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Publisher's Letter

Emboldening The Conservative Movement

T

he New Year is a time
the following in five years:
namely that it has a beautiful and expan-
This is where Detroit's
of reflection and
• Hillel Day School of
sive building in Southfield, and has to
renewal. We look
Metropolitan
Detroit
is
the
construct its programming and offerings
Conservative movement
inward to uncover areas in need
overall educational hub of the
around that. The combined clergy, talent
of repair and improvement. It
area's Conservative movement. and resources make Shaarey Zedek-Adat
must create a new model of
is also the time we celebrate
Currently, it is a place where
Shalom the leading Conservative congre-
creativity and cooperation
the birth of the world. On
every weekday almost 600
gation in the country.
another level, Rosh Hashanah
children and almost 100 full-
•A Farmington Hills-West Bloomfield
to help stabilize the commu-
is an annual gathering of
and part-time faculty assem-
"Neighborhood Project" for the area
Arthur
family members, particularly
ble to share the energy and joy within a mile of Adat Shalom and Hillel
nity while revitalizing
M.
Horwitz
those who have moved from
of a general and Judaic studies Day School is created and implemented,
Publisher
itself in the process.
the Detroit area. For at least
curriculum that showcases
providing interest-free loans and other
a few days, the seats in most
the best halachic Conservative
economic assistance. This would help cre-
synagogues will be taken and the chairs
the Conservative movement. In 1989, 38
Judaism has to offer.
ate a vibrant, attractive, walking-friendly
around the dining room table will be full.
percent of the community's 39,000 house-
• Late-afternoon religious school classes Conservative community, especially on
The rest of the year, there are plenty of
holds considered themselves Conservative. are discontinued at the synagogues,
Shabbat and the holidays.
empty places.
That's approximately 14,820 Conservative
with their students attending afternoon
• Expanded congregation-based pre-
The demographic challenges facing the
households. In 2005, 28 percent of the
classes at Hillel Day School, accessing that
schools feed into the Hillel Day School
Detroit Jewish community are significant.
community's 30,000 households con-
institution's educational, physical and rec-
kindergarten.
Since 1989, the number of Jewish house-
sidered themselves Conservative. That's
reational resources.
As you sit in your Conservative syna-
holds has declined to 30,000 from 39,000
approximately 8,400 Conservative house-
•A resurgent United Synagogue Youth
gogue during these Days of Awe, vow to
and the number of Jews has dropped to
holds, a substantial decline. (In compari-
(USY) is based out of Hillel, along with
challenge your congregational leaders to
72,000 from 96,000. Outside of Florida,
son, the percentage of Reform households
the Monday-evening post bar/bat mitzvah
collaborate and contribute to a greater
Detroit has the oldest median age of any
increased to 36 percent from 34 percent
classes.
vision that re-energizes the Conservative
American Jewish community studied. And and the percentage of Orthodox house-
• Hillel's building and grounds are
movement and helps to revitalize Jewish
it has the smallest percentage of in-migra- holds increased to 11 percent from 7 per-
utilized after hours for adult synagogue
Detroit in the process. Come up with
tion of any Jewish community studied.
cent over the same period.)
basketball and soccer leagues, and as "the" new ideas. Offer them your support and
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
While the Conservative movement
place to have a festive, kosher bar/bat
encouragement. Tell them if it's a choice
Detroit is leading an effort to enhance and
on a national level is struggling with its
mitzvah party.
between the same old way of doing things
promote this region, with the intention
identity and direction, Detroit's individual
•A Conservative Movement "Partners in or survival, you choose survival ... and
of attracting Jews from other communi-
Conservative congregations, especially
Torah" is established at Hillel that "authen- growth.
ties, including many of our younger adult
Shaarey Zedek and Adat Shalom, must step ticates" Conservative movement rabbis,
Best wishes to you and yours for a
children. Let's remember that the Detroit
out from their silos and paint an imagi-
educators and scholars.
peaceful, healthy and bountiful new year.
area has:
native and collaborative picture of what
•A seamless academic integration is
Thank you for your continuing readership
• a reasonable cost of living and afford-
Conservative Jewish life in Metropolitan
set up between Hillel's middle school and
of the Detroit Jewish News and for all you
able housing
Detroit can look like in five years. Right
the Frankel Jewish Academy, with Hillel
do to make the Detroit Jewish community
• excellent universities, with Wayne
now, their focus is largely on short-term
students gaining access to Frankel Jewish
vibrant and vital for generations to come.
State, University of Michigan and
budget shortfalls, declining afternoon
Academy's top-flight faculty, especially in
Michigan State forming an impressive
school enrollment, gaps in rabbinic leader- math and the sciences.
L'shanah tovah.
research triangle
ship and an overall decline in membership.
•A mega-merger of Shaarey Zedek and
• exceptional recreational opportunities
Adat Shalom is accomplished, with the
• one of the country's great university
Starting Point
combined congregation utilizing the Adat
cities, Ann Arbor, nearby.
As a starting point for a movement-
Shalom Farmington Hills facility and
wide discussion and debate, imagine a
campus. This will "liberate" Shaarey Zedek Arthur M. Horwitz
Trend Watch
Conservative community that looked like
from a "function follows form" mindset
Publisher
The Detroit area also has one of the finest
Jewish communities in North America,
Forever Cheim by Michael Gilbert
with an array of religious, educational
and cultural opportunities, well-regarded
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dollars and an interest in local job creation.
PRAING?
But the Federation and its task forces,
planners and marketing mavens can't do it
alone. This is where Detroit's Conservative
movement must create a new model of
creativity and cooperation to help stabilize
the community while revitalizing itself in
the process.
In reviewing the Detroit demographic
ole
study data, there is a troubling trend for
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44 4

September 13 • 2007

43

