TORAH PORTION I foROVIDENCE Providence Hospital and Medical Centers Tomorrow's technology ... today A women's fall lecture series at Providence Surgical Center Season Of Rejoicing Has Age-Old Lesson Dozens of surgeries that once required lengthy hospital stays are now per- formed on a convenient outpatient basis...safely, effectively and less expen- sively. Join us for this Providence lecture series that explores some of the modem wonders of surgical technology. RABBI IRWIN GRONER Special to The Jewish News S Tuesday, October 15, 7:30 p.m. - Asghar Afsari, MD "Laparoscopy and Lasers-Revolutionizing Women's Surgery" Dr. Afsari uses lasers and a technique called laparoscopy to revolutionize many women's surgeries such as removal of ovarian cysts and treatment of endometriosis. The benefits are many: less pain, virtual elimination of hospital stays and recovery times counted in hours and days rather than weeks. Wednesday, October 23, 7:30 p.m. - Ian T. Jackson, MD and Peter M. McCann, MD "Facial Cosmetic and Eyelid Surgery: A Coordinated Approach" World-renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Ian Jackson teams up with Providence oph- thalmologist Peter McCann to coordinate facial and eyelid cosmetic surgery. With recent advances in cosmetic surgery, more and more people are deciding to improve or modify their facial features...and often find that the biggest change they notice is not on the outside, but on the inside with an improve- ment in confidence and self-esteem. Tuesday, October 29, 7:30 p.m. - John R. Pfeifer, MD "Varicose Veins: The Latest Therapies for a Common Problem" Dr. Pfeifer, immediate past chairman of the Providence Department of Surgery, explores the outpatient treatments available at Providence for varicose veins—a problem that affects one of every four adult Americans. Treatments range from scierotherapy to liga- tion and stripping—a procedure that removes the in- volved vein. oo Quarton N A Big Beaver I We invite you to join us for one or more of these lec- tures. There is no charge to attend, but seating is W. Maple Rd limited. 17 2. . 15 Mile — Auto Dealership The evenings begin with refreshments at 7:00 p.m. The lectures start at 7:30 and are followed by time for questions and answers. Tours of the Providence Surgical Center operating room and a demonstra- tion of one of the surgical lasers are also part of the evening. 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How does Sukkot with its singular observances and practices enable us to find fulfillment? This question has great meaning for modern Jews, who share in the unhappy spirit of this age. Americans generally are in the relentless, almost ironically grim pursuit of happiness. Entertainment is a huge industry, and amuse- ment is a national enterprise. But much of our amusement is superficial and a great deal of our "happiness" is not real- ly genuine. In the privacy of many lives, there is pain, boredom and dissatisfaction. Sukkot teaches us signifi- cant lessons about the nature of human happiness. The first truth is that happiness does not result from possession of material things. Ecclesiastes said: "There is nothing under the sun better for man than to eat and to drink and be merry." But Ec- clesiastes found little pleasure in anything, and concluded morosely, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." It is a false notion, to which our privileged generation can at- test, that happiness results from abundance, creature comforts, or self-indulgence. If these sufficed, why are so many so miserable? On Sukkot, we are required to leave the comforts of our home, the artificial and com- plicated devices on which we come to rely and enter a sim- ple booth. Everything in our lives and in the world is grow- ing more and more complex, so that we have inevitably come to feel that our pleasures must be found in the same direction. We are to give up those elaborate possessions that we normally rely upon and enter a frail and simple dwelling. Judaism is advising us that we should shift our attention from the accumulation of things to the perfection of self. We should be concerned less with having more, and be concerned instead with being more. Happy people are engaged in activity, in meaningful work, in creative effort, in growth of mind and spirit. Authentic satisfaction is ex- perienced not in what we own, but what we strive to achieve. The reason for observance of Sukkot is that God pro- tected the children of Israel as they moved forward on their journey in the wilderness for 40 years until they reached the Promised Land. We enter the sukkah to remind us of that journey, and to be in- structed about the great saga of the history of our people. Thus, Sukkot teaches us the secret of happiness in a se- cond form. Vital and authentic faith is an adventure. Religious liv- ing is dramatic and eventful. Every human life is a journey, in which we seek a Promised Land relying upon God's Pro- vidence and His blessing. If Sukkot: Exodus 33:12-34:26; Numbers 29:26-31. Ezekiel 38:18-39:16. we perceived His presence more clearly, how much more glorious and stirring would be our understanding of our own existence. The great adventure of life is to walk through trial and tribulation, through tempta- tion and triumph, fearing no evil and feeling armed and strengthened by the great gift of faith that religion alone can bestow. The person of faith may wrestle with his soul as Jacob wrestled with the angel. He may struggle with life itself but he ultimately prevails, because in the intensity of his conviction, he draws his strength to win. The third secret embedded in the observance of Sukkot is contained in this verse: "Thou shalt rejoice in thy festival; thou and thy son and daughter, and thy servant, the stranger within the gates, and the Levites." As we bring joy to others, we discover the joy in our own lives. When you help the needy, the underprivileged, the poor and the deprived, your own life acquires new meaning and worth. When you see the light of healing break into the darkness, when you discover the il- lumination that your service has created, you see the glory