Spirituality
Torah Portion/Synagogues
Memo From God To Washington
Shabbat Shoftim:
Deuteronomy 16:18-
21:9;
Isaiah 5 1: 12-52: 12.
0
ne wonder of Israel that fre-
quently goes unmentioned is
the power and symbolism of its
architecture.
In Jerusalem, a new cluster of gov-
ernment buildings has risen around the
Knesset, which is undergoing expansion.
The Supreme Court building is an
extraordinary reflection of the ideals of
justice and equality that are the core of
Jewish jurisprudence. The new Foreign
Ministry and prime minister's buildings
each reflect the nobility and importance
of civil service.
But what truly strikes me is that the
location of these buildings at the
entrance of Jerusalem fulfills the open-
ing verse of our Torah portion, "Judges
and officers shall you place at all of your
gates, and they shall judge the people
with righteous judgment."
Daniel Nevins is a spiritual leader at
Adat Shalom Synagogue.
As soon as you enter Jerusalem from
personally transcribe and keep on his
the main coastal road, you see the Israeli
person.
determination to build a just society
Priests are kept landless; prophets
despite the enormous military and
must prove their calling; generals must
financial strains forced upon it by its
excuse soldiers who are fearful of battle.
enemies.
Rabbinic interpretation limits the scope
Given the persistence of existential
of some of these rules, yet the overall
threats to Israel, you might expect it to
impact is the creation of a balanced and
further centralize power and to shrug off limited form of government under God.
prior limits to executive
In the final verses, we read
authority, even as we in
that an unsolved homicide in
America reacted to 9-11 by
the country requires the
quickly sacrificing many civil
entire high court to suspend
liberties. But you would be
its proceedings, journey to
wrong because Israelis remain
the site of the atrocity and
vigorous in asserting their
publicly atone for this crime.
individual rights.
Just imagine such a scene
Perhaps the Torah portion
here in America!
can be credited with the
As our nation prepares to
Jewish insistence on limiting
choose a new president, the
central power. It meticulously
candidates are understand-
reviews and restricts the
RABBI DANIEL ably eager to prove their
authority of leaders in ancient
NEVINS
strength and determination
Israelite society: king, priest,
Special to the
to defend the country against
prophet, general and judge.
harm. They also refer fre-
Jewish News
Each office has dignity and
quently to the higher ideals
power, but each is limited by
of the nation — but what
the higher authority of God. The
limits do they accept on their own
monarch in particular is constrained by
power? Do they fulfill the Torah's vision
the Torah not to aggregate excessive
of humility in leadership and submis-
power and always to submit to the
sion before the constitutional con-
authority of the Torah, which he must
straints on their power?
"When I light my Shabbat candles, I feel enlightened. I feel the spirit of
Shabbat and the enjoyment of Shabbat."
— Linda Rosenberg, Oak Park, housewife
To submit a candlelighting message, call Miriam Amzalak of the Lubavitch Women's Organization at
(248) 548-6771 or e-mail• miriamainzalaki@juno.com
CONSERVATIVE
ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE
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.
AHAVAS ISRAEL (GRAND RAPIDS)
CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM
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. Ritual director: Joseph Mermelstein. Rabbi emeri-
tus: A. Irving Schnipper. Cantor Emeritus: Shabtai
Ackerman. Guest rabbi: Aaron Bergman. Visiting scholar:
Dr. Howard Lupovitch. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday
9:30 a.m., 8 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays
and civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m. Bat mitzvah of
Natalie Stern, daughter of Joan and Kenneth Stern.
8/20
60
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.; week-
days 7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8
a.m., 6 p.m. Ivriah religious school (810) 732-6312.
29901 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 851-
5100. Rabbis: Daniel Nevins, Herbert Yoskowitz, Rachel
Lawson Shere. Rabbi emeritus: Efry Spectre. Cantor:
Yesvey Gutman. Cantor emeritus: Larry Vieder. Services:
Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 8:15 p.m.; weekdays
7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. B'nai mitzvah of
Jeremy Feig, son of Stacey and Jeffrey Feig; Daniel
Guslits, son of Marilyn Novice and Ben Guslits. Aufruf of
Susan Port and Robert Yost.
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.
2004
BETH ISRAEL (FLINT)
BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR)
CONGREGATION
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., 6:30 p.m. Haftorah, Randy Davidson.
Men's Club installation.
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 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, Robert Weinfeld.
ISAAC AGREE DOWNTOWN
SYNAGOGUE
1457 Griswold, Detroit, 48226, (313) 961-9328. Chazan:
Cantor Usher Adler. Baal Kriah: Rabbi Craig Allen.
Cantorial soloist: Neil Barns. 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, Eric S.
Yanoff. 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 9 a.m., 8 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Bar
mitzvah of Eric Herman Fishman, son of Jeri and Steve
Fishman.
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 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Bar mitzvah of
Maxwell Lowe, son of Beth Deneberg Lowe and
Jonathan Lowe.
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
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 cel-
ebrations, holidays, year round programming, children's
education. Summer programming for downstate visi-
tors.
GROSSE POINTE JEWISH COUNCIL
Justice is not an easy acquisition, but
is rather an elusive ideal. It is for this
reason that we conclude our review of
Shoftim with its most famous words:
Tzedek tzedek tirdoPnaan tichyeh
v'yarashta et haaretz — "justice, justice
shall you pursue, that you may live and
dwell on the land which the Lord God
gives to you."
As Rashi notes, the appointment of
proper judges is essential to give life to
Israel and to allow it to settle the land.
Is this any less true in America?
May God gift America with leaders
who understand this pursuit and use all
of their faith, ingenuity and resolve to
realize the universal ideal of justice.
❑
Conversations
If we were to require the presi-
dent to hand-copy a sacred text
and keep it on him at all times,
what would it be? The
Constitution or perhaps the
Declaration of Independence?
What about Deuteronomy? How
might this influence the exercise
of American power?
(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
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.
BAIS CHABAD OF FARMINGTON
HILLS
32000 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 855-
2910. Rabbi: Chaim Bergstein. Services: Friday sun-
down; Saturday 9:30 a.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m.; week-
days 6:50 a.m.
BAIS CHABAD OF NORTH OAK
PARK
15401 W. 10 Mile, Oak Park, 48237, (248) 872-8878.
Rabbi: Shea Werner.