OPINION Joys Of Judaism Continued from Page 7 "We Care" NVe are committed to the well being of each of our residents. A first., Apartment living in a Skilled Nursin For the discriminating person requiring an elegant environment. Overlooking two beauti- ful lakes. Twelve other Locations from Petoskey to Detroit and Florida. cau 363-4121 for our limousine to pick you up for a personal tour of our facility; CUSTOM MIRRORS BY GlasCrafters, • Etched glass • Shower • Custom Railings enclosures • Glass furniture • Mirrored Walls & Doors 1042 Benstein Road / Suite 107 / Walled Lake 10 FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1992 855-5887 burger. I'm sure there are great parties I'm missing on Friday nights. And yes, it does sometimes bother me that I can't just date anyone. But there are compensa- tions that are great enough that I choose to practice this religion and not simply allow myself to become assimilated. There are three great com- pensations, inextricably tied together, that make Judaism so worthwhile: spirituality, tradition and community. It's usually dismissed as "teen-age angst," but most teen-agers do wonder about the meaning of life. What is the point? Why was I put on this earth? Where do I fit in? For me, Judaism provides an answer. By trying to observe the mitzvot, I can bring spirituality into my life. This is important to me because I feel that the search for God, or spirituality, is a significant part of the search for meaning in life. If by saying. a blessing before eating, I can transform that act from a selfish one, satisfying my animalistic hunger, to a spiritual one, obeying God's command, then I certainly feel it's worth the time and trouble. Spirituality, for me, doesn't come only from observing the letter of the law, but from observing Jewish tradition as well. There is no law requir- ing a bat mitzvah ceremony or celebration, but my bat mitzvah was one of the most special and meaningful occa- sions in my life. No law requires women to dance with the Torah scrolls on Simchat Torah, but doing so makes an ordinary holiday a wonderful and memorable experience. Nowhere in the Torah is any mention made of praying at the Kotel, but by spending Kabbalat Shabbat there I felt closer to God and to the Jewish people than ever before. That is another important aspect of Jewish law and tradition — it connects me to the Jewish people. For me, the Jewish community is one of the best things about being Jewish. No matter where you live or what language you speak, if you are Jewish, you are never really alone. Jewish people can always depend on one another for support, for caring. I am always glad to give to the United Jewish Appeal or to Yad Ezra, because that is a part of being Jewish — we Deborah Kovsky, a senior at Walled Lake Western High School, recently won the League of Jewish Women's Organizations' annual youth award. take care of our own. The knowledge that I live within the protective network of a Jewish community gives me a sense of security and belonging. I don't know if I could have said any of these things to Jeff, or if he would have understood if I had. It is very Three great compensations: spirituality, tradition and community, difficult to translate the sub- tle joys and wonders of Judaism into common words. Looking back, I realize I should have simply told Jeff that, above all, Judaism is a religion to be celebrated, not • endured. ❑ LOCAL NEWS 111"" Midrasha Offers Courses, Tour The Midrasha-College of Jewish Studies, a division of the Agency for Jewish Educa- tion, and Thmple Beth El will offer two courses in a co-spon- sored program for three weeks on Mondays, March 30-April 13 at Temple Beth El. "Music of the Sephardim — 1492-1992" will be taught by Cantor Gail Hirschenfang of Temple Beth El, 7-8 p.m. Can- tor Hirschenfang will exam- ine the music and culture of the "Golden Age" of the Jews from Spain. Musical demon- strations will be included. "Harmony and Dissonance — Voices of Jewish Identity in Detroit, 1914-1967" will be taught by Dr. Sidney Bolko- sky 8:15-9:15 p.m. Dr. Bolko- sky is a professor of history at the University of Michigan Dearborn. "An Afternoon Bus Tour of Jewish Detroit" will be led by Dr. Aaron Lupovitch April 26. Participants will meet at Temple Beth El 12:30 p.m. it is co-sponsored by Jewish His- torical Society of Michigan. There is a charge for all pro- grams. For registration infor- mation, call the Midrasha of- fice, 352-7117; or Thmple Beth El, 851-1100. Blood Drive Set At Beth El Temple Beth El Brother- hood will hold a blood drive 8 a.m.-1:45 p.m. March 22 in Handleman Hall. For information, call Byron Siegel 354-2500. There will be a speaker together with a full breakfast.