Spirituality

Celebrating Together

Beth Tephilath Moses congregants mark shul's 100-year milestone.

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Robert Zeve
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Lindsey Reeves
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The sanctuary of the new synagogue, dedicated in 1977.

Touvania Tamer

Special to the Jewish News

Mt. Clemens

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ongregation Beth Tephilath
Moses (BTM) in Mt. Clemens
celebrated its 100th anniversary
Aug. 1-2 with Shabbat services, a lavish
kiddush luncheon, a cocktail party and a
barbecue with live music. Family mem-
bers and friends with ties to BTM came
"home" to join in the festivities, with
more than 100 people at each event.
During the Shabbat service, nine
women celebrated their b'not mitzvah.
A silent auction added to the fun-filled
cocktail party as well as the launch
of BTM's heritage cookbook, Mount
Clemens Kosher, with great recipes and a
pictorial history of the Macomb County
community, families, friends, the origi-
nal building and the beautiful stained-
glass windows.

Beth Tephilath Moses' history is filled
with trials, tribulations and successes,
and a long line of rabbis, starting with
Rabbi A. Kahn in 1924 to its current
Rabbi Mordechai Waldman, who calls
BTM "the Miracle East of Dequindre."
The early 1900s saw the area's mineral
baths bring more than 40,000 visitors to
"Bath City" each summer. As the Jewish
population grew, community members
Meyer Davis and Moses Reh established
a synagogue at a home on South Walnut
in 1909. The new building on Gratiot
was dedicated in 1921 at the High
Holidays. It was subsequently replaced
by the current building, dedicated in
1977. The visionary building committee
members who led the way are Martin
Rubin, Harvey Gordenker and Nate
Litvin.
Wonderful people, of blessed memory,
worked diligently to maintain the shul,
including "Reb" Max Schwartz, Lou
Davis, Sam Heinfling and his wife,

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Eugene Merin of Mt. Clemens, Sierra Tamer of Chesterfield Township, Jarred
Cooper of Macomb Township, Rabbi Mordechai Waldman of Oak Park, Gail Milne

of Rochester Hills, Michael Schwartz of Mt. Clemens and religious director Michel
Keslacy of Sterling Heights

Blanche, Helen Liberman and Ed
Robinson, among others. These fami-
lies remain active to this day, including
Michael Schwartz, Jeff Heinfling and
his wife Jen, Ed Robinson's wife Mary
(who prepares kiddush) and his sons,
Jack and Rob, (who do everything from
building maintenance to serving on the
bimah).

Past And Present
The Davis, Goldberg, Hauptman, Rubin
and Schwartz families were strong mem-
bers of the original congregation and their
presence today influences current mem-
bership. New people have come to join in
the community and kept it vibrant.
With the guidance and support of
the current board of directors — Dr.
Robert Shore, Jerry Rosen, Meyer
Keslacy, Larry Goldberg, Ann Emerson,

Michael Schwartz, Mary Robinson, Jack
Robinson, Martin Rubin and commit-
tee members Kay Schwarzberg, Sydney
Scully, Barry Merenoff, Leah Reeves,
Linda Keslacy, Jeff Heinfling, Robert
Robinson, Gail Milne, Stan Newman and
our resident cantor, Roger Scully — we
have successfully blended Orthodox tra-
dition, Conservative culture and knowl-
edge imbued by Tanakh.
The vibrancy of this synagogue
is exemplified by inspirational ser-
mons, the Torah study group, Women's
American ORT, sisterhood, and in so
many others ways.
Its members work together to build
a community that fans the flame of
Judaism and teaches that, indeed, the
Leviticus call for justice and love of
neighbor is the byword of a cogent, lov-
ing community. [I]

September 3 2009

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