The wedding analogy will
enable us to answer this. "If my
spouse is merely a part of my life,
then I'm not really married. My
spouse must be first and central in
my life. All I do, all I produce must
be within the context of the
relationship I have with my
beloved." Similarly, all we Jews do,
all we produce must be for the
Almighty. If God is merely a part of
our lives, if our vows as stated in
Torah and our being Jewish are only
parts of our lives then we have no
God, no Torah and no Judaism. We
express this by bringing the first
fruits of our labor to Jerusalem,
God's city, and our home. This
shows that "all I have and do is
meaningful only within the context
of my relationship with You!"

Shavuot Paper Cuts

What You Need:

Colored Paper
White Paper
Scissors, Glue

What You Do:

1. To make the Ten
Commandments; Fold a piece of
white paper in half. Cut a curve
along the top two edges. Fold the
paper in half again. Cut five shapes
on the long folded side. Unfold and
glue the papercut onto colored
paper.

How can we use Shavuot to
enhance our Jewish identity today?
We are living in times of great
contrast. We are witnessing a
Jewish resurgence. Torah is being
studied by more Jews now than in
Europe before the last war.
Traditions are being understood and
followed. Jews are wrestling with
serious questions of identification
and affiliation. Yet, we are still the
only ethnic group in America with a
negative population growth. We see
the disenfranchisement of many. We
feel emptiness which accompanies
a life filled with the pursuit of
money, status and the perfect
physique. Shavuot calls to us all to
re-establish the relationship. It
demands from us, not to accept
symbols of Torah, but to accept
Torah. Shavuot beckons us to live
as Jews without compromise.

Pel t

2. To make a Star of David
design: Fold a circle of white paper
in half and in half again. Then fold
in each side to make an ice cream
cone shape. Cut off the bottom
point with a slanted line. Cut out
shapes along the folds on each side
and along the top. Unfold and glue
the papercut onto colored paper.

From "More Let's Celebrate" by Ruth
Esrig Brinn.

Send Letters Of Support To Refusenik Family

One way to learn about Jewish
life around the world is to write to a
Jewish family in another country.
What is daily life like in the pen
pal's country? What is Jewish life
like? How are the holidays
celebrated? To help our readers
learn about Jews around the world,
L'Chayim is making available
addresses of Jewish families in
communities abroad.
Cost of an international air mail
letter is 45 cents per half ounce.
This month, the address of a
Russian Jewish refusenik has been
made available by the Soviet Jewry
Committee of the Jewish
Community Council. Before writing,
please read these special rules for
corresponding with Russian Jews:
Letters should be personal,
warm, sympathetic and should ask
about birthdays, anniversaries and
family events. Cards should be
exchanged on these occasions and

on the Jewish holidays as well.
Avoid any anti-Soviet material and
refrain from mentioning names of
Soviet Jewry rescue organizations.
Russian, Yiddish, Hebrew or
English may be used. The standard
way of addressing a letter to the
Soviet Union is the reverse of the
USSR, Name of
American way:
Republic, Name of City, Address,
Addressee (last name first).
This month's pen pal is losef
Latinsky, a graphic artist who
resides in Leningrad with his wife,
Olga, a mathematics teacher and
daughter, Anna. The family had
applied in November 1979 for an
exit visa and was refused in 1980
on the grounds of "absence of
parental consent."
At the time the Latinskys began
to gather the necessary documents
for applying for an exit visa, Mrs.
Latinsky's parents were angry with
her for wanting to leave and refused

to give their written consent. They
demanded money as
commpensation. The couple paid
her parents 1,000 rubles, but had to
sell many of their personal
belongings to raise the money.
Then, Latinsky's parents made a
similar demand, and another 1,000
rubles had to be raised.
After applying for the visa and
receiving a refusal, the Latinskys'
telephone was disconnected and
they lost their jobs.
In August 1981, the Latinskys
applied again, only to be refused on
the grounds of "insufficient kinship."
Soviet officials told them that the
invitation from an aunt in Israel was
inadequate. They had to submit new
documents sent by a first degree
relative in Israel. Meanwhile, the
Latinskys have been made Israeli
citizens.
Letters may be sent as follows:
USSR, RSFSR, Leningrad 196283,

Oleko Dundicha 19, korp.3, Kv. 144,
Latinsky, losef.
(L'Chayim has learned, meanwhile,
that Grigory Rozenshtein, who was
profiled in the March edition, has
received permission to leave the
Soviet Union.)

Mailing To Russia?
Booklet Gives Help

The U.S. Postal Service has
made available a guide for sending
mail to the Soviet Union entitled,
Mailing to the Soviet Union. The
booklet covers what kind of mail
can be sent to the Soviet Union,
restrictions and prohibitions and
other relevant topics. The booklet is
available at the Southfield Post
Office,
357-3310.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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