P

The sanctuary of

he old Temple Beth

El at Woodward and

Gladstone in Detroit

features Jewish or Old

Testament iconogra-

phy apd figures that

have been retained by

Cathedral Lighthouse.

Sacred Spaces

Examining the synagogues of our past and the churches of today.

Wendy Rose Bice
Special to the Jewish News

I is no secret that when the Jewish
community left Detroit, we also left
behind our places of worship. Many
of those precious old buildings were torn
down, while many others were sold to
black congregations that renovated them
into churches.
What is left of these buildings? Are the
Stars of David preserved, the bimah intact,
the ark empty or full?
William Lebovich, an architectural his-
torian/author/photographer from Chevy
Chase, Md., wondered about this, too. He
began a study of how church leaders are
retaining and dealing with architectural
and decorative Jewish symbols and set-
tings.
He discovered that liturgical symbolism
and contemporary rites of worship blend
in interesting ways in these buildings, and
he'll discuss his insights Oct. 23 at the
inaugural Leo M. Franklin Archives' Mary
E. Shapero Lecture Series at Temple Beth
El in Bloomfield Township.
"What drew me to the former syna-
gogues turned African-American churches
was that this was a national phenom-
enon no one seemed interested in:'

Lebovich said. "Yes, people writing about
synagogues would note that they became
churches, but the minute that happened
they lost interest. It [was] like saying their
importance as a building ceased. But I
felt the buildings had just entered a new
phase."
Armed with his Horseman 4x5 mono-
rail camera (usually sporting a wide-angle
90mm lens) and 35mm film and digital
cameras, Lebovich closely examines these
buildings and shoots detailed photographs
that reveal how congregations tailor
ornamentation to reflect their values and
beliefs — but sometimes only so far, if the
budget is tight.
It is not unusual to see the top and bot-
tom points on the familiar six-pointed
Star of David removed from a stained
glass window. It's a low-cost way to remove
the previous religious connotation while
leaving a wonderful link to its past.

Detroit Synagogues

"One of the first things I explore is
where the building fits in along the contin-
uum of synagogue architecture he said.
The temples and synagogues from the
late-19th century to the mid-20th century
usually followed a variety of revival styles
with a vaguely Middle Eastern feel —

except the former Temple Beth El building
at Woodward and Gladstone in Detroit.
Now occupied by the Lighthouse
Cathedral, the stately building was
designed by Detroit architect Albert Kahn
in 1922. Reminiscent of ancient Roman
architecture, the front of the building is
anchored by eight stone pillars standing at
the top of a grand front staircase.
Many more discoveries lie on the inside
of these buildings. Lebovich investigates
the floor plans, specifically the placement
of the bimah and the reader's stand, and
seeks to discover what is left of the Jewish
symbols.
"I have found that these African-
American congregations make minimal
efforts to conceal or remove the Jewish
symbolism:' Lebovich said.
Lebovich speculates the common bond
between Jews and blacks — persecution
and diaspora — are among the reasons
the churches choose to leave much of the
iconography intact.
In 1932, Congregation Shaarey Zedek
moved into a grand synagogue on Chicago
Boulevard, the epicenter of the Jewish
community at the time. Also designed by
Albert Kahn, this combination medieval
and classical-revival building features a
chiseled Star of David above the second

of three arched, wooden front entrance
doors. With permission of the board of
trustees of Shaarey Zedek, Kahn designed
the interior of the sanctuary to have corn-
bined seating for both men and women.
Today, the building is home to the Clinton
Street Greater Bethlehem Temple and the
Star of David and the seating arrangement
remains intact.
Much of Lebovich's photographic lec-
ture will focus on Detroit synagogues that
now are churches: Lighthouse Cathedral,
formerly Temple Beth El; Clinton Street
Greater Bethlehem Temple/Shaarey Zedek;
New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church/
B'nai David; and New Mount Moriah
Missionary Baptist Church/Beth Moses.

Wendy Rose Bice is chair of the Leo M. Franklin
Archives at Temple Beth El.

The Leo M. Franklin Archives's Mary
Einstein Shapero Lecture Series
is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, at
Temple Beth El, 7400 Telegraph
Road, Bloomfield Township. The
lecture is free; reservations are
required. (248) 851-1100 ext. 3137 or
franklinarchives@tbeonline.org .

October 18 • 2007

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