J Jc.ish CoonnIuni . Cancr Travel LEAVE THE SNOW BEHIND. Through The Rockies By Train ESCAPE TO ONE OF OUR WARM WEATHER DESTINATIONS! MOLLY AROST STAUB Special to The Jewish News a ei , :ans) Palm Springs, Februay 3 - 24, 1998 lila Monica, Februay 10 - 26, 1998 Israel, Varch 18 - A011, 1998 A HANUKAH PE IAL! 25 people to sign up before January 5 receive a embership or extension to the JCC Health Club, m Some restrictions apply. Call for details. Wolf or Sharon Green at (248) 661-7649 MOTOR COACH TOURS - AIR AND CRUISE TRAVEL * * * * * FLORIDA! (ORLANDO, TAMPA, * * "RING IN 1998" * * * "NEW YEARS EVE GALA AND MURDER * * • FT. LAUDERDALE, CLEARWATER) * * Feb. 23-March 9 — R.T. - Coach, Hotels, * * * MYSTERY TRAIN RIDE", * * $222 * * Meals, Attractions, Tours & More!..$1 338 * * Adrian Michigan Dec.31 -Jan. 1 * * * Escape the Snow and Cold! * Bus, Lunch Mystery Train, Meals, Music, * * Dancing, Champagne, Breakfasts & Show! : : FRANKENMUTH & BIRCH RUN $58 * * * * Feb. 14 - 'The Gaylords" (Valentines Day!) : * "CHICAGO - IS COMING TO TORONTO! $279 : : Mar. 11 -1-he Platters" * * March 27-29 & April 24-26 * Bus, Lunch, Show & Shopping * Bus Hotel, , , Show & More * * * * * * * * * * * * * ,F * * AIR AND CRUISE SPECIALS * * * * * * * * * * HOLLAND AMERICA'S HOLIDAY SAILING 7 -13 DAY CARIBBEAN & TRANS-CANAL FR. $1506, (CRUISE ONLY) PRINCESS CRUISES SPECIAL OFFERS CARIBBEAN WINTER/SPRING 1998 - 7 DAYS - FR. $694 3R° PASSENGER SAILS FREE! MEXICO - MAY 7 DAYS FR. $957 (CRUISE ONLY) PANAMA CANAL - JAN 6 & MAR 31 -11 DAYS FR. $1490 (All cruise specials may have restrictions and can be withdrawn any time) * Prices p.p. dbl. occ. Group Discounts. CALL FOR FLYERS, ADDITIONAL TRIPS & DETAILS * BERKLEY TOURS AND TRAVEL, INC. (248) 559-8620 OR 1-800-875-TOUR (8687) LANA . GORDON TRAVEL Experienced and personal service .. .. FOR ALL YOUR TRAVEL NEEDS ... •' ......• -, - 24E3-661-6677 . ,,...$ *t., Fun, Affordable & Exciting! TYPE OF CAR OR SIMILAR MANUAL CARS A B C C - ' C ' ' N IN 0 E F G K 144 . CALL LANA , 12/19 1997 . X XL sx KX V X FIAT PUNTO 3 DR. 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The trip started in Salt Lake City. I had been curious to visit there because of my fascina- tion with tracing my family's genealogy. I knew that the Church of the Latter Day Saints — better known as the Mormons — maintained vast genealogical data. First I met Rabbi Frederick Wenger at Congregation Kol Ami, which was formed in 1972 with the merger of the congregations Montefiore and B'nai Israel. Unlike in other areas, "our Reform/Conservative congregation has seen a reversal in the last decade," he said. "We had 390 Jewish family members then, and now have about 550, the largest number of affiliated Jews in the city." He said that there are about 4,000 Jews, including memberships in Chabad and a Reconstructionist Havurah. A JCC, JFS and Federation also exist. The latest wave of immigration is twofold: "We have more Jewish Russian immigrants than any other place in the country," Rabbi Wenger said. "We made a conscious outreach program to settle many of them here and to make the families members. Another source is young people set- tling here from Los Angeles because there's a lot of high-tech computer industry here." The church "continues to be very supportive of us, not overtly pressur- ing us." The earliest Jewish settlers held `minyonim in their homes, but with their first death, Brigham Young donated land for a Jewish cemetery in 1864. "The first Jewish institution in town was established under the aegis of the Mormon Church," Rabbi Wenger said. Concerning Salt Lake City's most famous (or infamous) Jewish native, Roseanne Barr: "Her parents, Helen and Jerry Barr, are still part of the community but are not affiliated," he said. More interesting is the city's early Jewish history. Jews have been here since the 1860s, their presence linked to the Mormons who began arriving in 1847 to escape religious persecution 1 back east. Rabbi Wenger related the apocryphal local tale: "First came the Mormons, then came the soldiers to wipe them out, and then came the Jews to sell them both shmattes!" The church caused no prob- lems for the Jews. "It's very supportive of us," he said. Regarding the stained glass Mogen Davids decorating the Assembly Hall at Temple Square, he said, "Brigham Young liked their appear- ance. And in the 19th century they were Christian Zionists and were advocates for a Jewish state. They look upon us as descendants of Joseph." Asked about the church's baptizing of Jewish souls, he said, "Their ulti- mate objective is to do posthumous baptisms, but the policy is that if the persons lived within the last 100 years, the church must get consent from immediate family members." Seems that they had to retract the names of some Holocaust victims when a New York relative complained, so. the Mormon Church de-baptized them. The trip then began by motor- coach, winding through Oregon Trail country. We stopped to view the Lovely Great Bear Lake and spotted our first moose sipping at a pond. Next stop was the city of Jackson, a pretty town set within view of the mountains and brimming with sou- venir shops and art galleries. On to Yellowstone National Park, the trip's highlight. Yes, large stands still look devastated from the 1988 fires, but about 80 percent of the for- est is still alive, said our guide Jay Schreck. Pockets of soaring lodgepo16:- pines remain. After overnighting at the modern lodge,,we explored some of the trails and sat on benches to watch the on-time performance of Old Faithful, which shoots to about 300 feet high every 23 minutes or so.