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DETROIT

THE JEWISH NEWS

1 KISLEV 5755/NOVEMBER 4, 1994

Inside

Growing Pains

Day schools grapple with growth issues as plans are
made to expand, move and update.

JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR STAFF WRITER

arry Eisenberg lost half of
his office to growth not too
long ago.
It happened when Akiva
Hebrew Day School, where
he is executive director,
needed space for a school
counselor. One room was
housing the school's copy machine so they
moved the counselor in and the machine
out.
The school then confiscated part of his
office to house the copy machine. Now,
teachers come in and out all day, mak-
ing copies of lessons for their students.
"We have no empty spaces. We defi-
nitely need something for next year," Mr.
Eisenberg said.
Akiva's story is the latest example of
growth in the local Jewish day schools.
A steady increase in students has forced
nearly every day school to at least study
expansion.
What began with Yeshiva Beth
irehudah building a new gym last year

has led to thoughts and plans
for expansion for almost all of
the day schools. Not too long
after the Yeshiva finished the
brunt of its construction, Hillel
Day School announced an $11
million capital campaign to ex-
pand its school building and
endowment fund.
Now, Akiva plans to decide
by the end of December
whether to repair its aging
building or sell it and move.
And Darchei Torah hopes to
find another building to bid on
after the Birmingham school
district this week rejected its
bid of $1 1 million for the for-
mer Evergreen Elementary
School.
Dr. Mark Smiley, headmaster at Hillel
Day School, said growth of the student
body and age of the building was the im-

The Homestretch

The airwaves, mailboxes
and lawns are filled
with last-minute appeals.

Page 29

Moishe Stewart gets a few pointers from his
father, Rabbi Yerachmiel Stewart, in Yeshiva
Beth Yehudah's new gym.

Howard Wolpe

John Engler

GROWING PAINS page 8

The Painting

A mysterious masterpiece
and disappearing owner.

Page 14

Pair Of Aces

A mother and her son
hole out at Wabeek.

Overseas
success may be
his political
lifeline.

JAMES BESSER

SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Page 100

Jon's Story

He thought he was Jewish.
Then he met his father.

Page 103

Contents on page 3