T
OPINION
CONTENTS
25
CLOSE-UP
Leaving A Legacy
KATIE DEUTCH ELSILA
Joseph Eisenberg has
only one more year as
head of the Windsor
Jewish community.
EDUCATION
Scholar Aims To Clarify
Misperceptions Of History
Each marriage can lead to a gain or a loss for the Jewish people.
The Debate On Intermarriage:
Dilemma For Every Caring Rabbi
DANIEL POLISH
I
recently read in these pages (Jan. 6) an
article by David Frazer that addresses
itself to the question of how rabbis
should approach the question of officiating
at inter-faith marriages. Mr. Frazer notes,
"Judaism will survive once more if the ma-
jority of Reform rabbis begin to recognize
that the battle for Jewish survival has
taken a new direction;' and that they must
accept the responsibility of officiating at
inter-faith marriages.
Indeed he depicts rabbis who choose not
to officiate at such marriages as insensitive
and as undermining the viability of the
Jewish people.
There is, in Mr. Frazer's position, a cer-
tain absoluteness that can only come from
looking at someone else's problem from the
outside. For much as the question of inter-
faith marriage is a problem for the entire
community, it poses a special and very per-
sonal dilemma for rabbis who are called
upon to officiate. Mr. Frazer may imagine
that he knows exactly how he would res-
pond were he in this situation. But his
words do not betray the agony that every
rabbi, whether he officiates at inter-faith
marriages or not, feels each time the ques-
tion is presented to him, and he must wres-
tle with his commitments anew.
No rabbi I know, whether they officiate
or not, rests easily with the decision that
they have made. All of us must struggle
continually with doubts about the
rightness of our position, and with ques-
tions that undermine our own certainty.
Mr. Frazer writes as if he is sure of
what will best assure Jewish survival. I
fear that none of us who live on the "front
lines" of this question is blessed with that
same measure of certainty.
Two events that occurred within just a
few weeks of each other underscore the am-
Daniel Polish is senior rabbi at Temple Beth
El.
bivalence that must afflict us all. I was sit-
ting With a wonderful young couple in my
congregation, positive, committed, devoted
to instilling Jewish values in their children
and to living out Jewish ideals in their
lives. The wife of this couple asked me, "Do
you know why I am so involved in Jewish
life?" She told me that her devotion to
things Jewish stemmed from the time of
her marriage.
She was born a non-Jew. When she
became engaged, she and her husband-to-
be approached the rabbi of his congrega-
tion. She was moved by his acceptance of
them. His willingness to officiate at their
wedding felt affirming and inviting to her.
And so some time of their marriage, she
decided to act on the tacit "invitation" that
his officiating gave her, and began on her
own to study for conversion. Years later she
still looks back gratefully to the welcome
he extended to her, the way he included this
new couple to be in the Jewish communi-
ty. And so now she is an active, engaged
member of that people.
These words, spoken to me in all
sincerity, with real friendship, and with no
ulterior motive, gave me a deep emotional
sense of what it means to a couple when
a rabbi says, "Yes." I cannot deny that the
earnestness and sincerity of those words
gave me reason to think anew about my
own position which is not to officiate at
inter-faith marriages.
Not many weeks later, I received an
envelope from Los Angeles where I had un-
til very recently served as a rabbi. When
I opened the envelope I saw a picture of a
very handsome and happy couple. The pic-
ture was sent to me by the mother of the
bride. And underneath in that motherly
hand were written the words:
"Rabbi Polish, do you remember these
kids? Mary's conversion ceremony took
place at 'Temple Emanu-El in May and they
were married there in August. They are
joining firms in Los Angeles and will move
Continued on Page 10
46
HEIDI PRESS
Murray Rosman shows
that Jewish history
is more than blood and tears.
POLITICS
Republican Matchmaking
53
KIMBERLY LIFTON
Oakland County's
new Republican chief
hopes to add more
Jewish candidates
to his team.
67
PROFILES
Mitzvah Heroes
Chuck Pearlstein, Bessie Chase,
Fay Isackson and Louis Kay
are dedicated to helping others.
97
ANN ARBOR
Pulling Strings
SUSAN LUDMER-GLIEBE
Bubatron has Jewish kids,
Jewish themes and
a professional feeling
GENERATIONS
101
Little Seedlings
Songs, magic and stories
highlighted the community-wide
Tu B'Shevat celebration.
DEPARTMENTS
20 Capitol Report
34 Life In Israel
42 Synagogues
102 Engagements
111 Births
142 Obituaries
CANDLELIGHTING
February 3, 1989
5:30 p.m.
Sabbath ends Feb. 4 6:35 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
7