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PHOTO CREDIT TOVAH PHOTOGRAPHY

multigenerational families

THREE GENERATIONS

This photo was taken in Clarkston’s Depot Park on Oct. 21, 2017. Pictured
standing: Elise Rose of Northampton, Mass.; Shelley Yorke Rose of
Waterford; Stephanie Rose of Denver; and (seated) Florence Yorke of West
Bloomfield. Florence is the matriarch, born in 1925 in Detroit. Her daughter,
Shelley, was also born in Detroit, and Shelley’s daughters, Stephanie and
Elise, were born in Rochester. This photo was taken at Stephanie’s wedding.

WWII AND THREE GENERATIONS

In this World War II-era photo (1944) taken in the backyard at 2476
Clements, between Linwood and LaSalle, in the Central High School
neighborhood, you can see three generations of the Cook and Teitel
families.
Jerry Cook of West Bloomfield, who submitted this photo, is the
youngster sitting on his father Oscar’s knee in the center foreground.
Oscar is about to depart from the Midwest during his two years of
naval service. Jerry’s mother, Jeanette Teitel Cook, is next to his father.
She is the daughter of Morris and Bessie Teitel, seated to the left of
Jerry. Oscar’s parents, Meyer and Fanny Cook, are behind the Teitels.
Missing from the photo are four men already gone into WWII
service. They included Jeanette’s brother Ben Teitel, whose legacy

is preserved in the Metro Detroit community through programs and
buildings created with funds from the charitable trust established
under his will. The other three men were Sam Cook, and Earl and
Bernie Friedman.
During the war, Jerry’s grandmother Bessie removed the lawn and
planted a victory garden to raise vegetables because farmers’ food
was necessary to ship to the troops abroad.
Two of Jerry’s cousins, Elaine Cook Epstein (in the back row, far
right) and Barbara Ettinger Goodman (held by her father, Adolph), still
live in Metro Detroit. Barbara was recently honored at JSL’s 8 Over
80 event. Jerry is a past president of the Michigan Jewish Historical
Society. This photo and many others are including in the Cook family
“Cook Book” that’s full of family history.

THREE GENERATIONS

From 2016: Nira and Bob Slutsky of West Bloomfield with their daughter Lauren
Slutsky Belchinsky and grandchildren Lola and Ari, all of Huntington Woods.

From the DJN

Davidson Digital Archive

L

ast week, I spent a bit of time with two of my favorite archi-
vists: Sharon Alterman and Robbie Terman. It is always a real
pleasure to visit with them, whether for professional reasons
or just to chat. This was the catalyst for today’s column about Jewish
archives and archivists, the keepers of Detroit’s Jewish history.
First and foremost, I’ll admit a deep, deep bias: I do think that
the Davidson Digital Archives is the best archival thing since
sliced bread. But, when I am honest with myself,
I know that the Detroit Jewish community has
several other archives that are first-rate, such
as the archives at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield
Township, the good historical records at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, and
the excellent Jewish collections at the Bentley
Historical Library at the University of Michigan
and the Walter Reuther Library at Wayne State
Mike Smith
University. The Jewish Historical Society of
Detroit Jewish News
Michigan is also a great source for the state’s

Foundation Archivist

70

May 31 • 2018

jn

history. One of the best and largest archives is the Leonard N.
Simons Jewish Community Archives at the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit.
The essence of an archives is a collection of historical documents,
photographs and journals, but people still matter. Sharon Alterman
was the first and founding director of the Simons archives, and
Robbie is the second and current director. After a career with vari-
ous Jewish community organizations, Sharon began another career
as an archivist. She graduated with an archival certificate from
Wayne State in 1989 and, soon after, became a driving force behind
the Simons archives and became its first director in 1991.
Robbie also graduated from Wayne State’s archival program and
became director of the Simons archives after Sharon’s (second)
retirement in 2014. Robbie soon created a wonderful exhibit about
the first 25 years of the archives. Suffice it to say, the Simons Jewish
Community Archives has been, and still is, in great hands! •

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives,
available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.