but who discerns that his
counsel is not desired, his
presence not welcome. A
sense of belonging has little
to do with what a person has
but rather with what he
e x p e r i ences. -
The Bible instructs us
repeatedly that men and
women need to cling to some-
one and something. They re-
quire the inspiration of tradi-
tion, the sense of relatedness
to others, the security of a
home. Robert Frost's defini-
tion of a home is well known:
"A home is where, when you
have to go there, they have to
take you in." We all need the
strength and support of home
and family to find stability
and serenity. We need friends
and community to feel worthy
and valued.
The imagery of Pirke Avot
conveys so vividly this truth.
"The righteous person is like
a tree planted by streams of
water," declare the sages,
"and even if all the winds of
the world blow upon it, it can-
not be stirred from its place."
To belong to a family and a
historic community is to have
one's life anchored in the soil
of a profound attachment.
The need to belong is of
special concern to us as Jews
— one of the oldest peoples on
God's earth— because we
taught the world the meaning
of having roots, of being part
of a historic nation. When we
enter a synagogue, we en-
counter words of the Bible,
prayers of first-century
Palestine and of seventh-
century Babylonia, of France
and Germany of the Middle
Ages and of contemporary
America. We are refreshed
and invigorated by the con-
tinuous stream of tradition
that flowed through the lives
and teachings fo prophets and
sages, saints an scholars. To
affirm loyalty to this people
and to share in its life is to ab-
sorb Israel's strength,
courage and faith.
The great task of the
Jewish community today is to
respond to the challenge of
this sidrah — to help each
Jew realize that he .counts
because he is a member of a
family; he has a distinctive
lineage and a shared history
with Jews all over the world.
We need to strengthen and
support the institutions
where we rediscover our roots
— the home, the family, the
synagogue, the school, the
community — for they alone
shape and fashion an authen-
tic and fulfilling Jewish iden-
tity. 0
I SYNAGOGUES I
Humanistic Jews
Elect Detroiters
The Society for Humanistic
Judaism recently held its
19th annual meeting and con-
ference in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Two hundred people from
around the world explored
ideas on the conference
theme, "Toward the 1990s:
Humanistic Judaism, An In-
ternational Jewish Move-
ment."
Guest speakers included,
Zev Katz, professor of Russian
studies at Hebrew University
and dean of the International
Institute for Secular Human-
istic Judaism, and Hillel
Schenker, senior editor and
U.S. representative of New
Outlook magazine. Also par-
ticipating were Sherwin
Wine, founder of Humanistic
Judaism and rabbi of the Bir-
mingham Temple, Mark
Cousens, board member of
the Society for Humanistic
Judaism and former presi-
dent of the Birmingham Thrn-
ple, and Julius Harwood,
chairman of the Michigan
Coalition of Secular and
Humanistic Jews.
M. Bonnie Cousens of
Southfield was appointed
associate director of the Socie-
ty for Humanistic Judaism.
Lynne Master of Huntington
Woods was elected to her
third term as president of the
society. Ron Milan of
Southfield was elected
treasurer, and Mark Cousens
of Southfield was elected
secretary. Other executive
board members elected in-
clude Eli Master of Hun-
tington Woods.
Members of the board of
directors elected include Ben
Pivnick of Farmington Hills;
Marilyn Rowens of Livonia;
Robert Sandler of West
Bloomfield; and Jacqueline
Zigman of Huntington Woods.
Other Detroit area
residents attending were
Miriam Jerris, executive
director of the Society for
Jewish infant, Pierre Sauvage,'in the arms of rescuer, 1944.
Temple It eth El
Cordially Invites The Community
To Be Our Guest For A Special
Preview Evening
Weapons Of The Spirit"
Emmy Award Winning Film By
Pierre Sauvage
Sunday, June 1 i, 8:00 p.m.
Sauvage's highly acclaimed new feature length film tells the story of
Le Chambon, a small mountain community in Nazi-occupied France, where
5,000 Christians took in and saved 5,000 Jews during the Holocaust.
Born and sheltered in Le Chambon, Sauvage himself was among those Jews
whose families were tortured and murdered in the Nazi death camps.
Pierre Sauvage will be present to talk about the making of the movie
and the lessons he has learned from it.
"Inspiring and ennobling, beautiful and painful to watch,
this extraordinary film is a tribute to a kind of moral courage
rarely seen but to which mankind must, if it is to survive, aspire."
—Norman Lear
Winner! L.A. Film Critics 1988 Documentary
Winner! Documentary Gold Hugo, Chicago Film Festival
Temple Beth El, Telegraph at 14 Mile, Birmingham
This event is being funded by a grant from the Stein Family Fund.
PLAY STRUCTURES
For Fun at Home
Extra Heavy-Duty Construction
To Last A Lifetime
Sold With or Without Installation
Prices From
$650 to $1650
Visit Our Display
in West Bloomfield
at 7549 Pontiac Trail
1/2 Mile East of Haggerty Road.
For Additional Information
Please Write or Call:
C3uffrey Products
7549 Pontiac Trail
West Bloomfield, Ml 48033
(313) 624-7962
In Brighton (313) 229-9646
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
39