14 March 28 • 2019
jn
jews d
in
the
programming, city parks and library.
Visiting neighboring communities, they
enjoy Oak Park’
s “great city pool and
great parks” and Ferndale for “city festi-
vals throughout the summer.
”
MANY SYNAGOGUES
“The Woodward corridor has always
been an attraction,
” said 34-year Realtor
Judy Palmer, who works under the
umbrella of RE/MAX Showcase Homes
in Birmingham. A Ferndale resident for
35 years, she grew up in
Oak Park.
Palmer said newer
synagogues opening in
the inner-ring Detroit
suburbs are another
draw, noting that the
Orthodox congregation
Woodward Avenue Shul
in Royal Oak is also close
to Huntington Woods
and “families can walk
to Jewish Ferndale on
Pinecrest Street.
”
OAK PARK
Oak Park remains pop-
ular with 8,810 Jews
living in 2,550 house-
holds. Combined with
Huntington Woods,
the population study found 35 percent
of Jewish households had children
under age 17 at home. Unique among
Woodward corridor cities that might
offer only one or two shuls, Oak
Park is home to multiple synagogues
catering to all streams of Judaism.
They include Young Israel of Oak
Park (Orthodox), Temple Emanu-El
(Reform), Congregation Beth Shalom
(Conservative), Aish Detroit and
Kehillat Etz Chaim (Modern Orthodox),
the latter renting space from Beth
Shalom.
Recently hired young rabbis with fam-
ilies are Rabbi Matthew Zerwekh, who
returned last year to lead Emanu-El, his
home synagogue, and Rabbi Shaya Katz,
who officially becomes spiritual leader at
Young Israel in July.
“The vast majority of
our new younger mem-
bers are coming from
Huntington Woods and
Oak Park,
” said Beth
Shalom Rabbi Robert
Gamer, “but we also get
them from other cities
on the Woodward cor-
ridor, including Berkley,
Ferndale, Royal Oak and
Birmingham.
”
Pearl Schwartz, 6,
frequently visits Beth
Shalom, where her father,
Aaron Schwartz, 43, is
secretary on the syna-
gogue board. He works
as a document controller
at Ghafari Associates
in Dearborn. Her mother, Rachel
(Zerwekh) Schwartz, 36, is a postpartum
doula and a teaching assistant at Emanu-
El’
s Early Childhood Center.
Aaron and Rachel, who grew up in
Metro Detroit, found their Oak Park
continued from page 13
Block Family: Ilana and Adam and children Talia, 6, Judah, 4, and baby Shira.
Brittany Feldman loves the feel
of Ferndale.
continued on page 16
Child and Youth Education
Noted for its flexible year-round programming, the Temple Emanu-El Early Childhood
Center’
s “infant program is the only one in this community based in a Jewish tem-
ple,” said Director Eileen Brand.
The temple and Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS) offer Yachad religious school,
meeting Sunday morning at Emanu-El and Wednesday afternoon at CBS.
“Having the joint religious school gives us a critical mass that neither of us had
previously,” said CBS Rabbi Robert Gamer. “The fact that we have a really good
school and an outstanding educator [in director Abi Taylor Abt] is what is driving the
growth. Also, the fact that we celebrate and honor the traditions of both communi-
ties is something that people find attractive.”
Jackie and Joey Yashinsky with their daughter Elizabeth, 1
“We look forward to the opportunities
that may come with a multi-commu-
nity planning grant with Berkley and
Huntington Woods,” said Oak Park
Mayor Marian McClellan.
She was referring to a joint appli-
cation submitted by Oak Park, Berkley
and Huntington Woods that resulted
in a SEMCOG grant last summer. The
cities are teaming up to collectively
improve the 11 Mile Road and Coolidge
Highway corridors.
As reported on the Oak Park city
website, “The study looked at Coolidge
from 12 Mile to Nine Mile and 11
Mile from Greenfield to Woodward. It
reviewed the traffic analysis to deter-
mine if a “road diet” (lane reduction)
was possible in any section of these
roads as well as adding bike lanes. The
study also took a look at opportunities
to add green infrastructure to reduce
the amount of water runoff and finally
analyzed the connections and cross-
walks between these communities to
identify additional opportunities for safe
crosswalks.”
Beside the bike lanes, Oak Park
will be offering pocket parks, a dog
park, a bike repair shelter and more.
Open houses held in the three cities
gave residents a chance to discuss
the potential plans for infrastructure
improvements.
Multi-community Planning Grant