liVith reggae mu-
sic playing
softly in the
background,
members of
Congregation
.
Bet Chaverim
last week signed their formal
charter.
Held at the Canton home of
second-vice president Jerry Kap-
lan, the charter-signing ceremony
marked a new phase in the his-
tory of a congregation that began
as an informal chavurah last fall
and has rapidly grown into a
small, vibrant Jewish force in
western Wayne County.
Congregational officers signed
the document first, followed by
more than 20 adults, children and
teens. Several families also left
donation checks.
The ceremony reflected the in-

reflects to some degree changes
in the local and national econo-
my over the past 30 years. One
member explained that he lived
here because he couldn't afford to
reside in West Bloomfield, where
his parents still live in the house
in which he grew up.
Another member reflected this
growth with a certain pride:
"Canton is getting bigger. It'll be
100,000 people in a few years.
People move here because they
want cheaper homes and taxes."
Amy Rose is positively upbeat
about this place in
Wendy Sadler which she's put
signs the
down roots. "This
congregation's is a young, grow-
new charter.
ing community
with affordable
housing and good schools," she
says. An area that is both subur-
ban and rural, Canton includes
a new library and town hall and
a long strip of new shopping
malls, supermarkets, and fast-
food restaurants on Ford Road,
west of 1-275. Just beyond the
strip in almost every direction?
Working farmland.
Ms. Sadler feels that this tra-
ditionally gentile neighborhood
has has been supportive of the
new congregation. She says that
she has seen no overt anti-Semi-
tism, only the same conflicts that
Jews face everywhere: "Our
members in Canton certainly
have the 'December dilemma'
(celebrating Chanukah during
the Christmas season). It's hard
to educate non-Jews about this."
But, she adds, the cities of Can-
ton and Plymouth have been
understanding, and "we've had
coverage in some of the local
papers."
Bet Chaveriralamilie,s meet at
least once a month for Friday
evening, Shabbat pot-luck din-
ners and services. Without a
dedicated synagogue, members
STEVEN SANGER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
gather at one another's houses on
a rotating basis. In addition, they
also meet on some Saturdays for
social
activities. At this point, the
Southfield
Adult
Education,
says
im began to feel like a congrega-
tion for its families. Today, the that he lives in Garden City for young congregation must get by
Temple mailing list has almost the same reason: the cost of home without a rabbi. Explains one
member, "We have 'motivating
45 families, most of whom live in ownership.
leaders' who persuade others to
Temple
First-Vice
President
the traditionally gentile towns of
Garden City, Westland, Livonia, Ben Heilveil and his wife Shan- do services and readings and so
Canton, Plymouth, Northville na also live in Garden City. Mrs. on. Some of us are a little more
Heilveil works in downtown De- knowledgable about Jewish rit-
and Redford.
"Some of our families have troit and her husband works in ual and practice than others."
The congregation uses prayer
been here 12-15 years," Ms. Plymouth. "With our jobs, this is
books
and Haftarah texts donat-
a
good
location
for
us,"
she
says.
Sadler says. "Either they've
Professionally, the members of ed by Temple Israel. It does not
driven to Ann Arbor or West
Bloomfield for services or they've Bet Chaverim are a diverse lot: yet own a Torah, something
doctors, lawyers, teachers, gov- Wendy Sadler says the group is
been quiet."
She and her husband Jim, who ernment employees, a corrections working on.
What this fledgling synagogue
works for a plumbing and heat- officer, salespeople, middle man-
lacks
in Jewish accouterments,
agers,
auto-industry
workers.
Ms.
ing company in Ann Arbor, have
lived in the area for six years. The Sadler admits "a lot of us aren't it more than makes up for in
reason, Jim Sadler says, is making a lot of money yet, and a spirit, members say.
"There's a lot of ruach in this
simple: "It's affordable housing lot of us are two-parent working
group,"
Ms. Sadler says.
households.
We're
not
affluent."
between where Wendy works and
The recent emergence of a
I work."
Randy Arent, a teacher for Jewish population in this area CANTON page 88

A Synagogue Grows
In Canton

What began as a small
chavurah has grown into a
vibrant Jewish force.

N

The Bet
cars and women talked
formal attitude of the Chaverim
about work.
founding members of Bet charter.
Last August, Temple
Chaverim. Wearing shorts
and T-shirts, families arrived be- President Wendy Sadler met
tween 7 and 8 p.m. They greeted Amy Rose, now the group's sec-
one another with hugs and kisses, retary, when Ms. Rose sought in-
ate, shmoozed, confirmed ad- formation about Stepping Stones,
dresses and phone numbers and a program for intermarried fam-
eventually got around to signing ilies at Temple Israel in West
the charter. Children ran in the Bloomfield.
Ms. Sadler, who teaches for
back yard and played on the Ka-
plans' swingset, and group of Stepping Stones, and Ms. Rose,
teen-age girls hung out in the a teacher at Munger Middle
School in Detroit, say they had
house.
The proceedings were simul- an instant connection and that
taneously momentous and low- things began to happen shortly
key and eventually felt much like thereafter.
In October, a meeting was held
a neighborhood barbecue. Hold-
ing paper plates of food and plas- to plan a Chanukah event for 15
tic cups of soda, men discussed families. Soon after followed a
busy winter and spring of pot-
lucks, meetings, and informal
writer
in
Ann
a
Steve Sagner is
Shabbat gatherings. Bet Chaver-
Arbor.

CY,

81