OUR COMMUNITY

I

n 1971, a group of friends formed a
weekly minyan, taking turns meeting
at each other’s houses. Eventually, that
minyan took up residence at Leonard
Elementary School and then at Stevenson
Elementary School and became Young
Israel of Southfield.
After six years, a house standing on the
current shul property became the next
davening site. Rabbi Samuel Prero and
President Abe Selesny were the congrega-
tion’s first leaders.

The shul received its official Young
Israel charter in June 1973. When it
became apparent that the house would
not suffice, the 17 member
families raised money to
begin design and construc-
tion of a new building, which
was dedicated in 1977.
In 1983, the shul hired its
first permanent, full-time
rabbi, Elimelech Goldberg,
who founded and now leads

the nonprofit Kids Kicking Cancer. He is
now Rabbi Emeritus.
The synagogue, at 27705 Lahser Road,
is about a mile from Congregation
Shaarey Zedek. Rabbi Yechiel Morris
became head rabbi of YIS in 2002.
By the end of the 1980s, frequent dis-
cussions of enlarging the shul reached the
action stage. The congregation added a
multipurpose room to the north end of
the building, which would be dedicated to
the memory of Stephen Levitz.

Rabbi
Yechiel
Morris

SYNAGOGUE SPOTLIGHT

Over the past 10 years, Young Israel of Southfi
eld has attracted
50 young families to move into its congregational neighborhood.

A Close-Knit Neighborhood
Orthodox Institution

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Watch “Ask
the Rabbi”
with
Rabbi Morris

COURTESY OF YIOS

The newly remodeled Gonik Family Sanctuary,
A partial view of the
filled room in the
Beit Midrash during
Veshinantam Levanecha.

22 | AUGUST 18 • 2022