Jews in the D

Congregation
Growing
A

Temple Israel expands its West Bloomfi
 eld campus to 
enhance its educational, communal and prayer functions.

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
T

emple Israel, Michigan’
s 
largest Jewish congrega-
tion, is undergoing a major 
expansion to enhance and enlarge 
its education, prayer and social 
facilities. The two-phase expan-
sion will add approximately 24,000 
square feet to its West Bloomfield 
location.
At the same time, the congre-
gation continues its search for 
a building in the eastern part 
of Oakland County potentially 
for early childhood education, 
child care, religious school and 
some other programs to accom-
modate families in 
Huntington Woods, 
Royal Oak and other 
nearby areas, accord-
ing to Rabbi Paul 
Yedwab, who says, 
“We want to serve our 
members on that side 

of town.
”
The expansion at the temple, 
built in 1980, is planned not only 
to add more room but also to 
create spaces that will transform 
educational programs and congre-
gational gatherings of all kinds. 
Phase I, now under way and 
expected to be complete this 
spring, is a 12,000-square-foot 
addition to provide 
eight specialized 
state-of-the art class-
rooms for children 
ages 2-5, according 
to David Tisdale, 
Temple Israel’
s CEO. 
The new classrooms 
will be needed 
because some of the area currently 
used as classroom space will be 
reconfigured for other purposes 
in the temple’
s second expansion 
phase.
The new classrooms will feature 

a greenhouse for planting and har-
vesting produce as well as a learn-
ing kitchen with lower counters to 
facilitate cooking and baking ses-
sions with children, their parents 
and grandparents. A dedicated 
children’
s music room is designed 
for dancing and choirs. Children 
will enjoy a new mini gym space 
with a climbing wall and a reading 
pit, which will be in “The Bridge” 
— a connecting component 
between the new classrooms and 
the existing temple structure. 
“The school is growing. It’
s 
innovative and forward-thinking, 
and we want to keep up with that. 
It’
s a great facility 
and this will make it 
better and worth the 
drive,
” says Hilary 
King of Bloomfield 
Hills, Temple Israel 
president. “Our pre-
school is very robust 

Rabbi Paul 
Yedwab

David Tisdale

continued on page 16

ABOVE: In this photo 
from October, it’
s easy 
to see areas in Phase 
I construction that will 
include classrooms for 
children ages 2-5 that will 
feature a greenhouse, a 
functioning kitchen and a 
music room; “The Bridge,” 
a connecting space to 
the existing building, will 
offer a mini gym with a 
climbing wall and
reading pit. 

Hilary King

COURTESY SACHSE CONSTRUCTION/

OXBLUE.COM/TEMPLE ISRAEL

14 | DECEMBER 19 • 2019