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COMMUNITY VIEWS

REVITALIZING JEWISH DETROIT

from page 31

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2001 CATERA

Downtown Synagogue while others
find their way to our sanctuary as a
result of company relocations to
Detroit.
The big question is whether the
Jewish community cares to be present
during the rebirth of Detroit?

Lightly Represented

Currently, the Jewish community is
only sparsely represented in the city.
There is Hillel of Metro Detroit at
Wayne State University, the Jewish
Vocational Service on Woodward, a
couple of minyanim (prayer quorums)
without a permanent address and the
Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue,
the only synagogue still within the
city limits.

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NEW IN DETROIT?

SHALOM DETROIT
WELCOMES NEWCOMERS TO
OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY

Call the Women's Department at
(248) 203-1459 for more information.

5/4

2001

34

■ ••••■-■

n

iis is .recieriation

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Currently, the
Jewish
community is
only sparsely
represented in
the city.

The synagogue is in need of help.
For more than 70 years, it has been
providing services to Detroit resi-
dents. Initially, _the synagogue pro-
vided religious support for Jewish
businesspersons and professionals
working downtown. As downtown
businesses closed and moved to the
suburbs, the role of the synagogue
changed to providing outreach, edu-
cation and information to city resi-
dents who wanted to know more
about Judaism. In other words, the
synagogue became a Jewish bridge to
residents in the city.
What other synagogue can claim
that about a third of its congregational
attendees are people seriously explor-
ing Judaism and its relevance in their
lives? Some have chosen to convert
while others stay and gain more infor-
mation.
With this resource, then why are
the synagogue leaders repeatedly told
that the greater Jewish community has
little interest in anything south of
Eight Mile? I find this position partic-
ularly frustrating when the Jewish

Community Council of Metropolitan
Detroit strives to develop and main-
tain relationships with groups within
the city. Precisely what message is
being sent to the city when the Jewish
community maintains numerous orga-
nizations in the suburbs, but does not
want to support a Jewish institution
located in Detroit?
As the Jewish community represen-
tative to a social service agency in the
city, I know the importance that the
city places on agencies with board
members who live in the city. Doesn't
it behoove the Jewish community to
also have an address within the city?

Familiar Faces

There has always been a Jewish com-
munity in the city. I recognize some of
the older members as I walk home fol-
lowing Shabbat services — the ones
who remained in the city during the
migration to the suburbs and contin-
ue to receive services and support
from the Isaac Agree Downtown Syn-
agogue. Or the Detroit police officer
who stopped by the synagogue for
spiritual assistance following the death
of a parent.
The current changes taking place
in the city mean there is a potential
for growth in Detroit's Jewish popu-
lation. New apartments, lofts and
nightclubs emerge within walking
distance of the synagogue, meaning it
is only a matter of time until Jews
move back to the city. The question
is whether there will be any formal
Jewish institutional presence in the
city to support them?
There is a half-empty, four-story
building — a Jewish facility — in
downtown Detroit that would like to
be of assistance. I would encourage
and support the notion of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
establishing an office in the Isaac
Agree Downtown Synagogue. With
United Way down the street, both
planning agencies would be close
together.
A Federation office in the Isaac
Agree Downtown Synagogue would
create a greater Jewish presence in
Detroit, leading to outreach of the
growing city Jewish community. This
would be a win-win situation: The
synagogue would receive needed help
and Jewish communal ties to the city
would be bolstered.
Shouldn't there be a spiritual Jewish
presence in the city to serve the cur-
rent and growing numbers of Jewish
Detroit residents? LI]

