Celebrating 40 Years

Temple Kol Ami sticks to its founding principles.

T

he rain outside came
down in buckets, but
it was sunshine and
warmth inside as Temple Kol Ami
celebrated its 40th anniversary
with a gala dinner last month.
Kol Ami members enjoyed a
strolling dinner, followed by
poignant, yet funny stories of "the
early years" told by founding Rabbi
Emeritus Ernst Conrad and past
presidents Iry Friedman, Jerry
Wigod and Phyllis Strome.
The evening concluded with
"Broadway Celebrates TKA," per-
formed by Broadway star and Kol
Ami member Eric Gutman and
singer/actress Michelle Hooks-
Founding Rabbi Emeritus Ernst Conrad recites the
Stackpoole,
accompanied by pianist
blessing over the challah.
Jennifer Gale, owner of
the Mount Clemens Arts
Consortium.
Rabbi Conrad recalled
coming to Temple Beth
Jacob in Pontiac with his
wife, Nathalie, in 1962.
Differences arose, and
the Conrads and eight
families left in 1966
to form what initially
would be called "The
New Temple."
The synagogue would
be founded upon the
principles of liberal
Judaism, strong social
action, and the firm
belief in the indepen-
The evening's entertainment was provided by actress
dence of pulpit and pew
Michelle Hooks-Stackpoole, Broadway star and Kol Ami
— principles that still
member Eric Gutman and pianist Jennifer Gale.
guide the congregation
today.
The first services were held Sept.
2, 1966, at Birmingham Unitarian
Church, and the first Sunday school
classes met at Eagle Elementary
School in West Bloomfield one month
later. The congregation steadily
grew and, in 1970, the member-
ship changed its name to Temple
Kol Ami, or Voice of My People.
Increasing membership necessitated
a decision to build its own building
but, at that time, there was very little
Jewish presence in Oakland County.
"We were liberal enough to real-
ize that Oakland County should be
integrated:' recalled Rabbi Conrad,
Rabbi Roman leads Havdallah services at Temple
so from that came the decision

"

Kol Ami's 40th anniversary celebration.

to establish Temple Kol Ami in West
Bloomfield." Ground was broken in 1974
at its current location on Walnut Lake
Road, just west of Farmington Road, and
the congregation initiated the new build-
ing with a Temple Seder in the spring of
1975.
"When this building was built in 1974,
we were the only ones here said Jerry
Wigod, a past president. "There was no
Temple Israel out here, there was no Shir
Shalom or any of the others. It was just
us.

At a time when many synagogues are
facing great challenges, Kol Ami just
embarked upon a capital and endow-
ment campaign to modernize and
enlarge its building. The new structure
will add much-needed classroom space,
a full kitchen, an expanded social hall
and a new sanctuary. Rabbi Roman has
directed the building committee to make
the building as "green" as possible — a
model of environmental responsibility
"The friends we are closest with are
people we have met over the years here
at Temple Kol Ami," said Phyllis Strome,
a past president. "It really is a family
here."
Great enthusiasm comes from the
parents of Kol Ami's religious school
students. Educational director Andee
Liberman has developed a unique
religious school program that brings
Judaism to children in an interesting
hands-on manner.
"The innovative ways the instructors
use music, art and field trips to enrich
the curriculum for each grade level truly
engages kids, and creates an environ-
ment where our children actually enjoy
religious school:' said parent Debbie
Himelhaus.
The significance of Kol Ami's 40th
anniversary celebration was not lost
upon co-presidents Dr. Mel and Nena
Chudnof: "It was an honor to preside
over our 40th anniversary celebration.
It is also a privilege to lead this board
of trustees, who has the courage and
foresight to follow through on goals
which will both maintain our values, and
ensure our Temple's future vitality and
strength."

Growing Congregation
The congregation continued to grow
and, by 1986, reached 225 families. A
capital campaign was organized, and the
Temple's current social hall and kitchen
were soon added. At that same time,
Rabbi Conrad decided to "retire" to rabbi
emeritus status, but still remain actively
involved. Kol Ami's first search for a new
rabbi ended with the hiring of Rabbi
Norman T. Roman, who has since built
a national reputation for his work with
Jewish young people.
"We have such close, special bonds
with both rabbis:' said trustee Paul
Gross. "My wife and I, as teenagers,
helped Rabbi Roman put up the mezu-
zah on his first house here, and later he
married us. You can imagine how we felt
as he blessed our son last month at his
bar mitzvah. And Rabbi Conrad is one
of the most amazing people I've ever
met. It's a real privilege for my children
to have a rabbi who is a Holocaust sur-
vivor."
At Temple Kol Ami's 25th anniver-
sary celebration in 1991, the mortgage
was officially retired and
burned, and the congrega-
tion commissioned the
writing of a new Sefer
Torah, which was dedicat-
ed at Simchat Torah later
that year. Under the guid-
ance of Rabbi Roman and
the board of trustees, the
Temple Kol Ami family has
grown to nearly 400 fami-
lies, but the congregation
constitutionally capped
its size at 500 families in
1996, thus ensuring that
the synagogue maintains
Temple Kol Ami Co-Presidents Nena and Dr. Mel
its smaller, more intimate
Chudnof, center, are flanked by celebration co-chairs
feel.
Judy Weiner, left, and Cynthia Katz, right.

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June 29 • 2006

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