Spirituality 10 Years Downtown Reconstructionist congregation works to replace its century-old Torah. Carol Weisfeld Special to the Jewish News A Jewish community has existed in Detroit since 1851 and though the Jewish population has grown and moved primarily to the suburbs, two syna- gogues remain in the city of Detroit: the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue founded in 1921 and the Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit (RCD) founded in 2000. This year, RCD marks its 10th year in the city. Always operating from a rented space, its new sanctuary is in the education building at Christ Church Detroit, 976 E. Jefferson Ave. The small community of 25 Jewish families maintains a modest schedule of monthly and holiday services, including the only services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur within the city limits. The services are open to all as part of the Jewish Federation's Shalom Detroit program. In honor of its 10th anniversary, RCD mem- bers began a project to replace their 100-year- old Torah (a gift from Reconstructionist Congregation T'chiyah) that was no longer kosher and beyond repair. Members resolved to raise $10,000 to secure a gently used Torah. Thanks to an initial donation from the Cohn Family Philanthropic Fund, RCD is now three- quarters of the way towards its goal. The Torah will be dedicated in the name of federal Judge Avern Cohn's parents. Members hope to dedicate the Torah prior to this year's High Holidays. Congregants have already visited their new Torah at the Oak Park workshop of Rabbi Levi Kagan, a sofer (scribe) who is making it kosher letter by let- ter. At the installation of the new Torah, RCD's first president Matthew Schenk of Grosse Pointe Park will be honored. Schenk still chants Torah for services because RCD employs no rabbi or cantor. Schenk, chief of staff for Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, grew up in the city and attended Chrysler Elementary School and Cass Technical High School before heading to Ann Arbor for college and law school. He and his wife, Jessie, bring their three sons to RCD to "be part of Jewish life in the city." They are comfortable in a Reconstructionist environment, where their boys learn egalitarian ideals and take part in discussions about ethical decision-making and environmental awareness. RCD follows the teachings of Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan, who, in the 1920s in New York, urged Jews to be conservative with regard to ritual but progressive with regard to social issues such as equality for women. Another hallmark of the RCD's congre- gation is its commitment to preserving Jewish life and culture in the city. Members rescued a 1920s stained glass window from Congregation Mogain Abraham before its building was demolished. The window was used to mark the entrance to the "Haven to Home" exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum last summer. This commitment also led RCD congregants to write and publish a children's activity book called Early Jewish Days in Michigan. To contribute to the Torah fundraiser, visit RCD's website at www.recondetroit.org or send donations to RCD treasurer Anthony Dillof, 1409 Joliet Place, Detroit 48207. .7 Matthew Schenk of Grosse Pointe Park, RCD's first president, checks out the Torah scroll with Rabbi Levi Kagan of Oak Park. ir4.4 Carol Weisfeld of Detroit is president of the Jared, Daniel and Ethan Schenk write their names in Hebrew with a quill Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit. as Rabbi Kagan watches. Common Figure Harvard scholar explores Abraham's role in three religions. N oted Jewish theologian Jon D. Levenson will present a talk at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 10, at the Jewish Community Center, 6600 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield. His lecture is titled "Abraham Our Father: What Does He Father?" "Jews, Christians and Muslims all revere the figure of Abraham," Levenson said. "In Judaism, Abraham is often seen 36 March 31 • 2011 as the father of the faith, the first mono- theist and the man who saw through idolatry. In Genesis, the biblical book in which story of Abraham appears, none of this, interestingly, is found. There, he is not so much a founder as a father. "What or whom Abraham fathers became and remains a major source of disagreement among the three traditions conventionally called the Abrahamic Religions." Levenson is the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at the Harvard Divinity School, where he has been teaching since 1988. His work concentrates on the inter- pretation of the Hebrew Bible. He is the author of several books. On Monday, April 11, Levenson will present a talk to a combined group of high school juniors and seniors from University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe Woods and the Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield. The talk will be at FJA. The events are sponsored by University Liggett School and the Jewish Forum and co-sponsored by the JCC. There is no cost. For more information, contact the Jewish Forum at (248) 354-6415 ext. 2 or University Liggett School at (313) 884- 4444 during business hours.