August 29 • 2019 15
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was beshert, according to Ellie: “When 
I met Bill, he showed me the tattoo on 
his arm. His number — A19223 — 
was my home address. I knew we were 
meant to be together.
” The two were 
engaged six weeks later and were mar-
ried in 1970. 

A PROMISE KEPT
From 1970 to 1975, the Kayes lived in 
Warren, close to where Ellie worked. 
They then moved with their young 
son Michael to Clinton Township 
in 1975, where Bill built the house 
where he and Ellie — joined that 
year by their second son, David — 
still live today.
The Kayes are true east-siders, 
proud to be longtime members of the 
area’
s small, tight-knit community of 
Jewish families who worship togeth-
er at Congregation Beth Tephilath 
Moses in Mount Clemens, a short 
ride from their home, a home which 
the two still love to take care of.
“Even at 91, you can still find Bill 
on his tractor-mower,” Ellie said with 
a smile. “He loves getting out and 
cutting the lawn. And I do the gar-
dening and planting!”
Taking a break from their active 
lifestyle by having Shabbat lunch 
with Michael, his wife, Irit, and their 
children Elijah, Jonathan, Joseph and 
Jessica at their Southfield home is a 
weekly tradition for Bill and Ellie. 
Elijah said he enjoys spending time 
with and talking to his grandfather 
and said it’
s an honor to partner with 
his grandfather for his bar mitzvah.
Elijah, whose Hebrew name is 
Eliyahu Mordechai, first celebrated 
with his parents in Israel and, after 

returning home, was called to the 
Torah at Young Israel of Southfield 
on Aug. 24 along with Bill.
“I was so happy to have my tat-
teleh (the affectionate name he calls 
Bill) celebrate with me!” said Elijah, 
who attends school at Yeshiva Beth 
Yehudah. “I feel very respectful of my 
grandfather. He wasn’
t able to have a 
bar mitzvah because of the war, and I 
was privileged to be able to celebrate 
with him.”
Elijah’
s father, Michael, said, “I’
m 
also proud to be able to bring this 
nachas to my father. It’
s wonderful to 
be able to provide for my father this 
way, and to have a son who’
s follow-
ing in the traditions of Judaism and 
Torah.”
Added mom, Irit, “Our family had 
been preparing for this since Eliyahu 
was born because, of course, we 
knew about my father-in-law’
s prom-
ise. Bill could finally have his bar 
mitzvah, something he couldn’
t even 
think about during the Holocaust, 
and we’
re all so happy for them 
both.”
David, Elijah’
s uncle, who lives in 
Dallas, echoed the entire family’
s 
sentiments as well.
“My father should have had a bar 
mitzvah ceremony in 1941, but due 
to the Nazi invasion of Poland, that 
never happened,” he said. “I’
m so 
excited my father can finally cele-
brate after all these years.”
Michael added, “This was not only 
a gift to my father and my son. It was 
a gift to the whole family to be able 
to celebrate together.”
Mazel tov to them both! ■

