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.