14 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 

COMMUNITY BUILDING 
“Maintaining a synagogue in 
Downtown Detroit is hardly akin 
to living in a land of milk and 
honey. The challenges are many — a 
dwindling population and an aging 
building — but the rewards can be 
sweet and satisfying,” wrote Herman 
and Barak. 
Shortly after the turn of the 
millennium, IADS attracted new 
energy from younger Jews. In 2008, 
several were elected to leadership 
positions. Through efforts of these 
younger congregants, IADS began 
to offer events that appealed to a 
broad and diverse array of Jewish 
populations, both urban and 
suburban. 
In 2019, under the leadership of 
Building Renovation Committee 
co-chairs Vadim Avshalumov 
and George Roberts, a major 
comprehensive campaign began. 
The building was in desperate need 
of renovation. “The Downtown 
Synagogue building 
had many deferred 
maintenance issues,” 
recalls Avshalumov. “For 
example, the third and 
fourth floors were in bad 
shape and not usable, 
and we didn’t have air 
conditioning throughout 
the building. Simultaneously, the 
community was growing, and we were 
bursting at the seams.” 
The synagogue lacked the space for 
a proper office for Rabbi Silverman, 
Avshalumov added. “For example, 
we had one office space for five staff 
members; our rabbi did not have an 
office or private space for pastoral 
care. And Jewish organizations — 
anxious for a presence in the city to 
serve the growing needs of Jewish 
Detroit — started reaching out 
about space in the building, but we 
couldn’t accommodate them until we 
renovated.”
Now, with the $5.75 million 
renovation, IADS has 11,000 square 

IADS Timeline
OUR COMMUNITY
COVER STORY

continued from page 13

Vadim 
Avshalumov

October 28, 1921 Charles and 
Nathan Agree, sons of the late 
Isaac Agree, along with the 
Canvasser, Kaplan, Rosin, and 
Zatnik families established the 
Isaac Agree Memorial Society. 

1922 The Society began to 
hold services at a house on 
Rosedale Court in Detroit’s 
North End neighborhood.

1927 House remodeled 
to better serve as both a 
synagogue and a school.
1937 The Rosedale Court 
property was closed. The 
synagogue relocated to 
1205 Griswold St., now the 
site of Detroit’s Capitol Park.

Mid-1940s The synagogue 
was renamed the Isaac 
Agree Downtown Synagogue 
and became a Conservative 
house of worship.

1956 The building at Griswold 
and State was demolished. 
The congregation became 
peripatetic, holding services 
in different temporary spaces.
1962 The founding families 
applied for and received 
a charter from the state of 
Michigan. The synagogue 
was officially sanctioned as a 
Conservative congregation. 
1962: The Fintex Men’s 
Clothing Store at 1457 
Griswold St. was purchased 
by the Isaac Agree Downtown 
Synagogue and remains the 
synagogue’s home to this day.
1963-2001 Noah M. Gamze, 
of blessed memory, served 
as the rabbi and spiritual 
leader of the Isaac Agree 
Downtown Synagogue.

1984 Isaac Agree Downtown 
Synagogue became 
egalitarian upon adopting 
two validations of the 
Committee on Jewish Law 
and Standards of the Jewish 
Theological Seminary.

2001 Following Rabbi 
Gamze’s retirement, Dr. 
Martin Herman became the 
synagogue’s de facto ritual 
director.
2016 Rabbi Ariana Silverman 
became the first rabbi of 
the congregation since the 
retirement of Rabbi Gamze 
in 2001.
2019 Campaign committee 
and the building renovation 
committees were formed.

Aug. 14, 2022 Centennial 
Celebration and Ground-
Breaking Block Party held on 
Griswold Street outside Isaac 
Agree Downtown Synagogue.
Aug. 27, 2023 Grand 
Re-Opening of Isaac Agree 
Downtown Synagogue.
continued on page 16

