4460 Orchard Lake load
West Bloomfield, MI 48323
Phone: 248.683.1010

gen1 aired cfcliJesicHoomfield

David Gad-Harf, executive direc-
tor of the Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit,
agrees.
"We have a good sense that a
growing proportion lives outside the
core Jewish area of Oak Park, north
to West Bloomfield and Farmington
Hills," he said.
In an effort to help these "embry-
onic Jewish communities" on the
outskirts of Metro Detroit, the
Council has begun a series of "Town
Hall Meetings," co-sponsored by The
Jewish News.
Identifying and discussing matters
of special concern to Jews living in
these areas, matching them up with
services provided by Jewish agencies
and organizations, and enlisting
Jewish organizational involvement
for these areas, are some of the goals
in holding the meetings, said Beverly
Yost, a Jewish Community Council
liaison.
The first such meeting, held Sept.
16 at DMC Huron Valley - Sinai
Hospital in Commerce, was picked
after the hospital, which boasts a
Jewish connection, offered to hold
the first meeting.
Sites in other areas were selected
from in-house discussions at the
Jewish Community Council, said
Gad-Harf. "We already knew of a
Jewish presence in the lakes area."
The first meeting was attended by
over 35 people, but over half of them
were members of Federation,
Council or hospital agencies.
Although many residents who
showed up wanted to meet Jews who
lived in the area, Gad-Harf said the
success of the meeting was measured
by one thing. "The litmus test was
the extent of participation, and
everyone who attended took part,"
he said.
Short speeches were followed by
an open forum discussion, where
agency members traded information
and ideas with residents.
Some questions asked by Gad-
Harf provided startling answers.
While many residents said they
moved to the lakes area of
Commerce Township, Highland
Township and parts of West
Bloomfield to be closer to the water,
some wanted to escape the "nose
rings and green hair" that adorn
some students in the West
Bloomfield school district.
Attendees said they would like to
see a Jewish group started in the
area; some wanted a religious corn-

ponent to the group. They saw a
trend of Jews moving into the area,
including a Russian Jewish pres-
ence.
One resident said "young couples
are gravitating here," while another
said "Jews moving here are already
established and empty- nesters."
What is the one thing would
make you feel like you were in a
Jewish area, Gad-Harf asked. The
joking response: a Bread Basket Deli
nearby.
Fran Fine of Commerce Township
said the meeting was a "good begin-
ning, but I expected the opportunity
to meet other Jewish people" in the
area.
Sandy Brenner of Walled Lake
said the meeting was very informa-
tive, although "most people are
already aware of services offered."
Gad-Harf said the agencies will
follow up on the statements made at
the meeting as detailed notes and the
attendance list, will be shared with
the different agencies.
Future meetings are slated for
Royal Oak/Ferndale, Troy/Rochester
Hills, Grosse Pointe, and
Plymouth/Canton.
Each of these areas is different,
said Gad-Harf. For instance, "We
feel that Jews now living in Royal
Oak/Ferndale will be younger, single
or maybe married with small chil-
dren. We won't know until we meet
with them."
Is there a general dispersion of
Jews in other cities, or is this unique
to Detroit? Will the core Jewish
community here migrate somewhere
else in the next 20 years?
Arthur Horwitz, publisher of The
Jewish News, said a handful of Jewish
communities across the country,
mainly in the Midwest and
Northeast, have stayed the same.
"Baltimore has a Jewish communi-
ty concentrated in five ZIP codes,"
he said. "Detroit's community is in
15 and San Francisco is in 125."
He sees the core community mov-
ing, and it "would not be a stretch"
to see it move to Novi.
"The West Bloomfield of tomor-
row could be in Brighton," he said.
Gad-Harf said West Bloomfield
will continue to have a high concen-
tration of Jews, but will no longer be
the northwest corner of the core
Jewish area.
"Dispersion will take place in all
areas, but will not sap the strength of
other Jewish areas like Oak Park," he
said. ❑

Assisted livin g ,

with catered services

Studios and suites with private baths
Three well planned daily meals
Emergency call systems
Housekeeping and linen services
Round the clock staffing
Nurse manager
Personal care assistance
Medical supervision
Spa with pool and exercise room
Scheduled activities
Game room
Library
Hair salon
Sundries shop
<
Transportation
Valet parking for residents

in beautiful surroundin gs

created especiall y

for older adults.

Includes all utilities with the exception of telephone and cable television
Call Renee Mahler at 248.683.1010 for additional information

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