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World

Fond Memories

Off to Atlanta, Rabbi Buckman leaves behind a joyous legacy of learning.

She'll Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer

Jared Anstandig — have a very close
relationship with the Buckman fam-
ily;' said Marcia Seigerman, who also
taught with Rachel Buckman at Hillel
s Rabbi Lee and Rachel
Day School for the past nine years. "I
Buckman's family depart
Michigan for Atlanta — where followed my children's patterns and
soon found myself enjoying Shabbat
this week Buckman began his post
afternoons at their home as well!'
as head of school at the Katherine
FJA graduate
and Jacob Greenfield
20-year-old
Jared
Hebrew Academy
Anstandig,
a
student
(GHA) — they leave
at
Yeshiva
University
the home they have
in New York, began
made a gathering
to visit the Buckman
place for students, col-
home
as a young child,
leagues, friends and
to
play
games with his
neighbors.
classmate
Ilan and his
Their door has been
brothers.
In
time, he
wide open since 1999,
said,
"I
began
focusing
when the couple and
my
time
there
on stud-
their four sons moved
ies
in
Jewish
thought
to the Detroit area,
and law with Rabbi
where Rachel Buckman
Buckman
and each of
grew up.
Rabbi Lee Buckman
his sons."
They came when the
rabbi accepted the position of founding
Growth Of A School
head of school of what is now the Jean
Buckman was recruited by a grassroots
and Samuel Frankel Jewish Academy of
group of parents and community lead-
Metropolitan Detroit (FJA). Their home
ers to be the first head of school at the
has been the site of continuous Jewish
Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit,
learning, regular Friday-night services,
the cross-denominational community
and a Saturday-evening seudah shlishit
Jewish high school that became FJA.
(third Sabbath meal) topped off with a
Buckman came to Detroit from a posi-
much anticipated ice cream treat.
tion as a pulpit rabbi and Jewish educa-
"Within days of our move to West
tor in Milwaukee and remained at FJA
Bloomfield, the Buckmans made us
until 2008.
feel at home:' said neighbor Rabbi
During his nine-year tenure at FJA,
Jonathan Berger of Hillel Day School of
the school grew from 51 students in
Metropolitan Detroit.
the first academic year's class to 223,
"Their house was always full of
and moved from portable buildings
visitors; they exemplified the value of
into a 50,000-square-foot school inside
hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests).
the Jewish Community Center in West
But it wasn't just a place to go for some-
thing cold — or hot — to drink, a nosh Bloomfield. FJA earned a national
and good conversation; it was a focus of reputation of academic excellence, with
graduates consistently accepted to top
Jewish life for our neighborhood. We of
the neighborhood came to pray, to study universities.
"Rabbi Buckman's full impact on the
Torah together, to browse an amazing
early success of the school is immea-
library and talk about books, to study
surable," said Jeffrey Garden of West
for bar mitzvahs and more."
Bloomfield, a past president and parent
A recent Shabbat neighborhood
of two FJA alumni.
gathering honored the Buckman fam-
"He was able to help build a truly
ily, which includes sons (and popular
babysitters) Ilan, 20, Yoni, 18, and Noam extraordinary group of administrators
and faculty that shared his passion for
and Avi, 15. Among the guests were
the school. Rabbi Buckman took the
Marcia and Chuck Seigerman of West
vision developed by the founders and
Bloomfield, at whose wedding Rabbi
integrated that into a story of commit-
Buckman officiated three years ago.
ment to the future of our Jewish corn-
"Both of my kids — Deborah and

A

munity by educating our children now.
His message to our community was so
meaningful that the school was the talk
of our town for months and resulted in
what became the most successful start-
up of a Jewish day high school in North
America.

Ordained at the Conservative Jewish
Theological Seminary in New York,
Buckman recently received Orthodox
smichah (ordination).
"Rabbi Buckman, his wife, Rachel,
and their sons were all involved in our
community and will be remembered for
a long time for the contributions they
made Jeffrey Garden said. "But even
more so, for the examples they set in
shomrey mitzvos (observance of mitz-
vot), derech eretz (civility or respect)
and gemilut chasidim (acts of loving
kindness)."

Home Study
"It is very difficult to make all Jews
happy, but Rabbi Buckman was able to
walk that line," said Debbie Wrotslaysky,
FJA mathematics department head. "He
did an unbelievable job in keeping all
of his constituents happy. FJA is a won-
Making A New Mark
derful and unique school. It offers top-
As the Buckmans prepare to leave the
notch Jewish and secular education in
Detroit area, they are warmly awaited
a Jewish atmosphere for Jewish kids of
in Atlanta. "They are coming to Atlanta
varied backgrounds, from Conservative
to GHA and to the community with the
to Reform to Orthodox homes.
warm embrace of people who feel pro-
"Most impressive was how students
foundly lucky to have a head of school
chose to go to Rabbi Buckman's house
with the caliber, character and honor of
during their free lunchtime to learn
Rabbi Buckman," said Michael A. Siegel,
Torah," Wrotslaysky said. "I offered
president of GHA, who, along with
extra help to my AP calculus students
the school's past president Ian Ratner,
before exams, but they could not come
recruited the rabbi.
Thursdays at lunchtime. That was when
"He is a world-class educator with a
they would go to learn with Rabbi
prolific and honorable reputation!"
Buckman, not for a grade, just for the
The pre-K through eighth-grade,
pleasure of learning, just because they
loved him and through him loved learn- 400-student Orthodox community
day school has been without a head of
ing."
school for more than the past two years.
While in Detroit, Buckman became
"Rabbi Buckman will
involved with the
serve a dual role, both
Michigan Board of
as head of school and
Rabbis. He has edu-
as Judaic studies prin-
cational consulting
cipal, a position created
experience in the U.S.
for him:' Siegel said.
and Israel, and involve-
"In this role, he will
ment in many national
help to enhance our
educational and Jewish
Judaic curriculum, to
educational organiza-
recruit and develop our
tions and institutions.
faculty"
A fifth- and sixth-
Buckman's reputa-
grade Judaics teacher
- FJA alumna Deborah Anstandiq tion has preceded his
at Hillel Day School,
arrival, according to
Rachel Buckman also
Siegel, in that he is both nationally
taught at the Florence Melton Adult
renowned and personally connected
Mini-School.
with colleagues in Atlanta through edu-
The family has been actively involved
cational and organizational involvement.
at Ohel Moed-Shomrey Emunah in
"Without exception, they tell us they
West Bloomfield. At one point, they
think the world of him;' Siegel said.
held dual membership at Congregation
"He is already enhancing our ability to
Shaarey Zedek B'nai Israel Center in
recruit and retain students. We expect
West Bloomfield, where Rabbi Buckman
great things in him as we embark on a
at times led services and gave High
Holiday and Shabbat sermons before a
full-time rabbi was hired.
Fond Memories on page A18

"It is inspiring
to see the impact
that one family
can make on a
community."

July 2

e

2009

A17