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