THE JEWISH NEWS SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS a SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY JULY 20, 1990 / 27 TAMMUZ 5750 Shir Shalom To Purchase Land In West Bloomfield SUSAN GRANT Staff Writer I n the next few years, Temple Shir Shalom offi- cials expect to have a new home. Subject to congregation approval, the temple will ,D buy an 8.5-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Orchard Lake and Walnut Lake c- roads in West Bloomfield for $675,000, said Robert Fineman, the temple's past president. A congregational meeting is set for July 31 to discuss the purchase. Rabbi Dannel Schwartz expects a new 35,000-square-foot temple will be built on the site in two years. Since its formation two years ago, the temple has rented a 9,000-square-foot space in a Maple Road office building also in West Bloom- field to accommodate a membership that has grown from 30 families to 500 families. Although the temple re- cently rented more space in the office building for its re- ligious school, the congrega- tion needs more room, Fineman said. "I think it would be fair to say in some respects the building has not met our needs," Fineman said. The office building is adequate for weekly services and some religious classes. But the temple has held High Holi- day services at West Bloom- field High School to handle the crowd. "We knew the building was not a long-term solu- tion," Fineman said. "We knew we were going to need something larger and more able to meet the needs of the congregation. We've been looking since the time we first opened up." The congregation had ex- amined different lots in the West Bloomfield area, Fineman said. Temple offi- cials settled on this parcel because of its size, price and location. The new site is a mile away from Shir Shalom's current meeting place and is considered a central location for its members, who mostly live in West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Bloom- field Hills and Novi. If the congregation ap- proves the purchase, temple officials must hire an archi- tect, form a building com- mittee, gain approval for the plans from West Bloomfield Township and raise money for the project, Rabbi Schwartz said. He does not know how much money the congregation will spend on the building. Having a new facility means the congregation can continue growing, said Rabbi Schwartz, who hopes the temple will have bet- ween 700 and 1,000 families. He never expected the con- gregation to have 500 families as it begins its third year. "We had hoped to have 200 families by this time," said Rabbi Schwartz. "People seem to feel we fill a par- ticular niche." Sinai - Ford Merger Is Off KIMBERLY LIFTON Staff Writer S inai Hospital and the Henry Ford Health Care Corp. have called off merger negotiations bet- ween the two institutions, Sinai officials announced on Wednesday. Sinai President Robert Steinberg said Ford officials indicated they were not in a position to merge but said they would continue to talk about implementing joint programs. Specific programs have not been discussed, but Steinberg said joint ventures would expand business for Sinai. Steinberg would not disclose terms of the decision but said the hospitals parted on good terms. Joint venture discussions are expected to begin next week. Sinai began discussing possible affiliations with Ford and the Detroit Medical Center nearly two years ago in an effort to help increase the patient load at Sinai, which regularly fills between 350 and 400 of its 620 beds. "We are looking forward, not backward. We will try to make it on our own," Steinberg said. "We will look at other hospitals for possible affiliation. "We will not let Sinai dis- appear or die under any cir- cumstances," he said. Sinai discontinued negotiations with the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) last September to move forward with plans to merge business operations with Ford. Steinberg said the hospital may reconsider an affiliation with the DMC. Steinberg added that the two hospitals would con- tinue their fight for a state- required certificate of need to build a 220-bed Ford-Sinai hospital at Maple and Drake roads. "I think things work out for the best," said Sinai Trustee Carolyn Greenberg. "We bargained in good faith and we parted on good terms. In the long run it might be in the best interest of Sinai to make other ar- rangements." Ford President and Chief Executive Officer Gail Warden was expected to in- form the hospital board of directors of the news on Thursday. He could not be reached for comment. "Ford officials say they have a full plate of other things. Sinai is not at the top of their priority list," Steinberg said. "I am not elated. I am not up or not down. It was a business transaction. We will just move on." Steinberg said he will con- sider restructuring Sinai. He does not expect any job cuts. "We are not in trouble. Nobody is panicking. We are not going out of business," he said. Hospital officials say they will not merge with any in- Continued on Page 12 It's no joke! Some funny ladies from Detroit are on their way to fame and fortune in the world of comedy.