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