have a very lively discussion that focus-
es on the weekly [Torah] portion, 10-20
people, coffee and cake served, no charge,
no knowledge of Hebrew required."
Rabbi David Nelson says his congre-
gation "is sensitive to everybody's needs,
and that's something that singles have to
know in advance — there's inclusion on
all levels."
"If someone tells me that they're going
to come to my synagogue, I say, 'Come a
few weeks in a row, make it a habit, and
I will introduce you to clusters of people.'
For information, call Mark Goldsmith,
(313) 256-7756 or (248) 547-6397.
BET CHAVERIM
(Reform)
The Canton congregation is small, with
half comprised of interfaith families. Each
month, the social committee plans at least
one family event and one adult event.
According to Jay Miller, vice president,
High Holiday services are open to all who
wish to worship there. Tickets are avail-
able by phone, and the cost is only a do-
nation.
Bet Chaverim was established in 1994
and serves western Wayne County. For
information, call (313) 480-8880.
BIRMINGHAM TEMPLE
(Humanistic)
About 25 young adults are active ac-
cording to Helen Forman, executive di-
rector. All things Humanistic and young
adult start at the temple's monthly lun-
cheons with Rabbi Sherwin Wine.
Singles under 31 pay $200 a year and
a $20 fee to the Society for Humanistic
Judaism, normally a $50 fee. Single adults
under 31 with a child pay $250 in dues
and $25 for the society. A family under
age 31 pays $300 and national dues of
$25. The building fund is waived for all
members under 31.
The next meetings of the Young Jew-
ish Humanists are Oct. 3, discussing "the
real story of the Jewish New Year" and
Nov. 7, on "the major movements in Ju-
daism, history and observance."
For information, call (248) 477-1410.
B'NAI DAVID
(Traditional)
"B'nai David is now in a period of tran-
sition, been there for a few years, and con-
sequently, has not been able to function
as a full-service congregation," says Rab-
bi Milton Arm. Its members are "mostly
older people."
More than 100 years old, B'nai David
has "a lot of loyal" members, Arm says.
Retired from Beth Achim since 1990,
Arm has been serving B'nai David for two
years and will do so until they hire a per-
manent rabbi.
For information, call (248) 855-5007.
B'NAI MOSHE
(Conservative)
No current program, but B'nai Moshe
does participate with a bunch of Conser-
vative shuls in community singles pro-
grams, says Rabbi Elliot Pachter.
In November, Rabbi Ira Stone will head
a young adult program at B'nai Moshe as
part of his scholar-in-residence stint in
Detroit.
"We do have reduced membership for
those under 30. And then we have a pret-
ty sensitive dues committee who consid-
ers requests from people across tha board,"
Pachter says. 'The single membership for
under 30 is $245.
At this time, the shul doesn't have a ton
of young members, but Pachter says the
membership is a veritable "mixed group."
For info, call (248) 788-0600.
EMANU-EL
(Reform)
In the heart of Oak Park's Jewish
neighborhood, Emanu-El offers lower
dues ($220-280) for 35 and under and a
bevy of young couples. But not too many
singles.
"We do not actually have a single mem-
bership per se but we do respond to in-
dividual circumstances, if singles request
it — couples pay the same as singles.
There are a lot of young adults but not
huge numbers of single members," says
Donald Cohen, executive director. For in-
formation, call (248) 967-4020.
HUNTINGTON WOODS
MINYAN (Orthodox)
With a burgeoning young, Jewish pop-
ulation in Huntington Woods, it's an easy
walk to join others on Shabbat and
Yomtov. Already "a number of young cou-
ples" attend, says Rabbi Yerachmiel Ra-
bin.
"I have a weekly class for young peo-
ple," says Rabin who teaches "Tanya and
Chassidic insights into all areas of Ju-
daism." The class has become "a spring-
board to ask the rabbi whatever question,"
he says. Both singles and couples attend.
Rabin's wife leads a monthly class for
women. "As the community grows and ex-
pands, we'd like to add in different pro-
grams," the rabbi says. "For example, we'd
like to provide a series on parenting, for
young parents in their 20s and 30s."
- For information, call (248) 542-4809.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
(Reform)
The largest Reform synagogue in the
nation has, of course, a few groups for
young adults and singles: Beshert Con-
nection, JEMS, Singles Extension Group,
to name a few.
Rabbi Paul Yedwab says no High Hol-
iday tickets are necessary, although mem-
bers have card as "a sign of membership.
Our membership is entirely based on fair
share, which means that people who are
young and starting out pay very little, al-
most nothing," he says. "To sell a ticket is
against our general principle of being a
member of Temple. We don't want to give
you tickets, we want you to become mem-
bers of our family."
Dues are on a scale —Yedwab says the
first year starts somewhere around $100.
Its young adult congregation, a group
of young adults married and single, up to
around the late 30s, meets regularly. The
most recent event was a road rally, with
educational and social programs through-
out the year.
JEMS, the new singles group launch-
es with an event including columnist Jeff
Zaslow. "They are looking into the pos-
sibility that we would have a singles table
at the dinner [before] Friday night Shah-
bat services every week and to meet to-
gether afterwards for the oneg Shabbat,"
Yedwab says.
Starting Oct. 24, Temple Israel will of-
fer "alternative informal Friday night ser-
vices," in which JEMS leader Lee Winer
hopes to involve the new singles group.
And don't forget Temple's Beshert Con-
nection, a way to meet other singles who
are also searching. Kari Provizer's the
connection on that one.
Older singles have the Singles Exten-
sion Group, and starting this fall young
adults, single and married, can "take a
lunch break [and] get recharged with
Temple Israel's clergy" through a lunch
and learn program. Starting at Big Dad-
dy's Parthenon, clergy will head the
"schmooze and study" sessions, several
times throughout the year. Cost: $12. Ses-
sions scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 30,
Thursday, Nov. 20 and Wednesday, Dec.
10, from 12:30 to 1:30.
For information, call (248) 661-5700.
MACHON L'TORAH
(Orthodox)
The entire purpose of the Jewish Learn-
ing Network of Michigan is to teach inch-
viduals about Judaism. It's a place single
young adults frequent, for classes, holi-
day programs or services. And of course,
Rabbi Avraham Jacobovitz would be de-
lighted to arrange home hospitality.
The price is $36 for students to daven
at Machon on the High Holidays, and
Rabbi J always says young adults in their
20s and 30s should pay whatever they can
afford.
All classes are free. This fall, the offer-
ings include six short steps to basic Ju-
daism, Jewish ethics, one-on-one Torah
learning and a crash course in basic He-
brew.
No membership fee to join Machon. For
information, call (248) 967-0888.
OR CHADASH
(Orthodox)
Ed Codish, gabbai of this startup al-
ternative Orthodox minyan in Oak
Park/Huntington Woods, says single
members, male and female, in their 20s
and 30s, daven with the group.
No membership fee. Classes are offered
four nights a week as well as on Shabbat.
"Everything is free — if you care to make
a contribution we'll take it; if you don't
that's fine too," Codish says. "No tickets
are required for High Holidays."
Social gatherings? "Certainly the group
has had picnics, social evenings, it does
its very best to instill a sense of commu-
nity," Codish says. For information, call
(248) 547-2814.
SHAAREY ZEDEK
(Conservative)
The city's largest Conservative syna-
gogue offers reduced rate memberships
for singles and is currently in the process
of forming a young adult group, says Rab-
bi Stephen Weiss.
"A lot of singles are already active in
the synagogue," Weiss says. "We have a
policy of never turning anybody away. No
one walks away without membership; We
never let finances stand in the way."
For information, call Rabbi Weiss, (248)
357-5544.
TEMPLE RIM SHALOM
(Reform)
Young adults do frequent the decade-
old Reform temple in West Bloomfield,
says Rabbi Dannel Schwartz. The tem-
ple's average age is 42.
Membership if you're younger than 32
costs $325. "Anybody can be a member of
this congregation," Schwartz says. "In oth-
er words, if there's a financial hardship,
we would scale down the dues according-
ly. "
For information, call (248) 737-8700.
SHIR TIKVAH
(Reform)
They're building a synagogue in Troy
with hopes of increasing the membership
over the 240 families who already belong,
says JoAnne Levy, executive director.
Special membership category for those
under 30, couple or single, featuring
"greatly reduced dues, less than half [the
cost] of the regular dues," Levy says.
"As far as programs, because we're
so small we don't put people into cate-
gories, we just do everything together.
For High Holidays, if anybody up to 25
comes from a member family, we give
them tickets.
Of the members, there's a low per-
centage of young adults, "but we do have
them," Levy says. For information, call
(248) 547-5454.
T'CBIYAH
(Reconstructionist)
There are Reconstructionists in Ann
Arbor and in Lansing — who formally af-
filiate, that is. And then there are the ones
around metro Detroit who join up with
T'chiyah.
Lower dues for individuals or families
under 30 and over 65, says Alan Schenk,
former president. "We have special one-
time dues from the High Holidays to
Chanukah for those that would like to get
to know us better."
A small congregation of "about 55
units," several young couples belong as
do "single people who tend to be in their
30s and 40s, and we have college-age stu-
dents of members," Schenk says.
For information, call (248) 542-0900 or
(313) 832-0009.
YOUNG ISRAEL
OF OAK PARK (Orthodox)
The growing shul with an involved
membership, both young and not-
so-young, sponsors the Friends Group
(ages 22-40). Couples and singles are in-
vited by Friends to a bevy of billiards,
bowling and wine-and-cheese type social
functions, and the YIOP group co-spon-
sors a monthly women's cappuccino night.
You do not have to be a shul member to
join up with Friends, says Rabbi Steven
Weil.
For a single to join YIOP, it costs about
$275„ but Well says, "No one will be
turned away due to money." For High Hol-
idays, its first come, first serve, until the
shul expansion is completed. Tickets are
$60 for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur. El