Shana Tova, Everyone!

My name is Samantha Malott Brown, and on behalf of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue’s board of directors, I want to welcome you to this year’s High Holidays celebrations.

This is the third year that we have observed the High Holidays here at the Bethel Community Transformation Center, thanks in large part to our friends with Breakers Covenant Church International. Their gracious support is what has made it possible for us to gather here year after year, in this astounding historically Jewish space. 

Three years may not sound like a lot to some people – and in the big scheme of things, it’s probably not. But to me, it’s incredible. Especially in considering how different Jewish life in Detroit looks now. 

Because three years ago (in 2016), the Downtown Synagogue held no High Holidays services anywhere in the city of Detroit. As the last standing synagogue in the city, the Downtown Synagogue didn’t even have a rabbi. 

And the incredible thing about today, three years later, is that we are on a completely different trajectory. And it shows, not only in these big occasions, but mainly in the weekly offerings of the synagogue. We are continuously reexamining what it means to be inclusive as our capability grows; how to welcome more people in and truly eliminate barriers to participation.

We are constantly increasing our capacity to engage with the community through partnerships and interfaith events, providing programming and classes for adults & children, and enriching our weekly Shabbat services with new, more social formatting, incorporating music - and there’s even talk of Free-Parking Shabbats... Here I’ll make a plug for a few events we have coming up in the next month alone: We have our Stuck on Honey Shabbat, our third annual sukkah hop, and we’ll be dancing around Detroit for Simchat Torah. I’d get into more detail, but there really is so much happening and I was told I only have three minutes… But it’s all online and in our newsletter, so sign up!

The point is: Our story is completely different today than it was three years ago. And at this rate, think of where we’ll be in another short three years.

Today, we are all here. With the help of our community, all of you. Because so much can change in such little time when committed people come together. 

I recently attended a celebration for someone who I greatly admire for his dedication to preserving and building communities. He shared a quote by Margaret Mead that I find aptly fitting today: 

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Thank you!