MARK THE MOMENT...MAKE THE FEELING LAST FOREVER

rri

z

Right: Esther LaMed,
94, uses a grogger to
drown out Haman's
name during the
megillah reading.

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Blow: Bette Schein,
resident of the Sholem
/- ichem Institute, listens
to members read facts
about the story ofEsther.

Luxurious designs. in
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(worldliness, looking at the larger pic-
ture), says Panush.
"We did study biblical lore, but as
history," he says. "God as an idea, but
not as a reality. We do not eliminate the
word 'God', but treat it as a subject."
Like its non-religious counterparts
T the Workmen's Circle and the
Labor Zionists — the Sholem Ale-
ichem Institute grew and flourished
until its school doors shut in the
1970s, a victim of the downsizing
throughout the United Hebrew
Schools chain, of which it was a part.
The Workmen's Circle, however, con-
tinues to run a pre-school.
- Panush calls the school closing
-shortsightedness" on the part of the
community, which, he says, has adopt-
ed much of the institute's teachings —
as seen in the secular b'nai mitzvah
and cultural/Yiddish programs offered
by venues ranging from the Humanis-
tic Birmingham Temple to the Jewish
Community Center.
Like many Jewish organizations

-

today, the Sholem Aleichem Institute
yearns for a jump-start through the
addition of younger members. But past
president Bob Benyas is not optimistic
about its future, despite free events and
low dues — $150 per year.
"I think the youngest member is 70.
None of [our] children seems to be
interested in carrying it on. It's hard to
find young people to take leadership
roles and start over. I think it's going to
fade into the sunset," he says.
Benyas sits on three boards in the
community, and he says they all face
the same challenges: "The younger
people are probably interested in their
own thing, not necessarily the past."
Yet, Sholem Aleichem continues to
offer its members cultural succor with
monthly oneg Shabbats and the High
Holiday "assemblies" that attract
between 300 and 400 people. And every
year the group hosts a Yiddish event.
But the institute is no longer "Yid-
dish-oriented," as it was at its found-
ing, Panush says.
"We are the other side of the Jewish
community ... [We] offer members
cultural release of their Jewishness, a
place to celebrate," he says.
Says Alva Dworkin, "Every year
when we have the holiday assembly, our
membership table is there, and many
people sign the membership book. We
have never followed up on it."
"We see the future with a great big
question mark," says Panush. "We
need an influx of younger blood.
Without a school, it's difficult to
attract young parents. However, if
there are young people who want to
start a school, we welcome them.
"Can we continue? Only time can
tell," he continued. 'As miracles hap-
pen, they can happen here too."

Q n as
or 111
t e o ern
Aleichem- nstitute, call (248)

352-6852.

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MARK THE MOMENT

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