If Not Now,
When?

Here it is, the end of the year, the market's at an
all-time high, and you're wondering if the tax folks
are going to eat you — and your capital gains —
alive,

Thanks to the bull market, many stock funds have
risen 15 percent or more this year. If you sell now,
before the end of the year, the tax folks will want a
share of the profits.

Well, there's another way for charitable givers.

Set up a philanthropic fund now with
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit, and you'll:

1) avoid tax on the capital gain when sold
2) earn 7,5% on funds while they're on deposit
with United Jewish Foundation

3) have a say in how your charitable dollars
will be spent

4) feel you've done something terrific for your
community

Call the Endowment Department of the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit, 642-4260, ext. 202.

PI

f EDk;s.

I %
1

I

O t.

°polite, e

Allied Jewish Campaign

from
generation
to
generation

PO Box 2030 • Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-2030 • (810) 642-4260

CAMP AROWHON

C/)

Since 1934 Arowhon has been known for intense teaching

LL,

Cr)

Lu

of skills and personal caring for each camper. In the

Windsurfing • Sailing

Canoeing • Riding

Kayaking • Tennis

CD
CC
F-
LU

CD

LU

F-

2

Algonquin Park wilderness boys and girls aged 7 - 16

are simultaneously nurtured and challenged.

Backpacking • Ropes

Archery • Nature

Drama • Canoe Trips

Arts and Crafts

Take advantage of the very favorable

Canadian $ exchange rate!

DETROIT INFORMATION SESSION:

Sunday, December 8, 1996 at 4:30 p.m.
Birmingham Community House,
380 South Bates Street in Birmingham

Info: 72 Lyndhurst Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5R 2Z7

Tel (416) 975-9060 Fax (416) 975-0130

The Story Of Joseph
Is Recounted

Shabbat Vayeshev: Genesis 37:1-40:23;
Numbers 7:18-23; Zachariah 2:14-4:7.

RABBI RICHARD C. HERTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

T

his week's Torah portion
centers on the Joseph sto-
ry. In fact, the rest of the
Book of Genesis is devot-
ed to the Joseph story. Scripture
tells of the chain of events that
leads to the descent into Egypt,
a prelude to the drama of op-
pression and redemption.
The sedrah deals with a fa-
ther's favoritism, sibling jeal-
ousies and egotistic boyish
dreams, all of which culminate
in a family situation of explosive
tragedy. The master storyteller
tells what is really a novel in it-
self with character delineation
and dramatic suspense.
Rabbi Hertz
The narrative is infused with
a profound sense of God's guid- was
torn by a beast!" Jacob was
ing hand and imparts meaning
beside himself in grief.
and direction to the events lead-
The chapter ends with the
ing up to what happens.
Ishmaelites going down to Egypt
The Torah tells how Jacob
and selling Joseph to Potiphar,
loved Joseph best of all his sons;
an officer of the pharaoh and his
he was the child of his old age.
chief steward.
Jacob's favoritism caused undis-
Now the picture of Joseph
guised partiality that intensified
emerges entirely differently from
the hostility among the broth-
the boy back in his father's
ers. To top it off, Jacob gave
home. Years pass. Joseph is now
Joseph a coat of many colors as
the instrument of God's provi-
a sign of his love for the boy.
dence and his behavior in the
Even more menacing to the face of temptation from the wife
brothers were Joseph's dreams.
of Potiphar demonstrates his
In the ancient world, dreams
worthiness.
were recognized as a means of
The morality of Joseph and
divine communication. God does
his high principles and loyalty
not explicitly appear in the con-
to his master were not in the so-
tent of the dreams, but it is as-
cial conventions of the times, all
sumed that God is the source of
of which made them the more
the message conveyed, predict- unusual.
ing that Joseph would lord over
When his master heard the
his family.
story that his wife told him,
Jacob sends Joseph to search
Joseph was thrown into prison.
for his brothers who are out with
Now, Joseph was at the lowest
the flocks seeking water and
point of his fortunes, forlorn and
food. The brothers grab Joseph,
helpless. However, Joseph's abil-
strip him of his tunic and cast
ity to interpret dreams will come
him into a pit. In careless indif- to his rescue.
0
ference to Joseph's cries for help,
the brothers sit down to a meal.
Reuben thought he could come
back and rescue Joseph from the
pit, but a caravan of Ishmaelites
on their way to Egypt come upon
them and the brothers decide to
sell Joseph for 20 pieces of sil-
ver. The Ishmaelites bring
Joseph down to Egypt.
The brothers took Joseph's tu-
nic, slaughtered a kid and Adat Shalom families will expe-
dipped the tunic in its blood. rience a family weekend Jan. 24-
When they came back and 26, at the Butzel Conference
Center in Ortonville. The week-
showed the tunic to their father,
he recognized it and said, "A sav- end will celebrate Shabbat Shi-
age beast devoured him! Joseph ra, along with a variety of
recreational activities for fami-
Richard C. Hertz is distinguished
lies. The group will take part in
professor of Jewish studies at
outdoor sports, youth activities,
the University of Detroit Mercy.
creative family projects, Shabbat

Family Camp
Weekend Set