Views To make a donation to the DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION go to the website www.djnfoundation.org The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) is published every Thursday at 29200 Northwestern Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send changes to: Detroit Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern Hwy., #110, Southfield, MI 48034. 8 | APRIL 30 • 2020 1942 - 2020 Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week jn giving thanks A Random Act of Kindness by a Cemetery Worker O n Dec. 25, 2018, my beloved mom and best friend, Bev Rosenthal, passed away. I was inconsolable, as was my entire family, especially my father, having been married to his best friend for over 58.5 years. They were inseparable. After my mom’ s passing, my father would visit her grave almost daily at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale. It was a routine of his that he had not broken until this past January, when he took a horrific fall on ice, breaking his arm in two places, and then had a heart attack right before the surgery to repair his broken bones. I had my own routine of visiting my mom at the cemetery until last month when the cemetery closed due to the coro- navirus pandemic. Last week, I called Machpelah to inquire when they thought they may re-open, so I could continue visiting my mom’ s grave and take my dad with me, as he missed his daily visits terribly. I spoke with Kim Saville, who couldn’ t have been more understanding, sympathetic and kind. Ms. Saville explained they did not have a date yet to reopen to the public, and she then listened to me tell her about my dad and his daily visits to his wife’ s grave. All of a sudden, Ms. Saville excitedly said, “Oh! I know your dad! He comes daily to see your mom. He’ s a sweetheart! I clean the snow off the bench for him, as he’ s here daily. Is he OK?” I then explained what transpired with my dad: his fall, broken arm and heart attack. I reassured her he was OK and recovering at home. I explained I would visit my mom and that I wished I could take my dad to see her in the near future, but I totally understood and respected their reasons for closing off the cemetery to the public. Ms. Saville then went so far as to offer to send me a photo of my mom’ s grave site via email, and she asked if she could send my dad a get-well card, too. I was shocked and surprised that someone would actually go out of their way to do this, and I graciously accepted her kind offer. A few hours later I received a phone call from my dad. He explained that someone came to his door and handed him a card and an 8 by 10-inch photo of Mom’ s grave site! He couldn’ t believe it. He was so touched by this gesture, as was I. I told him about my conversation with Ms. Saville earlier that day, and he said, “Yes, she said she spoke with you and just wanted to drop off the card and photo per- sonally. ” I had tears in my eyes as my dad was describing this to me. (He was choked up, too.) I love to perform Random Acts of Kindness periodically, and when someone else practices this same ritual, especially for my dad, I can’ t tell you how much that means. I was touched beyond words. I immediately got on my computer and sent Ms. Saville an email thanking her profusely for her incredibly kind act. In times of such uncertainty, stress and selfishness in this world, there are human beings who just want to make a difference and do something nice for others. If there were more “Kim Savilles” in this world, it sure would be a different place. — Lynn Rosenthal Oak Park Arthur M. Horwitz Publisher ahorwitz@renmedia.us F. Kevin Browett Chief Operating Officer kbrowett@renmedia.us | Editorial Editor: Andrew Lapin alapin@thejewishnews.com Associate Editor: Jackie Headapohl jheadapohl@renmedia.us Social Media and Digital Producer: Nathan Vicar nvicar@renmedia.us Multimedia Reporter: Corrie Colf ccolf@renmedia.us Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@renmedia.us Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin dannyraskin2132@gmail.com Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar rsklar@renmedia.us Contributing Editor: David Sachs Contributing Writers: Nate Bloom, Shari S. Cohen, George Elkind, Lynne Konstnatin, Jennifer Lovy, Robin Schwartz, Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg, Mike Smith, Julie Smith Yolles | Advertising Sales Vice President of Sales and Business Development: Carol Kruemmer ckruemmer@renmedia.us Senior Account Executive: Keith Farber kfarber@renmedia.us Account Executives: Catherine Grace, Annette Kizy, Kathy Harvey-Mitton | Business Office Operations Manager: Andrea Gusho agusho@renmedia.us Operations Assistant / Event Coordinator: Ashlee Szabo Circulation: Danielle Smith Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner | Production By Farago & Associates Manager: Scott Drzewiecki Designers: Jessica Joannides, Kelly Kosek, Kaitlyn Schoen, Michelle Sheridan | Detroit Jewish News Partner: Arthur M. Horwitz ahorwitz@renmedia.us Partner: F. Kevin Browett kbrowett@renmedia.us Partner: Michael H. Steinhardt How to reach us see page 10 LYNN ROSENTHAL