DECEMBER 19 • 2019 | 63
MELVIN
DENENBERG,
93, of West
Bloomfield, died
Dec. 6, 2019.
He is survived
by his nieces, nephews, great-
nieces and great-nephews,
David (Gloria) Wilen, Helane
(Craig) Maer, Dennis (Carole)
Borinstein, Eric Engelson,
Matthew (Christina) Milter,
Courtney (Chad) Larson,
Alyssa (Anthony) Jaroenngarm,
Meredith (Jim) Pharis, Clark
Engelson.
Mr. Denenberg was the loving
son of the late David and the
late Cecilia Denenberg; devoted
brother of the late Rose (the late
Mannie) Wilen and the late Dora
(the late Morris) Borinstein;
uncle of the late JoAnn Engelson.
Interment took place at
Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak.
Contributions may be made to
Smile Train, the Area Agency
on Aging or to Jewish Senior
Life. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.
THELMA ELSON,
95, of West
Bloomfield, died
Dec. 9, 2019.
She is survived
by her son and
daughter-in-law, Bill
and Rochelle Elson; daughter
and son-in-law, Edie and Rob
Wolk; grandchildren, Dana (Jon)
Sturtz, Lauren (Sean) Mueller,
Stefanie (Matt) Owen, Katie
(Jeff) Johnston and Jimmy (Jae)
Wolk; great-grandchildren, Ella,
Annabel, Avery, Emmett, Isaac,
Eden, Jeffrey, Layla, Charlie and
Lucy Kate.
Mrs. Elson was the beloved
wife of the late Harold Elson; the
devoted sister of the late Ruth
Sills.
Interment took place at
Clover Hill Park Cemetery in
Birmingham. Contributions
may be made to Jewish Senior
Life. Arrangements by Dorfman
Chapel.
I
da Rosenblum, who was a
leader from a young age,
died Dec. 4, 2019.
Born on May 1, 1925, to
Morris and Rifka Dobrowitsky,
Ida distinguished herself on
the debate team at Wayne State
University in debates held at
the College of William and
Mary and at West Point, where
she won first-place honors. She
was chosen by Wayne State to
represent the United States in
the first Mock United Nations.
She went back to school at
Wayne State University many
years later to receive a mas-
ter’
s degree in guidance and
counseling.
Among her many accom-
plishments, Ida served as
vice president of the Jewish
Community Council of
Metro Detroit. She was very
active with the Roundtable
of Christians and Jews.
She organized a chapter of
Hadassah and became an
executive vice president.
She helped establish a study
group with members of a
Birmingham church to affirm
religious tolerance. She led
the fight to remove the place-
ment of Gideon Bibles in the
Birmingham and Bloomfield
school districts. Ida was also
honored by the city of Oak
Park in 2003 for her many
contributions to Congregation
Beth Shalom and the Oak
Park community.
Ida had a lifelong commit-
ment to her philanthropic
efforts supporting the Jewish
community. Because she lost
most of her extended family
in WWII, her family meant
everything to Ida.
Beside Ida’
s many accom-
plishments, she was a voracious
reader of world events, fiction
and nonfiction works. She
was a noteworthy bridge and
mahjong player, playing sev-
eral times a week at the senior
independent residence where
she resided.
Ida loved to sing aloud and
was an active member of the
Meer Apartments’
choir. She
was one of the most fantas-
tic gourmet kosher cooks of
her generation. She and her
husband, Albert, were con-
summate entertainers, having
large groups they were part of
to their home often, making
it look effortless.
Ida was a founding
member of Beth Shalom.
Albert and her brother,
Max Dobrowitsky, built the
original Beth Shalom syna-
gogue building. Ida served
as the first president of its
sisterhood, which raised the
money to buy the land Beth
Shalom was built on.
Ida married Albert Rosen-
blum on June 17, 1947. Their
idea of dating was “walking
around campus together,
talking.
” Married 63 years, their
special bond spanned more
than six decades, until Albert’
s
passing in October 2010.
At her funeral, Rabbi Robert
Gamer said about Ida that
“God uses good people to do
great things … [and that] Ida
… was such a person.
”
Rabbi Emeritus David
Nelson of Beth Shalom said,
“When a great person departs
from a community, a circle of
friends, and especially from a
close, loving family, the com-
munity is greatly diminished.
The incredible spirit of Ida,
a true eshet chayil (woman
of valor), has left our world
and we are profoundly dimin-
ished.”
In Ida’
s memory, we should
find courage, comfort and
strength.
Ida Rosenblum is survived
by daughter, Diane Rosenblum
(Mark Mitshkun); son, Dr.
Stephen Rosenblum (Dr.
Rosalyn Sarver); daughter,
Susan Rosenblum; grandsons,
Aaron Rosenblum and Daniel
(Jill) Rosenblum; granddaugh-
ter, Dr. Sara Rosenblum (David
Hernandez); great-grandchil-
dren, Theodore and Emery
Rosenblum; many loving
nieces and nephews; and long-
time caregiver, Gwendolyn
McGinnis.
Ida was preceded in death by
her sister, Tillie Bloch; brother,
Max Dobrowitsky; sister-in-
law, Ruth Dobrowitsky. She
was also sister-in-law to the
late Lew and late Anne Rose,
the late Harry and the late
Anita Rosenblum, and the late
Sarah Rosenblum; she was
beloved aunt to the late Marc
Dobrowitsky.
Memorials may be made to
Congregation Beth Shalom,
14601 W
. Lincoln, Oak Park,
MI 48237; Jewish Senior Life,
Meer Apartments, 6760 W
.
Maple Road, West Bloomfield,
MI 48322; or a charity of
one’
s choice. Interment was
at Machpaleh Cemetery.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.
A Loving, Generous
Community Activist
continued on page 64
Ida Rosenblum