the congregation benefits the most."
director of lifelong learning. Each of the rabbis
Rabbi Berkun, who has been at Shaarey
will work more closely with children in desig-
Zedek for almost four years, agrees.
nated Hebrew School grades.
"Ours is the most dynamic rabbi team con-
"The rabbis have to spend more time with
cept in the national Conservative movement,"
parents and children — being teachers,"
he said. "We're really a hands-on team using
Weisberg said.
many innovative methods, and we're especially
To bolster the educational area, additional
trying to reach out to children and young
school personnel were added recently.
adults. The rabbis have a great working envi-
Abi Schildcrout of Huntington Woods is
ronment where we can study issues, discuss,
another good example of Shaarey Zedek's
examine and brainstorm them on a daily basis
emphasis on youth. A mother of three young
— all to the eventual benefit of the congrega-
sons, she and her husband, Doug, joined the
tion."
synagogue only two years ago — and last April
Weisberg said, "The members of entire cler-
she found herself on the board of trustees.
gy team are enthusiastic about everything they
"We did a lot of shul shopping, and we just
do and it's rubbing off
feel more comfortable at
on the entire congrega-
Shaarey Zedek," she
tion."
said. "We were
Rabbi Yanoff leads
impressed by Rabbi
services three weeks a
Groner's reputation and
month at West
the enthusiasm of the
Congregation Shaarey Zedek's first
Bloomfield B'nai Israel
young rabbis."
fund-raising dinner, "Pride in the Past
Center. He conducts
She worked with
—
Celebrating the Future," will be
services one week in
some other parents to
held Wednesday, Nov. 10, at the syna-
Southfield while one of
improve the preschool
gogue, 27375 Bell Road, Southfield.
the other rabbis fills in
and make sure it stayed
There will be a cocktail buffet at 6
for him in West
open.
p.m., a program at 7:30 p.m. and a
Bloomfield, staying at
"Sure, there are some
dessert reception at 8:30 p.m. Cost is
Rabbi Yanoff's home
frustrations, but you
$118 per person. Information: Tobye
nearby. Rabbi Yanoff,
run into that in almost
Bello
at (248) 357-5544.
the youngest on the rab-
everything you do any-
binic team at age 28, is
where," she said. "It's
a Philadelphia native
not insurmountable.
who graduated in June from the Jewish
We've met many nice people here, and we're
Theological Seminary of America with several
glad we have the young rabbis to turn to."
academic awards.
Brian Satovsky of Birmingham is a young,
"It's exciting to be part of this new clergy
single member whose relatives have been long-
team concept and the rabbi rotation is working time members. As chairman of the Jewish
out wonderfully for us and for our members,"
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's Young
he said. "We share our talents with each other
Adult Division, he's working with the syna-
and the congregation. The rabbis get to meet
gogue on joint programs for that age group.
people from both locations, and some of the
"The young rabbinic team appeals to mem-
congregants have been switching back and
bers of all ages and all generations," he said.
forth and attending Shabbat services at both
"We're trying to continue the legacy of the
places. They're getting comfortable with both
longtime members who love Rabbi Groner
locations.
and Cantor [Chaim] Najman, but we're also
"Throughout history, Jews have been one
moving forward and enthusiastic about what
people, and even though our people have been
the new clergy team is doing. There's some-
spread out and separated at times, we always
thing at Shaarey Zedek for everybody."
manage to get together."
Reflecting on his younger colleagues, Rabbi
Groner said, "I think our synagogue leadership
and the young rabbis are doing wonderful
Decisions, Decisions
things."
Shaarey Zedek leadership has rejected the
This is a pivotal transitional period in the
notion of merging with Congregation Beth
life of Shaarey Zedek, founded in 1861 by 17
Ahm and will not be abandoning the B'nai
men who split off from the (Temple) Beth El
Israel Center or the Southfield location.
Society.
"We're going to stay in Southfield and
Past president Irving Laker of Bloomfield
upgrade and 'warm up' the main entrance
Hills, a noted community philanthropist and
from the parking lot to the foyer, with couches
Shaarey Zedek benefactor, said "times certainly
and chairs and some other improvements, plus
have changed, but there shouldn't be an abrupt
remodel the social halls," Weisberg said. "We
change."
hope to do all this with private donations."
"The new rabbis must study our culture
Rabbi Lauren Berkun, who has become
and learn," he said. "We need a strong blend
popular with members through her Library
of the yesterdays and the todays to satisfy our
Minyan, lunch-and-learn sessions and con-
elderly and our young people." ❑
ducting of children's services, has been named
Taking Pride
In The Past
Bill Berman Remains
A Shaarey Zedek Pillar
A Congregation Shaarey Zedek
member since he sang as a boy
in. Cantor Jacob Sonenklar's
choir 75 years ago, Mandell L.
"Bill" Berman is the only sur-
viving member of the original
committee that planned and
built the Southfield location for
$4.6 million. The others were
the late Charles Rubiner, Louis
Berry, Hy Safran and Rabbi
Morris Adler.
tion in metro Detroit. He's a
past president of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit and helped found U.S.
Jewry's latest population study
of demographic trends.
Berman's father was the only
Jewish army officer from
Michigan in World War I and
his mother was active in
Detroit's United Hebrew
Schools. He graduated from
"Thn proud of the young
leadership now at the synagogue."
A noted Southfield business-
Harvard College in 1940 and
received an MBA from Harvard
man, Detroit civic leader and
nationally known philanthropist Business School a year later.
Berman is past president of
in the Jewish community,
Berman recently donated
the United Hebrew Schools and
$100,000 for construction of an the former Detroit Jewish
outdoor pavilion behind the
Welfare Federation. As past
president of the former Council
main sanctuary for services and
social events.
of Jewish Federations (now the
United Jewish Communities)
He and his wife, Madge,
have been married 54 years and
— the umbrella organization of
Federations in the United States
have two children and three
grandchildren.
and Canada — he serves on the
Berman will be honored Nov. boards of the Jewish Education
10 with Shaarey Zedek's first-
Service of North America
ever fund-raising dinner.
(JESNA), American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee
"I didn't want to be hon-
ored," said Berman, "but they
and United Israel Appeal.
Fellow philanthropist
asked me to participate, and I'm
glad to do it."
William "Bill" Davidson, who
Berman is founder of the
has known Berman for 66 years,
national Jewish Experiences for
said his friend's name should be
Families program and the guid-
"emblazoned in the annals of
ing force behind Jewish educa-
BERMAN on page 66
3N
11/ 5
2004
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