Torah Portion METROPOLITAN DETROIT CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT VISITING SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM The Rainbow Displays Array Of God's Creativity ing about creative diversity. Nimrod, however, believed that creativity and diversity were a menace. He devoted himself to the single-mindedness of the straight and narrow tower. The world he designed made everyone fit into this constricted narrowness. People were not valued, orate portion Noah offers us a glimpse into a special only bricks and mortar. When a per- world — that of a family son fell from the tower, no one whose mission it was to noticed. When a brick dropped, repopulate the earth. It is a fascinat- they said Kaddish. God labeled Nimrod's work as evil. ing account of separation and diver- For thousands of years, gence, of colonizing each others have adopted continent of the earth with Nimrod's narrow-minded- linguistic and cultural dif- ness and transformed it ferences. It is a saga of the into evils of their own. development of freedom — Anyone or any tyrant who freedom to be the person tries to undermine God's God created each of us to diverse creation by be. demanding uniformity In fact, God chose a and suppressing creative rainbow, a spectrum of col- expression is clearly violat- ors, as the sign of an endur- RABBI ARNIE ing covenant to never again SLEUTELBERG ing God's design. From the knowledge destroy the world. (Genesis Special to the that God required Noah 9:9-17) God introduced the Jewish News to save all creatures in concept of human unique- their infinite diversity ness, in groups as in indi- viduals: the blessing of diversity. It (Genesis 7:1-3), we learn that all of God's creatures are precious and is no coincidence that group after group has chosen the rainbow as its have a right to exist. Every culture, every religion, every orientation and symbol of freedom. every race has a right to exist as long The rainbow communicates as it does not infringe on another's inclusion, variety and beauty. Without its infinite array of right to do so. May the freedom guaranteed by color, the rainbow would not be so awe-inspiring. The rainbow commu- God through the covenant of the nicates to us that there is a spectrum rainbow guide our own sensitivities of possibilities in our world and that as we endeavor to be ever more God wants us to value inclusion, inclusive and appreciative of the honoring the contributions that the variety of God's creations. II variety of creation brings to the fab- ric of our lives. God's world is full of so many colors, shapes, and textures; and this is precisely what makes the world The aftermath of the flood would have been the perfect time amazingly beautiful. We travel the earth to witness for ourselves the for God to unify humankind. multiplicity of human, animal and However, not only did God choose to separate people into plant species and of landscapes. We nations and tribes and give them crave the exotic and the familiar at divergent cultures and languages, the same time. Not all of us, however, value God also destroyed Nimrod's both. In fact, xenophobia is a debili- attempt to unify them. Why do you think that God tating disease for many and an impediment for others. Many live in chose in favor of diversity? What are the pros and cons of diversity fear of otherness. They want their compared with those of unity? In world to be uniform, suppressing your opinion, does unity lead to distinction. Just a few generations after Noah, more peace or more divisiveness? Why is the rainbow the perfect God scattered the children of the symbol for our covenant with Earth throughout the world bring- God? Arnie Sleutelberg is the spiritual leader of Congregation Shir Tikvah. Shabbat Noah: Genesis 6:9 11:32; Isaiah 54:1-55:5. RABBI HARVEY MEIROVICH AND DR. RENEE MELAMMED - T Conversations Rabbi Harvey Meirovich is Dean of the Rabbinical School at the Schechter Center of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. His teaching focuses on exploring the signifi- cance and relevance of the Jewish classical tradition as it confronts the chal- lenges of modernity, and interpreting the religious movements of Judaism in the modern period. Shabbat, October 31 and November 1, Congregation B'nai Moshe • The Building Blocks of Jewish Identity: The Case of Conversion, Friday Night • Elijah: The Cost of Religious Fanaticism, Shabbat Morning • Coping with Crisis: Insights from Rabbinic Wisdom, Shabbat Morning, Following Kiddush Sunday November 2, Shaping of Conservative Judaism in Israel, 9:30-10:30 AM, Congregation Beth Ahm Dr Renee Melammed is currently Assistant Dean and Director of Women's Studies at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Dr. Melammed has spent the past 20 years reading Inquisition documents, texts from the Cairo Geniza, and any other sources that could provide her with pieces of early Sephardi and Oriental Jewish history. Her work has focused on the preservation of Jewish identity in the crypto-Jewish world, and in particular on the role women have played in that heroic struggle. Monday November 3, Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Hebrew High School (Laker) • 6:00-7:00 PM Confirmation Class: "He Said, She Said": A Woman Teacher in 12th Century Cairo • 7:15-8:15 PM Adult B'nai Israel Class: Women's Lives as Reflected by the Cairo Geniza Documents Tuesday, November 4, The Modern Descendants of the Crypto-Jews in the Southwest and in Belmonte, Portugal, 11:00 AM-11: 45 AM, Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit Thursday November 6, The Crypto-Jewish women of Castille, 10:30 - Noon, Agency for Jewish Education, Federation Building Friday, November 8, 8:53 AM, Learner's Minyan, Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit 773170 Custom Furniture At Factory Direct Prices ■ Any Size TV ■ Wall Units ■ Custom Cabinets ■ Home Office ■ Bookcases And More! Choice of Style & Finish Why Pay t More For Less • Visit Our Showroom and Save Factory Direct OPTIONS 1952 South Telegraph • Bloomfield Hills 248.332.8855 10/31 2003 55