for your shopping convenience . • WE WILL BE OPEN Yiddish-speaking day schools. But they are not uniformly observant. Their unifying trait is a deep pride in their Jewish identity and a disinterest in being inte- grated in Argentine political and social life. Since their goal is to wor- ship freely and lead a tradi- tional lifestyle, these religious Jews generally get along well with all Argentine govern- ments. Said Rabbi Nathan Grun- blatt of Buenos Aires' Lubavitch community: "Life under democracy or the military does not change "Parents refuse to send their children to Sunday school. They consider it a waste of time." much for a religious Jew. When I was living in New Jersey, my father tried to ex- plain the Argentine situation to me by letter. He wrote 'The right wingers are fighting the left. and the left wingers are fighting the right while the religious Jews sit in the mid- dle and laugh.' " Most Argentine Jews want to move out of the Once. They send their children to public school and work in other neighborhoods. In public schools, Jewish children often become the targets of nation- alist anti-Semitism. They ad- just by minimizing the dif- ferences that separate them from other Argentines. In- volvement in Argentine poli- tics, going to 'in' summer resorts, hanging out at the right places and wearing the right kind of clothing become part of their new Argentine image. In adopting this Ar- gentine identity, they usually reject their Jewish heritage. The story of my friend Alicia is typical. She was raised by her Yiddish- speaking grandmother in the Once because both her parents worked. She attended public school where, at the age of 15, she became a political leader in the out- lawed Peronist youth move- ment. The Peronists espoused left-wing nationalist ideas and were critical of the. Argentine military governments' human rights violations. By the time Alicia grad- uated from high school, she had been arrested twice. This did not deter her from being politically active in the public university where she enrolled. Alicia eventually married a lapsed Catholic and moved to the United States in the mid-1970's after several of her pplitically-active friends disappeared. Alicia always admitted to being a Jew, but her knowledge of Judaism was very rudimentary. She once told me she had never set foot in a synagogue in Argentina, not even for a bar mitzvah or a wedding. Many of the German and Austrian Jews who came to Argentina before and during World War II have followed a different pattern of adapta- tion. They disdain Argentine society and culture, which they consider corrupt, and send their children to bi- lingual schools, where English, German or French are taught in the afternoon by foreign teachers, and the Argentine program is fol- lowed in the morning. Although some German immigrants joined congrega- tions in Buenos Aires, their children were often excused from attending services because of school pressures. These children, raised with- out a Jewish or an Argentine identity, felt closest to the culture transmitted to them through their school. Many of them left Argentina to study in Europe or the United States. For those remaining in Argentina, the assimilation rate has been extremely high. A distant relative of mine, who came from Germany in the 1920's, has 10 grand- children. Almost all married Catholics. The only one to marry a Jew is living in the United States. The first to address serious- ly the problem of the gradual demise of the Argentine Jewish community was Mar- shall Meyer, a Conservative American Rabbi who came to Argentina in 1959. Meyer founded the Latin American Rabbinical seminary to train rabbis and teachers and teach Hebrew and Judaism to chil- dren and adults. Meyer also founded Bet El, the first Con- servative Argentine congre- gation, started a Sunday school, several day schools and a summer camp. Meyer's commitment to the human rights movement made him a very controversial figure during the military regimes of the 1970's and 1980.'s. In his sermons, he said, "If you believe in the bible, human rights become an obligation. In fact, you cannot understand biblical literature and remain silent." He attracted large numbers of youths to his Friday night services, which, for the first time competed with movies and rock concerts. He also stressed Jewish youths' responsibility towards their country, which, in his view, was consistent with being a good, observant Jew, despite Argentine anti-Semitism. SUNDAY, AUG., 24th 12 - 5 pm "with the latest fashions for fall & back-to-school!" 855-6566 AT HUNTERS SQUARE ORCHARD. LAKE RD. AT 14 MILE We're Having open daily 10-5:30 Wed. & Fri. til 9 Open House at Temple Israel Sunday Afternoon, August 24th, from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. And You're Invited to Participate If your family is not presently affiliated with a Congregation and you're thinking to join a Reform Temple in the Liberal Tradition, TEMPLE IS- RAEL may be exactly what you're looking for. • Religious and Hebrew School program, beginning with Pre- Kindergarten (Age 4), Continuing with Bar/Bat Mitzvah; Confirma- tion in the Ninth Grade and High School Graduation at Grade 12. Directed by Joseph Poisson • Nursery Program for Pre-Schoolers, Three or Five Days weekly plus Mother-Toddler classes. Directed by Bryna Leib • Active Youth Group Programming for Grades 9-12 • Junior Choir for Saturday Services and Special Events. All music programming directed by Cantor Harold Orbach • Affiliate Groups include Sisterhood, Brotherhood, Couples Club and Youth Group. And there is special programming for Young Adults, the Singles Connection, the Singles Extension and our Temple Treasures — activities for people of all ages • A Bereavement Support Group for those wishing to receive and offer strength to families who have experienced death The Synagogue is the address of the Jewish people. It is a second home, offering an extension of family among people who have common interests, desires and goals. It is a place to worship, to find comfort, to celebrate the meaningful and beautiful events in life. It is a place to study and to learn. It is a place that shares in the concerns of the broader community by raising social awareness and by taking action that reflects on moral issues. Come Join Us for Open House Learn What Makes Temple Israel Unique And if you can't come on Sunday, feel free to attend Sabbath Services Any Friday Evening, at 8:00 P.M. TEMPLE ISRAEL A Congregation of Liberal Judaism 5725 Walnut Lake Road (Near Drake) in West Bloomfield Call 661-5700 for Membership Information Rabbis: M. Robert Syme, Harold S. Loss, Paul M. Yedwab Cantor: Harold Orbach Continued on next page 69