ingful; he understands that there's "no
single way to be a Jew in America .
today." He sees these nontraditional
practices as "sacred moments" in people's
lives. And he sees writing about them as
"validating" what people do.
He writes: "I offer a 'toolbox' of
Jewish ritual that I hope readers will
open, explore and experiment with.
These are not magic incantations of
rites. Lighting a candle is no more
meaningful than picking up a hammer.
What is important is how you use that
candle to build a Sabbath experience in
your home. Ritual has the power to take
the mundane and make it holy and,
with time, open the heart."
To research this book, Goldman con-
sulted many books, but in a large meas-
ure, drew on his own experiences. "This
is one man's Judaism."
He says that he has spent his life
observing Jews, both professionally, in
his work as a journalist covering reli-
gion for many years, and as someone
always interested in variations in peo-
ple's practices. To find the many sto-

Sir Roger Norrington

ries included here, he interviewed
more than 100 people.
Goldman, who lives near the
Columbia campus with his wife and
three children, just completed a year of
saying Kaddish for his late father, and is
now working on a book on the experi-
ence of mourning and loss.
His previous book, The Search for God
At Harvard, published in 1991, concludes
with a hint that the author thinks about
the possibility of becoming a rabbi. Does
he still think about that, a decade later?
"I guess I'm still on my journey there,
but I'm not there yet. When I say 'there,'
I mean taking the step to become one."
He pauses, then adds, "I'm still flirting
with it."

conductor

Joshua Bell violin

Friday, November 10, 8 pm

Hill Auditorium

In its Ann Arbor debut, the Camerata Academics

Salzburg performs an all-Beethoven concert,

including the composer's fiendishly difficult

violin concerto, performed by the American

violinist Joshua Bell in his first UMS appearance

since 1995.

PROGRAM

Beethoven

Coriolan Overture, Op. 62

Beethoven

Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93

Beethoven

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in

D Major, Op. 61

This performance is made possible by the

Catherine S. Arcure/Herbert E. Sloan Endowment Fund

MEDIA SPONSOR

WGTE 91.3 FM

At -

Ari Goldman speaks 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 8, at the Jewish
Community Center in West
Bloomfield in a joint appearance
with Samuel Freedman, author

Menahem Pressler
Shanghai Quartet

piano

Sunday, November 12, 4 pm

of Jew vs. Jew.

Rackham Auditorium

Mr. Pressler will be joined by the highly-

esteemed Shanghai Quartet, making its

lier years, he has suggestions for con-
necting young people with Judaism.
"When I was growing up, Christmas
overwhelmed us, and we felt left out,"
says Hays, now a participant in an adult
Bible study group. "I would suggest to
parents that they make Jewish festivals as
beautiful and enjoyable as possible and
not let them go on for hours and hours.
"I'm thinking from a Reform point
of view, and it seems bad to read sto-
ries in Hebrew [to young children]
because that withholds the stories

Ann Arbor debut." For poetry, intelligence

from them. If they want to be aca-
demic later on, let them, but let's find
the lovely things. I would take a gentle
view of religion and make it joyful
because there is plenty of that." D

and musical sympathy, the Shanghai counts

as among the finest young foursomes

performing today." (Newyork Times)

String Quartet in D Major, Op. 20,

No. 4

Piano Sonata in A-flat Major,

Op. 110

Piano Quintet in E-flat Major,

David Hays speaks 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, NQV. 8, at the Jewish
Community Center in West
Bloomfield. (248) 661-1000.

Op. 44

al , i1Citittl , ,i1

refused to do it. Now I'm reaping the
benefits, because I'm doing exactly
what I want: lecturing, and now being
one of the co-founders of a brand-new
congregation in Greenwich Village.

JN:

Can you describe some of the
unconventional practices at the New
Shul?
NG:: I don't give a formal sermon. I'll
either pass out a text, or toss out an
idea, and just mix it up. It's very partici-
patory in an intellectual way. Jews like
to talk, so what better way to attract
Jews to Judaism than by providing them
with a forum?
We're open to experimentation, but
we're also rooted firmly in many of the
traditions. Our Friday night service, for
example, is almost entirely in Hebrew.
We immediately eliminated English
responsive readings, which we think are
deathly and un-Jewish.

UMS BOX OFFICE HOURS M-F 10AM-6PM, SAT 10AM- 1PM

We use the Conservative prayerbook
on Shabbat, yet we use the Hillel
prayerbook for the High Holidays. We
interweave traditional davening —
silent davening — during our services
with Chasidic chants called niggunim,
wordless chants.
We want to create an atmosphere
that's comforting without being cod-
dling, that's intellectually inspiring
but also spiritually inviting. It's a tall
order, but we're pulling it off, and
that's why we've been attracting peo-
ple who've otherwise been disaffected
by Jewish life. ❑

Weekend
Dinner
Special

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Served Friday,
Saturday,
Sunday

`'"

MONDAY & THURSDAY • NOV. 6 & 9 • AFTER 3:00 P.M.

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ENTIRE FOOD BILL

Valid with coupon only

• 1 coupon per couple •

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FRIDAY THRII SUNDAY • NOV. 3, 4 & 5 • AFTER 3:00 P.M.

i.

Rabbi Niles Goldstein speaks 8
p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, at the
Jewish Community Center in
West Bloomfield.

Not valid with any other discount

Excludes dinner for two • Dine in only • Expires 11/9/00

C:31 C:11 11=1

ANY I IV E ENT REE

(over $6.00)

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•

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