For Openers

ipiritual Elixir

MV

ew York City
mid the dancing, swaying and clapping, something else strikes
you about the Kabbalat Shabbat service at B'nai Jeshurun syn-
agogue in upper Manhattan — the upbeat music.
It's awe-inspiring.
At the same time, I can appreciate why some might
find the pulsating service too much for this holiest of
days. That's why it's not for everyone.
What the service does almost instantly is engage
you. You feel the energy
That's why it's a national model for Synagogue 2000, a
cooperative, interstream effort to make synagogues more
relevant and meaningful in the 21st century
Last Friday, hundreds turned out in the snow for a 6
p.m.
family service at B'nai Jeshurun to welcome Shabbat
ROBERT A.
and
connect
Jewishly. B'nai Jeshurun uses a Conservative
SKLAR
(Siddur Sim Shalom), but is not affiliated.
prayer
book,
Editor
Casual wear, hora - like dancing, singing that builds
P a crescendo, even children perched atop their father's shoulders — it's
11 there.
Synagogue 2000 encourages congregations to share the best of what they
o to spiritually engage their membership — and to adapt the best of what
thers do. It's spearheaded by Dr. Ronald Wolfson of the University of
udaism in Los Angeles and Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman of the Hebrew Union
College-Jewish Institute of Religion's New York City campus. And it's offi-
iallypart of the Jewish Federation of
vletropolitan Detroit's community outreach.
B'nai Jeshurun's other Friday night service,
field at 6:45 in a nearby church, is geared
oward adults.
The two services together typically draw
Twards of 1,800 people eager to embrace their
ieritage and affirm their identity — with Torah
he undisputed anchor.
"Its teachings sustain us and its beauty
elights us when we open our eyes to its splen-
or," said Rabbi J. Rolando Matalon, reciting a
prayer about Torah from the siddur.
On sabbatical in New York City, Rabbi Arnie Rabbi Sleutelberg
Sleutelberg of Shir Tikvah said his Troy congre-
gation already offers some of the flavor of B'nai Jeshurun.
Still, he liked what he saw there.
As he put it: "It certainly stirs the vitality and touches the soul of a
hole lot of Jews searching for something to make Shabbat speak direct-
l y to them." ❑

11.

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© 2001

JARC
WANTS
YOU!

By Goldfein

C

leveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
is the "House that Rock Built," and
New York's Yankee Stadium is the
"House that Ruth Built." What famous
"house on the mount" is Har HaBayit in
Jerusalem?

.uoLuolos Sui-x Aq aunq 'aiclulai zCioH _To
Ticri alp Jo QsnoH alp. Jo alIs alp s! clunoTAT
QICILUQI JO `1Iii.EqEH .1E14 Du :..iainsuv

Be Someone's Hero

Yiddish Limericks

A man asked his dad, "Who knows whether
I'm safe taking out this girl Heather?"
He said, 'Az me fregt
A sheileh, expect
Vert trait, so don't ask altogether."

—Martha Jo Fleischmann

If you ask (the rabbi) a question, he will
surely find something wrong (not kosher).

Become a
Person-to-Person
Volunteer for JAR(

No Experience
Necessary

Ideal recruit should be
caring, fun-loving, and
could enjoy any of the
following activities:

tiotables

Air Shooting hoops

"I knew there would be a big price to pay."

lir Visiting a library

— Noga Cohen, a mother of seven, on her deci-
sion to move her family 10 years ago fr 0772
Jerusalem to the Gaza Strip, where a terrorist
attack on a school bus caused one daughter to
lose both legs, a son to lose a leg and another
daughter to lose part of a foot.

"I'm really enjoying those kosher hot dogs."

— Dr. Wayne Edwards, Towson State
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Ars Catching a Tigers'
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• Just hanging out

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BY Mendel

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Call (248) 352-5277
ext. 349.

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1/12

2001

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