THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Significance of Shavuot lb The festival of Shavuot first fruits is placed in jux- takes its name from the taposition to a law concern- Hebrew for "weeks," ing milk (Ex. 23:19). In some communities it is "Pentecost" and also "the 50th day." It is celebrated customary to eat triangular on the 6th of Sivan (which pancakes stuffed with meat this year falls on May 16). or cheese because the Torah According to Orthodox and is of three parts (Penta- Conservative tradition, it is teuch, Prophets, and Hagio- also celebrated on 7 Sivan grapha) and was given to a (May 17, this year) outside people of three parts (priests, Levites, and Israe- of Israel. One of the three so-called lites) on the third month through Moses who was the "pilgrim festivals," Shavuot marked the end of the bar- third child of his parents. In Israel, modern social -ley and the beginning of the life has stimulated the ad- - wheat harvest. According to the Encyclo- aptation of religious cere- paedia Judaica, it was prob- monies to a secular society ably a midsummer festival which wants to keep the tra- in origin and taken over ditional national folkways. from the Canaanites. It is This is evident, for example, stated in Leviticus: "From in the Bar Mitzva cere- the day after the Sabbath, mony whose religious sig- the day that you bring the nificance in a secular so- sheaf of wave-offering you ciety is reduced but not shall count 50 days, until eliminated. Under the initial impetus the day after the seventh week; then you shall bring of the Reform movement, an offering of anew grain to the individual ceremony has the Lord." Leviticus also been substituted by a collec- states that the sheaf was tive "confirmation" cere- waved on the day after the mony similar to that of the Sabbath on the festival of Christian rite. This takes Passover. Thus Shavuot place at the- Shavuot festi- val, chosen because the tra- falls 50 days after this day. In rabbinic times a re- ditional date of the giving of markable transformation the law on Mount Sinai, it of the festival took place. seems the proper season for Based on the verse: "In adolescent boys and girls to the third month after the celebrate their initiation children of Israel were into full Jewish adulthood. gone forth out of the land As the Shavuot festival coin- of Egypt, the same day cides with the end of the came they into the wilder- school year the ceremony, at ness of Sinai" --(Ex. 19:1), times, bears the character the festival became the of a graduation. anniversary of the giving In Israel the collective of the Torah at Sinai. The description of the feast in Bar Mitzva has been intro- the liturty is the time of duced in non-religious ki- butzim. The ceremony the giving of the Torah. It is customary to adorn takes place after the chil- the synagogue with plants dren have performed some and floWers on Shavuot be- 'task, usually soelo-educa- cause, tradition has it, Sinai tional,_ which was imposed was a green mountain, and upon each individual child with trees, because Shavuot (or pair) by the commu- is judgment day for the nity, school, or youth fruit of the tree. Some au- movement. thorities, states the -Ency- The Bar Mitzva child then clopaedia Judaica, disap- - has to write a composition proved of the custom on his experiences. He fur- because of its similarity to ther relates his adventures certain church rites. during the performance of It is a home custom to eat the task at the "confir- dairy products on Shavuot mation" and the lessons de- because the Torah is com- rived therefrom are dis- pared to milk (Songs 4:11) - cussed by the whole and because the law of the assembly. - CJFWF Institute Has Project Guide NEW YORK — The Insti- tute for Jewish Life will provide communities with a series of manuals defining major program models de- veloped in other cities, for more widespread use and benefits. Jerold C. Hoff Berger, chairman of the institute's board of directors, who an- nounced the beginning of it new community program service, said many creative programs in a variety of fields of common interest are being developed and implemented locally. The community program service will enable all communities to share and apply these innovations. The first manual, to be distributed in early sum- mer, will deal with Jewish family life education as a priority concern in many cities. The manual is being developed jointly with other agencies working in this field. Other manuals, to follow regularly, will focus on sup- port programs for Jewish family life, leadership devel- opment, and use of oral his- tory techniques on Jewish life. The latter has special timeliness with regard to the American Bicentennial. Housing Privileges for Single Olim JERUSALEM (ZINS) — Hoping to encourage the emigration to. Israel of sin- gle men and women, the Jewish Agency will now provide housing for unmar- ried olim. In the past only married couples were awarded hous- ing, but now the privilege will be extended to single people for a period of up to five years. UAHC Calls for Moratorium Proximity on Military Aid to Vietnam NEW YORK — The Com- mission on Social Action of Reform Judaism — a long- time critic of American Vietnam policies — has called for a moratorium on military aid, but at the same time proposed the creation of a massive billion dollar American assistance program to help rebuild the "ravaged" countries of South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The commission, a major policy-making body for 1.1 million Reform Jews in the U.S. and Canada, represents both the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the Central Conference of American Rabbis. The statement recommended that the Ford Administra- tion_ adopt a proposal simi- lar to the one once advo- cated by the late President Lyndon Johnson. In discussing the pro- posed Asian-style Marshall Plan, Albert Arent of Wash- ington, D.C., commission chairman, stressed that America has both "a moral and humanitarian responsi- bility to rebuild those na- tions whose destruction we contributed to with our vast military involvement and bombings." The statement read in part: "Throughout a long, divisive involvement of the United States in war in Vietnam, the Commission on Social Action has con- sistently opposed the con- tinuation of that conflict and its attendant destruc- tion. "Now, in reviewing Presi- dent Ford's appeal to the Congress of the United States for some $722 million for additional military aid and $225 million of aid for refugees, rehabilitation and reconstruction, we continue to be firmly opposed to fur- ther military aid for South Vietnam. However, we strongly urge the Congress promptly to grant, with maximum concern for the people and land of Vietnam, the necessary funds to help rebuild - that devastated country • " , Friday, April 25,- 1975 11 CARS TO BE DRIVEN Do not despise your situa- tion. In it you must act, suf- fer, and conquer. From ev- ery point on earth we are equally near to heaven and to the Infinite. —Henri Frederic Amiel To any state. Also drivers furnished to drive your car anywhere. Legally insured and I.C.C. licensed DRIVEAWAY SERVICE 9970 Grand River Detroit, Mich. 48204 WE 1-0620-21-22 "IT DOES NOT HURT TO CALL HURTIG" , FOR FREE ESTIMATES 25% OFF SLIM LINE BLINDS — VERTICAL BLINDS 3 or more installed Free CUSTOM DRAPES, BEDSPREADS, CARPETS 559-8209 559-8209 HURTIG WINDOW INTERIORS Michigan's Largest Selection of Backgammon Sets DIAMONDS • FINE JEWELRY • GIFT BOUTIQUE Manufacturers of Original and Unusual Creations AUTilORIZED APPRAISERS ---1:4 . r.vrE LiQ( in.vroils JENA ELRY I)E:-4IGNERS 31313 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 109 Farmington Hills 851-7333 an Ain has the earlkst irect flight to London. ......000 ,0001011 • DETROIT 51P +"1"."1"1"."1"4• LONDON It's Flight #54. And it leaves Detroit Metropolitan Airport eery evening at 5:10. What you do in London can be completely up to you. Or if you'd like, more of it can be up to us. We can help you coordinate an entire vacation on one of our Pan Am's World Tours. Or arrange better deals than you thought possible on hotels, rent-a-cars, rail travel, and sightseeing. It's called Europe On A Pass. And your travel agent can tell you all about it. OurEurotelpass, for example, is good at 246 hotels in 138 cities throughout Europe. With it you get a room with private bath and continental breakfast for only $22..00, per night single occupancy or $ 14.00 per person. per night double occupancy. No reservations needed. Just check in by 3:00 p.m. When it's time to come home, you'll find our return schedules equally convenient. So have your travel agent put you on Pan Am. And don't waste the time you've saved getting to London, getting, back. See your travel agent. The Spirit of '75.