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We were surprised and to be working out fine. We even cele- dismayed when we learned that while brated the second night of Chanukah the surgery was successful, unexpected together in the nursing home. Lighting complications (two minor strokes and the menorah with our whole family excessive fluid in his lungs) would keep together, surrounding my father-in-law's him on a ventilator in intensive care for • bed, made this Chanukah one which I 10 days and that if he was able to will never forget. My-mother-in-law has breathe on his own, he would be then started driving again and been able to be in rehabilitation for several months be more independent (which she likes thereafter. much more). My daughter is back to The impact on our lives was imme- her normal self again. Life is good! ❑ diate and intense. Since he provided the primary means of transportation for my mother-in-law, who suffers from arthri- tis in her knees, we had to provide not only the emotional support, but also the primary transportation for hospital OPPORTUNITIES from page 29 visits and other care-giving functions. Fortunately, with teen-age children in receiving a nominal amount for their the home, they were able to manage teaching and administrative efforts. with less attention from us (probably Other incidentals include a $50 fee for . even enjoyed it!) and were able to pitch - using the mikvah. in and help on occasion as well, by dri- Until last year, when Congregation ving their grandmother to the super- Shaarey Zedek offered to print a market or taking her to the hospital glossy, two-color brochure, the only when we could not. Our lives revolved materials promoting the Conservative around visits and telephone calls to the movement's conversion program were hospital, rarely spending time together on colored copy paper. The brochure without experiencing the stress and anx- lists the sponsors as the Conservative iety related to this crisis. Rabbis of Metropolitan Detroit and After three weeks, he was finally well congregations Adat Shalom, Beth enough to be moved into another hos- Abraham Hillel Moses, Beth Achim, - pital for rehabilitation. The prognosis Beth Shalom, B'nai Moshe, was definitely better and things were Downtown Synagogue and Shaarey finally starting to improve. It was then Zedek. that our youngest daughter (14) devel- With proper visibility and support oped the most serious asthma attack for the Rabbi Max Weine Institute for that she has ever had, complicated by Judaism, Rabbi Nelson believes the pneumonia. We spent the first night number of persons considering with her in the emergency room and Conservative conversion would, at the next day and night in the hospital least, double. Ideally, he would like to (the one my father-in-law had just left), see the Conservative community while they struggled to stabilize her underwrite all or most of the cost of breathing and bring her. "peak flows" up the conversion process, including to normal levels. We were caught in the books, materials, mikvah fees and typical dilemma that sandwich genera- honoraria for teachers, and provide tion families deal with. Pulled from funds for a coordinator who could both sides, emotionally and physically form friendship groups, retreats and worn out, we knew that our immediate create greater visibility. priority was to be with our daughter, An expensive proposition? In an era but that we also had to continue to pro- when Conservative synagogues look vide support to my in-laws. I remember for — and receive — endowments for my wife and I looking at each other in everything from building maintenance the emergency room, knowing that we to landscaping, isn't it time to raise the had to manage this, but not being able necessary funds to attract and wel- to come up with a single cogent idea as come those interested in becoming to how to do it. Conservative Jews by choice? That's On the first night of Chanukah, my one decision that doesn't hinge on the father-in-law was moved into a nursing Chief Rabbinate of Israel. ❑ home within two miles of where we live NOTEBOOR