38 Friday, January 21, 1977

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Graven Images Forbidden

By RABBI SAMUEL FOX
(Copyright 1977, JTA, Inc.)

Jews are forbidden to
make graven images. This is
expressly forbidden in the
Ten Commandments
(Exodus 20:04).
Some contend that this is
forbidden because it was a
form of idol worship which
is forbidden to a Jew. Oth-

tere
Ni Invited

ers claim that the form of a
graven image is finite in
character and this runs con-
trary to the infinite charac-
ter of the Almighty.
By making a graven im-
age, man casts the Al-
mighty into the limitation
of space thus destroying the
notion of His infinity.

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Phyllis BiIles
559-4343

Youth Involved in Maccabiah

NEW YORK — Ameri-
can Jewish youth will
participate in an or-
ganized way in the World
Jewish Olympics, the
Maccabiah Games, this
summer.
As part of the Israel
Summer Sports Program,
youth connected with
Jewish community cen-
ters will march in the
opening parade, partici-
pate in auxiliary sports
events, and observe the
Maccabiah Games.
In addition to 16 days
involved with the Mac-
cabiah, the youngsters
will spend four weeks
touring Israel.

Each Jewish community
center contingent par-

Michigan Jewish
Singles Council

ticipating in the program
will include a minimum of
35 young people. Youth
from more than one center
will be able to combine to
form a contingent.

The _program is being
sponsored by the Ameri-
can Zionist Youth Foun-
dation in cooperation
with the National Jewish
Walfare Board and the
World Maccabiah Union.
Also to be initiated by
AZYF this summer will
be a new program in Is-
rael for young people with
special musical talents.
The music program is
open to soloists and
groups of musicians, all of
whom will get to perform,
attend performances and
rehearsals of Israeli
musicians, and tour the
country.
For information, write
the American Zionist
Youth Foundation, 515
Park Ave., New York
10022.

an organization for singles 18-35
affiliated with the Jewish Community Center
invites you to its

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Men's Clubs

BNAI MOSHE Men's
Club and Talit and Tefilin
Club will hold a joint
breakfast 9:30 a.m. Sun-
day in the synagogue.
Guest speaker will be
John H. Shepherd, presi-
dent of the Jewish Corn-

*

munity Council. He will
talk on the workings of
the Jewish Community
Council and his recent
trip to Israel.

For reservations, call
the synagogue, 548 19000.
* *

Detroit Alpha Omega to Honor
World President Jack Lawson

Dr. Jack Lawson, newly
installed international
president of the Alpha
Omega Dental Frater-
nity, will be honored by
the Detroit Alumni Chap-
ter 7 p.m. Jan. 29 at the
Raleigh House.
Dr. Lawson was
graduated from the Uni-
versity of Detroit Dental
School in 1944. He was
elected president of the
Detroit Alumni Chapter
in 1952 when he launched
a major fund raising
drive for Sinai Hospital
and campaign to estab-
lish the Israel Dental
School, part of the Heb-
rew University in
Jerusalem.
As district regent in the
1950s, Dr. Lawson was in-
strumental in founding
the Toledo Alumni Chap-
ter. He wrote and edited
the official fraternity
manual for district lead-
ers.

Dr. Lawson was active in
the establishment of the

DR. JACK LAWSON

Alpha Omega Players
whose performances raise
funds for the Detroit chap-
ter, Brandeis University,
the Israel Dental School
and the Alpha Omega
Foundation.

The program will fea-
ture an original musical
show by the Players. Dr.
Gerald Michael will be
master of ceremonies.

Jewish Wedding Traditions

ing the wedding cere-
BY RABBI SAMUEL FOX
mony.
(Copyright 1977, JTA, Inc.)
It is customary for the - It is claimed by some

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(Cocktails will be served)

Charles Jourdan
Pierre Cardin
Geoffery Beene,
Calvin Kline
Amalfi

Carlos Falchi and other
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bride and groom to fast on
their wedding day.
There is a Jewish tradi-
tion that claims that the
wedding day is like a Day_
of Atonement (Yom Kip-
pur) for bride and groom.
All their previously com-
mitted sins are said to be
forgiven on this day.
Therefore, just as the
classic Day of Atonement
in the fall is observed
with a fast and with a rite
of confession, so do bride
and groom fast on their
wedding day and offer the
rite of confession in their
prayer - before the wed-
ding.
It is claimed that this
comparison is made so
that the bride and groom
do not enter their roles as
marriage partners with
any guilt feelings from
previous wrong-doings
which might create a ten-
sion in the marriage and
bar the appropriate ad-
justment of the two
partners to their new
roles as man and wife.
Man, thus, is always
given the chance to clear
the slate during any
major episode in his life
that birngs about an im-
portant change. The New
Year, a change in time, is
such a moment ordained
so that a person will not
carry his guilt feelings
along indefinitely. Mar-
riage, a change in roles, is
another such experience,
so that previous guilt
feelings do not hinder the
marital adjustment.
Religious grooms don a •
white gown (kittel) dur-

that this is done to emu-
late the dress one wears
on Yom Kippur. Thus
both bride and groom
dressed in white would be

shedding their guilt and
donning the white dress
of purity before the mar-
riage.
Others claim that this
white gown has a sober-
ing effect because the
dead are clothed in white
shrouds. It leads one to
understand that at the
height of one's joy one is
reminded of the sober
thought of death which is
the inevitable end of all
humans. This leads one to
appreciate his life and the
moments of its joys that
much more.

Lover of Souls

Thou hast mercy on all,
for thou canst do all things,
and thou overlookest the
sins of men
because they should amend
For thou lovest all things
that are,
and abhorrest nothing
which thou hast made;
for never wouldst thou have
made any thing if thou
didst hate it.
And how could any thing
have endured, it it had not
been thy will?
Or been preserved, if not
called by thee?
But thou sparest all:
for they are thine,
0 Lord, thou lover of souls;
for thine incorruptible spirit
is in all things.
—King Solomon