MARCH 11 • 2021 | 15

POSITIVE RESPONSE
“The number of people who 
visited the library on our 
first day shows there is a 
great need to have a library 
where traditional Jews can 
bring their children to take 
out appropriate books that 
reflect a traditional way of 
life,” Kostelitz said. “While 
our collection is geared 
toward traditional Judaism, 
anyone can come and visit 
the library.”
Ita Leah Cohen is one 
of the librarians who 
has been working on the 
project. For nearly five 
months, she has put her 
computer and accounting 
skills to use building the 
collection, barcoding the 
books, entering them into 
the library’s database and 
organizing them on the 
shelves.
“When Rabbi Kostelitz 
has a vision, it happens 
yesterday,” Cohen said. 
For 15 years, she and her 
husband, Rabbi Boruch 
Cohen, lived in Birmingham 
where they ran from their 
home the Birmingham 

Jewish Connection, a Jewish 
outreach center, and where 
he was a pulpit rabbi for the 
Birmingham Bloomfield 
Chai Center. During that 
last year, they rented a space 
in Birmingham and created 
another Jewish outreach 
center, 36 Mystics, that held 
a small Judaica gift shop and 
cafe. When 36 Mystics closed, 
they moved to Oak Park 
shortly before the beginning 
of the pandemic in 2020 to 
live closer to their grown 
children and grandchildren 
and were immediately 
embraced by the close-knit 
Jewish community. 
“From the moment this 
library opened, all you 
hear are expressions of 
appreciation that it’s here,” 
she said.
Hy Safran, who lives 
in the area, said the 
library’s opening shows the 
vibrancy and growth of the 
community. 
“I was blown away at 
the beauty of the vibrant 
colors, which makes it a very 
happy and positive space,” 
said Safran, director of 

philanthropy for the Jewish 
Federation of Metropolitan 
Detroit. A friend of the 
Kostelitz family, he said that 
he has taken out books on 
Jewish history and the origins 
of Jewish holidays. 
Noting that his last 
name is Hebrew for 
librarian, Safran said he is a 
descendant of book binders 
and printers. The library at 
Congregation Shaarey Zedek 
in Southfield was named 
for his grandparents Leah & 
Hyman Safran. He said he has 
vivid childhood memories 
of spending time there as 
well as at the Baldwin Public 
Library in Birmingham.
“On the day the Detroit 
Jewish Library opened, there 

was such a charge of positive 
energy in the air, and kids 
were eager and happy to get 
their own library cards. This, 
to me, is one more example 
of just why Detroit has the 
greatest Jewish community in 
the world,” he said.

LEGACY OF READING
Also visiting the library on 
opening day with two of her 
sons, ages 7 and 11, was Julie 
Hauser of Oak Park. Hauser’s 
kids were excited to get their 
own library cards and have 
already visited the library a 
few times to borrow Jewish 
comic books and graphic 
novels that cover everything 
from Midrash to history. 
Hauser, who has authored 
one book about Jewish 
mothers around the world 
and three children’s books — 
two of them included in the 
library’s collection — said 
this newest library is part of 
a legacy of Jewish libraries in 
Detroit’s Jewish community. 
“It is great that the 
Jewish library tradition is 
continuing here in Oak Park,” 
said Hauser, who has five 
children. “My husband and 
I and our children love to 
borrow books. We are always 
striving to learn and grow 
through reading.” 

For more information about the 

Detroit Jewish Library, call 

 (248) 794-7372.

“IN TODAY’S WORLD, 
KIDS ARE SO IN TUNE 
WITH TECHNOLOGY, 
BUT NOT ENOUGH 

ARE READING BOOKS.”

— RABBI ARI KOSTELITZ

COURTESY OF THE DETROIT JEWISH LIBRARY

