32 Friday, November 28, 1980 CASH FOR YOUR ommonos L PRECIOUS JEWELS Scdkte;Tag * dale Kt 755 W.Big Beaver Rd. (16 mile at 1-75) Troy, Michigan Phone: I 313-362-45110 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS First Jewish Woman at Naval Academy Involved in West Point Exchange Program Beauty hath so many charms one knows not how to speak against it; and when a graceful figure is the habitation of a virtuous soul — when the beauty of the face speaks out the modesty and humility of the mind, it raises our thoughts up to the great, Creatof; but after all, beauty, like truth, is never so glorious as when it goes the plainest. —Sterne WEST POINT, N.Y. — She is a midshipman at West Point. She was the first Jewish woman to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. She plays the contrabass bugle, the largest instrument in the drum and bugle corps, though she is probably one of the smallest musicians in the corps. She wants to be a flight officer, but one of these days she might write a book. A non-conformist 20 year-old midshipman, Sarah Kovel, is currently attending West Point on a half-year exchange pro- gram between the service academies, at the same time maintaining a family tradi- tion. Though she opted for the Navy, she follows in the military footsteps of her father, Col. Maxim Kovel, who graduated from West Point in 1957, and her LIFE'S SPECIAL EVENTS SHOULD BE RECORDED FOREVER VIDEO TAPE YOUR SPECIAL OCCASION • Weddings • Bar Mitzvas • Private Parties • Anniversaries • Birthdays • Etc. See Our FULL-SERVICE Studio LEGAL TAPES, INC. Established 10 years 22530 W. 8 Mile Rd. 35-Video or 353-3355 Southfield to all from Iry and Sol Cohen and the Gang of IRV SOL RINGETom Old Orchard Shopping Plaza Maple at Orchard Lake Rds. For Young Men Eight to Eighty 851-3660—West Bloomfield Mon.. Thurs.. Fri. 9-9; Tues., Wed.. Sat ill 6 SARAH KOVEL brother, Lt. Jacob Kovel, a 1980 USMA graduate . Both are engineers. Sarah considered ocean engineering as a career goal and choose Annapolis in- stead of West Point. •A sec- ond year statistics class, however, convinced her that she wasn't going to enjoy engineering, so she switched her major to English. "I really enjoy English and eventually I'm going to write a book. In any case, I'll get trained for whatever I do in the mili- tary. I want to be a flight officer. As a physics major still wouldn't know how to fly a plane," the slight - red-haired young woman explained. One of six naval cadets on exchange at West Point this year, she is the only woman in the group. Her white uni- form stands out from the Army gray and occasionally she is greeted with a joking "Hi, there, nurse." The ex- change program at West Point allows her to audit a course in military science that she would't have had at Annapolis. Sarah was a high school sophomore when the deci- sion was made to admit women to the military academies and she in- stantly decided that she wanted to go. Her father's military career took the family to many Army posts. She and her brother Jacob were born in West Germany. Her three sisters, Ruth, Rebecca and Rachel were born re- spectively in North Carolina, Ft. Belvoir, Va., and West Point when Col. Kovel was teaching there. They have also lived in Brooklyn, Leavenworth, Kan., and California. Despite all that moving around, the family has maintained another strong tradition — Judaism. Sarah is the granddaughter of the late Rabbi Mordecai Cohen of Annapolis, Md. She had a Bat Mitzva and was con- firmed. Her mother, the rabbi's daughter, teaches Hebrew school. Her father is on the advisory board of the West Point Jewish Chapel Fund. Sarah finds Jewish life at West Point to be stronger and more organized than at Annapolis. "At the Naval Acadmey, we were given time off for religious services on Sun- day and no services were held at the Academy. We decided we wanted our serv- ices held on Friday night and permission was granted. Midshipmen mostly lead the services be- cause there is no rabbi, al- though we sometimes have visiting chaplains. "It seems there are more -Jewish students at West Point and a larger Jewish community here. Friday night services here provide an informal atmosphere where up- perclassmen can talk to plebes and where cadets can relax and get to know one another in addition totaking part in religious observance," she said. "It is pretty well accepted among the cadets that the Jewish services are a good deal because they are very informal. The groups at the Catholic and Protestant services are so big that you DAYENU don't get to know the other students. Because Jewish cadets get extra leave for Jewish holiday services, some other cadets joke about threatening to con- vert to Judaism," she said. She added, "The Jewish community at the Military Academy works very hard to make the experience pleasant, but it will be much nicer when a Jewish chapel is built." Jewish services are cui rently held in a chemistry lecture room with a portable ark. A $5.5 million West Point Jewish Chapel Fund has reached the halfway mark. A national campaign is under way to raise the rest of the funds. The rock- faced modern chapel, which will be built on a site be- tween the Protestant and Catholic chapels, will in- clude a museum-gallery and will be open to the 2.5 million visitors who come to West Point each year. Sarah Kovel has a model for Jewish life in the military because her family has maintained a strong one. She isn't quite sure yet what life as a woman in the Navy will be like — as a flight offi- cer, an intelligence offi- cer, her second choice, or in any other field. "I don't know too many women officers," she admit- ted. As a young woman who is willing to break new ground, she only sees that as a challenge. Be very circumspect in the choice of thy company. In the society of thine equals thou shalt enjoy more pleasure; in the society of thy superiors thou shalt find more profit. To be the best in the company is the way to grow worse; the best means to grow better is to be the worst there. —Quarles eisimmalb As the menorah lights are kindled once more, may your heart be filled with the special beauty that is Hanukah. Michigan National Corporation Banks MEMBERS . ...... or NOVO PAr NOW. , PRINT "With your 25 Honorary Chairmen, there's no room on it for the new Temple President." Copr. 1980 Dayenu Productions passwarawmgraisxxsami