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