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continued from page 18

come during Friday Town Hall meetings asked about my personal practices, and
where students asked questions about
I wouldn’t do that to anyone else. It’s the
their experiences as rabbis and Jews.
same for students; it’s a matter of what
Progress, too, has been made since a
they choose.
2013 JN story in which former Head of
“For Jewish Studies and general stud-
School Eric Grossman maintained that
ies teachers, the criteria are strong
the shomer Shabbat hiring policy dates
pedagogy, content knowledge and the
to the school’s inception in 2000. In the
ability to inspire our students to think
same story, Penny Blumenstein, Jewish
critically,” he said.
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
“There is no shomer Shabbat ‘lit-
president in 2000, said, “This was never
mus test;’ they are looking for the best
presented to us. This was a community
teachers for Jewish Studies,” Loss said.
school, open to all. It was never
“Applicants are not a ready
pitched as having [halachic]
resource in any movement.
guidelines.”
“We want to move forward,”
FJA was created with $750,000
Loss added. “The change in
from Federation in startup sup-
leadership has brought about
port and later received a $20
a positive movement in the
million donation in exchange
school and the focus of FJA is
for naming the school after Sam
to ensure every student of every
and Jean Frankel.
background is respected and
Seth Korelitz
Although there still are no
feels comfortable. Rabbi Cohen’s
Reform teachers in Jewish
goal is to increase the size of the
Studies, Cohen reaffirms what
school, and I am happy to part-
he said in a 2016 JN story that
ner with him to get those look-
there is no denominational
ing for a fine Jewish education
requirement when hiring for
to attend.”
Jewish Studies.
Nancy Reed of Bloomfield
In fact, according to FJA, the
Township is a former PTO
school listed its most recent job Rabbi Harold Loss president and mother of four FJA
openings on websites and lists
students over the last 13 years.
for all denominations, including
She and her family are members
the Reform movement’s Hebrew Union
of Temple Israel. Her final FJA student,
College and the Central Conference of
Isaac, graduated this spring.
American Rabbis as well as non-denom-
“The change in head of school has
inational organizations that focus on
certainly brought some positive changes
education.
to the school,” she said. “Rabbi Cohen
FJA recently hired Seth Korelitz, who
professes to being open to hiring the
had taught at Hillel Day School, as
best teachers when it comes to Judaic
director of Jewish Studies; FJA alumna
Studies rather than hiring teachers who
Rebecca Nadis, who taught at Rochelle
are shomer Shabbat and religiously
Zell Jewish High School in Chicago, as
observant. As of last year, I did not see
a Jewish Studies teacher; and Rabbi
that change in hiring happen.”
Avi Spodek, who comes from Akiba
Academy, a Modern Orthodox day school FJA’S MISSION
In talking about the school, Sider and
in Dallas, as chair of Rabbinic Studies.
Cohen cite the 2013 Pew Research
“None of the Jewish Studies hires, to
Center study, “A Portrait of Jewish
my knowledge, had been asked about
Americans,” that found a significant rise
their denomination or their personal
in Jews who are not religious, marry
practices as Jews,” Cohen said. “Frankly,
outside the faith and are not raising
I would consider it insulting if I were

continued on page 22

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Frankel Jewish Academy, housed inside the JCC in West Bloomfield, has state-of-the-art
security. FJA’s Federation allocation was covered by an anonymous donor for a third year,
so the money it would have received has gone to improve security at other Federation
organizations.

FJA Continues
To Forgo Allocation

Frankel Jewish Academy in West
Bloomfield has returned its Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
annual allocation, approximately
$145,000, for the third year.
“Due to a generous contribution,
Frankel Jewish Academy did not take
an Annual Campaign allocation, as it
has been able to meet its financial
strategic plan for FY 2017-18, allow-
ing funds to be redirected toward vital
community needs,” states Federation’s
more recent Allocation Report.
However, the school still receives
monetary assistance. This fiscal year,
FJA received $259,554 from the
Shiffman Family Tuition Assistance
Fund, $20,227 from the Centennial
Fund gift for day school scholar-
ships and $14,330 from the Jewish
Education Trust, according to Linda
Blumberg, Federation’s director of
planning and agency relations.
“This is vital,” FJA President Bill
Sider said. “Ten years ago, 31 percent
of students were on tuition assitance;
now it’s 57 percent. It’s a real chal-
lenge.”
Blumberg confirmed that no other
agencies had returned allocation
money this year.
And, she reconfirmed what she said
in a JN story in June 2016 that the
only other instance she can remember
was in August 2014, when Jewish
Family Service gave part of its alloca-
tion to JVS to help with housing assis-
tance and financial counseling during
the flooding in August 2014. JFS had
received additional funds from FEMA
and was able to help JVS.
“We are blessed with a donor
who is giving us our share of the
Federation allocation so Federation
can use the money for security
issues,” Sider said. “We are fully
engaged with Federation; it’s a win-

win situation.”
Head of School Rabbi Azaryah
Cohen agrees. “Our partnership
as a Federation agency remains
as strong as ever. We continue to
count on Federation and, I believe,
Federation understands the crucial
role FJA plays in the stability and sus-
tainability of our Jewish community.
“The funding decision is entirely up
to the donor and is an arrangement
the donor has made with FJA and the
Federation. It is up to the donor to
evaluate where funds are most need-
ed and how the community, rather
than just one institution, could best
benefit from this generous gift.
“We are fortunate here; we put a
lot of energy into safety and security
and continually audit our procedures.
We’re not sure all institutions in the
city can. It’s important if funds are
available [to help] because this is a
critical priority.”
In its most recent annual report,
Federation spotlights its Community
Security Program, established in 2006.
The report cites the Anti-Defamation
League about how the number of U.S.
incidents has risen dramatically in
recent years and that Jewish institu-
tions are generally targeted more
frequently for hate crimes than any
other group.
It also states that Federation cre-
ated a three-point plan that increased
training and communication about
security for children, faculty and
parents at all Jewish day schools;
approved a series of grants to pay for
equipment and technology; and hired
and deployed armed security officers
at each of the day schools and at
Tamarack Camps.
— Keri Guten Cohen,
story development editor