DETROIT
Affording the best is not the
question...finding the best is.
Nvea
Aperrhinsn'a OhllIng on a
SMed Mirroring FacHnIy
For Ithe caocerminaUng person
requHng
Meganit enAvonmenft
Bortz
Health Care
Family owned and operated for over 33 years
Medicare approved
363-4121
See the Flanders Mansion located in a beautiful residential
neighborhood overlooking Green Lake.
6470 Alden Drive, Orchard Lake
Congratulations to
Ron Stern
upon your graduation from
University of Detroit Law School
May 12, 1991
From Your Very Proud Family,
Mom, Dad,
Cheryl, Todd, David, Bubbie and Morris
26
FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1991
American Red Cross
' Blood Services Southeastern Michigan Region
Shir Shalom
Continued from Page 24
a revised proposal. Commis-
sioners also tabled the
Prince of Peace Catholic
Church in 1974, but approv-
ed it a month later.
In 1973, township trustees
denied Temple Israel's re-
quest to build the synagogue
on 23 acres along Walnut
Lake Road over concerns
about traffic and the size of
the building. After four
years, an Oakland County
judge granted permission to
build the facility.
Township trustees also re-
cently rejected a Presby-
terian church and a Chal-
dean Catholic church. Initial
renovations to Shenandoah
Country Club, the future
site of the Chaldean Com-
munity Center, were ap-
proved in 1989. The Chal-
dean community will pro-
pose further renovation
efforts within the next six or
seven months.
Judith Holtz, the only Jew-
ish trustee on the township
board, said if Jews in West
Bloomfield were more active
in politics, they would have
more control. Only Allen
Adelberg, Michael Schwartz,
Steven Budaj, Anthony
Spokojny and Albert Holtz
have positions on township
commissions.
"The Jewish community
ought to get involved in
West Bloomfield," Mrs.
Holtz said. "They should get
involved in non-Jewish
issues too. They shouldn't
wait just for the Jewish
issues to get together."
She only wishes those peo-
ple who turned out to sup-
port Congregation Shaarey
Zedek's bid to expand B'nai
Israel had stayed to hear an
audit of the planning and
environmental departments
which have consistently run
over their budget in the past
few years.
"So many people in West
Bloomfield don't know
what's happening," she said.
Getting involved does not
mean every Jewish project
would be approved. Shir
Shalom's proposal does have
problems.
"It is a difficult parcel of
land," Mrs. Holtz said. "I
don't know if Shir Shalom is
100 percent right in what it's
doing."
Perhaps the temple, which
has grown considerably in
the past three years, needs a
bigger piece of property for
future expansion. While
Shir Shalom has an agree-
ment to purchase more than
eight acres, due to deed re-
strictions the temple can
only build on five of those
acres.
"Maybe they need to
rethink this particular piece
of property," said Mrs.
Holtz, suggesting the con-
gregation look out in Walled
Lake or Commerce
Township as the Jewish
community continues to
spread west. "I don't know if
Shir Shalom has made the
best choice."
Donald Dresselhouse,
planning commission
chairman, said the commis-
sion is only doing its job.
"We are very careful in do-
ing long-range planning,"
Mr. Dresselhouse said. "You
have to look carefully. Once
approval is given, it will be
part of the community for
the next. 100 years. What's
going to happen over the
next 20 years?"
While there is no question
that a synagogue can be
built on Shir Shalom's site,
Mr. Dresselhouse believes it
is difficult to build a facility
I
-.4
-4
Officials are
concerned the site
is too small.
which will serve a growing
congregation of more than
550 families and still have
room for future expansion.
"If they did have access to
the land, it would be a diff-
erent story," he said.
He is also concerned about
adequate parking, especially
during High Holy Days, and
the added traffic at the
intersection of Orchard Lake
and Walnut Lake roads.
Commissioner Fred Rowe
expects the temple will
eventually win the right to
build in West Bloomfield. He
believes the plan for off-site
parking on the holidays is a
responsible one.
Mr. Rowe said anti-
Semitism exists in West
Bloomfield, but doesn't
believe it extends to
township officials.
Township Supervisor San-
dra Draur knows it has not
been easy .for churches and
synagogues to move into the
township, but attributes it to
the high development stan-
dards maintained in West
Bloomfield. "We are strict
with everyone. We have to
be consistent. We can't start
setting a precedent. We have
a reputation for being tough.
Ten years ago you could
build anything you wanted,
but our residents asked for
stricter adherence to our or-
dinances. "
As for Shir Shalom,
township officials "have to
make sure that when it does
go in, that the congregation
is going to be happy," she
said.
"This is an emotional
issue. We have take out the
emotion," Ms. Draur said. ❑
4