metro Mentoring is Time Well Spent! The Waterford School District is inviting caring adults to become a mentor and help transform lives in our community. Mentoring is fun, easy, comfortable, and rewarding. Just one or two hours a week can make a big impact in the life of a student. Mentors report experiencing improved health, greater life satisfaction, and connections to the community. We provide all the training and support you will need to succeed! A Time Of Transition Birmingham Temple ushers in the New Year without its longtime rabbi. Keri Guten Cohen Story Development Editor M Youth who are mentored are: 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs 27% less likely to begin using alcohol 52% less likely to skip school 37% less likely to skip a class Call today to register for our next information session! Teresa Bruno I 248.421.6497 I brunot01@wsdmi.org www.waterford.k12.mi.us/safeschools/mentor fadazg Ovirr:. Coktomisawr Limo 1410060 • 1780560 okstock. USED BOOK AND MEDIA SALE SUPPORTING THE NEED TO READ DONATE USED BOOKS AND MEDIA NOW: All kinds of gently used books plus audiobooks, videos, records, cds and dvds ADDITIONAL DROP-OFF SITES: DRIVE-THRU & DROP-OFF LOCATION: Check our website or call for exact dates and hours: www.bookstock.info JCC West Bloomfield loading dock 248-645-7840 ext. 365 Sunday, September 23, 2012 11:00a.m. - 1:00p.m. bookstock Jewish Community Center, Oak Park Jewish Community Center, West Bloomfield Laurel Park Place, Livonia Sarah and Ralph Davidson Hadassah House, West Bloomfield We thank you for your support and look forward to your continued commitment. We hope to see you at our sale April 21-28, 2013 at Laurel Park Place! HA DA S SAH AW:164..fiojtY Gourd JN cm.L7 rat- 4*, N C J I1 ,, •3PII, 7 01903 soh ti. Al.tErICA lc R ef Falcration N E.>XT 1779200 20 September 20 • 2012 embers of the Birmingham Temple in Farmington Hills will hold their High Holiday services without Rabbi Tamara Kolton. The temple board accepted the res- ignation of its senior rabbi in late August. "We appreciate the service she has devoted to the tem- ple for the past years and wish her all the best in her future endeavors:' said tem- ple president Les Kutinsky prior to Rabbi Tamara Rosh Hashanah. Kolton "The Birmingham Temple will continue to run as it has run. We are looking forward to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services and toward a good year." As at other synagogues where clergy members have left, members are step- ping up to fill in as well as professionals. "Rabbi Miriam Jerris will perform services at Rosh Hashanah; she has been with us for years and years," Kutinsky. "We have other people for Yom Kippur. People have been sup- portive and very optimistic. It's always a shame if someone resigns or leaves." Kolton said that when she tendered her resignation on Aug. 21, "I antici- pated being at the bimah to celebrate the High Holidays 5773. "I wish the entire Jewish community of Metro Detroit a happy, healthy and sweet.New Year, and I look forward to being a continued voice for spirituality in the Jewish and greater community." Jerris, a longtime temple member, is rabbi of the Society for Humanistic Judaism/North America, whose offices are on the Birmingham Temple campus. "This is in keeping with what I do, rab- binic support:' Jerris said before the holi- day. "It just happens I'm available at Rosh Hashanah. This is not so dif- Rabbi Miriam ferent from what I Jerris do all the time; the Birmingham Temple is one of our affili- ates, and they need support. 'At Rosh Hashanah, I will acknowl- edge that this is a time of transition, and that the temple and society are available to support members': Jerris said. "I also will emphasize that Humanistic Judaism will go on because we have incredible people involved. Our membership is up to the task, with a little guidance. This is not without pain, loss and sadness, but also a new opportunity, a time to get involved. New beginnings are exciting." A longtime member says services are covered through October. Next spring, the Temple, which has 250 family units, will celebrate its 50th anniversary. It was founded in 1963 by Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine, a founding figure of Humanistic Judaism, and eight families. Rabbi Wine was killed in a 2007 car accident in Morocco. The temple website explains that "Humanistic Jews are cultural Jews who find that Judaism is most meaningful in the context of modern thinking. "We enrich our lives with the High Holidays, Shabbat services, by enjoy- ing Jewish music, history, and by cul- tivating our ties to the Jewish commu- nity and the State of Israel. We instill in our children a love of Jewish culture and a pride in their Jewish heritage. As Jews and as human beings, we believe that we have the power and responsi- bility to direct the course of our lives." Kolton grew up at the Birmingham Temple since age 8, celebrating her bat mitzvah there. In 1999, she was the first rabbi to be ordained by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism/North America, the seminary that ordains Humanistic rabbis. She also is a licensed clinical psy- chologist. She lives in Farmington Hills with her husband and two children. "The Society for Humanistic Judaism will continue to give support as the temple moves forward and decides its next steps:' Jerris said. "They will tell me what they need from me. "What I believe about Humanistic Judaism is that we can do whatever we need to do. We weathered Sherwin's death; we are functioning and ordain- ing rabbis, holding classes and starting communities. [There are now 27, with four started in the last two years.] Sherwin always said Humanistic Judaism is more than one person. "There is a void when a rabbi leaves a congregation, but no one person is Humanistic Judaism, and those of us who have found this philosophy and relevant Jewish experience are not going to let it fade it away. We certain- ly won't let the Birmingham Temple fade away. There's continuity." ❑