NOTEBOOK
For 34 years,
helping people
with
disabilities be
fully included
in community life
jarc
Quenching Women's Thirst For Learning
a longtime adult education coordinator from West Bloomfield.
eborah E. Lipstadt, prominent Jewish lecturer,
"Besides the shared excitement and camaraderie, there is a
educator and Holocaust expert who defeated
high comfort level and an open willingness to ask questions.
Holocaust denier David Irving in a London
No one feels put down for not knowing more. Equally impor-
courtroom in 2000, spoke neither of her accom-
tant, women can talk more freely among themselves about
plishments nor her famous case when she gave the keynote
certain topics that would be embarrassing or immodest to dis-
address at the annual Women's Day of Learning Dec. 7.
cuss in mixed company, such as sex and mikvah."
Instead she taught Torah. Line by line, picking word by word
Carol Weintraub Fogel of West Bloomfield, a student in the
for meaning, just as Torah has been studied for generations.
second-year
Florence Melton Adult Mini School program,
And the more than 300 women packing the Irving and
sees opportunities growing for women to study in our com-
Beverly Laker Education and Youth Complex in West
munity and says "women of all ages and backgrounds should
Bloomfield loved it. Young and old eagerly raised their hands
be recognized for acknowledging the significance of Judaism
to offer their interpretations on the biblical _
in their lives, for wanting to learn more and for making time
text. There was real give and take, sharing of
to
do so."
ideas woman to woman.
Kaplan
theorizes the upsurge in the number of women learn-
Lipstadt's topic at this annual event spon-
ing comes from "pent-up demand from centuries of exclusion."
sored by the Jewish Federation of Metropoli-
Interest also comes from baby boomers and older women,
tan Detroit's Alliance. for Jewish Education
many
of whom were not given the opportunity to become bat
was "Sweating the Small Stuff: Perspective on
mitzvah
at the age of 12 or 13 but are looking for ways to
Jewish Spirituality and Jewish Law."
continue
Jewish study.
"Holiness begins with the small stuff,"
Local
opportunities
are out there, but aren't keeping pace
KERI
Lipstadt told the group. "For Jews, being
yet
with
interest
and
participation
; says Kaplan, who had
GUTEN
holy and spiritual begins with how we relate
coordinated the local Conservative
COHEN
to one another."
movement's Eilu v'Eilu adult education
Story
Lipstadt continued
program and now does programming
Development by focusing on key
for Kolel Moshe at Congregation B'nai
phrases found in
Editor
Moshe
in West Bloomfield.
Leviticus Chapter 19.
B'nai
Moshe is beginning a women's
For example, her
minyan and the Oak Park Jewish
interpretation of God's mandate, "Make
Community Center has had one for a
me a tabernacle and I will dwell in your
while.
Many synagogues have held
midst," centered on relationships and
women's
healing services through their
community involvement.
sisterhoods.
Temple Shir Tikvah in Troy
'After the sin of the golden calf, God
recently
started
a Rosh Chodesh-orient-
says 'I'm coming back to you, but you
ed
Jewish
journey
group for women and
gotta behave differently,'" she said.
Deborah Lipstadt teaches Torah.
the Women's League of Conservative
1? Your behavior determines whether
Judaism holds Kedushat Hahodesh ses-
God stays in our midst. That your
sions
to
welcome
the
new months. Rabbi Lauren Berkun,
behavior impacts God — that adds a tremendous level of
Midwest
Rabbinic
Fellow
for the Jewish -Theological
meaning."
Seminary,
often
conducts
these
services and also teaches mid-
Other verses deal with our relations to others, such as "not
day.
classes,
mostly
attended
by
women.
putting stumbling blocks before the blind" or "you shall not
Of several hundred students enrolled in the Melton Mini
take vengeance or bear a grudge.
School, the majority are women. The Orthodox Partners in
"The Torah provides a blueprint," Lipstadt said. "Whether
Torah
gathers women (and men) from diverse Jewish back-
it's here in Detroit in 2003 or in Babylon way back when,
grounds
to learn Torah on a weekly basis. A few of the Jewish
interpersonal relationships — how we treat strangers, the vul-
Community
Center's SAJE classes focus on women's studies
nerable, those in need — are the bricks and mortar of build-
each
year.
And
Federation annually funds the Women's Day
ing a holy community."
of
Learning
and
the Women's Seder — both have grown
The professor of modern Jewish and Holocaust studies at
tremendously in attendance.
Emory University in Atlanta finished all too soon for many of
The thirst for learning Jewishly in many forms and about
the women in the audience, who bombarded her with ques-
many
topics is certainly here. You could feel the excitement
tions after she left the podium. There was a palpable thirst for
and
satisfaction
at the Laker Center during the Women's
knowledge in the air as women made their way to the first set
Day
of
Learning.
The next step is to support more pro-
of workshops offered by local female teachers on topics ranging
grams
and
have
this
love of learning filter down to genera-
from "A Jewish Yoga Experience" to "Why I Cover My Hair."
tions to come.
For the first time in three years, the Women's Day of
"My dream and my goal is that every Jew in our com-
Learning committee had invited teachers from the Orthodox
munity
will experience the power of Torah Lishma (Jewish
community, which drew Orthodox learners and gave the
study
for
its own sake) and, : seeing how it enriches one's
event a very diverse feel.
life,
will
commit
herself or himself to being a lifelong
The Women's Day of Learning was made possible through
Jewish
learner
from
that point on," Kaplan said.
the insight, inspiration and funding of the late Arlene Victor.
"Instead
of
one
Women's
Day of Learning a year, I
To her, Jewish women learning together became an important
would love to see at least two a year — fall and spring —
opportunity and powerful force.
then crank it up to four, and eventually maybe even one a
"It is a powerful thing for women to come together to learn
month. The more opportunities we offer, the more people
Torah, especially in a setting designed for women from many
will
come and learn."
different parts of the Jewish community," said Nancy Kaplan,
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12/26
2003
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