14 | APRIL 15 • 2021 

OUR COMMUNITY

When the Schechters were looking to 
buy a home three years ago, they searched 
in Oak Park, Farmington Hills and 
Birmingham. Madison Heights really wasn’t 
on their radar, but the young couple looked 
there anyway. They were swayed by Moses, 
their 60-plus pound red standard poodle.
The dog went house hunting with them 
and loved the backyard. At first, his owners 
weren’t crazy about living further away 
from family members but say they compro-
mised because of the beautiful yard (they 
liked the rest of the house, too). The neigh-
borhood, Schechter says, reminds him of 
Huntington Woods.
“When we’re out walking our dog, every-
one wants to stop and have a conversation. 
We’ve met tons of people here and had only 
positive interactions. I can’t say that about 
anywhere I’ve ever lived,
” says Schechter, 
who has been a resident of Huntington 
Woods, Oak Park, Farmington Hills and 
Southfield. He also spent a year in Israel. 
The only downside, according to 
Schechter, is the small number of fellow 
adherents. “We wish we had more Jews 
around.
” 
The couple hopes to start a family soon. 
Schechter has concerns about raising chil-
dren in an area where they could be the 
only Jewish students in the class. He recalls 
being the only Jewish kid in his eighth-
grade class at Clarenceville Middle School 
in Livonia. 
“I don’t look forward to my kids going 
through it, but it’s something that can make 
you stronger, and it’s kind of how the world 
is. It will definitely set them up for what’s to 
come,
” he says, adding that while it will be 
a challenge, he still sees it as a positive and 
not something he and his wife will shy away 

from. 
It’s something Stein’s three children, ages 
11, 13 and 14, currently experience as the 
only kids in their respective classes who 
identify as Jewish. When religion comes up 
in conversation, they are comfortable dis-
cussing their Jewish identity. 
“
Attending Camp Tamarack was an excit-
ing way for them to gain a perspective and 
an understanding of Judaism,
” says Stein, 
who moved to Madison Heights 11 years 
ago with her husband, Ken, because of its 
proximity to his job and her school at the 
time. “I think camp gave them the knowl-
edge and experience to explain to their 
classmates what being Jewish means.
”

‘LIKE A MINI-U.N.’
Location was a large factor in drawing 
others to Madison Heights as well. Tih 
(pronounced T) Penfil moved there in 2000 
after accepting a job as an art therapist and 
special education teacher in the Warren 
Consolidated School District. 
When Penfil first moved into her 
1,200-square-foot ranch, she put up a 
Happy Chanukah sign in her window. 
One neighbor asked what Chanukah was, 
innocently mispronouncing the word. She 
and another neighbor became friends and 
now celebrate each other’s holidays togeth-
er. Others occasionally ask for advice and 
information because they have a relative 
who married someone Jewish. 
“My street is like a mini-United Nations,
” 
says Penfil, who retired from teaching six 
years ago and currently works as a photog-
rapher. “We all help each other out.
” 
Once, a neighbor she didn’t know well 
reached out to her with concerns over the 
sounds coming from her air conditioner 
unit. He correctly suggested fixing it as soon 
as possible.
Penfil is 67 and has been active in the 
Jewish community for as long as she can 
remember. Currently, she volunteers at Yad 
Ezra and co-chairs a Chanukah gift drive at 
her synagogue, Congregation Shir Tikvah. 

She is also involved with helping out when 
the shul partners with South Oakland 
Shelter and becomes a temporary homeless 
shelter for one week during the year. 
Even though she doesn’t live in a Jewish 
area, Penfil feels connected to the Jewish 
community. She is part of a group of 
women who, before COVID, met monthly 
for Shabbat dinners. Now, the dozen-plus 
women gather every Friday night on Zoom. 
Three live in Madison Heights, but the 
rest are from neighboring cities such as 
Southfield and Royal Oak. 
The ability to connect virtually has 
also helped Jews from areas like Madison 
Heights integrate with the greater Jewish 
community. According to Federation 
President Matthew Lester, “
A silver lining 
of the pandemic has been our utilization of 
virtual platforms to maintain connections 
during a historically difficult time.
“Even as we begin to consider post-
COVID opportunities to gather again in 
person, we recognize the convenience of 
Zoom and other online platforms. Going 
forward, virtual events will be an asset in 
engaging Jews in the farthest corners of our 
region.
”
Even when those “far away” are just next 
door in Madison Heights. 

Tih 
Penfil 

FACEBOOK

Elissa and Noah 
Schechter and their 
dog Moses, who 
“chose” their home

“I THINK CAMP GAVE THEM THE KNOWLEDGE 
AND EXPERIENCE TO EXPLAIN TO THEIR
CLASSMATES WHAT BEING JEWISH MEANS.”

— AMANDA STEIN

continued from page 13

