66 | MAY 26 • 2022
DINING
C
arol Eisenshtadt and her
friends from the West
Bloomfield JCC (now
known as “The J”) were elated
to be able to sit down, relax
and spend time together. Most
hadn’t seen each other since
early in the pandemic, but they
were recently able to meet for
bagels and coffee at The Porch,
a new kosher grab-and-go
spot located just inside The J’s
entrance.
Eisenshtadt’s group has met
at the venue twice so far, and
she says she’s glad it’s there.
“It’s a place to meet, to have a
cup of coffee and talk with your
friends,
” Eisenshtadt says of the
space, which reopened this fall
after an earlier pre-pandemic
launch in 2019. “They may not
want to go to a restaurant. They
can go to this beautiful lounge,
have a cup of tea, sit down and
chat.
”
Eisenshtadt, who has been
a member of The J since its
opening in West Bloomfield
in 1975 and spent time on its
board as well, says this is the
first time The J has had a lounge
for the public, where people
could stop by for informal
meetings and to connect.
The Porch attracts everyone
from friends catching up over a
cup of coffee to Frankel Jewish
Academy students, whose
school is on The J’s campus.
“In the last year and a half,
they’ve repurposed this space,
and it’s warm and welcoming,
”
says Eisenshtadt, noting that
The Porch also has sandwiches,
pizza and snacks on offer. “It’s
not just a room; it’s truly lovely.
”
Architect Arik Green,
owner of Arik Green Design,
remembers when The J’s CEO
Brian D. Siegel came to him
to talk about reimagining
the space. They talked about
moving the reception desk and
about creating a connected
feeling between the lobby and
The Porch, so users knew it
was a flexible space, open and
available for work, study or
relaxation.
“It’s a hub. It’s different
settings,
” Green explains. With
various seating options, Jewish
books and vintage J pictures on
display, the space is ready for
everyone, he says. “It’s open,
comfortable, approachable
to users of all ages within the
building,
” he says. “People are
very comfortable stepping in
there to sit and dine or sit and
chat and work.
”
The Porch is meant to be a
resource for the community,
Siegel says. Whether people
shmooze over a cup of coffee
while they wait for their kids,
meet their friends for a game of
Mahj or work on their laptop,
it’s set up to be welcoming to all,
he explains.
“My hope is that our
community will think of it as
‘theirs’
,
” he says.
“
As we begin to get more
comfortable with gathering, I
see The Porch as a space for us
to get reacquainted with sitting
across from someone we care
about and enjoying a beverage.
There’s really no virtual
substitute.
”
The Porch at the JCC (now known as “The J”)
is a great place to meet up with friends and chill.
JN STAFF
A Place to Connect
Folks can use The
Porch as a place to get
together and schmooze.
LIZZ CALDWELL
ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER
The Porch at The J has grab-and-go
kosher food and provides a place for
people to meet up and connect.
After 36 years in
Southfield, Mcvee’
s is
now open at our new
location in Troy