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Rabbi Groner, slowed by ailments, announces

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the synagogue and available to "assist and
counsel the synagogue's rabbinical team."
Special to the Jewish News
Shaarey Zedek Rabbis Joseph Krakoff
and
Jonathan Berkun delivered the ser-
abbi Irwin Groner of
mons
on Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
Kippur
at the synagogue's Southfield
(dias)
returned to the bimah
location.
on Yom Kippur, after a long
"Rabbi Groner's many years of service
absence because of illness, to announce
to Shaarey Zedek continue to be a bless-
he will take a six-month sabbatical to
ing to our congregation," Safran said
work on personal projects.
later.
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah,
The synagogue honored the rabbi in
Shaarey Zedek President James Safran of
June
for his 40-plus years of service and
Franklin told the congregation the rabbi
70th birthday.
would take a sabbatical now, then
Rabbi Groner had planned to give a
assume emeritus status next year. Safran
sermon about Israel on Yom Kippur
said later the emeritus status would start
morning, but
when the rabbi's
delivered the
current contract
message instead.
expires next
He told the con-
Sept. 30. Rabbi
gregation he felt
Groner didn't
"different" being
mention the
at home on Rosh
emeritus role in
Hashanah and
his remarks.
not hearing "the
'After the
beautiful voice of
Rosh Hashanah
Cantor Chaim
announcement,
Najman,"
but he
and what has
prayed by him-
been said since
self and experi-
that time, I'm
enced "a new
not sure what to Leypsa and Rabbi Irwin Groner
dialogue with
say now," he
God"... giving
added.
him "a new
For the first time in his 45 years as a
awareness
of
God."
, rabbi — 43 of them at Shaarey Zedek
The rabbi expressed "profound appre-
— Rabbi Groner, 70, was not in the
ciation" to the congregation for the
synagogue for Rosh Hashanah services,
many cards and calls he received during
starting Sept. 6. Slowed by some ail-
his illness, and for the many messages of
ments in recent years, including a mild
support
since Safran's Rosh Hashanah
stroke in 1999, he was in his Southfield
announcement.
home recuperating_from an abdominal
"The traditional role of a rabbi is to
problem that put him in the hospital
be
the caregiver for members of the
twice in the past three months.
congregation in many ways," Rabbi
In a 25-minute message to the con-
Groner said, "but the role was reversed .
gregation on Yom Kippur morning,
this time and you - became my caregiv-
Sept. 15, the rabbi said he experienced a
er
... my collective rabbi. I have led
"medical problem" in July, but is feeling
this
congregation for many years,. but
better, and now will take what he called
I
have
never experienced your love for
a "Groner sabbatical." The rabbi said he
me
in
the
way I feel it today ... return-
will work on a book from his collection
ing to the bimah after such a long
of sermons and other programs of per-
absence." CI
sonal interest. He still will be involved in

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