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