CLOSE-UP
The Arab-Americans'
Street Smart Activist
24
JAMES DAVID BESSER
James Zogby is the Arabs' hope
for more influence in Washington.
SPORTS
Present And Future
MIKE ROSENBAUM
North Farmington and Berkley hold
different rungs on the tennis ladder.
INSIGHT
Shavuot Revelation
RABBI HAROLD SCHULWEIS
Some unique aspects of a special
Jewish holiday are revealed.
ENTERTAINMENT
Jewish children demonstrate for Soviet Jews: A shortsighted policy.
A Question Of Priorities
RABBI MARC SCHNEIER
Special to The Jewish News
p
resident Ronald Reagan has prom-
ised to press the issue of Jewish
emigration during his summit,
which will begin May 29, with Soviet
leader Mikhail Gorbachev. From the very
start of the Soviet Jewry movement, the
highest priority has been given to. this
basic human right. But when activists in
the West relegate to secondary status ef-
forts to train Russian rabbis, supply kosher
food, provide Russian-Hebrew bibles and
make available other educational
materials, I must disagree.
Such a shortsighted policy
miscalculates the dimensions of the Soviet
Jewry dilemma. And it does our brothers
and sisters in the Soviet Union a disservice
by ignoring the great majority of Soviet
Jews who have not expressed interest in
emigrating.
In many cases, their decision to stay is
a consequence of religious ignorance and
spiritual lethargy. Indeed, if Gorbachev
were to open the gates tomorrow, a majori-
ty of Soviet Jews would most likely choose
to remain. And that is the potential
tragedy of an "emigration only" approach.
It ignores the possibility of a Jewish future
for nearly two million Jews in the Soviet
Union who know little of being Jewish
beyond the word Ivrei stamped on their in-
ternal passports.
The reality of the problem was
underscored for me when I became the first
rabbi from the West to officiate at a major
holiday observance in the Soviet Union. I
conducted Passover services and led the
Rabbi March Schneier is head of the Park East
Synagogue in Manhattan.
communal seder in Moscow's historic
Choral Synagogue during the first two days
of Passover. Joining me was Dr. Joel Selter,
a member of my congregation who chanted
the services and the seder, and our cantor,
Moshe Geffen, who conducted services dur-
ing the last two days of the eight-day
holiday.
Our group was substituting for the
Moscow synagogue's two regular
clergymen, Rabbi Adolph Shayevich and
Cantor Vladimir Pliss, both of whom are
enrolled in an intensive study program at
the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological
Seminary at Yeshiva University in New
York.
The opportunity to conduct services in
Moscow was an emotional experience, per-
mitting us to meet Soviet Jews whose
strong sense of Jewish identity and
synagogue-orientation reflected spiritual
courage and determination. Equally
significant was the opportunity to meet
many Jews who were bereft of any sense of
religious identity and who declined to
recognize their Jewish heritage because
they were brought up in a state where op-
portunities for religious training have been
virtually unavailable for more than half a
century. These Soviet Jews are, simply put,
the victims of spiritual starvation. Yet I
could not help sensing, even among the
most apathetic, an unrequited curiosity --
perhaps even a deeply sublimated need —
to understand more about themselves by
learning about their Jewish roots.
We went to Moscow bringing with us
two tons of kosher food and other Passover
supplies. The shipment marked the first
time kosher food had been shipped direct-
ly to the Soviet Union from the United
States. The food was a source of wonder
Continued on Page 10
Soupy Sez
HEIDI PRESS
Comedian Soupy Sales'
words have taken on
a more serious tone.
center
Shavuot and the giving of the Torah
are the topics of our family pages.
82
.ANN ARBOR
Mirror, Mirror
SUSAN LUDMER-GLIEBE
The Jewish community is taking
a long look at its priorities.
97
SINGLE LIFE
Self-Testing
FRANCES GOULART
Are you your best friend? This
handy quiz will help you find out.
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CANDLELIGHTING
May 20, 1988 8:32 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
7