"The plans for the
home are at least
on hold while these
other options are
explored, some of
them re-explored."
ESTATE & JEWELRY BUYERS
- Rabbi Boruch Cohen
he said. "When someone needs to say
Kaddish on a yahrzeit, we invite peo-
ple individually to help. We have study
groups, meals, and people coming
and going regularly. There was a lot of
misinformation flying about this."
He said he didn't realize the con-
cerns of the community at the time
the plans were created.
"We love this community and are
very sorry to see any controversy,"
he said. "Birmingham is a wonder-
ful town; the people are educated,
accomplished and successful in their
fields — and they like the nice fea-
tures of the town, beautiful homes
and streets:'
Having taken the planning board's
decision under advisement, the syna-
gogue's board held a meeting on Sept.
21, after which the rabbi said, "We
are exploring other options, but the
options are very limited. Two, perhaps
three, properties were identified for
follow up."
A search for property has been
difficult, Cohen explained, because
of prohibitive land costs and many
congregants' desire to remain within
walking distance to attend services on
Shabbat.
"We are taking the concerns
expressed at the [planning commis-
sion] meeting; very seriously': Cohen
said. "We are even thankful that those
concerns were expressed."
The planning board allows for the
congregation to submit new renova-
tion plans at any time, but, the rabbi
said, "The plans for the home are
at least on hold while these other
options are explored, some of them
re-explored."
But his overall hope remains the
same, that the congregation has a
permanent building.
"It is time for this community to
have a centerpiece to rally around,
a place for people to connect, grow
as individuals, and feel great about
being Jewish," Rabbi Cohen said. "The
Masons have been very good to us.
But, and this is the main point: There
is no place like home." i I
Your neighborhood experts
for the
Purchase and Sale of
Estate Jewelry, Precious Metals,
Coins and Valuables
Phone: 248.723.4653
33366 Woodward Avenue
Birmingham, MI 48009
(Just north of Fourteen Mile, east side of Woodward)
www.estateandjewelrybuyers.com
September 29 2011
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