• rrt n I If I - FACIAL HAIR PERMANENTLY REMOVED Eyebrows Neciihne Arms Legs Recommended by Physicans FREE CONSULTATION SHIRLEY PERSIN Registered Etectrologist ADVANCE BUILDING 23077 GREENFIELD, Room 260 Near Northland & Providence Flospeal PHONE 557.1108 Over 20 Years Experience •., , t .11 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, July 28, 1918 Sephardi Customs Strengthen the Family By RABBI MARC ANGEL American Sephardi Federation One of the distinctive cul- tural characteristics of Sephardim has been their strong sense of family loy- alty. Historically, Sephardi pride in family has shown itself in many ways. A number of customs reflect the closeness and very deep ties which have bound NEW CADILLAC? BUY OR LEASE FROM ANDY BLAU in BIRMINGHAM at WILSON-CRISSMAN CADILLAC CALL BUS. MI 4-1930 RES. 642-6836 1350 N. WOODWARD, BIRMINGHAM T remendous Selections Always 20% Discount In large extended families, it was not un- common for a number of children — all named for the same grandparent — to have the same name. Thus, cousins grew up congnizant of the family ties which bound them to each other. P ersonal Satisfaction Guaranteed P leasant Surroundings E xpert Watch Repair Service R efunds Given/No Due Bills S ee In doing research in Sephardi family lines, it is reasonable to expect that the first-born son of a family was named after his father's father. Therefore, names Czech Booklet Cuts Jewish List LONDON — The latest Prague tourist guide has been extended from 300 pages to 422 pages, but most of the leading figures in the history of the city's Jewish community have been cut, according to the Interna- tional Council of Jews from Czechoslovakia. The chapter on Jewish Prague has been cut from seven pages to 31/2 and the only mention of the Holocaust states that the ci- ty's Jewish Museum was as- sembled by the Nazis. Why Everyone's Talking! 1 TAPPER'S - JEWELRY -- RACQUET/ME MALL N E Corner of 12 MILE & NORTHWESTERN 357-5578 VOTE - AUG. 8 PRIMARY NOV. 7 REGULAR Sephardi families together. A widespread practice for centuries has been the nam- ing of children after living relatives. Normally, the first born son and daughter would be named after the father's parents and the second son and daughter after the mother's parents. Subsequent children were also named after relatives, alternating between the father's and mother's side of the family. This practice, still widely observed today, has many results. For one thing, grandpa- rents who see children bear- ing their own names experi- ence a profound sense of family continuity. Grand- children bearing the names of living grandparents im- mediately develop role models, and learn deep re- spect for their family herit- age. Parents who choose their children's names de- monstrate their own loyalty to their parents. ELECT JUDGE Mildred A. Vlaich CIRCUIT JUDGE (OAKLAND COUNTY) SIXTH CIRCUIT COURT Qualifications: •Married - Mother of 5 grown children • Presently: District Judge 52nd District — 3rd Division (4 years) • A.B., LLB. and Juris-Doctor Degrees • Full time Practicing Trial Attorney for 26 Years (Civil and Criminal) • Former Michigan State Bar Grievance — Arbitrator • Former Circuit Court — Mediator • Former Assistant Prosecutor • Former County Supervisor (Non-Partisan) • Former Board of Director of Child Guidance Clinic Paid by Comrnmee ro EMS, Judge Mildred A Welch. Circuit Judge. Donald E. McGinnis Jr., Treasurer 1727 Crooks suite 101 Troy. Mich. 48084 will recur regularly within each family, and if one finds a historical reference to a person bearing a common family name, one might as- sume that his is an ancestor. Another popular custom among Sephardim is that when a parent, grandparent or another relative is called to the Torah for an aliya, the younger relatives stand up out of respect. They remain standing while the one cal- led to the Torah recites the blessings, and among many Sephardim they also stand during the reading of the Torah portion. This practice, too, has many implications. First, it teaches respect for and loy- alty to older family mem- bers. Moreover, it creates a bond among all the rela- tives who rise. Since everyone else in the synagogue is seated, the in- dividuals who stand im- mediately sense the un- iqueness of their family. I recall vividly, for example, when my grandfather would be called to the Torah. Since he was blessed with many children and grandchildren, quite a few people would stand up for him. All of us who stood could not help but feel respect for him, and pride in our entire family, so many of whom were in the synagogue together. We felt that our "clan" was important and hon- orable. An old custom, which is Dallas Schools' Religious Bias May Be Cited The Dallas Independent School District may be faced with criminal charges for questioning candidates for its superintendent's posi- tion about their religious af- filiation and church atten- dance. The Dallas County dis- trict attorney said the board of the eighth largest school district in the U.S. violated state and federal statues with the questions. A board search committee report said the people of Dallas wanted a superin- tendent who was "visibly and devotedly" religious. Dr. Thursz to Get Catholic U. Prize WASHINGTON — Dr. Daniel Thursz, executive vice president of Bnai Brith International, will be hon- ored by the Catholic Uni- versity of America with its 1978 annual Alumni Achievement Award in the field of social work. The award will be presented at the 1978 homecoming ban- quet in Washington in November. The tribute, announced by the board of governors of the Alumni Association of Catholic University, is "in recognition of the distinc- tion achieved by Dr. Thursz in his life work." still observed in some cir- cles, is the kissing of the hand of a parent or grand- parent in return for a bles- sing. Whether on Friday night at home, or in the synagogue on Sabbath, children would kiss the hand of parent or grandpa- rent as a sign of respect and affection. Where a number of children were involved, they would form a line in order of age, eldest first. The patriarchs or mat- riarchs would recite a bles- sing while holding a hand over the child's head. Re- veiving these bleisings from my grandparents has left many wonderful memories with me, and one cannot adequately ap- preciate the closeness of spirit this custom creates unless he has experienced it. Needless to say, family ties were strengthened in the synagogue, on the Sab- baths and festivals, at the numerous celebrations held in the homes of relatives and in so many other ways. Czech Released LONDON — A former trade counsellor for the Czech government, Dr. Hubert Stein, has been re- leased from prison after serving two sentences. Dr. Stein was sentenced to 12 years in 1953 in the Slansky "show trials." He was given another 12-year- sentence for espionage in a secret trial in 1971. He was released from prison briefly in 1976 after Amnesty In- ternational named him a "prisoner of conscience." Dr. Stein was returned to prison for a year On the grounds that his health re- quired prison hospital care. His release has now been finalized. Hides are good finders. LOVE CONTEMPORARY? 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