I HOLIDAYS

JUNE FORECAST

Tapper's sizzles
with our
"T.G.1.7:" Summer
Celebration

June marks the beginning of summer and at Tapper's the
entire month is sizzling with excitement. We're celebrating
summer with very special "Thank Goodness it's
Thursday" events.

Start the month with a splash and dive into the cool
splendor of our TG.IT. Pearl Show on June 1. Then don your
shades for Tapper's glittering TG.IT Gem Show on June 8.
June 15 find out what hot is all about this summer at our
TG.IT. Designer Show. June 22, the forecast is shiny and
cooler for our TG.I:T. Best of Summer Silver Show. And on
June 29, the climate is right for a change at our TG.IT.
Diamond Remount Show. Thursdays aren't the only days
we're celebrating so check the list of events below.

06

'

June 1 - TG.I:T. Pearl Show. Take advantage of this rare oppor-
tunity to view our tremendous selection of pearls. We feature
Mikimoto. Save 30% off retail today only.
June 2 - Diamond Anniversary Ring Spectacular. You'll be
dazzled by our incredible selection. All anniversary rings discount
priced. 30% off retail today only.
June 5 - Watch Strap and Battery Clinic. Replace your worn
watch band with the latest style from our wide selection at 30% off
retail today only.

June 6 - Spring Cleaning. Make your jewelry sparkle with a
complementary cleaning (3 piece limit). Gemsonic cleaners 30% off
retail today only.

June 7 - A graduation Gift Special. See our selection of specially
priced graduation gifts. Writing instruments from Mont Blanc, Cross
and Yaffa are 30% off retail today only.
June 8 - T.G.I.T. Gem Show. This is a once in a lifetime oppor-
tunity to view the most extensive collection of rare and unusual
gems. Emeralds, rubies, one-of-a-kind gems and the latest fantasy cut
Munsteiner gems, all at 30% off retail, today only.
June 13 - Father's Day Gift Show. See our wide selection of gifts
for Dad, and save 30% off retail on all men's jewelry and accessories
purchased today.
June 15 -
Designer Show. See the jewelry that's on the
cutting edge of design and meet the four nationally renowned
designers behind it. All designer pieces are specially priced at 30%
off retail during the show.

June 19 - Jewelry Appraisals. This week only, the first item is
free. That's a savings of $20. By appointment only.
June 21 Summer Sensational Ankle Bracelets. No one has a
larger selection than Tapper's. Many are custom designs. All are 30%
off retail today only.

June 22 - T.G.I.T. Silver Show. Meet the nationally known design
team of Nancy and David and see their new summer line as well as
Tapper's own distinctive collection. Save a tempting 30% off retail on
all silver purchases today only.

June 27 - The Great Earring Trade-In. Bring in your 14 kt and
18 kt earrings without a mate today, and save 30% off retail on a
new pair.

June 29 - T.G.I.T. Diamond Remount Show Redesign and
remount your diamond or other gems at Tapper's today and save
30% off retail on our vast selection of contemporary and classic
mountings.

Join the celebration at our "Thank Goodness it's Thursday"
events and discover the pleasure of shopping at Tapper's.
Where every detail matters and every customer is important ...
and "TG.I:T:" always means "Thank Goodness it's Tapper's".

rf

Fine jewelry
& Gifts

26400 W. 12 Mile Road
Franklin Savings Centre
Southfield, MI 48034
357-5578

• *

Why We Eat Blintzes
On Shavuot

There are several explanations for this
custom. Besides, they taste good. -

RABBI BERNARD RASKAS

Special to The Jewish News

T

he custom of eating
dairy dishes, particu-
larly blintzes, on
Shavuot seems to be an
almost universal custom
among Jews. This year,
Shavuot begins at sundown
Thursday, June 8 and con-
tinues to sundown Saturday,
June 10.
Some contend the custom
came about because the Land
of Israel is said to flow with
milk and honey. Others point
out that the Torah is often
associated with dairy pro-
ducts. Still others note that
the Hebrew word for milk,
chalav, has a numerical value
of 40, symbolizing the 40 days
and nights that Moses spent
on Mount Sinai.
Perhaps a significant factor
for eating blintzes on Shavuot
is that they taste good.
But not everybody thinks
so. There is a lovely story of
the Jewish child who did not
like blintzes. In fact, he could
not stand them.
His mother was very anx-
ious because a Jewish child
should learn to enjoy blintzes.
So, one day, she took him in-
to the kitchen and said, "Now
watch me carefully."
She took a handful of flour
and showed it to him and
said, "What do you think?"
He said, "That's nice."
She proceeded to show him
eggs, milk and various other
ingredients. Each time, he
said, "I like that."
Then she shoNied him the
cheese and he said, "Oh, I
like that, too." She put the
cheeses into the dough and
put them into the frying pan.
Her son watch with great
interest. .
When the blintzes were
done, she took them out of the
pan and let them cool off;
then she handed one to him
and said, "Take a bite." He
looked at it and said. "Oh, no!
I hate blintzes!"
Actually, this is the nature
of prejudice. We can analyze
an idea, study its components
and agree with them. But in
the final analysis, the pre-
judiced person, because he or
she is irrational, rejects the
idea.
This is the person who says
all Jews are rich; all blacks
are lazy; all women belong in
the kitchen, or similar
statements. People who make

these irrational statements
are like the little boy. They
use reason up to a point and
then abandon their in-
telligence and go back to
their primitive fears.
This may have come about
through negative cultural
conditioning, through irra-
tional feelings or inner
psychological needs. They
have nothing to do with the
facts and the real world.
On Shavuot, we should em-
phasize that our tradition
tells us in Deuteronomy "by
the Torah which you are
taught." The Torah is not a
song or a game; it is the
essence of life itself.
When the lbrah instructs
us to "love your neighbor as
yourself," that is exactly what
it means, no matter how irra-
tional our feelings.
If the Torah teaches us,
"God is one," that is a serious
statement, no matter our
cultural conditioning. When
the Torah tells us to respect a
stranger, no matter our
primitive fear, it is our moral
responsibility to rise above
that and let reason prevail.
That is what the Torah is
all about. It contains values
toward which we have to con-
stantly grow.

The Torah is a constant pro-
cess of growth. We start from
the inside, and through
education, study, and commit-
ment our character grows.
People who are really in-
terested in ideas, in other peo-
ple, in learning, not only
about the wider world, but
also about ourselves are in a
constant state of change. But
the real insight of the Torah
is that we don't understand
because we change — we
change because . we
understand.
A baker living in a small
shtetl bought his butter from
a neighboring farmer. One
day he became suspicious
that the butter was not of the
same weight as it had been at
first. For several days he
weighed the butter and con-
cluded that the rolls of butter
which the farmer sold were

gradually diminishing in
weight.
This angered the baker so
that he summoned the farmer
to the rabbi.
"I presume you have
weights?" asked the rabbi.
"No, sir," replied the farmer.
"How do you manage to
weigh the butter that you
sell?"
"That's easily explained,"
said the farmer. "When the
baker commenced buying_his
butter from me, I thought I
would get my bread from him,
and it's his 1-pound loaf I've

When the Torah
instructs us to
"love your
neighbor as
yourself; that is
exactly what it
means, no matter
how irrational our
feelings.

been using as a weight for the
butter I sell. If the weight of
the butter is wrong, he has
himself to blame."
Butchers, bakers, or
candlestick makers — Torah
is everybody's business. The
fact is, we have an ethical
heritage. Not in any prideful
way, but in a reassuring way,
which implies a way of
responsibility.
The French have a word for
it: noblesse oblige — act with
intelligence, thoughtfulness,
with understanding and,
above all, with responsibility.
On Shavuot, which marks
the giving of the Ten Com-
mandments, the symbol of
the Torah, we should
remember our nobility and its
implied responsibility.
According to tradition, we
all stood at Sinai to receive
the Torah. The eating of blint-
zes, whose essence is a dairy
product, reminds us that we
received the Ibrah.
That's why on Shavuot we
should eat blintzes.
Besides, they taste good. ❑

(c) 1989 Jewish Telegraphic
Agency.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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