Torah Portion Revering The Jewish Mother believes that over-protection may build and scorns her influence. American a firm base of security in a child. society now presents the Jewish moth- Children who are carefully protected er as an object of ridicule. know that they are loved and impor- Thus, the stereotyped Jewish moth- tant; and because they are important er overdoes her job. We are told that to their parents, they become impor- she hovers over her children, prevent- tant to themselves. Fortified with such ing them from achieving self-reliance self-esteem, they can become by interfering, advising, over- strong and independent protecting and manipulating. adults. There are no matters in Some say the Jewish which she does not presume mother is becoming extinct to be an expert, no activity in now that so many women which she does not claim work outside their homes. I prerogatives. believe there are still plenty Mother has been placed of Jewish mothers in our on a pedestal on which her midst, working or not, who hold seems insecure. Yet, have simply gone under- mothers are both tender and RABBI IRWIN ground in. recent years. They tough. They can absorb vast GRONER practice their art secretly for quantities of punishment and Special to the fear of becoming the object hold their ground against Jewish News of another round of jokes. critics and opponents. To those closet Jewish Because motherhood has mothers, I say, "Come out. We need been deprecated in our generation, all you now. We want to observe you. mothers have learned how to be self- We want to celebrate you with a tradi- conscious and cautious in their child- may you tional toast of l'chayim rearing practices. But the time has live and be well and go on mothering come for us to take a new look at the for 120 years. Jewish mother stereotype. God knows, The Torah teaches us that reverence we don't seem to have improved much for mother is a sacred obligation. as parents since we began renouncing Reverence is not based on the assump- the Jewish way. tion that we all have saintly (or even The proverbial Jewish mother sane) mothers. It is a commitment to implement the honor of earthly par- ents to whom we owe the gift of life itself. To parents, I would say, "Have rev- erence for yourself, for you hold in your hands the sacred responsibility of nurturing life and of shaping the char- acter of the next generation. Hold yourselves in reverence and awe. Keep in mind what the Bible teaches: "Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days be long on the land • which the Lord, thy God giveth thee." If we seek days that are lengthy in accomplishment, if we seek a life of blessing, let us revere our parents and ourselves, as we seek to bind the gen- erations close — one to the other." ❑ CONSERVATIVE 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8 a.m., 6 p.m. lvriah reli- gious school (810) 732-6312. GROSSE POINTE JEWISH COUNCIL ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR) CONGREGATION Shabbat Emor: Leviticus 21:1-24:23; Ezekiel 44:15-31. T he institution of Mother's Day, which falls this year on Sunday, May 9, express- es the sacred principle that reverence and love for our parents con- stitute the basis of our spiritual life. The influence of the Jewish mother in our lives is well symbolized by her kindling of the Sabbath and festival lights; for the model Jewish mother brings the light of love, sympathy, consolation and understanding into the lives of her family. This figure of the Jewish mother has always been sacrosanct in tradi- tional life and lore. Even in ages of transition, when everything sacred was subject to criticism, the Jewish mother somehow remained above the din of the battle. But I note a continuing trend in modern cultures, which subjects the Jewish mother to withering criticism Irwin Groner is rabbi emeritus of Congregation Shaarey Zedek. 29901 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 851- 5100. Rabbis: Daniel Nevins, Herbert Yoskowitz. Cantor: Howard Glantz. Rabbi emeritus: Efry Spectre. Cantor emeri- tus: Larry Vieder. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 am., 8:30 p.m.; weekdays 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. B'nai mitzvah of Megan Weiner, daughter of Sheri and Yale Weiner; Jordan Supowit, son of Debbie and Jeffrey Sipowit. Aufruf of Julie Bean and David Tigay. 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 Mermelstein. Rabbi emeritus: A. Irving Schnipper. Cantor Emeritus: Shabtai Ackerman. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m., 8:15 p.m.; weekdays 7 am., 7 p.m.; Sundays and civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m. 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.,. 5/ 7 2004 62 — 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., 6:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; week- days 7 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Jewish Theological Seminary Shabbat. 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., 8:30 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. Bar mitzvah of Benjamin Kastan, son of Carol and David Kastan. New Baby Shabbat. ISAAC AGREE DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE 1457 Griswold, Detroit, 48226, (313) 961-9328. Chazan: Cantor Usher Adler. Baal Kriah: Rabbi Craig Allen. Cantorial soloist: Neil Bards. Ritual director: Dr. Martin Herman. President: Dr. Ellen Kahn. Services: Saturday 8:30 a.m. CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK Rabbis: Joseph H. Krakoff, Jonathan E. Berkun. Rabbi emeritus: Irwin Groner. Cantor: Chaim Najman. Ritual direc- tor: 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., 8:15 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Friday bat mitzvah of Hannah Gayle Borman, daughter of Hilary and Stuart Borman. Saturday b'nai mitzvah of Amy Caryn Shulman, daughter of Lois and Marc Shulman; Michelle Rose Wayne, daughter of Cindy Hirsch. 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 am.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 8:15 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Bat mitzvah of Mara Israel, daughter of Marcie and Ashley Israel. 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. INDEPENDENT AHAVAT SHALOM 413 N. Division St., Traverse City, 49684, (231) 929-4330. Rabbi: Chava (Stacie) Bahle. Weekly Shabbat celebrations, holidays, year round programming, children's education. Summer programming for downstate visitors. Conversations Consider the demands and expectations that Jewish mothers have placed on their children. Can these ever be dangerous or destructive? What effect may occur if parents lean over back- wards not to pressure kids, not to burden them with high expec- tations? (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, 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. ANN ARBOR ORTHODOX MINYAN 1429 Hill St., Ann Arbor, 48014. Rabbi: Rod Glogower. Services: Friday at sundown; Saturday 9:30 a.m. and 20 minutes before sundown; weekdays during the academic year 7:30 a.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.