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C

onnecting Jews to Judaism.
” 
That’s the mission of Aish 
HaTorah Detroit, according 
to executive director Rabbi Simcha 
Tolwin.
Aish HaTorah Detroit was founded 
in 1980 by his parents and has been 
in its current building in Oak Park 
since 2009. 
“So often, there are obstacles — 
whether it’s membership, big box or 
services — and our mission at Aish is to 
make Judaism relevant, exciting and easily 
accessible to Jews of all backgrounds,
” 
Tolwin said. 
He notes that one in 10 Jewish kids 
are in day school and one in four are in 
Hebrew school, which means the major-
ity of Jewish kids are getting zero Jewish 
education. For post-high school years, it’s 
worse. 
“
Aish HaTorah is a very clear-cut mis-
sion to reach those who are not being 

reached,
” he said. 
Aish HaTorah is not a synagogue, 
Tolwin says, but a learning center.
“It’s a place to come and bring your 
family to experience meaningful Judaism. 
We have no membership structure what-
soever. We don’t have fixed seating. We 
only just put in an ark about six years ago 
for b’nai mitzvah.
” 
Before COVID, Aish didn’t even have 
daily services, just Shabbat and High 
Holiday services. Only now are there three 
services a day as daily services became 

necessary in the community. 
“The majority of the Jewish com-
munity today doesn’t go to services 
on a regular basis, and when you have 
a Jewish community built around 
shul, the tendency is to think ‘if I go 
to shul, I’m a good Jew; if I don’t go 
to shul, not so good,
’” Tolwin said. 
“We’re saying it’s not about shul; it’s 
about you. Our definition of success 
is when you take what you learned at Aish 
and apply it at home. We’re not looking 
to fill seats or fill membership rosters. 
We’re looking to fill Jewish homes with 
Judaism.
”
Having spent time in New York, 
Tolwin, an Orthodox Jew, noticed Jewish 
labels and denominations aren’t nearly as 
enforced there as they are in a place like 
Detroit. 
“In Detroit, it’s still a very big deal. 
There’s a need to put it into a box. The 
strength to not being a synagogue and not 

Aish HaTorah Detroit, although not a synagogue, aims 
to fill Jewish homes with Judaism.

 Connecting 
Jews to Judaism

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

OUR COMMUNITY
SYNAGOGUE SPOTLIGHT

Estie Tolwin, program 
director, holds a candle 
while Rabbi Simcha 
Tolwin reads during an 
AISH Gala event.

continued on page 22

L’Shana Tova

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