Mazel Toy!

A historic wedding shows
o the vitality of a small
Jewish community.

NANCY LIEFER

Special to the Jewish News

T

hirty-three years had
passed since a chuppah
had been assembled in the
small sanctuary/social hall
of Temple B'nai Israel in Monroe.
But on Aug. 5, Susan Joyce Katz
of Monroe and Jeffrey Warren
Scheinker of Farmington Hills were
joyfully married, surrounded by
their families, friends and the entire
congregation of 15 families, includ-
ing the couple that was last married
there.
Susan, 26, a dietician/food service
director, and Jeffrey, 27, a manufac-
turing engineer, met as undergradu-
ates at Eastern Michigan University.
They are now pursuing master's
degrees in business administration.
Temple B'nai Israel is nestled on
the east side of Monroe in a quiet,
old residential neighborhood at the
corner of Eighth Street and Custer.
Because the temple is small, fitting
all of the guests in comfortably was
a concern. But Susan had spent most
of her life at the temple, and getting
married there was especially mean-
ingful.
Susan and Jeffrey were married by
former Detroiter Rabbi Michael
Unger and Cantor James Gloth, of
B'nai Israel in Toledo. During the
ceremony, Rabbi Unger spoke of
how Susan had brought a special
spirituality to Jeffrey through her
love of Torah. A reception followed
at Monroe Golf and Country Club.
Ted and Rebecca Sacks have been
pillars of Monroe's Jewish communi-
ty since the temple was dedicated in
1954. Now 85, Ted served as the

first president of the congregation,
which totaled 19 families. From
1956-81, Detroit attorney Charles
Goldstein was lay rabbi. At age 85,
Goldstein retired from his quarter-
century position, which was sup-
posed to last only four months.
Susan's parents, Jack and Angela
Katz, have been active members of
Temple B'nai Israel for almost 25
years. Since the temple does not
have a spiritual leader, Jack and
Susan often lead Shabbat services,
which are held every two or three
weeks. High Holiday services are
held every year, and a few fami-
lies are also members of the
Conservative synagogue in
Toledo.
Angela Katz said, "We
had to work extra hard to
give our children a strong
Jewish identity because
we are so small."
Jeffrey's mother,
Marsha Levine of
Farmington Hills, was
touched by the tem-
ple's strong feeling of
commitment. "You
often lose that warm
closeness in larger
congregations," she
said.
Angela told
Jeffrey before the
weddina b "You are
not only getting a
new family by mar-
rying our daughter,
you are getting a
community."

,

The Scheinkers

Nancy Liefer of Farmington Hills is a
Jewish history enthusiast.

9/28
2001

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