CRACKING THE DOOR page 61
but it's something that we strug-
gle with, because ... having peo-
ple who aren't Jewish
conceivably on a committee or
president of the congregation
someday" could be a problem.
'We ultimately want to en-
courage the non-Jewish partner
to convert. That would be our ide-
al situation. It's definitely very
difficult because the family wants
to be part of something, but you
have to maintain the idea of a
synagogue: a place for Jews to
get together and pray."
Taxes.
Rush hour traffic.
The Jewish News.
Guess what's changing this fall?
Beth Achim (Conservative)
"Ours is the most traditional
of Conservative congregations in
metro Detroit," says Rabbi Her-
bert Yoskowitz. Few, if any, in-
termarrieds belong.
Beth Shalom (Conservative)
"The Conservative movement
believes [a synagogue is] not a
country club, not a social event,
it's for Jews," says Rabbi David
Nelson. "Non-Jews should not
be members of synagogues. We
regard this more as a privilege
of being, Jewish. We will help you
become Jewish, we will welcome
you into the community ... we
have outreach, [which] means
that we will treat you beautiful-
ly and respectfully ... a Jewish
woman married to a non-Jewish
man can join and put kids in re-
ligious school. We do convert ba-
bies to a Jewish father and
non-Jewish mother."
Congregation B'nai Moshe
(Conservative)
The West Bloomfield shul does
not have anything specifically for
interfaith couples, says Rabbi El-
liot Pachter. "We welcome inter-
faith families to participate in our
programs. We do not extend of-
ficial membership to a non-Jew-
ish partner, but the non-Jewish
partner is equally welcome to at-
tend all of our services, family ed-
ucation programs, adult
education programs."
Congregation
Shaarey
Zedek (Conservative)
The Southfield shul has no
specific programs, "but we seek
to counsel families in which
there is intermarriage," says
Rabbi Irwin Groner. "And we
seek to provide what we call
kiruv, a sense of outreach to the
families." El
An Interfaith Ketubah
Quoting the Baal Shem Toy
and other traditional sources.
SPERBER'
CATERING
Rosh Hashanah is right around the corner,
It's time for you to place your order.
Kugels, Kishke, Chicken Soup too,
And many more items to tempt you.
There's no need to make a fuss,
Just pick up the phone and call us.
Now Accepting Rosh Hashanah Orders
Pick up at Congregation B'nai Moshe
6800 Drake Road, West Bloomfield
(248) 788-0950
Under supervision of the Council of Orthodox Rabbis
he Good Company in
Chicago makes this inter-
faith ketubah (marriage
contract), in which the tra-
ditional language of the contract
includes the idea of respecting
different heritages. It quotes the
mystic, the Baal Shem Tov:
"From every human being there
rises a light that reaches
straight to heaven, and when
two souls that are destined to be
together find each other, their
streams of light flow
together and a sin-
gle, brighter light
goes forth from their
united being."
The contract part
of the ketubah says
A u,S
the couple pledges
C
"to be loving friends
and partners ... to re-
spect and cherish
each other's unique-
ness ... We shall en-
deavor to establish a
home that is corn-
passionate to all ...
wherein the flow of
the seasons and the
passages of life, as
witnessed by our
mutual traditions,
are revered and hon-
ored."
A traditional ke-
tubah records the fi-
?
nancial obligations which a hus-
band undertakes toward a wife.
The term, "ketubah," came to be
identified with the most impor-
tant provision in it: the amount
of money the woman was enti-
tled to in case of divorce or the
death of her husband. Many
contemporary ketubot require
both husband and wife to agree
to a get in case of divorce. ❑
— Lynne Meredith Cohn
411
311
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