This eek

For Openers

Who's Retired

W

hen Shalom Ralph retired from his position at
Congregation B'nai Moshe, the synagogue's
members honored him.
"But the very next day he showed up for
work," says Rabbi Elliot Pachter. "He just thinks he is
retired."
To Rabbi Pachter, "Shalom Ralph defines Congregation
B'nai Moshe. For
the 52 years he's
been here, he's
done it all in terms
of the religious life
of the synagogue."
Ralph is the
one who attends
all the funerals,
unveilings, houses
of shivah and calls
on those who are
ill, says the rabbi.
Shalom Ralph in the ffnai Moshe alcove.
"And he has
been in synagogue
seven days a week."
.
He is also a bar and bat mitzvah tutor. Congregants say
they recognize when a b'nai mitzvah has been "Ralphed,"
indicating who their teacher has been.
"Most people know him from his most visible role as the
daily gabbai (sexton) at morning services," says Rabbi
Pachter. Ralph greets congregants with a smile and a tzedakah
box. "He connects with families who come to the minyan
during their time of mourning or yahrtzeit. Then he encour-
ages them to keep coming back and help the next person."
Ralph has introduced many to wearing tefillin (prayer
shawls) for the first time or re-introduced others. He is also
the candy man and the shofar blower.
When asked how he's doing, Ralph is known to answer,
"Baruch HaShem Yom Yom" (Blessed is God Everyday.)
At the Shabbat of Sept. 16, the B'nai Moshe sanctuary was
filled for the dedication of a synagogue alcove in the name of
Shalom Ralph. Another honor from a grateful congregation.
"But our joke here is if we need another reason to cele-
brate, Mr. Ralph could just retire again," Rabbi Pachter says.
"He doesn't retire well."

❑

— Shelli Liebman Dorfinan,
staff writer

•

•

©2000

By Goldfein

W

hile Jewish ritual does not include astrology,
what "cheers" heard at a Jewish wedding relate
to that ancient pseudo-science?

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diintam „wo,i yaz•vui„ puv „aol uvuqs„ Jo .5:ploys ...tarnsuv

caring and generous

supporters of JARC's

Fiddler on the Root

Yiddish Limericks

fundraiser.

A wine taster's wife told him, "Dwight,
This job's gotta end. It's not right.
You sip cabernet
Then hulye* all day,
And come home farshnoshket** at night!"
— Martha Jo Fleischmann

JARC is blessed with a

unique partnership with

a loving community and

1 * carouse
** loaded; drunk
•

for that we are grateful.

4144

Quotables

But just as a baby is

"I destroyed one of the great stereotypes in American
life: Nobody thinks 'Jewish farmer' is an oxymoron
anymore."
— President Bill Clinton, joking at a fund-raiser
about how he appointed Dan Glickman as
I Secretary of Agriculture.
•
"I'm very blessed."
— Jean-Claude Van Damme, who dresses like a Chasid
in his new action movie, "The Order," on getting
permission to film in Jerusalem's Old City.

born every day who will

someday need JARC, our

work is never complete.

With your on-going

support, we know that

JARC will continue to

"We still want more."
— Palestinian senior negotiator Nabil Shaath,

provide high quality,

speaking to reporters after the Arab summit ended
on Sunday in Cairo.

loving care to enrich

the lives of men, women

GRAMM BY Mendel

FRANK, WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS
ABOUT THIS JEAR'S FUND
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C&i
WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE
P16 REALLY PEEP-

To the thousands of

and children with

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■

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disabilities.
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Thank you.

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(

Jewish Association for Residential Care
for persons with developmental disabilities
28366 Franklin Road
Southfield, MI 48034
248-352-5272 tty/fax 248-352-5279
www.jarc.org

