(WXYZ) — Four months after a man crashed a pickup truck into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, crews are working to rebuild the synagogue that was home to nearly 105 students and more than 50 teachers and staff members at the time of the attack.
Watch Jolie Sherman's video report:
The March 12 attack, which the FBI later characterized as a "Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism," sent the community reeling. The perpetrator drove a truck loaded with fireworks through the building's entrance, causing extensive smoke, fire, and water damage throughout nearly the entire structure.
Rabbi Arianna Gordon and Early Childhood Director Rachel Levine offered an exclusive look inside the temple as restoration work continues.
"We're standing in the hallway right where the attack happened," Gordon said.
She pointed to where the truck entered the building and traveled deep into the structure.
"The truck came in through that entrance and made it all the way. You can kind of see where the brick juts out," Gordon said. "That couple inches of brick really saved the lives of all our children because the car got stuck there and wasn’t able to get any further."
Levine was in her office when the perpetrator crashed through the doors.
"I remember thinking that the ceiling must have fallen in. That's the sound that it was," Levine said.
She recalled coming down the hallway moments after the attack.
"I came down this hallway a little bit and saw Danny, the head of our security, kind of on the ground in the crevice between this door," Levine said.
The damage extended far beyond the point of impact. Sprinklers activated throughout the building, and smoke spread to nearly every room — including the main sanctuary, which once held just under 1,000 seats.
"In the days right after, this hallway really looked like a war zone. It was full of soot and fire and things melted off the walls," Gordon said.
"It really impacted the entire building because of the extensive smoke damage and water damage and sprinklers going off. Almost the entire building has had to be taken down to the studs," Gordon said.
Levine said walking through the building in the days after the attack was overwhelming.
"Walking through the halls a couple days after, I was actually with Rabbi Arianna, and I was physically ill. Literally, that was my reaction," Levine said.
Gordon, who has been a member and rabbi at Temple Israel for 15 years, said the broader public may not fully grasp the ongoing impact on the community.
Watch below: Teacher recalls keeping children safe during Temple Israel attack
"I think it's actually what most people don't realize is thank god no one was killed that day and so much of the world has moved on, but for us here at temple, we're still displaced, we're still not able to be here," Gordon said.
The full cost of repairs remains unclear. Temple Israel is still working with its insurance provider and plans on fund raising to cover uninsured losses.
"We are still working with insurance, but beyond the cost that insurance will cover, there's still quite a bit of uninsured losses that we're working to figure out and do fund raising for, and our security enhancement so we can really be the safest, more secure building that we can possibly be," Gordon said.
Watch below: FBI calls Temple Israel attack a 'Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism'
Despite the ongoing work, Gordon said her feelings about returning to the building have shifted.
"Usually when I came into the building it felt very devastating and traumatic to come in and I'm not at that point anymore," Gordon said.
She said the restored space will feel familiar to those who worshiped there before the attack.
"There definitely will be some features outside that look a little different, there will be some things inside that will look a little different. But in general, the bones are still the bones, and when they come into the sanctuary, it will look very much like the sanctuary that they left on March 11," Gordon said.
Levine echoed that sense of resilience.
"It feels very familiar. It's the same classrooms, it's the same size, but fresh and happy and renewed in a sense of like I said resilience. That's what I feel when I walk in is look at what we've done, and we're not going to let anyone stop us," Levine said.
Temple Israel expects to open its childcare center by the start of the school year. Details for holidays and social halls are still being worked out.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
