Synagogues

Congregrant becomes
the rabbi, bringing
expansion and additions
to Orthodox shul.

Rabbi Yochanan Potter in the Birmingham Bloomfield Chai Center.

SHELLI DORFMAN
Editorial Assistant

I

t may look like the Birmingham Masonic
Temple on the outside, but inside is the
Birmingham Bloomfield Chai Center, a
full-fledged Orthodox synagogue.
With a new name and expanded programming,
the former Birmingham Bloomfield Synagogue is
doing what it has always done — assessing needs
and making things happen.
The 12-year-old synagogue began as a weekly
Shabbat minyan in the Bloomfield Hills home of
Gerald and Eileen Borsand. An Orthodox family
living in an area that lacked an Orthodox place of
worship, the Borsands created their own.
Rabbi Yochanan Polter, spiritual leader of the
Chai Center, said his father, Rabbi Moshe Polter,
was the synagogue's original rabbi, followed by his
brother, Rabbi Yechiel Polter. However, with a
full-time position at Ford Motor Company,
Yechiel was available to officiate only on Shabbat.
This year, with an expanded membership, the

synagogue began to search for a full-time rabbi. A
reply came from Yochanan Polter, who, though
brand new to the rabbinate, was hardly that to
the congregation. In June, with time and ideas on
his side, Rabbi Polter came to his new position in
the synagogue wherehe grew up, became a bar
mitzvah and came to know the congregants well.
Synagogue president Gerald Borsand has held
his post for many years. Through the years, the
Borsands and the Polters have formed a bond that
goes beyond their synagogue — including the
marriage of Rabbi Yechiel Polter to Rochie
Borson.
Today, Rabbi Yochanan Polter says Shabbat
morning services at the Birmingham Bloomfield
Chai Center "draw a sizable crowd of 15-20, who
enjoy lively prayer followed by a full sit-down
kiddush and a short, inspiring word on the week-
ly Torah portion."
The High Holiday programming plans call for
a full Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur service,
including a second-day Rosh HaShana lunch.
After the High Holidays, the synagogue will start

holding a regular Friday-night service, with a
Shabbat dinner offered bi-monthly.
In an effort "to meet the growing needs of the
Birmingham-Bloomfield Hills Jewish communi-
ty," Polter says the Chai Center now offers a
weekly Torah study class for men and women, has
established a lending library of Jewish resources
for children and adults and offers private tutoring
for bar mitzvah lessons.
With its new programs and increased services,
the Bloomfield Hills synagogue that Polter says he
used to refer to as "my father's place," clearly has
acquired a new name, in more ways than one. E

t the Birmingham
enter, located at 357 N.
ngham., call Rabbi Yochanan
23-4633.

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Detroit Jewish News-67