18 | AUGUST 3 • 2023 

W

est Bloomfield’s 
Temple Shir 
Shalom was 
founded by Rabbi Dannel I. 
Schwartz in 1988 with just 30 
families in a converted office 
building on Maple Road. 
The synagogue, now with 
more than 900 families, is 
expanding its facilities with an 
eye to the future.

Schwartz founded the 
Reform congregation 
after leaving a position at 
Bloomfield Township’s Temple 
Beth El at the end of 1987. 
Shir Shalom’s 30 founding 
families, who had been 
Temple Beth El members, 
followed Schwartz after his 
departure in hopes he would 
start a new synagogue. 

Within three months of its 
founding, Shir Shalom had 
grown to almost 500 families. 
They had already outgrown 
the converted office building 
they were renovating and 
had to rent space in West 
Bloomfield High School for 
High Holiday services.
Architects Ken Neumann 
and Joel Smith translated the 
congregation’s mission and 
the vision of Schwartz into 
brick and mortar, beginning 
construction of Shir Shalom’s 
current home on Walnut Lake 
Road in August 1994, moving 
into the facility in August 
1995, where they’ve been able 
to accomplish the traditional 
three-fold purpose of the 
synagogue ever since: a house 
of study, a house of prayer and 
a house of meeting designed 
to share Shir Shalom’s warmth 
of heart and spirit. Every 

architectural detail within the 
public spaces of Shir Shalom 
was inspired by the meaning 
and design of the Torah.
Thirty-five years after its 
founding, Shir Shalom, which 
means “Song of Peace,” strives 
to create a welcoming, warm 
and inclusive community 
that honors the traditions of 
Judaism. Shir Shalom also 
embraces the innovative 
principles of the Reform 
movement so that every 
member can engage in Jewish 
life in an environment that 
prioritizes learning, spiritual 
growth, acts of loving 
kindness, social action and 
meaningful opportunities for 
personal connection to the 
Jewish community and the 
State of Israel.
Rabbi Michael Moskowitz 
arrived at Shir Shalom in 
1995 as the current building 

New Energy 
at Temple 
Shir Shalom 

From humble beginnings to exciting 
expansion, Temple Shir Shalom 
looks to the future. 

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

OUR COMMUNITY
SYNAGOGUE SPOTLIGHT

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHIR SHALOM

Construction 
workers get ready 
to place a beam 
signed by temple 
members.

