26 | JULY 15 • 2021
OUR COMMUNITY
R
abbi Michael Gilboa,
the new full-time
rabbi of B’nai
Israel Synagogue in West
Bloomfield, is officially
settled in Metro Detroit.
He joined the B’nai Israel
community virtually on May
1, but officially moved to
Metro Detroit in mid-June
along with his wife, Emily,
and three children.
Gilboa received his
rabbinic M.A. and his
ordination from the
Ziegler School of Rabbinic
Studies, American Jewish
University of Los Angeles.
He has served as the
rabbi of Ahavath Achim
Hebrew Congregation
in Wichita, Kan., and
Congregation Beth Jacob
in Fresno, Calif. He is the
founding rabbi of “The
Footpath,” a community
conversion program started
in partnership with Anshe
Emet Synagogue in Chicago,
which now continues
online.
Gilboa is a convert
himself. He had encountered
Judaism in one way or
another throughout his
formative years, but it
accelerated when he was in
college and ended up being
active in the Hillel.
“One thing led to another,
and I was Jewish,” Gilboa
said.
Even with the new job,
Gilboa is still teaching
classes at The Footpath.
A PERFECT FIT
While speaking with B’nai
Israel about where his career
was and where he wanted it
to be, Gilboa said that while
he loves his work with The
Footpath, it only consists
of 24-week courses at a
time. Gilboa wanted more
than a temporary Jewish
community.
“I was feeling like looking
for something more stable
and to build relationships
that last longer than 24
weeks,” Gilboa said. “I’m
very excited to keep doing
The Footpath, and I’m
also very excited to be at
B’nai Israel and to begin
developing those friendships
and relationships.”
Gilboa believes B’nai
Israel has an interesting
energy, with the best of the
old and the new.
“They fit me to a tee,”
Gilboa said. “I am a
traditional rabbi. I love
the Jewish tradition and
engaging with our timeless
spiritual practices.
“At the same time, I love
that entrepreneurial, startup
energy and seeing how we
can apply the old, time-
tested wisdom in new and
innovative ways.”
Hopefully moving into
the final phases of the
pandemic, Gilboa believes
in lessons learned from this
time, such as how we could
get by with less and how
some things that seemed
really important actually
weren’t.
“The thing that turned
out to be most important
was other human
beings, relationships and
connections, and I think
that’s at the heart of the
synagogue I would like to be
a part of,” Gilboa said.
Going forward, Gilboa
believes successful
synagogues are going to
have a focus that puts
greater attention on
reaching people online and
is excited for what that
could look like.
“I have congregants at
B’nai Israel who live in other
states, but they continue to
come to services, which we
couldn’t do 10 years ago, it’s
really fantastic,” Gilboa said.
“I hope that keeps going
and we find ways to use
this technology to continue
connecting and sharing the
beauty and wisdom that
comes with being Jewish.”
COURTESY OF RABBI GILBOA
Michael Gilboa assumes the pulpit
at B’nai Israel Synagogue.
Welcome, Rabbi!
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
Rabbi Michael
Gilboa and
family
NCJW|MI
Installs
Of
cers
and Board
National Council of
Jewish Women, Michigan
(NCJW|MI) held its
annual installation event
via Zoom, where officers
and board members were
installed, and three awards
were presented.
The new vice president
is Lauren Koenigsberg.
Continuing in their terms
are president: Amy Cutler;
vice presidents: Evva
Hepner, Carrie Kushner,
Sallyjo Levine AND Susan
Rollinger; treasurer, Nancy
Rothfeder; recording secre-
tary: Margo Stocker; assis-
tant recording secretary:
Amy Zeskind; correspond-
ing secretary: Sandy Weitz.
Newly elected board
members are Janice
Cherkasky, Dani Gillman,
Deane Safir and Cindy
Weintraub. Newly appoint-
ed board members are
Cindy Babcock, and
Shayna Silverman.
Susan Marwil was pre-
sented with Hannah G.
Solomon Award.
Paula Wolfe was present-
ed with the Marsha Zucker
Exemplary Board Member
Award.
Evva Hepner was pre-
sented with the Emerging
Leader Award.
Four staff members
received Staff Recognition
Award: Lori Eisenberg and
Liana Spiegel — 5 years,
Lori Passerman — 10
years, and Kathy Lamb
— 30 years of service to
NCJW|MI.