14 March 28 • 2019
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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

