EDITORIAL
Passover Prayer
The miracle of Passover is that its message is always relevant.
One need only look at the timeless themes in the Hagaddah of the
struggle for freedom over slavery, the quest for a people to practice
their religion in their own homeland, and compare them to today's
headlines from Moscow and Jerusalem.
For the first time in years there is new hope that the Soviet policy
of repression may be easing. Two American Jewish leaders returned
from Moscow last week with words of promise from Soviet authorities
that the emigration gates will open, that Jewish life within Russia will
be renewed. But the reality is that this Passover, many thousands of
Jews remain in the USSR against their will, their applications to
emigrate to their Jewish homeland denied.
It is at this crucial juncture in U.S., Soviet and Israeli relations,
and at this holiday season of Passover, that we must renew our efforts
on behalf of our brethren in the Soviet Union. One meaningful act
would be for each family to read The Matzah of Hope," a special
prayer for the seder.
The prayer notes the indestructible links that exist between Jews,
wherever they may be, and our commitment never to forget that the
struggle against our oppressors goes on. This year the Jews of Russia
will pray, "Next year in Jerusalem." Next year, we pray, that plea will
be reality.
In either case, our Jewish community is risking affronting a young
family at one of the happiest moments in their lives. There are those
who would argue such an affront is necessary, or that the affront is to
the Jewish community, not to the family.
We would recommend putting aside the arguments over "Who Is A
Jew?" in favor of a more positive proposal calling for our organized
Jewish community and our religious establishments to coordinate a
formal effort to reach out to all families whose sons have just
undergone circumcision. A counselor could telephone or visit and
materials about the Jewish community could be sent to the family, not
only in the case where the mother is not Jewish but in all cases.
What better time to introduce a young family, possibly
uncommitted, to the organizations and services of the Jewish
community? It would also be an appropriate mechanism to provide
follow-up information to the family of a youngster whose brit
certificate states that he must undergo a mikveh.
In each case our Jewish community could be strengthened, rather
than weakened.
isils? Anis is
OIIR a\c'
Removing The Question
tilsr DELIVERED
Assimilation is causing fundamental changes in our Jewish
population, and in our Judaism. For the vast majority of our people,
the ties that bind are far more social than they are religious. However,
as reported in our Close-Up story this week (Page 4) by staff writer
David Holzel, the vast majority of Jews, whether religiously committed
or not, continue to have a ritual circumcision performed on their sons,
thus binding them to their ancient faith.
Yet in some cases a question remains, and an opportunity. A
number of male babies undergoing the ancient brit milah rite are not
legally Jewish according to Conservative and Orthodox standards
because the mother is not Jewish. Local mohelim are divided on the
issue: several will conduct the ritual circumcision in this situation,
counseling the parents that the baby is not legally a Jew unless he is
immersed in a mikveh, while others refuse to conduct a brit under such
circumstances.
111E3E„,
C-
SECRET STUFF
Haw ND It MEW
ir
Ger ier
YOJ CAN'T TRuST
wilo cfw WV
aY1
CAW 01111/111 iNT'ELIADO
114 41 /I fl 1 .
1
'
4'
(54 •
ir
1
•
LETTERS
Temple Emanu-El's
Mazon Food Drive
As a member of Temple
Emanu-El and an active par-
ticipant in its Mazon pro-
gram, I take great exception
to the front page article,
"Mazon Food Program Is
Begun In Detroit" (April 3).
Had The Jewish News
checked with the national
Mazon office your reporter
would have learned that
Temple Emanu-El has par-
ticipated in the national
Mazon program for 18
months! Temple events in-
volving food are designated
Mazon events and a three
percent contribution is sent
to the California Mazon
office.
Recognizing a local need to
feed the Jewish hungry,
Temple Emanu-El estab-
lished the Chaveet ("barrel"
in Hebrew) Barrel in our
8
Friday, April 10, 1987
temple lobby. Food cans are
collected at all religious class
sessions, and people coming
to Temple for any reason are
encouraged to bring a can of
food ... Our rabbi, Lane
Steinger, mentions at every
service the mitzvah attached
to the Chaveet and Mazon
programs.
I am delighted that more
congregations are going to
follow Temple Emanu-El's
lead and participate in this
very important and worth-
while program. ...
Judith A. Nolish
"Project For The Needy And
The Hungry" (which includes
a canned food drive, assis-
tance to needy families and a
job search program) for more
than a year.
We also routinely publicize
"Mazon" to Temple members
who are planning the cele-
bration of bar or bat mitzvah
or are renting synagogue
facilities for an occasion at
which food will be served.
Temple Emanu-El officially
has been a "Mazon Partner-
ship Congregation" since
June 1986.
Huntington Woods
Rabbi Lane Steinger
Temple Emanu-El
Your article "Mazon Food
Project Is Begun In Detroit"
omits any reference to Tem-
ple Emanu-El and to our
congregation's involvement
with this most worthwhile
endeavor. "Mazon: A Jewish
Response To Hunger" has
been an integral part of our
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Kosher Bacon
Is Disturbing
Like many others, I was
very excited to learn of the
new glatt kosher deli that
opened recently in Oak Park
under supervision of the
Vaad. Imagine my dismay,
when after rushing to Sara's
for lunch, one day, I was sea-
ted and handed a menu that
listed items such as bacon
and eggs, BLT sandwiches,
etc. Upon further inquiry, I
was assured by the waiter,
that the bacon was only
cured beef, made to look and
taste like the real thing. Per-
sonally, I felt that I was
being "exploited" and that
the new-treif-style deli_ had
exhibited extreme poor taste
in the interest of expediency.
The proprietor of Sara's de-
serves the patronage of the
Jewish community, but only
after items which are "ersatz
treif" are removed from the
menu. People who keep
kosher are secure in their ob-
servance, and do not require
bacon substitutes in their
diet.
Those who endorse the
kashrut of this establishment
should bear in mind the re-
sponsibility they have to the
community. By sanctioning
treif look-alikes which bear
the name of the original, they
are sending a wrong message
to those who are less knowl-
edgeable ...
N
Isadore Beinhorn,
Southfield
Remembering
Rabbi Fram
Thank you so much for
your very beautiful and sen-
sitive article about Rabbi
Fram (March 27).
I know that I express the
sentiments of the entire con-
gregation when I tell you
that of all the tributes paid to
Rabbi Fram, yours was the
most beautiful and percep-
tive.
Rabbi M. Robert Syme
Temple Israel
_/
N
JI