THE JEWISH AND YIDDISH MUSIC OF ROBYN HELZNER... AN AFTERNOON YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WON'T WANT TO MISS. The Tent Of Meeting And The Golden Calf Shabbat Ki Tessa: Exodus 30:11-34:35; I Kings 18:1-39. T Sunday, March 2; 1997 at 2:00 pm Free Admission - Open to the Public Join world-renowned singer and guitarist Robyn Helzner, and composer Michael Stein, in a joyous celebration of Jewish culture through traditional and contemporary Jewish folk music. Immediately following the concert you are cordially invited to attend an Open House. The Birmingham Temple A Congregation of Humanistic Judaism 28611 West Twelve Mile Road • Farmington Hills, MI 48334 • (810) 477-1410 At Your SS ervice... RATTAN k • THE DETROIT J EWISH NEWS Ll 34 . . . David Sklar, ASID INTERIORS by COLONY (810) 626-1999 SUGAR TREE • Orchard Lk. Rd. • W. Bloomfield Enjoy the warm casual comfort and charm of rattan and wicker. Always inviting whether it be a good book or entertaining. A large seletion in-stock &Palm ir Beach Patio Furniture 7350 Highland Rd. Waterford (810) 666-2880 M & Th 10-9, T, W, F, S 10-6 his portion deals with a the full extent of the degrada- number of matters con- tion and recognized the evil of cerning the construction of the people's sins: He took th the tabernacle. A census golden calf, burnt it, ground it and pole tax were to be taken into powder, threw it upon the among the Israelites. Annointing waters and made the Israelites oil and various spices needed for drink of it. worship are specified. The destruction of the The ingredients and list golden calf seems to have of materials to be as- triggered a riot among the sembled for the con- people. Moses saw that struction of the they were out of control. tabernacle are detailed, Now it was up to him t and a full chapter is de- gain forgiveness for the voted to the observance people. of the Sabbath. The tragic irony in the The account of the episode of the golden calf RABBI building of the taberna- is that the people wanted RICHARD C. cle is interrupted by the to provide themselves HERTZ story of the making and with a reassuring symbol the worship of the gold- SPECIAL TO THE of God's continued pres- en calf. The apostasy of JEWISH NEWS ence in their midst; yet the people, their alien- that symbol became the ation from God, interfered with instrument of their alienation the building of the intended sanc- from God. What Moses was con- tuary. cerned about was the continued Moses ascended the mountain presence of God in the midst of to receive the Ten Command- his people. ments and the Israelites became Moses pitched a private tent of anxious about his prolonged ab- meeting outside the camp with sence. The Israelites demanded no priesthood, no cult, no ritual that Aaron provide them with a of any sort. The ohel moed, the visible God to lead them. Aaron, tent of meeting, was to be acces- always a man of peace, complies. sible to individual Israelite wor- Hoping to gain time for Moses to shippers. O return, Aaron collected the gold- en ornaments of the people and fashioned the gold into the shape of a small calf. Aaron exclaimed, "This is your god, 0 Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt." The rabble had taken over and plunged the people into pagan orgiastic rites, singing and danc- ing. When the boisterous revel- Congregation B'nai Moshe w ry reached its height, God offer a four-part Purim study informed Moses of what was series for adults on the four happening in the camp below. Shabbat mornings leading up to The people had violated and nul- the holiday, March 1, 8, 15 and lified the fundamental idea of re- 22. ligion of Israel by adopting There will be two Purim study pagan modes of worship. sessions each day: learning God said to Moses, "I see this minyan from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. is a stiff-necked people. My anger and the new Stay and Learn Af- will blaze forth against them." ter Kiddush group from 12:30 t Moses implored God, saying, 1:30 p.m. "Let not the Egyptians say it was Len Wanetik, Marc Sussman with evil intent that You deliv- and Nancy Kaplan will lead the ered them only to kill them off in series. There is no charge. the mountains and obliterate them from the face of the earth. Turn from your blazing anger and renounce punishment for The normal deadline for local news your people." And God renounced and publicity items is noon Thursday, eight days prior to issue date. The the punishment. deadline for out-of-town obituaries is When Moses witnessed the 10 a.m. Tuesday, three days prior to is- scene in the camp, he realized sue date. Purim Learning At B'nai Moshe Publicity Deadlines Richard C. Hertz is distinguished professor of Jewish studies at University of Detroit Mercy. All material must be typewritten, double-spaced, on 81/2 x 11 paper and include the name and daytime tele- phone number of sender.