Executive Board
I was raised at The Birmingham Temple; I attended Sunday School from the first grade on, was a Bar Mitzvah, Confirmation, and attended youth group. When my son Charlie was in Kindergarten my wife, Kimberley and I joined the Birmingham Temple. It was the influence of Rabbi Wine and my teachers at the Birmingham Temple that sealed my commitment to Humanistic Judaism. At the University of Michigan , I studied in the Renaissance and Medieval Studies program; it was a natural progression from my Humanistic upbringing. Since joining the Birmingham Temple I have taught Sunday School for a couple of years and been a volunteer at the Art Show and other events. I look forward to making an extended commitment to the Birmingham Temple and contributing my time and energy.
Hank Gluckman
First Vice President
After almost 43 years in this merry band, I feel that I have a vested interest in the operation and workings of the Temple. As the third president, I saw the beginnings. As a board member for the past few years, I’ve seen results. I’ve watched the temple grow and mature, as it took direction that I’ve supported ever since I found that I was a Humanistic Jew.
During the past year or so, I’ve completed the redesign of the offices for Judi Freund, Rabbi Kolton and the main business area I selected, along with Rabbi Kolton and expedited carpet for the Sanctuary, Library, and Business Offices as well as new Leather furniture the Family Room; worked on Furnishing the Lobby of the Pivnick Center; Designed and expedited a New set of Offices for the Humanistic Judaism Society and am presently Co-Chairing the 2005 Temple Art Show with Bruce Luria.
Paul
Goldman
Second Vice President
My wife, Cindy, and I have been members of the temple since moving to the Metro Detroit area in 2002. I grew up in the Boston area and received my B.A. in International Education from UMASS Amherst in 1978. After five years of teaching Bilingual Education in Houston, Texas, I made a career change to the Insurance industry, and have been specializing in employee benefits for small to mid sized companies for twenty years.
Our family has been involved in numerous activities and joined various temple groups soon after joining the temple (we are currently active in Gathering of Men and Women groups, as well as the Dinner Club). I have been on the board as a trustee for the past 4 years, while Cindy has taught Sunday school and is currently the chair for the Memorial Garden Committee.
My youngest son, Jeremy, became a Bar Mitzvah at the temple in June 2005, and our older son, Josh, wishes he could have, as well. They both have participated in Camp Keshet and the SHJ Youth Conclave. Jeremy will be a sophomore at West Bloomfield High this fall, and Josh will be heading off to college for his freshman year.
The business management skills that I use to run the Michigan offices of Rogers Benefit Group will help me to serve on the Executive Board, as well as the Finance Committee. I also have experience on the board of Michigan Association of Health Underwriters, having filled positions of President and Legislative chair on the local Metro Detroit board and Membership chair for the state.
I look forward to continuing my commitment to the Birmingham Temple and its board, and especially to ensure that it is fiscally sound for many years to come.
Robert
Lasker My family joined the Birmingham Temple during the late 1960s. I was part of the temple Sunday school, winter camps, youth group and young adult activities during high school and college years. In some of the intervening years, I was less active. While enjoying temple activities such as occasional Vivace concerts, the art show, Monday night forums and (sporadic) attendance at services, I pursued other interests in the fields of arts and communications.
I had always somewhat regretted not having a bar mitzvah (I was already too old when we joined to start studies) or a confirmation as a teenager. When my father died in 2002 following a lengthy illness, I asked my mother if it might not be a good time to take the Monday evening classes. She agreed, and together we went to the classes, discussed the lessons, and participated in the confirmation Shabbat last December.
Meanwhile, I’d become more active in other temple activities. The first of these was the Gathering of Men. (I’d been part of the men’s movement in the mid-90s, before it was first co-opted, then virtually destroyed by religious conservatives and assorted evangelicals.) Having heard about how much fun the JET theatre group was, we contrived to check that out, too, and have been regular theatre attendees with our temple group. More recently, I have become more active volunteering for the art show, as well as having taken on design duties for The Jewish Humanist. I feel that it’s high time that I take more responsibility for how the temple functions as an organization, and am glad to be a candidate for the board of trustees.
Mike is a past president of the Birmingham Temple. He is aware of the many challenges this and future administrations will face. He feels that if we are to continue the success that our Temple has enjoyed the past 40 years, our leaders must possess maturity, conviction and a sense of vision. Just as he did as president, Mike will work with others to provide stimulating programs, increase participation in fund raising and practice fiscal responsibility. He also believes that strong leaders work to build harmony instead of acrimony.
He and his wife, Judy, have a son, Jonathan. They have resided in Commerce Township for the past 15 years. Along with being a manufacturer’s rep, Mike has made time to volunteer his services to community projects. His latest is to facilitate film discussion classes at Madonna and Wayne State University’s SOAR program. For leisure, he enjoys golf, hiking, reading mysteries and spending quality time with family and friends. His family has received great satisfaction from a second home located in Bradenton, Florida.
I look forward to doing my share at The Birmingham Temple. I feel as if I naturally evolved to the point where I wish to give more than take. Perhaps, this results from real growth in my intellectual and social sensitivities since my participation in Temple activity. I know my family, as well as I, look forward to all that the Temple offers. We usually like to picture ourselves as agreeable, content and successful. However, that doesn’t suggest all is great. Dissatisfaction with certain social protocols and conforming attitudes often nags us. On the outside, we’re not that unusual. However, looking at our cumulative experience, there is a tremendous amount of uniqueness, which craves recognition and acceptance. The Birmingham Temple has provided us with a focus. It has taken participation with our Temple community to confirm that what we believe in is what our Rabbi’s label Humanistic values. Also, we fortunately are offered Jewish education outside the context of authoritarian dogma. This fits just right!
Click
here for our Rabbinic Leaders
Click here for our Administrative Staff
Click here for our Board of Trustees