APRIL 8 • 2021 | 47
OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY
FRANK AISHISKIN, 86, of
Oak Park, died March 28,
2021.
He is survived by many
loving nieces, nephews,
other relatives and good
friends.
Mr. Aishiskin was the dear
brother and brother-in-law
of the late Ann and the late
Tobi Goldoftas, the late
Miriam and the late Sidney
Rosen.
Contributions may be
made to a charity of one’s
choice. A graveside service
was held at Machpelah
Cemetery in Ferndale.
Arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.
IRWIN S.
ALPERN, 84, of
West Bloomfield,
died March 26,
2021.
Irwin loved his
family deeply and enjoyed
the accomplishments of his
wife, children, grandchildren
and friends. He was a
dedicated certified public
accountant and adviser
to many for more than
60 years. He was a valued
member of the Michigan
Association of CPAs.
Irwin was also an expert
genealogist and was
passionate about finding
his own family history and
assisting others in their
searches. He always cheered
his MSU Spartans. He was
compassionate, caring and
had a full-hearted desire to
be of service to others.
Mr. Alpern was the
beloved husband for 60
years of Barbara (Sorscher)
Alpern, Ph.D.; cherished
father of Bernard “BJ”
(Pyper) Alpern, Dr.
Elizabeth (Dr. Michael
Berkwits) Alpern and Marc
Alpern; proud and loving
zaydie of Hannah King,
Samuel, Margaret and
Charlotte Alpern, and Ava
and Talia Berkwits; dear
brother-in-law of Dr. Irving
Sorscher; loving brother
of the late Eugene Alpern;
brother-in-law of Phyllis
Alpern; devoted son of
the late Philip and the late
Blanche Alpern; son-in-law
of the late Shirley Sorscher.
He is also survived by many
other loving family and dear
longtime friends.
Interment was at Clover
Hill Park Cemetery.
Contributions may be
made to Adat Shalom
Synagogue, 29901
Middlebelt, Farmington
Hills, MI 48334, adatshalom.
org/tributes-make-a-
donation-in-honor-
or-in-memory; Jewish
Genealogical Society
of Michigan, P.O. Box
251693, West Bloomfield,
MI 48325, jgsmi.
org; or Jewish Family
Service, 6555 W. Maple
Road, West Bloomfield,
MI 48322, jfsdetroit.
org. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
JOSEPH
BRADLEY
BECKER, 78, of
Traverse City,
Mich., passed
away peacefully
on March 27, 2021.
He was born in New York
City on Nov. 8, 1942, to
Julian and Estelle (Kuklin)
Becker. He graduated from
the Bronx High School of
continued on page 48
A
federal program is
working through the
state funeral associa-
tions to reimburse funeral costs
for those who lost a loved one
to COVID-19.
Under the
CARES Act of 2021
and the American
Rescue Plan Act
of 2021, Congress
authorized FEMA
to provide finan-
cial assistance to individuals
who incurred COVID-19-
related funeral expenses after
Jan. 20, 2020.
Those who lost a loved one
to COVID-19 can qualify for
reimbursement of funeral
expenses up to $9,000.
The Ira Kaufman Chapel is
taking part in the program and,
according to its funeral director,
David Techner, letters corre-
sponding to death certificates
are being sent out with infor-
mation on how individuals can
receive this money.
Techner says he’s willing to
help any family from the Jewish
community with this process,
whether Ira Kaufman handled
arrangements for them or not.
“I give the COVID-relief
people credit for convincing
the government this was a
worthwhile expense,
” Techner
said. “It’s a way of saying, ‘we’re
really sorry for the pain caused
by this.
’”
FEMA issued its program
policy, including details such as
eligibility and documentation
criteria and the application
process for how funds will be
distributed to families.
FEMA will only award
COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
for a deceased individual on a
single application. If multiple
people contributed to funeral
expenses, they need to register
under a single application.
Applicants must have
incurred the funeral expenses
and applicants must be U.S. citi-
zens, legal residents, asylees, ref-
ugees or non-citizen nationals.
Applicants must provide a
copy of the certified death cer-
tificate, which must indicate the
death “may have been caused
by” or “was likely a result of”
COVID-19 or COVID-19-like
symptoms. Similar phrases are
also acceptable.
Applicants must also pro-
vide proof of funeral expenses
incurred. Documentation
(receipts, funeral home con-
tract, etc.) must include the
applicant’s name as the respon-
sible person for the expense,
the deceased individual’s name,
the amount of funeral expenses
and that funeral expenses were
incurred after Jan. 20, 2020.
Eligible funeral expenses
include transportation for up to
two individuals to identify the
deceased individual, transfer of
remains, casket or urn, burial
plot or cremation niche, marker
or headstone, clergy or officiant
services, arrangement of the
funeral ceremony, use of funeral
home equipment or staff, cre-
mation or interment costs and
any additional expenses man-
dated by local or state govern-
ment laws or ordinances.
David
Techner
Up to $9,000 for past expenses
provided under new U.S. program.
COVID Funeral
Reimbursement
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER