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Rabbi Syme with a photo of his late brother Michael

Death Isn’t The Answer

Documentary examining the tragic
nature of suicide premieres in November.

D

eath Is Not the Answer, the
two-hour documentary from
11-time Emmy Award-winner
Keith Famie, will premiere at 8 p.m.
on DPTV on Friday, Nov. 11, preceded
by a premiere open to the public at the
Emagine Theatre in Royal Oak at 5:30
p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6.
The film unearths the roots of
depression and explores the reasons
for suicidal tendencies. The film
examines the tragic nature of suicide
while conveying the message that
death is not the answer.
Featured are mental health pro-
fessionals and physicians from the
University of Michigan, Wayne State
University, Stanford University,
University of
California Berkeley,
Florida State
University and the
Henry Ford Health
System.
Rabbi Daniel
Syme, rabbi emeri-
tus at Temple Beth
Rabbi Daniel
El
in Bloomfield
Syme
Township, is an
executive producer
of the film.
“Aug. 30, 1975, is a date I shall
never forget for that was the night
my baby brother, Michael, died. That
was the night he chose to die rather
than live in a big and troubling world,”
Syme says. “And though I have pon-
dered and tried to understand that
senseless tragedy for more than 40
years now, I still cannot fathom why.”
His brother, Michael, was only 20

18 November 3 • 2016

years old when he left this world.
As a rabbi emeritus, Syme is
focusing his time and attention on
depression and suicide prevention
and lessening the tragic toll of loss by
suicide in America, in part, under the
umbrella of Jewish Family Service in
the “Single Soul” program.
A Single Soul will teach the ways in
which suicide might be avoided.
“Every bit of evidence we have sug-
gests that suicide is preventable, a pre-
ventable tragedy, a wrenching agony
that can be eliminated by listening,
caring and acting people,” Syme says.
“The overwhelming majority of
those contemplating suicide tell some-
one they are going to do it,” he contin-
ues. “Most often, that confidante is a
friend, someone whom they swear to
secrecy, desperately hoping that friend
will care enough about them to break
what we have come to know as the
‘wall of silence’ and to tell.
“The film Death Is Not The Answer
is a product of Keith Famie’s unique
gifts. As we view it together, from
coast to coast, I hope that it will move
us to a new sense of urgency to help
those in pain. We can make a differ-
ence. We must make a difference,”
Syme says.
The film is produced in association
with Kevin’s Song and KnowResolve,
two 501(c)(3) organizations dedicated
to mental health and suicide aware-
ness.
To learn more about the produc-
tion, visit www.deathisnottheanswer.
com.

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