OPINION
A Memorial Tribute
To Rabbi Gorrelick
week, 52 weeks a year. He was,
uite a few years ago, I wrote
indeed, one of our true minyanaires.
an article about the minyan
Only the day before he moved from
for the synagogue newspa-
10 Mile Road to the Fleischman
per. It began:
Home in West Bloomfield, he stood
"It's a Tuesday morning,
on our chapel bimah, taking his Levi
7 o'clock to be precise ... but it could
aliyah with the usual pride and digni-
be any morning for that matter ... the
ty, reciting the brachot in a still clear,
assembled group of devoted congre-
loud voice.
gants, most wrapped in talli-
How does one get to
tot and girded with tefillin,
know another person really?
stand mute in silent prepara-
There is the "outer layer" of
tion for davening ...
our characters that we allow
"This morning Rabbi
other people to view "from a
Gorrelick has agreed to lead
distance," the "outer shell"
the Shacharit service and he
of our personalities for casu-
begins the Birchot Hashachar.
al acquaintances. But in
Each word is clear and pre-
time, and only if we are so
cise; he cantillates his way
through the age-old prayers
SAMUEL SEMP privileged, do we have the
zechut (the merit) to learn
with a remarkable agility, a
Special to
what is on the inside of the
serene acquaintance with
The Jew ish News
cover.
each and every verse, like
The kind words that the
intimate friends who have
rabbi
offered
everyone in his daily
become close over the years ..."
conversations
showed such a sensitive
That is how I would like to remem-
neshamah, a beautiful soul — a dear,
ber our Rabbi Benjamin Gorrelick,
kind man indeed. The touch of his
Harav Binyamin Chayim ben Avra-
ham Halevi (May his memory be for a hand on your arm or shoulder was
reassuring. as was his reaching out
blessing) who bid us his earthly
with words of sympathy, understand-
farewell on Monday, Feb. 16, 1998,
ing, support, comfort, encouragement,
the 20th of Shevat 5758.
friendship, recognition and, of course,
Although he was the rabbi emeritus
blessing.
of Congregation Beth Achim, I take
Rabbi Gorrelick truly reached out
pride in saying "our" Rabbi Gorrelick
to touch people. How many people in
because, for longer than I can remem-
this very community can say he
ber, he davened with our minyan at
touched their lives in some special way
Congregation Beth Shalom five days a
over those 90-some years? His special
touch on the hand or face or head of a
is
ritual
director
of
Con-
Samuel Semp
child or young person — oh, how he
gregation Beth Shalom in Oak Park.
Q
Alas, our Rabbi Gorrelick has con- cy
loved to see children at the minyan. "I
cluded
his earthly pilgrimage and has
love you," he would tell them.
gone
to
join his colleagues who pre-
The touch of his hand was enough
ceded
him
to the eternal resting .
to express the love and caring for peo-
place. Perhaps even now he sits with
ple of all ages that he willingly gave.
his friend Rabbi Max Weine, study-
He was a short person, it's true, but
ing Talmud in the heavenly place. I
in his profession he was indeed a man
of great stature. I have been told many would like to think of that as a reali-
times that he was
tY.
We did not
a formidable rabbi
4,„: ;;;;e * : ; ,.
have
the opportu-
over the years he
nity
to
bid him
served on the pul-
farewell at a
pit, and I can only
funeral here in
assume that these
Detroit, but I am
words were said as
glad I did see him
a compliment to
at Fleischman just
his integrity,
a few Sundays
resolve, dedication
ago. He stood
and strength.
almost erect in his
Do you realize
room, dressed in a
that during those
suit, eating a
years of service he
cookie or two;
was a witness to
and he was
major historical
pleased to receive
events? Not only
a visitor. That is
by his participa-
my last image of
tion in World War
him.
II in Europe, but
Rabbi Gorre-
with the birth of
lick, we looked
the Jewish state in Rabbi Gorrelick
for you this morn-
Palestine, the vari-
ing at the minyan,
ous emigrations of
but
your
seat
was
empty.
You have
Jews from around the world to Israel,
left
us,
but
your
memory
lives on in
the wars in the Middle East and other
our
hearts,
and
your
accomplish-
global catastrophes, and certainly not
ments speak for themselves. On next
least the changing facets of the Ameri-
can Jewish scene, including the unique Rosh Chodesh, I shall be listening
for your voice to join mine in the
evolution of the Conservative Move-
Torah reading. I shall expect to hear
ment which he served so loyally, so
it, too. ❑
brilliantly and so energetically.
LETTERS
Bill, Monica,
A Jewish Question
The Clinton-Lewinsky affair has
engendered a great debate about the
boundaries of our public and private
lives. But there are other boundaries
that may be more nebulous but no
less significant.
They are the boundaries of our
minds. It is these boundaries that sep-
arate the lechery and deceit that lurks
like some idolatry in the corners of
our minds from those intimations of
things divine that beckon us to a more
biased reality. Where we set the mark-
er, how we draw the line, will deter-
mine whether we live as apes or
angels.
Needfully, we all belong to a supra-
organism called society. By common
consent, most of us have accepted cer-
2/27
1998
32
Former White House intern Monica
Lewinsky.
tain societal norms so that society
might in turn create an environment
that is conducive to our fulfillment.
The very structure of our society is
premised on the give and take.
Subverting this social contract is a
matter of grave concern. If that is so,
why have so many Americans been so
willing to overlook the president's phi-
landerings? Some undoubtedly sub-
scribe to the dictum: "Judge not, lest
ye be judged." Others are driven by
issues such as minority rights or, per-
haps, women's rights. Still others are
prepared to live in a moral swamp as
long as their economic well-being is
not threatened.
What all these disparate groups
have in common is a zestful apprecia-
tion of their self-interest.
So what does all this have to do
with the Jewish question? Simple as
this: We as a people are possessed by
the ideas that reason and reason alone
can transform the world. But reason
before special interest is like virtue
before vice. All too often, it is not
quite enough.
Consider our history. For giving
more than we have taken, we have
been subjected to the lash of anti-
Semitisrn. For wishing for Israel only
what we would wish for others, we
have provoked a delirium of Israel
bashing.
What Bill and Monica are really
telling us is that people, even presi-
dents, are not always rational. What
the polls are telling us is that people
may smile at reason, but they embrace
their special interest.
Getting back to the Jewish ques-
tion. Our faith in reason may be laud-
able, but faith in reason is not quite
the same as a reason for that faith.
Certainly not in this world.
Mitchell Finkel
Silver Spring, Md.