EDITOR'S WATCH

Young Israel of Oak Park: Symbol
Of A Vibrant Orthodox Community

Huntington Woods.
oung Israel of Oak Park, the
Blueprints call for a new sanctuary,
largest Orthodox shul in
social hall and classrooms. The current
Michigan with 240 member
sanctuary will become a chapel. The
units, will break ground for
construction cost will approach $2 mil-
a new, larger building on Sunday,
lion. Move-in should be com-
Aug. 30.
plete by the 1999 High Holi-
From my vantage point, the
days, Greenberg said in an
groundbreaking will symbolize
interview Tuesday.
the vigor of the Orthodox
A key reason for Young
community in Oak Park, a
Israel of Oak Park's growth:
/- 1 suburban jewel I discovered
Jewish Federation of Metro-
while growing up just across
politan Detroit's 10-year-old
Eight Mile in northwest
Neighborhood Project, which
Detroit. Oak Park's epicenter,
provides interest-free loans for
the 10 Mile-Greenfield area,
home buyers. "It, more than
today is home to at least six
anything," Greenberg said,
ROBE RT A.
Orthodox shuls.
"has stabilized the neighbor-
S KLAR
When it opened with fan-
hood.
Ed itor
fare in 1987, the 1-696
"Every new member of
extension through Oak Park
our
shul, at least of the
/-)
threatened to splinter the
younger variety, has benefitted from
area's Orthodox community. Now, the
that program. Likewise, we feel we've
freeway's two overpass parks serve as
benefitted Federation by offering the
reminders that spirited cooperation
services we do."
between government and citizens can
Those services go beyond shul mem-
save a community. The freeway ulti-
bers. For example, Greenberg said, the
mately became a blessing for Oak
shul services its neighbors in the Jewish
Parkers who work in outlying areas.
Federation Apartments — "they come
In announcing the groundbreaking,
to us and we go in there throughout the
Rabbi Steven Well and President Joseph
year."
/—') Greenberg said Young Israel of Oak Park
A small but determined cadre of
plans to partner even more with com-
Orthodox merchants also reinforces how
munal groups to enhance the neighb-
committed Jews are to Oak Park,
horhood.
Detroit's oldest Jewish suburb.
Young Israel of Oak Park is the
My wife, Beth, and I both grew up
result of a 1996 merger between
Reform. But my grandfather, Jacob Isa-
Young Israel of Oak-Woods and
iah Sklar, was a devout Orthodox rabbi
Young Israel of Greenfield. Members
in Detroit during the early years of this
come from Oak Park, Southfield and
century. He later was a founding mem-

\

ignored the lure of Chicago and stayed
in Detroit.

Mark H. Weintraub
Birmingham

\—]

Who Can Be
The Moshiach?

In Laurel Stuart-Fink's letter of June
26 ("Negativity Unwarranted") con-
cerning the Moshiach issue, a point
was made equating the false messiah
Shabbtai Zvi with Bar Kochba.
Although her letter was wonderful,
this is absolutely incorrect. Not only
was Bar Kochba supported by Rabbi
Akiva and all the great rabbis of Israel,
he, too, was pious and a great scholar.
Bar Kochba did not cause the people
to stray from the Torah as Shabbtai
Zvi and other false messiahs did.
Shabbtai Zvi claimed that there was

no longer a need to fulfill the com-
mandments. On the contrary, he said
the presence of the Messiah dictated
that sins actually were great mitzvahs
in potential. As a result, all dietary
laws and sexual restrictions were lifted
by him.
This is what is called a false messi-
ah. It is important to note this differ-
ence because many people, including
"scholars," use this point to ostracize
all of Lubavitch because of the actions
of a few. This is ignorant and unfortu-
nate.
Of Bar Kochba and the like, Mai-
monides in chapter 11 of the Book of
Kings Halacha IV (in the uncensored
printings) states that "if the Messiah
was not successful to this extent or if
he was killed in battle, then he (the
one 'assumed to be the messiah' -

chezkas Moshiach) is considered as one

which provided an up-close look at the
ber of the Taylor Street Shul, which
well-kept Orthodox neighborhoods near
exists today as Beth Tefilo Emanuel Tik-
the Jewish Community Campus in Oak
vah in Southfield.
Park
During our many visits to Oak
Well and Greenberg are right: The
in
The
Jewish
News
Park since I joined
Detroit Jewish community shares in the
January, Beth and I have been touched
excitement over "the tremendous growth
by the warmth of the Orthodox corn-
we are witnessing in our own back
munity.
yards."
We've attended Shabbat services at
Describing Young Israel of Oak Park's
Young Israel of Oak Park, B'nai Israel-
contribution to that
Beth Yehudah and Machon
growth as "substantial,"
LTorah. We've chatted with
they said the shul's poten-
owner Ofer Ohana at A
tial "for doing more is
Taste of Israel and manager
greater still."
Chaskel Borenstein of
Which it is, thanks in
Borenstein's Book & Music
no
small measure to the
Store. And we've surveyed
leadership
of Rabbi Weil.
the wares at Art On The
Not
only
is
he beloved by
Overpass, an art fair that
congregants,
he's a source
showed how the overpass
of spiritual uplifting for
parks help link the neigh-
many others, no matter
borhoods on either side of
what
their affiliation or
the freeway.
how
observant
they are.
In a winter visit to Oak
Young
Israel
of Oak
Rabbi
St
even
Weil
—
Park, Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld
Park
congregants
are cer-
beloved
an
d
a
source
of
guided me on a tour of the
tain.
to
reap
a
spiritual
spiritua
1
uplifting.
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Sally
return on their financial
Allan Alexander Beth Jacob
investment. Meanwhile, their commit-
School for Girls as well as the surround-
ment to the city assures a strong Jewish
ing neighborhood.
presence there for years to come.
This spring, Beth and I spent an
Clearly, the congregation believes in
evening in Southfield with 600 others
the
thinking of the sage Hillel, who said:
honoring Rabbi Avraham Jacobovitz's
"Separate
not yourself from the commu-
Machon L'Torah, the Oak Park-based
nity.
Jewish Learning Network of Michigan.
Among the attendees: Oak Park's Gary
Torgow, one of the Detroit Jewish com-
munity's finest ambassadors.
This summer, I had the privilege of
participating in the Walk for Israel,

of the righteous kings of the house of
David"
That means clearly that i f a king
assumed to be the Messiah is unsuccessful
in bringing redemption, he is not vili-
fied rather honored as a righteous king
— just not the messiah.
Regarding the possible identity of
Moshiach, the Talmud in Sanhedrin
98B states that the Messiah could be
either of the living or the dead. "If
he be from the dead then he is like
Daniel." Notwithstanding the objec-
tion of some of my contemporaries,
the simple reading in the Talmud is
that he may be of the dead. This is
consistent with the teachings of the
great codifiers, including Mai-
monides.
The title of "false messiah" is
given to those who alter the com-
mandments of the Torah. Mistaken

belief in who is the Moshiach does
not make one into an idolater or
heretic. Rabbi Akiva believed Bar
Kochba was the Moshiach and he
was never so labeled.
I am certain that for a while, even
after his death, Bar Kochba had his
adherents. Perspective on Bar Kochba
probably came years after his revolt
against Rome.
I have investigated this issue and
the above is consistent with all
sources, including all the disputations
with Christians during the Middle
Ages. In none do any of the rabbis
state that Jesus could not be the Mes-
siah merely because he died. They
objected because he died at the hands
of his enemies, which is inconsistent
with the concept of the Moshiach who
will defeat his enemies.
I hope this helps to clarify this

7/31
1998

Detroit Jewish News

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