History

1905

With Levin’s dedication, the group raised $10,000 to purchase a large house at Brush and Winder, close to where the Eastern Market stands today. “The Home” became popular among elderly orthodox Jews, and it was soon filled to capacity, with a long waiting list. Shortly after, an adjacent home was purchased and the two homes were connected. The larger facility accommodated 53 persons, but a waiting list remained. Plans were made for a new larger home, when the Depression struck and the plans were shelved.

This rich history of our community caring for its Jewish older adults continued through the decades with the building of the Jewish Home for the Aged on Petoskey on Detroit’s west side. Later, when the Jewish population of Detroit began its migration toward the northwest, Borman Hall was built and added to the complement of residences, followed 5 years later by Prentis Manor in Southfield.

1967

The Jewish Federation recognized the need for affordable housing options for independent Jewish older adults, and in 1967 it created a new agency, the Jewish Federation Apartments, Inc., which became known as Jewish Apartments and Services (JAS). Working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and with the generosity of the Prentis and later the Teitel families, JAS built the Anna and Meyer Prentis Apartments, opening in December of 1971. The building was fully rented at the time of its opening with an extensive waiting list and a second building was soon constructed, creating the Anna and Meyer Prentis Federation Apartments.

1982

With ever increasing needs among the Jewish population of metropolitan Detroit, and its continued northwest migration, September of 1982 brought the groundbreaking of Jewish Home for Aged Edward I. and Freda Fleischman Residence and the Louis C. and Edith B. Blumberg Plaza in West Bloomfield, on the Marcia and Eugene Applebaum Jewish Community Campus. 

1990s

Jewish Home for Aged closed both Borman Hall and Prentis Manor between 1993 and 1996 and turned its attention to expanding programming and services on its West Bloomfield campus. In 1997, Jewish Home for Aged was renamed Jewish Home and Aging Services to reflect the new agency’s growing mission, including community outreach support services for older adults, a chaplaincy program and, a few years later, the creation of the Dorothy and Peter Brown Jewish Community Adult Day Program.

2009

In 2009, Jewish Home and Aging Services merged with Jewish Apartments and Services to form Jewish Senior Life (JSL). This new agency has become the community’s central resource for older adults. Today, Jewish Senior Life has older adult communities on two beautiful campuses, one in West Bloomfield on the Marcia and Eugene Applebaum Campus of the Jewish Community Center, and one in Oak Park on the A. Alfred Taubman Jewish Community Center Campus. Jewish Senior Life offers Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care communities with outstanding programs and services delivered with the highest level of care, respect and dignity to persons of all faiths and beliefs. We embrace diverse residential communities.

Jewish Senior Life is about helping older adults live their best life today. Come join us!