Metro

A Life-Changing Move

Young Israel Rabbi Spolter to leave
Oak Park pulpit for new life in Israel.

wife, Rena — whose work includes
teaching at the synagogue and at
Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield — share
articles and audio versions of their
n an announcement that
Torah study classes on the Web site
shouldn't have been too unex-
they created, spolter.net .
pected for those who know them
"Rena and I care deeply for the
best, Rabbi Reuven Spolter of Young
people of our shul and community,"
Israel of Oak Park (YIOP) and his
Spolter wrote in his
family will make their
letter.
home in Israel beginning
"We have brought
this summer.
two
of our children
"For the past six years,
into
the world here,
I have been preaching,
have
made lifelong
teaching, advocating
friends
and cre-
and educating about the
ated
bonds
that will
importance of aliyah and
remain
strong
even
the value of supporting,
across
the
ocean.
We
visiting and living in
look
forward
to
the
the land of Israel:' wrote
new opportunities
Spolter in a letter to his
and challenges that
congregation.
Rabbi Reuven Spolter
await us."
"To my mind, Eretz
Yisrael (the land of Israel)
Shul's Reaction
and Medinat Yisrael (the State of
David Barth, YIOP president,
Israel) are not simply one aspect of
said,"We're happy to have had Rabbi
Judaism. Rather they form a central
Spolter and the entire Spolter family
beam in the foundation of the Jewish
as part of our shul for the last almost
people and practice. So we are taking
seven years.
that leap of faith to make aliyah and
"Rabbi Spolter is a man of great
`move up' to the land of Israel."
Raised in Maryland, Spolter studied intellect. We'll miss his tremendous
talents as teacher of the many regular
for two years in Israel, holds a degree
shiurim [classes] that he holds for our
in computer science from Yeshiva
membership and the broader com-
University's Yeshiva College in New
munity, and his thought-provoking
York and a master's degree in Jewish
Shabbat morning sermons.
education. He received rabbinic ordi-
"It's also been gratifying to have
nation in 1997.
seen
Rabbi Spolter's efforts to make
Spolter came to YIOP, the largest
sure
that
Orthodox Judaism gener-
Orthodox synagogue in Michigan with
ally
and
Young
Israel of Oak Park in
200 member families, after serving as
particular
have
a strong visible pres-
rabbi of Congregation Agudas Achim
ence
in
the
wider
Metropolitan Detroit
of West Hartford, Conn., where he also
Jewish community',' said Barth.
taught Judaic studies at the Hebrew
"But, while we're sorry to see the
High School of New England.
Spolters go, we're also proud of their
decision to make aliyah. Rabbi and
Communal Leader
Mrs. Spolter have consistently been
A take-charge communal leader,
eloquent advocates of the cause of
Spolter is vice president of the multi-
denominational Bloomfield Township- Religious Zionism and in their deci-
sion to make aliyah they're showing
based Michigan Board of Rabbis. He
that
they practice what they preach.
has served on the executive committee
"We
don't yet have underway a
of the New York-based Rabbinical
search
for
Rabbi Spolter's successor,"
Council of America and held positions
said
the
synagogue
president. "We'll
with the Council of Orthodox Rabbis
be
making
decisions
as to how to
of Detroit and the National Council of
proceed
with
a
search
in the relatively
Young Israel.
As educators, both the rabbi and his near future:" Ci

SheIli Liebman Dorfman

Senior Writer

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November 29 • 2007

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