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Darchei Torah honors Rabbi Weil: announces future plans.

SUSAN TAWIL

Special to the Jewish News

.

u can come home again. Rabbi Steven Weil, former rabbi at Young
Israel of Oak Park, proved that when he was honored with Yeshivas
Darchei Torah's Pillar of Torah Award Nov. 7.

"We are part of civilization and contribute to it, yet, at the same time, we are
different. and apart from it."
Rabbi Weil said this is the key to the education at Yeshivas Darchei Torah,
which teache,-, the students to be involved in the community and, at the same
time, to be "proud Jews in a passionate, dynamic way.
"I will be forever grateful for the amazing education our kids got at Yeshivas
Darchei Torah,' he said.

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Nearly 200 supporters attended the ceremony, held at the Galleria Office
Centre in Southfield.
In addition to honoring Rabbi Weil, they heard an exciting announcement -
the 16-year-old Orthodox day school, which educates about 300 students each
year, has acquired land for a new building.
Darchei Torah's current Southfield facility, the former Agency for Jewish
Education Building on 12 Mile Road, is used for the girls and
boys schools as well as the preschool. The new building is needed
because of the school's rapid growth, combined with a desire to
separate the boys and girls facilities.
The building will house the preschool and boys divisions, said
Dr. Henry Kroll, Darchei Torah president. Located in Oak Park's
10 Mile corridor, it will be named after benefactors Edward and
the late Norma Jean Meer, the major contributors for the new
facility.
On hand to hear the good news was the evening's honoree,
now rabbi of Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills, Calif.
During his tenure here, Rabbi Weil doubled Young Israel's
membership. The charismatic young rabbi initiated many new
synagogue programs, including a youth department, a young
couples club and a scholar-in-residence series.
Known in metropolitan Detroit's Jewish community as "the
Bridge Builder," Rabbi Weil worked to unite local Jews, regard-
less of denomination. He was active in numerous communal
boards and committees, especially within the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit. He also led learning missions to Israel,
chaired the United Jewish Communities' Young Leadership
Cabinet, initiated the Detroit Teen Unity Mission/March of the
Living and is active with the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee.
While Rabbi Weil and his wife, Yael, lived in the Detroit area,
their four children attended Darchei Torah. As a Darchei Torah
board member, Rabbi Weil played a pivotal role in obtaining full
Federation constituency status for the school, which was granted
this past April.
Darchei Torah's total budget for this year is $1.3 million. Of
that amount, $104,000 comes from Federation's allocation. In
addition, the school's current home, the former AJE building, is
Federation property.
At the dinner program, Federation was represented by Mark
Hauser, president of United Jewish Foundation, the agency's
banking arm. He congratulated Rabbi Weil on behalf of the
entire organization for his leadership accomplishments in the
community.
In accepting the 2001 Pillar of Torah Award, Rabbi Weil
referred to the weekly Torah portion, Chayai Sarah, and the
episode in which the patriarch Abraham purchases the cave of
Machpelah as a burial place for his wife.
Abraham says he is a ger v'toshav, a stranger and a dweller.
"This is the tension of the Jewish people," said Rabbi Weil.

Tioah'c Arthur Weiss presents Rabbi Weil with the Piller of Torah Award.
Bottom: Julie Sheyizen of Huntington Woods, Gail Hennes and Marshall Levin, both
of Oak Park, check out the poster honoring Rabbi Weil.

Top: Darchei

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2001