Al Congregation Al
Shir Tikvah

Joining a Temple can be expensive

Chabad Rabbi
Resigns Position

Los Angeles (JTA) — In
mid-July, the 32-year-old
founder of the Chabad of Ir-
vine Jewish Center, Rabbi
Mendel Duchman, resigned
for "personal reasons," leav-
ing behind a mountain of
debt estimated at between
$500,000 and $1 million and
facing three lawsuits in Or-
ange County Superior Court.
Those are the facts.
Opinions — among
Duchman's creditors, con-
gregants, friends and fellow
Chabad rabbis — can be
divided roughly into three
not-necessarily-exclusive
groups.
To a very few, he is an
outright cheat and fraud
who should be criminally
prosecuted.
To most, he is an utterly
devoted spiritual leader,
always on hand when other
rabbis turned their backs,
who tried to do too much for
the center too quickly
without looking at the
ledgers.
And to many, he is a naive
young man sent to do a
difficult job without
guidance from Chabad
leaders in Los Angeles and
New York, who are now
washing their hands of any
responsibility.
In hiring teachers, paying
rent and providing for other
activities, Rabbi Duchman
and the congregation's di-
rectors apparently acted
first and counted the cost
later.
Over the years, according
to a dozen interviews, Rabbi
Duchman began soliciting
loans, first from people in
the community —within and
without the congregation —
and then from banks. The
bank loans to Chabad of Ir-
vine were co-signed by
various congregants as
guarantors, who thus
assumed responsibility for
repayment in case of default
by Chabad. As payments
and interest became due,
Rabbi Duchman took out
new loans to cover the old
ones, digging an ever deeper
hole.
About two years ago, the
accumulating financial
problems, including bounc-
ing checks, came to a head
when a group of creditors got
together to demand repay-
ment. One was founding
member Bruce Strauss, who
said that at the time the
debts amounted to about
$1.2 million, with $309,000
owed to individuals and the
rest to banks.

BUT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE

At Shir Tikvah, we know that dues can
be unaffordable for those under 30

So we offer a unique plan

SET YOUR OWN DUES

CONGREGATION BELT KODESH

(FORMERLY LIVONIA JEWISH CONGREGATION)

wishes you a LShana Tova
and invites you to join us
for High Holy Day Services
to be held at

31840 W. Seven Mile Road
Livonia, MI
SELICHOS SERVICES
KOL NIDRE

Saturday, August 31
at 10:30 PM

Tuesday, September 17

at 7:00 PM

ROSH HASHANAH

Sunday, September 8
at 7:00 PM
Monday, September 9
at 8:30 AM & 7:00 PM
Tuesday, September 10
at 8:30 AM

YOM KIPPUR

Wednesday,

September 18

at 8:30 AM

and 7:00 PM

RABBI CRAIG ALLEN, OFFICIATING DAVID GUTMAN, CANTOR

Junior Congregation: Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur

No Forms • No Interviews • No Hassles

For more details call:
Iry Wengrow: 643-8733 or
Marla Scafe: 375-0778

Selichot

Saturday, August 31, 1991

Please join us for Selichot, the service which
ushers in the High Holy Days. Bring friends
and relatives; meet Temple members who will
be there to greet you.

Prospective members welcome!

8:00 p.m.
"Hester Street"
Movie with reminiscences and commentary from Evelyn Orbach
and others who grew up on New York's lower East side.

10:30 p.m.
Dessert Reception
Hosted by the Brotherhood, Couples Club and Sisterhood with
assistance from Temple Treasures.

11:00 p.m.
Selichot Service
Members of the Youth Group will participate in the candlelighting.
Cantor Orbach will sing the moving melodies of Selichot.

Let us share together in the beauty of Selichot
as we prepare to welcome the year 5752.

5725 Walnut Lake Road
West Bloomfield, MI 48323 (313) 661-5700

Holiday Ticket Sales:
August 18, 25, September 1 — 10 a.m. until Noon

Sunday School Registration:
September 2nd
10 a.m. until Noon

SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN

For ticket or membership information,
call 471-7389 or 474-8051

CONGREGATION SHAARIT HAPLAYTAH

rt5,orin 5N1

rmr,v5

METROPOLITAN DETROIT, MICHIGAN

riZtV 17

CONGREGATION SHAARIT HAPLAYTAH
IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE

HIGH HOLIDAY
SERVICES

CANTOR SEYMOUR GREENSTEIN

Rosh Hashanah: September 8,9,10, 1991
Yom Kippur: September 17,18, 1991
1991
5752

To be Held at the Thompson Middle School

16300 Lincoln Drive • Southfield, Michigan
Donation $30.00 per person
The High Holidays will soon be here.
Please make reservations by calling any of the following:

Simon Schwarzberg
Chairman
788-2888

Abe Weberman

Sol Kleinman

Pres. Ticket Chairman
Ticket Co-Chairman
626-5224
932-2680
Miriam Slaim Harry Praw Leon Halpern Sonia Popowski
Co-Chairman
968-1686 661-1782 or
557 - 3994
357-0069
932-5256

All proceeds from High Holiday will go to Exodus 1991

Spend your Holidays with your friends and dear ones.
Remember how warm and "hamish" our services are.

LANDSCAPING

.
_ ,__:,,_
.
Pianoworks
I_ a

by

••

LANDSCAPING, INC.

• PIANO CONSULTATION • SALES • SERVICE • CONCERT RENTALS •

PETROF AUGUST FORST R. L.

(313) 398-7800

44//er !,_ liiii
f i

541-6334

23225 WOODWARD • FERNDALE

Kenneth Shecter
Michael Shecter

•
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Custom Design
Relandscaping
Commercial Maintenance
Commercial Snow Removal

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

45