To Churches

Ecumenical gathering honors shared past and present in Detroit.

The Rev. Kenneth Davis of New Mt. Zion Baptist Church of

Detroit with historian Irwin Cohen of Oak Park

Left: Rabbi Emeritus David Nelson of Congregation Beth

Shalom of Oak Park and Angelita Espino, director of race

relations and cultural collaboration for New Detroit, admire a

stained glass window from Mogen Abraham synagogue built in

1913 at the corner of Farnsworth and Beaubien in Detroit.

Right: Gerald Cook, event

chair, with Claudia Brown of

Warren and Dr. Ola Williams of

Southfield, both with St. Paul

AME Zion Church

Far Right: David Henig of the

Michigan Board of Rabbis,

Oren Goldenberg of Detroit

of the Isaac Agree Downtown

Synagogue and Pastor Glenn

Plummer of Ambassadors of

Christ Church in Detroit

Bill Carroll
Special to the Jewish News

- hese buildings, having been
shared by different religions over
the years, have developed real
soul; they have served God through many
faith traditions," observed Rabbi Emeritus
David Nelson of Congregation Beth
Shalom in Oak Park.
He was talking about the many
churches in the older sections of Detroit
that once were synagogues. He and other
enthusiastic Jewish leaders gathered at
the Detroit Historical Museum July 15 to
honor an equally enthusiastic group of

African American ministers and church
officials for their hospitality to many
Jewish suburbanites who have returned to
the inner city to tour the old buildings in
recent years.
The Jewish Historical Society of Michigan
(JHSM) used the occasion to take the group
on a tour of From Haven to Home: 350 years
of Jewish Life in America, presented at the
museum by the local historical society.
The national touring exhibit, created by
the American Jewish Historical Society,
examines America's early history through
a Jewish viewpoint.
The get-together was somewhat of an
historic gathering in itself.

The idea was conceived by event co-
chairpersons Gerald Cook and Linda
Yellin, both of Farmington Hills and both
directors of the JHSM. Ellen Cole of West
Bloomfield and Arnold Collens of Waterford
are co-presidents of the organization.
"A gathering like this serves as an
ecumenical connection for people of
all faiths; it's important and vital to the
relationships of the area synagogues and
churches," said Cantor Daniel Gross of
Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington
Hills, who delivered the inotzei (blessing
over the bread) before a luncheon for the
attendees.
The Rev. Melvin Green, pastor of the

Lighthouse Cathedral that formerly
owned the former Temple Beth El at
Woodward and Gladstone, said "Grace"
and echoed Cantor Gross' remarks. He
pointed out that the old buildings allowed
"Jews and blacks to share Detroit history
while they practiced their separate reli-
gions."
Added Allan Gale, associate director of
the Jewish Community Relations Council
of Metropolitan Detroit: "We can't forget
that Jews should be concerned about
Christians, and Christians should be con-
cerned about Jews."

Synagogues on page A16

July 30

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2009

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