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family grew. His children had a front-row seat at every
bris and his son, Ezra, was particularly fascinated,
always peppering Avraham with questions afterwards.
When people tried to move the young boys, Avraham
joked they were MITs (Mohelim In Training).
The joke became reality. Rabbi Ezra Cohen debuted
as a mohel in 2008 at the bris of his second son, named
Shlomo after the first mohel in the family. Avraham
helped Ezra break into the market by encouraging clients
to use him while he oversaw the bris.
To date, Avraham has done thousands of circumci-
sions (including grown men) and Ezra has done hun-
dreds. They often attend each other’s brissim, observing
each other and improving, particularly in terms of mini-
mizing the pain for the baby and parents.
Both Avraham and Ezra say they love being part of
people’s simchahs and helping them perform this impor-
tant and special mitzvah. (Find out more at detroitmohel.
com.)
These days, Ezra uses his “bag of honor,” the same
bris bag his grandfather used. He has noticed that his
12-year-old son has been observing him perform bris-
sim with the same fascination he had years ago, so both
Rabbi Cohens are hoping to have a fourth- generation
mohel in the family one day!
— Rochel Burstyn, Contributing Writer
Eddie, Aaron and David Radner
B’nai B’rith League’s Top Bowler
Carrying On Family’s Name
In 2003, the family celebrated the 100th birthday of Fannie Whiteman, center, at Fleischman Residence. Fannie is the
mother of Evelyn (Louis) Berlin, grandmother of Renee Krauss, Steven (Jill) Berlin and Joyce (Jeffrey) Weingarten, and
great-grandmother to their children: Jonathan, Robert, Arielle, Aviva, Emily and Elliot. Now these great-grandchildren are
all married; four of them have children.
Berlin Family, Jewish Senior Life
in and they were together again. She
Looking back on the three genera-
also reunited with a childhood friend
tions of her family who have bene-
from Horodok in Russia, where she
fited from Jewish Senior Life, Joyce
lived before coming to America as a
Berlin Weingarten says, “I can tell
teenager in 1920.
you, we take care of our own.”
“It was a safe place, a good place
When Weingarten’s great-
and a Jewish place,” she said. “She
grandmother moved there, it was no
had regular visits from her children,
longer called the Jewish Old Folks
grandchildren and great-grandchil-
Home. Borman Hall in Northwest
dren. It was an important part of the
Detroit was run by the Jewish Home
younger generation’s upbringing.”
for the Aged, and that is where
When Louis and Evelyn Berlin,
Weingarten’s “Bubbie Goldie” Litvak
parents
of Joyce, Renee Krauss and
spent the last years of her life.
“Bubbie Goldie” Litvak, great-
“I felt sad that she had to leave
grandmother of Renee Krauss, Steven Berlin, decided to move to a
community setting, their first choice
her home, but my mother explained Steven Berlin and Joyce
Weingarten.
was the Meer Apartments in West
to me that this would be good for
Bloomfield, run by what is now called
Bubbie. And it was,” said Weingarten
Jewish Senior Life. Sadly, their mother died three
of Bloomfield Township, who tutors bar and bat
weeks after they moved six and a half years ago.
mitzvah students at Adat Shalom Synagogue in
“It was a difficult time, but the people at Meer
Farmington Hills and is on its executive committee.
supported our father,” said Weingarten, adding
Her grandmother, “Bubbie Fannie” Whiteman,
that her whole family sleeps well knowing he is in
lived at the new Fleischman Residence in West
Bloomfield, overseen by an agency that had a new an environment where he can have support while
maintaining his independence.
name and a new philosophy for helping seniors:
“We will be eternally grateful for Jewish Senior
Jewish Home and Aging Services.
Life,” Weingarten said.
“She thrived there,” Weingarten said. “After a
while her sister, our Great- Aunt Ida Lewis, moved
— Barbara Lewis, Contributing Writer
28
March 15 • 2018
jn
Three generations of Radner men and the Brotherhood-Eddie
Jacobson B’nai B’rith bowling league are intertwined.
Eddie Radner, 81, of Commerce Township, who is still working
part-time as an accountant, bowled in the league from the early
1970s to 2010. His son David Radner, 57, of West Bloomfield,
an attorney, bowled in the league from 1982-2010. The Radner
tradition is being carried on these days by David Radner’s son
Aaron Radner, 23, of Farmington Hills, also an accountant. He’s
in his first season in the league as a full-time member after
bowling as an occasional substitute the past few years while he
was a student at Michigan State University.
League play began in 1959. Country Lanes in Farmington Hills
has been the league’s home since the 1986-1987 season.
For the Radners, family has been as big a part of bowling
in the league as the camaraderie among the competitors and
strikes, spares and splits.
David Radner bowled on the same league team as his father
from 2003-2010, often encouraging him good-naturedly to “Hit
the head pin!” on his first shot.
Remembering how much he enjoyed those days, David
Radner hopes to be on the same league team as his son some-
day.
“That’s my goal,” he said. “The bottom line is I’ll have to be a
good enough bowler to be on his team. I think I’ll have to try out.
Aaron is super competitive. He wants to win.”
If David Radner does join his son’s league team, he’ll pick up
where he left off several years ago. He was averaging a career-
best 202 when he left the league.
Just as David Radner watched his father bowl in the league
when he was a youngster, Aaron Radner watched his father bowl
in the league when he was a kid.
“I loved having Aaron there because I knew back then that
he had such a passion for bowling,” David Radner said. “I also
knew that he was going to be a great bowler someday because
he was already such a student of the game.”
“It was cool watching my dad bowl when I was a kid,” Aaron
Radner said. “Plus, I was in youth bowling leagues at Country
Lanes at the time, and it was good for me to see better bowlers,
more serious bowlers.”
Aaron Radner is the best bowler among the three Radner
men. Neither his father nor grandfather would argue with that
statement.
“I’m so proud of Aaron,” David Radner said. “He has the
potential to be one of the top bowlers in Detroit B’nai B’rith his-
tory or be a professional bowler if he wants to pursue that.”
Aaron Radner’s 223 average leads the Brotherhood-Eddie
Jacobson League and is tied at the moment for the highest sea-
son average in league history. •
— Steve Stein, Contributing Writer