One bite and you'll be hooked "One of our region's better little dining secrets." MIXED MARRIAGE from page 51 — Danny Raskin *** Detroit Free Press A Sampling of Our New Menu Items... Sig'ma' LAKE SUPERIOR WHITEFISH Flash fried in Japanese bread crumbs with lemon butter sauce. $13.95 Author probes stereotypes, difficulties encountered by non-Jewish women who enter the Jewish community. SUZANNE CHESSLER Special to the Jewish News T he title of Christine Benvenuto's book is Shiksa: The Gentile Woman in the Jewish World (St. Martin's Press; $23.95), but "Shiksas" might seem more appropriate. Benvenuto, who writes about her experiences as a gentile woman marry- ing a Jewish man and converting, tells about many women with difficult social experiences on their way to practicing Judaism. The author goes on to point out biblical passages that describe rela- tionships between Jewish men and non- Jewish women, and she quotes scholars who have studied this subject. "I really hoped to help other women in Jewish families find a way into Judaism," the author says. "I also hoped to make people become more welcom- ing to women converting to Judaism." Benvenuto, a freelance writer with her first published book, explores negative stereotypes associated with the term "shiksa," religio&-identity according to the faith of the 'bother and the accessi- bility of leadership roles by converts to Judaism. "I heard some wonderful stories as I was working on this book, and I like that there are so many voices that I could include," says the writer, who changed the names of most of the repre- sented women found through people she knew personally or inquiries made on the Internet. "I was most interested in perceptions and how people felt." Benvenuto, who follows practices that combine Conservatism and Reconstructionism, explains that one of the most interesting paths of her research led to studies that had to do with the genetic makeup of Jewish pop- ulations. The findings indicate examples of long-term Jewish heritage that can be traced to Jewish males intermarried with non-Jewish local women in the regions where the men resided. "It's a curious fact that while Jewish men have formed the avant garde of assimilation, the shedding of religious and cultural ties and intermarriage, it is Jewish women — and of course, gentile women — who have been blamed for it," Benvenuto writes. CEDAR PLANK SALMON Oven baked on a cedar plank and served with tarragon sauce. $15.95 r Bring in this ad to receive your lunch or dinner bill 15% off (excluding tax, tip and alcoholic beverages) Offer valid Sunday through Thursday One coupon per couple Expires on 9/10/04 L 111111,011.0WAIMMWMPWIPORMOPOWN. 39455 West Ten Mile Road in Novi • Southwest corner of Ten Mile & Haggerty Phone: 248.478.9742 www.moesonten.corn • Same ownership as Leon's Family Dining VW; "Easily joins the list of Detroit's culinary treasures." - Danny Raskin, Jan.16 2004 4 dee bYtta, 17546 Woodward Ave. (2 blocks north of McNichols) Detroit 313-865-0331 Closed Monday • Enter rear • Valet parking food • spirits • fun `Introducing My Faith And My Community' R abbi Kerry Olitzky gives a wide definition to the term "interfaith relationship" through his latest book, Introducing My Faith and My Community: The Jewish Outreach Institute Guide for the Christian in a Jewish Interfaith Relationship (Jewish Lights Publishing; $16.99). Spouses, siblings, in-laws, children and friends fall into this cate- gory. The straightforward book, present- ed as an overview, covers faith, values, culture and community and offers a summary of Jewish holidays, dates important to Jewish history, a glossary of Jewish terms and resources for fur- ther study. Topics reach from beliefs about God to examples of folk music. "This book emerges from real expe- riences in my daily work," says Olitzky, executive director of the Jewish Outreach Institute, an organi- zation that offers opportunities for including the intermarried in the Jewish community. "I want readers to have a comprehensive understanding of Jewish life and provide an easily accessible portal into the mindset of the Jewish community." Olitzky, who hopes to open dia- logue between Jews and non-Jews, has an ultimate goal of bringing Judaism to children of interfaith marriages. "There is plenty of room along the continuum of Jewish life for those whose perspectives on the Jewish community differ in kind or in breadth," Olitzky writes. "While the Jewish religion takes a primary role in Judaism, there are many other aspects ... and many Jews relate to those other expressions of Jewish identity just as powerfully as their more observant brethren do. There are more Jews who are not affiliated with synagogues than those who are. " EL- 14 0 IC Foods from China to Thai Fusion Food ... 418 S. Washington Ave. • Royal Oak Downtown 248 591.0028 COUPON ASIAN FLAVOR DINNER COUPON Buy One Dinner get Monday - Thursday 11am - 10pm Choose 2 Entrees: • Sambal Beef • Hunan Beef • Sweet & Sour Chicken • Steak Kow • Pad Thai Chicken • General Tso Chicken INCLUDES SOUP AND EGG ROLL Friday 11am - 11pm 1/2 OFF Saturday 12noon - 11pm Second Dinner Sunday 12noon - 10pm ALL FOR ONLY $20 Dine In or Carry Out Expires 8-31-04 Half off lesser priced meal Dine In or Carry Out Expires 8-31-04 866580 C>ILIER. OLe SbUTVW1E- STE64 FM ,►■ 11 GI LL UY ONE ENTREE GET 27 ENTREE 2 OW-1F w/purchase of 2 drinks • exp. 8/30/04 ' r I I . . ■ .1EAT FREE : W/Purchase of Adult Entree 1 child per adult • exp. 8/30/04 t[a! SUZANNE CHESSLER Special to the Jewish News 4 Sit4rtl Dine-In • Carry-Out • Catering ~ • _ ► Rabbi discusses Judaism and Jewish lift through lens of interfaith relationships. 7/30 1103 East Lake Drive approx. cloi7r ntilifleis4‘‘t%,esilteoRf d N ovi Rd. • Novi 248.668.9005 868650 2004 55