don't run out of them.

JN: Do you plan on continuing
to attend services at your family's
synagogue?
MA: I do. I'll be going there the day
before the book comes out, Yom Kippur.
Having spoken at Rabbi Lewis's funeral,
I feel my connection to the community
has been rekindled, and I feel more at
home there than I did for many years.
My parents are still there. Even though
Detroit is my home, that's my birth-
place, and I'll continue to be there for
some years to come.

JN: What do you envision as the
book launches?
MA: The main thrust is the book-
launch event. It's a big charity fund-
raiser for the homeless in town, an
interfaith effort. I always try to do this
with a book launch rather than have a
party, which is traditional for authors.
I feel that's a good opportunity to take
my moment in the spotlight and try to
do some good with it. II

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(313) 471-6611; www.mitchalbom.com . Tickets: (800) 745-3000.

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September 17 2009 101