maximums established long ago by the board."
Last year, the Hillel board estimated a need to
reduce expenses by $400,000. Because enrollment is
lower than anticipated, that figure was raised
$200,000, Berger said.
Terri Farber-Roth of Farmington Hills, first vice
president of the Hillel board, said the school has
been graduating larger classes than it has been taking
in. This year, there are 90 eighth-graders and about
75 first-graders.
However, she pointed out, enrollment in Oakland
County's public schools also has been down.
"We have a capacity for 61 in kindergarten, and
we've filled that this year, plus we have a waiting
list," said Farber-Roth, who will head the Hillel
transition team.
"But we normally get into the school some 9-18
children a year from out of state. With the down-
turn in the economy, people aren't hiring and we
aren't getting the out-of-state transfers."
When Dr. Smiley came to Hillel 16 years ago, the
school had about 400 students. At most, the school
has enrolled 765-770 students, Berger said. This
year, enrollment stands at 720.

Goals And Memories

Robin Lash of Farmington Hills, president of the
school's teachers union, called Dr. Smiley "a man of
vision."

"He had goals with
regard to where Jewish
education was," Lash said.
"He took these goals, and
he made many things
come to fruition, in part-
nership, of course, with the
board and the teachers."
Orley said, "The
ISACS process revealed
that, academically, the
school is outstanding."
Dr. Smiley said his
fondest memories of the
Dr. Mark Smiley
school include "being in a
minyan [prayer quorum] with the kids. The Hillel
minyans will remain with me for the rest of my life."
Other memories: "The first time I gave a diploma
to the child of a Hillel graduate ... the first time we
brought an alum to teach or serve in the school
administration ... how the community comes to
Hillel at times of the greatest tragedies, the greatest
celebrations ... and, of course, watching my own
children grow up in the school."
For a new headmaster, Orley said, the search com-
mittee would be looking for "an energetic, enthusi-
astic, spiritual person who will carry on the mission
of the school."
Added Farber-Roth: "Because it's not changing.
"We're still a school that follows the Schechter

movement. We are halachi-
cally based [following
Jewish laws]," she said.
Hillel enrolls Jewish stu-
dents from Reform,
Conservative, Orthodox
and unaffiliated back-
grounds. However, within
the school itself, the stu-
dents must attend
Conservative minyanim
and adhere to the laws of
kashrut [keeping kosher],
Farber-Roth said.
Robert Orley
"We do it in a way a
family can buy into," Dr. Smiley said. "Many take
on more mitzvot in their own lives, kosher their
homes, become shomer Shabbat [Sabbath-observant].
"We open the door. Not everyone walks through it."
Teacher Sharon Schwartz of Bloomfield Hills said
Dr. Smiley, who has occupied the headmaster's office
longer than any other Hillel leader, had made a great
contribution . to the school, especially in the areas of
enrollment and curriculum.
Finding a replacement for him will be an onerous
task, Schwartz added.
"After having the same person in there for 16 years,
its hard to know who's out there. It [the search for a
new headmaster] will be a fascinating process," she said.
"The whole community will be looking."

Unwavering Support

German envoy: "Germany stands by its full solidarity with the U.S. in our fight against terrorism."

HARRY KIRS BAUM

StaffWriter

I

f all goes according to sched-
ule, the new Holocaust
Memorial Center in
Farmington Hills will be open
for business by August 2003, said
Rabbi Charles Rosenzveig, HMC
founder and executive director, at the
organization's 18th annual meeting.
On Nov. 10, the crowd of 1,000
supporters at the Marriott Detroit
Renaissance Center experienced a
virtual tour of the rising HMC
building. Moving from its current
location in West Bloomfield, the
Holocaust educational center is being
expanded to include a Museum of
Jewish Heritage and an International
Institute of the Righteous.
Guests also heard from two speak-
ers.
Dr. Eberhard Koelsch, deputy chief
of mission at the German Embassy

in Washington, D.C.,
not posture ourselves to
spoke of Germany's mod-
await aggression before
ern-day relationship with
we react."
Jews and Israel, and
Zakheim also said
German solidarity with
that there should be no
the United States in the
reward for terror in the
war on terrorism.
Middle East. The
"Israeli citizens have a
Palestinian authorities
right to finally live their
should dismantle terror-
lives free from terror, and
ist infrastructures and
the Palestinian people
reform its government.
must be given a chance to
He called on Israel to
become good neighbors
withdraw to positions it
living with secure borders
held prior to the
and with a vision for a
Palestinian intifada
Dr. Dov Zakheim
Dl: Eberhard Koelsch
better future," Koelsch
(uprising) that started
said.
on Sept. 28, 2000.
"Germany stands by its
"Israeli settlement
full solidarity with the U.S. in our
"The president's stance on Iraq
activity must stop," Zakheim said.
fight against terrorism."
exemplifies a key pillar of our
"The U.S. can and must play a cru-
Also speaking was U.S.
national security strategy: To fore-
cial- role in settling this conflict. But;
Undersecretary of Defense Dr. Dov
stall or prevent hostile acts by our
ultimately, lasting peace can come
Zakheim, who presented the Bush
adversaries, the United States will, if
only when Israelis and Palestinians
administration's positions on fighting necessary, act preemptively,"
themselves resolve the issues that
with Iraq and support for Israel.
Zakheim said. "This means we will
divide them." ❑

11/15

2002

17