Family Reunions: A Piece Of The Past
Continued from Page L-1
would include anecdotes about the
family members and occasions on
which they various dishes were
served. These items would be
reproduced so that all of the family
members could have them as
heirlooms.
Their first reunion generated
the need for a second for editing
and approval of the final products.
The children heard wonderful stories
from their parents. They were eager
to see the photographs and slides,
p[s
P ot
Refusenik Family
Needs Support
One way-to learn about Jewish
life around the world is to write to a
Jewish family in another country.
What is daily life like in the pen
pal's country? What is Jewish life
like? How are the holidays
celebrated? To help our readers
Giving Thanks
Continued from Page L-1
recited as a way of giving thanks to
God. "Hodu L'adoshem," we sing in
full voice: "Give thanks to the Lord,
for God is good." Giving thanks is a
decidedly Jewish activity.
Furthermore, as American Jews,
we gather around our tables at
Thanksgiving, not only to give
thanks for the joys and bounties of
our own lives, but also to thank God
that we have come to shore in a
land built upon dreams of religious
freedom. The Pilgrims were not
Jewish, but the holiday which they
bequeathed to us can be enjoyed
by us both as Americans and as
Jews as we gather with our families
and give thanks for the gift of
freedom and for the cornucopia of
blessings which we enjoy each and
every day.
For me, perhaps the most
precious of these blessings is the
blessing of family time together. And
for that I, too, in a very personal
way, as a rabbi's son, who
remembers Thanksgiving as a
special family time spent together
with my father, give thanks.
eehalibll
THE JEWISH NEWS
27676 Franklin Road
Southfield, Michigan 48034
November 17, 1989
Associate Publisher Arthur M. Horwitz
Jewish Experiences for Families
Adviser Harlene W. Appelman
L 2
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and heard the history of their family
in the process. The adults decided
to add a family tree to the front of
the cookbook. The process was
wonderful, and the cousins now get
together annually. They have agreed
to set aside the time to try to get to
know one another.
It sounds like a wonderful idea,
and other such projects can be
designed. However, there are a few
warnings:
• First, we all remember things
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1989
learn about Jews around the world,
L'Chayim is making available
addresses of Jewish families in
communities abroad.
This month, the address of
Russian Jewish refuseniks was
made available by the Detroit Soviet
Jewry Committee of the Jewish
Community Council. Before writing,
please read these special rules for
corresponding with Russian Jews:
Letters should be personal,
warm, sympathetic, and should ask
about birthdays, anniversaries and
family events. Cards should be
exchanged on these occasions and
on the Jewish holidays as well the
fee is 44 cents per 1/2 ounce, up to
two ounces.
This month's refusenik family is
Vladimir and Karmella Raiz, who
first applied to emigrate to Israel in
1972. They were refused because
Vladimir's work at the Institute of
Molecular Biology would be
"contrary to state interests."
Following his application, he was
fired and has had difficulty securing
gainful employment since.
Karmella was the first violinist
in the Philharmonic Orchestra until
the application. Since then, she has
only found part-time work. She has
taken up painting and is particularly
interested in Jewish art and Jewish
themes in art.
The Raizes have taken part in
seminars on Jewish culture, history,
modern Israel and Hebrew held in
the homes of various refuseniks. For
these activities, they have been
harrassed by the local police and
vilified in the local press. On
February 11, 1987, the Raizes were
told they would not be allowed to
leave for Israel until at least the
year 2000.
They have two sons, Moshe, 12,
and Shaul, 7.
Letters of support can be sent
to the Raizes as follows:
USSR
SSR
Lithuanian, Vilnius, Charno 18-4
Raiz, Vladimir
a little differently and the past
always tends to look better with the
patina of age. Remember there are
ups and downs of nostalgia.
• Second, if there are children
involved, remember to take a break
and take them on an outing. When
my sister and I have not seen each
other for a long time, my children
sometimes feel like outsiders (this
can be true for spouses as well).
• Finally, be realistic about
undertaking projects — better to do
something modest and well, than to
plan something so ambitious, it is
never completed.
Why bother with a family
reunion? In our fast-paced society,
where names and places change at
the drop of a hat and our lives are
in flux, history provides stability —
what better investment in your
family's future is there than giving
them a sense of the past?
Family Reunions:
How To Do Them
Give people lots of lead time —
begin planning early. In this world,
calendars are planned months in
advance.
Give people deadlines to which
to respond with things being
collected.
Let relatives know well in
advance if the reunion will require
financial participation and how
much.
Keep a card file with names
and addresses, birthdays of each
family member — flight
arrangements, hotel
accommodations, as well as any
other items that need attending to
can be noted on the cards.
Try to plan a mix of activities for
the event. Allow time for family
members to just relax together.
Badges, T-shirts, a family coat
of arms on a sweatshirt are all
wonderful souvenirs to carry away
from all family reunions: Local
novelty suppliers are great
resources for these items.
N
L
CALENDARS
The Jewish Engagement Calendar 5750. The Jewish
Calendar 1990 (art illustrations from the collection of Hebrew
Union College Museum). The Jewish Book of Days. The Jewish
Family's Book of Days.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Beni's First Chanukah by Jane Breskin Zalben. The Tale
of Meshka the Kvetch by Carol Chapman. Tell Me a Trudy by
Lore Segal.
s ADULT BOOKS
Louis G. Redstone: From Israeli Pioneer to American Ar-
chitect (an autobiography). The Jews in America (gift book of
photographs that explore Jewish life in America) intro by Chaim
Potok. Is Your Dog Jewish? (Jewish book of questions) by Leo
Dworken. The Hadassah Magazine Jewish Parenting Book
edited by Roselyn Bell. The New Crowd: The Changing of the
Jewish Guard on Wall Street by Judith Ehrlich and Barry
Rehfeld. Balaam's Curse: How Israel Lost Its Way and How
It Can Find It Again by Moshe Lehem. A Peace to all Peace:
Creating the Modern Middle East 1914-1922 by David Fromkin.
Available at Book Beat, 26010 Greenfield, Oak Park.