that preserve the heritage of Jewish
Michigan,
” Terman adds. Additional
collections besides those of Federation
and Temple Beth El are maintained there
as well. Organizations that want to join
the Center can retain ownership of their
collections and allow the Center for
Michigan Jewish Heritage to maintain
them or deed ownership to the Center.
Terman adds that Federation and
Temple Beth El thought that combining
the collections into one space, both
digitally and physically, would facilitate
easier access for users.
She explains that the archives have
overlapping collections and the single
location will make the new Center for
Michigan Jewish Heritage a “one-stop
hub.
” Also, the new shared location
will enable staff members to work
together more easily and provide better
programming and education.
The Center’s new archival space at
Temple Beth El is open to the public
by appointment, she explains. Online
searches of the Center’s collections can be
done at mijewishheritage.org.
JAMPEL FAMILY CONTINUES
MULTI-GENERATIONAL SUPPORT
FOR JEWISH HISTORY
The organizers of the Michigan Jewish
Heritage Center were fortunate to find
a philanthropic family that has helped
maintain Jewish history for decades.
Emily Jampel Sherman, a Bloomfield
Township resident, was visiting the Henry
and Delia Meyers Library at the Jewish
Community Center, named after her
late parents, when Francine Menken,
its librarian, mentioned the planned
Federation-Temple Beth El archival
project to her.
Sherman and her siblings, Delia, James
and Henry Jampel, thought this would be
a great way to honor their mother, Joan
Meyers Jampel, who has supported efforts
to preserve the Jewish community’s
heritage for many years.
Joan Jampel is a longtime contributor
to both the Rabbi Leo M. Franklin
Archives at Temple Beth El and
Federation’s Leonard N. Simons Jewish
Community Archives. Sherman says that
Joan Jampel has always been interested
in history, as were her parents. “This is a
perfect fit to honor our mother in every
way. It is continuing the thread from
generation to generation,
” she said.
Sherman is pleased that the collection
will be easier to access and will offer
many digitized materials. “It is important
for our community’s identity. I hope
that there will be more programs,
” she
said, noting that Temple Beth El’s annual
Jewish Detective Series uses material
from its archives.
Community Grand
Opening on May 8
A grand opening of the Joan Meyers
Jampel Center for Michigan Jewish
History will be held from 6:30-8:30
p.m. on Monday, May 8. Tours and
demonstrations of archival practices
and services will be offered at the
Jampel Center located at Temple
Beth El, 7400 Telegraph Road,
Bloomfield Township. Visit jlive.app/
events/4328 for more information
about this free event.
Laura Gottlieb looks
at photographs from
the Young People’s
Society Collection.
Robbie Terman
has been the
JCA director
since 2015.
18 | APRIL 20 • 2023
continued from page 16
OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER