Congregation Beth Shalom and C.B.S. J.E.F.F. present
an Erev Tu B'Shvat
-
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WILD WEST ADVENTURE
Sunday, February 4, 1996
4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
at Beth Shalom
Remembering Heritage
Defines Our Being
14601 W. Lincoln, Oak Park
(Social Hall)
RABBI IRWIN GRONER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Watch "The Indian in the Cupboard"
(rated PG)
and eat a Kosher pizza dinner.
T
Enjoy a special Tu B'Shvat dessert
"°" and more!
co, $10 per family - families of all
shapes and sizes throughout
the community are welcome.
(Cowboy hats are optional.)
SeFEVIES.;:s.
11116„
Co-sponsored by Jewish Experiences for Families, a division of the Agency for Jewish Education
For more information call Beth Shalom at (810) 547-7970.
Reserve your space before January 29, 1996
te,t,
PUR M DRESS UP
Trunk Show
1 Day Only
Saturday, February 3
10 am 5 pm
Early Selection of the Newest
Crowns, Hats, Dresses, Capes,
Boas, Shoes and Jewelry For
Every Boy and Girl To Try On.
Bring Cameras...
Fun For The Whole Family
Free Face Painting
Marmel Gifts & Toys
28857 Orchard Lake Road Farmington Hills, MI 48334
(810) 553-3250
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7144 .74te
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E JEWISH NEWS (810) 354-6060
he sedrah recounts the final
hours that the children of Is-
rael spent in the land of
Egypt. After the most griev-
ous of plagues, the slaying of the
firstborn, befell the Egyptians,
Pharaoh, in despair, called upon
Moses and Aaron and declared,
"Arise, go forth from among my
people. Leave the land."
An astute commentator points
out a singular phrase in the text:
"Depart both of you and the Chil-
dren of Israel." Up until that mo-
ment, the ruler of Egypt had
referred to the Hebrews by the
word "am," people or masses. This
was the first time that Pharaoh
called these slaves by their name
— "Children of Israel." Pharaoh
finally recognized their identity.
They were persons; they had an
ancestry; they were "B'nai Yrsroel."
A very important insight is com-
pressed in that comment which il-
luminates aspects of contemporary
Jewish life in our time. In 1947,
the British evacuated Palestine,
and the State of Israel was de-
clared shortly thereafter in 1948.
But the British government was
not as yet ready to recognize the
independence of that state, so they
sent messages addressed to "the
Jewish authorities in Tel Aviv."
Ben-Gurion, the first prime
minister of the Jewish State, re-
fused to respond. He declared, "I
represent the State of Israel and
until you recognize that State by
name, we shall not accept your
communications."
Forty-eight years later, until
the Peace Process was launched
by Oslo I & II, Arab spokesmen
continue to refer to the 5 million
people who are their neighbors as
did the British in 1947. In the
United nations, one would hear
references to the "Zionist entity"
as though a whole generation of
Israel's independent existence had
never occurred, as thought there
was no State of Israel.
The greatest difficulty in bring-
ing peace to the Middle East has
been deeper than the issues of
boundaries, treaties or refugees.
It is the recognition of the legiti-
macy and reality of the State.
The nations of the world re-
quired of the Arab countries, 'The
State of Israel exists. You must
recognize its identity and call it by
name and negotiate with its rep-
resentatives."
As we look at our people's past,
we see another dimension of this
truth. Although the identity of the
Jewish people has, through the
Irwin Groner is senior rabbi of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
centuries, been a mystery to oth-
ers, the Jew was always aware of
who he was. He knew his name.
The Jew never forgot his origin,
his lineage and his mission as a
member of "Am Kodosh," a sacred
people. He had a God-given re-
sponsibility to lead a life of purity
and holiness. No matter what the
Czar said or the peasants believed
or the Church declared, no one
could deprive a Jew of his most
precious possession, which was
his identity. If you cherish your
heritage, no suffering or tribula-
tion can crush your spirit.
Challenged by the impact of
modernity, ours is the only gen-
eration in the panorama of Jew-
ish history that has asked the
question, "Who is a Jew?" It was
Sahbbat Bo:
Exodus 10:1 - 13:16
Jeremiah 46:13 - 28.
not asked in the period of the Tal-
mud, in the Middle Ages, in the
many lands of the Diaspora. But
in the last 50 years, this question
has been asked repeatedly. It con-
tinually surfaces in a free society
where Jews have integrated ex-
tensively in every aspect of our col-
lective life. "Who are we?" forces
us to confront our relationship
with our past, our distinctive way
of life, our unique existence.
Before a couple gets married,
they usually meet with the rabbi
who discusses with them aspects
of the wedding ceremony. One of
the questions asked is, "What is
your Hebrew name and what are
the Hebrew names cf your par-
ents?" (In the course pf the cere-
mony, the ketubah, marriage
contract, is read identifying the
bride and groom by their Hebrew
names.) At that point in the in-
terview, a look of puzzlement of-
ten appears on the faces of the
couple and an embarrassed pause
ensues. Some vague childhood
memory is recalled, but very often
no precise knowledge is provided
because the couple doesn't know
or hasn't used or perhaps hasn't
even been informed of their He-
brew names. Consider this a par-
adigm of the uncertainty and
confusion that often marks Jew-
ish identity in our own time.
These young people know they
are Jews and they are proud to be
Jews. But they are not sure of
their own names. To know one's
name is to know one's individual-
ity, uniqueness and the fact that
one is different from others. Such