MICHIGAN JEWISH HISTORY - Jewish Historical Society of Michigan

MICHIGAN JEWISH HISTORY
and he hopes that they - and Louis Panush in particular - would “be
proud of me.” Ruth Elconin (Bornstein) went on to teach in the
Detroit schools and work in administration before she retired. She
recalled Central as a “safe place” where she received an excellent
preparation for college that was both stimulating and challenging.
Other outstanding graduates included Elliot Luby, a psychiatrist and
director of the Lafayette Clinic; Charlotte Waterstone (Rothstein),
mayor of Oak Park, Michigan, and Henry Geller, a television “Quiz
Kid” and later scientist.
1943 GRADS
1943 A statement on the opening page of the Centralite was dedicated to
young men in service and encouraged the student body to “Give
to the limit for the life which it knows and loves. This is worth
fighting for.” Advertisements at the back of the book included one
from Michigan Bell: “Girls, you would like this kind of war work.”
Among the graduates were Seymour “Mickey” Tuchow, known
today as Michael Tolan, movie and TV actor, and Warren Coville, a
photographer who found success with Guardian Photo. Coville and
his wife, Margot, are noted for their charitable deeds. The Jewish
Federation Apartments on the Eugene and Marcia Applebaum
Jewish Community Campus in West Bloomfield, Michigan is
named for Edward Meer and his wife, Norma (Central Class of
`44). Joann Freeman became a concert pianist, Jack Gorback a
well known local photographer and Melvin Rosenhaus a builder
and supporter of Jewish causes. Another graduate who became
an outstanding supporter of the arts and sciences was Gilbert
Silverman, who married Lila Smith, Class of `51.
1944 Many of this year’s graduates went on to make outstanding
contributions to the arts. Esther Masserman (Broner), became
well known for her writings about liberalizing the lives of Jewish
women. In 1976, she teamed up with prominent feminists Bella
Abzug, Phyllis Chester and Gloria Steinem -- “The Seder Sisters” – to
organize a women’s seder, which took place annually for more than
20 years. Broner’s works are in the archives of Brandeis University.
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