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.