AUGUST 11 • 2022 | 19
When Daniel married Joanne,
they settled in Flint at first
because Daniel had joined his
father’s dental practice, but they
moved to Southfield to be clos-
er to the Jewish day schools in
1986. Daniel commuted to Flint
until he retired in June 2022.
“I’m the luckiest daughter-
in-law in the whole world,”
Joanne said. “I knew my
in-laws longer than my own
parents. My father-in-law is the
most incredible person. I have
so much fun with him.”
Most unusual is that each of
Sam’s grandchildren feels spe-
cial and close to him and his
late wife.
“My mother was a prolific
writer,” Daniel said. “She wrote
the most beautiful letters to her
grandchildren, offering advice,
showing concern, giving inspi-
ration. It led to such meaning-
ful relationships.”
According to Joanne, Sam is
a realist. “When we were sit-
ting shivah for my mother-in-
law, he was telling us frankly,
‘People are born, then they live
and then they die’ and ‘When
it’s your turn, it’s your turn,’”
she said. “It reminded me of
the song ‘Circle of Life.’”
COMMISSIONED TORAH
AT KIDS’ B’NAI MITZVAH
Things are really coming
full circle now because the
commissioned Torah will
be on loan at Young Israel
of Southfield and Sam’s
great-grandson Max will be
the first to read from it on his
bar mitzvah on Parshat Noach,
which falls on Oct. 28-29 of
this year. Max considers it a
huge honor to be the first.
“In the next 10 years, we
have four grandsons who will
become b’nai mitzvah,” Daniel
said. “What better legacy than
for them to start their adult
Jewish lives by reading from
the Torah that was commis-
sioned for their great-grand-
parents?”
Once the Gotlibs decided
how to commemorate Sam’s
milestone birthday, they
quickly realized that procuring
a Torah was much more com-
plicated than they’d thought.
Their friends, Debbie and Avi
Fox of Skokie helped them
with the process. The Torah
was bought from Israel to
Michigan on July 21.
The last 80 letters of the
Torah have not yet been
inscribed. Rabbi Yehoshua
Ellis, a sofer (scribe) from
Oak Park, will complete the
honors on Aug. 21 at the cel-
ebration, which will begin at
Ari and Shirli Gotlib’s home in
Southfield. The entire commu-
nity is welcome to join in the
dancing and festivities as the
Torah will be marched to Young
Israel of Southfield under the
chuppah in grand style.
Sam will be attending,
of course, as will his chil-
dren, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
“Organizing this event has
been so emotional,” Joanne
shared.
Sam’s actual birthday was
Feb. 18, so his children and
many of his grandchildren and
great-grandchildren flew in to
help him celebrate at his home
in Century Village in Florida.
“My father-in-law wrote his
own speech and said a heartfelt
Shehichiyanu, thanking God
for his life and enabling him
to reach this occasion,” Joanne
said. “There wasn’t a dry eye in
the room. It was an exceptional
weekend.”
Fun was had by all. The men
wore customized ties for the
occasion and the kids had col-
or-in T-shirts.
“
At 100, my father doesn’t
have any friends left; he’s out-
lived them all,” Daniel said.
“So, it was especially mean-
ingful for him to see the more
than 50 relatives and friends
who turned up to celebrate his
remarkable long life.”
Sam is looking forward to
Aug. 21.
“He’s excited,” Daniel said.
“He’s so touched and happy to
know the legacy that he and
my mom began is being con-
tinued, that their values and
traditions live on.”
LEFT: From the first celebration in Florida, four generations: Jacob Gotlib, Daniel Gotlib, Ari Gotlib, Alex Gotlib, Max Gotlib and Sam Gotlib.
RIGHT: Sam Gotlib celebrated his 100th birthday in Florida. Here he is surrounded by his great-grandchildren Eitan Waltz, Alex Gotlib, Max
Gotlib, Sophia Gotlib, Uriel Schmueli and Jacob Gotlib. HOW TO GO: Festivities for the Torah commemoration begin at 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 21,
at 22455 Chatsford Circuit in Southfield. The procession to Young Israel of Southfield starts at 11:45 a.m. with the celebration at 12:15 p.m.