Mosque Plan Divides a Diverse Town

WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich.—This affluent Detroit suburb prides itself on its religious diversity, with 49 houses of worship within its 32 square miles, including at least 11 Jewish synagogues and 15 Protestant or Catholic churches.

But a plan to convert a former public school into West Bloomfield's first mosque has raised tensions and prompted a round of soul-searching here.

Residents and activists say the plan has rankled some in West Bloomfield's large Jewish community, while the sale of the school to a Muslim association has drawn opposition from some other residents and a prominent Christian-rights group. (...)