THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Friday, June 11, 1982

Reason, Intelligence Mark
JPS-Printed Greenberg Book

By HEIDI PRESS

I can just hear the opposi-
tion. That woman's crazy."
"She should be in the
kitchen." "She should be
taking care of her kids."
"What makes her an
halakhic expert?" "Fehr
Were it not for the fact
that Blu Greenberg re-
searched her new book in
the Shulhan Arukh, the
Commentaries, biblical and
talmudic sources, and in the
writings of the great Jewish
thinkers, it would probably
be rejected outright.
Yet, there will be those
‘. _w are willing to consider
her proposal that tradi-
tional Judaism can be
strengthened by incorporat-
ing feminist values.
She makes this bold
statement in a new
Jewish Publication
Society volume, "On
Women and Judaism: A
View from Tradition" in
which she uses logic and
reason to present her
argument rather than the
banner-waving tactics
which have unfortu-
nately plagued the
feminist movement.
She prefaces her position
thus:
"Necessary changes can
be wrought in keeping with
the tenets and spirit of
Halakha. This means using
those halakhic categories
that are clearly an integral
part of the living dynamic of
Jewish law. Halakha need
not be asked to conform to
every passing fad, nor
should poskim become
fellow-travelers of every
fashionable current;
neither may the leadership,
hide behind slogans of im-
mutability that are dishon-
est caricatures of Halakha.
"Judaism throughout the
centuries always has been
open to other social
philosophies as a means of
upgrading and enhancing
its own religious system.
There is ample precedent
for the integration into
Jewish tradition of the best
values of the society in
which we live, especially
where these illuminate or
confirm central themes in
Judaism — the dignity of
man and woman as created
in the image of God."
No banner-waving, no
slogans and no ul-
timatums, Mrs. Green-
berg states her case and
offers solutions to what
she sees are problem
areas. In an appeal for a
greater woman's role in
prayer, she offers the fol-
lowing:
"There must be a flower-
ing of women's prayer and
an encouragement of lead-
ership roles for women in
urgy. And, most impor-
ant — the means whereby
all of these will be wrought
— Jewish women must
begin to acquire an inten-
sive Jewish education right
up through the level of
high-quality rabbinic
schools, preferably non-
sex-differentiated, so that
each will hear the interpre-
tation of the law in the
presence of the 'other,' so

that they simultaneously
grow in understanding of
the tradition. Only then will
women become part of the
learned elite of our commu-
nity in whose hands is ves-
ted the authority, the
power, the leadership and
the inspiration."
What is attractive about
her arguments is her atti-
tude of flexibility and com-
promise. She doesn't advo-
cate overthrowing the sys-
tem. Instead, she looks for
ways of working within the
confines of traditional
Jewish teachings.
Among the topics she dis-
cusses are: divorce, abor-
tion, choice between home
and career and women's role
in the synagogue.
Practicality also is an
important component of
the Greenberg argument.
In an afterword, she con-
cludes:
"Undoubtedly there will
be much haggling, bicker-
ing, protest, insult, fear,
anxiety, rationalization,
and sublimation until a
position of equality in
Judaism stabilizes. One
hopes that women and men
will understand this in its
proper perspective, as a
process on the way toward a
goal."
Even those who disagree
with her position will find
Blu Greenberg's "On
Women and Judaism" a
well-thought-out discussion
of a contemporary Jewish
theme.

Times Columnist
Denies Bias
Against Israel

NEW YORK — Anthony
Lewis, a New York Times
columnist who has been
sharply criticized for anti-
Israel articles, calls himself
"a Zionist" and "a firm be-
liever in Israel" who re-
members as a "transfixing"
emotional moment the crea-
tion of the state of Israel.
In an interview published
in The Long Island Jewish
World, Lewis tells how he
was brought up in a Conser-
vative Jewish home. His
parents kept kosher, cele-
brated the major holidays,
went to synagogue occa-
sionally and gave their son
a Bar Mitzva.
Today the New York
Times columnist calls him-
self "a non-believer, a non-
observant Jew," but one
who cares about Jewish tra-
dition. "I still give a Seder
with reasonable skill," he
told reporter Alan Jacobs in
the May 20 issue.
Lewis believes Israel's
current behavior on the
West Bank is a "danger-
ously self-destructive policy
whose eventual goal is the
annexation of the West
Bank." He rejects charges
that he is "anti-Israel."

The private devotions and
secret offices of religion are
like the refreshing of a gar-
den with the distilling and
petty drops of a waterpot;
but addressed from the
temple, they are like rain
from heaven.

— — —

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=1=

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND

Cordially Invites You To Attend The

Testimonial Dinner

Honoring

Harry and Sarah Laker

For the purpose of establishing the

Harry and Sarah Laker Family Forest

in the American Independence Park in Israel

Cocktails, 6:00 p.m./Dinner, 7:00 p.m.
Contribution (including dinner)
per couple (minimum) S200.00
Dress Optional

Wednesday, Evening,
June 16, 1982
-
at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue
27375 Bell Road, Southfield

Guest Speaker

Dr. Samuel 1. Cohen

Executive Vice President
of Jewish National Fund
of America

Dinner Chairman
Irving Laker

Associate Chairmen
Leonard N. Simons
Paul Zuckerman

Co-Chairmen
David B. Hermelin
David B. Holtzman
Myron L. Milgrom

Honorary Chairmen
Mrs. Morris Adler
Mr. & Mrs. Louis Berry
Mr. & Mrs. Morris Brandwine
Mr. & Mrs. Irwin I. Cohn
Dr. & Mrs. William Haber
Mr. & Mrs. David Handleman

Members of Steering Committee
Leonard P. Baruch
Joni Feldman
Dr. Leon Fit

Dr. & Mrs. I. Jerome Hauser
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph H. Jackier
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Milan
Dr. & Mrs. Harold T. Shapiro
Mr. & Mrs. Max M. Shaye
Mr. & Mrs. Leonard N. Simons

Dr. Gerald L. Laker
Martin Laker
Steve Lord

Milton J. Miller
Louis Parr
Mark E. Schlussel
Carmi M. Slomovitz

Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Slomovitz
Mr. & Mrs. Max Stollman
Mr. Phillip Stollman
Mr. & Mrs. David P. Zack
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Zuckerman

President, Jewish National
Fund of Greater Detroit
Ruben H. Isaacs

For Reservations and Information Call:

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND

Ir'411
Kt RIP. %Ayr M( 1N LEISRA(1.

27308 Southfield Road
Southfield, Michigan 48076
Phone (313) 557-6644

Executive Director
Percy Kaplan

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