Shabbat Fitness
West Bloomfield UCC extends hours to include
Saturday mornings, bringing mixed response.
Fitness opening March 4 in
Commerce Township will be
open 24 hours every day — will
the JCC have to open on Jewish
n Saturday, Dec 4, after a yearlong survey of
holidays? "We will consider
former, current and prospective members, the
opening holidays — within rea-
Jewish Community Center in West
son — based on our member-
Bloomfield extended its hours of operation on Friday,
ship's needs and the needs of our
Saturday and Sunday. Shabbat hours at the JCC in
community, Lis said.
Oak Park were not changed.
The JCC needs more revenue.
The overlap with Shabbat has aroused some tension
Currently, it relies on the Jewish
not felt for 45 years in the Jewish community. New
Federation of Metropolitan
Friday hours in West Bloomfield extend from 5:30
Detroit for 31 percent of its $10
a.m.-6:30 p.m.; in the past, the Center closed at 4:30
in the winter.
million annual budget. JCC
executives anticipate member-
The West Bloomfield JCC, opened in 1975, has
ship fees, driven mostly by its
always been open on Saturday afternoons. The new
new fitness facilities, will con-
Saturday morning hours apply only to the South
tribute at least 16 percent of the
Wing, which encompasses the Center Fitness Club,
budget.
pools, gyms and the InLine Hockey Center. New
The West Bloomfield JCC's
Saturday hours are 6 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
10,000-square-foot Fitness Club
New Sunday hours are 6 a.m.-7:30 p.m. instead of
offers a variety of new
closing at 6 p.m.
machines as well as
The $7 million South Wing opened Sept.
classes for swimming,
21, 2003 as part of the Jewish Community
strength training, spin-
Center of Metropolitan Detroit's $33 million,
ning, aerobics, Pilates
two-campus renovation project dating back to
Ken Manko ofWest Bloomfield takes advantage of the Saturday gy117
and other "get-in-
1998.
schedule, putting in a 45-minute workout on the tread machine.
shape" activities.
The JCC in Oak Park has not changed its
Current JCC Fitness
weekend hours: 5:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday,
depart from that wonderful example."
Club membership (as of Oct. 31) is 3,089
1-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. on
On Aug. 10, 1959, the executive committee of the
Hannan
Lis
Sunday.
units; each unit represents a family or an
JCC voted 7-2 to open the JCC on Saturdays. When
individual, up from 2,515 units a year ago.
"We've been open on Saturdays since 1959,"
the controversy to open on Saturday first arose, it got
said Hannan Lis, president of the JCC, "and
really
nasty, said Oak Park's Sid Bolkosky, author of
Changing Times
with the changing lifestyle needs of our mem-
the book Harmony and Dissonance: Voices of Jewish
Ken Manko of West Bloomfield, a 20-year
bers and the competitive nature of the fitness
Identity in Detroit, 1914-1967. The rift surprised
industry, we've extended these hours."
member of the JCC and former JCC board
many because of the unusual alliances it provoked,
member, has looked forward to the Center
Rabbi Elliot Pachter, president of the
binding Orthodox, Conservative and Reform rabbis
opening on Saturday mornings. "It's fabu-
Bloomfield Township-based Michigan Board
on this issue.
lous. I work during the week so on
of Rabbis, said the Shabbat morning hours
At the time, at least 27 JCCs around the country
Saturday and Sunday I can work out
present "an unfortunate direction that is hard
were open on Saturday "for activities in consonance
to turn back.
longer. I'm a morning person and much
with the spirit of the Sabbath" — which was never
fresher then, so I like to start my days with
"When the JCC announced their change to
defined, Bolkosky wrote. In fact, the Detroit JCC had
my workout," said Manko, who starts exer-
the board of rabbis, there was a sadness and a
opened on Saturdays for Oneg Shabbat programs at
cising before 7 a.m. "By the afternoon, I'm
disappointment," Rabbi Pachter said. "It's not
the Twelfth Street and Dexter-Davison branches for
more tired and don't like working out as
just about Shabbat — the JCC is already open
10 years, with Orthodox rabbis participating. The
much."
Saturday afternoon — but it's the sense of
program ended because of a shortage of staff.
But Rabbi Reuven Spolter of Young
partnership that has changed. We used to
When the Meyers-Curtis JCC tried to open on
Israel of Oak Park said there are higher
work hand in hand as synagogues, Jewish
Saturday, not only the Orthodox community reacted
Rabbi Spolter
Jewish priorities to consider when opening
organizations and the JCC and try not to con-
negatively, but so did a range of rabbis — from
the Center earlier on Saturday.
flict with one another. It's disappointing that
Young Israel of Detroit to Shaarey Zedek to Temple
"It's important for all Jewish community
the JCC is going in a different direction."
Beth El. Many synagogue boards also protested.
institutions to observe Shabbos," he said.
Powerhouse Gym in West Bloomfield,
"More surprising, the lay opposition mounted and
"It's a shame to see the JCC break a status
Franklin Athletic Club in Southfield and
grew steadily more vociferous, until the Jews and
quo that's been in existence in our commu-
Lifetime Fitness are among the JCC's top
non-Jews of Detroit became aware of a serious rift
nity for many years. The Federation has
competitors for health club users.
within Jewish ranks," Bolkosky wrote.
always been sensitive to the religious needs
And with these businesses open long hours
In September 1959, the Jewish News editorialized
of the community. It's sad to see the JCC
every day — the new Commerce Lifetime
Sid Bolkosky
that "the most sacred Jewish institution — the
SHARON LUCKERMAN
Staff Writer
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12 / 17
20 04
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