SEE OUR HUGE SELECTION OF
QUALITY IMPORT & DOMESTIC
USED CARS AT SAME LOCATION
ALSO VISIT MICHIGAN'S #1.
IMPORT TRUCK CENTER
AT 28001 GRAND RIVER.
I
OP-ED
Jews Of Courage
Continued from Page 4
a
L. A. NISSAN, INC.
METRO - DETROIT'S NEWEST
NISSAN DEALERSHIP
SALES. LEASING, PARTS & SERVICE
-73
28200 W. EIGHT MILE ROAD
FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48024
(313) 471-5353
e,0Q,
■
(4,
8 Mile
BUS HOURS 7 30 AM THRU 9 PM MONDAY. THURS . 7:30 AM THRU 6 PM TUES.. WED FRI.
WARNING
"Security
is our
middle name"
•
541-5373
Call Ron White
t t
THESE PREMISES PROTECTED BY
6
"Security is our middle name"
THE FIRST
MICHIGAN BUSINESS MISSION TO ISRAEL
Nov. 15 - Nov. 23, 1986
CO-SPONSORED BY
Michigan Department of Commerce
and
American-Israel Chamber of Commerce
& Industry, Inc./Metropolitan Detroit
led by: Doug Ross, Director
Michigan Department of Commerce
and
Shelly Jackier, Executive Director
American-Israel Chamber of Commerce
& Industry, Inc./Metro Detroit
OPEN TO: Businesspersons of small, med., and large companies
PURPOSE: Discover! Identify! Initiate! Expand!
• Increased export potential
• Decreased cost of imports
• New joint venture and investment opportunities
• A & D capabilities
• Financial and tax incentives
• New Free Trade Agreement
— Duty-free trade
— Duty-free access to European Economic Community
CONTENT:
• Interact with Israeli business counterparts in your industry through individualized appointments
to pursue specific areas of interest
• Explore high tech industries, new industrial parks, technical and agricultural institutes and
universities, industrial kibbutzim, military industry
• Meet Israeli and U.S. Government leaders plus officials in industry and trade, representatives
of major associations and chambers of commerce
• Tour the land of Israel - uncover its glorious past and experience its dynamic present
Deadline for applications is Wednesday, Oct. 1st
For further information call the Chamber at 661-1948
16 Friday, August 22, 1986
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
N
-0-
were discussing the annihila-
tion of Judaism.
There is a third group
made up of young Jews who
are led by young and charis-
matic Jewish leaders. This
group is extremely exciting
because they are seeking an-
swers to deep human and
spiritual questions. I was
forced to confront the very
roots of my own spiritual life.
They are interested in the
religious philosophy of mysti-
cism and the words of Rabbi
Nachman of Breslov. They
are engaged in artistic pur-
suits as well and have pro-
duced beautiful cards for
holidays and are experiment-
ing with audio-visual teach-
ing tools as a substitute for
inadequate children's
textbooks.
Religious life is difficult in
the Soviet Union because
families are assigned apart-
ments by the government or
continue to live with their
parents. We were told that it
is difficult to find a fully
shomer Shabbat (Sabbath ob-
servant) apartment in Mos-
cow. This means that either
children had become religious
in spite of their parents or
parents were religious in
spite of their children.
Moreover, since the syna-
gogues are built in the mid-
dle of the cities, they are in-
accessible to those who live
in the suburbs and do not
ride. A Judaism is developing
in the Soviet Union which is
without a sense of commu-
nity. The sense of community
and the synagogue experience
lie at the very core of Jewish.
life. People cannot join to-
gether in celebration of holi-
days or Shabbat. A non-
authentic form of Judaism is
developing which may not be
able to take root and may
wither and die. People do not
experience the openness and
sharing of synagogue life.
They are devoid of Jewish
ritual experiences and even
those who are learned are
unsure of ritual experiences.
They will have a difficult
time integrating themselves
into Jewish life when they
ultimately leave the Soviet
Union.
Moreover, since the syna-
gogues are run by the gov-
ernment and government of-
ficials, the synagogues are
not normal institutions. One
must visit a Soviet synagogue
to appreciate my words.
There are strange customs
which have developed which
are unique to the synagogues
of Soviet Union. The prayer
for the government and the
prayer for peace are the high-
lights of the services on
Shabbat. The rabbis do not
address the congregation and
they do not lead study
groups. While many re-
fuseniks are afraid to come
into the synagogue, there are
a number of young people
who are now entering into
synagogue life. It will be dif-
ficult for them to gain any
control over synagogue life.
There is an intense desire
in the Soviet Union for adult
Jewish education. The
teachers of each study group
- prepare very hard for their
teaching tasks. They take
their teaching extremely
seriously. Yet, there are seri-
ous gaps in the Jewish
knowledge of the teachers.
There is also some misun-
derstanding created by not
being able to live an authen-
tic Jewish lifestyle. There is
also the enthusiasm of young
people who are returning to
Judaism. This leads to a
spirit of fundamentalism
rather than a spirit of open-
ness. Since it is difficult and
dangerous for people to join
together for the purpose of
study, the study groups last
an entire evening. I once
gave a shiur (lesson) for over
two hours and people were
anxiously waiting for more.
The contrast between the
Soviet Jews who desire to
study and the American
Jewish community which is
so devoid of intensive adult
Jewish education is perhaps
the deepest contrast between
American Jews and our
brothers and sisters in the
Soviet Union.
There is a slowly growing
sense of despair among Soviet
Jews. They do - not know if
their struggle will ever end.
A leader of the religious
community of Leningrad
spoke with me of his deep
anxiety. He does not believe
that religious Judaism will
be able to continue in the
Soviet Union. A leader in the
Moscow community told me
that if the Jews do not get
out of Russia quickly, the
entire religious movement
will die. Religious Jews can
not live in a society so per-
vaded by mistrust and
atheism. Our Jewish commu-
nity has a unique reponsibil-
ity to help Russian Jews. Our
children must write letters of
friendship and encourage-
ment to the children of the
refuseniks. We, ourselves,
must join action groups.
When Eli Wiesel went to
the Soviet Union, he found
Jews of Silence. When we
went to the Soviet Union, we
found Jews of Courage:
human beings who were will-
ing to risk their lives for
their people and for the sur-
vival of Judaism. When we
returned to the United
States, we found Jews of Si-
lence: Jews who are unwill-
ing to become active in the
cause of Soviet Jewry. There
are many organizations and
especially individuals who
are helping Soviet Jews. Yet,
there seems to be a massive
apathy to the plight of our
brothers and sisters in the
Soviet Union. It is time that
we awaken the sleeping giant
of American Jews and that
we help to free our brothers
and sisters in Russia. If we
do not protest, then who will?
If not now, then when?