CONTENTS
OPINION
CLOSE-UP
To The Top
VICTORIA BELYEU DIAZ
The business world
has seen an upsurge,
and more acceptance,
for women execs.
PEOPLE
Hollywood Renaissance?
48
MICHAEL ELKIN
The stars of Tinseltown
are rediscovering their Judaism.
Re lig ious News Se rvice
LIFESTYLES
Chanukah is a celebration of our Judaism. Illustration by S. Karczmar.
A Way To Keep Chanukah
From Seeming Like Christmas
GARY A. TOBIN
he "Holiday Season" used to make
me feel like Scrooge, bah and
humbug-like. Chanukah was star-
ting to make me all grumpy because it
became more difficult to tell Chanukah and
Christmas apart. That was part- of the pro-
blem, but not most of it, before my family
discovered the best way to celebrate
Chanukah.
I dreaded the shopping. It was not the
lines, the Muzak, the phony Santa Clauses
and the incompetent salespeople that were
most annoying. Take away the Santa
Clauses, and it is much the same the rest
of the year anyway. The problem was hav-
ing to buy something for everybody,
whether or not they needed something or
wanted something. I had to find gifts that
were fun, creative or meaningful. What a
task!
While I experienced the joy of man-
datory consumerism, I was constantly bom-
barded by the sound of "Wayne Newton
Sings Christmas" permeating the mall.
Wayne, joined by the Chipmunks, was all
mingled with the greedy cries of children
who already had more toys, gadgets and
equipment than they could possibly know
what to do with. The checkout lines are
always populated by families shopping
together. The tension builds. As one come-
dian asks, why do parents bring their
children to stores to beat them?
T
Gary A. Tobin is director of the Center for Modern
Jewish Studies at Brandeis University.
I was in the malls so much because
Chanukah now requires many presents.
New shelving has to be erected in the base-
ment for the accumulated haul from past
years for the kids. The basement is the on-
ly place for it, because no one touches the
stuff after a few days. It's not just the kids
who need presents. As the Dodo told Alice
in her trip to Wonderland, everyone shall
have prizes. So back to the mall.
Presents are often hidden in the base-
ment, with their forgotten mates of years
past unless, of course, they are something
big. And big they might be. in the never-
ending quest to demonstrate love and car-
ing through retail receipts, some people
find bigger and more expensive presents
necessary. Fancy cameras, jewelry, an ex-
pensive case of wine, vacations and cars are
no longer too extravagant for some. The
success of the holiday is measured by how
much is spent.
Celebrating Chanukah in this way is
antithetical to basic Jewish values. Aside
from its thinly disguised imitation of the
worst aspects of commercialized Christmas,
it is such a terrible waste. Now, of course,
it would be Scrooge-like to suggest that we
do not buy presents for children or spouses,
or parents or friends. The holiday offers a
wonderful time for exchange and a good
time for families to be together and share
gifts. Lighting candles together and
celebating the holiday are fun. Watching
children make latkes at a JCC pre-school,
or light candles at a temple or synagogue
is a wonderful part of the holiday.
Continued on Page 10
CARLA JEAN SCHWARTZ
A capsule look at a new KIND
of person: Amy Devove.
SPORTS
Maccabi Run-Around
52
55
MIKE ROSENBAUM
The Detroit club's fundraiser
is a big success ... eventually.
ENTERTAINMENT
Sing And Celebrate
65
DEBBIE WALLIS LANDAU
Elaine Serling, Jewish music
and children go hand in hand.
EDUCATION
Bricks And Mortar
79
KAREN A. KATZ
Buildings are not the focus
for Detroit supporters
of Israeli universities.
SINGLE LIFE
Socially Speaking
102
Temple Israel's Singles Extension
knows how to throw a party.
COLUMNISTS
2 Philip Slomovitz
60 Helen Davis
68
Danny Raskin
90
92
95
96
98
124
Engagements
B'nai Mitzvah
Youth
Births
Women
Obituaries
DEPARTMENTS
26
32
36
40
58
86
Business
Inside Washington
Synagogues
Life In Israel
Seniors
Cooking
CANDLELIGHTING
December 18, 1987 4:44 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
7