Torah Portion/Synagogues
When Anti-Semites Twist Scriptures
Shabbat Vayi gash:
Genesis 44:18-47:27;
Ezekiel 37.15-28.
I
t is, I suppose, axiomatic to say that
Hebrew Scriptures is not anti-
Semitic. It comes, therefore, as a
surprise when some anti-Semites use
Torah as a proof-text for the claim that
Judaism is an evil and dangerous reli-
gion! This week's Torah portion has so
been used.
Look how it reads: Joseph, a foreigner
in Egypt (in fact a former prisoner), fina-
gles his way into national leadership.
Once in charge, he imports his own
family into the country, not only giving
them the choicest land of Egypt but also
apparently evicting its legitimate
Egyptian residents.
And while the rest of Egypt suffers
during the famine, Joseph ensures that
his foreigner father, brothers and all their
households get all the food they want.
They see to themselves first, leaving the
native-born to fend for themselves.
When the food supply runs out,
Joseph sells back to the Egyptians their
Joseph Klein is rabbi of Temple
Emanu-El.
enslavement of the Egyptian peasant
own grain that he had collected in the
shocking proof of Joseph's inhumanity.
good years. When their money runs out,
But, as has been expressed by more
Joseph trades grain from the storehouse
objective students, such censorious com-
for their livestock. When their animals
ments show little understanding of either
are gone, Joseph buys up .their land,
history or literature."
forcing the native, home-born Egyptians
There is no evidence that Egyptian
into slavery to serve Pharaoh — while all
society would have understood such
the time, Joseph's foreigner family is pro-
changes [as described in Joseph's plan as]
tected in Goshen.
anything other than constructive. That
Is this or is this not an accurate
they would be credited to
description of the modern
Joseph in this narrative is part
Jewish conspiracy? Look
and parcel of his idealized his-
around; wake up, America.
torical image. Pharaonic
Are not today's foreigner Jews
Egypt followed its own due
doing the same thing to
course, regardless of ancient
America? They have maneu-
visitors or modern moraliz-
vered their way into govern-
ers." (Genesis p. 353)
mental positions of power, and
If it does nothing else, our
they control the banks and big
portion this week prompts us
businesses.
to think a little bit more about
Just like their ancestor
our
place in society, how oth-
Joseph, they bankrupt our
RABBI JOSEPH
ers
see
us and how we might
farmers so that they can take
KLEIN
want
or
wish others to see us.
control of America's food sup-
Special to the
We
can
do little to prevent the
ply. Just like Joseph, their plan
Jewish News
kind
of
tendentious
commen-
for the bad times to come is to
tary with which our enemies
make us their slaves. In
interpret history. But we cannot allow it
Genesis, Joseph is rewarded for his
to go unchallenged either. We must be
actions; he is exalted. Their Jewish Bible
particularly on our guard at this time of
obviously endorses such behavior.
year, when Jewish objections to the
In his commentary on Genesis, E.A.
intense cultural infusion of Christian
Speiser writes more than one modern
faith make us easy targets for those who
scholar has found in this [story] of the
Shedding Light On Shabbat
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women. Nevertheless, the responsibility is given primarily to women.
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and brochures at no cost, contact Miriam Amzalak at (248) 548-6771 or e-mail•
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CONSERVATIVE
ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE
29901 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 851-
5100. Rabbis: Daniel Nevins, Herbert Yoskowitz, Rachel
Lawson Shere. Rabbi emeritus: Efry Spectre. Cantor:
Yevsey Gutman. Cantor emeritus: Larry Vieder. Services:
Friday 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; weekdays 7:30
a.m., 5 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Bar mitzvah of Jeremy
Kaplan, son of Helayne and Jeffrey Kaplan.
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. Ritual director: Joseph Mermelstein. Rabbi emer-
itus: A. Irving Schnipper. Cantor Emeritus: Shabtai
Ackerman. Guest rabbi: Aaron Bergman. Visiting schol-
ar: Dr. Howard Lupovitch. Services: Friday 6 p.m.;
Saturday 9:30 a.m., 4:30 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: Dr. Harold
Steinman. 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.
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., 4:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5
p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 6:30 p.m.
The real "December Dilemma"
is how we respond to those who
insist that religious observance
ought to be a public celebration.
Is it more important for Jews to
support a social separation of
religion and state, or to be
labeled anti-God and anti-
American for our insistence on
that separation? Are the short-
term separation battles we wage
worth the long-term effects?
INDEPENDENT
DOR CHADASH - U. OF MICH.
AHAVAT SHALOM
U-M Hillel; 1429 Hill St., Ann Arbor 48104, (734) 769-
0500. Rabbi: Jason A. Miller. Co-chairs: Rebecca
Murow, Perry Teicher. Egalitarian Carlebach-style serv-
ice 5:30 p.m. Fridays. Monthly Shabbat morning serv-
ice. Monthly Shabbat Minchah-Seudah Shlishit. Check
Web site for times wvvvv.umhillel.org
ISAAC AGREE DOWNTOWN
SYNAGOGUE
1457 Griswold, Detroit, 48226, (313) 961-9328.
Chazan: Cantor Usher Adler. Baal Kriah: Howard
Marcus. Cantorial soloist: Neil Bards. Ritual director: Dr.
Martin Herman. President: Dr. Ellen Kahn. Services:
Saturday 8:30 a.m. also the second Friday of every
month at 7 p.m.
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
(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.
CONGREGATION SHAAREY 7FDEK
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 5 p.m.; Friday
4:45 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 4:45 p.m.; Sunday 8:30
a.m. Bat mitzvah of Amanda Arin Horwitz, daughter of
Susie and Dennis Horwitz.
146 South Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043, (586) 465-0641.
Services: weekdays 7:15 a.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.;
Sunday 8 a.m.
CONGREGATION B'NAI MOSHE
TEMPLE ISRAEL
6800 Drake, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 788-0600.
Rabbi: Elliot Pachter. Cantor: Earl Berris. Services:
Friday 4:45 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 4:45 p.m.; Monday-
Friday 7 a.m., Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and
legal holidays 9 a.m.; Sunday 4:45 p.m. Bat mitzvah of
Conversations
Samantha Grace Fine, daughter of Elyse and Steven Fine.
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., 4:45 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.
BETH TEPHILATH MOSES
are looking for an excuse to call us anti-
God and anti-American.
We must walk and talk carefully, yet
still maintain our religious integrity
within pluralistic America. It means that
we must choose our words and our bat-
des cautiously, engaging issues of social
conflict in which we are not alone and
may reasonably win.
It is indeed unfortunate that we must
always be on guard against those who see
in Judaism an evil conspiracy to subju-
gate the world. And how unfortunate
that they can not and will not hear their
own message of this season: "Peace on
earth, good will toward men."
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.
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.
SYNAGOGUES
on page 62