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Chabad Of Michigan Wins Appeal
I
David Sachs
habad of Michigan's lawsuit
against the Sara and Morris
Tugman Bais Chabad Torah
Center in West Bloomfield is alive and
well.
The Michigan Court of Appeals, sit-
ting in Lansing, ruled that Judge Rae Lea
Chabot's dismissal of Oak Park-based
Chabad of Michigan's case in Oakland
County Circuit Court was wrong.
The appeals court's decision, rendered
May 22, examined Judge Chabot's dis-
missal of the case without a trial on the
grounds that Chabad of Michigan waited
too long to file the suit under the state's
statute of limitations.
The Court of Appeals reversed that
decision, holding that the case was not
filed late because the deadline was sus-
pended during prior hearings in the rab-
binic court or "bet din:'
The Court of Appeals also found that
a genuine issue of material fact existed to
be determined in the trial court. Chabad
of Michigan claims that its hierarchal
authority over individual Chabad move-
ment outposts requires the Torah Center
to hand over the deed to its synagogue.
The Torah Center argues that the late
Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel
Schneerson wrote a letter emphasizing
the financial independence of individual
Chabad congregations.
Prevailing attorney Norman Ankers
of Detroit-based Honigman Miller
Schwartz & Cohn representing Chabad
of Michigan could not be reached for
comment in time for this week's Jewish
News press run.
The Torah Center's attorney Todd
Mendel of Barris Sott Denn & Driker of
Detroit said that his client has six weeks
from the Court of Appeal's decision to
decide whether to seek an appeal to the
Michigan Supreme Court. The higher
court is free to choose whether or not it
will hear any individual case.
If there is no appeal in the state
Supreme Court, the case will be sent
back to Oakland County Circuit Court
for a full hearing on its merits.
Mendel said regardless if the Torah
Center appeals to the state Supreme
Court or the case returns to the trial
court in Pontiac, the "Court of Appeals
decision will basically mean that the
litigation, filed initially by Chabad [of
Michigan], the plaintiff, is going to go
on for years — period. In light of the
Rebbe's letter, I ask the question, 'Why?"'
Further comments by the parties will
appear in next week's Jewish News.
B'nai Moshe Rededication
Features Cantorial Concert
Congregation B'nai
Moshe, a 103-year-
old Conservative
Synagogue in West
Bloomfield, is invit-
ing the community
to celebrate the
rededication of its
Cantor Earl
sanctuary and cha-
Berris
pel the weekend of
June 6-8.
The congregation's 22-year-old
building has recently benefited from
new carpeting, furniture, paint, dis-
plays and a sound system in keeping
with its new catch phrase, "Welcome
Home:'
Highlighting the celebration will
be a free cantorial concert at 7:30
p.m. Sunday, June 8, featuring eight
cantors.
Performing will be Cantors
Earl G. Berris (B'nai Moshe), Sam
Greenbaum and Frank Lanzkron-
Tamarazo (Congregation Beth
Shalom), Leonard Gutman
(Congregation Shaarey Zedek,
Southfield), Ivor Lichterman (B'nai
Israel, Toledo), Zachary Mondrow
(Temple Torah, West Boynton Beach,
Fla.), Michael Smolash (Temple
Israel), Penny Steyer (Temple
Shir Shalom), Cantorial Soloist
Tiffany Green (Temple Kol Ami)
and Songleader Matthew Steyer
(Congregation Shaarey Zedek, East
Lansing). Musical accompaniment
will be by Cliff Monear.
The rededication weekend
launches with Kabbalat Shabbat and
dinner catered by Chef Cari Kosher
Catering, Friday, June 6, following
6 p.m. services. Shabbat services,
followed by a special Sisterhood
Kiddush, will begin 9 a.m., Saturday,
June 7. On Sunday, June 8, there will
be services at 6:30 p.m., rededica-
tion ceremonies for the Cantor Klein
Chapel and the Deutsch-Rosenberg
Sanctuary at 7 p.m., and the canto-
rial concert at 7:30 p.m. followed by
a dessert reception.
All activities are at no cost, except
the Friday night dinner ($25 for
adults, $10 for age 12 and under),
which requires reservations and
payment by May 30 to (248) 788-
0600 or bnaimoshe.org .
Senior Copy Editor
C
Do- low Wave
The Beg jewitth, Dad
n The 'World?
Send 150 words on why
your dad is tops – along with a photo of you
and your dad – to kcohen©renmedia.us by
June 5. The winner will receive a $100 gift
certificate to Loccino's Italian Grill and Bar
in Troy. There will be honorable mention
prizes as well. The winner will be showcased
in the June 12 issue of the Jewish News.
Then prove it.
Sara and Morris Tugman Bais Chabad
Torah Center in West Bloomfield.
❑
Hadassah Magazine
Wins 12 Awards
Hadassah, the Women's Zionist
Organization of America, announced
that Hadassah Magazine has received
12 Rockower Awards, more than any
other publication (magazine, news-
paper or website) and more than all
other magazines combined. Nine of
the 12 awards were for first place. This
is the second year in a row Hadassah
Magazine has received the most awards.
The Simon Rockower Awards
are given for "Excellence in Jewish
Journalism" by the American Jewish
Press Association.
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JN
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May 29 • 2014
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