Gayle and her husband Gary have been members of Temple Kol Ami since 1989. They joined the Temple because of the warm and informal atmosphere. Their children, Emily and Noah were consecrated, Bat and Bar Mitzvahed and confirmed at the Temple. Noah graduated from the High School program.
Outside the Temple, Gayle is a STOTT Pilates Instructor Trainer and has worked at Equilibrium Studio in Bloomfield Hills since 1999.
Hello. Many of you know me, but for those who don’t, let me introduce myself. My name is Chuck Freedman, and I’m on your TKA Board of Trustees.
I am married to Heidi, my high school sweetheart, for over 20 years! We have two boys, Joey (16) and Ethan (almost 15).
I am proud to be on the Board for a third term, nominated by my peers to represent the Temple membership at Board meetings and on various committees. As a member of the Membership Committee, I volunteer with a tremendous group of individuals who help to set programming to maintain current members as well as try and pull in more members. I’ve helped coordinate great programs like Shabbat Noah, Aces Chai, Movie Night, Not so Silent Night, and many more. I’m also in our Temple’s Brotherhood and the captain and coach of our summer softball team. I work at an advertising agency, so often I’m involved in posters, signs and ads you see in the Temple lobby, the Jewish News or other publications.
Our two boys are still in our religious school, even years after their Bar Mitzvah, and both volunteer at various K.A.T.Y. events or religious school events and are Madrich during religious school on Sunday. I’m proud to see my boys grow into leaders of their class; their BBYO chapter; the Temple and our family.
I stand by the notion that “I can’t sit back and complain if I am not willing to do something about it.” I began to get involved on various TKA committees and groups in order to keep my family involved and get the programming designed to be more family friendly. Some twelve years later – I still enjoy ever minute of it.
If you haven’t attended a Friday night or Saturday morning Shabbat service in more than a month – make an effort to do so. After all, that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it? Schedule time to hear the speakers at our Bagels & Basics presentations; come to a potluck service; find something you enjoy and have expertise in, and offer your services to TKA.
You ARE needed and wanted as part of our TKA family.
All events are listed in The VOICE, on flyers in the stand in the lobby, but also on our website http://www.tkolami.org. I host the site and, along with volunteers Arthur Chartow and Ray Kach, and help from the Temple office, maintain as much Temple information as possible to keep our membership – and potential membership – aware of TKA happenings.
Are you reading this and feel that you would be willing to help plan or coordinate – or even just be a helping hand – or maybe just write an article for The VOICE? If you’re willing, we could always use your help on (m)any of the events that happen around the Temple. Please don’t be shy. Speak up. YOUR opinion is what makes Temple Kol Ami truly the right fit for you.
My name is Kim Gilbert and I am a new General Board Member. My family and I joined Temple Kol Ami 3 years ago after moving to Michigan from Illinois. We live in Northville and have 2 children. Our son is currently in 2nd grade and attends the Religious School. We also have a 2 year old daughter who celebrated her baby naming last fall with Rabbi Roman.
When looking for a temple after moving, we came to TKA because of a longtime friend, but immediately knew we belonged. We felt welcomed into the TKA family from the start. My husband joined the TKA softball team our first year and looks forward to participating for his 4th year next summer. You can regularly see us as a family on Sunday’s cheering the team on and sometimes I even play score keeper.
I have been on the Membership committee since we joined and have been a part of planning many fun events for the Temple and their families. I am also a member of the Finance Committee, the Religious School Board, and Volunteer Recognition. In addition, I have been working with Rabbi Silverman to reach out to our other young families to encourage more involvement. I definitely believe when you put in a little bit of time and effort, you get that much more from it. As a Board Member I am definitely looking forward to becoming more involved. If you are looking to get involved please let us know. We will find a place for you that fits the best!
Some of you may know me as a WDIV-TV meteorologist, but I’m also a long time member of Temple Kol Ami’s Board of Directors, and in 2011 became one of the officers on our Executive Board. I also serve on the Membership and Social Action Committees, and help out at as many Temple functions as my crazy work schedule will allow. My beautiful wife, Nancy, and I have two sons, Jared and Adam.
Like many people, affiliating with a Reform congregation was a top priority for Nancy and me shortly after getting married, and Temple Kol Ami has been our home since 1992. We loved the warm, intimate feeling so many of you identify with here, and we were already very close with Rabbi Roman, as he was our Rabbi back when we were in youth group at another synagogue here in Metro Detroit (Nancy and I, as teenagers, helped him mount the first Mezzuzah at his first house after he moved to Detroit!). I also vividly remember first meeting Founding Rabbi Ernst Conrad, of blessed memory, at a youth group function hosted by TKA back in the 1970s. He and I also became very close over the years, and I will always remember his stories of witnessing Kristallnacht and escaping Nazi Germany.
Temple Kol Ami is very special to many of us, and there are so many easy things you can do that can really help us out. If you or your company can provide a service or product to TKA at a reduced cost that can save us money, or can donate a nice item to auction off at a fundraising event, then please let us know. If you are the type of person who likes to have fun and always has great ideas, then we’d love to have you join one of our Temple committees, or perhaps join the planning committee for our annual May event. If you’d like to be a little more involved with our services, then perhaps you can join our Usher Corps or choir.
You should know that TKA is considered one of the most innovative Reform synagogues in the nation. Our religious school teachers and curriculum are so creative and engaging that TKA kids actually love coming to religious school, and our Bar/Bat Mitzvah program goes far and beyond what most other synagogues do: TKA B’nai Mitzvah students lead virtually the entire service on their own special day..there is no “sharing” of dates here! Our youth group is vibrant and active, and our high school students helped develop their own curriculum, so they learn what they want to learn. Furthermore, TKA’s relationship with B’nai Israel, and now our Pledge System, are being carefully watched by national Jewish leadership. Both will likely become models for synagogues nationwide.
Finally, while maintaining and growing its membership is important for every synagogue, you should know that TKA will never lose its warm, intimate feeling as we are constitutionally mandated to remain a relatively small congregation. TKA was founded upon the principles of being a close community with a strong social action identity, and this will never change. The TKA you experience today is the same TKA we were forty years ago, and is the same TKA you will cherish in the years ahead.
I am very excited to begin my two-year term on the Temple Kol Ami Board of Directors. My family and I have been members of TKA for 15 years. My wife, Eileen, and I are the proud parents of three boys, Geoff, Danny, and Michael.
I retired from the Livonia Public Schools after teaching there for 40 years. I have taught Religious School here at TKA for a number of years and will add Congregation Beth Ahm this year to my resume.
I look forward to representing the TKA membership on the Board. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, drop me a line at ascher2@aol.com.
I am in my first term on the Board of Trustees and the new Chair of our Membership Committee .I have been involved in Usher Corps, the Ambassador program, the CSI committee for Religious School, various social action committee events and the Nominating Committee. With each event/committee that I become involved with at TKA, I meet new members and friends, and experience the warmth and uniqueness that makes TKA a special place to belong. I look forward to TKA’s future, as we continue to emphasize the special place we are for worship, fun, friendships and our commitment to social action.
I am currently chair of our membership committee and would love to hear what works and does not work for you and ideas you have about member retention and recruitment.
I am also a member of the constitution committee.
I am a seasoned physical therapist by profession, and love working with my patients (average age of my patients is 86!) at Fox Run in Novi. I also enjoy exercising, gardening, the ocean and hanging out with my family and friends.
My husband, Jim, and I have been married 25 years. We joined Temple Kol Ami while “shopping” for a new temple when our oldest child was starting preparation for becoming a Bar Mitzvah. He has not only shared becoming a Bar Mitzvah, but also his Affirmation and TKA High School graduation with this congregation. Our son, Avery, is now a sophomore at the University of Michigan and had the opportunity to travel to Israel last year on a Taglit- Birthright program.
Our daughter, Elaine, became a Bat Mitzvah 2 years ago at TKA, and is a student in our religious high school. She is currently on the KATY board. Elaine enjoys her summers at the newest URJ camp, 6 Points Sports Academy, in Greensboro, N.C. She is a freshman at Novi High School.
Java Havdalah and Shabbat Live services are some of my favorites at TKA. I look forward to meeting you at our upcoming services and events.
My name is Sara Kravitz. I am married to Gary Kravitz and we have two children. We have been members of Temple Kol Ami since 2005, and our son recently celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at Temple Kol Ami.
TKA was a natural fit for us as Gary had his bar mitzvah at Temple Kol Ami, and I was attracted to TKA’s dedication to social action – especially their commitment to the environment.
Since joining TKA, I have served on the Social Action Committee and the Membership Committee, and have helped out with religious school and fundraising events.
Other volunteer interests include serving as site captain with my husband for Federation’s Mitzvah Day, volunteering at my children’s schools, and working at rest stops for the annual MS 150 bike ride in which my husband participates.
My professional career includes more than 15 years in corporate communications and public relations for organizations such as Georgetown Hospital, The Nature Conservancy and Blue Cross Blue Shield. I also have worked with Jewish service organizations including the Michigan Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (MI-COEJL) and the Jewish Community Center where I managed a nature education grant.
I am originally from Cleveland, and came to Michigan via Boston and Washington, D.C., although my mother is a native Detroiter.
We have been members of Temple Kol Ami for the past 14 years.
Our three children ( Ginette, Courtney and Max ) have all attended religious school and celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs here.
This is my second term as a general board member at temple. The experience has been both educational and enlightening.
I grew up in Oak Park, Michigan and currently reside in Farmington Hills. I graduated from the University of Michigan- School of Dentistry and maintain a private practice in the city of Sterling Heights. General Dentistry is a profession I have always loved.
I enjoy watching my children grow up and mature into young adults, traveling, reading, gardening, taking walks and spending as much time by the waters edge as possible.
Harvey moved to Detroit in December, 2007 from the Washington, D.C. area. He’s has been a member of Temple Kol Ami for three years and was elected to the Board of Directors in June, 2010. He’s a “regular” at Friday night services.
Harvey’s Jewish interests include Israel (where he lived for three years) and the Hebrew language.
At work, Harvey serves as Associate Director in charge of professional development and school relations with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s Alliance for Jewish Education.
Harvey holds a M.A. from Brandeis University in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, and a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh. He and his wife, Ilene, have three adult children, all of whom live in the Washington, D.C. area.
I am a long-time member of TKA and have served in numerous leadership positions over several years. My passion is for Social Action/Social Justice as well as helping the Temple maintain its’ position as a small synagogue that matters for people.
Jody and I are West Bloomfield residents who both grew up in Detroit. We have 3 kids; Peter (26), Abby (22) and Emily (19) all of whom were Bar/Bat Mitzvah at TKA and completed the High School. We are both owners of small businesses and active in the community.
I am gratified by my extended family at TKA, in the Detroit Jewish community and around the world. I find Judaism and its’ core beliefs to be a solid source for life and I relish the idea of L’dor V’dor – from Generation to Generation. My involvement in TKA has been very fulfilling as it adds fun and challenge as well as a sense of purpose to my life.
My name is Andy Spilkin and I joined the TKA Board of Trustees in 2011. I grew up in Birmingham and celebrated my Bar Mitzvah at TKA.
I attended the University of Michigan where I earned BBA and JD degrees. My law practice focuses on real estate and banking transactions. I met my wife, Sharon, while in Ann Arbor. We still attend all of the Michigan home football games. Go Blue!!
Sharon and I joined TKA about 5 years ago. We have twin daughters (Bridget and Julia) who are 9 years old. Our girls attend the TKA Religious School and we look forward to celebrating their Bat Mitzvah at TKA.
We joined TKA because of a strong Religious School and the acceptance of interfaith families. TKA is a warm and welcoming place for our family.
Hello! My name is Karee Strome. I am currently serving as Co-President. I am also involved on the Membership Committee and with fundraising. I have done a lot of work on the Ad Books/Calendar Fundraisers and Membership Directories. I love being a part of the leadership at Temple Kol Ami.
I am a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing at Munger Elementary/Middle School in Detroit. I have been a classroom teacher for 17 years.
I became a member of Temple Kol Ami almost 20 years ago after marrying my husband, Michael. Michael celebrated becoming Bar Mitzvah and his Confirmation at Temple Kol Ami. We have two children, Melissa, thirteen years old, and Jacob, eleven years old, who attend Temple Kol Ami Religious School.
While pregnant with Melissa, I studied with Rabbi Roman and Rabbi Amy Bigman for my adult Bat Mitzvah. Growing up, my family belonged to a conservative synagogue. As a female, I was not allowed on the bimah when the arc was open. Rabbi Roman made me feel welcome at Temple Kol Ami and provided the opportunity to study Torah. Together, my class led the congregation in prayer. It was a moving experience for me. My daughter, Melissa studied with Rabbi Roman and Mrs. Green. We celebrated her becoming bat mitzvah in September 2012.
I’d rather talk about Temple than myself but in case you are curious I am married to a wonderful man, we recently celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary and have 2 terrific adult sons. I am a clinical psychologist and Dan is a clinical and forensic psychologist and we have a private practice in Farmington Hills and live in West Bloomfield. We have been TKA members for about 14 years, long enough for our 2 sons to become bar mitzvahs and for me to learn to read Hebrew and have an adult bat mitzvah as well.
I have been active at TKA in different ways over the years and I truly hope you will find a way to become involved because there is so much TKA has to offer. Maybe start by attending services, a wonderful end to the week and as you attend you become more familiar with the services, our Temple community, and the peace of Shabbat. Or join me in the choir, really a lot of fun and a great group of people. Or join us in studying Torah Saturday mornings before services at the Chevrah Torah study sessions. I also enjoy participating in special sisterhood and social action events. If you are unsure where you want to fit in call me or speak to another TKA board member or the Rabbis. Challenge yourself, engage in your Temple, as an individual or as a family. Thank you. Shalom.
Tom is a 24 year member of Temple Kol Ami. He is on the board of directors for the second time currently as a member at large. In his real life, he sells life, health, disability income and long term care insurance as well as investments. He is married to Barb for 24 years (married by Rabbi Roman) and they have two children, both products of the Kol Ami Religious school as well as being Eagle Scouts. Tom loves to blog about current issues, and is an avid supporter of Israel .
| Executive Board | |
| Co-Presidents | Lee Schottenfels Karee Strome |
| Vice Presidents | Paul Gross Harvey Leven Tom Vorenberg |
| Secretary | Chuck Freedman |
| Treasurer | Gene Farber |
| Past Presidents | Terry Hollander |
| Board of Trustees | Gayle Eubanks Michael Flashner Kineret Gable Kim Gilbert David Higer Rhonda Kotzen Sara Kravitz Debra Leider-Kendler Gabe Neistein Michael Pasick Mary Jo Rosen Diane Siegel-DiVita Andrew Spilkin Irene Swerdlow-Freed Alan Wormser |
