I
Spirituality
More Than A Decade
Temple Emanu-El members celebrate with Rabbi Klein.
I
n 1997, Rabbi Joseph Klein came to
town with his banjo and magic bag
of tricks. Having served congrega-
tions in St. Louis, Chattanooga and Terre
Haute, Ind., he was returning closer to his
Toledo roots when he stepped into spiri-
tual leadership role at Temple Emanu-El
in Oak Park.
The congregation celebrated Klein's
11 years of service with a gala of music,
magic and memories. The rabbi is known
for infusing his teachings as well as fam-
ily and children's services with his banjo
playing and magic.
The night included a strolling dinner
with various themed food stations, a silent
auction and concert with folk singer Matt
Watroba, well known throughout Metro
Detroit and folk-music circles nationally.
He is host of WDET's Saturday afternoon
radio show "Folks Like Us!' He performed
for the audience of 250 with his folk-sing-
ing companion Katie Geddes.
Klein, a folk music lover and fan of
Watroba joined the musicians to perform
two songs.
The rabbi is a native of Toledo and
graduated from Oberlin College in 1969,
majoring in sociology and anthropology.
He was ordained from the Cincinnati
campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish
Institute of Religion with a master's
degree in 1975.
Then he served as assistant rabbi at
Temple Israel in St. Louis, Mo. for three
years, followed by posts at Mizpah
Congregation in Chattanooga and United
Krakoff To Lead Rabbi Board
The Michigan Board of Rabbis announced
on June 18 that Rabbi Joseph H. Krakoff of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek of Oakland
County will serve a two-year term as
president.
Rabbi Krakoff received his rabbinic
ordination and a
master's degree
in Hebrew letters
in 1998 from the
Jewish Theological
Seminary in
New York and
came directly
to Congregation
Shaarey Zedek.
Rabbi Krakoff
He is the imme-
diate past president
•
B2
June 26. 2008
Ca
Rabbi Joseph Klein, center, of Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park performs with folk sing-
ers Katie Geddes and Matt Watroba during a gala in his honor.
Hebrew Congregation in Terre Haute. He
also taught at Indiana State University and
the University of Tennessee.
Glenn Leibowitz, Emanu-El president
when Klein began, said, "Joe not only
brought his banjo talent and his magic,
but he brought his hard-working attitude.
He has been a leader of our congregation
and leader in our community. He is not
afraid to speak out on his beliefs regarding
religious matters or political matters!'
Co-chairs of the gala were Marilyn
Kaczander-Cohen and former temple
president Jennifer Wolin-Patterson.
"The theme was a natural;' said
Kaczander-Cohen. "Music and magic best
represented the rabbi. These interests, and
how they harmonized with our congrega-
tion, created the memories we've shared
over these past 10 years!'
High school student Rachel Gubow
was just 6 years old when Klein came to
Emanu-El. He has mentored her Hebrew
school class from consecration through
confirmation. Gubow offered a tribute on
stage and indicated that Klein treated all
the students as important individuals and
always made them feel part of the congre-
of the Rabbinical Assembly Michigan
Region and president of the Dove Institute,
Southfield.
Rabbi Krakoff serves on the boards
of Mercaz as well as, locally-based Hillel
Day School, Jewish National Fund, Jewish
Community Relations Council and St.
John's Home Care.
Locally, he also is deeply involved with
Federation and serves on its board of gov-
ernors as well as serving on the Hermelin-
Davidson Center for Congregation
Excellence.
Rabbi Krakoff was one of the rabbinic
co-chairs of the 2005 Family Mission to
Israel and is serving in the same capac-
ity for the upcoming 2008 trip. He serves
in an advisory capacity to the American
Jewish Committee, which he has done
since 2003.
The board of rabbis also announced
that Rabbi Michael Moskowitz of
Temple Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield
will serve as vice president and Rabbi
Joshua Bennett of Temple Israel in West
Bloomfield will become treasurer.
Network For Business
Temple Israel of West Bloomfield has
launched the TIBNG (Temple Israel
Business Networking Group) with hopes
of closing more than $ lmillion in business
in the next 12 months.
Following the lead of Temple Israel
member Larry Snider, the temple has
decided to support a business-network-
ing group based on a classic networking
model.
gation and part of services.
"I remember watching him with utter
amazement to see how the magic would
play out and learn how it related to Torah
stories or Jewish values:' she said.
"I was deeply honored by the presence
of so many members of the congregation,
and will be forever thankful to the orga-
nizers of the evening for a really wonder-
fill event," Klein said. "When Barb and I
arrived in the summer of 1997, we knew
that coming to Temple Emanu-El was
coming home, and today we know that is
even more true!'
Moving forward, Klein indicated Temple
Emanu-El is about to enter a new phase
in the history of the congregation with the
addition of Cantor Darcie Sharlein and
Education Director Geoffrey Berdy.
"Cantor Sharlein's presence will enrich
every aspect of our congregational life,
and as we welcome Geoffrey Berdy, we
look to intentionally grow our religious
school and Community of Learners pro-
gramming," Klein said.
Emanu-El also will introduce Mishkan
T'filah, the new Reform prayer book,
which Rabbi Klein said will certainly
transform the temple's worship experi-
ence.
"As I now become 'the old guy' of our
expanding professional staff, I look for-
ward to what will certainly be a re-fram-
ing of our congregational focus within
our historic Temple Emanu-El values — a
foundational framework that has carried
us so well for over 50 years:' Klein said. 0
"This is a chance to live the Jewish value
of kol Yisrael arevim zeh rzeh", says Snider
of the responsibility to support and sus-
tain the Jewish community.
TIBNG meets every other Tuesday
morning from 7-8:30 a.m. at Temple Israel.
Two separate network groups are led by
Larry Snider and Andi Sklar, ensuring that
each group has only one member of any
profession to avoid conflicts of interest.
This program is open to the Jewish com-
munity.
Each group has current availability and
will welcome new members. Participation
requires regular attendance and a fee
of $180 to cover costs for breakfast and
administration. To learn more or to join
TIBNG, contact Tracie Fienman, (248)
661-5700, or tracie@temple-israel.org .