metro
Looking Back
Birmingham Temple marks 50 years
since founding Humanistic Judaism.
*A passionate love story!
* Soaring melodies!
* Gorgeous sets
and costumes!
David DiChiera, General Director
Verdi's glorious music makes "La Traviata"
one of opera's top ten! It's ideal for both
newcomers and seasoned opera goers!
NOVEMBER 16 - 24 1 2013
Saturday, November 16, at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 23, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 24, at 2:30 p.m.
D
IN
A
Featuring Conductor Leonardo Vordoni and
the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra
Directed by Mario Corradi
FREE Opera Talk
with Or. Wallace Peace,
one hour prior to curtain
TICKETS & PRE-PAID PARKING
CALL i3g1a3n. 20 p 3 7e.rSa. l NoGr go
or visit
Performed in Italian with
English translations
DIM Energy
:
..,gin
• VV
1874430
The MAGIC
of Jewish Books
L ; b ed e v °
JEWISH BEDTIME STORIES & SONGS
METROPOLITAN DETROIT
Harry Velick, Birmingham Temple's first president, with Rabbi Sherwin Wine at
the temple's inauguration in November 1963
Free for your family
Barbara Lewis
The PJ Library program offers the gift
F
Contributing Writer
of free, high-quality Jewish books
fifty years ago, they didn't set
out to rock the Jewish world
by becoming the first congre-
gation in the world to jettison belief
in God. All the Birmingham Temple
founders really wanted was a congre-
gation closer to home.
It was 1963, and some Temple Beth
El members were lobbying for a move
to the suburbs from Woodward and
Gladstone in Detroit. Then Beth El
decided to pave the parking lot, sig-
naling its intention to stay in the city.
In August of that year, about 30 disaf-
fected Beth El members met in Oak Park
to discuss forming a new temple. Eight
couples committed to the cause: Sue and
Harry Velick, Stuart and Doreen Velick,
Bunny and Merrill Miller, Steve and
Elaine Fish, Gil and Baily Franklin, Joel
and Lisa Hepner, Marge and Bill Sandy,
and Ted and Mary Ann Simon.
Rabbi Sherwin Wine, a former advis-
each month to children ages 6 months
through 8 years. PJ Library books
celebrate important aspects of
Jewish culture, values and tradition,
and become cherished bedtime
stories for the entire family to share.
Sign up at
pjlibrary.org
Questions? Call Lisa at
248-205-2534
HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION
1[
Jewish Federation
OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT
Alliance for Jewish Education
jewishdetroit.org
1873920
16
November 7 • 2013
JN
er of Detroit Beth
El's Young Married
group, had been
invited to the initial
meeting and joined
those planning the
new temple. He was
Ilk
then serving as rabbi
Rabbi Sherwin of Temple Beth El in
Windsor, Ontario.
Wine
In addition to a
suburban location,
the founders wanted a new type of
temple, where everything would be
open to inquiry and where everyone
could participate. The first service was
held on Sept. 15 at Eagle Elementary
School in West Bloomfield — a
Sunday because Wine was still com-
mitted to the Windsor congregation
on the Sabbath.
Anticipating they would someday
wind up in the Birmingham area, they
named themselves "The Birmingham
Temple:'
The congregation was formally