June 18 - June 24, 2021 | Tammuz 8 - 14, 5781

Shabbat Services Schedule
 
Friday, June 18th (Virtual)
5:00 p.m. - Virtual Kabbalat Shabbat Service (We are no longer holding in-person services tonight due to inclement weather. Services will be held virtually).
 
Saturday, June 19th (Virtual)
10:30 a.m. - Schmooze
11:00 a.m. - Juneteenth Torah Study with Pastor Aramis Hinds
12:00 p.m. - Mincha

Please find the link to this week's services at 4:30 p.m. on Fridays on our website.

Torah Portion- June 18th & June 19th: Numbers 19:1−22:1

Juneteenth Shabbat Morning Torah Study & Discussion
Saturday, June 19th, 11:00 a.m.
The link to join can be found on our website
We invite you to join us for a Torah Study and discussion on the history and importance of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, led by Pastor Aramis Hinds and Rabbi Ariana Silverman. (This event has been moved to be part of our Shabbat morning service, and will no longer be held during Havdalah).

Check-ins with Rabbi Silverman
Many of us need a little extra support and care these days. Please reach out to Rabbi Silverman to schedule a personal check-in.
If you need help setting up Zoom technology, please email us and we will walk you through it.

Entering the Garden: Intro to Jewish Mysticism

Spend your summer getting acquainted with 2000+ years of Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism, with Dr. Justin Sledge!

We are excited to partner with Congregation T'chiyah and Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit to host this summer series with the sought-after educator Dr. Justin Sledge

The mystical dimension of Judaism has endured from Israelite shamans to contemporary times. This 10-week class will serve as an introduction to the major concepts, texts and traditions of Jewish mysticism, especially the Kabbalah. No prior knowledge of Jewish mysticism is required or expected. The aim of this class is to equip you to dive into aspects of Jewish mysticism you find most interesting on your own. Hopefully it will be interesting and fruitful for both folks interested in the history of Jewish thought academically but also for anyone wishing to deepen their relationship with the history for Jewish spirituality.

Topics covered include: History and analysis of theophany and Israelite shamanism, Apocalyptic Judaism, merkavah mysticism, Jewish magical texts, Sefer Yetzirah & Sefer Bahir, Early Kabbalah, The Zohar, Lurianic Kabbalah, Sabbateanism & Hasidism. 

Details:
  • Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Wednesdays at 7 PM, beginning on July 7. 
  • This 10-week class is available free of charge to members of T'chiyah, the Downtown Synagogue and the Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit .
  • Syllabus to be announced. Texts will be available in English translation and, when available, original source languages (Hebrew and Aramaic).

To learn more and register, click here. For questions, reach out to Jake.
We are proud to work in partnership with Keshet, a national organization that works for the full equality of all LGBTQ+ Jews and their families in Jewish life. Keshet strengthens Jewish communities through equipping Jewish organizations, such as the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, with the skills and knowledge to build LGBTQ+ affirming communities, create spaces in which all queer Jewish youth feel seen and valued, and advance LGBTQ+ rights nationwide.

In honor of Pride Month, we invite you to learn more about Keshet's work and attend an event of your choosing by clicking here.
Celebrating 100 Years of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue

In December of 1921, Charles and Nathan Agree, along with the Canvasser, Kaplan, Rosin and Zatkin families, announced the founding of the Isaac Agree Memorial Society. The society was named in honor of their father, a Russian immigrant who came to Detroit in 1904. The society held its first services in a home on Rosedale Court and, as they say, the rest is history.

As the growing congregation in the heart of Detroit looks forward to celebrating its 100 years serving the community, we are looking for your stories. Did your Grandfather come to services at IADS? Was your brother’s Bar Mitzvah in the sanctuary above Kosin’s? Did you blow the Shofar at High Holy Day services at the Veteran’s Memorial Building? What about the Hanukkah celebrations and epic dance parties, have you been to any of those? We want to hear about your or your family’s connection to the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue over the years and how we have been a part of your lives.

In addition to the stories, we are also hoping to grow our collection of archival materials, so we’d love any photographs or other memorabilia that you’d like to share. Stories, video and digital photographs can be submitted here. If you have questions or would like to submit physical items, please contact the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue at 313.324.8006.
The staff and board of the Downtown Synagogue is thinking of ways to support our community's needs right now. If you or a loved one needs help, please let us know- we will endeavor to connect you to services or help you directly. Please reach out to Rabbi Silverman with resource inquiries.

In addition, we are aware of the following community resources:
 
  • Jewish Federation: Please visit the Jewish Federation Coronavirus community resource page which includes support for meal delivery, emergency loans for small businesses, and mental health support. 

  • City of Detroit: Please visit the City of Detroit's website to learn more about the free meal program/food resources, unemployment benefits, water restart plan, and what actions and precautions are currently being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19. 

  • City of Detroit COVID-19 Vaccine Information: Check your eligibility and schedule your covid-19 vaccine through this resource. Eligible groups will be added to this page as additional vaccine becomes available.

Call for Mi Shebeirach
During our Shabbat morning worship, we read the names of people in our community who are in need of healing. As we invoke God's blessing, we also become more aware of the people who could use a little extra care. Please let us know if you would like us to read the name of a loved one.