86 Friday, July 26, 1985 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS CENTENNIAL SYNAGOGUE With an eye to the future, Traverse City's small Jewish community marks its synagogue's 100th _anniversary. BY HEIDI PRESS Local News Editor Sharon Kowalsky reads from the Torah in preparation for her June bat mitzvah as Mickey and Zack Fivenson (right), Sadie Grossman and Student Rabbi David Wolfman watch. ■ -• A rabbinic duties — "life-cycle events" — for the community, except mar- riages, which as a student he is not yet qualified to do. Fivenson said the student rabbi visitation program started in 1972, and it gave a big boost to the commu- nity, in addition to providing some rabbinical leadership. When Sleutel- berg leaves, student rabbis will be engaged to serve the community on a monthly basis. "(It) has given the shul stability," she adds. Although the rabbi comes from the Reform seminary and the congre- gation is affiliated with the Reform ' movement (Union of American He- brew Congregations), there is really no Ortgle orientation. According to Fivenson, the congregation has a Con- servative Jewish leaning, "but we have to try and find a middle ground." The sources for kosher food are nomi- nal, but Fivenson says local stores cooperate by shipping items to the area. Sleutelberg said keeping kosher the case of the women, she said that is one activity that keeps the commu- other pursuits, work and children among them, have drawn the women nity going. "It's a young vibrant group that away. •"You can't split up your time- takes its Judaism seriously. They do and energy any more." She hopes the future will bring a an incredible amount of programming through the year. They celebrate all of monthly scholar-in-residence program the holidays." and full-time rabbi. At present, the s the centennial of Traverse City's Cong. Beth El ap- proaches, Ellen Fivenson is al- ready looking forward to the next 100 years, A former presidnt, treasurer and secretary of the congregation, Fiven- son is chairing the weekend centen- nial celebration, slated Aug. 2-4. About 30 families make up the con- gregation, and summertime usually brings about ten more. The influx of young families in the area is giving the congregation a posit- ive outlook for continuity, Fivenson said. "Fortunately we have young people. We hope we can continue the programs we have." Currently, the congregation has regular Friday night services, a reli- gious school and adult education classes. Fivenson said plans are in the offing for a pre-school program. Currently, there are no youth groups, no sisterhood or men's club. In , . congregation is served by a student rabbi, Arnold Sleutelberg, a native of Hudson, Mich., who is pursuing studies toward ordination at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. He has come to Traverse City for the past two summers, performing a full range of He said the Jewish community there has seen a revival in the past five to ten years because of the influx of young families. !They do so well for their numbers," the rabbinical student said, jokingly adding that its most 17 1 9 4 XEBREW UN[ ON COLLEGE 'LIBRARY — WALTER ROTHMAN, L IBR CINCINNATI OH 45220 pressing need is to get 60 more families. A "sense of an extended family" is what one feels by going into the small 60-seat sanctuary, Fivenson said. "When you come to the small sanctuary you feel you've made your • Centennial Chairman Ellen Fivenson mark . . . It helps us feel the link be- tween what went on previously and what's going on today." She recalls when she moved to the area in 1970 there were only about ten families affiliated with the synagogue and it was only open for holidays. She credits the people who hung on from the beginning. "We started with the bare minimum and now have some- thing alive and creative." The congregation is active in ecumenical programs . in Traverse City. Sleutelberg and an, Epiicopal priest have "exchange sermons," whereby one will deliver a sermon to the other's congregation. , Fivenson said. she was particu- larly pleased that the general commu- nity has recognized the congregation and invited it to be a part of an ecu- menical assembly. "This community accepted the Jews very openly, especially. from , churches in our area. It's always a matter of cooperation. We're lucky to have that kind of openness," she said. In the past there were interfaith Pesach Sedarim, and once a church group came to buy the community's chametz. The Jewish community also participated in a community-wide "walk for hunger." Anti-Semitism has not been a problem. Fivenson said such incidents were rare and added, "The community is open, tolerant and inquisitive." Jews first came to the area in 1868, but it wasn't until 1882 that ar- ticles of incorporation for a synagogue were filed. Ground was broken in 1885, and an Orthodox synagogue was in the making. In the congregation's early days, only High Holiday services were held because the community, was so widespread. Shabbat services,-we rent feasible. Despite dry attendance. : periods, the ' synagogue continued th13 0 . ' used and in 1977 it was declared a state historical site. Next weekend's activities will in- clude a Kabbalat Shabbat service; with Temple Iirael of West Bloom- field's Cantor Harold Orbach as guest speaker. A dinner with entertainment by folk duo Gemini is slated for Aug. 3, and Chuck Wolfe of Detroit's Jewish Home for Aged will be the emcee. A dedication ceremony and brunch will complete the weekend's schedule. Fivenson said the simplicity. and the old building give the members a feeling of being "part of a movement, of fulfilling a role in the area' of Jewish continuity." And she and her husband, Mitchell (Mickey) -have been active organizers for the synagogue: since their arrival. She speaks with a special fondness for the Synagogue. Her sen- timents are echoed by Sleutelberg. "It's a heimish - community. It's family. We really work together as one unit." - And as Ellen Fivenion sees it, the congregation has only just begun to live. "In thenext 100 years, thete's a lot do do." ❑