16 | DECEMBER 19 • 2019

and, of course, this is to attract future
growth. We want to keep people
engaged in being Jewish.
”

According to Tisdale, the Early
Childhood Center (ECC) is currently
at capacity with 250 students. The
temple’
s summer camp serves 150
children. “Our goal is to see families
affiliate,
” he adds.
Temple Israel is the largest Reform
synagogue in the country, according
to the Union for Reform Judaism,
with 3,400 members. Its existing
building is 120,000 square feet.
The new classrooms and related
enhancements are being fund-
ed through donations, primarily
from the Sarah and Harry Gottlieb
Endowment Fund. The Joseph J. and
Deanna I. Bittker Foundation is the
major donor for The Bridge. The
$4.5 million project was designed
by architectural firm Stuart J. Fine +
Associates. Sachse Construction is the
contractor.
The second phase will create a
much-needed additional dedicated
prayer space and social hall, a gath-
ering area to be called The Heart, an
innovative educational room and a
splash pad for young children.
“The second phase is where the
real changes come — the new prayer
space, The Heart and a place for
learning through movement,
” Yedwab
explains. “Kinetic learning will rev-
olutionize how Jewish education is
taught. The Heart came out of the

future planning committee — that a
shul should be a gathering place. It
will be a place to hang out, play mahj
or cards, or have coffee — modeled
after Henry Ford Hospital in West
Bloomfield.
”
The temple has been using Korman
Hall as a multipurpose room for reli-
gious services and a children’
s play
area, which requires frequent set-up
and removal of large play equipment.
Yedwab points out an ark installed in
a wall with sliding doors so that it is
out of the way of playing children and
others when not used for religious
services. “It doesn’
t have the acoustics
for a prayer space,
” he notes.
In addition to the main sanctuary,
the temple has a small chapel that
seats only 180, which is too few for
many events.
Yedwab is especially excited about
redesigning Korman Hall to become
a place for immersive Jewish learn-
ing. “Children learn through kinetic
movement and tactile learning. The
pioneer for this was the Friendship
Circle. Imagine if you were climbing
the ladder of Maimonides’
eight levels
of charity,
” he says.
A splash pad will be another attrac-
tion for young children and some-
thing different than what is available
at other synagogues, Yedwab says.
The new prayer space will be
named in honor of major donors
Sandy and the late Bill Lefkofsky.
Major donors for The Heart are

Jews in the D

“We are constantly
visioning about
how to reach people
and increase our
bandwidth in the
eastern areas.”

— RABBI JENNIFER LADER

continued from page 14

TOP: Phase II will include
a children’
s splash pad.
ABOVE: A new state-of-
the-art security entrance
also is slated for Phase II.

DRAWINGS COURTESY OF

STUART J. FINE & ASSOCIATES.