metro » GET THE FACTS about active retirement living at FOX RUN in Novi. Temple B’nai Israel of Petoskey 120th Anniversary FREE 38-PAGE BROCHURE WRITTEN BY THE RETIREMENT EXPERTS! Petoskey temple serves residents and visitors to Northern Michigan. Carol Ellstein | Special to the Jewish News Petoskey M ay you live until 120!” In honor of this timeless Jewish blessing, Temple B’nai Israel in Petoskey will be cel- ebrating its 120th birthday July 29-31. B’nai Israel has offered 120 years of continuous service to the year-round Northern Michigan Jewish community and summer population of Jewish resi- dents and visitors. “It is very exciting to celebrate our 120th anniversary with three separate events that work together to create a big festive event weekend,” said Emily Freedland Stuchell, event chair. “We look forward to our small year-round community coming together with our much larger summer community to celebrate and ensure a bright future for the next 120 years.” Temple President Dr. Josh Meyerson added, “We are especially excited to welcome back our Israeli summer Rabbi Maya Leibovich and her husband, Menachem. We will also be honoring the many student rabbis who have served us so faith- fully since 1925.” The Petoskey Jewish community’s origins began in 1875, when Alpena dry goods peddler Samuel Rosenthal and his family moved to town and established the Rosenthal department store in downtown Petoskey. In 1896, the Rosenthal family and a handful of other Jewish merchants established the Hebrew Benevolent Association to provide Shabbat services, children’s religious educa- tion and burial services. In 1909, the name B’nai Israel was formally adopted. In 1911, the Parr Memorial Baptist Church sold its building to the fledgling Jewish congregation, where it still resides. The temple continued to evolve over the years. Renovations to the build- ing occurred in the 1920s, 1940s and The comprehensive Fox Run brochure is packed with the crucial information you need—and the exciting details you want—about carefree senior living in Novi. Call 1-800-917-8169 or visit EricksonLiving.com to request your FREE brochure! Novi EricksonLiving.com 11495988 2061730 20 June 23 • 2016 1970s, and the adjacent rabbi’s house was acquired in 1995. A few years later, the neighboring home was pur- chased and then razed in 2006, in con- junction with the congregation’s latest renovation and building expansion. TBI now serves more than 100 families and many guests throughout the year. TBI became affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) in 1920. When the congregation needed a rabbi for its many summer Jewish residents and visitors, the Reform rab- binic college responded to the temple’s summer needs in 1925. TBI was the first temple in the URJ to offer a sum- mer student pulpit, from July through the High Holidays. The program has become an integral part of many small-town Jewish communities. Past president Dr. Hal Willens said, “The Jewish community and Temple B’nai Israel have been longtime active participants in the religious, cul- tural and business communities of Northern Michigan. We will be hon- ored to have our neighbors join us in our celebration.” The 120th anniversary of Temple B’nai Israel of Petoskey will be cel- ebrated during the weekend of July 29-31. Highlights will include a special Friday night Shabbat service honoring its history of student rabbis, a Saturday evening family dinner and Havdalah celebration at the temple, and a Sunday luncheon with guest speak- ers and musical entertainment by the temple band, the Wailin’ Schpilkes, at the Petoskey-Bay View Country Club. A special invitation is extended to the Metro Detroit Jewish community. Many temple members, including Stuchell, Meyerson and Willens, are native Detroiters who moved north to enjoy the area’s scenery, sports and relaxed lifestyle. Contact Emily Stuchell at efreedland@hotmail.com for more information. *