Ritual Director — And More
Rev. Mermelstein marks 50 years at Beth Ahm.
SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
Staff Writer
J
in the Beth Abraham Cemetery in
Ferndale.
Part of what I do now at Beth Ahm
oseph Mermelstein has been a
is to visit patients in the hospital, and
fixture at his synagogue since
way before its name was changed sometimes I see my old students who
are now doctors. They come up to me
from Beth Abraham to Beth Abraham
and say, 'Rev. Mermelstein, do you
Hillel to Beth Abraham Hillel Moses
remember me?' I even have some stu-
and to the current Beth Ahm.
dents I teach whose father and grand-
A Holocaust survivor who came to
father I also taught."
the congregation in 1955, this year
/viermelstein is celebrating
his 50th anniversary with
What do you think
about the changes that
the congregation. He has
brought you female
worked in four different
and adult b'nai mitzvah
buildings and has witnessed
students?
both destruction and recon-
"It was no big deal.
struction following a fire at
As a teacher, I enjoy
the current site. As Beth
teaching everybody. I
Ahm's ritual director, he has
also have had adult
overseen countless religious
women who want to be
milestones, taught thou-
bat mitzvah, or adults
sands of children and
who want.to be able to
unmistakably has much
Rev. Mern zelstein
be part of the service
more knowledge to share.
during a family event
in another town.
How did you get started
"Some of my bar and bat mitzvah
with the congregation?
students are not from Beth Ahm. I
"I came to the shut on the last
have had quite a few students sent to
Shabbos they used their old building
me because they have a difficult time
on Linwood in 1955. I read Torah
learning, and I can work with them. I
there that day and led part of the serv-
also have students who are not study-
ice. Then, I was the one who opened
ing for a bar or bat mitzvah. I had a
the door for people to come into the
non-Jewish, black student who wanted
new building that first day we moved
to learn to speak Hebrew, and I taught
to Greenlawn and Seven Mile. Rabbi
him."
Israel Halpern was the rabbi then.
There have been quite a few rabbis -
since then. And I've been here through Describe your typical day.
"I'm a big exerciser, and I start early.
25 Beth Ahm presidents.
I live near the shul, so I can walk there
"When I started, I was in charge of
on Shabbos. Many days, I get there at
arranging for all religious events, like
5:00 in the morning to prepare for
funerals. In the beginning, I taught
what I have to do that day.
many classes, too. I could teach any
"I see the bar and bat mitzvah kids
class in the religious school. I was a
after school. And I'm here at night. I
teacher in the old country, too, in
usually lead the morning and evening
Czechoslovakia and Hungary."
services during the week. I'm here for
the lifecycles of the shul.
Now your emphasis is on b'nai mitz-
"On Shabbos, I'm usually on the
vah students, but what else do you do?
bimah. I may help lead services and
"I may be called the ritual director,
organize the aliyahs. People come to
but really, my title should be 'Ritual
me when they want to say a Mi
Director — and More.' What I do .
Shebeirach (prayer for healing). I also
involves practically every part of reli-
may read Torah. If I'm asked to read
gious life in the synagogue. If people
need someone to take care of shivah in it, I don't have to look it over. I'm
almost 83-years-old, so I have a lot of
their house, I do it. I taught quite a
experience. I am at the synagogue
few people how to put on tefillin. I
every day. If I didn't enjoy it, I would
also oversaw and attended the funerals
retire." Li
of three-quarters of the people buried
1892
Beth Abraham established with services in a home on
Hastings Street in Detroit. In 1907, the 50-member con-
gregation purchased a building on Winder Street.
1900
During the early 1900s, Rabbi Judah
Levin served the congregation.
■
1915
•
1923
■
1932
Rabbi Joseph Thumin became rabbi, retiring in 1955.
The congregation's first new
building was built on Palmer Street.
A new synagogue was built on Linwood.
■
1955
Rabbi Israel Halpern began as the
synagogue's longtime rabbi.
1957
Cantor Shabtai Ackerman
arrived from Israel.
■
A new synagogue was built on
West Seven Mile in northwest Detroit.
Cantor Israel C. Fuchs moved from Israel and 111
became associate cantor and choir director. ILAN,
A synagogue was built in West Bloomfield.
The 30-year-old Congregation Beth Hillel and its 150
families merge into Beth Abraham Hillel.
1977
1983
Following a merger with Congregation Beth
Moses, the synagogue became Beth Abraham
Hillel Moses with Rabbi A. Irving Schnipper
coming on board.
Cantor Ben-Zion Lanxner became chazzan.
A Jan. 18 fire consumed the sanctuary and social hall.
1984
4 1144
The new sanctuary was open for High
Holiday worship.
4
Rabbi Aaron Bergman started and assumed sole duties
when Rabbi Schnipper retired in 1996. Rabbi Bergman
joined the new Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit
in 2000.
Rabbi Charles Popky began, leaving in 2004; Cantor
David Montefiore served 2000-2002.
The synagogue name was shortened to Beth Ahm or
"House of the People."
2005
Steven Rubenstein is hired as rabbi.
— Shelli Liebman Doifinan, staff writer
5/26
2005
53