Obituaries

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Magical Madga

M

agda Pollak had a magnetic
personality that never failed
to draw others to her. She
never ceased to spread her effervescent
spirit into the deepest and darkest cor-
ners of the planet: from the basement of
a hiding house for Jewish orphans during
the Holocaust to renowned clothing and
bridal shops in Metro Detroit. Mrs. Pollak,
90, of West Bloomfield, died July 18, 2010.
Born in 1919 in Maltasaka, near
Budapest, Hungary, she was the youngest
of four sisters, who were elegant hostesses
whom male suitors who would often
serenade. Because she exhibited sensa-
tional artistic talent, her parents sent her
to a trade school in Le Havre. There, she
was taught to draw designs and learned
cloth fabric techniques. As a professional
designer, Magda never used measure-
ments, but cut the fabrics to fit her mod-
els by memory.
She returned to Budapest to start her
career as a designer. She watched the
construction of the ghetto walls during
the same time that she married her first
husband at age 19. He was later killed in a
concentration camp.
During the war, she was working

success. Former brides would stop Magda
under false papers as a caretaker of an
in the street, in restaurants or in the
apartment building with her sister and
grocery store to gush about how beauti-
her niece. The apartment building was
ful she made them feel at their wed-
occupied by the Germans, then by the
dings and how much they admired her.
Russians and finally by the orphans of
These were brides
the war. Her
who remembered
eldest sister
"Madge's Magic"
was also killed
after decades had
in a concen-
passed.
tration camp.
Throughout
After the
her
life, family
war, she fled
it o 6 UST
remained
of utmost
Hungary and
;iron
S
importance
to
in a displaced
Madga.
She
was
persons camp
incredibly
close
in Germany
with her two sisters
married
Itzu and Irene who
Alexander
were
able
to
survive
the
Holocaust.
Pollak. In 1949, they came to Detroit.
Magda
was
a
phenomenal,
traditional
Alexander owned a drapery shop on
Hungarian
chef,
from
her
famous
chicken
Seven Mile and Greenfield and Magda and
paprikash
and
dumplings
to
her
cold
her sister-in-law opened a dressmaking
cherry soup recipe and savory makosh
shop in the rear. Successful, they opened a
cakes. She was also known for the prize-
larger store on the "Avenue of Fashion" on
winning
plants in her garden.
Livernois. In later years, they opened sev-
For
a
tiny
woman (she wasn't more
eral locations including Hunter Square and
than
four-foot,
nine-inches), Magda
another in Orchard Mall.
always
seemed
to draw attention. She glit-
Creations By Pollak, also known as
tered
in
social
situations
and always left a
Pollak Bridal Shop, was a very celebrated

remarkable impact on those she met. And
she was always dressed to impress.
Magda had a full life filled with many a
simchot. For her 90th birthday, she gath-
ered with family, former employees and
many friends at the Fiddler Restaurant
in West Bloomfield and danced the after-
noon away to Hungarian musicians.
Always a smiling ray of sunshine in her
family's life, Madga was a magical woman
and truly one of a kind.
Madga Pollak is survived by her son
and daughter-in-law, Dr. Lawrence and
Tobiann Pollak of West Bloomfield;
daughter and son-in-law, Debra and
Jerry Fixler; grandchildren, Jason and
Jill Pollak, Brandon and Michele Pollak,
Alexis Zimberg and Ashley Fixler.
Mrs. Pollak was the beloved wife of the
late Alexander Pollak.
Interment at Oakview Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to the
Holocaust Memorial Center, 28123
Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, MI
48334, www.holocaustcenter.org or to the
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Michigan,
21311 Civic Center Drive, Southfield,
MI 48076, www.nationalmssociety.org .
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel.

❑

'Young At Heart'

Ronelle Grier
Special to the Jewish News

I

f the life story of Ben Gurvitz were
set to music, its theme song would be
"Young at Heart."
"That song really exemplified his phi-
losophy of life," said his daughter, Carol
Gurvitz Colman.
Gurvitz, a former pharmacist who lived
in Southfield, died on July 29, 2010, at the
age of 99. He was a devoted husband to
his late wife, Sara; an inspirational father,
grandfather and great-grandfather and
an active and highly valued member of
Temple Israel in West Bloomfield.
His establishment, Burk's Pharmacy,
located on San Juan and Six Mile in
Detroit, was known as the "store of per-
sonal service': and this motto served as
the guideline for his life as well as his
business.
"Ben would have loved this moment':
said Rabbi Marla Hornsten of Temple
Israel as she surveyed the many friends
and family members who attended Mr.
Gurvitz's funeral service. She referred

to him as a "Pied Piper"
who lived "a life to be cel-
ebrated:'
One of Mr. Gurvitz's
trademarks was his sense
of humor. At his 99th birth-
day party at Temple Israel,
he did a memorable stand-
up comedy routine, now
immortalized on YouTube.
"He had a joke for every Ben Gurvitz
occasion': said his daugh-
ter."He loved to make people laugh, and
he was great at it."
Mr. Gurvitz was also known for his
remarkable memory, which he used to
keep track of his many customers and
friends, down to the smallest detail.
"He'd ask you about your family and
what was going on, and the next time he
saw you he'd remember everything," his
daughter said.
Family gatherings were a highlight for
him, and he rejoiced in the accomplish-
ments of his children and grandchildren.
Mr. Gurvitz had been looking forward
to celebrating his 100th birthday on Oct.

10, less than three months
away. He dreamt of the
moment when Willard Scott
would announce his name on
the Today show.
"His life centered around
people, and he lived it to the
fullest': said his son, Allan.
Mr. Gurvitz and his beloved
wife, Sara, were always
together during their 59-
year marriage. They worked
side-by-side and maintained an active
social calendar, filled with friends as well
as dance and bridge lessons. After Sara's
death, he became involved in the Minyan
Group at Temple Israel, where he became
a friend and an inspiration to the congre-
gants and the clergy.
"He made us feel better when we were
in his presence': said Rabbi Harold Loss
of Temple Israel, who co-officiated at the
funeral service. "In a world that moved
so fast, Ben let us know that we were
appreciated. He instinctively knew the
right question or the right comment to
make."

"My father taught me that, as you got
older, a lot of the cliches didn't have to
happen, that getting older isn't anything
to be afraid of' said Carol. "If you stayed
involved, connected and interested, you
could lead a wonderful life, right up to
the end."
Ben Gurvitz is survived by his son
and daughter-in-law, Allan and Linda
Gurvitz of West Bloomfield; daughter
and son-in-law, Carol and Steven Colman
of Massachusetts; grandchildren, Eric
and Lauren Gurvitz, Michelle and Adam
Wichman and Zoe Colman; great-grand-
daughters, Jessica and Abby Gurvitz and
Sophia Wichman.
Mr. Gurvitz was the beloved husband
of the late Sara Gurvitz; the dear brother
of the late Simon Gurvitz and the late Ida
Bressler.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made to
Temple Israel, 5725 Walnut Lake Road, West
Bloomfield, MI 48323, www.temple-israel.
org ; or Temple Isaiah, 55 Lincoln Street,
Lexington, MA 02421, (781) 682-7160.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman Chapel. ri

Obituaries on page 66

Obit uaries

obust 5 2010

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