SIDEWALK

Aish HaTorah's Tolwin
To Leave Detroit

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In other cities, Aish
HaTorah is thriving.

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Also unlike other cities, Aish
utreach is a familiar term
to anyone concerned with HaTorah of Detroit has been
Jewish continuity. Aish linked with a synagogue since
HaTorah made it its November 1993. Other branch-
es, except St. Louis, operate in-
mission.
The 20-year-old organization, dependently.
Rabbi Tolwin led High Holi-
literally meaning "fire of the
Torah," has operated a one-man day services at Young Israel of
operation in Detroit, under the West Bloomfield two years ago
guidance of Rabbi Alon Tolwin, and was offered the part-time po-
sition late last fall.
since 1981.
"I needed more of a base for
On Aug. 15 Rabbi Tolwin
boards a flight for Israel, to meet programming, but I had avoided
up again with his new wife and
make a new life.
He leaves behind Discovery
education programs, lunch-and-
learn sessions populated by busi-
ness professionals, and a
part-time pulpit at Young Israel
using a synagogue. I sold Young
of West Bloomfield.
The future of Aish HaTorah in Israel on the idea of an outreach
shul. We're not exclusionary," he
Detroit is uncertain.
Rabbi Tolwin said he is some- said.
Young Israel has no formal
what saddened to be leaving
Detroit, but feels "just plain beat- link with Aish HaTorah. The con-
gregation approached Rabbi Tol-
en up."
`The community has been rel- win following a rabbinic search
atively non-responsive. Pm dying. for its 25 member families.
Financially, I'm in
deep water without
community support,"
Rabbi Tolwin said.
"People are willing to
take the Aish Ha-
Torah programs, but
not to pay the price."
Aish HaTorah,
which has branches
all over the United
States, Israel, the for-
mer Soviet Union,
England and most re-
cently Australia,
wants to keep its
Detroit office open. It
needs $70,000 to
make the desire
reality.
Two Aish Ha-
Torah leaders have
expressed interest in
relocating to Detroit.
Seventy-thousand
dollars covers moving
costs and secures
salary and operating
expenses for six
months. To date,
$50,000 has been
secured.
In other cities,
Aish HaTorah is
thriving. Rabbi Tol-
win said the problem
with the Detroit
branch is no funding
base. He opened the
branch without fi-
nancial support and
has operated on a
shoe-string ever
Rabbi Alon Tolwin
since.

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Synagogue leadership will begin
another search following the
High Holidays.
The mailing list for Aish Ha-
Torah of Detroit, comprising in-
dividuals who have taken at least
one class or seminar, includes
several thousand names.
"We don't try to make people
Orthodox, we try to awaken them
to being Jewish, whatever that
means," Rabbi Tolwin said. "But
there's too much lip service and
not enough real outreach. In
Detroit, only one-third of Jews
are affiliated anywhere. The cost
per child for education is
pathetic."
Rabbi Tolwin hopes to work
for Aish HaTorah in Israel. He
continues to believe the organi-
zation is "producing the most
effective weapons against as-
similation.
"When Israel has been at-
tacked, everyone joined together
against a common enemy. We
need to do the same in this in-
stance," Rabbi Tolwin said. El