11

For Openers

Yiddish Limericks

A Hand In Jewish Ritual

New York

Left-wingers have interpreted Jewish law, but this summer a differ-
ent group will look at Jewish rituals through a left-leaning lens.
"Halacha for Lefties" is one of 30 continuing education courses
being offered this summer by the Drisha Institute for Jewish
Education, a Jewish women's study program in New York. The class will
focus on left-handedness and its relevance to Jewish law.
"There are many moments in the course of performing a ritual in which
the question arises, 'How do I do this?' " explained instructor Laurie
Adlerstein, herself a lefty. "When you're a lefty, the question is compounded."
The reasons for the distinction between
left and right differ according to which rit-
ual is being performed, though a general
explanation emanates from the symbolic
z
representations assigned to the polar sides.
Right extremities are commonly consid-
ered stronger than the left and therefore
used to represent importance or swiftness
in carrying out God's commandments.
Lighting Shabbat candles, for example,
is often initiated by the right hand to show
Lefties don tefillin differently
the importance of serving God. Often, the
from right-handed people.
left symbolizes weakness. A left-handed
person, however, would associate strength
with his dominant hand and not with his right hand, which would be his
weaker limb.
"Between right and left, it's not just knowing which hand to use but why
you're using this particular hand," said Adlerstein, which is why she said the
class is relevant for right-handed people also.
When praying the Amidah, the silent recitation ola series of blessings, it is
necessary to take three steps backward when ending the prayer. Normally, the
first step is taken with the left foot to show one's reluctance to leave God.
Male lefties are confronted with this issue daily when donning t011in, or phy-
lacteries. The shell, or the arm piece, is normally placed on the left, or weaker
arm. Lefties, however, are instructed to bind the shell to their right limb.
"The left hand for him is like the right hand of other people," Adlerstein
said, referring to a principle in the Talmud.
According to Kabbalah, Jewish mystical tradition, the right is also associat-
ed with God's mercy while the left signifies judgment. This further confuses
the issue of whether it becomes appropriate to reverse right and left move-
ments.
"Halacha seems less concerned with branding people righties and lefties
than with ensuring that commandments are performed in an appropriate
manner," Adlerstein said. ❑
— Brianne Korn/Jewish Telegraphic Agency

GRAPERWZ

.
4

A man won a yacht and he felt,
"I'm blessed by the hand I've been dealt.
The good Lord has listened.
In thanks, she'll be christened
`H. Emess* Gfunneneh Gelt?'"
— Martha Jo Fleischmann

* true
** found money; windfall

'cha
E w .200.

By Goldfein
ne of the reasons King David

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chose ancient Jerusalem as his
capital was that it was situated
on three hills, a military advantage.
Invading armies would be exposed in
the valleys below. What are the names
of the three hills?
.cpy.wpAilunopv pup saago
Jo lunopv '1102- Junow adcwn utaivsn.laf
luapuv Jo sipq gaup aqi :daatsuv

-

quotables

"Just as Arabs, immigrants and retarded
people aren't conscripted, the ultra-
Orthodox should not be either."
— Retired Israeli Supreme Court Justice
Tzvi Tah to demonstrators protesting his
commission's recommendation that fer-
vently Orthodox youth be exempted from
army service.

"We don't conduct a background check
into personal or religious beliefs."
Abraham Habenstreit, of Yeshiva
University's Albert Einstein College of
Medicine, defending the decision by the
women's division of the New York school _
to honor non-Jewish supermodel
Cindy Crawford.

—

Mendel

HERE 1,JE HAVE A HOLIDAY
THAT HAS ANCIENT ROOTS
GJE
STEEPED IN masTeR,
POVT FULL UNDERSTAND 1T

-

y ET GJE" CELEBRATE rit

I GUESS 1i I 5 SORT OF
LIKE LI FG TH AT lA)Al.
HAPP. LAG B'OMER
HONEY
HAPPy LAG

13'0(t1ER
RABBI

ANNUAL
MEETING

AND ELECTION
OF OFFICERS

SELF-ADVOCACY:

Speaking Up For Ourselves

with

Joseph Meadours

Self-Advocacy Moven:tent Leader

Accept Me For Who I Am...
Not Who You Want Me To Be

Michael Remus

Parent and Past President
of the Arc/ US

Your Child's Transition to
Self-Advocacy...or...
Cutting The Apron Strings

Monday, June 12
7:30 p.m.
Jewish Community Center

West Bloomfield
No Charge

2000-2001 Slate of Officers
and Directors
H. James Zack
President
Vice-Presidents Stephanie Jacobson
Carol Kaczander
Eli Scherr
Rebecca David
Secretary
Ron Elkus
Treasurer

Nominated for an additional three-year
term (expiring 2003)
Stephanie Jacobson
Amy Berlin
Robert Kaplow
Rebecca David
Daniel Medow
Harriet Gelfond
Bobbie Miller
Dan Gilbert
Ronelle Grier

Nominated fora first three-year term
, (expiring 2003)
Barbara Jonas
Jeffrey Cohen
Beth Mondry
Otto Dube
Robert Nusbaum
Ronald Hodess
Michael Pitt
Beatrice Howard
Lenny Hutton, M.D. Karen Rosenzweig

28366 Franklin Road
Southfield, MI 48034
248-352-5272 v/tty
fax 248-352-5279

AN

5/26

2000

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