she said. Members met in a general
meeting room on Sundays, where they
talked about their family background
and practiced conversational English.
Now, with the 12,000-square-foot syn-
agogue expansion well under way, the
meeting room will become the perma-
nent home of "The Gathering Place."
It will be officially dedicated in the fall,
said Joanna Berger, volunteer co-chair
of the New American Committee.
A grant aids
outreach by
Beth Shalom
Tsyplyakov said she never joined
the church program, and is happy to
use the synagogue.
Other Beth Shalom programs also
planned for the New Americans range
from adult education classes on Jewish
history and traditions to reaching out
to New American teens and young
adults who frequently have no Ameri-
can friends.
Programs like these are "our way of
showing New Americans that a syna-
gogue isn't just for study," Cook said.
"We're in a unique position because so
many New Americans live nearby."
She noted that Russian Jews were
not allowed to practice Judaism in the
Soviet Union and many never had a
Judaic background. To some, she said,
the only identification they had with
their religion was the word "Jew"
stamped on their passport. ❑
Berger said the Berkley Community
Church has been trying to "zero in"
on new immigrants soon
after they arrive, but
some Circle of Friends
members said the prosely-
tizing problem does not
come from only one
source.
Iosif Fastovsky, who
arrived in 1996 and lives
in Lincoln Towers, said a
lady living in his building
brought literature and
Offered to come every day
to explain her church.
Although the woman
was from another church,
Genrikh Shif, who arrived
almost four years ago,
added that area churches
frequently advertise in the
Russian-language paper
and "invite us to help us
prepare for citizenship
tests."
Genya Tsyplyakov,
who moved here in 1992,
said she saw fliers in her
building from the Berkley
church offering conversa-
tional English courses on Beth Shalom's school addition.
Monday evenings.
Since the Jewish Com-
Beth Shalom's last phase of its $2.5-million,
munity Center and Jew-
four-phase
expansion is the new education wing.
ish Vocational Service
A new media center will replace the old
both had English-speak-
cramped library It, as well as four.small class-
ing classes during the
rooms, four larger partitioned rooms and two
week, some people asked
large pre-school rooms are slated for completion
the church to change
Oct. 1, but classes will start on time in rented
classes to Friday evenings,
space at nearby Avery and Norup schools. The
she said.
12,000-square-foot addition will cost more than
It wasn't the church's
$1
million..The other expansion projects were
idea to change the class to
the new social hall, handicapped access to
Shabbos, added other
restrooms and the new front entrance.
members.
■
Yad Ezra provides kosher food packages to 1,000 families
every month. The families helped by Yad Ezra include:
single parents
disabled
working poor
the elderly
those in emergency situations.
new Americans
With your help, all families in our community can enjoy a
nutritious and satisfying meal.
■
■
■
■
■
$ 18.00
A weekday meal for 3 small families
$ 36.00
A Holiday meal for 4 small families
A Shabbat meal for 5 small families
$ 50.00
$ 72.00
A Holiday meal for 4 large families
$ 100.00
A year of Holiday meals for 1 family
$ 200.00
A year of Holiday meals for 2 families
$ 500.00
A year of Shabbat meals for 1 small family
Enclosed is my check in the amount of
as a tax deductible contribution to Yad Ezra to help feed the
Jewish hungry. Your contribution is'eligible for a 50% Michigan Tax Credit
(subject to certain limitations).
Name
Address
City
Phone
Zip
State
Make checks payable to Yad Ezra or
charge your contribution to your VISA/Mastercard or Discover. (Minimum sug-
gested donation - $18.00)
Exp.Date
Card No.
Signature
Name
Mail to: 26641 Harding ■ Oak Park, MI 48237
Tributes and Memorials available.
YAD EZRA
feedirg Tewhglt try rgry
For more information
call 248-548-3663
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Detroit Jewish News
7/31
1998
25