metro

Honored Journey

Empowered women a hallmark
of Rabbi Hornsten's mission.

Rabbi Marla Hornsten with her husband, Dr. Sheldon Stern, and the rest of
the family: Danny, Benji, Erica and Jessica

I

Robert Sklar

Contributing Editor

T

hirteen years to the night
she boarded a plane with
80 of her students and
Rabbi Joshua Bennett as part of
Federation's Teen Mission to Israel,
Rabbi Marla Hornsten marked her
13th anniversary as a spiritual lead-
er at Temple Israel.
The June 28 anniversary obser-
vance included family, friends and
congregants — 1,200 Friday-night
service goers. A Shabbat dinner
drew 700. When she arrived in
Detroit in 2000, Hornsten was 31
and single and knew no one.
In addition to working with the
West Bloomfield synagogue's teens,
Hornsten has focused on making
women's voices heard — "empower-
ing women by raising up our voices;
reclaiming women in text who were
otherwise hidden; and creating
strong, powerful images for women
in Judaism," is how she put it.
"One of my favorite things to
do," this third generation of women
rabbis and Hebrew Union College
graduate shared, "is to write modern
midrash based on the original text,
imagining what our biblical women
would have said if given the chance."
Hornsten was Temple Israel's first
woman rabbi. Three more women
rabbis have followed: Jennifer

Kaluzny, Arianna Gordon (as educa-
tion director) and Jennifer Lader.
The rabbinic team also includes
Harold Loss, Paul Yedwab and
Joshua Bennett.
Said Kaluzny: "Rabbi Marla has
taught me how to lead from the
heart and soul — that leading in this
way is a forceful and genuine way to
help people, teach people and guide
people through life and through
Judaism. She has been my teacher,
and no one was happier that she
came to Temple Israel than me."
Hornsten's temple involvement
has included Rosh Chodesh ser-
vices, healing services, family camp,
Women's Day of Learning and lead-
ing a Cuba mission.
The year 2000 proved pivotal.
Colleagues named her to the temple's
Synagogue 2000 committee, a strate-
gic planning initiative through which
she would meet her future husband,
Dr. Sheldon Stern, a family practice
physician. They were married in
2002 in Seattle, her hometown. Their
family includes Danny, Benji, Erica
and Jessica.
"I pray that we will continue to
thrive;' Hornsten said in her anni-
versary sermon.
The rabbi urged a "raising of our
voices — men and women alike —
as we continue to create a strong,
loving and devoted community
together?' ❑

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July 18 • 2013

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