Frank Ellias carries one of B'nai

Israel's Torahs during the walk

to Kol Ami.

the honor of blowing the tekiah gedolah
[long blast of the shofar] at the end of Yom
Kippur;' said Eisman of West Bloomfield.
"!As much as this is exciting and I very
much look forward to our new beginnings,
leaving Shaarey Zedek is bittersweet. It's
where I sat on the board, where our sons
became bar mitzvah and where I received
my ketah aleph [first-grade] prayer book,
which I still have
Once a regular participant of services at
CSZ's Southfield location, he joined con-
gregant-friends who had_begunto attend
services in West Bloomfield in 2002.
Enjoying the smaller, lay-led traditional
service, he stayed on, later becoming more
Shabbat observant and walking to the
synagogue.
"Shaarey Zedek remained my home;
I just happened to daven in West
Bloomfield," Eisman said. "But when it
was announced that the building would be
closing, staying at CSZ was not an option
because it is too far for me to walk."

David Saperstein of Huntington
Woods, a former CSZ board member
who attended services at the syna-
gogue's West Bloomfield location for
many years, sees the new B'nai Israel as
a place of opportunity for involvement
by all congregants.
"Each one of our members has some-
thing to offer:' said Saperstein, whose
family will join the new synagogue.
"Everyone can contribute; from the per-
son who organizes the giving of honors
an-dthe person who Shows another
congregant the place in the service to
the family who invites another family
to Shabbat dinner and even the toddler
who is invited onto the bimah for Adon
Olam."

-

temporary board was in place
Ellias said. "Right now, we have
110 member-units — about 150
individuals — who have provided
written expression of interest to
join the synagogue. Most are CSZ
members who regularly attended
services at CSZ's B'nai Israel cam-
pus. We have also had calls from
members of other synagogues
and from some-who - arcurlaffili-
ated, and all are welcome. But like
other synagogues in town, we are
not soliciting other congregations'
members."

Sharing A Building
"The idea of housing both Reform
and Conservative congregations
What Happens Next?
under one roof is exciting and
A group of CSZ members who regularly
innovative, and has the potential
attended services at CSZ's B'nai Israel
to sustain and invigorate both of
site began meeting and planning for
our communities," said Kol Ami's
the possibility of the building's closing
Rabbi Norman T. Roman. "Both
when it was first mentioned by the CSZ
will be able to retain their own
Making Connections
board in early May. Their initial discus-
practice of Judaism."
For those who joined CSZ to participate at
sions of how to keep the building open
Ellias said, "Similar things are
the congregation's West Bloomfield facility, turned to how to keep the group togeth-
happening all over the country in
the ties were more with the membership
er after it was announced the building
different forms as communities
and the type of service held than with the
would be closing.
attempt to reduce costs, more fully
synagogue.
Not wanting to disperse, they
utilize real estate and create greater
Linda Jacobson of West Bloomfield
searched for a site for the egalitarian
numbers for programming.
described joining the new B'nai Israel as
congregation to be able to stay together
"Part of our attraction to Kol
"coming full circle." Her husband Steve's
and continue to hold traditional, par-
Ami is the ability to create a
grandfather, Joseph Jacobson, was a
ticipatory, lay-led services and where
greater mass of children for com-
founder of Congregation B'nai Israel in
Shabbat observant members could walk
bined youth programming as well
Dr. Jeffrey Eisman reaches for the Torah from
Pontiac, which merged with CSZ in the
to synagogue.
as adult education and family and
Linda Jacobson as Belmont Kershenbaum, the
early 1990s. The Pontiac congregation
"We received critical sup-
social action programming. Kol
most senior member of the Pontiac B'nai Israel,
began with services held in a private
port from CSZ, allowing us the use of
Ami
has the reputation of being
home in the 1920s, incorporat-
the building for meetings to looks on.
connected not only to its immedi-
ing in 1934, later meeting in
form the new B'nai Israel:'
ate community but also is active in
storefronts as well as its own
Ellias said. "Without this gener- Siegel-Divita of Northville, first vice presi-
programs for social justice and Israel.
building in Pontiac. They had
ous support, this task would
dent Joe Falik of Bloomfield Hills, along
"Kol Ami is not doing this out of finan-
an active sisterhood, religious
have been far more difficult.
with Kol Ami's executive director Cheryl
cial necessity," Ellias said. "They have
school and congregational
"We approached various
Chaben took it from there.
been very reasonable in their financial
programming. In 1975, they
• temples and also looked at
"Kol Ami is a social action-oriented
demands."
built and moved into the facil-
other buildings that could con-
community willing to help fellow Jews,"
The new B'nai Israel is looking to main-
ity in West Bloomfield that
• ceivably have become our spin- Eisman said. "They saw a problem and
tain a self-sustaining congregation operat-
became the CSZ B'nai Israel
, tual home." The 44-year-old,
jumped in. Their arms were open to us."
ing based on member dues, along with
Center.
370-member family Temple Kol
member donations.
Beyond the family connec-
Ami was the best fit.
Paperwork
A website has been launched. And in an
tion with B'nai Israel, Jacobson David Sa perstein
After much formal searching, B'nai Israel has received tax-exempt sta-
effort at environmental responsibility and
said, "My mother grew up at
the connection between the two tus; and a joint-operating agreement was
cost effectiveness, communications are
Temple Beth Jacob, also in Pontiac [once
synagogues began during a very informal
signed by representatives of both B'nai
being kept 99 percent electronic.
known as B'nai Israel's 'sister' congrega-
conversation between longtime CSZ mem- Israel and Kol Ami.
B'nai Israel will not have a religious school,
tion]. After [the late] Rabbi Ernst Conrad
ber Jeffrey Eisman and his cousin Lee
"To file papers to form the entity with
but, for the current year, CSZ has offered
left Beth Jacob, he became Kol Ami's
Schottenfels of West Bloomfield, a past Kol the state of Michigan, we had to have offi-
its member-rate tuition for B'nai Israel
founding rabbi: she said. "For me, this is
Ami president.
cers and a board of directors:' Ellias said.
members, as have other area synagogues.
an opportunity to continue and perpetu-
"We were sitting together at a wedding
Steering committee leaders formed the
At Hillel Day School of Metropolitan
ate a legacy for my family.
and Lee mentioned that he heard about our temporary board, with Jacobson, presi-
Detroit's new Early Childhood Center,
"I poured my heart and soul into help-
search and he said, `Why don't you come to
dent; Eisman, vice president; Ellias, secre-
B'nai Israel members will receive the same
ing create this new synagogue commu-
Kol Ami," Eisman said. "It was that simple:
tary; and Saperstein, treasurer.
"member rate" as those from other area
nity. We have children who are Shabbat
a shidduch [match] made at a wedding."
"The officers and board will be replaced congregations.
observant and needed a place to walk to
The temple's rabbi and lay leadership,
— or voted in — once membership
Because Kol Ami typically holds
services. The new synagogue will be that
under the direction of co-presidents
is instituted, but a formal request for
place."
Howard Katz of Bloomfield Hills, Diane
membership could not be called until the
Continuing A Legacy on page 17

September 23 • 2010

15