THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Appointees Named
Book Assesses Havura Movement
By ALLEN WARSEN
Although charitable and
religious "hevrot" (common
interest groups) have
existed in the Jewish com-
munity for sometime, the
"Havura" movement is a re-
latively recent Jewish
phenomenon that resulted
mainly from a desire to
share with others common
religious and intellectual
interests.
The movement's history,
goals and functions are de-
scribed by Bernard Reis-
man in his study "The
Chavurah" (Union of
American Hebrew Congre-
gations).
Subtitled, "A Contem-
porary Jewish Experience,"
the study consists of seven
chapters, appendices,
Statistical tables, and a bib-
liography. Regrettably, it
does not include an index. It
is a soft-cover publication.
The author traces the
origin of the havura to
the "wilderness com-
munities founded at
Qumran by the Essenes"
and to the urban fellow-
ships founded by the
Pharisees to promote
"halakhic" teachings and
fulfill the precept, "Do
not separate yourself
from the community."
It is generally agreed that
the first havura was started
in Somerville, Mass.,
in 1968. A year later,
"havurot" sprang up in New
York, and soon afterwards
in other states. Some
"havurot" known as
"batim" (houses) were or-
ganized on university cam-
puses; others were
synagogue-initiated.
The author defines "hav-
ura" as "a small community
of like-minded individuals
and families who form to-
gether as a Jewish fellow-
ship to offer one another so-
cial support and to pursue
self-directed programs of
Jewish study, celebration,
and community service."
The havura, furthermore,
aims at overcoming its
members' frustrations and
Shaveh Agrees
to Seek Top Post
JERUSALEM (JTA) —
Prof. Yitzhak Shaveh, the
Nahal Sorek nuclear physi-
cist whom Premier
Menahem Begin chose as
his preferred candidate for
president, has informed the
premier that he would agree
to run for the office.
Meanwhile, Herut Party
politicians began drum-
ming -up support for him
within the Likud coalition
ranks. The Knesset is to
vote on April 5 and nomina-
tions must close 10 days ear-
lier.
So far, Shaveh is the only
declared candidate and he
may well remain so if Be-
gin's supporters are success-
ful in wooing votes for him.
Labor's Yitzhak Navon
has made it clear that he
will not run for the post un-
less assured of a good show-
ing. Former Liberal Party
leader Elimeliech Rimalt,
meanwhile, asserted that
he is not a candidate.
aspires to improve the qual-
ity of their Jewishness. At
the same time, it serves as a
bulwark against novel ideas
and movements that prom-
ise instant salvation, such
as Zen Buddhism, Trans-
cendental Meditation, and
other escapist panaceas.
These groups craftily
exploit and take advantage
of people estranged from
their Jewish religious and
cultural surroundings.
Illuminating is the au-
thor's description of the
Havura members. Ac-
cording to him, they are
relatively young, mar-
ried, have young chil-
dren, are native-boran
and university educated.
They are mobile geog-
raphically, liberal, have a
minimum of Jewish educa-
tion, and "in their religious
practices and in their fre-
quency with which they at-
tend services at the
synagogue, the havura
people are significantly
more observant than other
representative groups of
Jews."
They, moreover, recog-
nize the importance of the
synagogue as indispensable
for the Jewish people, and
reject the charge that they
are religious dissidents.
Yet, a determining mo-
tive for establishing a Hav-
ura is the desire to overcome
the impersonal, modern,
giant synagogue.
How effective are
havurot?
According to recent
studies the havura im-
parts in its members an
awareness of common
responsibilities; in-
creases their knowledge
and understanding of
Jewish problems and is-
sues; and strengthens
their commitments to
general Jewish matters
and interests.
"The Chavurah" is a com-
prehensive sociological
study of modern Jewish fel-
lowships. Its author, Dr.
Bernard Reisman, is as-
sociate professor of Ameri
can Jewish communal
studies and director of the
Benjamin S. Hornstein
program for Jewish com-
munal service at Brandeis
University.
Friday, Nardi 24, 1918 53
Yeshiva Women
Celebrate 50th
NEW YORK — The
Yeshiva University Wo-
men's' Organization will
hold its Golden Jubilee
luncheon March 29, at the
Waldorf Astoria Hotel. A
multimedia presentation,
"A Golden Heritage," will
trace the organization's his-
tory and Dr. Norman
Lamm, president, Yeshiva
University, will speak.
Israel Mission
GERI JOSEPH
NEW YORK — Geri
Joseph, active in the Demo-
cratic Party and a colum-
nist, has been nominated as
the U.S. ambassador to Hol-
land. She is the wife of Bur-
ton Joseph, chairman of the
Anti-Defamation League of
MIAMI — Under the
leadership of Rabbi Mayer
Abromowitz, the southern
region of the American
DAVID deROTHSCHILD
Technion Society will mark
Israel's 30th anniversary by
Bnai Brith.
sending off a mission from
Meanwhile, in France, the Miami area to Israel
David deRothschild, 35- that will highlight the
year-old son of Baron Guy achievements of Technion,
deRothschild, has been and will also include visits
named general manager of to military basP,
the family's bank in Paris. Jerusalem and kibutzim.
gig metre tue
Time of Feebleness
By Z. SHNEIUR
Translated from Hebrew
By JOSHUA JOYRICH
Dad,
Extend your prayer shawl and hide my tired head
And pity me by your great love
Which 1, the wandering and raging unmarried,
don't comprehend.
Creator of a novel generation is each father .. .
Do you know too to comfort
What you created?
Each man is my pain, as cure just you remained,
Have mercy!
1 left your house as light as a feather, then
the tie ceased
From the nest and nestling;
Now, observe, my wings have grown as eagle's wing.
Under their growth I shall stroll downcast.
Mourning Custom Explained
By RABBI SAMUEL FOX
(Copyright 1978, JTA, Inc.)
Some people observe the
custom of placing a glass of
water and a white napkin in
a house of shiva as a symbol
of the ongoing purification
of the soul. Water has al-
ways been considered to be a
purifying agent.
It also stresses the wide-
spread concern of the Al-
mighty whose Grace
spreads over the world like
the waterways.
There were times during
widespread persecution of
the Jewish people that Jews
were afraid or forbidden to
have public ceremonies
such as weddings or circum-
cisions. These used to be
held privately in secret.
However, in order to
make fellow Jews aware
that these things were
going on they would light
a candle in the window.
This was a secret mes-
sage to fellow Jews that
the faith was still being
observed.
The problem came up that
one also lights a candle for
the deceased during the
mourning period in the
home. A glass of water and a
white napkin was placed
next to the candle in a house
of mourning so that the pas-
sersby would realize that
indeed this is not a candle of
happiness, but rather the
candle used in the process of
the week of mourning.
A candle is kept lit during
the seven-day period of
mourning to demonstrate
that the soul still lives on in
another dimension and in a
different reality. It is also
claimed that the candle in-
dicates that the soul is un-
dergoing judgement and
moving towards a state of
purity during this period.
Jewish All-Stars
Will Play in NY
NEW YORK — The sec-
ond annual Jewish High
School All Star Basketball
Game will be held April 6,
sponsored by the Yeshiva
University Athletic Associ-
ation. The contest will fea-
ture some 20 top ballplayers
from schools in the South,
East Coast and New York
metropolitan area, and will
be played at Long Island
University in Brooklyn.
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