Ten Days Will Make
Or Break B'nai David
ALAN HUSKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR
n Rosh Hashanah it is
written and on Yom
Kippur it is sealed.
While this ancient
dictum is true for all Jews,
the fate of Congregation
B'nai David will be publicly
revealed after these Ten
Days of Awe.
Two other Jewish groups,
with building plans in West
Bloomfield, are also getting
close to finalization.
Southfield's B'nai David
has raised $2.65 million in
pledges toward construction
of a new building on Maple
Road near Halsted in West
Bloomfield. But the congre-
gants during Rosh Hashanah
services were given a Yom
Kippur deadline by their
leadership to come up with
an additional $710,000.
The 300-family congrega-
tion must vacate its building
on Southfield Road in March
1994. It sold the building to
the City of Southfield in
1990, netting $1.25 million
from the sale.
"We have raised more
money in the last year than
in our entire history," said
Larry Traison, B'nai David's
president. "But we would like
to conclude our building cam-
paign this month." He said
the congregation needs the
additional pledges to obtain a
mortgage to pay for construc-
tion.
Mr. Traison said that if
the year-long fund-raising
campaign concludes success-
fully and construction is
begun quickly, B'nai David
could be in its new 400-fami-
ly building by Rosh
Hashanah 1994.
"If this succeeds," Mr.
Traison said, "it is because it
was a well-thought-out cam-
paign. If it fails, it would be
the end of B'nai David as we
know it." The congregation
also has discussed merging
with other synagogues.
Another Jewish construc-
tion project, further east on
Maple Road adjacent to the
Jewish Community Campus,
is seeking a different kind of
funding to begin construc-
tion. The Lubavitch
Foundation of Michigan's
Synagogue Campus of Living
Judaism is two-thirds of the
way through the process of
obtaining bonding approval
from the Economic
Development Council of
Oakland County.
O
Charter Headed For D.C.
Grounded At Airport
KIMBERLY LIFTON STAFF WRITER
An $8 million bond issue,
according to Lubavitch's
Rabbi Yitschak Kagan,
would be used to finance edu-
cational buildings on the
campus at a savings of 2-3
percentage points below con-
ventional bank financing.
Donor pledges would be used
to pay off the bond issue.
The rabbi said there is no
constitutional conflict in
using a bond issue autho-
rized by a public agency.
"This finance tool could be
used for every building
except the synagogue, and
maybe the mikvah," he said.
The Lubavitch project
envisions a rabbinical col-
lege, library, staff and stu-
dent housing and museum
on a 40-acre site west of the
Fleischman Jewish home for
Aged and Hechtman Federa-
tion Apartments.
Lubavitch and Shir
Shalom are getting
closer to
construction.
Rabbi Kagan said the $1
million synagogue, financed
entirely through contribu-
tions, will be the first build-
ing at the site. With ade-
quate donations, he said,
"I'm hoping we can break
ground next spring. The
other buildings could then
follow very quickly."
Temple Shir Shalom is in
the process of selecting a con-
struction company for its pro-
posed $4.2 million temple at
the southwest corner of
Orchard Lake and Walnut
Lake roads. Shir Shalom
president Wally Sampson
indicated the temple pledge
drive is nearing the point
where "we will be able to go
out soon for financing."
He said the congregation
will know within the next six
weeks if groundbreaking
could still be this year.
"I'm optimistic," he said,
"and we are putting together
a package for the bank, but
we want to make sure we do
this right. My goal is to have
Rosh Hashanah services in
the new building next year,
but I don't know if that will
happen."
Shir Shalom presently
meets in a converted office
building on Maple Road, east
of Orchard Lake Road. ❑
emple Israel members
believe they were not
meant to go as a group
to the U.S. Holocaust
Museum in Washington,
D.C.
Twice in the past three
months — the latest on Aug.
25 — mechanical problems
prevented a charter flight
from taking a group of about
170 temple members to the
museum.
"This was such a terrific
idea," said Temple Israel
President Linda Brodsky. "It
is very sad. We can't plan
this again."
Despite an offer by
Hamilton Miller Hudson and
Fayne travel company and
the air carrier, Leisure Air,
to provide free airfare for
another trip, Temple Israel
staff on Aug. 31 met and
decided that another trip
would not be feasible at this
time.
"The offer is very nice,"
said Fran Pearlman, Temple
Israel's education director
who planned the trip. "This
was an appropriate, profes-
sional response."
T
Hamilton Miller spokes-
person Wendy Fayne said
the travel company felt terri-
ble when notified about the
problem last week. Ms.
Fayne said the company uses
Leisure Air every day for
other charters.
She said Leisure Air has
operated on a 98 percent on-
schedule rate over the past
six months. Rarely are trips
canceled, she added.
Money was
refunded
immediately both
times.
"In the gamut of life, this
is trivial," said Marcy
Shulman, who twice took off
work for the trip. "But I'd
never go again on this char-
ter. It is okay to happen once,
but a second time someone
should have called us and let
us know."
Those scheduled to depart
with the flight last week
were disappointed, but they
remained in good spirits.
Most, like former travel
agent Ruthie Goldstein, said
they wouldn't take a day
charter trip again.
"It just wasn't beshert,"
said Ron Davis. He and his
wife, Diane, were scheduled
to meet for dinner with their
son, Kevin, who recently
began a job with the
National Jewish Democratic
Council.
Next time, the Davises will
make their own arrange-
ments to tour the museum.
They would not take a day
trip again.
Hamilton Miller each time
reimbursed the temple for
expenses, and refunded
monies immediately.
"Any airline can have
mechanical problems," Ms.
fl
Fayne said. "This is a fluke.
It is just so unfortunate.
Everyone feels terrible, espe-
cially since it happened twice
to the same group."
Added travel agent
Barbara Weiss, also sched-
uled to take the charter,"This
was like a 500-year flood. It
is just rare that this hap-
pened twice." El
Helping To Make
The Community Aware
JENNIFER FINER JEWISH NEWS INTERN
s part of an effort to relatives not to
increase awareness of feel isolated
those with disabilities because they have
within the Jewish corn- a family member
munity, rabbis throughout with a disability,"
the area are being asked to said Carol
speak to their congregations Kaczander, direc-
on acceptance and differ- for of the JIS, an
ences. information and
The Jewish Information referral service.
Service (JIS) and its advisory In conjunction
committee, along with the with the program,
Jewish Federation of Hebrew and day-
Metropolitan Detroit, are school students
cosponsoring a Disabilities will participate in
Shabbat weekend Oct. 29 and activities to help
30. They also are requesting increase their
that the services and the awareness of dis-
bimah be made accessible to abilities.
Carol Kaczander
"Children are
those with special needs espe- going
to have positive expo- JIS marketing committee co-
cially for this Shabbat.
chairman. We knew we
"The purpose of this sure on the topic through the
do something that
Disabilities Shabbat is for all librarians, who will be given wanted
Jews to feel in clu.ded and wel- information to present to the was simple and creative. We
24
come, and to help friends and students,' said Janis Roszler, AWARE page
A