ABOVE: The flame-thrower menorah with all lights burning 
brightly. FACING PAGE: IADS when it was over Kosins Clothes 
on Griswold, before moving across the street
 

continued from page 12

M

etro Detroiters were 
invited recently to 
#EngageforEight with 
the Downtown Synagogue, “and 
be the miracle this Chanukah,” 
said Jaemi Loeb, co-chair with 
Carrie Reinis of the Isaac Agree 
Downtown Synagogue 100 Years 
Committee.
“On the third night of 
Chanukah, 1921, IADS was 
born,” Loeb said. “So, we began 
a year of celebrations of our first 
100 years with an eight-night 
Chanukah party.” Each night of 
Chanukah, members and friends 
of the Downtown Synagogue 
could “share the fire of our 
future” at short outdoor gath-
erings held at roving locations 

in Detroit or by watching the 
doings on Zoom.
The plan, Loeb said, was “to 
light our flame-thrower meno-
rah, sing songs and engage in 
general merriment.”
The selected stops during 
Chanukah all held signifi-
cance for IADS, including 121 
Rosedale Court, the original site 
of the Isaac Agree Memorial 
Society, and 8801 Woodward, 
home of Bethel Community 
Transformation Center, where 
IADS holds High Holiday ser-
vices.
For the latest details about 
upcoming 100 Years Centennial 
events, visit downtownsyna-
gogue.org/our-centennial. 

number of members who worked extremely 
hard and succeeded — against substantial 
odds — in keeping IADS a viable organization 
during an extremely difficult period of its his-
tory. Its future now belongs to the next gener-

ation, and I wish them every success.”

CHAVA KAREN KNOX
Board; Eden Gardens director, an 
IADS partner
Joined 2009
“I have so many good memo-
ries about the relationships that have been 
built between Eden Gardens Community 
Association and IADS, and the support I have 
been given throughout the years.”

EMILY LEVINE
Board; Governance Committee 
chair
Joined 2013
“Having a Jewish community of 
young families has been invalu-
able. Even though they may live in different 
neighborhoods or go to different schools, 
many of the Jewish children in Detroit know 
each other and have begun to form their own 
community.”

DECEMBER 9 • 2021 | 13

100 Years of IADS

the congregation dwindled to the 
point that the board contemplated 
selling the building.
The year 2008 is notable for the 
Great Recession, but also for bring-
ing a new cadre of optimistic young 
Jewish professionals to Detroit and 
IADS. Those acquainted with social 
media and crowdfunding raised 
funds to keep the congregation 
going.
“I was a member long before the 
influx of newer, younger members 
— but I welcomed it,” said board 
member Rick Wiener. “The influx 
has brought a revitalization and 

regeneration and, without it, there 
is little doubt in my mind that the 
city would have lost its last free-
standing Jewish congregation with 
its own home.”

INTO THE FUTURE
As a sign of growing prosperity, 
the synagogue’s executive director, 
Arlene Frank, was hired in 2015 
and, after years of being lay-led, the 
congregation brought aboard Rabbi 
Ariana Silverman in 2016. Now, the 
Downtown Synagogue board, staff 
and lay leaders have successfully 

continued on page 14

continued on page 14

Rabbi Silverman talks with young people.

