TORAH PORTION
WHY JOIN BETH SHALOM?
Do We View Life As
Blessing Or Curse?
RABBI IRWIN GRONER
Special to The Jewish News
ook!" Moses exclaims
to the Jewish people.
"Today I give you a
blessing and a curse"
(Deuteronomy 11:26). What a
singular way to begin a
discourse. What did Moses in-
tend that Israel see? What did
he show them? We cannot
dismiss the word "look" simp-
ly as a poetic expression, a
figure of speech, because
every word in the Torah is
purposeful, deliberate,
evocative of profound wisdom.
The text suggests that
when we look at the world
L
Shabbat Re'eh:
Deuteronomy
11:26-16:17,
Numbers 28:9-15,
Isaiah 66:1-24
about us — do we see a bless-
ing or a curse? Is the cup of
our life half empty, or half
full?
"What do you see?" is a fun-
damental question that tells
us more about the viewer
than about the world. As we
arise each mornig, are we
moved to words of discontent
or praise? Do we feel we have
been shortchanged or over-
paid? Is our familiar stance
the posture of discontent, or
are we grateful for the bless-
ings of health and security
and love so regularly bestow-
ed upon us that we may forget
their value?
How do we view Jewish life?
Do we see Jewish existence of
our time as marked only by
decay, assimilation and emp-
tiness? Can we also see the
sources of renewal in Jewish
life, the quest for faith, the
challenge of revitalizing the
Jewish spirit? Have we sur-
rendered to despair about the
survival of the Jewish people?
Do we consider the State of
Israel doomed to suffer from
a continual state of
belligerence with her Arab
neighbors? Or do we have a
larger vision that sees the
ultimate resolution of conflict
between Israel and the Arabs
in a spirit of justice and
recognition and mutual
benefit?
Our vision is directed not
only outward but inward, the
smaller circle of our relation-
Irwin Groner is rabbi of
Congregation Shaarey
Zedek.
ships. When we look at life, do
we see only our own needs
and concerns, or does our vi-
sion encompass the hopes and
yearnings of others? Do we
regard our fellow human be-
ings as persons created to ad-
vance our own welfare, or as
people with hopes and aspira-
tions, hungers and dreams
like our own? In judging our
fellow man, do we criticize
and curse, or do we empathize
and bless?
The story is told of Rabbi
Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev,
the great lover of mankind,
who was riding in a wagon
with his sexton. They passed
another wagon whose axle
was broken, and the driver
was standing in the mud, try-
ing to fix it, and he was wear-
ing his tallit and tefillin. The
sexton was furious. "Look at
that scoundrel," he said, "fix-
ing his wagon, greasing his
wheels while he is in the mid-
dle of prayer!'
"Oh no, said the rabbi.
"Look at that wonderful Jew.
Even while greasing his
wagon wheels, he wears his
tallit and tefillin and says
`Sh'ma Yisrael! "
Every life has within it
reasons for heartache and sor-
row, as well as reasons for
celebration and gratitude.
Whether we bless or curse is
our choice.
Young Israel
Honors Teens
Young Israel of Oak Woods
will honor its teenagers who
are leaving the area for Israel
and elsewhere.
A Sabbath kiddush will be
given by the synagogue on
Saturday.
Students to be honored are:
Daniel Bezalel, Yoel
Finkelman and Jeffrey
Traurig who are departing for
Israel as' part of the Akiva
Hebrew Day School Senior
Year in Israel program;' Ellie
Lopin, Torah reader who is
moving to Seatle, Wash.,
where his parents, Rabbi and
Mrs. Shmuel Lopin, have
been engaged as principal
and teacher of the Seattle
Religious Day School;
Azaryah Moshe Cohen, junior
"ritual director," who is leav-
ing for Rochester, N.Y., to at-
tend the yeshivah there; and
Tzivia Finkelman, who will
study in Jerusalem. She is a
graduate of Yeshivath Beth
Yehudah.
Rabbi Eliezer Cohen,
spiritual leader and teacher,
will deliver a special sermon
in their honor.
• EXTENSIVE Programs for Families and Children
• INDEPENDENT Congregational School for
Kindergarten to Grade 7
• AFFILIATED With Jewish Community High School
Please join us for the HIGH HOLIDAYS and EX-
PERIENCE BETH SHALOM for yourself! The cost of
your tickets can be applied toward your membership.
For more information call:
Congregation Beth Shalom
14601 W. Lincoln
Oak Park, Mich. 48237
547-7970
David A. Nelson
Rabbi
Samuel L. Greenbaum
Cantor
Samuel Semp
Ritual Director
Where Family And Tradition Are Foremost!
ongregation8eth Achim
JOIN US AT SHABBAT SERVICES
• Men's Club - Sisterhood
• Havurot
• U.S.Y. Youth Group
• Shabbat Youth Services Ages 3-17
• Cultural Programs
• Adult Education including clergy led Study Groups
• Concert
• Family Shabbat Dinners
• Library
• United Hebrew School Branch (in our building)
• Daily morning and evening services
• Young at Heart (Senior Group)
• Yachad (Couples Group)
Rabbi Milton Arm
Rabbi Emeritus Benjamin Gorrelick
Cantor Max Shimansky
Reverend Joseph Baras
President Ronald Harris
Youth Director Linda Kuppe
For More Information
Call: Philip Vainik,
Executive Director
352-8670
21100 West Twelve Mile Road • Southfield, Michigan 48076
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS