SpiritualIlk Torah Portion/Synagogues Strangers In A Strange Land Shabbat Shemot: Exodus 1:1-6:1; Isaiah 27:6- 28:13; 29:22-23. I n this week's Torah portion, we are told (Exodus 1:8) that: "There arose a new king over Egypt that did not know of Joseph ..." This "new king" instituted not only slavery but the slaying of the male children of the Jews. The Talmud (Sota 11A) brings a very strange interpretation of this verse. Rav and Shmuel dispute; one says: "(It was not actually a new king but rather) he (the old king) instituted new decrees (against the Jews) ... for it doesn't say that he (the old king) died and (the new king) reigned ... "That did not know Joseph' (means that) he behaved as if he didn't know Joseph at all." Certainly this interpretation is not simply based on the fact that the death of the old king is not men- tioned. What really is this midrash trying Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or Chadash. Even after generations of living to teach us? with and contributing to the welfare In my opinion, this midrash is the of their neighbors and especially the brilliant insight borne out time and rulers, the Jews were almost invariably again in Jewish history: The Jew (or turned upon when the population or any stranger) always remains in a pre- the rulers saw it was to their carious position. In spite of advantage to do so. what Joseph had done for The lesson is even reflect- Egypt (saving all of its ed in the Passover seder. inhabitants during years of Although most of us use famine) and for Pharaoh horseradish as the "bitter (acquiring for him all of the herb" for our seder, the money, livestock, land and Talmud (Pesach 39A) says imposing state serfdom upon that romaine lettuce is actu- the people ( Genesis 47:13- ally preferable, even though 26]), there was no guarantee it is not bitter. of future security for Joseph's RABBI ELIEZER Rabbi Shmuel bar family and people. COHEN Nachmani in the name of Even the same king, Special to the Rabbi Yonatan says the according to the interpreta- Jewish News experience of Egypt is corn- tion, if he thought it advan- pared to romaine lettuce tageous, could turn upon because "just as the lettuce is at first these "aliens" and impose upon them (when it is young) tender (and sweet), slavery and even death. at the end (when it remains too long It is not clear why the Jews in the ground) it becomes bitter. So remained in Egypt after the famine too our stay in Egypt in the beginning ended (there are midrashim to the was sweet and in the end became bit- effect that they were forced to stay by ” ter. Pharaoh). But what is clear is that Certainly, we in America believe throughout Jewish history the Jews and hope that out experience here is have been discriminated against, per- different. This year, we celebrate the secuted or expelled from practically 350th anniversary of Jewish settle- every country in which they lived. Shedding Light On Shabbat Tradition recounts the miracle of our matriarch Sarah, whose Shabbat candles burned all week from Friday eve to Friday eve. Sponsored by Lubavitch Women's Organization. To receive Shabbat candles, candlesticks and brochures at no cost, contact Miriam Amzalak at (248)'548-6771 or e-mail: miriamamzalak1@juno.com 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. 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., 4:45 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays and civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m. 12/31 2004 54 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. Ivriah 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., 5:15 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; weekdays -7 a.m., 6:30 p.m. BETH TEPHILATH MOSES 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 6800 Drake, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 788-0600. Rabbi: Elliot Pachter. Cantor: Earl Berris. Services: Friday 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; Monday-Friday 7 a.m., Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9 a.m.; Sunday 5 p.m. Haftorah, Marc Sussman. DOR CHADASH - U. OF MICH. 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 wwvv.umhillel.org ISAAC AGREE DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE 1457 Griswold, Detroit, 48226, (313) 961-9328. Chazan: Cantor Usher Adler. Baal Kriah: Howard Marcus. Cantorial soloist: Neil Barris. 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. 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 5 p.m.; Friday 4:45 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 4:45 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. 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. 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. ment on these shores. We are part and parcel of the citizenry of this country, who all — but for the Native Americans — came as "strangers." Yet, it is not inconceivable that conditions could arise to make our stay here unsure and even unsafe. (We see what happened to Muslim Americans after 9-11.) The Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (2:3) states: "Beware of the rulers for they are close to someone only for their own needs: They appear to love one for their own benefit but do not stand by one in time of need." This could be just as true now as when first formulated almost two mil- lennia ago. Conversations Is being part of a democracy a guarantee of safety? Does the American population consider the Jews as "us" or as "others"? Do "others" or "strangers" ever lose such a status if they remain "different"? Are the Jews in Israel any safer? =DEPENDENT 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 (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.