OUR COMMUNITY

30 | APRIL 14 • 2022 

I

t took three tries 
— scheduling and 
rescheduling amid 
COVID-19 concerns — 
but as they say, the third 
time’s the charm for the 
sixth annual Bates Street 
Society Dinner. The 
black-tie optional gala, 
hosted by The Community 
House in Birmingham and 
The Community House 
Foundation Board of 
Directors, will finally take 
place in person April 30. Five 
members of the local Jewish 
community will be among 
those honored for their 
contributions in wellness, 
education, culture, business 
and philanthropy.
“The Bates Street Society 
Dinner provides us with the 
opportunity to recognize 
ordinary people doing 
extraordinary things. It truly 
is a night of inspiration,” said 
William D. Seklar, president 
and CEO of The Community 
House and The Community 
House Foundation. “This 
is one day out of the year 
when we pause to celebrate 
the talents and contributions 
of those who exemplify 
our pillars with the goal 
of inspiring the broader 
community.”
This year’s honorees, 

known as the “Pillars of 
Vibrancy,” include:
• Barry Franklin, Ph.D., 
director, Preventive 
Cardiology and Cardiac 
Rehabilitation, Beaumont 
Health, and professor, 
Internal Medicine, Oakland 
University William 
Beaumont School of 
Medicine
• Lila Lazarus, an award-
winning news anchor and 
health reporter who serves 
as a spokesperson for Trinity 
Health
• Rabbi Daniel Syme, rabbi 
emeritus at Temple Beth El 
who has dedicated his life to 
raising awareness of the issue 
of youth suicide
• Linda Schlesinger-
Wagner, fashion industry 
veteran and founder of 
skinnytees
• Evan Weiner, president 
and CEO of the Edw. C. 
Levy Companies, a 100-year-
old construction materials 
company 

Also being recognized are 
former Detroit mayor and 
retired NBA player Dave 
Bing; Dominic DiMarco, 
president of the Cranbrook 
Educational Community; 
Duane Mezwa, M.D., dean 
of the Oakland University 

William Beaumont School 
of Medicine and chair of the 
Department of Diagnostic 
Radiology and Molecular 
Imaging at OUWB; and 
brand strategist Jessie Beld-
Elliott. Recently retired Fox 
2 News anchor Huel Perkins 
will serve as the evening’s 
emcee.
“I am honored by this 
recognition relative to the 
research-based wellness, 
rehabilitation and health 
enhancement interventions 
we’ve developed over the 
years,” Dr. Franklin said. 
“I am indebted to Drs. 
Seymour Gordon and Gerald 
C. Timmis, who provided 
me with a once-in-a-lifetime 
opportunity to direct the 
preventive cardiology/
cardiac rehabilitation 
program at Beaumont 
Hospital. Also, special 
thanks to Beaumont Health 
who invariably supported my 
career aspirations and paid 
me to do what I love doing 
over the past 37 years.”
Founded in 1923, The 
Community House is 
a nonprofit charitable 
organization that provides 
a place for personal, 
professional, philanthropic 
and recreational pursuits. 
Over nearly 100 years, it has 

From a rabbi to a cardiology expert, honorees help 
others and give back to the community. 

Bates Street Society 
Dinner to Honor 5 
Jewish ‘Pillars’

ROBIN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

continued on page 32

Lila Lazarus

Linda Schlesinger-Wagner

Barry Franklin

Evan Weiner

Rabbi Daniel Syme

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