THE ENTERTAINMENT EVENT OF THE YEAR BALFOUR 61 Perfect Match ANNUAL CELEBRATION DICK LOUISE MAL Z. FREDDIE ROMAN LAWRENCE CAPRI DUART New Temple Israel rabbi was looking for a large congregation to serve. STEVE STEIN STAFF WRITER oshua Bennett doesn't find Temple Israel to be big and impersonal. Just the oppo- site, as a matter of fact. That's why the Texas-born, suburban Chicago-raised June graduate of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Reli- gion in Cincinnati was happy to accept the job as Temple Israel's fourth rabbi. Rabbi Bennett's first day of work was July 1. With 2,700 families on its membership list, Temple Israel is the largest Jewish congrega- tion in Michigan. The West Bloomfield synagogue ranks in the top five nationally among Re- form temples. "This is a warm, caring community," Rabbi Ben- nett, 26, said last week. "It feels like I've shaken hands with 700 or 800 people already. "I was looking for a place that had extensive programming and the resources here are enormous," Rabbi Bennett said. "It's exciting to drive in here and see cars in the parking lot all the time. "I'm eagerly awaiting the op- portunity to work with the other three rabbis, whom I consider role models. Their advice and counsel will be very beneficial." No other synagogue in the De- troit area has more than three rabbis. A Union of American He- brew Congregations' survey of Reform congregations through- out the United States showed only three synagogues which have more than four rabbis. The Stephen S. Wise Temple and the Wilshire Boulevard Tem- ple in Los Angeles have six and five rabbis, respectively, and Temple Emanu-El in Dallas has five rabbis. Temple Israel Rabbi Harold Loss said Rabbi Bennett was the only person offered the new job. If he had turned it down, the syn- agogue would not have added a rabbi. "The main reason we decided to bring in a fourth rabbi is we have some wonderful projects we want to do to serve our member- ship better," Rabbi Loss said. "We didn't need to hire someone out of desperation. We would have functioned nicely with three rab- bis, but we think we found pre- cisely the person we were looking for in Rabbi Bennett." Rabbi Loss said Rabbi Ben- nett's warm personality and in- terest in young people impressed him and the other Temple Israel rabbis during interviews. "And he seemed excited about 161 Temple Israel, too," Rabbi Loss said. "He had done his home- work, finding out as much as he could about us. "Another important factor in our minds was Rabbi Bennett's desire to be a rabbi for the entire congregation, not just the youth. We have a unique partnership among the clergy at Temple Is- rael, so it was important for our new rabbi to want to do all the rabbinical duties." Since Temple Israel was founded in 1941, no rabbi has left for another job. No rabbi has had a contract. "Everything is done by a hand- shake," said Rabbi Loss, who has been at Temple Israel for 23 years. Rabbi Bennett was ordained June 4. In late April, he under- went first interviews at the He- brew Union College for 12 rabbinical positions. He was called for second interviews in 11 of the 12. Rabbi Bennett was offered as- sociate rabbi positions in Atlanta, Chicago and Omaha, but he turned them down for the Tem- ple Israel job. "Here, I'm considered a full rabbi and I'm expected to perform all the duties," Rabbi Bennett said. "We are a clergy team. We all do everything." Rabbi Bennett said one of his main duties at Temple Israel is rabbinical adviser to the temple's youth group. The approximately 300 students in Temple Israel's religious high school (grades 9- 12) are members. Rabbi Bennett wants to form young couples and young profes- sionals groups. "I've spent the past 18 years at Jewish summer camps both as a camper and on the staff," Rabbi Bennett said. "I've seen rabbis in a different light, off the bimah, and noticed how much influence they can have." Another key responsibility for Rabbi Bennett will be assisting with the computers in the new Temple Israel library and media center, which are under con- struction. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Rabbi Bennett grew up in Floss- moor, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. He graduated from the Univer- sity of Illinois with a degree in psychology. Rabbi Bennett and his fiance, Meg Waterman of Louisville, Ky., have set May 28, 1995 as their wedding date. ❑ Thursday, 7:30 p.m. September 22,1994 _ Y O X ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA-METROPOLITAN DETROIT DISTRICT 18451 W. 10 MILE ROAD, SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN PHONE 569-1515 WE SHIP FURNITURE vrro tri 1 LI cAP5 32328 Grand River Farmington 474-9730 6453 Farmington Road W. 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