For Openers
Never Too Late
sit
ing Tischler's parents, Pauline and
ecoming a
Harry of Farmington Hills, and
bar or bat
Castronova's parents, brother and
mitzvah is
sister and brother-in-law.
always a
"I was very grateful to be able
milestone, no matter
to have my parents there,"
how many miles one
Tischler said.
has traveled to achieve
Temple Emanu-El has a Torah
it. Gaye Tischler and
dating back to the 1800s that was
RONELLE Frank Castronova cele-
found on the floor of a
GRIER
brated this rite of pas-
Czechoslovakian synagogue after
Special to the sage in a most unique
the Holocaust. Tischler carried
Jewish News way, as husband and
this Torah through the aisles and
wife, fulfilling together
up onto the bimah, where she
what each had
read from it during the service.
dreamed of individually for many
It was very heavy, but I didn't
years.
even feel the weight because I was
The Ferndale couple contacted
so excited," she said.
Rabbi Joseph Klein of Temple
With this milestone behind
Emanu-El in Oak Park, where they
him, Castronova's goals include
are members. Rabbi Klein was happy
perfecting his chanting, leading
to work with them on translating and
some Shabbat services and even-
understanding the prayers. Cantor
tually teaching Hebrew school at
Norman Rose taught them how to
the Temple.
chant their respective Torah portions.
"They demonstrated their
"The ceremony was Gaye's idea,
knowledge and their leadership by
but I wanted to do it," Castronova
studying the text, working on the
said. "Even though I had converted, I
translations, writing their own
Frank Castronova and Gaye Tischler at
still felt it wasn't enough. And it was
commentaries
and taking responsi-
their b'nai mitzvah at Temple Ernanu-El
an honor to work with two such
bility
for
leading
the service," said
in Oak Park.
experienced clergymen. I was disap-
Rabbi Klein. "By mastering both
pointed when it was over. "
the reading and the meaning of
Castronova, who was raised as a
the text, they now own these vers-
Roman Catholic, converted to Judaism 4 1 /2 years ago.
es. It was a pleasure working with them."
"I hadn't been all that active in my church, and I was
Tischler said, "It was an enormously challenging and
questioning a lot of things," he said. "Going to shul
emotional day, but really rewarding to accomplish this
and celebrating the holidays with Gaye and her family
at my age. I felt like a 13-year-old girl in spirit.
made a lot of sense to me; it struck a chord. I knew that
"We both felt like a couple of kids," she said. "It
I wanted that to be my life, too."
was just an amazing day. I'm glad we took the jour-
More than 100 friends, family members and congre-
ney.
gants gathered to share the occasion on Aug. 30, includ-
B
"
Don't Know
02003
A
t the Passover seder, we
twice dip different foods
into one another — parsley
into salt water and charoset
into bitter herbs — and recite a bless-
ing each time. We drink four cups of
wine and recite a blessing each time.
There is one other ritual we perform
more than once at the seder, but we
recite a blessing only one of the times.
Which one?
— Goldfein
aipal Xluo lnq
pLIODDS atia Suissaiq
caDT. ma spuuti .ono LISEM OA& LI3M.SIlli
notables
"The tears that I shed as a 6-year-old
girl have never stopped."
— Charlotte Knobloch, president of the
Jewish community of Munich and
Upper Bavaria, at a ceremony marking
the 65th anniversary of the
Kristallnacht pogrom on Nov. 9-10,
1938; quoted by JTA.
Yiddish Limericks
I'm sure Arnold's worried as heck.
His state is a virtual wreck!
I tell you, I'm bettin'
He's ibberg'betten* —
Bag,rubben** right up to his neck.
— Martha Jo Fleischmann
Shabbat Candlelighting
"It's a very special thing to light Shabbos candles. It means you are accepting the
Shabbos upon you and you have a day of rest."
— Sarah Levin, 13, student at Beth Jacob School for Girls, Oak Park
Sponsored by Lubavitch Women's Organization. To submit a candlelighting message or to receive
complimentary candlesticks and information on Shabbat candlelighting, call Miriam Amzalak of Oak Park at (248) 548-6771 or e-
mail: mamzalak@juno.com
* reconsidered
** buried
Yiddish-isms
pupik
Navel
11/21
2003
10
Candlelighting
Friday, Nov. 21, 4:48 p.m.
Candlelighting
Friday, Nov. 28, 4:44 p.m.
Shabbat Ends
Saturday, Nov. 22, 5:51 p.m.
Shabbat Ends
Saturday, Nov. 29, 5:48 p.m.
Source: From The New Joys of Yiddish
by Leo Calvin Rosten, edited by
Lawrence Bush, copyright 2001, by
the Rosten Family LLC. Used by per-
mission of the Rosten Family LLC.