Opening Pray e rs Set for Wednesday Night
Rosh Hashana Services to Usher In High Holy Days
The Jewish New Year will
be ushered in on Wednesday
evening, with Rosh Hashana
services scheduled in all syn-
agogues and temples. Re-
form will observe only one
day; Conservative and Ortho-
dox, two.
Following is a list of servi-
ces supplied •by congrega-
tions in the Detroit area:
Cong. Bnai Israel of Pon-
tiac will hold services 7 p.m.
Wednesday a n d Thursday
and 8 a.m. Thursday and Fri-
day. Rabbi 'Leonard H. Ber-
man will speak on "A New
Set of Values" Thursday and
"What Is Rosh Hashana?"
Friday. Joseph Jacobson will
assist. Children's services
Will be conducted by the
youth •group at 10 a.m.
Young Israel Center of
Oak-Woods services will be
held at 7:10 p.m. Wednesday
and Thursday, and 7:30 a.m.
Thursday and Friday. Rabbi
James I. Gordon will preach
on "Sanctity of Jerusalem
Thursday morning; "Crea-
tion of Man," Thursday even-
ing; and "Key to the Future,"
Friday morning.
Adat Shalom Synagogue's
schedule is 6:30 p.m. Wednes-
day, 7 p.m. Thursday and
7:30 a.m. both days. Parallel
services will be held in the
main sanctuary and social
hall, where Rabbis Jacob E.
Segal and Seymour Rosen-
bloom will officiate. Their
sermon topics will be "How
Do You Make the Old New?"
and "The Road From Aliena-
* * *
tion to Creation," respec-
tively. Cantor Nicholas Fen-
akel and Cantor Larry Vie-
der will chant the liturgy,
assisted by the synagogue
choirs. Youth services, under
the supervision of Mrs. San-
dra Rosen, will be held in
four sections.
Temple Kol Ami services
will be held at the Hillel
Day School Auditorium 8:30
p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m.
Thursday. Rabbi Ernst Con-
rad will speak on "Changing
Beliefs and Unchanging
Hopes" and "Some Good
Questions." Mrs. Nathalie M.
Conrad will direct the temp-
le choir, with Dr. Irving
'Friedman functioning as can-
tor and Cynthia Blough as
soloist.
Temple Beth Jacob of
Pontiac will have services
8:30 p.m. Wednesday and 10
a.m. Thursday. Rabbi H.
Philip Berkowitz will preach
on "Agenda for Survival"
and "World Full of Tests."
Children's service will be at
2:30 p.m.
Cong. Bnai Moshe's sched-
ule is 7 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.
both days. Rabbi Moses Lehr-
man will speak on "A Revo-
lution in Reverse" Thursday
morning and "The Individual
Is Sacred" Friday morning.
Cong. Shaarey Shomayim
services will be held 7:15
p.m. Wednesday and Thurs-
day. At 8 a.m. services
Thursday, Rabbi Leo Y.
Goldman will speak on "The
Voice of the Shofar." His
topic at 8 a.m. services Fri-
• • •
Selihot Services Set Saturday
A film forum and social
hours are among the plans to
accompany Selihot services at
area synagogues Saturday
night. Traditional Selihot
prayers inaugurate the High
Holy Day season at midnight
* * *
Tashlikh Rite
at Adat Shalom
The old and picturesque
custom of Tashlikh will be
performed by a Conservative
synagogue, Adat Shalom, on
the first day of. Rosh Hasha-
na 6:15 p.m. Thursday.
Although the tradition is
followed by the Orthodox, it
has fallen off in practice
among the Reform and Con-
servative
The Adat Shalom ceremony
will take place at the pond
on the synagogue premises,
at the 13 Mile entrance. The
pond is stocked with fish in
accordance with the tradition
by which one goes to a body
of running water, with fish
in it, and after reciting pray-
ers shakes out his clothing
over the water. This is to
represent the physical cast-
ing away of one's sins, to be
carried off and forgotten.
A booklet prepared espe-
cially for the occasion will
be used. Minha and Maariv
services will follow in the
chapel. The community is in-
vited.
The 'Lubavitch Center,
again has arranged with the
Oak Park recreation depart-
ment to make available the
Oak Park pool for Tashlikh
services. • The pool will be
open from 4 to 7:30 p.m.
Thursday. Everyone is in-
vited.
56 Friday, Sept. 21, 1973
—
on the Saturday prior to Rosh
Hashana.
Temple Israel will precede
the midnight service with a
reunion and reception spon-
sored by the Couples Club at
10:30 p.m. Mischa Mischa-
koff, former concertmaster
of the Detroit Symphony Or-
chestra, will be featured play-
ing Ernst Bloch's "Nigun."
Cantor Harold Orbach,
back from Israel where he
was elected president of the
American Conference of Can-
tors, will introduce new mu-
sic for congregational par-
ticipation which he discov-
ered during his trip there.
Members of the congrega-
tion also will participate,
along with the Temple Youth
Group who will conduct a
special candle-lighting cere-
mony.
Adat Shalom Synagogue
will hold a special film forum,
featuring "A Hasidic Tale"
with Theodore Bikel, at 10
p.m. A 9:30 coffee hour will
precede the film, which was
nominated for an Emmy
Award by the National Acad-
emy for Television Arts. Dis-
cussion will follow. Services
commence at 11:15.
Temple Beth Jacob of Pon-
tiac's Rabbi H. Philip Ber-
kowitz will preach on "The
Mystery of This Hour" at 11
p.m.
Other congregations that
have listed social hours prior
to Selihot services are Young
Israel of Oak-Woods (11:30);
Cong. Bnai David (10:30);
Beth Abraham-Hillel (9);
Beth Achim (10:30); and
Bnai Moshe (10). Services
also are scheduled at Beth
Shalom (midnight); and
Mishkan Israel Lubavitcher
Center (1:30 a.m.).
day will be "The Meaning of
Rosh Hashana."
Cong. Mishkan Israel Lub-
avitcher Center will have ser-
vices 7:15 p.m. Wednesday.
At 8 a.m. services Thursday,
Rabbi Betzalel Gottlieb will
speak on "The Coronation
of the King." Tashlikh will
be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
His topic Friday morning
will be "Yearning of the In-
ner Soul." Auxiliary services
will be held at Lessenger
School, Oak Park, to service
those who live in the Oak
Park area of Coolidge Rd.
Rabbi Y i t s c h a k Lipszyc,
youth director of the Lub-
avitch organization, organiz-
ed the services.
Cong. Beth Achim will ac-
commodate worshipers a t
three separate services: in
the sanctuary and social hall
with Rabbi Milton Arm and
Cantor Simon Bermanis; in
the small social hall, with
Rabbi Emeritus Benjamin
Gorrelick and Cantor David
Tanzman; and in the LaMed
Auditorium of •the United He-
brew Schools, wit h Rabbi
Herbert Eskin and Cantor
Joseph Birnholtz. Starting
times at all three services
will be 7 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.
both days. Three special
youth services also will be
held.
Temple Israel Rosh Has-
hana services will begin Wed-
nesday night and continue
Thursday, with Rabbis M.
Robert Syme, Harold Loss
and Leon Fram officiating,
with Cantor Harold Orbach
and visiting cantor Steven
Hass. There will be children's
services 3 p.m. Thursday.
Temple Beth El's schedule
is 7 and 9 p.m. Wednesday
in the Woodward Ave. build-
ing; and 9 and 11 a.m.
penitential prayers (selihoth) belong-, in part, to the age of the
Talmud. Essentially based upon biblical poetry. they are a continu-
ation of the Psalms. The suffering of Israel in the various lands of
the dispersion is their principal theme. For about fifteen centuries
the liturgical poets continued to enrich the schhah literature, the
earliest examples of which go back to the first century.
Tormented by merciless persecutions, the authors of these prayer-
poems described the misery of their people with the blood of their
hearts. The recital of the heroic deeds described in the selihoth helped,
consciously or unconsciously, strengthen the solidarity of the Jew-
ish community the world over. Hence, many penitential poems were
incorporated into the liturgy to he recited on such special occasions
as Tish`alt b'Av and the days preceding Rosh Hashanah.
The selihoth reveal the saintly character of past generations, who
in profound humility sought tilt , reason of their misfortune in them-
selves rather than in a divine injustice. The srlihah (forgiveness) is
a prayer for pardon in the strict sense of the term, for it gives utter-
an•e to the feelings of the worshiper who repents and pleads for mercy.
It is customary to begin the recital of selihoth on Saturday mid-
night, four days before Posit Hashanah. If, however, the first day of
Rush Hashanah occurs on A•onday or Tuesday, so that four days :t•e
not left in which to recite the penitential prayers, it is cust(enary to
begin a N•eek earlier. The idea of a midnight service is bas ,t1
Psalm 110:62 ("At midnight. I rise rn praise t bee").
T
The elegies and supplications contained in the Tahanun for Mon-
clays and Thursdays, known as the long Taha•un, likewise belong to
Thursday in the new build-
ing. Children's services will
be held in the new building,
at 2:30 p.m. and youth ser-
vices at 3:30 Thursday. Dr.
Richard C. Hertz and Rabbi
Morten M. Kanter will offici-
ate and preach.
Newly arrived refugees
from the Soviet Union who
would like to attend services
at Temple Beth El may call
Irving I. Katz, TR 5-8530 or
851-1100, for free tickets.
Cong. Beth Abraham-Hillel
services are slated for 7 p.m.
and 8 a.m. both days. Rabbi
Israel I. Halpern will offici-
ate.
Cong. Beth Moses'
ule is 7 p.m. and
both days. Rabbi A. Irving
Schnipper will preach and
officiate with Cantor Sholom
Kalib.
Cong. Bnai David services
will open 6:30 p.m. Wednes-
day with Rabbi Hayim Donin
and Isaac Rose co-officiating
at parallel services in the
main sancturary and social
hall. Cantors Hyman Adler
and Norman Rosenman will
co-conduct.
Temple Emanu-El services
are called for 8:15 p.m. Wed-
nesday and 10 a.m. Thurs-
day. Children's services will
start at 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
Cong. Beth Shalom's schedule
is 6 p.m. and 8:15 a.m. both
days.
Cong. Shomer Israel will
hold, services at the Chil-
dren's Orthogenic Center
B u i l d i n g, 18955 Schaefer;
Cong. Bnai Jacob at 20470
Hubbell; Bais Chabad Hasidic
Student Center and Syna-
gogue at 28555 Middlebelt,
Farmington; Young Israel of
Southfield at Stevenson
School, and for senior adults
at the Jewish Center.
Downtown Synagogue is of-
fering free admission to all
who wish to attend its ser-
vices at the Veterans Memo-
rial Building.
the scii//ah literature.
Excerpted from "A Book of Jewish Concepts" by
Dr. Philip Birnbaum, published by Hebrew Publishing Co.
m'iMMIMIO"
s
Customs of Rosh Hashana
(From Encyclopedia Judaica)
The Jewish New Year,
Rosh Hashana, will be cele-
brated this year on Sept. 27
and 28. But there are four
periods of the year in rab-
binic literature known as
Rosh Hashana.
One is the new year for the
civil calendar. This is the
date on which Jews all over
the world celebrate Rosh
Hashana, a day when all
mankind is judged (the first
day of the month of Tishre).
Another marks the festival
of the new year in the re-
ligious calendar (the first
day of the month of Nisan).
Another is the new year
for trees. On this date, ac-
cording to the Talmud, the
greater part of the year's
rain has fallen (the first day
of the month of Shevat, later
the 15th).
Another is the new year
for the tithing of cattle (the
first day of the month of
Elul).
Calculating important dates
based on the appearance of
the new moon was a difficult
task in olden times. The new
moon was not fixed by astro-
nomical calculations but had
to be solemnly proclaimed by
reliable witnesses.
On the 30th of each month,
the members of the High
Court assembled in a court-
yard in Jerusalem .. where
they waited to receive testi-
mony of two reliable witnes-
ses. To inform the popula-
tion of the beginning of the
month, beacons were kindled
on the Mount of Olives and
thence over the entire land
and in parts of Diaspora."
On the first night of Rosh
Hashana it is customary to
greet one's friends with "May
you be inscribed (in the book
of life) for a good year." The
theme of the books of life
and death feature prominent-
ly in Rosh Hashana liturgy.
Traditionally, three books
are opened on Rosh Hashana,
one for the completely right-
eous, one for the completely
.
Nixon Greets Jewry on the New. Year
WASHINGTON (JTA) —
In extending his annual
greeting for the High Holy
Days to American Jews,
President Nixon reminded all
Americans "to remember the
essentially democratic theme
of Judaism—that the most
exalted and the lowest stand
equal before Gad."
The text of his message
made public Sunday at the
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS White House stated:
"With the coming of the
High Holy Days, Mrs. Nixon
and I express our warm
greetings to our fellow citi-
zens of the Jewish faith. This
is a time of introspection and
spiritual self-renewal for
Jews. But for all Americans
it is an occasion to remem-
ber the essentially demo-
cratic theme of Judaism —
that the most exalted and the
lowest stand equal before
God."
"May the High Holy Days
provide for all of us an op-
portunity for renewed com-
mitment to the sacred prin-
ciples upon which our nation
is established, and may the
conduct of our national life
be a testament to the
strength and vitality of those
principles in our personal
lives."
wicked and one for the aver-
age person.
The completely righteous
are immediately inscribed in
the book of life. The com-
pletely wicked are immedi-
ately inscribed in the book of
death. The average person
is kept in suspension for 10
days of penitence from Rosh
Hashana to the Day of Atone-
ment, Yom Kippur (which
falls on Oct. 6 this year).
If the average person de-
serves well at the end of that
time, he is inscribed i^ the
book of life; if ne is
inscribed in the • oo. of
death.
Although Rosh Hashana as
a festival is no more import-
ant than other festivals,
greater solemnity has come
to be attached to it since it
is also considered a day of
judgment. The day is im-
bued with an aura of awe,
as expressed in the prayer:
"Now, therefore, 0 Lord our
God, impose Thine awe upon
all Thy works, and Thy dread
upon all that Thou has creat-
ed, that all works may revere
Thee and all creatures pro-
strate themselves before
Thee, that they may all form
a single band to do Thy will
with a perfect heart."