EdItoR's NoTe
Love One Another
xcept for a small accident
more than 15 years ago (and
it wasn't my fault), I have an
excellent driving record.
If you've ever been in the car
when I'm driving, you would know
how amazing this is. We always
1 wear seat belts and observe traffic
laws, but I admit to having little
patience with other drivers.
"What are you — an
idiot?" I have been known
1 to yell (behind closed win-
dows) to those who yield
when they do not have to.
Another favorite of mine is,
"Go back to driver's edu-
cation!" and I'm quite fond
of, "Learn how to drive or get off
the road!" as someone moves
along at a lousy 20 mph when the
speed limit is 45.
Although I know my children are
watching me at every moment, I
guess I forget this sometimes. It
I always comes back haunt to me.
That guy should go back to dri-
ving school," I have heard my chil-
dren yell. All right, I admit it: I can-
not abide lousy drivers. But that's no
excuse.
My husband, Phillip, was watch-
: ing a TV program that made a
great impression on him, and then
on me as he told me of it. A rabbi
was saying that what most people
regard as _Judaism's more difficult
aspects, like keeping kosher and
observing Shabbat, aren't that
hard. What is challenging, he said,
is .God's directive to "Love another
as you love yourself" (ve-ahavta le-
i reiecha k'mocha).
1 I keep kosher, and I don't know
that I would label it easy (the smell
of Taco Bell calls to me ...), but it's
so much a part of my life that it's
natural. The same is true for observ-
ing Shabbat. But I readily confess
to difficulty merely having patience
I
with, much less loving, some of my
fellow human beings.
It can be astonishing what each
of us says in a day — not just the
obvious, like gossip, but the more
subtle: the criticism, the harsh word,
the thoughtlessness. It isn't just that
we don't love one another; we
downright loathe each other. I know
from experience, both on
the giving and receiving
ends, that people can be
cruel, our words can dev-
astate. These are wounds
that last for months, or
never heal.
I am working on this in
myself, and I assure you
it's not easy.
Fortunately, I have my children to
guide me.
"Somebody made me angry
today," I told my 4-year-old son
Yitzhak.
"Her name is [Joan] and she real-
ly hurt my feelings. I mean she was
not nice. What should I do?"
I didn't expect him to say I should
kick her or anything, but I hardly
knew how to respond when Yitz
advised: "Send her a present."
"What?" I asked.
"Then she will send you a present
and you will forget about the bad
thing that she did," he said.
That night, after kissing my boy
goodnight, I came downstairs and
started to work. First, though, I had
something to do. I picked up the
phone and I called Joan. I didn't
yell and I wasn't angry and I wasn't
bitter. Instead, I asked her to do me
a favor.
She said yes. Ei
Choreographed by Valerie Mould
The JCC Child Development Center is proud to bring
Nancy Gurwin's production of
Ameld
awl ate ritotevie#19 . 7e affeco
ft
Vireastedat
to the JCC Kahn Building on October 18, 1998 at 4 p.m.
This performance benefits the JCC Child Development Center.
All proceeds will go to a special scholarship fund.
For more information or to make
reservations, please call (248) 661-7605.
(2 48)583-1300
-, ,tax: (248)583_1305
31051 stephenson hwy
madison heights, mi 48071
under new ownership
MICHIGAN
AUTOMATIC
SPRINKLER
INCORPORATED
ESTABLISHED 1950
"Rain's Only Rival!"
Call To
Schedule Your
6 J
START UP
FULLY TRAINED STAFF
SPECIALIZING IN:
Irrigation
Design
Installation
Service
Landscape Lighting
WE ORE
A LWAYS
BUYING
SILVER COINS
ANTIQUE JEWELRY
GOLD COINS
POCKET WATCHES
COIN COLLECTIONS
TIFFANY
FRANKLIN MINT
ROLEX WATCHES
STERUNG SILVER
STICK PINS
SILVER DOLLARS
- BROACHES
ANTIQUE SILVER
HUMMELS
SILVER BARS
FLATWARE SETS
CANDLESTICKS
DIAMONDS
PAPER MONEY
GEMSTONES
SCRAP GOLD
PEITEK PHIWPE
OBJECTS D'ART
VACHERON
BOWLS Er TRAYS
TEA SERVICES
COIN WATCHES
(ARTIER
RINGS
VAN CLEEF
POSTCARDS
PIAGET
10-24 KOROT GOLD
PENDANTS
CHAINS
ROYAL DOULTON
EARRINGS
We are interested in serving you or your dent
in the appraisal or liquidation of your coins,
jewelry, collectables or an entire estate.
PLEASE CALL OR STOP IN!
OFFICE HOURS:
Mon.-Fri. 8 am-6 pm
Saturday 8 am-12 noon
Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor
Commercial • Residential
NEIL BLAZOFSKY
PRESIDENT
2679 Orchard Lake Road
Sylvan Lake, MI 48320
(248) 681-3770
33700 WOODWARD AVENUE
BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009
248-644-8565
Mon.-fri. 9-6 ■ Saturday 9-4
Metro Dealer Since 1956
Sl7
1998
Detroit Jewish News
69