22 | JANUARY 18 • 2024 J
N

K

eter Torah
Synagogue, a
Sephardic shul in the
heart of West Bloomfield, has
a new rabbi on board. Rabbi
Joseph Abadi, 40, has already
begun to make an impact on
the synagogue community
since he started last month.
Born and raised in the
Syrian community in
Brooklyn, New York, Rabbi
Abadi’s journey began
after high school when
he immersed himself in
the Old City of Jerusalem,
delving into the teachings of
Yeshivat Yesodei Hatorah.
Continuing his pursuit of
Talmudic studies, the rabbi

dedicated the next few
years to intensive studies at
Mikdash Melech in Israel.
He then honed his skills and
expanded his intellectual
horizons at BetMidrash Torat
Hesed in Lakewood, New
Jersey, before returning to
Jerusalem in 2009, where
he received rabbinical
ordination.
Rabbi Abadi returned to
New York with the tools
he acquired, sharing his
knowledge by teaching in
synagogues and speaking at
community events.
The rabbi originally came
to Keter Torah as a guest
rabbi around Passover last

year. After helping lead a
Shabbat or two, the shul
informed him they were
looking for a full-time rabbi.
They inquired about his
interest in the position, but
he wasn’t 100% sure after
only spending a week or so
there.
So, he returned for another
weekend at Keter Torah in
the following months. It
was then that he and his
family, his wife, Lorraine,
and daughter, Kim, started
to meet more people in the
community and took notice
of how it’s one big family
from many backgrounds.
“The shul does everything
together. People are very
interested in the well-being
of their friends. It was a
really warm environment,” he
said. “We felt like extended
family from all different
parts of the world. We have
Azerbaijani people, Turkish
people, Syrian people,
Egyptian people —they’re
one big family.
“That really touched our
hearts. Like, this place is
really awesome. We could
grow here, and we have a lot
to give,” he said.

Keter Torah’s warm,
welcoming community led to
the Abadi family deciding to
make the move.
Rabbi Abadi returned to
Keter Torah for the High
Holidays, further learning
the style of the shul and what
got them to that point, while
also figuring out what was
going to be required of him
to move it forward and take
it to the next level.
The rabbi and his family
have officially been in
Detroit for about a month
now.
“Since we’ve gotten here,
everyone’s been so warm,
and, thank God, we’ve seen
growth,” he said. “We’re
getting people from all
around, even people from
a half-hour away driving in
every morning.”
Rabbi Abadi attributes
some of this growth to an
increase in Torah learning,
but also stresses the shul is
not only a place to pray —
it’s also a place for personal
growth.
“It’s a place where you’re
coming to understand ‘What
does it mean to be Jewish?’
‘What is my identity?’ ‘What

Rabbi Joseph Abadi is already
making an impact on the synagogue
community.

DANNY SCHWARTZ SENIOR STAFF REPORTER

New Keter
Torah Rabbi

OUR COMMUNITY

Rabbi
Joseph
Abadi

Rabbi Shneur Silberberg of Bais Chabad Torah Center, Rabbi Abadi,
his wife, Lorraine, and daughter, Kim

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KETER TORAH