frontlines The Best of Dick Purtan & "PLOWS to Laugh Again With Purtan's People 3 FilffiffIE a shoo-in to be a featured guest author at next year's Jewish Book Fair. In my years on ,,rr r, the , 101 ;;t the air, I imper- - — sonated Bill Clinton while interviewing the real Hillary. I sang with Gladys Knight and Harry or 18 years, I had the privilege Belafonte. At a press conference, I told of working for Radio Hall of Mick Jagger I had reason to believe Famer Dick Purtan as one of he was my father. And, the piece de "Purtan's People" until his retirement resistance, I got to pose questions to last year. Listeners knew me as "Big Al" Muskavito from New York, despite the fact a smorgasbord of Jewish comedic legends including Shecky that I was born Alan Muskovitz Green, Jackie Mason, Jerry from Detroit. Lewis, Marty Allen, Soupy I was Italian by morning, Sales and Henny Youngman. Jewish by night. Publicly a True story — I picked up proponent of cannoli, pri- Henny Youngman at Metro vately a nosher of knishes. Airport where he asked me How did I come to be on to watch his violin while Dick's show? For those not he paid a visit to the men's interested, check out the room. No, he didn't say, obituaries. Oh, who I am kid- "take my violin, please!" ding? I know you do that first A Ian Sadly, ensemble radio anyway. Heck, I do it. Mus kovitz shows like Dick's are nearly Here's the Reader's Digest J ew s h News extinct. We liked to think version of how it all started. Colu mnist of ourselves as a Saturday I made my friend and Fox 2 Night Live of radio — that anchor Sherry Margolis laugh is back when SNL was actually funny. a lot. She said you should be on Dick Our comedy was ripped right from the Purtan. I said you're crazy She made a call. I auditioned. I became a part of the day's headlines. A funny sketch was just a sex-crazed politician away. show. I know, with a story like that, I'm I ,1111,. rn F RV CONTENTS Dec. 1-7, 2011 So where can you get a fix of the "good old days?" Go to DickPurtan.com right now and reserve Dick's final "Best Of Dick Purtan & Purtan's People" CD Volume 10! Just $19.99 with proceeds helping to benefit two incredible Michigan military charities: Operation Homefront Michigan and Honor Flight Michigan and its Legacy Project. Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance to families of active service members and wounded warriors. Honor Flight's Legacy Project is helping to build a permanent memo- rial in Royal Oak to pay tribute to all Michigan WWII Veterans. But wait, there's more! Dick is the honorary chairperson for a special event on Saturday evening, Dec. 17, "Honoring Our Past — Supporting the Present" that will celebrate his final CD and the works of Operation Homefront and Honor Flight with pro- ceeds again benefiting both charities. Reservations are $50 at DickPurtan.com . It will be a memorable evening to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served, and continue to serve our nation, and to say thank you for sacrificing so much to protect our freedom. Thanks in advance for all your sup- port! Alan Muskovitz is a writer, speaker, emcee and voiceover talent. Visit his website at laughwithbigal.com. theJEWISHNEWS 5-11 Kislev 5772 I Vol. CXL, No. 17 Around Town 17 Arts/Entertainment Calendar Camp Guide 67 20 Food 51 .72 Gift Guide Life Cycles Marketplace Metro Next Generation Obituaries 27 75 78 7 24 85 Points Of View Sports Staff Box/Phone List Synagogue List That's Life Torah Portion World 61 66 6 64 58 63 47 Columnists Danny Raskin 73 Shabbat Lights Shabbat: Friday, Dec. 2, 4:42 p.m. Shabbat Ends: Saturday, Dec. 3, 5:47 p.m. Shabbat: Friday, Dec. 9, 4:42 p.m. Shabbat Ends: Saturday, Dec.10, 5:47 p.m. Times are according to the Yeshiva Beth Yehudah calendar. On The Cover: Page design, Deborah Schultz Our JN Mission The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that's useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. It strives to reflect the full range of diverse viewpoints while also advocating positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continu- ity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativity and innovation. We acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive member of the community. Being competi- tive, we must always strive to be the most respected, outstanding Jewish community publication in the nation. Our rewards are informed, educated readers, very satisfied advertisers, contented employees and profitable growth. The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275 520) is published every Thursday at 29200 Northwestern Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send changes to: Detroit Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern Highway, #110, Southfield, MI 48034. - Two children through a porthole from the exhibit 'Last Goodbye' Kindertransport exhibit opens Dec. 4 at HMC. T he Holocaust Memorial Center (HMC ) Zekelman Family Campus in Farmington Hills will open its newest exhibit, "The Last Goodbye," on Sunday, Dec. 4, beginning at 3 p.m. The event kicks off with a viewing of the film Nicky's Family in conjunc- tion with the Voice Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive. Nicky's Family is a documentary that tells the story of the children whose parents were desperate enough to send them away to safety as part of the mass evac- uation of nearly 10,000 children before the outbreak of World War II. Nicky's Family is a gripping documen- tary film with re-enactments of the res- cue operation organized by Englishman Sir Nicholas Winton. Nearly 770 Czech and Slovak children were rescued just before the outbreak of World War II. The film demonstrates that members of Nicky's Family are not only the thou- sands of people who owe their lives to Sir Nicholas Winton, but also all those who want to do something positive for the world. Winton, now 102 years old, did not speak about these events with anyone for more than half a century. "The Last Goodbye" highlights the rescue of tens of thousands of chil- dren from Nazi Europe in the program known as the Kindertransport. A new part of the International Institute of the Righteous at the Holocaust Memorial Center, it is the story of the unaccompa- nied child refugees admitted to Britain on the Kindertransport. The panels on display are adapted from the original exhibition at the Jewish Museum London and designed to complement the Kindertransport Quilts interactive exhibit. Together, these two exhibits provide additional examples of altruistic behavior and reveal the many faces and some of the consequences of rescue behavior. Admission to this opening of "The Last Goodbye" is free. Complimentary cappuccino and refreshments will be available following the film. For more information, call (248) 553-2400 or visit holocaustcenter - ora z_-). The HMC is at 28123 Orchard Lake Road in Farmington Hills. L, December 1 0 2011 3