Torah Portion / Synagogues

Appreciating Jewish Women On This Shabbat

Shabbat Chol HaMoed
Pesach:
Exodus 33:12-34:26;
Numbers 28:19-25;
Ezekiel 37:1-14.

T

his past week, WJR radio's
Paul W Smith interviewed
Karen Hughes, the former
White House adviser who left
her prominent and important position to
be with her family. She spoke about her
struggle to balance her family and profes-
sional life and- her gut-wrenching deci-
sion to abandon the president for her
husband, her children and her family life.
The discussion about the work-family
struggle coming the week before Pesach,
together with the great family demands
Pesach places on our wives and mothers,
reverberated with me strongly.
For many of us, the one-salary home
is now American history. Many Jewish
women work the same long hours as
their husbands, and then have to take

Reuven Spolter is rabbi of Young Israel
of Oak Park. His e-mail address is
rabbispolter@yiop.org

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., 8 p.m.; weekdays 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30
a.m. Passover: Sunday, April 11, 6 p.m.; Monday, April 12,
9 a.m., 6 p.m.; Tuesday, April 13, 9 a.m., 8 p.m. Yizkor on
Tuesday morning.

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 Mermeistein.
Rabbi emeritus: A. Irving Schnipper. Cantor Emeritus:
Shabtai Ackerman. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9:30
a.m., 7:45 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays and
civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m. Passover: Sunday, April
11, 7 p.m.; Monday, April 12, 9:30 a.m., 7 p.m.; Tuesday,
April 13, 9: 30 a.m. (Yizkor), 8 p.m.

care of house and home, family and chil-
canon. Upon the insistence of Rabbi
dren. Sure, we men help — but we don't
Akiva, they included the book in the
feel that struggle — the tug of war
Bible with the understanding that this
between home and family life.
beautiful song of love relates not the love
But our wives sure do, espe-
of any individual man and
cially during Pesach. So as we
woman, but instead the love
sit at home on the Friday
between God and His
night after another wonderful
beloved, the Jewish people.
seder — a joyous and spiritual
So, when we read Shir
evening we shared with family
HaShirim, we walk a fine line.
and friends, how much
On one hand, we remain cog-
thought and consideration did
nizant of the overall theme —
we give to our wives and
the love between God and His
mothers, whose cooking,
nation. At the same time, the
RABBI
cleaning, preparation for
power of poetry emanates
REUVEN
Pesach and hard work made
from its imagery and allegory,
SPOLTER
our religious and family experi-
language that teaches us mean-
Special to the
ence possible? Perhaps this
ingful lessons about ourselves
Shabbos specifically is the per-
Jewish News
and the types of relationships
fect time.
we maintain. Each of these
On Shabbos Chol HaMoed Pesach,
independent levels of allegory convey a
before we read from the Torah we first
truth to us as a nation, as a community
read the entire book of the Song of Songs,
and as individuals.
Shir HaShirim. Written by King
At the end of the book, the beloved
Solomon, Shir Hashirim poetically por-
says to the man, "I roused thee under the
trays the roller coaster of experiences in a
apple tree." When did she do that? Rashi
saga of love between a man and his
(on Shemos 38:8) teaches us that during
beloved.
the back-breaking slavery of Egypt, the
The rabbis in the Gemara, fearing
Jewish women would prepare food and
that the casual observer would consider
drink to bring out to their husbands in
the work profane and lurid, considered
the fields. They would also bring mirrors
omitting the sometimes erotic, always
that they would use to look into, togeth-
powerful Shir Hashirim from the biblical
er with their husbands, while they rested.

BETH ISRAEL (FLINT)

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. lvriah 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.

Jerry Katzman.

ISAAC AGREE DOWNTOWN
SYNAGOGUE

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.

CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK

In this way, they created a sense of inti-
macy and desire and brought about the
birth of a new generation of-Jewish chil-
dren.
Do we think for one moment that
these women didn't have their own diffi-
cult problems and responsibilities? Of
course they did. Yet, like all Jewish
women throughout history, they carried
the double-burden of not only doing
their own work, but also doing what
needs to be done to ensure the continu-
ity, strength and vitality of the Jewish
people.
So, let's take this Shabbos to appreci-
ate the Jewish women in our lives. On a
personal note, I want to thank my wife,
Rena, for working so hard these past few
weeks to prepare our home for Pesach.
Her sacrifice and hard work helped make
Pesach not just for my family, but for our
community. E

Conversations

Consider the impact of Jewish
women on Jewish history through
the millennia. How would our
history be different without their
dedication and heroism?

gation serving the tri-cities area. Religious and Hebrew
education programs for children and adults.

11•IDEl'ENDENT

AHAVAT SHALOM

207 Grandview Parkway, #209, Traverse City, 49684, (231)
929-4330. Rabbi: Stacie Bahle. Year round Shabbat serv-
ices, holidays, education.

GROSSE POINTE JEWISH COUNCIL

Rabbis: Joseph H. Krakoff, Jonathan E. Berkun. Rabbi
emeritus: Irwin Groner. Cantor: Chaim Najman. Ritual
director: Leonard Gutman.

(313) 882-6700. Rabbi: Nicholas Behrmann. Cantorial
soloist: Bryant Frank.

CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM

Southfield: 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, 48034, (248)

JEWBILATION

BETH TEPHILATH MOSES

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., 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m.
Passover: Sunday, April 11, 6 p.m.; Monday, April 12, 8:45
a.m., 6:45 p.m.; Tuesday, April 13, 8:45 a.m. (Yizkor), 8:15
p.m.

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., 6:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; week-
days 7 a.m., 6:30 p.m.

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., 8 p.m.; Monday-Thursday 7 a.m., 6
p.m.; Friday 7 a.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9 a.m.;
Sunday 6 p.m. Haftorah, Aaron Martin. New Grandparent
Shabbat. Passover: Sunday, April 11, 6 p.m.; Monday, April
12, 9 a.m., 6 p.m.; Tuesday, April 12, 9 a.m., 8 p.m.
Monday's haftorah, Jason Weiner. Tuesday's haftorah,

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., 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Passover: Sunday, April
11, 6 p.m.; Monday, April 12, 9 a.m., 6:45 p.m.; Tuesday,
April; 13, 9 a.m. (Yizkor), 8:15 p.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-

P.O. Box 130014, Ann Arbor, 48103, (734) 996-3524 or
995-1963. Rev. Lauren Zinn. Services: Friday 6:15, follow-
ing 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 St., 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.

4/ 9
2004

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