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R

abbi Levi Shemtov of the Friendship 
Circle said it best — “She was a special 
woman.
” And no one deserved this hon-
orific more than Alene Landau of Bloomfield 
Hills, who passed away on June 1, 2021, at the 
age of 92.
Alene was born and raised in Detroit, as Rabbi 
Shemtov stated, “in a home with a strong value 
of dedication to the Jewish community. She 
took her responsibility as the continuation of an 
important legacy very seri-
ously.
”
Family and charitable 
acts were the essence of 
Alene’s life. Speaking about 
her mother, daughter Julee 
Landau Shahon, declared, 
“She was my rock, she was 
there for her family 24/7, 
and she always did the right 
thing. She was a remarkable 
person.
” 
Close friend Larry Jackier 
relates that “
Alene was like a 
walking encyclopedia when 
it came to recalling things 
that her family members 
had accomplished. 
“I was always happily astonished at the 
amount of the detail of events and other charita-
ble activities that were at her fingertips ... she was 
consistent in wanting to help others. 
“She did things directly from her heart.
”
One of Alene’s passions was making sure that 
the memory of her parents, Irving and Bettye 
Blumberg, and her aunt and uncle, would not 
disappear over time. In this respect, the Louis 
& Edith Blumberg Foundation was the primary 
vehicle for her family’s charitable giving. She 
insisted that her Aunt Edith’s name was included 
when the Foundation was formed. 
Many institutions have benefited from the 
Foundation’s generous support, including 
Sinai Hospital and the Rothberg School of 
International Studies at the Hebrew University, 
Bar-Ilan and Technion Universities in Israel. 
Locally, the Foundation supported JARC, 
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, the Friendship 
Circle, the United Jewish Foundation and Jewish 
Senior Life, to name just a few.
For most of her life, these good works come 
from a partnership with her late husband, 

Graham Landau. Alene often delighted in telling 
the story of how she first met Graham at a Red 
Wings hockey game. Graham, by the way, was a 
bona fide hero of World War II. 
Jewish News Publisher Emeritus Arthur 
Horwitz said, “Over the decades, Alene Landau, 
and the Blumberg and Landau families have 
played integral roles in helping to shape our 
Jewish community. We have all benefited from 
their work.
”
The Detroit Jewish News 
Foundation is honored to have 
the “
Alene and Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair,
” which was 
named in recognition of a most 
generous gift from the Louis C. 
and Edith Blumberg Foundation. 
Alene’s interest in family and 
Jewish history was one primary 
reason for her support of the idea 
of a communal archive and an 
archivist. 
Yes, indeed. Alene Landau was 
a “special woman,
” who helped 
shape and develop Detroit’s mod-
ern Jewish community. She was a 
warm, loving person and she will 
be greatly missed.
Alene Landau is survived by her daughter and 
son-in-law, Julee Landau Shahon and Dr. Robert 
Shahon; son and daughter-in-law, Irving Marc 
and Denise Landau; grandchildren, Chelsea 
Landau, Jordan and Brittany Landau, and Ian 
Landau; great-grandchildren, Keira Rose Landau 
and Josie Jae Landau. 
Mrs. Landau was the beloved wife of the late 
Graham Landau and the devoted daughter of the 
late Irving and the late Bettye Blumberg.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. 
Contributions may be made to Jewish Hospice 
& Chaplaincy Network, 6555 W. Maple, West 
Bloomfield, MI 48322, jewishhospice.org; 
Friendship Circle, 6892 W. Maple Road, West 
Bloomfield, MI 48322, friendshipcircle.org/
donate; or Congregation Beth Tefillah, 6529 E. 
Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85254, 
bethtefillahaz.org. Arrangements were by Ira 
Kaufman Chapel. 

Mike Smith is the Alene and Graham Landau Archivist Chair 

at the Detroit Jewish News Foundation and writes the weekly 

“Looking Back” column in the Jewish News.

A Most Generous Heart

MIKE SMITH DJN FOUNDATION

Alene Landau and her late husband, 
Graham (left), greet the late author 
and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel 
at Congregation Shaarey Zedek.

MORT FIRSHT, 
85, of Novi, died 
June 7, 2021. 
He is survived 
by his beloved 
wife, Arlene 
Firsht; daughter and son-in-
law, Cathy and Ray Lambert; 
sons and daughters-in-law, 
Barry and Terri Firsht, 
Jonathan and Michal Firsht; 
grandchildren, Benjamin 
(Aliza) Lambert, Alex 
Lambert, Matthew (Elizabeth) 
Firsht, Adam Firsht, Sharone 
(Joseph) Bigelman, Elana 
Firsht and Daniel (Rachel) 
Firsht; great-grandchildren, 
Noah, Ari, Amelia and Ava; 
brother-in-law and sister-
in-law, Howard and Cheryl 
Sandler; many other loving 
family members and friends. 
Mr. Firsht was the brother 
of the late Sandra Fiarman. 
Contributions may be 
made to the American Cancer 
Society or to a charity of one’s 
choice. Arrangements by 
Dorfman Chapel.

DOROTHY 
GOLD, 87, of 
Commerce, died 
June 5, 2021. 
She is survived 
by her daughters 
and son-in-law, Cynthia and 
Dr. Joel Nass, and Pamela 
Robins; grandchildren, Samuel 
and Rachel Nass, Rachel 
Nass, Joshua Nass, Ashley 
Robins and Hayley Robins; 
great-grandson, Hunter Nass; 
sister, Saundra Chelin; sisters-
in-law, Dorothy Feldman and 
Sandra Feldman; many loving 
nieces and nephews. 
Mrs. Gold was the beloved 
wife of the late Irving Gold; 
the loving sister of the late 
Lynne and the late Issie 
Goodman, the late Fred 
Feldman, and the late Ben 
Feldman; the dear sister-in-
law of the late Harry Chelin, 

