Torah Portion/Synagogue List
Peace, Prosperity: Which First?
Shabbat
Behar-Bechukotai:
Leviticus 25:1-27•34;
Jeremiah 16•19-17•14.
B
ack in the days of the
Yishuv (pre-state Israel),
two Jews were speculating
about the possibility of a
modern Jewish state. The economy,
they both agreed, would be no prob-
lem, since Jews had much experience
in finance. But how would they ever
defend themselves after 2,000 power-
less years in the diaspora?
The great irony has been that Jews
in Israel quickly learned how to
defend themselves, but have struggled
mightily to become financially inde-
pendent. For many years, it has
seemed that prosperity will have to
wait until Israel settles its existential
issues.
Yet perhaps it is true, as Israel's
finance minister proclaimed to our
recent Federation's Michigan Miracle
Mission 4, that a prosperous and
Daniel Nevins is a spiritual leader at
Adat Shalom Synagogue.
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., 8:45 p.m.; weekdays 7:30 a.m., 6
p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. B'not mitzvah of Amy Flaisher,
daughter of Enid and David Flaisher; Nicole Jackson,
daughter of Ronda and Richard Jackson. Aufruf of Dr.
Pamela Susan Warner and David Robert Marsh.
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 a.m.,
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
perity] I will grant peace to the land.
strong Israel will come first — only
then, will its enemies have sufficient
Infer from this that peace is equal to
incentive to settle and make peace.
all [other blessings]."
The question of the relationship
Rabbi Kolonymus Kalman Epstein
between the blessings of peace and
of Cracow (d.1823) expands on
Rashi's observation in his commen-
prosperity surfaces in our second
tary Maor v'Shemesh, noting that you
Torah portion, Bechukotai. In fact,
would expect God to prom-
both portions are suffused
ise peace first and then
with imagery of Eretz
Yisrael, reminding us that
prosperity, since peace is the
most important blessing.
the Torah is truly designed
Why this order?
to be practiced in Israel, and
He argues that prosperity
that the land itself is a
barometer of our relation-
often leads to controversy,
for wealthy people are
ship with God.
prone to covet each other's
If we walk in God's ways,
possessions. Rabbi Epstein
our second portion
announces, then God will
RABBI DANIEL understands this passage to
mean that even after God
send us good rainfall and
NEVINS
blesses the land with abun-
bumper crops (26:4).
Sepcial to the
dance, God will bring peace
Next, God will bless us
Jewish News
among the people of Israel,
with peace: "You will lie
muting our contentious,
down and none shall threat-
covetous nature and uniting us in
en you (26:6)." Note the Torah's
order: first prosperity, and then peace.
love for God and each other.
As I traveled recently in Israel, I
Rashi (1040-1105) addresses the
rejoiced in the many blessings of a
psychology of the moment when
country that is truly blossoming.
prosperity is attained but peace
Beautiful buildings are rising every-
remains out of grasp:
"Perhaps you will come to say, 'I
where you look; and the economy is
more focused on lucrative industries
have food; I have drink, but without
such as biotechnology than on orange
peace there is nothing.' Thus the
groves, which are pretty, but ill-suited
Torah teaches that after all [the pros-
for the arid climate of Israel.
Yet you never forget that the great-
est blessing — peace — remains
beyond our grasp. Rashi well antici-
pated the question: Without peace,
what is it all worth?
In response, we should embrace
each blessing as it comes: every new
school, new business, new building
and road built in Israel is a gift. But
the greatest gift is the presence of so
many Jews in our homeland.
Israelis must come to see each
other as a blessing. American Jews
must become so enamored with
Israelis that they feel the urge to go to
Israel again and again.
When Jews in Israel can see each
other as a blessing, I am confident
that God will also extend to Israel the
greatest blessing of all — peace in the
land, for all of its inhabitants. ❑
Conversations
Talk with your family about your
ideal trip to Israel: What would
you want to see, to learn and to
contribute? What will it take for
you to realize this dream?
WOMZ"VMMEMaimoMMStamMMk,:.,
Meizlish. Services: Saturday 9:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; week-
days 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8
a.m., 6 p.m. lvriah religious school (810) 732-6312.
Martin Herman. President: Dr. Ellen Kahn. Services:
Saturday 8:30 a.m.
education. Summer programming for downstate visi-
tors.
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., 8:15 p.m.; Sunday 8:30
a.m. B'nai mitzvah of Danielle Elise Brodsky, daughter
of Stacy and Jeffrey Brodsky; Justin Alexander Gelzayd,
son of Julie and Bradford Gelzayd.
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., 8:15 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Bat mitzvah
of Stephanie Claire Horwitz, daughter of Gina and
Arthur Horwitz.
GROSSE POINTE JEWISH COUNCIL
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., 6:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5
p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 6:3C p.m. Bar mitzvah of Max
Nathan Levine, son of Drs. Diane and Donald Levine.
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. Bat mitzvah of
Amy Bakalar, daughter of Connie and Mel Bakalar.
ISAAC AGREE
DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE
1457 Griswold, Detroit, 48226, (313) 961-9328.
Chazan: Cantor Usher Adler. Baal Kriah: Rabbi Craig
Allen. Cantorial soloist: Neil Barris. Ritual director: Dr.
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 con-
gregation serving the tri-cities area. Religious and
Heb, ew education programs for children and adults.
(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 St., Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 995-3276. Rabbi:
Aharon Goldstein. Services: Friday at sundown;
Saturday 9:45 a.m., 20 min. before sundown; week-
days 7:30 a.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Times for weekdays and
Sunday are for the academic year.
ANN ARBOR ORTHODOX MINYAN
INDEPENDENT
AHAVAT SHALOM
413 N. Division St., Traverse City, 49684, (231) 929-
4330. Rabbi: Chava (Stacie) Bahle. Weekly Shabbat cel-
ebrations, holidays, year round programming, children's
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 aca-
demic year 7:30 a.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.
SYNAGOGUES on page
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