Growing Up
Without Alcohol

Purim Poem With/ A, /111cissage,

PUZZLE By T UlD)I 5. LO ESL

By JASON PORTH

I remember the day quite
vividly; my graduation from middle
school, one of those events that
seems so important, until it is
looked back upon. I went out that
night with a couple of friends that I
thought I knew as well as I knew
myself. It was supposed to be a
night of fun, one of celebration, but
all it managed to do was bring up
many new and unusual questions.

I must have sat there staring at
my friends, who were in complete
agreement, for at least five minutes.
Finally, I gained the courage to
confront them. All I could say was,
"And that's growing up?"

In the past four years those two
friends and I have gone our
separate ways; the two of them at
their "high school parties," acting
grown up, and me at my AZA
functions, growing up.

All teens have choices to make
that will change their lives. The
hardest part of making the right
choice is doing what you want not
what your friends do. Growing up
doesn't come out of a bottle.

Jason Porth is president, Michigan
Region AZA.

THE JEWISH NEWS

27676 Franklin Road
Southfield, Michigan 48034
March 2, 1990
Associate Publisher Arthur M. Horwitz
Jewish Experiences for Families
Adviser Harlene W. Appelman

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FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1990

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High school was looking up;
everything sounded like fun, and I
could barely wait for my summer to
end so I could begin my journey
into the unknown.
As the night went on, the
conversation took a turn. My closest
friends began talking about what we
in the eighth grade referred to as
"those high school parties." Then,
there it was; one of the biggest
decisions of my life. I couldn't
believe my ears when I heard him
say it . . . "So, Jason, isn't it going
to be awesome? Getting totally
wasted every weekend! We're going
to have the best time in high
school! We're finally grown up!"

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ANSWERS ON PAGE L-7

Purim And Its Hidden Message

Continued from Page L-1

Esther. This is in accordance with
the Torah's promise to obliterate the
memory of Amalek, the Jewish
people's eternal enemy, from whom
Haman was a direct descendant.
The attack by Amalek and the
subsequent battle also comprises
the Torah reading on Purim day as
well as on every preceding Sabbath.
Who was Amalek and why did
the Almighty single out that nation
as the object of his scorn by
proclaiming that he will be "at war
with Amalek for all generations?"
The answer lies in the special
nature of Amalek's attack.
When the Jewish people were
wandering in the desert after their
exodus from Egypt, they were in
fact immune from attack since God
surrounded them with an
impregnable protective cloud. The
sages tell us, however, that there
was a small group of Jews who, for
various reasons, fell into temporary
disfavor with God and were not
afforded the privilege of traveling
within the protective cloud. It was
these Jews, the ones lagging in the
rear, that Amalek was able to
ambush.
The reaction of the Israelites
was no different than if Amalek
would have assassinated Moses

himself. They immediately declared
war and fought a ruthless battle to
avenge the death of their more
unfortunate brethren. God singled
out this nation for an eternal lesson
for "all generations." In God's eyes
there is no distinction between
Jews. Whether committed or sinful,
educated or ignorant, all are full-
fledged Jews and bonafide
members of the people of Israel.
Until the time Purim occurred,
the Jewish people were
concentrated in one geographic
area. Under the rule of The Persian
King Achashverosh the Jews had
already migrated throughout the 127
different countries and city-states
that comprised the Persian empire.
As Haman himself declared "there
is a certain people scattered and
separated among the peoples in all
the provinces of thy kingdom." Our
rabbis tell us though that the
message of Purim is to ignore the
external differences between Jews.
We care not that we have different
languages, accents, modes of dress,
cultural expressions, personal
habits, and traditions, or that we are
dispersed throughout the globe.
Just as on Yom Kippur, when
the service was conducted in the
most private chamber of the Temple,

we ask God also not to focus on
our external actions but to look
deeply into the innermost recesses
of our hearts and in our most
private thoughts, and to find there
our true desires for holiness and
Jewish values. Our shortcomings
remain surface blemishes, and like
clothing, can be cleansed and made
white again, never touching the core
of the Jewish soul, the eternally
pure and holy Neshama.
On Purim day we declare that
all of Israel is equal and united by
one unique and holy Neshama. All
our outer differences are
meaningless; they are merely
temporary masks and costumes that
do not reflect the true essence and
worth of the inner person. We reach
out to our neighbors with shalach
manot and identify with the poor
through matanot l'evyonim. We let
our hair down and drop all our
facades, rabbi and layman, rich and
poor, parent and child, man and
woman, Russian, American, and
Israeli, and join together in
merriment and song to proclaim
"We Are One."

Rabbi Loketch is spiritual leader of
Beth Jacob-Mogain Abraham in
Southfield.