Vor

PAUL KOHN S

La Difference

Home Again

As she moves forward with her
career, so, too, is Pashman going back.
One of the reasons she loved life in
Israel is that it literally put distance
between her and the place of so many
unhappy childhood memories.
When she came back to the United
States, she decided she would finally
try to come to terms with her life so
many years ago.
She called her father.
"I had the phone number for my
grandfather," she says. "One day I
called, and my father was there. He was
absolutely stunned to hear from me."
They spoke, awkwardly but honest-
ly; about the past. "He apologized to
me," Pashman says. "At this point, he's
trying to make up for all the hurt he
caused me."
Then David began calling regularly
— "I think he calls two times a day
now" — and visiting. Last year, he
spent Sukkot and Chanuka with his
daughter's family. The two met up

Rachel as a young toddler, before her
parents' divorce sent her to a series
of 13 foster homes and orphanages.

again at Rachel's grandfather's funeral
in Washington State.
"I care for him," Pashman says of
her father. "But I can't help but still
feel angry and frustrated with the level
of irresponsibility he showed earlier in
life. Now, he has to start from scratch.
He biologically created me, but that
does not a father make. A father also
has to share in a child's life, and only
now is mine.beginning to share in the
experiences of my life."
Until about 10 years ago Pashman
stayed in communication with her sister,
then "we lost touch." She has "no inter-
est" in contacting her mother.
Pashman works diligently to make
certain she does not raise her children
as she was raised. She describes them as
a gift from God and says, "It's a honor
to raise them."
Part of that responsibility is giving
them an education, which she prefers
to do at home. She believes children
benefit greatly from one-on-one atten-
tion; "my 4-year-old son is doing sec-
ond-grade level work."
. She teaches them in "small seg-
ments," generally 30-minute blocks of
time, and begins with the more difficult
subjects, like math and science.
Pashman also wants her children to
learn about their Native-American
heritage, so she brings them to pow-
wows and enjoys making crafts with
them. She hopes the three come to
appreciate the Native-American value
of respecting the earth, the land and
other peoples.
Their lives are constantly filled
with Judaism, as well, and Pashman
is passionate not just about the
daily activities like keeping kosher
and observing Shabbat, but about
her devotion to God.
"As young people we learn to
make choices — right or wrong,"
she says.
"I always made the effort to
choose the things that are right.
Even young children need to under-
stand that life is a series of choices,
and they must choose right. I was
always faced with so many choices,
the chance to do good or not. I
would remember that HaShem
loved me, that he cared for me and
that he provided for me when no
one else would, so I didn't want to
disappoint Him with my choices.
"There hasn't been a time in my
life that I didn't turn to HaShem
for guidance," she adds. "I love
Him the way I would love a father.
There has never been a time when
I didn't know with all my heart
that He loved me." ❑

LUNCH DINNER
COCKTAILS ltvn

Gourmet Cuisine featuring Fresh Fish,
Pasta and Vegetarian Entrees

Also featuring

Sunday Brunch
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Four Star Rating by
Sylvia Rector at the Detroit Free Press
Carry-out and Catering also available

Farmington Rd. I

kinds of options open, and we're active-
ly looking for corporate sponsorship.
"I think the thing Rachel brings to
her career is being Jewish, in fact
Orthodox Jewish, and from what I
know of the music business that's an
area that's completely untapped. I
think she has the ability to really get
her message across."
"When she knows what she desires,
she pursues it, that's the kind of per-
son she is," her husband adds. "And I
know she has the ability to make it."

Maple Road

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14 Mile Road

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La Difference
(located in the
Robin's Nest
Shopping Plaza

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/ 47.

72 95 Orchard Lake Road,
West Bloomfield, Michigan 48322
Robins Nest Shopping Plaza

248-932-8934

Reservations Suggested

The Jewish Ensemble Theatre
proudly announces the return of
the smash hit from the 1999-
2000 season

Performances
Wed. 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.,
Thur. 7:30 p.m.Sat. 8 p.m.,
Sun. 7:30 p.m.

In The Aaron DeRoy Theatre

For ticket information call

248-788-2900

itliataCter.

fax: 248-788-5160
Jewish Ensemble Theatre
6600 West Maple Road
West Bloomfield

n

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8/11
2000

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