A

lvin Maurice Stilman, 87, 
died Oct. 17, 2022. 
He was born in 
Detroit on Nov. 3, 1934. He 
attended Central High School and 
enjoyed running on the track and 
cross-country teams. Then, he 
attended Wayne State University 
where he majored in Latin. 
Within six months of college 
graduation, Alvin married Ann 
(née Holten), was drafted to 
the Army and was stationed in 
Germany. While serving there, 
Ann and Alvin lived off-base and 
enjoyed interacting with the locals. 
In Erlangen, Germany, they wel-
comed the birth of their first son, 
Jeffrey, in 1959. 
Following completion of his 
service, Alvin, Ann and Jeffrey 
toured Germany before returning 
to Detroit. In 1961, the family wel-
comed their second son, Steven. 
Alvin worked as a Latin teacher 
at East Detroit High School for 
seven years. Then, he opened 
Alvin’s Finer Delicatessen, a sta-
ple on Wayne State University’s 
campus. Alvin’s was well-known 
for Sunday brunch, where artists, 
musicians and poets could come 
together to enjoy bagels and the 
New York Times (both rarities in 
that era) while listening to live jazz 
and sitting by a crackling fire.
Following his divorce, Alvin 
moved to Mexico City for about 
two years. There, he met Cort 
Strandberg, with whom he moved 
to San Francisco to start his next 
business venture. In the Mission 
district, Cort and Alvin opened 
Café Babar which felt, to the many 
regulars, like an extension of one’s 
living room. Guests, who knew 
Cort and Alvin by name, could 
listen to live music and enjoy 
poetry readings there until Alvin 
sold the business in 1999. During 
his time in San Francisco, Alvin 
met Renée Luby, who would go on 
to be his partner for life. Together, 
they purchased a second home 
in southwest France, where they 
spent many summers and enjoyed 
entertaining their numerous vis-

itors. 
Alvin will be remembered for 
his authenticity and spunk, his 
affinity for decor with an animal 
motif and his famous moustache. 
He was extremely social and 
a great conversationalist who 
could make a lifelong friend out 
of an acquaintance on public 
transportation. He made each 
of his dreams a reality and was 
undeterred by the possibility of 
failure. Alvin was an open-mind-
ed polyglot, a fantastic cook and 
a wonderful friend who loved 
tennis, jazz, wine and crosswords. 
Alvin will be missed dearly, for he 
touched the hearts of many; and 
his stories will live on through 
them.
Alvin is survived by his partner, 
Renée Luby; children, Jeffrey and 
Erin Stilman of Farmington Hills, 
Steven and Ronald Stilman of 
Royal Oak; grandchildren, Joshua 
and Adrienne Stilman, Leah and 
Christopher Jansen; great-grand-
daughter, Cambria Stilman. 
Mr. Stilman was the loving son 
of the late Joseph and the late 
Lillian Stilman; dear brother and 
brother-in-law of the late Honey 
and the late Mike Weingarden, 
the late Gladys and the late Teddy 
Allen, the late Beatrice Stein. 
Contributions may be made to 
a charity of one’s choice. A grave-
side service was held at Hebrew 
Memorial Park. Arrangements by 
Hebrew Memorial Chapel. 

An Eclectic Individual

NOVEMBER 3 • 2022 | 61

Alvin Stilman

American Leaders Pledge to 
Combat Anti-Semitism on 4th 
Anniversary of Pittsburgh Attack

JNS.ORG

Oct. 27 marked the fourth 
anniversary of the shooting at 
the Tree of Life synagogue in 
Pittsburgh, which remains the 
deadliest antisemitic attack in 
U.S. history. Robert Bowers, 
who killed 11 worshippers, 
stormed into the Conservative 
synagogue on that Shabbat 
morning screaming “
All Jews 
must die” and later told law 
enforcement that Jews “were 
committing a genocide to his 
people.”
“In the four years since 
that terrible day, the people 
of Pittsburgh have shown us 
what it means to be stronger 
than hate,” President Joe Biden 
said Oct. 27. “Welcoming the 
community to Torah study 
sessions. Showing their support 
for refugees and immigrants. 
Reimagining the Tree of Life 
synagogue as both sanctuary 
and memorial. The courage 
and character of the Pittsburgh 
community remains an inspi-
ration to us all.”
The Pittsburgh attack came 
against the backdrop of rising 
antisemitism in the U.S. and 
worldwide, a trend that con-
tinues to intensify today. It 
was followed by the April 2019 
synagogue shooting in Poway 
as well as attacks in Monsey 
and Jersey City. According to 
the Anti-Defamation League, 
antisemitic incidents reached 
an all-time high in the U.S. in 
2021, with the more than 2,715 
instances of Jew-hatred repre-
senting a 34% increase from 
2020. Tel Aviv University’s 

Center for the Study of 
Contemporary European 
Jewry also documented that 
in 2021, antisemitic incidents 
rose 75% in France and 29% in 
Germany.
“
As we grieve this dead-
liest act of antisemitism in 
American history, we stand 
with the community of Squirrel 
Hill — and Jewish communi-
ties across America and around 
the world — in resolving to 
combat antisemitism and hate 
in all of its forms,” Biden said. 
“This is especially true as we 
witness an ugly increase in 
antisemitism in America.”
U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen 
(D-Nev.) and James Lankford 
(R-Okla.) as well as Reps. 
Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) 
and Chris Smith (R-N.J.), 
co-chairs of the Senate and 
House Bipartisan Task Forces 
for Combating Antisemitism, 
respectively, said in a joint 
statement that the Pittsburgh 
attack “was not an isolated 
incident — Jewish Americans 
are increasingly the targets of 
antisemitic harassment, van-
dalism and violent assaults.”
 “
At a time of heightened 
fear and anxiety for the Jewish 
community — when celebrities 
and emboldened extremist 
groups are increasingly spew-
ing virulent antisemitism 
openly — let us recommit 
today to rejecting and con-
demning antisemitism in all its 
forms so that no other commu-
nity has to ever experience a 
similar tragedy,” they stated. 

