Spirituality Join 1 O Beth Ahm cantor sings praises of Chasidic-flavored service. needs to be more involvement in the service," says Cantor Montefiore. "We all have a chal- ncle David Wants You! lenge today to reach out to our con- Cantor David Montefiore gregations. Our intention is to cre- that is. ate a spiritual and moving service The cantor, of that is fulfilling not to just the few, Congregation Beth Ahm, is on a but the many." mission — to advertise his new cre- Because of the use of instruments, ative musical Shabbat services. the service is currently held prior to With a glossy Shabbat. The 8 by10 flier shul will not displaying a be able to con- picture of him- tinue the serv- self in a pose a ice after Sept. la Uncle Sam, 14 due to the "Uncle David" increasingly is trying to early hour of attract an audi- Shabbat. ence for his The cantor's "Hassidishe next project Kabbalat will be to bol- Shabbat Music ster the Beth Service." Ahm Youth "People loved Choir. He also it; they plans to start thought it was another cre- very creative," ative service, says Cantor Tefilati (my Montefiore. prayer), his Although he personal has adopted an arrangement unorthodox based on mod- advertising ern contempo- method for a rary music. Jewish clergy- On Shabbat, man, it has the service will been successful. Cantor David Montefiore be done with- The Hassidic out instru- Music Service, ments. which will take However, he place for the fifth time on Friday also plans to have a Sunday after- Sept. 14 at 6 p.m., greatly increases noon service with the instruments, the normal Friday night attendance. so that congregants can "expand Cantor Montefiore and Rabbi their consciousness about what kind Charles Popky will lead the family of music is out there," says the can- service, with the help of 12-year-old tor. choir member Rana Zdrojewski. Uncle David says that he plans to Four members of the congregation use other "out of the box" methods will provide musical accompani- to advertise his upcoming programs. ment. "I don't want to be so conservative "There's a growing awareness in the Conservative movement — I among synagogue leaders that there want to be more contemporary." JAMIE ROSEN College Intern U ❑ 9/7 2001 56 Forum To Explore Intermarriage Adat Shalom Shows Artwork Rabbi Avraham Jacobovitz, director of Machon L:Torah/The Jewish Learning Network of Michigan, will discuss "Interdating, Intermarriage and Racism," at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11 at Machon L'Torah, 15221 W. 10 Mile, Oak Park. He has given this talk 60-70 times in the past 12 years on college campuses and at many other venues in North American and Israel. The program will be an interactive discussion format and will emphasize the logical arguments against intermarriage. "Our aversion to intermarriage is not a matter of racism," says the rabbi. "It is a theological matter. People need to understand what spirituality and mar- riage are about. Marriage is between souls, not bodies." Rabbi Jacobovitz will use role-playing techniques to draw out the audience and get them to understand the issue and to consider the consequences. As a result of the talk, Rabbi Jacobovitz maintains that many people have reconsidered inter- marriage and interdating. The rabbi is writing a book, Intermarraige• Why Not? "The book is in touch with reality," he says. "It can defi- nitely help hundreds of people decide about interdating." For information, call Machon at (248) 967-0888." Adat Shalom Synagogue will display the David Moss shtender master- piece, courtesy of Joy and Allan Nachman, at 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8. The work contains ritual objects for the entire Jewish year carved in walnut and other woods. Adat Shalom's Selichot program and service will take place then. In addition to viewing the shtender, members will share stories about family ritual objects, join in the dedication of a new mezuzzah to be placed at the dorrway of the main entrance and participate in the changing of the Torah mantel covers for the High Holidays. The new silver mezuzzah was designed and crafted in Jerusalem and selected for the synagogue by Beverly Lis, Sharon Hart and Rabbi Daniel Nevins during the unity mis- sion last January, to symbolize in the strength of the congregation's link to Israel during this period in the Middle East. The program will be followed by a coffee and cake reception, the dedi- cation and services. At 11 p.m., Adat Shalom will hold traditional Selichot services led by the clergy together with Cantor Larry Vieder's High Holiday choir. Forum Focus: Teen Suicide Aish HaTorah Slates Services Congregation Beth Shalom will host a forum on Preventing Teen Suicide 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at the synagogue. The breakfast forum will feature Goenda Everett of Yellow Ribbon Youth Suicide Prevention Program, an organi- zation dedicated to preventing teen sui- cide. Everett, the parent of a child who committed suicide, is executive director of Light for Life Foundation; Michigan contact for the Yellow Ribbon; board member of the Michigan Association on Suicidology; and a member of the Michigan chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the (Michigan) Governor's Task Force on Suicide, Victims and the Media; and the Wayne County Committee to Reduce Underage Drinking. The forum is sponsored by the Beth Shalom Men's Club Publicity Committee. Breakfast will be served; admission is $3. The public is invited. For information, call Seymour Rabotnick, (248) 557-8652. Aish HaTorah will hold holiday learning services geared toward young professionals and others who do not want a traditional synagogue experience but do not want to be left out at holiday time. There is no membership require- ment, no cost and no dress code. Hebrew reading ability is not need- ed. Services emphasize the educa- tional and spiritual and are interac- tive, understandable and fast-paced. With the exception of the Shona and the Torah reading, the services will be in English. The shofar will be blown and discussed as the cen- tral theme of the holiday, The free services will start at 10 a.m. on Sept. 18 and 19. Optional services will start both evenings at 7 p.m. Kiddush will be served before the shofar is blown. For information, call Amy Margolis, (248) 593-5138.