Standing United

Detroit's Conservative movement launches
combined synagogue programs at Tisha b'Av.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
Staff Writer

A

t a time when some are con-
cerned about a decrease in the
number of Americans identify-
ing as Conservative Jews, the leadership
of five of the movement's Detroit con-
gregations are showing their strength in
numbers.
In the first of
ongoing programs,
Adat Shalom
Synagogue and
Congregations Beth
Ahm, Beth Shalom,
B'nai Moshe and
Shaarey Zedek will
host an 8 p.m.
Krakoff
Monday, July 26, joint
commemoration of Tisha b'Av at the
Holocaust Memorial Center in
Farmington Hills.
"The Conservative movement is
strong in Detroit and this first-ever com-
bined Tisha b'Av service sends a very
important message that we are a united
movement," said Rabbi Joseph Krakoff
of Shaarey Zedek.
The close-knit group of area
Conservative clergy meet at monthly
meetings of the Rabbinical Assembly-
Michigan Region and have discussed for
some time bringing their members
together. The Tisha b'Av program came
about after meetings with the presidents,
executive directors, rabbis and cantors of
the five congregations.
It will begin with an 8 p.m. viewing
of an exhibit chosen to reflect the theme
of the mourning of the destruction of
the Temple, said Rabbi Krakoff, co-chair
of the evening with Adat Shalom Rabbi
Herbert Yoskowitz.
Leadership and members of the five
congregations each chose one of the five
chapters of the Book of Lamentations to
chant, beginning at 8:30 p.m.
As Rabbi Krakoff takes the helm as
the new president of the Rabbinical
Assembly-Michigan Region, he said,
"We are looking for other profound
ways to unite our movement locally that
will serve as a national model."
The next joint event of the local syna-
gogues will be a combined Selichot serv-
ice hosted by Shaa rey Zedek this fall.
Shaarey Zedek Cantor Chaim Najman
will lead Selichot services, with col-

leagues invited to join him.
"The rabbis from each congregation
will run learning sessions," Rabbi
Krakoff said. 'And we will encourage
members to learn with a rabbi who is
not from their synagogue."
The movement will also host visiting
scholar in residence Dr. Howard
Lupovitch. Along with conducting regu-
lar services at Beth Ahm, he will lead
Shabbat programming at each of the
other four participating congregations
during his year in Detroit.
The Rabbi Max Weine Conversion
Institute has become the Rabbinical
Assembly Conversion Institute with area
Conservative pulpit and educational rab-
bis joining Congregation Beth Shalom's
Rabbi David and Alicia Nelson, who
have led the program for the last 20
years. The 24-week intensive introduc-
tion to Judaism and Hebrew language is
geared toward prospective converts and
other interested adults.
"With our combined programs, we
are not looking for our members to leave
their own synagogues," Rabbi Krakoff
said. "We are looking to unite and
strengthen our movement as a whole.
'And even on a holiday when we
mourn destruction, we also reaffirm the
life and vibrancy of the synagogue and of
our movement." 111

The Conservative movement's Tisha
b'Av service will be held at the
Holocaust Memorial Center, 28123
Orchard Lake Road, Farmington
Hills, on Monday, July 26. An 8
p.m. exhibit tour will be followed by
an 8:30 p.m. reading of the Book of
Lamentations. The program and
service are open to the community
at no charge. Information: Kelly
Woerner, (248) 357-5544, ext. 28.

The sundown-to-sundown holiday
of Tisha b"Av begins Monday, July
26 It is a day of mourning that
includes a fast commemorating sev-
eral catastrophes for the Jewish peo-
ple, including the destruction of
both Temples. Tisha bAv is marked
by reading "Eichah" (the Book of
"Lamentations') and reciting
"kinot" (mournful lamentations).

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