Metro
Shaarey Zedek Leadership Speaks
In a Feb. 21 statement prepared
for the Jewish News, Congregation
Shaarey Zedek rabbis and lay leaders
wrote:
"At this critical juncture in the his-
tory of the Detroit Jewish community
– with demographic and economic
challenges that force us to re-examine
every "assumed" practice and insti-
tution – we must be willing to take
fundamental steps toward cooperation
and collaboration.
"Federation has already championed
this cause. Examples include shared
purchasing conversations (like) the
recently merged agencies that form
Jewish Senior Life.
Opportunity from page 9
and public schools. CSZ will provide
scholarships and financial aid to mem-
bers needing help with tuition payments.
"Hillel will have two-tier tuition: a
members' tuition to families affiliated
with any synagogue or temple and a
non-affiliated tuition?' Freedman said.
"We want to encourage synagogue or
temple membership and this is one way
that we can help:'
New Partnerships
In addition to CSZ, Freedman said Hillel
welcomes other synagogues to also
partner with them in Jewish educational
programming.
In response to concerns of a possible
collaboration between Adat Shalom
Synagogue in Farmington Hills and the
Hillel program, a letter was sent to con-
gregants assuring that the preschool is
not closing.
"Adat Shalom looks forward to con-
tinuing our historically strong relation-
ship with Hillel," said its rabbi, Aaron
Bergman. "We will, though, be continu-
ing to offer a synagogue-based pre-
school to serve our members and others
in the Jewish community. We believe it
is an irreplaceable part of who we are
However, the administration at
Congregation Beth Ahm in West
Bloomfield is very much interested in col-
laborating with the new Hillel preschool.
The synagogue, which closed their
nursery program at the end of the 2006
school year, had already been actively
working to find ways to include pre-
school-aged children in its program-
ming when the Hillel announcement
10 February 25 • 2010
"But Shaarey Zedek is now the first
congregation to see the importance of
this. This is an ongoing conversation;
the product of a difficult realization
that Jewish Detroit will thrive only if
we seek partnerships and maximize
our resources while maintaining the
beauty and importance of our individ-
ual identities. Bold action is necessary
to come together, to pool our resourc-
es, to break down our old territorial-
ism; a territorialism which itself was a
luxury when resources were plentiful
enough to duplicate them at varying
levels of quality and efficiency. We can
be stronger by working together, trust-
ing one another and optimizing one
another's strengths.
"Hillel is a premier educational insti-
tution in this community, a "specialist"
in the delivery of Jewish educational
experiences to our youth. Shaarey
Zedek is a premier intergenerational
institution that prides itself on con-
nections to clergy, to community, to
lifecycle events, communal involve-
ment and inspiring Jewish living. There
is much potential for this collabora-
tion to strengthen both organizations,
together. Change is scary. But change
is what is necessary to revitalize our
community, with new models of coop-
eration and excellence, for the next
generation."
came. "We are in the process of expand-
Freedman said national research indi-
ing and initiating programs for our
cates Jewish day schools with preschools
nursery kids and we see Hillel as an
are better equipped to keep those students.
extension of that process?' said Beth
Ahm President Chuck Kessler.
Kids In The Synagogue
This year, the school will reopen its
In an effort to assure Beth Hayeled fam-
summer camp, which closed in 2007.
ilies of continuing a strong connection
Beth Ahm's preschool programs — Tot
with the synagogue, CSZ Rabbis Joseph
Shabbat, Shabbat Club and Kinder
H. Krakoff, Eric Yanoff and Aaron Starr
Keshet — will gather parents, grandpar- reached out in a Feb. 11 letter.
ents and toddlers for synagogue-based
"We promise that in addition to a great
activities. The hope is for the next step
early childhood center at Hillel, we will
to be enrollment of the 20 nursery
continue to offer at our shul dynamic,
school-aged members of Beth Ahm in
meaningful, exciting early childhood
the Hillel program.
educational and spiritual experiences
"We are supportive of Hillel and are
while developing new opportunities to
seeking funds to help subsidize tuition
strengthen relationships among children,
for those who would attend the new pre-
parents and between young families and
school?' Kessler said. "For us to go ahead
us as rabbis?' they wrote.
with this project, we would have to be
The rabbis say they will go where
assured that our members can be involved their kids are and are committed to
with the school and that Rabbi [Steven]
being a strong presence in the Hillel
Rubenstein can be physically involved
preschool for CSZ students as well as
there. We know it would benefit us to have
those who are unaffiliated.
a place to send our nursery students. And
They plan to be a part of in-school
we want to be able to offer that?'
programming like Friday Shabbat expe-
Hillel's Freedman said, "We will work
riences and Monday-morning Havdalah
closely with Shaarey Zedek to help their
moments. They also intend to bridge
families feel welcome and at home. We
classroom learning with synagogue-
will also offer the same opportunities to
based extensions of school program-
any other synagogue or temple that would
ming, with activities like Tot Shabbat
want to collaborate?'
services.
Freedman said the establishment of
A steering committee — that will
the preschool came about, in part, fol-
include Hillel administrators, CSZ mem-
lowing Hillel's recent re-accreditation
bers and representatives of any other
review, when the Independent Schools
synagogues who collaborate with the
Association of the Central States team
Hillel program — will work to develop
suggested Hillel investigate opening a
connections between preschool and
preschool. Hillel administration also
synagogue programming.
considered the new venture following
"We welcome the Shaarey Zedek fam-
Federation's suggestion that day schools
ily warmly and their professional staff
collaborate with other constituencies.
will have full access to their students
Rabbi Joseph
Rabbi Eric
H. Krakoff
Yanoff
CSZ's Brian
Hillel's Steve
Hermelin
Freedman
and families," Freedman said.
CSZ parents looking to strengthen
the bond between young families
and the synagogue will work with the
synagogue's rabbis and Jewish fam-
ily educator Megan Rappaport on the
Young Family Outreach Committee, now
in formation.
Rappaport will continue in her role of
planning Jewish family education expe-
riences that will include preschool-aged
children. Camp Keshet, for preschoolers,
will operate at both the synagogue's
Southfield and West Bloomfield loca-
tions this summer. Parent-toddler pro-
gramming will be expanded in response
to the needs and interests of young
families.
"In Hillel, we have found a true
ally; and hopefully, this model of col-
laboration is the beginning of more
opportunities for us to work with other
institutions, synagogues and agencies
to improve the Jewish lives of our mem-
bers," wrote Hermelin in his letter to
CSZ members. "In affiliating with Hillel,
we continue to be sure that the aca-
demic training and commitment to car-
ing for each child's emotional well-being
will be second to none?' E
Open house receptions to learn
about the Hillel Early Childhood
Center and tour the facility will take
place at 10 a.m., Sunday, March 7,
and at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 11, at
Hillel Day School, 32200 Middlebelt,
Farmington Hills. (248) 851-3220.
Registration forms will be available
on March 7.