something that made me
know I was, for sure, diff-
erent."
Mr. Raphael said that
growing up in Manhattan
gives a person a different
perspective of the world, es-
pecially when childhood
field trips involve almost
routine journeys to places
like the Metropolitan Opera
or the New York Museum of
Art. Getting out of the city,
he added, can be a relief.
And wanting a change, he
left New York for the Uni-
versity of Massachusetts at
Amherst, and then came to
East Lansing.
"It's hard to go back
sometimes," he said.
"Especially if you are a son
or daughter of a Holocaust
survivor. Whether you want
it to or not, this automatical-
ly makes your life different.
Your parents' view of the en-
tire world is changed by this.
But at the same time you
have this need to be included
in different parts of this
world.
"But then there's the add-
ed part of being gay as well,"
he added. "It's difficult be-
cause as a gay man I have to
hide my emotions, my feel-
ings towards my partner in
public. I can't hold hands
with him; I can't have some-
one say, "Isn't that cute,
they're in love.' "
In "Abominations," Nat
takes his lover Mark home
to Southfield to his parents'
house for Kol Nidre services.
Mark was introduced as
Nat's friend. It was even in-
correctly assumed by an
older relative that Mark was
Brenda's boyfriend. But
never, at least not on this
visit, did Mark's real identi-
ty, or for that matter, the
real identity of Nat, emerge.
emerge.
Coming out with my
homosexuality cannot be call-
ed easy or difficult," he
said. "I learned that as
people claim more parts of
themselves, the more they
see and understand about
themselves. Being gay is ob-
viously part of me, as is be-
ing Jewish and being the son
of survivors. I feel hopeful
that people will be able to
read this book, maybe even
identify with it and also find
hope in it."
The book, now in its second
printing, has made a tremen-
dous splash, especially in the
national gay community. Mr.
Raphael has made 17 na-
tional appearances. He has at
least four other works now in
progress. And for a person so
active in the academic and
literary communities, it's dif-
ficult to understand his hob-
by, his outlet. He loves col-
legiate football, expecially
Michigan State football.
He's been to the Rose Bowl,
and he even stations himself
in front of the TV come New
Year's Day for the bowl
games.
So while Nat might have
danced on Tisha B'Av,
chances are that Mr. Raphael
will never have him dancing
in Pasadena.
"I know it might not fit the
image," he said. "But as I
knew I loved literature, I
also knew that I loved foot-
ball."
❑
Rabbis Ask Community
To Pray For Israel
STAFF REPORT
A
s Iraqi President
Saddam Hussein con-
tinues his threats
against Israel and the Pales-
tinian uprising gains
momentum, the Council of
Orthodox Rabbis has called
a community-wide service to
pray for Israel's safety.
All Jewish men, women
and children are invited to
the prayer service at 7:30
p.m. Jan. 6 at Congregation
Dovid Ben Nochim.
"According to Maimonides
and Halachah, we have to
pray to God to get us out of
danger," said Rabbi Chaskel
Grubner of Congregation
Dovid Ben Nochim. Praying
to God during a crisis has
been an ancient Jewish tra-
dition dating back 3,000
years to the times of the pro-
phets, he said.
Not only is Israel facing
threats from Iraqi and Pa-
lestinian leaders but is also
trying to absorb millions of
Soviet and Ethiopian immi-
grants, Rabbi Grubner said.
The prayer service isn't
the first time Detroit Jews
have gathered together to
pray for Israel, he said. In
1967, during the Six-Day
War when Israel's survival
was threatened, Detroiters
were invited to a similar
service.
Rabbi Grubner expects
about 500 people to attend
this service. While the
shofar, which was tradi-
tionally blown in times of
trouble, will not be heard,
worshipers will daven the
Ma'ariv (evening) service
and additional prayers.
❑
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
15