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.