Nu?

Aging Information
for Seniors
Normal Aging

quirements is based on a
desire to conform to divine
will through spiritual
discipline — not out of fear of
chastisement.
Though the giving of the
Ten Commandments took
place at the dawn of the life
of Israel, its teachings are not
only valid today, they are still
the basis of our code of ethics
and morality in our civil
system and in our spiritual
life as well. Life depends on
the "giving of the law." Then
as now it provides a division
between good and evil; it has
become the standard to
measure right and wrong.
The law was given to all the
people and upon accepting it,
we have made God's law our
own and God has become a
permanent inclusion into our
lives. Thus the spiritual na-
tion is perpetuated.
Fulfilling the covenant our
ancestors made with God at
the foot of Mt. Sinai made us
one people with obligations
and responsibilities, but most
importantly it allows us the
opportunity to live in partner-
ship Jewishly with one
another and with God.

❑

Judaism Course
At Temple Israel

Temple Israel will offer a
spring semester Introduction
to Judaism course. This is a
ten-week program designed
for people either planning to
convert to Judaism or to learn
more about Judaism.
Taught by Rabbis M. Robert
Syme, Harold Loss, Paul Yed-
wab, Cantor Harold Orbach
and Dr. Nancy Gad-Harf, the
course will explore Jewish
history, text and life cycle and
holiday celebrations. The
class will begin March 10.
There is a charge. For infor-
mation, call the temple office,
661-5700.

Adat Shalom Sets
Service, Dinner

The Adat Shalom Branch of
the Agency for Jewish Educa-
tion will hold its annual
Shabbat evening service and
dinner 6 p.m. Jan. 31 at the
synagogue.
Students will conduct a
Kabbalat Shabbat service in
the main sanctuary. Nancy
Handelman will chair the
dinner. There is a charge.
For information, call the
Adat Shalom Hebrew School,
626-2153.

Karen Amber, MSW
Resident Services Coord.
Teitel Federation Apts.

Aging occurs from the mo-
ment of birth. Each of us has
a unique biological time
clock which is enmeshed with
social, environmental,
familial and psychological
components. As this aging or
"senescence" process occurs,
many changes become
apparent.

What is normal aging? Ac-
cording to Dr. Wilma
Donahue, "aging is con-
tinuous and consists of a
decrease of tissue elasticity,
decrease in ability of cells to
divide and thus repair . .
body tissue, decrease in all
other factors that protect the
physical well being . . . It is a
natural phenomena, not to
be confused with disease."

In childhood, we grow and
get stronger. In our middle
years, we remain strong and
gain power. As we grow
older, the body works less ef-
ficiently. Our senses lose
some sensitivity and we are
not as resistant to disease.
The body works to compen-
sate for these deficits.

Society falsely stereotypes
the elderly as "over the hill."
They are seen as unable to .
learn or be sexually active, as
demented with large
numbers in nursing homes. In
reality, elderly people have
expansive thinking skills
which are an asset to learn-
ing. The sexual drive lasts a
lifetime. Dementia is often
reversible as it can be related
to medication, depression,
poor diet, head injury or
fever. Only 5% of elderly
people live in nursing homes ;
most remain in their own
homes with potential sup-
ports in place!

Aging does not stop for any
living thing. If we look at the
quality as opposed to the
quantity, there is much we
can do to enhance our lives
as we age. Awareness is the
key. Awareness of one's
physical condition, of
medication and its side ef-
fects, of the importance of a
well-balanced diet, of
regular physical exercise as
well as of mental stimulation.
All these components act to
enhance one's life and
minimize the effects of the
aging process.

Jewish Federation
Apartments, Inc.

Subsidized housing for
independent Seniors

For rental information, call

967-4240

In line with a major
devaluation in 1980, Israel
changed its currency from
the "lira" (Israel pound,
which was based on the
British pound) to "shekel."

'9scFetfium3q4°
/967/1992

VOICE OF THE VAA

QUESTION: Is a "K" on a label a reliable Kosher symbol? And what does
R mean?

R. W. — Ook Pork

ANSWER:

A

plain letter K is not a registered
trademark and is no guarantee of Kosher
supervision. It has been sometimes used
by companies to denote the name of the plant
or as a production date code. Even where it is
meant to denote Kosher, it just means that some-
one — anyone — thinks that the product is Kosher.
It could be from an acceptable source (some Kraft
products that have K on their labels are actually
certified by the OK laboratories,and are reliably
Kosher). But a K could also come from the Jewish
neighbor of the president of the company, or so-
meone who "knows a Rabbi very well," or a per-
son who read the list of ingredients and found
no pork-related ingredients . . . Obviously, if you
don't know who authorized a particular K you
cannot assume the Kashruth of the product at all.
The R symbol merely indicates o registered
trademark and has no relation to Kashruth.

QUESTION: Do candy and chewing gum need to
have a Kosher emblem?
S. 5. — Oak Park

ANSWER: Absolutely, the colors and flavorings in
candies may come from either — kosher or non-
Kosher sources. This is also true of release agents
used on candy molds to make removal of the
finished product easier. There are also other in-
gredients, softeners, stabilizers, etc. which may

be derived from non-acceptable sources. Unfor-
tunately, none of the nationally advertised brands
of chewing gum are currently certified Kosher.
Kosher brands of gum can, however, be found
in stores that specialize in Kosher products. As far
os candies are concerned, there are some (not
many) brands in the supermarket which have
reliable certification. However, your best bet to
find Kosher candies would also be in a specialty
Kosher shop.

QUESTION: Con one rely on a letter from a corn-
pony without rabbinical certification stating that
all their ingredients and suppliers are Kosher?

ANSWER: No! A company without rabbinical
supervision may provide written information on
the ingredients that it uses that would seem to
indicate that their products are Kosher. However,
that alone is not sufficient evidence upon which
to make on assessment of a product's Kosher
status. The manufacturers may not be aware
themselves of the kashruth problems presented
by some ingredients. Companies may change in-
gredients and suppliers quite often, or the ingre-
dients themselves may be changed. Companies
that are not under rabbinical supervision may pro-
vide assurances concerning the Kosher status of
its suppliers and ingredients and then switch at
any time without any legal obligation to inform
the Jewish public of the change.

Questions and comments may be addressed to:
Voice c/o Council of Orthodox Rabbis, 17071 W. 10 Mile Rd., Southfield, Mich. 48075

Council of Orthodox Rabbis • 17071 W. 10 Mile Rd. • Southfield 48075 • 559-5005

4,

Inter-Congregational
Men's Club Dinner
Thursday, February 13, 1992

Hors d'oeuvres: 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Dinner: 7:00 p.m.

Couvert: $37.00
per person

Hosted by:

Congregation Beth Abraham Hillel Moses

Come help us celebrate
Our Centennial Year

with Guest Speaker:

Murray Feldman

Business Editor for WJBK-TV 2 News
& reports on business for WWJ Radio

Tickets available through your Congregational Men's Club
or call Beth Abraham Hillel Moses at 851-6880.

From the Wisdom of Maturity
through the Eyes of Youth
We begin our 2nd 100 Years
CENTENNIAL. YEAR
1892 - 1992

CONGREGATION
BETH ABRAHAM HILLEL MOSES

5075 West Maple Road
W. Bloomfield, MI 48322

Advertising in The Jewish News Gets Results
Place Your Ad Today. Call 354 6060

-

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

43

