Midrasha Center for Adult Jewish Learning
and the Detroit Jewish News present
"ELUL: A TIME
TO PREPARE"
. FREE OF CHARGE
as our gift to all adult learners who wish to prepare spiritually,
emotionally, and intellectually for the High Holidays
All programs at Midrasha, 21550 W 12 Mile Road, Southfield
Tuesday, August 31, 7:30 p.m.
"A Lesson from Maimonides: 24
Things that Make Teshuvah Difficult"
Rabbi Rod Glogower
In the fourth chapter of his Hilkhot Teshuvah (Laws of Repentance) from his great work, Mishneh Torah,
the Rambam discusses various obstacles to the attainment of repentance. Basing his analysis on a
rather obscure early rabbinic teaching which the editors of the Talmud relegated to the "back of the
book," Maimonides took a simple list and systematized it by creating categories and connections that
greatly enriched the meaning of the original text. By studying his material we are afforded an
extraordinary glimpse into the mind of this great genius. More important, however, as we prepare for the
upcoming Days of Awe, an analysis of this text can help us look deeply into ourselves and come to
terms with our own personal roadblocks to teshuvah.
Wednesday, September 8, 7:30 p.m.
"The Binding of Isaac:
Midrash & Memory"
Aviva Silverman
The story of the binding of Isaac (known in Jewish tradition as the "Akedah") is one of the most
powerful, inspiring, and disturbing of all religious texts. Why did the editors of our liturgy choose this
story to read from the Torah on Rosh Hashanah morning? What is the Akedah's relationship to the
themes of the High Holidays? How and why did the psychological and religious power of this story grow
over the centuries, especially during the Middle Ages, when Jewish parents and children saw themselves
as reliving Abraham and Isaac's trial in the face of the Crusades? How can studying the binding of
Isaac help us prepare for ■ pe Days of Awe?
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7:30 to 9:00 PM on September 2, 7 & 9
"Spiritual Themes in
High Holiday Prayers
Rabbi Ahron Davidson
Would you like to understand more of what goes on during High Holiday services? Enhance
your awarenesss of the spiritual themes of the High Holiday liturgy by studying key prayers with
the help of a gifted teacher. This class is open to any interested adult learner who would like to
feel more tuned in to the High Holiday services that he or she will be attending this year. The
prayers that will be studied are all found in traditional, Conservative, and Reform High Holiday
prayerbooks.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
PLEASE NOTE: NO KNOWLEDGE OF HEBREW IS REQUIRED FOR THESE SPECIAL
ADULT JEWISH STUDY PROGRAMS, BUT ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
TO REGISTER, CALL 354-1050.
1 06
Midrasha is a division of the Agency for Jewish Education.
Worker's Death
Raises Questions
Jerusalem (JTA) — The
murder of an immigrant
worker at a West Bank con-
struction site, possibly by
Arab terrorists, has trig-
gered calls for a re-
evaluation of how
newcomers are employed in
the administered territories.
The calls for a reassess-
ment came after the body of
Igor Gurgul was discovered
near Ma'aleh Adumim, a
West Bank town east of
Jerusalem.
Mr. Gurgul, 32, a resident
of the West Bank settlement
of Kiryat Arba, had im-
migrated from Ukraine
three years ago. Last month
he began working for a pri-
vate security company as a
guard at a construction site
along the road connecting
Ma'aleh Adumim and
Jerusalem.
Police suspect Mr. Gurgul
was murdered by Arab ter-
rorists, though they have not
ruled out a criminal motive.
He allegedly was attacked
by at least two men at his
bungalow on the construc-
tion site.
He apparently struggled
with his attackers but was
overpowered. The assailants
took his gun and shot him
several times.
The body was discovered
by an Arab laborer at the
construction site. Several of
the laborers at the site were
subsequently detained for
questioning.
The employment of new
immigrants from the former
Soviet Union to serve as
guards in the territories
without proper training was
sharply criticized by the
Cabinet and the army.
Immigrant Absorption
Minister Yair Tsaban said
that no one should have
allowed an inexperienced re-
cent immigrant to work as a
lone guard anywhere in the
territories.
Mr. Tsaban challenged the
minister of police to re-
evaluate the entire system of
private security companies
in the territories "and shake
up that system."
The Israel Defense Force
released a statement in-
dicating it had given explicit
instructions to the security
company that had employed
Mr. Gurgul to have at least
two men on duty at the con-
struction site at all times.
Several months ago, two
guards who were also immi-
grants from the former
Soviet Union were shot at a
construction site near Beit
Jallah in the territories. ❑