Stand Up And Sing Temple Israel children's choir, with more than 100 boys and girls, gets ready to sing for Chanukah. Clockwise from far right: Kathy Lowenthal directs the choir. Jake Levy, 9, of Bloomfield Hills adds his voice to the chorus. Alex Chudler, 11, of Bloomfield Hills belts out a song. Chase Basch, 10, of West Bloomfield sings from the heart. hen you're anywhere between 10 and 14 years old, some things are too embarrassing to even consider: Like your mother wearing a midriff-baring tank top when she picks you up from school. Or your father singing along with the Beach Boys, the radio turned full volume and the car windows down. Or your grandmother telling your friends how you (voluntarily) wore a Barney costume to your second-grade birthday party. Or being part of your temple choir. Unless you're at Temple Israel, where something of a modern miracle has occurred. Because at Temple Israel, not only is it decidedly not embarrass- ing to be in the choir — it's down- right hip. Just ask Julie Lowenthal. Julie, 10, is both a member of the Temple Israel choir and the daughter of the choir director, Kathy Lowenthal. "My Mom is so cool," Julie says. "She teaches us a new song in one day. She pushes us and she helps us and she works with us. My Mom makes it a lot of fun." Kathy Lowenthal insists it's a team effort. She credits Temple Israel Cantor Lori Corrsin ("Without Cantor Corrsin, this wouldn't have happened," she says), Educational Director Fran Pearlman and the con- gregation's rabbis with making the choir a success — and its success is impressive. Last year the choir, the Shabbat Singers, comprised 40 children. This year, it's up to more than 100, set to sing in a Chanukah service at Temple Israel this evening, Dec. 12. (See below for more information) • "There's nothing more important for a child than getting this kind of connection with their synagogue," Cantor Corrsin says. "Having a vibrant Jewish children's choir in this community has been one of my goals since coming to Detroit. As one of my favorite professors in Jerusalem says, `You are making Jews when children sing together.'" SING on page 44 12/12 2003 43