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Moderated by

Stephen Henderson

Detroit Free Press
Editorial Page Editor

Sunday, July 1 • 3:30 p.m.

Congregation Shaarey Zedek

27375 Belt Road, Southfield

The new 14th congressional district stretches through
southeast Michigan from Pontiac, West Bloomfield and
Farmington Hills, eastward across the northern tier of
the city of Detroit and into the Grosse Pointes, and then
southward to include downtown and southwest Detroit.

Candidates invited:

• Representative Hansen Clarke (Democrat)

• Bob Costello (Democrat)

• John Hauler (Republican)

• Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence (Democrat)

• Representative Gary Peters (Democrat)

• Mary Waters (Democrat)

The Civic Engagement Coalition (CEC) is compose
organizations working together within the new 14th
congressional district that represent the urban, suburban
ethnic, racial and religious diversity of the district and wi
focus on social justice and other important concerns.
Civic Engagement Coalition Partners:
Ameinu, Bina' Btrith, Congregation Beth Ahm,
Congregation Beth Shalom, Congregation Shaarey Zedek,
Congregation Shir Tikvah, Council of Islamic Organizations
of Michigan, Hadassah, Jewish Community Relations Coune
Jewish Labor Committee, League of Women Voters,
Metro Coalition of Congregations, Michigan
National Council of Jewish Women, Temple E
Temple Shir h
r

20 June 21 2012

The Bais Chabad Torah Center of West Bloomfield

Motivi s Vgly In
rha had Lawci oil

Each side seeks to end the dispute
with an early victory.

David Sachs

Senior Copy Editor

T

he local Chabad dispute has
each side asking Judge Rae
Lee Chabot to immediately
declare it the victor.
Such motions are often brought at
the onset of a lawsuit, and they don't
necessarily mean that either side
will prevail this early in the legal
process.
On one side is the plaintiff, the
Chabad-Lubavitch of Michigan
(Chabad of Michigan) led by its Oak
Park-based regional director, Rabbi
Berel Shemtov.
On April 17, Chabad of Michigan
filed suit in Oakland County Circuit
Court seeking a declaration that it
has controlling authority over the
Sara and Morris Tugman Bais Chabad
Torah Center of West Bloomfield
(Torah Center).
The lawsuit alleged that several
rabbinical tribunals have ruled that
under the hierarchal system of the
Chasidic Chabad movement, title
to the Torah Center's real property
should be held by its supervisory
entity, Chabad of Michigan. The suit
seeks transfer of the title to the syna-
gogue to the plaintiff.
On the other side of the lawsuit are
the defendants: the Torah Center, its
Rabbi Elimelech Silberberg and its
board of directors (in their official
capacities only).
Instead of immediately answer-

Rabbi Berel

Norman Ankers

Shemtov

Rabbi Elimelech

Todd Mendel

Silberberg

ing these allegations, however,
the defendants, by their attorney
Todd R. Mendel of the Detroit law
firm of Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker
PLLC, filed a Motion for Summary
Disposition, seeking to halt the law-
suit on several grounds.
In response, the Chabad of
Michigan, through its attorney
Norman C. Ankers of Honigman
Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP of
Detroit, filed a similar motion, also
asking that the judge immediately
decide the case in its favor.

