HaSha'ar — Pre acing Leaders
o Transform ewish Education

Torah Portion

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HAS' IA'AR IS DESIGNED to encourage excep-
tional young women and men who are
devoted to Jewish learning to pursue
careers i n J ewish cd,,,:at i on.

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‘N CEN It I:

Fellows receive an S18000 stipend to

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support their participation in a unique

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year-long program which integrates the

.tic proud ro co-sponsor

study of Jewish texts with the ideas and

practice of educatii in.

Fellows commit to teaching in a day

school for the following two years, while

receiving ongoing support and profession-

al development from the HaSha'ar faculty.

HA SHA'AR

We ∎velcome inquiries from potential

applicants -ind other interested members

tit

FELLOWSHIP CYCLE. BEGINS JUL Y

2001.

rh c c(wninunity..

APPLICATIONS NOW MAILABLE.

For further information contact R171-11S. l'AGEN, Director
131 West 86th Street, New York, NY 10024

Phone (2121 595-815, • Fax (?1 1 1 .595-0679
Email ha shaar@benra bban-drisha.org

HaSha'ar is funded bV t7 major grant front the Nash Family Foundation

Informal Jewish
Education ,,,i1d1, 71, e jewyl,

Do you know a professional
who loves to work with
Jewish youth?

The seminar consists of three
four-day sessions over 13
months, starting in November
2001. Participants will work
with and learn from university
faculty, outstanding
practitioners and mentors in
the field.

Funded with the generous support of
The Andrea and Charles Bronfman
Philanthropies, Inc.

Brandeis University's UE Leadership Seminar
offers a groundbreaking opportunity to
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achievement. The fully-subsidized seminar
offers:

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4 Enhanced Jewish knowledge

is Advanced leadership skills.

To refer a candidate, or to receive more
information, contact:

Dr. Susanne Shavelson
Assistant Director, IJE
(781) 736-2068
ije@brandeis.edu
www.brandeis.edu/ije

•

If you are a Jewish college student or recent graduate looking to break into
an exciting career, Pro-Detroit is just right for you. We will show you how to
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Contact Pro-Detroit today!

(248) 559-5000,

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12/22
2000

62

The Chanukah Lights Increase
With Bright Eye To Future

namics. All physical energy general-
ly runs down.
Therefore, the school of Shammai
declares one begins with eight can-
dles and concludes with one candle.
The school of Shammai can even
point not only to the physical
realm, but also the human sphere.
All human enterprises begin with
enthusiasm and great hope. But
soon enough, familiarity and repeti-
e seek to examine an
tion dull our enthusiasm and time
ancient tal-
dims our hopes. What
mudic contro-
marriage, for example,
versy between
does not begin amid
the school of Shammai and
solemn resolution, deep
the school of Hillel about
commitment and generous
the mode of observance of
devotion? Yet, with the
Chanukah.
passage of time, many
There is a discussion
marriages slide down into
about how many lights are
the valley of mutual, tired
kindled on this holiday. Bet
resignation.
Shammai asserts, "The
If we are to be realists,
number is successively
RABBI IRWIN
therefore, the law must be
decreased. One begins with
GRONER
that the candles burn out,
eight candles on the first
Special to the
one by one. Who can deny
night, seven on the second
Jewish News
the cogency of Bet
night, six on the third and
Shammai? But Jewish
so on until the last night
practice does not conform to the
one candle is lit."
theory of Shammai. We kindled one
• Bet Hillel, on the other hand,
c a ndle on Dec. 21; and on Dec. 28,
asserts, "The number is successively
we shall light the eighth candle.
increased, beginning with one can-
Instead of decreasing the lights, we
dle on the first night, two on the
followed the opinion of Bet Hillel.
second, three on the third until we
I believe this is because Jewish
conclude with eight on the last
faith is messianic. We not only look
night."
back to a great and glorious past of
We may be certain that when the
patriarchs and matriarchs, of
sages of ancient Israel disagreed,
prophets and sages. Jewish faith also
their disagreement reflected not just
carries a vision of redemption. From
technical considerations, but oppos-
the very beginning of the experience
ing views on broad questions and
of Judaism, it was anchored to a
different stances toward life.
future brighter and more luminous
Scholars of Bet Shammai were
than either the past or the present.
hardheaded realists and the school
The cultures of ancient man believe
of Hillel was filled with idealists.
that the world was sliding downhill,
The controversy between these two
with the golden age in a remote
is as yet not concluded — for in
past; and eventually, everything was
one way or another, each of us is a
leading to the lowest level of all
member of the school of Shammai
existence.
or Hillel.
But it was the Torah that saw the
Shammai was realistic. For the
world differently. The great days of
support of his view, the realist can
Israel were not behind them. They
always point to the undeniable
lay ahead of them.
aspect of human experience. In the
Furthermore, there are other
world of physical nature, even to
aspects of human experience that
the naked eye, the law of diminu-
contradict the so-called law of
tion holds sway, which means that
diminution, for it does not hold
everything physical ultimately wears
universal application. It is not true
out. Physicists call this observable
for the scientist in the laboratory or
fact the second law of thermody-
for the devoted student of the Torah
because the more one studies, the
Irwin Groner is senior rabbi at
more enthralled one becomes.

Shabbat Vayeshev
(second day Chanukah):
Genesis 37:1-40:23;
Numbers 7•18-23;
Zechariah 2:14-4•7.

Congregation Shaarey Zedek.

