Metro
ON THE COVER
Academy past president Robert Roth, president Dr. Marc Borovoy, administrative assistant Robin James,
benefactor Stanley Frankel, students Erinn Kohn, 17, of West Bloomfield and Justin Polk, 15, of Walled Lake
and Rabbi Buckman before the mezuzah hanging
Stanley Frankel, ready to hang the mezuzah.
New Beginnings from page 15
that which has passed and the first of that
which is coming. Thus it is with time pres-
ent.'
As FJA students touch the flowing water,
he said, they have a link both to the roots
of the school and to its future, "to knowl-
edge beyond measure, not only secular
and Judaic studies, but morals other insti-
tutions do not teach.
"Some may not see the significance of
building a new facility within a stone's
throw of the old," he said. "But the school
symbolizes where we have been and where
we are going now:'
Originally called the Jewish Academy
of Metropolitan Detroit, the school was
renamed in honor of Jean and Samuel
Frankel, whose $20 million grant has been
the catalyst for contributions from other
community donors.
"I remember my initial meeting with
the two people whose names appear on
this school;' said Robert Aronson, chief
executive officer of the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit.
The meeting took place in the Frankels'
living room, Aronson recalled. After ask-
ing for financial backing from the couple
and from their son, Stanley Frankel, who
now heads the real estate development
and management company founded by his
father, the reply was simple.
"It took them five seconds to say 'yes,"
Aronson said.
The full extent of the Frankels' mon-
etary contribution depends on community
support. And, so far, the community has
been extremely generous, federation and
school officials said.
The FJA Community
"I think it's just phenomenal how the
community has banded behind this
school," said Todd Sachse, president of the
Student Daniel Cohen-Arcamone, 17, and his brother Joshua, 9, of West
Bloomfield, with Rabbi Buckman
16
September 6 • 2007
Birmingham-based Sachse Construction
Co.
"It reflects a real commitment on the
part of the school community, and of our
community as a whole."
Sachse himself wears three hats in
relation to the multi-denominational day
school. Not only is he a Federation vice
president, he also is president of the JCC
— and his firm oversaw construction of
the new facility.
The JCC will be hopping, now that about
224 teens will be in the building every
weekday. "But we have a new motto at the
JCC," Sachse said. "It's 'We Love Noise: The
more activities we have going on at the
center, the better. It is a Jewish center – we
want to be the center of everything."
Mitch Adler of Farmington Hills, a
12th-grade student at the Academy, will
be joined this year by his sister, Eden, who
has enrolled as a freshman.
Adler, who came to the school from
Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit,
called the new building "absolutely beauti-
ful."
"This school is still evolving, and that's
kind of cool;' he said.
FJA freshman Zach Blumstein of West
Bloomfield chose the school after graduat-
ing from Orchard Lake Middle School. "I
didn't want to go to a big school: he said.
"My mom wanted me to come here, but it
was really my decision."
Among the founding students in the
crowd was Deborah Anstandig, who
graduated last year from Stern College of
Yeshiva University in New York.
"I'm proud to see how our community
has come together to celebrate and sup-
port Jewish education;' said the 2003
Academy graduate, who is heading to
Israel to begin a two-year master's degree
program in Jewish education.
Parent Debbie Yashinsky of Farmington Hills is flanked by Rabbi Elliot Pachter of
Congregation B'nai Moshe and Dr. Renee Wohl of West Bloomfield, the Academy's profes-
sional development director.