24 | AUGUST 4 • 2022
OUR COMMUNITY
D
r. Lawrence Brown,
a podiatrist based in
Center Line and board
president of Young Israel of
Southfield, was attending a lec-
ture at the synagogue when the
guest speaker commented on
the embarrassing condition of
the seating.
This hap-
pened just before
COVID, and he
looked around.
It didn’t take
long for Brown
to agree, and he
began thinking
that a renovation plan would
be a good idea for the sanc-
tuary. Still, money had to be
available before any plans could
be made, so he approached
individual members of the
congregation, raised about
$200,000 and got to work.
“I was basically the general
contractor,
” said Brown, whose
wife, Helen, and three children
have been active members of
the congregation beginning in
1991. “I’ve done contracting
work before in my medical
practice because I own my
building and had to renovate it.
“I was very involved
throughout the whole process
at work and synagogue. In a
previous practice with a part-
ner, I also built a building from
scratch and became initially
knowledgeable.
”
The Orthodox synagogue,
at 27705 Lahser Road, needed
new pews, carpeting, a fresh
border (mechitzah) to separate
the men from the women and
storage sections
to hold books and
religious items.
The idea was to
make 130 fami-
lies comfortable
during services
and special
events.
“The renovation shows that
we’re excited about the future,”
said Rabbi Yechiel Morris,
Synagogue Refresh
Rabbi
Yechiel
Morris
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Dr.
Lawrence
Brown
Young Israel of Southfield renovates its sanctuary.
The sanctuary before
the project started.
The sanctuary during
the renovation process.
The almost-finished
sanctuary.
COURTESY OF YIOS