THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
the card caterer
Shehekhiyanu: Adat Shalom Celebrates
a New Beginning With Mortgage Payoff
By HEIDI PRESS
Through individual sol-
icitation and a telephone
campaign, Adat Shalom
Synagogue's 14-month Op-
eration Ner Tamid (Eternal
Light) fund-raising cam-
paign resulted in the con-
gregation's paying off its
$1.915 million mortgage on
March 16.
According to Executive
Director Alan Yost, "45 per-
cent of the congregation
participated. (The result)
exceeded our original ex-.
pectations."
Adat Shalom has come a
long way since June 1975,
when it filed a Chapter XI
bankruptcy petition. At
that time the congregation
was delinquent in its
monthly mortgage pay-
ments and owed an addi-
tional $1 million — in bank
loans, to trade creditors and
to its own bondholders. The
builder of the synagogue
had brought suit against
the congregation for pay-
ment.
"The sentiment at that
time was to close the door
and move down the
street," Yost said.
But, by 1976, the congre-
gation was able to keep cur-
rent on its mortgage pay-
ments and the mortgage
was reinstated, despite the
fact that foreclosure had
been started. Sol Moss, then
president of the synagogue,
said that the "bank agreed
to reduce our mortgage
payments substantially for
six years upon the condition
that the entire mortgage
would be due at the end of
that time."
By February 1982, all
other bank loans were re-
paid, and the congregation
won the lawsuit with the
builder. Moss added that
the "plan of arrangement
with the Chapter XI cre-
ditors provided for annual
payments without interest
over 10 years." A year ago,
the congregation had
reached the midpoint in
payments, according to
Moss.
"We have paid out every
*
ALAN YOST
dollar we ever owed," cur-
rent President Dr. Milton
Shiffman boasted, and owed
the accomplishment to the
Ner Tamid campaign,
which he chaired with Joel
Gershenson, the
synagogue's current first
vice president.
The
campaign
"guaranteed that the
lights in our synagogue
never went out," Yost
added.
Asked how the funds were
raised, Dr. Shiffman said
"we begged, cajoled, stole —
we did whatever we could
do." Yost added that the
bank gave the congregation
a six-year payout mortgage.
Meanwhile, a total of $1
million had been given to
the bank in interest alone.
Yom Kippur appeals were
used to pay the interest on
the mortgage.
A committee was formed,
and every member of the
synagogue was contacted.
"We looked in every account
we had," Dr. Shiffman said,
"That's how we got the
$1.915 million."
Asked if any of the com-
munal agencies were ap-
proached for help, Yost said
"we refused to go to anyone
else. We conducted an in-
house campaign."
Dr. Shiffman said
"routine operating costs
were handled by dues."
He added that the
synagogue caterer "pays
a percentage of every dol-
lar he gets" to the
synagogue.
Yost had praise for what
he called the coalition who
conducted Operation Ner
Tamid. "We're fortunate to
have a coalition who worked
together far better than any
organization I've ever seen.
"(It was) aware of what
the situation was and
reached a compromise to
benefit the entire
synagogue." Yost estimated
that about 5-7 percent of the
money would be uncollecta-
ble.
The synagogue's officers,
Dr. Shiffman, Gershenson,
Irwin Alterman, Barbara
Cook, Dr. Harry Maisel,
Ralph Woronoff, Leonard
Siegal and Sandy
Eichenhorn, comprised the
coalition spearheading the
fund raising. But Yost
added that Norman Allan,
who once before came to the
congregation's rescue, was
invaluable to the campaign.
"No one worked harder or
has given more of his time
than Norman Allan."
Dr. Shiffman concur-
red. "Norman Allan took
the reins and got the ball
rolling."
Asked if there were plans
Friday, March 25, 1983 17
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Best Wishes For A Happy,
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from the Board of Directors,
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Ben Elder, left, president of Empire of America,
Michigan Division, presents .the discharge of the
synagogue's mortgage to Adat Shalom Synagogue
President Dr. Milton Shiffman.
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