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