metro
Bryna Leib retires from Temple Israel
preschool after inspiring generations.
I
Stacy Gittleman
Contributing Editor
F
or the first time in decades,
Bryna Leib will not be going
back to school this fall. The
backbone of Temple Israel's Early
Childhood Center (ECC) for 35 years
retired this June.
Her legacy: generations of Jewish
preschoolers — many now parents
themselves — who forged strong bonds
with the West Bloomfield temple and
the larger Jewish community thanks to
the lessons they learned while they were
still young enough to finger paint.
Bryna Leib as Queen Esther at Purim
Temple Israel honored Leib at Shabbat
services on June 19 before hundreds of
congregants, family and friends, past
and present members of her staff, and
many of her present and former pre-
schoolers.
In the evening's sermon, Rabbi Harold
Loss said that Leib set an example for
the entire congregation to place caring
and nurturing the next generation of
Jews with core Jewish values as the com-
munity's highest priority.
"If Cain and Abel attended the ECC,
they would have learned how to get
along better as brothers:' Loss said. "If
Joseph had been a student, Bryna would
have taught him how not to be boastful,
how to share his coat of many colors
and how to hang it up in his cubby."
In 1980, Temple Israel hired Leib, a
retired Detroit public school teacher,
22
August 6 • 2015
to create a Jewish preschool. As the
number of staff and students grew, the
name changed to Temple Israel Nursery
School & Kindergarten, then to the
Early Childhood Center, and finally to
the Susan & Rabbi Harold Loss Early
Childhood Center.
Over the years as director, Leib
witnessed many changes to societal
expectations of what an early childhood
education should provide.
As mothers entered the workforce
and academic expectations for incom-
ing kindergarteners increased, the ECC
extended its hours and added summer
day camp. There are still blocks and
smocks, but there are also computers
for children now native to living in the
digital age.
According to Leib, one thing remains
the same: the need for a trusting loving
environment for children created by a
nurturing dedicated staff of teachers.
"Expectations in a preschool program
have changed a lot:' Leib said. "Loving
the child and the child's need to trust
the adults who are caring for them and
teaching them have not changed at all:'
One aspect of the school Leib is espe-
cially proud of is the emphasis on Jewish
family programming to create Jewish
memories for busy parents with their
children.
Jim Boschan, 63, of West Bloomfield,
who sent two of his four now-grown
children to the ECC, attended the
Shabbat service in tribute to Leib.
Decades later, he still has fond memo-
ries of preschool family seder programs
and maintains many friendships with
the families he met while his children
were preschoolers.
"Bryna created this amazing Jewish
preschool, which served as a great vehi-
cle for getting young families involved
with the temple and in the entire Jewish
community:' Boschan
said. "It exposed chil-
dren to Jewish tradi-
tions and holidays
and motivated many
to try out Jewish tra-
ditions in their own at
home'
Lifetime Of
Memories
The retirement was
two years in the mak-
ing, and Leib did not
make the decision
lightly. That is why
The vandalized Camp Agudah
sign in South Haven
Swastikas Painted
At Orthodox Camp
In South Haven
Zoe Schubot
JN Intern
Bryna Leib shows off a parrot at an
ECC gathering.
she took the time to train her successor,
Julie Eisman, when she hired her on two
years ago as ECC assistant director.
"I have a lifetime of memories:' Leib
said. "It is time for me to step down and
let the ECC be in the leadership of Julie.
I am looking forward to seeing the new
directions and places she will take the
school:'
Now in her next chapter of life, the
grandmother of five is looking forward
to traveling, spending time with family
and picking up new hobbies.
"I don't quite know what I am going to
do with myself now, but I am in a very
happy time of my life said Leib, who
this summer is on a three-week Jewish
heritage tour through Europe.
Leib said she would miss her "kind
and fantastic staff." She added it is
going to be strange not to be return-
ing to her leadership helm at the ECC
and that it has been "very challenging
to completely back off" after being the
boss for so many years.
"Let's face it:' said Leib, 71, "you get
very opinionated and bossy when you
are the one in charge. But now it is time
for me to find something else to do. I do
not consider myself fully retired. After
all, I think age 90 or 95 is a reasonable
time to slow down:' ❑
Bryna Leib during a Passover presentation
T
he FBI, alongside the
local police and the Van
Buren County Sherriff
Department, are currently investi-
gating anti-Semitic vandalism that
took place at an Orthodox Jewish
summer camp in South Haven,
Mich.
At least two people spray-painted
a swastika on a sign outside Camp
Agudah Midwest on Saturday night
or Sunday morning, July 25-26, the
Associated Press reported. The van-
dalism coincided with the holiday
of Tisha b'Av, when Jews mourn the
destruction of the ancient Temples.
The signs weren't the only targets
— vandals also damaged a build-
ing at the camp and spray-painted
swastikas on a nearby picnic table
and car.
The acts are currently being
investigated as a hate crime; how-
ever, more information regarding
the vandals and their motives will
be needed before the crime can
actually be charged as such.
Heidi Budaj, the Anti-
Defamation League Michigan
Regional Director, explained that
a hate crime differs from a general
crime because a hate crime "goes
beyond affecting the particular
victims involved. A hate crime is
designed to strike fear and intimi-
dation in an entire community. It
will make an entire community
uncomfortable."
The Anti-Defamation League
condemned the disturbing attack
against Camp Agudah. "This was
a despicable and cowardly act,
and we praise law enforcement for
recognizing the seriousness of the
incident and pursing an investiga-
tion of this possible anti-Semitic
hate crime Budaj said.
"The camp has increased secu-
rity and the county sheriff's office
has increased patrols in the area,
especially at night. We were also
pleased to learn that the FBI is
assisting Van Buren County Sheriff
Dale Gribler's office in the investi-
gation," she added.
❑