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In 2002, the synagogue’s Torahs
come to their new home.

Keter Torah’s permanent home in West Bloomfield

Andree Nordan prepares
a sweet carrot, prune
and almond dessert from
Morocco.

A Chanukah
celebration in the
Keter Torah
social hall

Members of Keter Torah display information about Detroit’s
Sephardic community in the 1980s.

led up to the 1990s, when
here was struggling and that
an Israeli engineering
leaders feared they would
contractor with General
have to close the building.
Motors named Sasson
With sheer determination to
Natan started showing up
rebuild the community — and
for minyan held in the Oak
another discussion with his
Park Jewish Community
wife about making one more
Center.
move — the Natans were back
Rabbi Sasson
It was Behar’s mother,
in Metro Detroit by the High
Natan
Shirley Behar, the only
Holidays in 2013.
woman president in the
“I told my (Sephardic)
synagogue’s history (1990-1994),
friends here, ‘You are not closing
who first recognized Natan’s gift in
Keter Torah,’” Natan says. “The
the Sephardic liturgy and an authen- Sephardim in the area need a home
tic Torah chanting learned from
to practice our distinct traditions
generations of his family hazzanut
and hear and sing our distinct melo-
stemming back to Jerusalem and
dies. Now, it is a struggle, as any
Baghdad.
21st-century synagogue struggles,
For decades, the community held
but we are bringing in members.
together through lifecycle events,
There are young families, and on
High Holiday services and then
Shabbat morning you can find baby
weekly Sunday minyanim at Yeshiva
carriages in the entryway and chil-
Beth Yehudah in Oak Park. Services
dren learning to lead services on
were led by a blend of Sephardic and the bimah. We are working hard to
Ashkenazi Jews. Much of the build-
revive the place and making sure
ing of this minyan and the weekly
there is a next generation to keep
Shabbat minyan was due to Shirley,
the traditions going.”
Behar says.
Natan says his training as both a
“My mom was a one-woman mar-
rabbi and an engineer makes him
keting force for Sephardic ritual life,” better equipped to navigate and
recalls Behar. “She invested all that
advise on the realities of the daily
energy because she wanted those
lives of his congregants.
distinct sounds and melodies to be
“Since I have been ordained, I use
heard in Detroit.”
all my skills as a rabbi, an engineer
and a musician to reach out and
MAKING OF A RABBI
relate to my congregants,” Natan
It was Shirley who inspired Natan to says. “They have all come in handy.
Because I worked in the secular
become a rabbi, though his path to
world, I can better relate to my con-
becoming a rabbi has been a mean-
gregants who work for a living and
dering one.
face real-world challenges in work
Perhaps the beginning of his path
and family life.”
traces back to the first time he was
Behar says, in 2013, Natan realized
asked to lead prayers in Jerusalem,
he had an opportunity to bring his
shortly after he became a bar mitz-
work full circle to make the return to
vah, at the outbreak of the Yom
Keter Torah.
Kippur War in 1973.
“We inspired him to become a
“It was time for Minchah (after-
rabbi and, in turn, he inspires us to
noon services) and the synagogue
want and work for Keter Torah to
was nearly empty because so many
remain strong, vibrant and secure,”
had been called up, including my
father, who was at the Suez Canal as Behar says.
Today, in addition to Natan, ser-
a medic,” Natan says. “It was a hor-
vices are led by a variety of congre-
rible day. The silence of Yom Kippur
was broken by sirens and chaos. But gants as well as about four Torah
readers, students at nearby Yeshiva
that afternoon, I was asked to lead
Mesivta, who have mastered several
the synagogue in prayer.”
Sephardic trope styles.
After spending several years
In addition to the eclectic mix of
here, Natan and his family left
melodies, Natan pointed out there
Detroit in 1998 for Chicago to
are different Sephardic traditions
head a Sephardic day school from
that a Jewish child from their com-
1998 to 2000, returning to the area
munity may not pick up on at a
annually to lead High Holiday ser-
predominantly Ashkenazi day or
vices. In 2004, the Natans moved to
congregational religious school.
Tiberias, Israel, where he studied
There are no stripes on their all-
with a Moroccan community for his
white talitot. Tefillin are wrapped
rabbinic ordination and, in 2007,
moved to Houston to help revive the in a different manner, and there are
unique passages in prayers like the
Sephardic community there.
Kedushah and the Kaddish.
In 2013, the Natans were visiting
Over the decades, with each new
Detroit during Passover when they
influx of immigrants from places
were told the Sephardic community

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July 12 • 2018

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