On the recordNovember 13, 2012
on Oct. 27, many of my fellow Michiganians gathered to recognize an event of enormous historical and cultural significance to our State: the 150th anniversary of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in the City of Southfield, just outside my hometown of Detroit. For a century and a half, from its humble beginnings in Detroit to its emergence as one of the most important and influential institutions in the American Jewish community, Shaarey Zedek has played a vital role, not just for Michigan Jews, but for the community at large. Even more important than its high profile events with high-level speakers and guests is Shaarey Zedek's 150 years of day-in, day-out service to faith, community and humanity. Shaarey Zedek has played a vital role in Jewish cultural and political life. It is no coincidence that, as the threat of Nazi Germany rose, Shaarey Zedek hosted one of the most important meetings of American Jews in the May of 1938, warning Americans about Hitler's threat to European Jews and to international security and strongly advocating for Jewish emigration to Palestine to escape Hitler's clutches. And in later years, Shaarey Zedek was one of America's leading voices in support of oppressed Jews in the Soviet Union.…





