Spirituality Mega Mezuzah Temple Kol Ami dedicates potentially record-breaking mezuzah. Woodworker Tal Siegmann and Kol Ami's director of education Andee Liberman, on left, with cantorial soloist and teacher Tiffany Steyer and Rabbi Norman Roman. Robin Schwartz Special to the Jewish News M ost mezuzot are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. But the specially handcrafted wooden mezuzah that greets people at Temple Kol Ami's religious school in West Bloomfield is large enough for even the smallest hands to reach. The six-foot, 150- pound, one-of-a-kind creation may even be big enough to break a world record. Currently, Israeli artist Avraham-Hersh Borshevsky is listed in the 2009 Guiness Book of World Records as the creator of the world's largest mezuzah. His record- setting work of art is three feet, seven inches long. "We've exceeded that:' said Tal Siegmann, a professional woodworker who owns Design Wood in Oak Park. He custom made the supersized mezu- zah, along with a group of 14 eighth- grade students. The project, funded by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, took several weeks to complete. The group plans to contact Guiness Book judges with the hope of set- ting a new record. "The kids were great to work with; they were very enthusiastic about the project:' said Siegmann. "They know this is some- thing that will be there for years to come." Careful Construction The mezuzah was built for the temple's A34 March 12 a 2009 brand new religious school building, which serves 148 students from pre- school to high school. The two-story facility opened in September 2008 after a successful fundraising campaign and con- struction project. The giant mezuzah was constructed in stages; from the base to the outer shell decorated with inlayed maple, walnut and mahogany veneers. The finish- ing touches were completed in Siegmann's workshop. "I didn't know about this type of art and what you can create with wood:' said Claire Taigmann, 13, of West Bloomfield, one of the students who worked on the project. "I'm used to working with char- coal and paint. This is really amazing how much patience it takes and how careful you have to be." The mezuzah's design depicts a dove with an olive branch, part of the Shema prayer and inlays that represent the Western Wall in Jerusalem. "It represents a Jewish home and this is our first religious school home said Andee Liberman of West Bloomfield, Temple Kol Ami's educational director. "It was built on such a large scale so any per- son who walks into our building has the capacity to reach it!' Heartfelt Dedication The completed project was unveiled for the first time March 1 during a dedication ceremony at the temple. About 75 people gathered to say prayers, admire the group's Tal Siegmann with Rebecca Lambert, 14, of West Bloomfield Tal Siegmann with Michael Kach, 14, of Farmington Hills Twins Jeremy and Michael Kach check hard work and touch the mezuzah for the first time. A scribe was also on hand to teach the children how to write with a quill and ink. Participants got to place their own prayers and messages inside the mezuzah along with a kosher scroll before it was sealed and hung in the building's entrance. "I put a quote from a prayer book inside said Taigmann. "People wrote mes- sages to God expressing what they want for the world. I think a lot of kids really took it to heart." Siegmann, who has participated in other projects across the community, said what struck him most was seeing the look in the children's eyes during the ceremony. Taigmann, who just celebrated her bat- mitzvah at Temple Kol Ami in November, said the mezuzah is something she'll always be proud of. "It's so beautiful;' she said. "I'm glad I helped make something that's making our community more beautiful. I think it'll be really cool to come back in 15 years and see what I did in eighth grade." --- __ out the mezuzah.