Jewish Ferndale Gets in the Groove

From Lubavitch.com by Mushkie Engel:

Ferndale, Michigan is experiencing a revival, and newly inaugurated Jewish Ferndale is leading the way. Only eight miles from downtown Detroit, the formerly quiet town is now booming with restaurants, bars and festivals “twice as funky as the average,” according to Funky Ferndale. Real estate mavens predict “a fabulous future.” With a recently renovated building, innovative programming and a dynamic community, the Jewish community center is keeping up with the local trends.

Jewish Ferndale was born in 2014 when Rabbi Herschel and Chana Finman got to know the growing Jewish population and noticed that despite the city’s proximity to heavily-Jewish Oak Park (only two miles away), there was no infrastructure to meet Ferndale’s Jewish needs. Yet they realized that what Ferndale was lacking wouldn’t be filled by a conventional synagogue. “There are plenty of shuls and Chabad Houses in Michigan,” explains Chana. “At Jewish Ferndale, we’re working on building a healthy community by having a place where all kinds of people can come and feel comfortable.”

Three years in, they’ve completed construction on a fluid, multi-purpose space that hosts a Jewish yoga class one night and a roundtable discussion the next. Repurposed materials from the original interior became the Center for Jewish Creativity, which hosts art classes and exhibits, and a raised-bed, wheelchair-accessible community garden that doubles as a home for a local farm school. A commercial kosher kitchen rounds out the space, supporting local chefs and bakers receiving kosher certification. While construction is now completed, Jewish Ferndale is just getting started. “All of our programs are instituted by the participants,” notes Rabbi Finman. “It’s a community space, and we love when it’s utilized by the community.”

Long-time resident Gaye Tischler says that the relationships formed at the center are a personal highlight. “Jewish Ferndale is such a warm, wonderful place to be. Chabad includes a diversity of people without judgement—when you’re there, you feel like family.” And while the “family” is growing, with participation at events steadily increasing, the Finmans actually prefer to keep things small. “We try to keep it personal, and from the heart,” offers Chana Finman. “Let’s get to know you.”

Keeping true to Ferndale values, they take steps to limit their carbon footprint—compostable paper plates is one measure, solar panels on the garden and geothermal loops in the parking lot another—and constantly seek new ways to “give people what they’re looking for, in an innovative way,” as Rabbi Finman puts it.

Growing up in Ferndale, Sam Wonderlich always knew she was Jewish, yet never had a chance to find out more or to become a part of a community. “Now, the Jews of Ferndale have a place to come together,” she says. “They’ve become part of the framework of the city—in January at the Blues Festival, Jewish Ferndale wasn’t just involved; they were an actual part of the festival program!”

Though Gaye has always loved living in Ferndale and has long appreciated its diversity, “it really had no Jewish identity,” she reflects. “It means a lot to finally have a Jewish place to go, and it’s making people more aware of Judaism.” The center has received widespread support and attention, from city officials to the greater community, with local firefighters volunteering their time to assist in the recent renovations.

Living in a busy place like Ferndale means you always keep moving, and Jewish Ferndale is no exception. Since their inauguration in September, they’ve added a piano lounge, a kids zone (complete with air hockey) in the basement, and completed a round of Tanya study (classic Chabad philosophy). “We’re trying to see what the community needs, and respond to that,” Chana says with a smile. “We have a lot of work ahead of us. Jewish Ferndale is just getting started!”

To learn more about Jewish Ferndale, visit www.jewishferndale.com.