Temple Israel leaders talk rebuilding Michigan synagogue after terror attack: "I feel very hopeful"
Contractors have been working around the clock for more than six months to rebuild Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. This comes after a man drove his vehicle into the building and exchanged gunfire with security officers.
More than 200 days have passed since the nation watched one of the largest synagogues in the country come under attack. At Temple Israel, the morning started off like any other Thursday on March 12. What happened that day would test any community's faith.
From the air, it looked like a war zone, but on the ground, it was a terrifying scene as hundreds of police officers, the bomb squad and the FBI swarmed the synagogue.
Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, drove through the doors and into the building, ramming his F-150 pickup truck loaded with 35 gallons of gasoline and thousands of dollars' worth of commercial fireworks.
Rabbi Arianna Gordon, who was in her office at the time of the attack, says she went into lockdown mode.
"We were close enough that we heard round after round, shots being fired," Gordon said.
Ghazali's pickup truck eventually got wedged into an interior hallway, stopped short of the classrooms. He opened fire, and the synagogue's security guards fired back. The truck's engine compartment caught on fire, which caused extensive smoke, fire and water damage to the building.
Ghazali died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound shortly after, according to the FBI.
More than 100 school children were in their classrooms at the time.
The burning smell following the attack is now replaced with the scene of off-fresh paint, concrete and lumber. As the building changes, the fears today remain the same.
"I think the terror of saying goodbye to your family and hiding in a dark, smoke-filled room is something that is never going to go away," said Kari Provizer.
Today, there are constant reminders everywhere you look, from the hum of contractors rebuilding walls and doorways that had been demolished to a lift hauling concrete slabs used to rebuild the sanctuary.
The estimated $40 million renovation is believed to be nearly 75% complete, with leaders hoping it will be officially complete by the end of the year.
"Now, when I come in, I feel very hopeful, optimistic about the future of this space," said Gordon.
On the ground are pieces of shattered glass from a blown-out window, still untouched underneath a holy statue, which somehow remained intact.
Today, the sunshine is peeking through the brightly colored stained glass windows of the temple's most sacred space. It's a stark contrast for a community that made a promise to rebuild, replacing hate with love and light after enduring its darkest day.
"We are strong, we are resilient, we are not going to let anyone take us down," said Provizer.
