About Us
The Downtown Synagogue envisions itself as a broadly inclusive, responsive, and welcoming institution, one in which all are encouraged to discover and explore Judaism in a safe and welcoming environment. It offers a venue for contemplating the many facets of Judaism, historically and contemporaneously. It provides a hub for meaningful engagement and collective action in support of the Jewish community as well as the general community of Metropolitan Detroit.
The principal mission of the Downtown Synagogue is to serve as a beacon for the entire Jewish community of Metropolitan Detroit by maintaining an egalitarian synagogue, rooted in Jewish tradition and affirming of pluralistic practice, in downtown Detroit. It encourages inter-generational engagement and promotes broad-based participation by offering a wide range of programming and acting as a conduit for Jewish activity in the city. It is committed to supporting the revitalization of Detroit; and assuring accessibility to all.
OUR VALUES
ACTION • HUMILITY • PLACE-BASED • COURAGE TO LEARN & HAVE DIALOGUE • KEHILA/ABUNDANCE • DIVERSITY & INCLUSION • KINDNESS & COMPASSION • INTEGRATING RITUAL & ACTION
Downtown Synagogue In the News
Detroit’s last synagogue, now turning 100, hopes to be a beacon of the city’s Jewish communal future
DETROIT (JTA) – Just off Woodward Avenue, the Motor City’s main thoroughfare crowded with high-end shops, sleek office buildings and a luxury hotel, a synagogue with multicolored stained-glass windows anchors a block of frozen-in-time real estate. An Old Detroit relic, it sits in stark contrast to the other heavily developed properties in the downtown corridor of this swiftly changing city.