Always The Teacher
RABBINIC IMPACT
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from page 10
students have come to learn about
Jews and Judaism.
David calls it "remarkable that pub-
lic school superintendents gave their
teachers a paid day to attend this insti-
tute. My dad also was a big part of it
for many years. He would come in
and teach the teachers why Jewish kids
are different. Explaining their back-
ground and the way we demand our
kids to ask questions created a whole
dynamic never seen before."
"She is absolutely brilliant and artic-
ulate and fun," Tisdale says of Sonia
Syme. "In a different time, in a differ-
ent age, she could have been a rabbi in
her own right. She would have been a
pre-eminient rabbi in this country."
Rabbi Daniel Syme is the eldest son
of Rabbi M. Robert and Sonia Syme.
"My happy moment is that we're the
only congregation that has a father and
son in the same city as heads of large
Reform congregations," says Dan. "In
my eye, he's the best in the country"
Dan Syme is married to Jill and has a
son Joshua, 21, from a previous marriage.
Concert pianist David, the second-
born son, whose wife is Victoria, invit-
ed his father to participate in a record-
ing of Jewish music. In his early 70s,
Rabbi Syme joined his son in an
Arizona recording studio to perform
on a CD titled, Jewish Music: Then and
Now. David accompanied the rabbi on
the piano, as he sang such traditional
songs as "L'Maancha," "Dos Yiddishe
Lied" and "Turn Balalaika."
void in the Jewish education of our
youth was in not taking teens to visit
Israel," says Rabbi Loss. In 1972, 18
teens traveled on the temple's first
summer program. Through the years,
more than 1,500 adults and teens have
participated.
Rabbis Joshua Bennett and Marla
Hornsten are accompanying 92 of the
temple's youth on this summer's teen
mission to Israel.
Rabbi Syme is a longtime member
of the Zionist Organization of
America. He served as president of
Metro Detroit District from 1987-91
and received the ZOA's Justice Louis D.
Brandeis Award in 1991. Dan Syme
won the Brandeis Award last year.
Temple Today
Rabbi Syme has had a strong hand in
shaping Temple Israel's support
groups, including those for young
adults and young married couples.
"Long before bereavement support
groups found facilitators, he was doing
tasks to help people," says David
Tisdale, the executive director.
"Judaism is mcire than going to ser-
vices on Friday night and Saturday. He
created an environment where we do
social action. We're in a caring com-
munity where we reach out to our peo-
ple to help them on a caring, individ-
ual basis. This is him. Our motto is, 'If
you can dream it, you can do it.'
"We're a very large congregation,
but when you break us down, we're a
very small congregation," Tisdale says.
"It's OK to help 12 people, because
Zionistic Ties
then 12 people become part of that
A Zionist since his youth, Rabbi Syme
extended family. We have 3,400 fami-
remains a staunch supporter of Israel.
lies who believe they are part of our
"Dad's commitment to Israel has
extended family"
rubbed off on Josh," Dan says of his
Always looking toward the future,
son. At age 21, Josh is currently on his
Rabbi Syme says, "Religion is in good
seventh trip to Israel this summer. He
health at Temple Israel. Spiritually,
is a counselor to 70 Goldman Camp
we're a strong congregation." With
teens from Zionsville, Ind., participat-
pride, he adds, "When I tell other rab-
ing in NFTY, the national Reform
bis what they are doing at [our] tem-,
movement's North American
ple, they don't believe me."
Federation of Temple Youth program.
"We don't have contracts," says
When Rabbi Syme was offered his
Tisdale. "None of our rabbis has ever
first position at Temple Israel, his
had a contract. That's Rabbi Symes
friend Rabbi Freehoff told him he
philosophy. There is no such thing as
would fit in at the temple because
tenure or rabbinic evaluations."
both he and Rabbi Fram were
After Rabbi Fram's death in 1987,
Zionists. That strong connection
Rabbi Syme persuaded the board to do
with Israel continues today.
away with titles, such as assistant rabbi.
Introducing the congregation to
"We have no senior rabbis, we elimi-
Israel is a primary goal of the syna-
nated that — no assistant rabbis, no
gogue. "Rabbi [Harold] Loss is very
associate rabbis. When you come to
devoted to Israel," says Rabbi Syme
Temple Israel, you're a rabbi. That's how
of his Temple Israel colleague, whom
you were ordained. And that's why we've
he says is like a son.
never fired a rabbi and no rabbi has ever
"We both realized when I arrived at
RABBINIC IMPACT on page 14
Temple Israel (in 1971) that a major