Spirituality
Torah Portion/Synagogues
Investing In Ami' — My People
Shabbat Mishpatim:
Exodus 21:1-24:18;
Jeremiah 34:8-22;
33:25-26
0
n a summer evening a few years
ago, I stopped on my way to a
Hebrew Free Loan Association
board meeting for a shivah call to a
good friend, who had lost his brother.
This friend was a successful entrepre-
neur who had created many businesses
over the years. He lived in a large, com-
fortable home. He also was a stalwart
leader in the Jewish community, a man
I had come to know as an active philan-
thropist with a committed interest in
Jewish education.
On many occasions, he had provided
large loans or monetary gifts that helped
our local day school survive through
times of financial peril.
Rabbi E.B. Freedman is executive
director ofJewish Hospice eT Chaplaincy
Network in West Bloomfield and Oak
Park and serves on the board of directors
of Hebrew Free Loan Association.
When I concluded my visit, I
lation illustrated for me, personally, the
excused myself by explaining that I was
essence of what Hebrew Free Loan
late for my Hebrew Free Loan
Association is all about: The client and
Association meeting. His response
the lender are equal members of the
revealed something about his life from
community — of ami, my people —
six decades before — that probably no
and that this concept comes from the
one at the shivah could have imagined.
Torah.
It also conveyed to me an especially
In this week's Torah portion, God
timely and appropriate message.
tells us in Exodus 22:24, "When you
"Please tell the board mem-
loan money to ami, my peo-
bers that I am forever grateful
ple, to the poor person who is
for the $300 loan they gave
with you, do not charge inter-
me more than 60 years ago,"
est." The Torah's intention is
he requested. "I used the
to prod us to build this sense
money to start my very first
of my people, my communi-
business. I was an orphan; I
ty. And it teaches that the
had nowhere else to turn for
poor person is "with you,"
money and knew no one else
like you, a part of the com-
who was in a position to
munity.
invest in me.
At that night's meeting, I
RABBI E. B .
"It took 60 months to pay
told my fellow members that
FREEDMAN
the loan back at $5 a month,
I was proud to be associated
Special to the
but I did it. Please tell the
with so fine an organization,
Jewish News
board that and also tell the
board and a community that
members I'm still not finished
for more than a century has
paying the community back. I plan to
been trusting and investing in thou-
keep doing that as long as I live."
sands of Jews. Detroit's Jewish commu-
I believe it was a surprise to the great
nity, with all of its great diversity — the-
majority of us, if not all of us, to learn
ological, ideological, political, genealogi-
that this wealthy, prominent man had
cal and geographic — continues to
ever needed a loan. I know that his reve-
make a hugely significant statement by
standing united in maintaining a
Hebrew Free Loan Association. In spite
of our many differences, we are as God
intended: "ami," my people.
When a Hebrew Free Loan officer
sits across the table from an applicant,
he or she sees "ami" my people, not
merely a client. He or she sees a fellow
member of the Jewish community,
someone like themselves, someone who
is "with them." Similarly, when the
community trusts in and invests in the
borrower who is sitting on the other
side of the table, the repayment might
well continue long after the loan itself
has been repaid.
The friend I visited dutifully repaid
every dollar of the loan over five years.
For decades and decades thereafter, he
figuratively "sat on the other side of the
table," repaying the community, "ami,"
in many more ways. ❑
am., Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays
9 a.m.; Sunday 5:30 p.m. Bar mitzvah of Zachary Paul,
son of Elissa and Dennis Paul. Hebrew Free Loan Shabbat,
Joyce Sherman will give a report.
Cantor: Daniel Gale. President Dr. Jonathan Abramson.
Services: Saturday 9:30 a.m. A liberal, egalitarian congre-
gation serving the tri-cities area. Religious and Hebrew
education programs for children and adults.
Keeping Kosher
The opposite of kosher is treif; which means "torn" or "damaged," and is a
grouping of foods that are unfit or improper to eat.
Sponsored by Lubavitch Women's Organization. For information on keeping kosher or for help
making your kitchen kosher, contact Miriam Amzalak at (248) 548-6771 or e-mail•
miriamanualaki@juno.com. 4000016000060006000
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 5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 5:45 p.m.; weekdays
7:30 am., 5:45 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Youth Shabbat.
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-e880.
Ritual director: Joseph Mermelstein. Rabbi emeritus: 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..
5:15 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays and civic
holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m.
2/ 3
2005
66
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.; weekdays
7:30 am., 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8 am., 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., 6 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; weekdays
7 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Youth Shabbat. Aufruf of Arnie Weiner
and Shid Shapiro. Children's birthday blessings.
BETH 1 EPHILATH MOSES
146 South Ave., Mt. Clemeng 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
5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 5:30 p.m.; Monday-Friday 7
DOR CHADASH U. OF MICH.
-
U-M Hillel; 1429 Hill St., Ann Arbor 48104, (734) 769-
0500. Rabbi: Jason A. Miller. Co-chairs: Naomi Karp, Perry
Teicher. Egalitarian Carlebach-style service 5:30 p.m.
Fridays. Monthly Shabbat morning service. Monthly
Shabbat Minchah Seudah Shlishit. Check Web site for
times: www.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.
Conversations
In addition to the financial aid that
the community can provide, dis-
cuss some of the ways you person-
ally can aid "ami," my people.
INDEPENDENT
AHAVAT SHALOM
413 N. Division St., Traverse City, 49684, (231) 929-4330.
Rabbi: Chava (Stacie) Bahle. Weekly Shabbat celebrations,
holidays, year round programming, children's education.
Summer programming for downstate visitors.
GROSSE POINTE JEWISH COUNCIL
(313) 882-6700. Rabbi: Nicholas Behrmann. Cantorial
soloist Bryant Frank.
JEWBILATION
CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK
P0. Box 130014, Ann Arbor, 481)3, f734) 996-3524 or
995-1963. Rev. Lauren Zinn. Se vices: Friday 6:15, follow-
ing dinner. Jewish Roots with Ir•terfaith Wings holds bi-
monthly Shabbat dinner, servic- ls, kids' programs. family
school and Hebrew school for all ages.
Southfield: 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, 48034, (248)
357-5544. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:30
a.m.; Monday, Thursday 7:15 a.m.; daily 5:30 p.m.; Friday
5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 5:15 p.m.: Sunday 8:30 am.
B'nai mitzvah of Max Berman, son of Susan and Aaron
Berman; Allison Knoll, daughter of Mary and Jay Knoll.
AGUDAS YISROEL MOGEN
ABRAHAM
Rabbis: Joseph H. Krakoff, Jonathan E. Berkun, Eric S.
Yanoff. Rabbi emeritus: Irwin Groner. Cantor: Chaim
Najman. Ritual director: Leonard Gutman.
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., 5:15 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.
TEMPLE ISRAEL
2300 Center Ave., Bay City, 48708; (989) 893-7811.
ORTHODOX
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; weekdays 7:30 a.m.;
Sunday 9 a.m. Times for weekdays and Sunday are for
the academic year.