r JEWISH SINGLES M\ SINGLE Doubling Of Jewish Conversions Predicted Lo-Lo Update 26 People Have Found Their Mr./Ms. Right Try Us. We'd like to try for you. Call 356-0949 Claire Arm Millie Rosenbaum Or Write: Lo-la, P.O. Box 254 Lathrup Village, MI 48076} 181 S. Woodward Ave. Birmingham, MI 48011 642-1690 GOING TO THE AIRPORT? BUSINESS_ OR VACATION 1r."1 7 ; 11 r Watch for Attitude Adjustment Hour February 12, 1987 44. 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. is• In Buddy's Bar room at Buddy's Pizza 31646 Northwestern Highway • Happy Hour Prices • Free Gourmet Pizzas & Hors d'oeuvres • Free Admission . Start at your front door avoid the hassel at the airport and getting there! ROYAL CAB 17415 WEST TEN MILE ROAD SOUTHFIELD, MI 48075 559-1972 Call us now for special rates with this ad When The Occasion Arises Dependability Is Utmost! You Can Always Rely On bruce m. weiss Jewelers 26325 Twelve Mile Rd. Southeast corner Northwestern Behind Gabe's Fruits In The Mayfair Shops sponsored by the Community Network for Jewish Singles For information call 661-1000, extension 347. I Mon.-Sat. 10-5:30 Thurs. 10-8:30 353-1424 VV AMERICAN GRILLE 111611•111111 ■ 11 A RESTAURANT AND MUCH MORE! Lunch Served Monday Through Friday 11:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. Dinner Served Until 12:00 Midnight Monday Through Saturday Nibbles and Dancing Till 2:00 a.m. IN THE AMERICAN CENTER BUILDING 27777 FRANKLIN ROAD Southfield 350-8450 BANQUET FACILITIES UP TO 175 PEOPLE Your dentist saves your teeth. He may also save your life. See yOur dentist regu- larly. It may save your life. Cancer of the mouth kills about 8,000 Amer- icans each year who might have been saved through early detection and treatment. So see 2,,our dentist for a com- plete oral checkup •eg- ularly. American Cancer Society VISIT OUR OTHER LOCATIONS ... PANACHE IN BIRMINGHAM AND MAVERICK'S IN ROYAL OAK 84 Friday, January 30, 1987 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS ∎ !.., 'Pace ; New York (JTA) — Experts indicate that the number of converts to Judaism in the United States will double to 300,000 by the year 2000, a New York educator notes in a recent issue of the Reconstruc- tionist. The writer, Lawrence Epstein, says the conversions have helped "trigger religious confrontations within (Ameri- can) Jewry that some predict could result in a permanent split between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews." He asserts that "several fac- tors in the social climate of the United States have combined to create an atmosphere con- genial to the revival of a Jewish movement to seek con- verts," the first being "the widely noted legitimation of ethnicity as an acceptable or- ganizing principle for defend- ing identity." Second, he notes that fun- damentalist Christians "have made the act of proselytizing well known as a way to win over reluctant JewS. Jewish reaction may in some sense be seen as adopting the tactics of what many (Jews) view as a religious threat to Jews." Most important, Epstein as- serts, is that "many Jews favor conversion as a form of demog- raphic self-defense. Most American Jews believe that American Jewry is committing a slow communal suicide." American Jews fear for their future, he declares, "because of a combination of negative population growth, a birth rate below replacement level; in- termarriage, frequently cited at 50 percent; a population that is older than the average — approximately 40 percent of American Jews are over 45, as compared to 30 percent of the whole U.S. population; and, as Jews move to the South and West, a population that is less concentrated and thus with diminished religious cohesion and political power." Epstein writes that it was clear that Jews would continue to encourage conversion of non-Jews "for significant reli- gious reasons alone, indepen- dent of the fluctuating reli- gious rates of Jewish births and intermarriage." Discussing the negative im- pact of conversion on born Jews, Epstein notes "conver- sion has been the focus — both in the United States and Israel — of a battle for religious legitimacy within Judaism." He added that some Orthodox leaders are warning that "within a few decades, many people who think of themselves as Jews will not be considered Jews by the Orthodox." Despite such warnings, Eps- tein says, "the numerically major movements of American Jewry seem determined to pro- gress with their intention to seek converts." He suggests that one reason why "the con- versionist movement has been so well received by American Jews" is that "the fundamental character" of American Jewry is voluntary. "In a sense, all American Jews are Jews by choice," the term most converts prefer to describe their conversion, he writes. "That is, people who are born Jews must choose to re- main Jews. There are no legal forces that seek, reward and support such a voluntary choice to remain a Jew — and religious, familial and cultural forces have become much less powerful." "Gentiles who choose to be- come Jews validate the choice of those born Jewish to remain Jews," he asserts. Mature Singles Set Dinner-Dance The Singles Extension Group (50 and over) will have a "Think Spring" dinner-dance at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at Temple Is- - rael. The evening will include entertainment, music for danc- ing, dinner and dessert. Only persons who have made reservations by Feb. 12 will be admitted to the party. There is a fee, and non-members are in- vited. For information, call Sabra Shekter, 353-6247; Sylvia Winton, 642-8321; or Florence Wuethrich, 682-6133. Singles 2 Plans To Meet at Center Singles 2 (40-55) will have a meeting at 8 p.m. Feb. 12 at the main Jewish Community Cen- ter. Larry Bissinger, past president of Toastmasters, will give a talk on "Communication Skills — How To Present Your Positive Image." There is an admission fee. Refreshments will be served. For information, call Babs Sepe or Jill Cole, 661-1000, ext. 347. Comedy Castle Hosts Singles B'nai B'rith Franklin Sing- les (30-45) will have dinner and see-comedian Tim Allen at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Com- edy Castle and Cafe, Berkley. For reservations, call the Comedy Castle, 542-9900. There is a fee. For information about the singles group, call Heidi Coffman, 399-9196; or Gary Tencer, 581-6161 (days). Reservations Due Feb. 9 is the deadline for reservations for the Winter Wonderland Weekend for sing- les slated Feb. 20-22 at Camp Maas. Fee includes meals and lodg- ing. For information, call Jill Cole, 661-1000, ext. 347.