16 | AUGUST 24 • 2023 

feet of space, including use of the third 
and fourth floors, which had been 
closed off and condemned for decades. 
Also, IADS now has a working elevator 
able to reach not only the sanctuary 
on the second floor, but also the 
rooftop, which will be completed as a 
usable event space in a future phase of 
renovation.
The investment in IADS is an 
investment in the bright future of the 
Jewish community in Detroit. As Barak 
quoted from the Book of Ezra, “Look 
to the city in which you live, ‘for in its 
welfare, you will find your welfare.’”
“The Downtown 
Synagogue has been 
reimagined as a hub for 
Jewish life in Detroit, 
including welcoming some 
of the region’s leading 
Jewish nonprofits into 
the space,” said Rachel 
Rudman, the synagogue’s 
executive director. “The growing 
Jewish population in the city will 
have better access to Jewish resources, 

TOP: A photo of the interior during construction.
ABOVE: In March, workers replaced the stained glass.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY IADS

continued on page 18

Rachel 
Rudman

continued from page 14

