  Tigersfan9 Member Username: Tigersfan9 Post Number: 91 Registered: 03-2005 |
Have any of the Jewish members of the forum been to the Downtown Synagogue recently? I'd like to attend services there, but I'm wondering if they have daily services or only Saturday mornings. Is there an active membership base? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. | ||
Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 59 Registered: 05-2006 |
Is that the Synagogue with the crazy color scheme? I've wondered what that's like on the inside. Anybody have pics? | ||
Tigersfan9 Member Username: Tigersfan9 Post Number: 93 Registered: 03-2005 |
Yeah, they have multi-colored windows that are visible from the street. I too have yet to make it inside. I'm hoping someone here can provide some information about it. | ||
Dabirch Member Username: Dabirch Post Number: 2142 Registered: 06-2004 |
Call 'em and ask. Phone: (313)961-9328 | ||
Michigansheik Member Username: Michigansheik Post Number: 183 Registered: 09-2005 |
Anthony lives there, he converted from Rome several years ago, really laid back and friendly guy. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 701 Registered: 10-2006 |
I always thought that it was vacant, and the synagogue sign was just sorta left up there still. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3738 Registered: 10-2003 |
http://shtetlhood.com/Downtown _Synagogue.htm They have painted the door blue since this^ picture. Word is that they are on the upswing. This is the only remaining synagogue in the City of Detroit. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2596 Registered: 02-2005 |
Cool. I've seen the building but never knew it was a synagogue. Just one fragment of a once-major Jewish community in Detroit. It's depressing, but I hope this synagogue sticks around. | ||
Mossman Member Username: Mossman Post Number: 24 Registered: 08-2006 |
Ref: HOF thread of 8-18-06. My post No.12 | ||
Bobzilla Member Username: Bobzilla Post Number: 75 Registered: 11-2003 |
The building was a clothing store for many years, and I think that the Downtown Synagogue has only been there since the 1960s or 70s. The sanctuary is actually on the 2nd floor -- and the first floor maybe just has a rabbi's office, a modest "reception hall" where you can hang out until services begin, and restrooms. It is a "Conservative" synagogue. That is basically the "in-between" branch of Judaism ... in between "Reformed" and "Orthodox." Anyway, the Downtown Synagogue had a basic conservative service. I think that they only have services on Saturday mornings. | ||
Bohemianrobot Member Username: Bohemianrobot Post Number: 18 Registered: 02-2007 |
I'd love to get a shot of this building with all of the colored windows lit up at night. http://farm1.static.flickr.com /167/421628846_63741a26be_b.jp g | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5632 Registered: 02-2004 |
The Downtown Synagogue is the LAST synagogue in Detroit. All other Jewish Detroit synagogues hit 8 Mile Rd. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5633 Registered: 02-2004 |
I glad that the Downtown Synagogue hang around while other Jewish synagogues in Detroit packed up and left for the promised lands of Oak Park, Southfield, West Bloomfield, Bloomfield TWP. Novi, and Commerce TWP. | ||
Detourdetroit Member Username: Detourdetroit Post Number: 269 Registered: 10-2003 |
i always get sad thinking about Detroit's Jewish population especially... so many wonderful houses of worship and stories of community and commerce...all disposed of. it's a great shame that not one of the big synagogues is still in use or that the civic/cultural projects like the holocaust museum didn't get built in Detroit. sad sad sad. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2597 Registered: 02-2005 |
Jewish populations went from being intensely urban up through the 50s (in some of the most dense areas of major cities) to intensely suburban. A microcosm of America...it came with their success after emigration. For traditional Jews, the temple/synagogue was central to prayer life, and they were supposed to walk to services on the Sabbath. As they went suburban, you could not really count of everybody to walk to synagogue; additionally, synagogues became less focused on worship and, like many mega-churches and church complexes, they became centers of cultural activities i.e. gatherings for non-religious events, social events, community stuff... | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 473 Registered: 06-2005 |
The Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit (RCD), at 1300 in Lafayette Park, is the first new synagogue founded in the city of Detroit in the last 25 years. http://www.jrf.org/recondetroi t/about.htm | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2601 Registered: 02-2005 |
Interesting. That's an important piece of info considering our declaration that there is only one synagogue left. The Reconstructionists make up less than 10 percent of American Jews, right? I once did an analysis of Mordecai Kaplan's writings in a history class. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5053 Registered: 11-2003 |
They rent space in the old Medical Society bldg. jjaba thnks. Not sure though. Does anybody know the 1300 E. Lafayette Bldg.? They are a new congregation, not a new synagogue. jjaba. | ||
Downtownguy Member Username: Downtownguy Post Number: 3 Registered: 07-2004 |
1300 E. Lafayette is a residential highrise on the south side of Lafayette, east of Rivard. Is that information on the congregation current? I live in the building and didn't know they rented space here. | ||
Detroitrulez Member Username: Detroitrulez Post Number: 184 Registered: 12-2006 |
are you kidding me. That little shitehole is the last remaining synagogue in the entire city?? That is amazing. Even cities with lots of extensive surburbn flight can do better than that....I mean, have you see the Plum Street Temple in Cincinnati? Still active, and an amazing piece of architecture to boot. sad....and I aint even Yiddish. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2602 Registered: 02-2005 |
Well that's not to say that the buildings are no longer there. Weren't the Hillberry Theatre and Bonstelle Theatre both temples? And isn't there another former Temple further up Woodward on Piety Hill? They are all very beautiful, and still with us. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5637 Registered: 02-2004 |
Most Detroit Jewish Synagogues long ago are now Black Churches. Most Detroit Jewish Community Centers in Detroit are more City of Detroit owned recreation centers and rental halls. Detroit organized Jews are now Americanized by their 25 year generation of childrens and childrens' children. All of them got tired of living the inner cities of Detroit ghettohoods so the move on the NW suburbs where the promised land is it. | ||
Karenk Member Username: Karenk Post Number: 30 Registered: 07-2006 |
I found 3 addresses for shuls in downtown: one at 1457 Griswold St, a Reconstructionist Congregation on 976 E Jefferson Ave, and Judah Temple on 6465 Kercheval St. are these gone? | ||
Softailrider Member Username: Softailrider Post Number: 22 Registered: 02-2007 |
I don't believe that the downtown shul used to be a clothing store . If I remember correctly Kosin's clothing was next door or a couple of doors down . Back in the 60's and 70's there were daily services there . I remember going there with my Dad when he said kaddish for his Mom during the 11 month mourning peroid . On a couple occasions Harry or Benny Kosins from the clothing store would come daven if the minyen was short of the ten needed ( women didn't count back then ) The same Rabbi was there for a long time , but I believe he left or died a few years ago. | ||
Steve Member Username: Steve Post Number: 62 Registered: 02-2006 |
Karenk Are you sure that Judah Temple is/was a synagogue and not some sort of church? It doesn't sound like a synagogue name. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5639 Registered: 02-2004 |
Karenk, RECONSTRUCTIONIST T'Chiyah Congregation is at West Bloomfield. And Judah Temple on 6465 Kercheval St. is whatever the building is problably owned by ALLEN TEMPLE CME CHURCH as their annex. Face it, the Jewish community in Detroit is long gone forever. Detroit is like Egypt to them. They went into the promised land of Oakland County cities and called it New Israel. |
