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Address sign at Adat Shalom Synagogue

Of their joint rabbinical ventures,
Rabbi Nevins says of Rabbi Yoskowitz,
"There are some things only he does,
some only I do, but we share interests
— working together on adult bat mitz-
vah, the lunch series, teen education, the
Teen Mission and adult education." And
on another level, "we daven together."
A poignant custom Rabbi
Yoskowitz says was adopted from Beth
Achim is the recitation of the Mi She-
beirach, a Shabbat prayer for those
who are ill, instituting a ritual of the
rising of those who wish to join in the
prayer for relatives or friends.
Physical changes in the building
include the addition of dedication
plaques, awards and 1,800 yahrtzeit
markers brought as part of their his-
tory from the Beth Achim building in
Southfield, now Yeshivat Akiva.
Since the merger, Adat Shalom,
now a 1,200-family congregation, has
won the 1999 Solomon Schechter
award for a program or activity within
the Conservative synagogue move-
ment, in the category of membership.
Jerry Tepman, a 28-year member
and former Beth Achim president, is a
member of the aliya committee, set up
to determine various service-related
honors as he did at Beth Achim.
Remembering how he "knew virtu-
ally every synagogue member by name
and who they are," he says he was
incorporated into the existing Adat
Shalom committee to assure that
members who came from both con-
gregations receive honors.
With two grown children, Tepman's
family is typical of many Beth Achim
members that joined Adat Shalom.
The Farmington Hills synagogue
includes more families with younger
children.
Yost noted, however, that there are
a number of new students from Beth
Achim in the religious school.
Howard Silverman, whose family
are longtime Adat Shalom members,
agrees that most of those seen in ser-
vices are older families. But, he adds,
those who are new and those who are
old, "have all blended in together." I 1

In the Bloomfield Plaza
Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Hills
(248) 855-8879

9/10
1999

Detroit Jewish News

27