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S
outheast Michigan is home to
nearly 100,000 Jews. They live in
communities as diverse as Ann Arbor,
as placid as Waterford, as Shabbat-
friendly as Oak Park. Our writers offer
a sampling of these communities to
give you a glimpse of your neighbors.
Enjoy.
Ken Guten Cohen, Editor
—
ANN ARBOR
Population: 114,024
Square miles: 28.2
Became a city: 1824
Claims to fame: University of
Michigan, diverse population,
Zingerman's Deli, progressive politics
Congregations:
Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan
Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Havurah
Beth Israel Congregation
Chabad House
Humanistic Havurah of Ann Arbor
Jewish Cultural Society
Temple Beth Emeth
Pardes Hannah
Major Jewish
Organizations/Agencies:
Hillel Foundation, U-M
Interfaith Hospitality Network
Israeli Community Ann Arbor
Jewish Community Center
of Washtenaw County
Jewish Family Services
of Washtenaw County
Jewish Historical Society
Yad Shoshana
Jewish School:
Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor
Favorite Community
Hangout:
Around Ann Arbor, the family can be
found downtown at Cafe Zola or at
Jefferson Market, a neighborhood mar-
ket that sells everything from children's
toys to carryout dinners. "It's a little
one-story brick building run by this cool
family — cool people work there — it's
a cool hangout place. ... and Zola's like
that, too," Eichner said. "Jefferson
Market literally sits in the middle of the
neighborhood. You just can go sit down
and have a coffee; people congregate
there. It's just a real integral part of the
neighborhood."
GROWING JEWISH COMMUNITY
Ann Arbor's comfortable ambience satisfies family.
A
dam Eichner and
wife, Rachel Portnoy,
set their sights on
Ann Arbor seven years ago
because of the draw of local
culture and the community.
In fact, neither attended the
University of Michigan.
With a lively downtown
and a number of parks close
by, Adam says he and
Rachel, who both grew up
in Oakland County, appreci-
ate living in a "walkable"
city.
"It's a city of trees; it's
stunning," says Adam, a
real estate agent for Edward
Surovell Realtors in Ann
Arbor. "There's a nice center
downtown where you can
park and do everything.
We're immersed in woods
and parks and there's a ton
of cultural experiences open
to us. It's a really multicul-
tural city."
Regarding Jewish life there, Adam
finds Ann Arbor home to a very per-
sonal and close-knit Jewish commu-
nity where "everybody pretty much
knows everybody" and even the
most diverse segments interact and
dialogue.
"It's accessible in its scope —
you're aware of everything going on,
and if you don't know someone by
face you know them by name or
vice versa," he says. "That small-
ness allows for a level of community
that's much more satisfying."
Jonah Eichner, 3, attends the
Jewish Community Center of
Washtenaw County's Early
Childhood Center preschool.
Brother Kobi, 5, is moving on to the
Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor
Adam Eichner and Rachel Portnoy with
their children Kobi, 5, and Jonah, 3.
next year
both schools are in the
same building.
"I love our JCC; to me the JCC is
the center of our Jewish life," says
Rachel, who is on the JCC board
and is co-president of the Early
Childhood Center's Parent Teacher
Organization.
She says she likes living in a
growing Jewish community because
of the opportunities to make an
impact on its creation and develop-
ment. She and Adam are active with
the Jewish Federation of Washtenaw
County's Young Adult Division and
enjoy taking part in other local
programming. I
Karen Schwartz
2004-2005 Community Directory ■
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