Spirituality

Edward Meer of Bloomfield Hills hangs the mezuzah on the synagogue's door frame
as Rabbi Chanoch Hadar applauds.

The new Woodward Avenue Shul

Woodward Welcome

A new synagogue opens its doors to Jews of any background.

Shelli Liebman Dorfman

Senior Writer

T

here's a new synagogue in town.
The 3-year-old, home-based Jewish
Learning Center of Huntington
Woods has become the Woodward Avenue
Shul, complete with its own building.
The Orthodox synagogue, directed by
Chabad Rabbi Chanoch and Tamar Hadar,
was dedicated in an Aug. 24 ceremony.
The location of the 6,000-square-foot,
two-story synagogue just north of 10 Mile
Road on the west side of Woodward Avenue
was selected to be in an area close to Royal
Oak, Huntington Woods as well as Pleasant
Ridge and Ferndale. The total area surround-
ing the synagogue includes at least 3,000
Jewish families, Tamar Hadar says.
"Many Jews today feel either estranged
from the traditional community or frus-
trated with their past experiences': Rabbi
Hadar said. "My wife and I, though wishing
to devote ourselves to the Jewish community,
did not want to serve in an already estab-
lished and cared-for community. Our hope
was to fill a void and share our inspiration
for our rich Jewish heritage with Jews who
have not been given a fair chance to experi-
ence it."

What's New?
Renovations on the new synagogue, once a
photo-developing company, were completed
near the end of August.
Exterior changes include landscaping,
a 15-foot frosted glass facade featuring
the tablets of the Ten Commandments
and an awning with the name and logo of
the synagogue. The inside of the building
received major renovations. It now houses

Phyllis Meer with her granddaughter, Chana Amzalak, 7,

both of Oak Park, and Meer's daughter Tamar Hadar with her
daughter, Zahava, 4, of Huntington Woods

classrooms, a kitchen, a conference room, an
office and a 61-seat sanctuary/multipurpose
room that Tamar Hadar describes as "an
open yet intimate room, with attractive mov-
able furniture that can be easily converted
into a social half'
The building also holds a children's area
and a teen room equipped with sofas, bean-
bag chairs, board games, Jewish novels and
a table tennis table. "It is to be a location
for young Jewish education and recreation':
Tamar Hadar said.
Services will be held for children and
youth, in addition to main sanctuary ser-
vices.
The building became a reality through a
donation of more than $1 million by Edward
and Gloria Meer of Bloomfield Hills.
"The purchase and renovation was fully
paid for through the generous donation':
Tamar Hadar said. "We have no debts, which
allows us the luxury of inviting unaffiliated
Jews without the pressure of paying dues."
There also is no charge to attend High

Laurie Dean-Amir of Huntington Woods and Shlomit, Mariasha,

Miriam and Tiki Dean, all of Brooklyn, enjoy the synagogue's
dedication event.

Holiday services at the Woodward Avenue
Shul.
Until the synagogue's opening, services
were held in the basement of the Hadars'
home in Huntington Woods. Up to 20 fami-
lies attend services each Shabbat and more
than 100 families participate in programs
and educational classes. The synagogue's
regular e-mails reach about 300 names.
Programming at the Woodward Avenue
Shul includes a women's lunch-and-learn,
meetings of the Jewish Women's Circle of
Huntington Woods discussion and activ-
ity group, and dasses in Tanya, American
Jewish history and three pre-holiday courses
this month.
"We plan to have family holiday events,
lectures with speakers from out of town,
Shabbatons, occasional Friday night dinners,
community holiday dinners, kids events,
including a Jewish story hour and Kids N'
Action Mitzvah Club monthly events': Tamar
Hadar said.
The building also may be rented for par-

ties and dinners.
"We attempted to create a fresh concept
to our shul," Rabbi Hadar said. "Though we
are a very traditional synagogue, we strive to
fuse that with an up-to-date, contemporary
touch. We hope to take our rich, preserved
tradition and make it welcoming and user-
friendly, engaging and including people from
all walks of life and backgrounds." ❑

For information on the Woodward
Avenue Shul or Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur services, access the Web
site at woodwardshul.org , send an e-
mail to rabbi@woodward.org , or call
(248) 399-6265. There is no charge
to attend High Holiday services.
A Rosh Hashanah dinner will take
place 8 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30, at
the synagogue. Cost: $20/adult;
$15/child 16 years and younger; $60/
family. RSVP to rabbi@woodward.org
or call (248) 399-6265.

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September 4 • 2008 Cl