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A Tribute In Verse
To Yitzhak Shamir
My eldest son, Gilead, enjoyed a per-
sonal friendship with Yitzhak Shamir,
and he used to visit him every time he
visited Israel. Here is a limerick I wrote
in the former prime minister's memory:
Though smallest in size, he was a giant
nonetheless
Shamir loved his country, nobody else.
Always stuck to his guns, often
called "Mr. NO!"
But, perhaps, he was right all
along; who would know?
Only time will be telling the truth, so
I guess.
Rachel Kapen
West Bloomfield
Longtime Friends
Fondly Remembered
Last week's column by Alan Muskovitz
about his late father's group, the Kiroes,
brought back some very pleasant mem-
ories for my wife DeDe and me ("Old
Friends Are The Best:' page 3).
In March 1981, my Uncle Irving
Weinberg, who is still very much alive
in California, called us from San Diego
to say that since he was coming to
Detroit for our daughter Susan's bat
mitzvah, could we arrange for him to
also attend the 50th reunion of his
childhood group, the Kiroes?
•
On the night that we picked up Uncle
Irving and my late Aunt Jen at the
airport, we took them directly to the
Muskovitz home. In addition to the peo-
ple in the picture in Alan's article, there
were Alan's parents, Dave and Florence
Muskovitz, and brothers George and Ben
Lerner, who had come in from Midland
for the occasion. Also present was Al's
Uncle Jack and his very pretty wife.
Since 1981 was the 50th reunion, the
group must have started in 1931, when
each of the boys was 12 years old.
My only historical challenge to Alan
is that I think my uncle. told me that the
group was called the Chi Rho's — rath-
er than the Kiroes — so that it would
sound like a fraternity.
Dr. Jerry Weinberg
West Bloomfield
Burden Caused By End
Of JSL Guardianships
While laudable all the things Jewish
Senior Life is doing ("Toward The
Future, July 5, page 1), the agency
recently "dropped the ball" by no longer
acting as a guardian for upwards of 100
people and conservator for others.
Where it once provided free services,
now 100 people are obligated to either
use attorneys or public administrators
who are charging upwards of $200 an
hour for what used to cost nothing.
It's too bad Jewish Senior Life chose
to close down this valuable service to
people in need.
Sheldon Larky
Oak Park
Sinai Guild Volunteer
Recalls Aiding Patients
I read the article 'End Of An Era (July
5, page 16). It is certainly sad to hear of
the closing of the Sinai Guild after 60
years. I am a 'life member' of the guild
and a former executive board/general
board member and volunteered more
than 1,000 hours at Sinai Hospital.
The Sinai Guild has done a lot of
good over the years, and the generous
financial donations have made a huge
difference at many worthy local organi-
zations.
It's important to remember a few
things about the guild. When Sinai
Hospital was open, one focus of the
guild was volunteer service; actually
helping patients and staff at the hospital
itself. We were asked to commit to a few
hours a week/month in various depart-
ments.
Donating money is great, but when
you give of yourself and help others it
can be very meaningful and rewarding
for everyone involved. I often left that
hospital more refreshed then when I
entered, and felt blessed to have good
health and enough time to help others.
Also, while the guild was (and is) pri-
marily made up of women, there were
a few men around, myself included! I
know the patients didn't care if I were
a man or a woman, or even if I donated
any money ... they just were glad to see
a smiling face and someone willing to
help.
I enjoyed working with everyone at
the guild and hope that we all leave a
lasting legacy of volunteering and phi-
lanthropy.
Bert J. Green
West Bloomfield
'Drop Lawsuit,' Says
Bais Chabad Donor
I have never written a letter to the edi-
tor before, but in this case I felt com-
pelled to do so for two reasons: One,
I am a major contributor to the Sara
and Morris Tugman Bais Chabad Torah
Center, and two, the center is named
after my parents of blessed memory. I
am not a Lubavitcher, I am lubavitch
friendly', I consider myself a Jew and
try to love all Jews equally without try-
ing to label them, and I see them all as
family.
I joined the Torah Center 26 years
ago. I was looking for a shul for my chil-
dren, and this is the first and only shul
that I have ever belonged to. I found
Rabbi Silberberg to be a religious man
with true Torah values, someone that I
came to admire and still do.
At the time, I had no idea who the
Lubavitcher Rebbe was, I simply knew
that I had found a place where God
would be comfortable, and this was the
place that I wanted to bring up my chil-
dren. I have never been disappointed
with Rabbi Silberberg. He is a true ser-
vant of God and a man to be admired,
as his loving congregants will all testify
to.
Rabbi Shemtov is concerned about
losing the building to some other orga-
nization; he is worried about a building
but not about the people therein whom
he has alienated. I find it very interest-
ing that with all the money that I have
donated over the years to the Torah
Center, I don't own anything in it. I can't
take home one of its books; none of us
can. Our shul (like all shuls) belongs to
God, and we love being there.
One of the toughest days in my life
was when my mother died; one of the
happiest days of my life was when I put
her name on the building — I thought
it was a great shidduch [match]. Today, I
am embarrassed that her name is next
to Chabad.
I ask the Jewish community of great-
er Detroit to stand against those who
are needlessly trying to hurt us, and
demand that Rabbi Shemtov drop his
lawsuit against the Torah Center.
Marty Goodman
Moose with Lorraine Schwartz
tarc
'
ARC volunteers
come in all shapes
and sizes. Most are
human, but Moose
is a beautiful
golden retriever
who, along with
his owner, Bunny
Behrmann, loves
being with the
men and women
in the Rosen
RRR (Recreation,
Relaxation and
Relationships)
Program.
past president
Sara and Morris Tugman
Bais Chabad Torah Center
West Bloomfield
Eagle Sale Investigation
Would Be Well Justified
I am quite disturbed that your story
"Conservative law center is seeking
grand jury investigation of school sale"
(June 28, page 16) did not mention that
the numerous charges in the allegation
are based on statements and documents
from the district's board and adminis-
tration. The allegations on the Thomas
More website, www.thomasmore.org ,
show how shady that deal was.
If your reporter listened to the
June14-15 Farmington School Board
presentations as I did being there, he
would have found that the comments
of Betsy Kellman of the Detroit ADL
and Robert Cohen of the Detroit Jewish
Community Relations Council were dis-
ingenuous.
Letters on page 6
SEPTEMBER 10, 2012
MEET
Lauren Potter
g ee
from the hit TV show
,FraelA
Pormersnip,
248.538.6611 • jarc.org
July 12 - 2012
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