Congregation Shaarey Zedek

IN CELEBRATION OF
JEWISH MUSIC MONTH

presents

"RINAT"

Rabbi Yitschak Kagan:
On the record.

And in "Is My Chanukah
Your Chanukah," he debates
the notion that the holiday is
"a nationalistic celebration of
military victory by tough,
commando-style Jews over
foreign invaders."
Rabbi Kagan recorded the

tapes about six months ago at
the Specs-Howard School of
Broadcasting. For the majori-
ty of cassettes, he worked
from notes, not a script.
Five-hundred copies of
"Judaism: The Tapes" have
been manufactured and are
being distributed in the
United States, England,
Australia and South Africa,
Rabbi Kagan said.
Born in London, Rabbi
Kagan came to Michigan in
1966, when he accepted a
position with the Chabad-
Lubavitch Center. He is the
author of "A Thought for the
Week," essays on Torah
readings and festivals taken
from the works of the
Lubavitcher Rebbe, and has
taught courses in Jewish
philosophy at the University
of Michigan, Michigan State
University and Oakland
University.

I TORAH PORTION I

Intertwined Message
Of Jewish Goodness

SHERMAN P. KIRSHNER

Special to The Jewish News

T

his week, on the Shab-
bat of Vayakheil, we
initiate the first of the
four special Sabbaths before
Pesach — Parshat Shekalim,
or the Sabbath of the half
shekel (Exodus 30:11-16).
Shabbat Shakalim is
always observed on the Sab-
bath prior to Rosh Chodesh
Adar (this year Adar 2). It

Vayakel
Shabbat Shekalim
Exodus 35:1-38:20,
30:11-16,
Kings 11 11:17-12:17

commemorates the annual
practice of census taking in
ancient Israel. Every male 20
years or older contributed
one-half shekel (a valuable
coin that weighed about 16
grams) to the fund from
which the Temple was main-
tained. This assessment was
obligatory and had to be paid
by the first of Nisan, just in
advance of Passover. In
essence, this special Sabbath
served as a public notice to
the community that the

Sherman Kirshner is rabbi of
Congregation B'nai Israel of
West Bloomfield

shekalim tax would soon be
due.
How unique it is that this
year Shabbat Shekalim and
the sidra of Vayakheil are in-
tertwined, for their messages
are indeed similar.
As the children of Israel are
about to begin building their
first sanctuary, which takes
place during their arduous
trek across the wilderness of
Sinai, Moses instructs them
that as important as it is for
them to have their own sanc-
tuary to worship God, they
must refrain from any and all
forms of work on the holy
Sabbath.
Materials needed for con-
structing the sanctuary were
to be freely donated by the
people. So very much was
needed: gold, silver and brass,
all types of linen, skins and
wood, oil for the light, spices,
incense and precious stones.

We find the response to our
first Rabbi Moses' request
was absolutely overwhelm-
ing. Both men and women
gave freely and unflinching-
ly of their possessions for the
building and support of the
sanctuary.
Today, both Parshat
Shekalim and the sidra of
Vayakheil represent the
unswerving and loving man-.
ner in which our ancestors
gave of themselves and their
material possessions to insure

THE ISRAEL NATIONAL CHOIR

Conducted by Stanley Sperber

Sponsored by The National Foundation for Jewish Culture

THURSDAY MARCH 9, 1989, 7:30 p.m.

CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK

27375 Bell Road, Southfield
Hosted by

The Music Division of the Cultural Commission
and Shaarey Zedek Men's Club

Admission is Free

YIGDAL

YESHIVA GEDOLAH LADIES

BAZAAR

Sunday, March 5, 1989
11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Yeshiva Gedolah Building

24600 Greenfield at 10 Mile Road

Bargains Galore!
All New Merchandise!

uNse -t

29536 s
Northwestern Highway
Southfield, Michigan

HOURS: MS Sit
at 10
5..30
10 - -5.00

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