12 | AUGUST 24 • 2023
S
ince its establishment on Oct.
28, 1921, as, first, the Isaac
Agree Memorial Society — the
Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue
(IADS) has been a fixture in Downtown
Detroit. The synagogue on Griswold
Street, with its signature stained-
glass windows, has been closed as it
underwent a complete renovation over
the last year. The newly refurbished
building is set to reopen to the public
with a grand celebration on Aug.
27. IADS invites everyone to come
to its Grand Re-Opening ribbon-
cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., followed
by an open house and a live music
performance by 7Layers.
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Since its founding by Isaac Agree’s sons
Charles and Nathan Agree in his honor
and the Canvasser, Kaplan, Rosin and
Zatnik families, the synagogue has
prioritized serving all Jewish people
needing a spiritual home in Detroit.
“The objective of this socially
conscious and religious group of families
was to memorialize the late Isaac
Agree and perpetuate his pioneering
achievements in the fields
of Jewish education and
philanthropy by providing
the Jewish community with
an Orthodox house of study
and worship,” wrote Dr.
Martin Herman and Leor
Downtown Synagogue set to reopen
Aug. 27 as a hub for Jewish life in Detroit.
YEVGENIYA GAZMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
OUR COMMUNITY
COVER STORY
Dr. Martin
Herman
Building
Community.
Community
Building.