28 Friday, Aditisf9, 1985 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOR ALL YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS to TAMPA, air only from $99.- to LAS VEGAS air only from $199.- to Orlando air and hotel from $269.- TORAH PORTION `Stiff-Necked People' Has Been A Good Trait also CRUISES, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, etc. call BY RABBI IRWIN GRONER Special to The Jewish News GOLDSTEIN TRAVEL, 559-2770 The Jewish National Fund Invites You To Join Its MISSION TO ISRAEL . •4;, 5•4•40.44441 October 29 November 12, 1985 - A unique trip to Israel planned for and by the JNF Offices in Detroit, New York and Jerusalem. We are extremely pleased that Lea and Walter Field will be hosting this trip. FANTASTIC! Includes air fare, transfers de- luxe hotels, privately guided tours, break- fasts, dinner cruise .. . $1725 • briefings with top Israeli leaders • an extensive tour of Israel by one of the most reknowned guides • traitional must-see locations including the Knesset, Masada, Safad, Dead Sea, etc. • be adopted by kibbutz members for an afternoon. e•3 Act Now! The JNF is offering this trip to Israel at an incredibly low $1725. $200 Deposit by Aug. 15 will hold your place. For a brochure and more information call our local JNF Office or write to: C"\ as1 Bee tt Kalt Tiave Jewish National Fund 18877 W. Ten Mile Rd. Southfield, Mich. 48075 (313) 557-6644 offers you a chance to discover a new way of life!!! Pack up your energy and warm-ups and ... away we go to Canyon Ranch Fitness Re- sort. • WHEN Sunday, September 29, 1985 to Sunday, October 6, 1985 and/or Sunday, October 6, 1985 to Sunday, Oc- tober 13, 1985. WHY To Treat and pamper yourself to a personal renewal program. WHAT'S THE TARIFF Single $1,375 per seven nights - Our very special group rates. Bee Kalt Travel saves you $465 Double $1.165 - Bee Kalt Travel saves you $345 Triple $1,095 - Bee Kalt Travel saves you $275 Plus 15% gratuity and 5% tax. LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE!!! TREAT YOURSELF - YOU DESERVE IT!! Round trip air fare from Detroit, Metro to Tucson from $258. Airport transfers included. A deposit of $300 per person is required immediately. Call Gerrie Kalt at Bee Kalt Travel "Your Michigan Spa and Sport Connection" 549-6733 'Adoration of the Golden Calf' by French artist Nicolas Poussin. We think of human traits in either/or categories: good and bad, praiseworthy and con- demnable. Humility is good, pride is bad. Anger and impa- tience are bad, patience and tolerance are good. However, a philosopher could argue that there are no traits that are.good and bad in and of themselves. What makes them worthy or unworthy is the purpose they serve and the goals they ad- vance. A Chasidic teacher once ex- pounded a verse of Ecclesiastes which declares that "God made everything beautiful in its time." "Whatever God created," the teacher explained, "is good and useful." His students asked, "What good is envy? Envy is an evil trait." The teacher re- sponded, "Not at all, for the envy of scholars, which causes them to compete, has a good ef- fect in that it increases wis- dom." "What good is atheism, lack of faith?" they asked. "This, too," he said, "has a purpose. When a poor man comes to you in need, don't offer him theology. Don't say to him: 'God will provide. Our Father in heaven will help you.' At that moment, become a skeptic. Don't affirm the power of the Creator of the universe as an excuse to evade your responsibility—Act as if God were absent, and you help him." In this week's Sidrah, Moses re- counts the time when he was in- formed by God that the people of Israel made a golden calf. God stated: "I have seen this people and they are Am K'shay Oref, a stiff-necked, a perversely stub- born people." This is a severe criticism, a veritable indictment of the Hebrew people. Yet, a lit- tle later, when Moses beseeches God to bestow forgiveness and show compassion, he uses the same phrase as he says, "Let the Lord go up in our midst, for in- deed this is an Am K'shaY Oref, this is a stiff-necked people." Why does Moses use the same phrase to defend the people that god used to attack them? Why does. Moses, in the context of seeking to- win God's pardon, remind God (as it were), of this "evil" trait? The Midrash 'explains. Moses challenges God: "Do you think I "use " this - phrase in criticism bf Israel? On the contrary, I us to praise them. This is, indee strong-willed people, unrel ing in their lust for the gol calf. But days will come, in turies yet unborn, that t stiff-neckedness will have o beneficial consequences. In distant future, Jews will s up unbending and unyiel despite the persecution of t enemies. They will be stub in their loyalty; resolute in Ekev: Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25 Isaiah 49:14-51:3 determination; unflaggin their zeal to bear witness name. They are an Am Oref, -Heavenly Father; Yo rely upon them." This text and comme sheds light on the disti nature of Jewish history a unique character of the J people. We are a stiff-n people whom neither Am nor Haman, nor Torque nor even Hitler could des Neither dispersion nor e neither destruction nor c trophe could crush the s neckedness of this people, overcome their resolute and durate will to live. Even the Holocaust, Jews were termined to survive, endure rebuild their shattered lives the Land of Israel, and preserve the Jewish way of in all the countries of their persion. At this time in particular, think of our brethren in t Soviet Union. Aug. 12 mar the 33rd anniversary of the timely deaths of 24 Sow writers and poets who we murdered by Soviet authoriti in 1952. But . they are a "stiff-necke people," our brethren in th Soviet Union, and many of the teach and study their Jewis heritage, procalim their desir to emigrate to Israel, and, d spite harassment and danger, defy the suppression and cruelty of their government. They are true heroes of the spirit. So, too, do the people of Israel continue the tradition.- -