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We are honored to welcome to Adat Shalom Synagogue
Professor Joseph Benatov
Historian of Jewish Life in Bulgaria and the Balkans
FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 27
6:00 p.m. Shabbat-Appella
7:15 p.m. Shabbat Dinner
8:00 p.m. After Dinner Presentation by Professor Benatov:
The Untold Story of the Jews
of Bulgaria During WWII:
Rescue, Heroism, Controversy
Kids’ Activities
Our Friday evening community partner:
The Holocaust Memorial Center
SHABBAT MORNING, OCTOBER 28
9:00 a.m.
Shabbat Morning Service
in the Main Sanctuary
9:45 a.m. Shabbat Torah Study with Dr. Melissa Ser
10:00 a.m. Soulful Yoga with Rabbi Rachel Shere
12:30 p.m. Professor Benatov Will Lead a Post-Kiddush
Discussion:
The Balkan Jews from Antiquity
to the Present
SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 29
10:30 a.m. Brunch and Slide Show Presentation:
Balkan Sephardic Flavors
and Sights
Our Sunday morning community partners:
Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies
Keter Torah Synagogue
For information, brunch
and dinner reservations,
call 248.851.5100 or register online at:
http://adatshalom.org/synergy-shabbat
Irwin Cohen took photos of Hank Greenberg
the day they retired his number. Cohen traded
the photos for a personalized autograph.
Irwin Cohen was working for the Tigers when
the team won the World Series in 1984.
retired this year after 60 years in
practice, has been a lifelong baseball
fan. “I attended the 1935 World Series
against the Cubs when I was 10 years
old and traveled to St. Louis to watch
the Tigers in the Series in 1968,” Sklar
told me.
He joined the society after a mem-
ber invited him to hear Tigers man-
ager Jim Leyland speak. “He was won-
derful,” Sklar said. “Very humorous
and interesting. Since then, I’ve been a
regular attendee.”
Manny recalled that Leyland got
stopped for a traffic violation while
driving to the meeting. My guess is the
manager got out of the ticket by pro-
viding the officer a couple of his own.
Ironically, ELS member Irwin
Cohen, 75, would have a fateful
encounter with the Eddie Lake nearly
a half century before there would be
a club bearing his name. “I was at my
very first baseball game in 1950 with
my Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Day Camp,”
Cohen fondly recalled. “During warm
ups, Eddie threw us a baseball … but I
didn’t catch it!”
For Cohen, baseball is more than
just in his blood — it once was in his
paycheck. Cohen was the director of
group ticket sales for the Tigers for
nine years; joining the front office
in 1983, just in time to earn a World
Series ring in 1984!
Cohen wore many caps for the
Tigers, including shooting photo-
graphs, which led to perhaps his most
memorable baseball encounter.
“In 1983, the Tigers retired Hank
Greenberg’s number. I was on the field
for the ceremonies,” Cohen told me.
“Before the game, I had a chance to
interview him and we made a trade.
He would give me a personalized
autograph and I would send him cop-
ies of the pics I took.”
Who knew the biggest trade in
baseball in 1983 would be between
Hank Greenberg and Irwin Cohen?!
Over the years, Cohen has written
several books about baseball and co-
produced Echoes of Tiger Stadium with
Joe Falls; a three-hour recording that
includes conversations with numer-
ous legends of the game, including Ted
Williams and our own Ernie Harwell
and Al Kaline. It’s obvious Irwin is
never short of material for his next
Eddie Lake Society lunch.
Looking down my ELS scorecard, I
come to Dr. Robert “Bob” Matthews,
82, a retired orthodontist and society
member for the last 15 years. Like
many of his fellow teammates at the
society, the good doctor has incredible
memories of Hank Greenberg.
“I saw my first game at age 5. My
dad pointed Hank Greenberg out with
great pride, as being one of us,” Bob
said. “I remember asking him, ‘Daddy,
how do you know it’s him — they all
have the same white uniform on.’ My
dad’s answer: ‘Bobby, I know you can
count to 5. See the very tall man in
the center wearing No. 5 on his back?
That’s our Hank Greenberg.’”
If Bob Matthews’ name looks
familiar, that’s probably because
you’ve encountered it at the JCC in
West Bloomfield. That’s where “The
Matthews Sports Exhibit-Jewish
Heroes and Other Legends” is housed.
It’s a breathtaking exhibit featuring his
personal rare sports memorabilia and
the award-winning documentary Jews
and Baseball: An American Love Story.
Bob said, “There’s a joy in having
the memorabilia, but the true real joy
is sharing it with those who appreci-
ate it.”
So, does the “starting lineup” of
members of the Eddie Lake Society
include any younger Jewish baseball
fanatics? You betcha. Frank Reinstein,
41, is affectionately referred to by his
ELS buddies as “the young guy.” And
it figures he’s into baseball — he’s
a numbers guy. Frank is a CPA and
senior audit manager.
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October 19 • 2017
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