jews in the digital age

obituaries

Good Night Ritual

Bedtime Shema app offered in
memory of developers' mother.

0

ne of my favorite times of each
day is my children's bedtime. I
enjoy watching them perform
the nightly rituals before bed, and then I
join them in saying the bedtime Shema
prayer.
I recently spoke with kin-
dergarten students and their
parents at Hillel Day School in
Farmington Hills about Jewish
bedtime rituals. For the sec-
ond straight year, I heard par-
ents tell me about their own
enjoyment in tucking their
children into bed. It's a special
time for parent-child bonding.
And Judaism recognizes the
opportunity for both spiritual-
ity and education during these
precious few moments before
falling fast sleep.
Two brothers immediately thought of
this bedtime ritual when looking for a way
to memorialize their late mother. In the
Jewish community, there's nothing unusu-
al about individuals dedicating something
in a parent's memory. Some grieving
children honor their parents' memories by
dedicating physical objects
in a synagogue, sponsoring
an event or even donating
the funds for a building or a
classroom. But in the digital
age, twin brothers Barry and
Ronnie Schwartz of New
York decided to honor their
beloved mother's memory in
a less traditional way.
Adrienne Schwartz's two
sons, who run the Web
software company Rusty
Brick, have released a new
mobile app dedicated to
their mother, of blessed
memory. Last winter, their mother died
suddenly while in Israel for her grand-
child's bar mitzvah. The two heartbroken
men wanted to do something to honor
her life, so they did what they do best
and developed a mobile app as a living
testament to their mother. Mrs. Schwartz
took seriously the ritual of reciting the
bedtime Shema each night.
"Specifically, family always came first
for her, and we felt it would be a great
way for parents and grandparents to
spend more time with their children
and grandchildren in a special way:'
explained Barry Schwartz, the company's
CEO. "We only built the app so that we
can dedicate it for her. She was the inspi-
ration for the app"
The app, named Bedtime Shema, was
mostly designed by Ronnie, the founder

and chief technology officer of Rusty
Brick. He wrote the vast majority of
the code that runs the app while on his
flights to and from Israel to mark the
end of the shloshim period (the 30th day
following the death) for their mother.
The app seeks to be a
fun and interactive learn-
ing aid for Jewish children.
The Apple operating system
(iPhone, iPod Touch and
iPad) version was released in
December and the Android
version went on the market
in mid-April, just in time to
mark the six-month anniver-
sary of her passing.
The app is free and takes
the child through the typical
bedtime routine ending with
the child saying the Shema
prayer in bed with the app in hand. The
prayer is slightly different for boys and
girls because of the grammatical dif-
ference, but there are settings for both.
With so many young children taking
their mobile devices into their bedrooms
anyway, the Schwartz brothers have deliv-
ered a convenient medium
to encourage this bedtime
ritual.
The start-up title page
of the app includes a
tasteful footer proclaim-
ing "Dedicated in loving
memory of our mother"
It asks if the user wants to
play as a boy or girl or skip
straight to the Shema. "Play"
means following the com-
mands to use the bathroom,
brush teeth and shut off the
lights, all with animations
that won't allow the user to
advance to the next screen until swiping a
toilet handle, moving a toothbrush across
teeth or pulling a light switch. After going
through the bedtime ritual directions, the
child can choose to listen to the Shema or
listen to "Hamalach Hagoel," a soft, beau-
tiful song recited following the Shema at
bedtime each night. Users can even share
the app with friends using the most popu-
lar social networks.
The Android App in the Google Play
store and the Apple app in the App
Store can be downloaded by searching
"Shema." ❑

A RuslyBrick App

Rabbi Jason Miller is a local educator,

entrepreneur and blogger. He is president

ELSIE BAGDADE, 99, of Farmington

Hills, died April 18, 2013.
She is survived by her son and daugh-
ter-in-law, Daniel and Sarita Bagdade
of West Bloomfield; grandchildren,
Jeffrey and Francesca Bagdade, Michael
Bagdade and Alissa Luck; great-grand-
children, Ruby, Gabrielle, Avi, Sydney
and Ella Bagdade.
Mrs. Bagdade was the beloved wife of
the late Frank Bagdade.
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 a charity of one's
choice. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.

JOYCE BAYER, 67, of

Bayer

Farmington Hills, died
April 17, 2013.
Mrs. Bayer was a
kindergarten teacher
at Dove Academy.
She was active with
Congregation Shir
Tikvah and the Jewish

Gay Network.
She is survived by her husband of 45
years, Art Bayer; children, Korrie Xavier
and Joanne Patterson of Jamaica Plain,
Mass., Yehudit and Shaul Lindblom of
Israel; brother and sister-in-law, Robert
and Wanda McCotter; grandchild,
Gavriella Adina Miriam Lindblom; sis-
ters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Deanna
and Barry Lawton, Laurel and Stephen
Epstein, Yogi Bayer; other loving relatives
and friends.
Contributions may be made to Jewish
Gay Network, 6600 W. Maple, West
Bloomfield, MI 48322. Interment was
held at Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak.
Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
Chapel.

DR. WALLACE COLVIN, 93, of West

Bloomfield, died April 18, 2013.
Dr. Colvin was a graduate of the
Illinois College of Optometry and a
proud veteran of World War II. A former
CEO of Co-Op Optical, Dr. Colvin was
also appointed to the State of Michigan
Board of Optometry and later served as
its president.
An incredibly devoted and loving
husband and father, Dr. Colvin is sur-
vived by his wife of 69 years, Cynthia;
his daughter, Lisa Elrom; his son and
daughter-in law, Jay and Sandy Colvin;
grandchildren, Rachel and Joey Elrom,
and Jeffrey, Steven and Jaclyn Colvin;
brother and sister-in-law, Arnal and
Rhoda Colvin; many loving nephews,
cousins and friends.
Contributions may be made to

Congregation Shaarey Zedek; or Henry
Ford Hospital West Bloomfield Hospice,
do Henry Ford Health Systems, Office of
Philanthropy, 1 Ford Place-5A, Detroit,
MI 48202-3450.
Interment was at Machpelah Cemetery.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.

SHELDON M. ELLIS,

Ellis

96, of Ann Arbor, died
April 19, 2013.
He was a longtime
former resident of
Hillsdale and former
prosecuting attorney
and Friend of the
Court for Hillsdale

County.
Mr. Ellis came to Hillsdale from
Chicago with his family at age 7. After
attending public schools in Hillsdale,
he matriculated at the University of
Michigan for both undergraduate stud-
ies and law school. After serving in the
United States Army during World War
II, he entered the practice of law in
Hillsdale. During his 50 years of prac-
tice, he was elected prosecuting attorney
for Hillsdale County for 12 years in
the 1940s and '50s and later served as
Friend of the Court for Hillsdale County
for two decades. During the 1960s,
when Hillsdale County experienced an
oil boom, Mr. Ellis was one of the local
attorneys most active in the legal aspects
of oil rights.
Along with his wife, Ethel, Mr. Ellis
was widely known in the Hillsdale area.
Together, they were supporters of both
academics and athletics at Hillsdale
College and participated in numerous
charitable, civic and social affairs locally.
The couple retired to Ann Arbor in 1990.
Mr. Ellis is survived by his wife of
72 years, Ethel Ellis; twin sons and
daughters-in-law, Dr. James Ellis and Dr.
Jean Lawton of Ann Arbor, Dr. Charles
and Julie Ellis of Ann Arbor; grandson,
Jonathan Ellis; sister, Shirley Singer of
Arizona; sisters-in-law and brothers-
in-law, Arvene "Kim" and Dr. Kenneth
Dickstein, and Dr. Bernard and Sally
Kimmel.
He was the dear brother-in-law of the
late Dr. Paul Singer.
Interment was at Oakview Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to the
Department of Neurology-Development
Office, do Dementia Research,
University of Michigan, 1914 Taubman
Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive,
SPC 5316, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, www.
med.umich.edu/neurology/about/
instructions. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.

Obituaries on page 98

of Access Computer Technology in West

Bloomfield. Follow him on Twitter at

®RabbiJason.

Obituaries

JN

April 25 • 2013

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