TORAH PORTION I"' There's a place for you with us at Beth Shalom Come for Shabbat . . . stay for the holidays . . . by Simchat Torah you'll never want to leave. THE METROPOLITAN AREA'S NEWEST SYNAGOGUE SANCTUARY Established, strong and staying in centrally-located Oak Park DAVID A. NELSON SAMUEL L. GREENBAUM Rabbi Cantor PHONE: 547-7970 A Conservative Synagogue CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM 14601 West Lincoln Road • Oak Park, Michigan 48237 • (313) 547 , 7970 What's In It For You. Helping always feels good. But at JARC, we think it's a little different. Because we do things with a special sense of family. Your time and caring are vital ingre- dients in helping men and women with developmental dis- abilities live full, dignified lives. Call us today to volunteer. We can put you to work feel- ing good right away. 352-5272. A Jewish Association for Residential Care for persons with developmental disabilities 28366 Franklin Road Southfield, MI 48034 (313) 352-5272 52 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1990 Unhewn Stones Continued from preceding page tant thing was never how elaborate or ornate was the altar, but that a place existed where Jews could be free to go and pray. In recent years, our supreme concern as American Jews has been for the welfare of our brethren in the Soviet Union, the silent generation who had only one place to express their Jewish identity: their synagogues or what was left of them. Many have been closed by the government authorities or converted into museums. Nothing of positive Jewish life remains in the Soviet Union except the brick and mortar of a few dilapidated synagogues in the big cities. We in the West, who have been so concerned about the plight of Soviet Jewry, have a powerful option they do not enjoy. We can build a new synagogue wherever we want. We can revitalize Jewish life in scores of ways. We can pray in public worship at holiday and Sabbath services. We can educate our children about what it means to be a Jew. Wouldn't it be ironic if we in America who are loudest in our protests over Soviet Jewry did not appreciate the privilege of assuring the perpetuation of Judaism in our own communities? Other agencies in Jewish life have the responsibility of rescuing and redeeming our stricken brethren. Other welfare organizations collect funds for the distressed and bereft. Other institutions are established to protect and preserve the rights of Jews the world over. No other agen- cy or institution except the synagogue is charged with the responsibility of preserv- ing Judaism for Jews or of rearing the new generation in the heritage of our fathers. With the coming of the High Holy Days, our altars take on a historic dimension. These are no orignary yomin noraim such as we have celebrated in the past. These are truly days of faith and commitment. This week's Ibrah portion prescribes that the altars be built with unhewn stones. Only gradually and slowly were the stones used to build the synagogues smoothed over and polished by the pro- cesses of learning and ex- perience. These stones shaped our identity and sanded the influences that have come in- to our lives. These altars in- fluenced our people to become better Jews and better human beings. The altars of the synagogue were built to worship the God of our fathers who has watch- ed over our people since the days of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in every land, in every generation for 4,000 years of unbroken continuity. We are children of an eternal people. The human life has fre- quently been compared to the voyage of a ship at sea. Each of us has been launched upon the sea of adult life, and when we leave the haven of paren- tal control, amidst good wishes and fond hopes, the ex- pectations are of the highest. But the sea of life is full of rocks and storms and cross currents. We all need a corn- Ki Tavo: Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8, Isaiah 60:1-22. pass on board. No ship can sail by chance. The captain's compass is like the guiding principles which regulate our lives. So too, do the altars of the synagogue mark what we are to avoid to escape disaster in life. The altars of God, the stones of their altars unhewn, gradually are smoothed over by the trials of life. Storms may arise and batter us, but we learn how to weather them and make the best of them. In a few days we begin a New Year with Rosh Hashanah. May you find suc- cess in building altars to God built out of unhewn stones of goodness and kindness, of honor and truth, justice and compassion. For the life you build is up to you. El '1 SYNAGOGUES SZ Plans Film, Selihot The Congregation Shaarey Zedek Selihot service will be held 11:30 p.m. Sept. 15. Selihot will be chanted by Cantor Chaim Najman and the Shaarey Zedek synagogue choir. A dedication of the newly refurbished chapel at 9:15 p.m. will be followed by the film Sallah. It is the story of a North African Jew who finds himself in a transit camp after immigrating to Israel in 1949. Sallah con- fronts a bureaucracy that stands in the way of his fami- ly's need for permanent housing. Admission to the film is open to the community at no charge, and refreshments will be served.