Spirituality Torah Portion / Synagogues Look For Those Extra Little Blessings Shabbat HaChodesh, Parsaht Vayachel- Pekude: Exodus 35:1-40:38, 12:1-20; Ezekiel 45:16-46:18. S o often in life, it seems, we lose the meaning in the midst of all the details. We get so immersed in the everyday that we miss the beauty in life right before our eyes. Our Torah portion this week is no different; for on one level, the vast majority of verses here merely present us with a list of stuff, of things to bring for this building project called the Tabernacle. Lists upon lists — of pre- cious metals, of fabrics, of woods and more; of how and when they are to be brought. Yet like our lives, in those details is hidden an incredible message. Moses instructed our ancestors to bring the gifts necessary for this project and Michael Moskowitz is a rabbi at Temple Shir Shalom. B'nai mitzvah announcements appearing in the Mazel Toy! section will not be repeated in the synagogue listing information. See more b'nai mitzvah announcements beginning on page 59. CONSERVATIVE ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE 29901 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 851- 5100. Rabbis: Daniel Nevins, Herbert Yoskowitz. Cantor: Howard Glantz. Rabbi emeritus: Efry Spectre. Cantor emeritus: Larry Vieder. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:30 p.m.; weekdays 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. AHAVAS ISRAEL (GRAND RAPIDS) 2727 Michigan St. SE, Grand Rapids, 49506-1297, (616) 949-2840. Rabbi: David J.B. Krishef. Cantor: Stuart R. Rapaport. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 7:30 a.m.; Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. BEIT KODESH 31840 W. Seven Mile, Livonia, (248) 477-8974. Cantor: David Gutman. President: Larry Stein. Vice presidents: Martin Diskin, Al Gittleman. Services: Friday 8 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. CONGREGATION BETH AHM 5075 W. Maple, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 851-6880. Rabbi: Charles Popky. Ritual director: Joseph 3/19 2004 56 immediately everyone was extremely time, there was both the right amount generous. So much so that Moses pro- and a little extra. claimed that no more gifts should be But a less well-known 18th century brought for the sanctuary's construction. commentator, the Or HaChaim leads us Enough had been collected. Moses even to the spiritual message within the obvi- added that there was just the right ous contradiction. He taught that every amount for all of the work that lay contributor, every Israelite had to have ahead of them. his gift used for the sanctuary. According But in the very next phrase Moses to the story, suddenly Moses realized the adds the expression, v'hotein "and there overwhelming generosity of the people was extra." How could the Torah say — so much so that he said they might that there was extra if it just had shared have more than enough of the materials that the right amount had requested. been collected through every- But now, what could they one's gifts? It doesn't seem pos- do? They couldn't refuse peo- sible that we could have both. ple's kindness. So in order not The Ramban looks at this to embarrass someone by the dilemma from a practical per- return of a gift, a miracle hap- spective. He determined that pened. Everything that was there must have only been a extra" was incorporated into small, insignificant amount of the building and its parts. leftover material. Thus it was Now on the surface that put away for future repair may seem to make the entire RABBI work and as such, it wasn't real- situation more complicated, but MICHAEL ly extra. Rather it was material what it is telling us is that the MOSKOWITZ with a definite purpose. extras are supposed to be there. Special to the Ovadia Sforno in the 16th That which we call extra, that Jewish News century explained that there which we see as extra, that needed to be a little bit extra in which is more than we expect, order that the true artists could do their which is beyond the natural even, exists work without having to skimp on their as part of our lives. Because life is filled use of materials. Therefore, at the same with extras — things that make every day special or make every relationship unique or rnake every moment precious — if we see it as such. But if we merely look at it as what we expect, if there are no extras, then maybe we are taking things for granted. And these verses are being quite clear. They are telling us to remember that when we have assembled all the materials for building, for constructing our lives, there is still something extra, something beyond us. While the extras are supposed to be there, if we understand and appreciate each one as something that might not have been there, but will be added into the mix nonetheless, we recognize the blessings which are a part of our lives each and every- day. May this be a lesson all of us can embrace. II Mermelstein. Rabbi emeritus: A. Irving Schnipper. Cantor Emeritus: Shabtai Ackerman. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays and civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m. a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m. Bat mitzvah of Sarah Galley, daugh- ter of Dawn and Howard Spinner. INDEPENDENT BETH ISRAEL (FLINT) 1457 Griswold, Detroit, 48226, (313) 961-9328. Chazan: Cantor Usher Adler. Baal Kriah: Rabbi Craig Allen. Ritual director: Dr. Martin Herman. President: Dr. Ellen Kahn. Services: Saturday 8:30 a.m. G-5240 Calkins Road, Flint, 48532, (810) 732-6310. Cantor emeritus: Sholom Kalib. President: Leonard Meizlish. Services: Saturday 9:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; weekdays 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8 a.m., 6 p.m. Ivriah religious school (810) 732-6312, BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR) CONGREGATION 2000 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 665- 9897. Rabbi: Robert Dobrusin. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m.; weekdays 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 5 p.m. CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM 14601 W. Lincoln, Oak Park, 48237, (248) 547-7970. Rabbi: David A. Nelson. Cantor: Samuel L. Greenbaum. Ritual director: Rev. Samuel Semp. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:50 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Men's Club Shabbat. Tot Shabbat 11 a.m. BETH TEPHILATH MOSES 146 South Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043, (810) 465-0641. Services: weekdays 7:15 a.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. CONGREGATION B'NAI MOSHE 6800 Drake, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 788-0600. Rabbi: Elliot Pachter. Cantor: Earl Berris. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; Monday-Thursday 7 a.m., 6 p.m.; Friday 7 a.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9 ISAAC AGREE DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK Rabbis: Joseph H. Krakoff, Jonathan E. Berkun. Rabbi emeritus: Irwin Groner. Cantor: Chaim Najman. Ritual director: Leonard Gutman. Southfield: 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, 48034, (248) 357-5544. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:30 a.m.; Monday, Thursday 7:15 a.m.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 8:45 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; Sunday 8:45 a.m. B'nai mitzvah of Marcy Fischgrund, daughter of Heidi Fischgrund and Jeffrey Fischgrund; Ryan Neal Victor, son of Gil and Howard Victor. West Bloomfield, B'nai Israel Center: 4200 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323-2772, (248) 357-5544. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:15 a.m.; Monday, Thursday 7 a.m.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. TEMPLE ISRAEL 2300 Center Ave., Bay City, 48708; (989) 893-7811. Cantor: Daniel Gale. President: Dr. Jonathan Abramson. Services: Saturday 9:30 a.m. A liberal, egalitarian congre- gation serving the tri-cities area. Religious and Hebrew education programs for children and adults. Conversations Consider each element of the sanc- tuary and examine what each might represent in the transmission of val- ues in our lives today. (Examples: the cherubim and children as guardians of the faith; the inside was gold: integrity; etc.) AHAVAT SHALOM 207 Grandview Parkway, #209, Traverse City, 49684, (231) 929-4330. Rabbi: Stacie Bahle. Year round Shabbat services, holidays, education. GROSSE POINTE JEWISH COUNCIL (313) 882-6700. Rabbi: Nicholas Behrmann. Cantorial soloist: Bryant Frank. JEWBILATION P.O. Box 130014, Ann Arbor, 48103, (734) 996-3524 or 995-1963. Rev. Lauren Zinn. Services: Friday 6:15, fol- lowing dinner. Jewish Roots with Interfaith Wings holds bi-monthly Shabbat dinner, services, kids' programs, family school and Hebrew school for all ages. ORTHODOX AGUDAS YISROEL MOGEN ABRAHAM 15751 W. Lincoln, Southfield, 48075, (248) 552-1971. Rabbis: Dov Loketch, Asher Eisenberger. President: Irwin Cohen. ANN ARBOR CHABAD HOUSE 715 Hill Si., Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 995-3276. Rabbi: Aharon Goldstein. Services: Friday at sundown; Saturday 9:45 a.m., 20 min. before sundown; weekdays 7:30 a.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Times for weekdays and Sunday are for the academic year. ANN ARBOR ORTHODOX MINYAN 1429 Hill St., Ann Arbor, 48014. Rabbi: Rod Glogower.