OCTOBER 10 • 2019 | 31
Michigan Supreme Court
Justice Richard Bernstein,
the first blind State Supreme
Court Justice in the U.S., will
run in the Detroit Free Press/
TCF Bank Marathon on Oct.
20. This marks the first time
he has run his hometown
marathon since an accident
seven years ago in which his
hip and pelvis were shattered
and led to a 10-week stay in
Mount Sinai Hospital in New
York.
From being a competitive
runner who had competed
in 17 marathons prior to the
accident, Bernstein had to
learn to walk again. Even now
he admits that he copes with
tremendous pain every day
because of the accident. “It’
s
with me all the time, but the
more I move the better and
running has helped me get
stronger every day. I’
m very
excited to run the marathon in
my home city.
”
Bernstein will have a
running guide during the
race, local marathon runner,
IRONMAN athlete and for-
mer Michigan State University
All American Athlete Sara
Reichert.
The deadline to register for
Detroit Free Press marathon
events is Oct. 14. Information
on race registration can be
found at freepmarathon.com/
register.
Blind Justice to Run
Marathon
STATE OF MICHIGAN
Six months ago, five cou-
ples from suburban Detroit
planned a trip to Israel for
early September. While six
of the 10 had traveled to the
Holy Land before, four were
planning their first visit.
What made this trip so spe-
cial was that all five of the
women and three men (one
included an Israeli relative)
marked their bat and bar
mitzvahs at the Western
Wall. The service, conduct-
ed by Rabbi Ada Zavidov
and Cantor Evan Cohen,
was the highlight of this
special trip. Ruevin Marko,
former head of Israel’
s
reform movement, put the
group in touch with the
Kehilat Har-el synagogue,
located in the Jerusalem
city center. All five couples
participated in the morning
service.
A Special Trip to Israel
COURTESY OF GLENN CERESNIE
Rabbi Zavidov, Glenn Ceresnie, Nancy Ceresnie,
Renee Unger, Ruevin Marko, Susan Hersh, Dr.
Nelson Hersh, Nancy Shapiro, Sem de la Costa,
Carol Steffes and Cantor Cohen