Grosse Pointe were aware of
one another's existence or
their interest in doing things
"Jewish" together. But the
word got out that Janet and
Dr. Jeff Weingarten were
hosting a Chanukah party.
It started there, spreading
to three other families, and
pretty soon some 120 people
were coming to the party.
The Weingartens moved to
Grosse Pointe from Chicago
to be near Dr. Weingarten's
hospital practice.
"It was one of those nice
things," Janet Weingarten
said. "There was a wonder-
ful feeling there at the
party, a really different at-
mosphere of people meeting
one another."
Many had recognized one
another from lines at the
market or as a neighbor
working on the garden. But
few associations had Ju-
daism as a base. After the
party, some residents de-
cided to hold a meeting to
look into forming a Jewish
organization. It resulted in
a 25-person committee that
created bylaws for what is
now the 130-member Grosse
Pointe Jewish Council
(GPJC).
"When 1-696 was com-
pleted, it was hailed as a
time when east got to meet
west," Dr. Weingarten said.
"Our Chanukah party and
our meeting was for us an
opportunity for east to meet
east. You could hear people
at the Chanukah party chit-
chatting about getting to-
gether again.
"I think the key was that
everyone knew there were
Jews living in Grosse
"This is a
neighborhood, a
community we've
chosen. No, there
are no synagogues;
there are no delis;
but buildings don't
make you a better
or an active Jew."
Ron Feldman
Pointe. But nobody knew
that there was a Jewish
community in Grosse
Pointe. As of Chanukah
1989, there became a Jew-
ish community here."
The GPJC started holding
meetings at the Grosse
Pointe Unitarian Church in
January 1990. GPJC "took
off like wildfire," according
to Dr. Weingarten. Still, be-
cause it came from a non-
traditional side of town, Dr.
Weingarten said GPJC
wasn't readily accepted by
the more organized Jewish
community.
"Federation put us in
touch with the Jewish Com-
munity Council and they
couldn't believe we existed,"
he said. "You wouldn't be-
lieve the resistance we've
gotten."
The resistance comes
more in the form of ques-
tioning than anything else,
explained a GPJC member.
Grosse Pointe Jewish resi-
dents are often asked why
they prefer to live outside of
the neighborhoods more
closely associated with the
Jewish community. Few, if
any, move to Grosse Pointe
out of anger or defiance to-
ward the more Jewish west
side. GPJC members at-
tending a recent meeting at
the home of co-president
Ron Feldman agreed that
they really don't miss what
they've left behind, either
"I don't think anyone in
this room has ever experi-
enced any sort of anti-Sem-
mitism or has been made to
feel any different," said one
member.
"This is a neighborhood, a
community we've chosen.
No, there are no syna-
gogues; there are no delis;
but buildings don't make
you a better or an active
Jew. What we've gotten here
has been support from the
Grosse Pointe general com-
munity."
Jewish Community Coun-
cil executive director David
Gad-Harf said that more
and more small pockets of
Jews outside of the more
traditional Jewish areas are
making their presence
Members discuss Issues at a recent GPJC meeting.
known.
"Because there is a feeling
of isolation from the main-
stream, communities such
as Grosse Pointe's Jewish
community have been ac-
tively seeking opportunities
to plug into more main-
stream activities. The Jew-
ish Community Council has
given them opportunities to
do so, to learn about what is
going on and to acquaint
themselves with other Jew-
ish groups. We are also help-
ful in letting them know
what Jewish life is available
in their community."
The growth of smaller
Jewish communities within
non-traditional areas is a re-
ality, according to Mr. Gad-
Harf. It's a trend, he said,
that will accelerate as cor-
porate moves affecting both
husband and wife as wage
earners increase. Also, for
some Jewish families, the
idea of living along a river
or in a Victorian or Tudor
home can be a priority, es-
pecially when advancements
in highway systems has
them a short drive away
from synagogues and other
Jewish institutions and
businesses.
"It's a phenomenon we
cannot ignore," said Mr.
Gad-Harf. "We ought to do
what we can to make them
feel part of the Jewish corn-
munity."
A stir went through the
room at the Jewish Com,-
munity Council's most re-
cent delegate assembly
when the GPJC contingent
introduced itself to the oth-
er 50 or so delegates. Many
in the room knew nothing of
GPJC's existence.
That existence has grown
without a neighborhood syn-
agogue or a kosher deli to
speak of. During Passover of
1990, GPJC held its first re-
ligious event, a seder. These
were the first GPJC-spon-
sored services conducted by
a guest rabbi. It was this
past Rosh Hashanah that
GPJC brought in Rabbi Con-
nie Golden of Memphis,
Tenn., to conduct its first
ever High Holiday services.
The group borrowed a Torah
from Temple Shir Shalom.
In between religious
events are ongoing get-to-