10 July 18 • 2019
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Readers on Facebook added their comments to 

the story “Interlochen Legacy,” (July 4, page 30).

Dina B-Berd: As a camper, I saw 
Marcel Marceau perform there. An 
incredible privilege to have attended.
Ben Blau: I’
m an Interlochen alum 
and still live in SE Michigan. My life 
still revolves around music.
Melissa Steinberg Brodsky: I had the 
most amazing time the summer I went 
to Interlochen. 

The JN welcomes comments online at 
thejewishnews.com or on its Facebook page. 
Letters can be sent to letters@renmedia.us.

online comments

letters

An Italian Tale of 
Burstyn’
s Bagels
A tip o’
 the hat to Rochel Burstyn 
for her well-researched and 
delightfully connecting article on 
June 27, “Bageling for Beginners” 
(page 5).
As a retired journalist, I’
m not a 
beginner at much any longer. This 
is a “bageling” story from 1986. 
My husband and I took our 
teenage daughters to Italy on a 
celebratory trip for our eldest’
s 
graduation from Andover High. We 
had studiously incorporated all the 
tourist-savvy tips that would keep 
us above the fray. Among those was 
the advice to firmly deny the first 
price stated by a cart-in-tow street 
vendor. 
I’
d read about the books with 
clear plastic pages that — flipped 
individually — gradually reveal the 
original appearance of a disappearing 
architectural wonder now in ruins. 
Each page added a chronologically 
reversed era to the original photo of 
what we were viewing in person. The 
clever concept took its viewer on a 
journey back through centuries of 
history. 
I had an idea of the appropriate 
price in liras — which was way below 
this small, bearded, elderly man’
s 
asking price — and that’
s what I 
offered him.
He guffawed in theatrical outrage 
at my low offer. He tripled it. I 
went up to 1½ times my offer. He 
went down to two times. I said, 
“Thank you,” and turned to walk 
off. 
Needless to say, my daughters 
were mortified by my actions. They 
spun around in retreat from their 
embarrassing mother’
s haggling.
As I followed their lead, the 
gentleman appeared behind me and 
tapped on my shoulder. 
“Yiddisheh meidlelah?” he 
inquired, knowingly. As I processed 
his Italian-tinged Yiddish, I burst out 
laughing. 
“What is a fair price?” I asked 
him. 
I can’
t remember what he said, 
but we paid it. 
And it’
s still proudly displayed 
on a library bookshelf today: the 
historical wonder of the Colosseum 
and all its human history.

Sandra R. Tessler

Bloomfield Hills

Another Bageling Story
I loved the article about bageling.
My husband and I were on a 
culinary river cruise to the south of 
France a few years ago and learned 
that bagel is a verb firsthand. 
We were waiting for the last person 
to arrive for a hike in the vineyards 
of Hermitage. She was delayed 
because her luggage never arrived, 
and she had to borrow clothing and 
hiking boots from the cruise-ship 
staff. I started a conversation with 
her to learn that she was a food critic 
from Chicago.
One thing led to another and 
before we knew it, we were on the 
top of a mountain overlooking the 
Alps and playing Jewish Geography!
Rochel Burstyn was absolutely 
right about the Bagel Theory. 
Turns out we were the only Yids 
onboard, 
 and it was nice to have the 
connection.

Adrea Benkoff

Farmington Hills

Stop Global Warming
I read with interest your article on 
Talking Climate Change with Paul 
Gross (July 4, page 19). However, I am 
concerned regarding his comments 
about not being able to “
stop global 
warming.
”
Not only can carbon-based 
emissions be eliminated, but carbon 
can be taken out of the atmosphere 
thus reversing the carbon cycle. And 
the technology is already available.
I would like to refer you and your 
readers to an excellent documentary 
on HBO produced by Leonardo 
DeCaprio titled Ice On Fire, which 
concisely outlines the problem and its 
solutions. 

Steve Saginaw, M.D.

Royal Oak

 

WHEN 
UPSCALE
GOES ON
SALE

DAYON
THETOWN

SATURDAY JULY 27 9 A.M. – 6 P.M.

WHEN 
UPSCALE
GOES ON
SALE

Day On The Town is the biggest shopping day of the year in 
downtown Birmingham, and it draws thousands from near and 
far. This event is for people on the hunt for a 
good deal, and there are many deals to be 
artwork, antiques, dishes, vases or toys, 
Birmingham is the place to be on July 27! 

FREE PARKING ALL DAY

@BhamShopping
Birmingham Shopping District
www.ALLINBirmingham.com

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