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A
Hakafot
Real Shoe•In

By BEA STADTLER

On Simchat Torah it is the
shoes that are most important. The
Baal Shem Tov believed it was the
shoes. The Angels know that the
shoes are most important. But why?
Everyone knows on Shabbat,
Jews spend part of the afternoon
sleeping. On Simchat Torah, they
spend even more time sleeping
because they have worn themselves
out during the hakafot in the
synagogue, and so they sleep and
sleep.
And the angels have nothing to
do — no souls to work with — all
are asleep. So they have a meeting
— all the angels, with the three
archangels — Michael, Raphael and
Gabriel. Many suggestions are
made about how to spend their time
and finally they decide to go to the
Garden of Eden and clean it up.
It has been a whole year since
they took care of the beautiful
garden. Through the gate they go,
with each angel assigned to a task.
Angel Gabriel holds up a torn tallit,
sighs and disposes of it. Angel

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Michael finds a shabby, torn tzizit,
and Raphael discovers an unfit set
of tefillin. Then from the corner of
the garden comes a little angel. She
has been working hard and is
crying. She calls Gabriel to her
corner. There is a huge pile of
shoes. "What are shoes doing in
the Garden of Eden?"
Angel Michael says, "This is
my doing. These are very special
shoes. You see, other angels wait
for the prayers of the Jews and
weave them into a crown for God to
wear, but I wait for the shoes that
are taken off during the hakafot on
Simchat Torah, and I take them and

weave them into a crown for the
Almighty. After all, what could mean
more to God than shoes taken off to
dance more freely with the Torah on
this special day?"
The angels in the Garden of
Eden look at the shoes. There is a
little patent leather shoe with a tiny
strap — a little girl's shoe. There
are sturdy leather shoes for little
boys. Here are some lovely high-
heeled ladies' shoes — who could
dance on Simchat Torah in those?
Leather boots and sandals that say
"Made in Israel"; simple black
shoes that tied — all in the pile.
Then the angel finds some heavy
shoes for women. In black letters
inside the shoe it says "Made in
Russia." And there are Russian
boots and shoes with worn heels
and toes — from Russia.
"Why all these Russian shoes?
I thought Jews were not allowed to
be Jews in Russia?" questions the
little girl angel.
"You are right," answers
Gabriel, "Jews are not allowed to be
Jews in Russia. All year they are
not allowed to be Jews, but on
Simchat Torah they become Jews,
even though they are not allowed."
"Yes," continues Raphael, "you
see the Russian authorities do not
believe there should be any
religions in Russia, but they
especially do not believe Judaism
belongs in Russia. They make
things especially difficult for Jews.
Jews are spied upon, their
apartments are searched, they are
not permitted to read Jewish books
or newspapers, nor are they
permitted to speak Hebrew or learn
Jewish history, and most of the
synagogues in Russia have been
closed."
"Therefore," says the little
angel again, "therefore, how are
there Russian shoes in the pile of
Simchat Torah shoes?"

"Aha," says Gabriel, "on
Simchat Torah, the Jews do not
care about the Russian authorities.
In Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Jews
gather, and even though many do
not even know the meaning of the
holiday, they take pride in identifying
themselves as Jews — in saying
`See, I am a Jew and there is
nothing you can do about it!' They
touch the Torah and dance until
they have to kick off their shoes
their feet hurt so much.

"They do this in spite of the
fact that they know they will be
persecuted for it — for every Jew in
that synagogue and in that street is

watched and is known to the
authorities — still they dance.
"And so you see, little angel,
these shoes are very special, and
from them I shall weave for God the
most beautiful crown of all — from
the shoes of the persecuted but
protesting Jews of Russia — that
shall be God's crown. And the cry
shall go around the world. And it
will resound in the Kremlin, the
government building in Russia —
and they on earth — and we in
heaven will hear their cry — Let My
People Go!"

Copyright 1984 by Bea Stadtler. Reprinted by
permission of "Shofar" magazine.

Teens Kick Off Anti-AIDS Drive

By JEFF DWOSKIN and KAREN GOLD

With growing concern about
AIDS, BBYO (B'nai B'rith Youth
Organization) has decided to take an
active part in helping to educate the
youth of our community about this
deadly disease. The Aleph Zadik
Aleph and the B'nai B'rith Girls
jointly passed at this year's
international convention, the
1987-1988 program entitled: AIDS:
We C.A.R.E. (Campaign for AIDS
Recognition and Education). All AZA
and BBG chapters have been
encouraged to plan programs on
this theme at least two times during
the next programming year.
AIDS impacts people of all ages
and races. BBYO feels it is
important its members know how
AIDS is spread and how to protect
themselves from the disease.
Chapters are encouraged to have
expert AIDS speakers attend their
programs and field questions.
BBYO is merely trying to
educate its members, not encourage
them to become sexually active.

Another way BBYO is becoming
involved is encouraging their
members to visit and talk with
victims of AIDS. It is important to
stress to our members and the
community that the AIDS disease
can't be spread by simple social
contact.
The fight against AIDS will be
an issue which will endure for years
to come. Even though after this year
AIDS will no longer be BBYO's only
programming focus, BBYO will still
be active in helping to educate its
members and the Jewish
community until the battle is won.
BBYO really does C.A.R.E.

Youth who want to get involved
in AIDS education can stop by the
BBYO office and pick up a free
booklet, AIDS: We C.A.R.E.

Jeff Dwoskin is the AZA Great Lakes
Council, Michigan Region Aleph Godol
(president). Karen Gold is BBG Great Lakes
Council, Michigan Region N'siah (president).

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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