Congregation Betn Acnim
invites you to join
Rabbi Herbert & Rachel Yoskowitz
for an exciting
Fun-filled Tw
"ISRAEL E
96
July 1
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Raff down
Jeep ri
Climb
Swim
Expen
Temple Beth El
Builds Up Its Staff
JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER
uly 1 is new employee day 17 years, Ms. Seglin has served
at Temple Beth El. Four as the director of the Temple
months from now, in addi- Emanuel religious school in Bev-
tion to Rabbi Daniel Syme erly Hills, Calif., with 750 stu-
who was hired earlier this year, dents and 50 teachers.
the Bloomfield Town-
ship congregation
will welcome a rabbi,
a cantor and a con-
gregational educator.
Each comes from an
out-of-town temple,
and Rabbi Syme
helped select them
all.
"Rabbi
Syme
made a commitment
to put together an en-
tire staff by March
1," said Temple Beth
El administrator
Tom Jablonski. "I've
never seen a senior
staff put together in
just over two
months."
Officials at Beth
Ei said Rabbi Syme
was central to the
hiring process. His
23 years at the Cantor Stephen Dubov:
Union of American One of three additions.
Hebrew Congrega-
tions fostered national relation-
The staff changes come as
ships within the Reform Temple Beth El continues to
community.
progress through a transitional
"He is in a unique position of year. Declining membership, an
knowing and being able to attract increasing debt and other issues
the highest-caliber staff," Mr. provoked the board to place Rab-
Jablonski said.
bi Daniel Polish on a year-long
The other new rabbi, David sabbatical, which ends June 30.
Castiglione, comes to Beth El The temple did not renew his con-
from a small congregation in tract.
Elmira, N.Y. He has served there
"It's no secret we've had severe
since 1992. Although neither rab- economic cutbacks," Mr. Jablon-
bi will be given the title of senior ski said. "Obviously, we were in
rabbi, temple officials said Rab- a cutback mode, and now there
bi Syme is going to be the princi-
pal rabbinic leader at Beth El. •
Rabbi Castiglione began his
student rabbinical work in 1989
at a 20-member congregation at
the Mattoon (Ill.) Jewish Com-
munity Center, progressing to his
current position in New York.
Cantor Stephen Dubov spent
the last four years at a New Or- JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER
leans congregation. Prior to his
cantorial experiences, he worked
ive years ago, a flier pro-
moting a B'nai B'rith Youth
in education and performed on
Broadway.
Organization meeting ap-
peared in Michelle Stern's
Cantor Dubov is coming to De-
troit "for the opportunity to work mailbox. Suddenly, the mother
with one of the top rabbis in the of this eighth-grader was driving
country" and looks forward to be- her daughter to a chapter meet-
ing in an area with a large Jew- ing.
Ms. Stern didn't go kicking
ish population. As one of his first
projects, he wants to involve the and screaming, but at the same
congregation in a Broadway mu- time she was shy and used to
sical to "create a sense of family sticking close to her best friend.
among the Beth El members."
Ms. Stern, now a West Bloom-
Congregational Educator Joyce field High School senior and the
Seglin will come to Detroit from international membership vice
the Los Angeles area. For the last president for BBYO, said joining
til
0 Celebration
r person
ouble occupancy
son minimum)
(base
Det
Special
Tel Aviv
dren's rate
For further information, contact:
Rabbi Yoskowitz (810) 352-8670
••■■■•■1
Zionist Cultural Center
18451 West 10 Mile • Southfield
Sunday, March 10th
3:00 p.m.
REPEAT PERFORMANCE ...BY POPULAR DEMAND
PENNY STEYER
Vocalist • Pianist • Guitarist
will reenact the story of Esther
and Haman in song and music.
Penny Steyer is a graduate Magna Cum Laude from the University of
Miami with a degree in Music Education. She performed on the Mike
Douglas TV show, - was featured in productions of"Camelot", "Milk
and Honey" and The Wizard of Oz" and has appeared with the
Detroit, Windsor and Miami Symphony Orchestras.
COMMUNITY INVITED • NO CHARGE
For further info., call Z.O.A. 810-569-1515
Sponsored by Zionist Organization of America
is sticker shock. Can the congre-
gation handle it (the salaries of
the new staff)? We think so, but
we will need to do some fund-rais-
ing and membership drives."
Beth El President John
Kamins said the temple, with
1,500 family units, has already
budgeted for the salaries of each
new staff member.
"We genuinely anticipate our
membership numbers will grow
along with the school numbers,"
Mr. Kamins said.
The temple plans a major
fund-raising effort to provide a
base for operational growth and
to pay back a bank debt that
funded its deficit. Mr. Kamins ex-
pects the campaign to commence
Welcoming rabbis, a
cantor and a
congregational
educator.
in the next several months. Its
impetus, he said, is the shared
sense of excitement over the con-
gregation's new clergy and pro-
fessionals.
The future for Temple Beth
El's present clergy is uncertain.
Cantor Gail Hirschenfang, whose
contract also expires on June 30,
is still at the temple. She does not
know where she and her hus-
band, Rabbi Polish, will be after
that date.
"Everything is still up in the
air," she said. "But it is still ear-
ly in the placement season."
Rabbi Polish has been acting
as interim rabbi at a temple in
Harrisburg, Pa., since early fall.
Other members of the Beth El
clergy, Rabbi Jonathan Plaut and
interim Rabbi Julian Cook, said
they could not comment on the
future. Education Director Annie
Friedman said she did not expect
to have a role at Beth El. ❑
Highlighting BBYO:
A 10-Day Display
F
the organization was one of the
best things she has done.
"I loved it from the beginning,"
she said. "It helped build my con-
fidence and my understanding of
the importance of community.
BBYO takes a total stranger, and
that person may never be your
best friend, but he or she becomes
someone you really care about."
That's part of the message the
youth organization wants to get
across to the community during
a 10-day event, called BBYO
on Display, which begins
today ' at the Maple-Drake