Spirituality
Torah Portion/Synagogues
Show Me The Bread
Shabbat Terumah:
Exodus 25: 1-27: 19;
I Kings 5:26-6:13.
T
his week's Torah portion opens
with the repeated instructions
for building the Tabernacle,
God's physical dwelling place among
the Israelite nation.
The detailed narrative calls for the
creation of the contents of the
Tabernacle (k'lei hamishkan), including
the table that would stand across from
the menorah in the inner court, upon
which would be the lechem panim, the
"show-bread" or better defined as "the
bread of display" that was to be before
God at all times (Exodus 25:30).
Commentator Ibn Ezra understood
this literally to be the bread perpetually
set out before the Lord. Rashi took the
phrase figuratively as "bread fit for dig-
nitaries."
There were to be 12 loaves (two rows
Rabbi Jason A. Miller is assistant
director of the University of Michigan
Hillel Foundation in Ann Arbor.
to understand that God does not desire
of six) on the table at all times, perhaps
nor need our gifts of food. Rather, we
symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel. The
can nourish God with our acts of lov-
Levitical clan of Kohathites were the
ingkindness, performance of mitzvot,
ones to bake the bread and then arrange
tzedakah and prayer.
the loaves on the table where they
remained untouched for the entire
In Second Temple times, the baking
of the lechem panim became the job of
week. On Shabbat, the loaves were
Beit Garmu. The Garmu family mem-
replaced by freshly baked ones and the
bers were experts in baking this bread in
old loaves were eaten by the kohanim
such a manner that it did not become
(priests) in the holy precincts.
moldy, even after sitting out
There are several lessons for
for six days. They were an
all of us to learn from the
interesting group who main-
ancient ritual of the lechem
tained a family policy to
panim. Everett Fox, in his
never eat fancy bread, so that
commentary on the Torah,
no one would accuse Beit
explains that the "table and its
Garmu of feasting on the
implements, like some of the
lechem panim that they made
other features of the
(Tosefta Yoma 2:5).
Tabernacle, are holdovers from
The Garmu family kept
a more blatandy pagan model,
their expertise secretive, refus-
where the gods were seen to
RABBI JAS ON
ing to teach others how to
be in need of nourishment."
A. MI LLER
properly prepare the lechem
While our ancestors
Speci a 1 to the
panim. The rabbis of the
employed some of the conven-
Jewish News
Mishnah include Beit Garmu
tions common throughout the
among others who refused to
ancient Near East, the fact
pass along the instructions of Jewish rit-
that the lechem panim in the Tabernacle
ual to future generations. The memory
was eaten by the Kohanim was a clear
of these people was to be recalled for
way of differentiating Israelite worship
disgrace according to the Mishnah
from pagan worship.
(Yoma 3:11).
This is one unambiguous way for us
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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 5:45 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6 p.m.; weekdays
7:30 a.m., 6 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 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., 5:30 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays
and civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m.
BETH ISRAEL (FLINT)
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
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.
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.
BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR) CONG.
Rabbis: Joseph H. Krakoff, Jonathan E. Berkun, Eric S.
Yanoff. Rabbi emeritus: Irwin Groner. Cantor: Chaim
Najman. Ritual director: Leonard Gutman.
2000 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 665-9897.
Rabbi: Robert Dobrusin. Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday
9:30 am.; 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.
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
5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 5:30 p.m.; Monday-Friday 7
a.m., Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holi-
days 9 a.m.; Sunday 5:30 p.m. Haftorah, Joel Ungar.
The lesson for us is that no one per-
son or group of people should hold a
monopoly on Jewish tradition or the
intricacies of Jewish rituals. We must
keep our rich traditions from dying out
by practicing "open source" Judaism,
providing future generations with the
recipe for Jewish living. We are not a
secretive religion nor have we ever been.
So when you look at the two loaves
of challah sitting on your table this
Shabbat, serving as memories not only
of the double-portion of manna deliv-
ered on Shabbat in the desert, but also
of the lechem panim, consider the
importance of bequeathing your family's
customs and traditions to the next gen-
eration.
❑
Conversations
What are ways that you and mem-
bers of your family provide "nour-
ishment" to God? Are the rabbis
of the Mishnah too tough on Beit
Garmu for holding a monopoly
on information? What are cus-
toms (religious or secular) that
you feel are important to pass on
to your children?
DIDEPENDENT
AHAVAT SHALOM
413 N. Division St., Traverse City, 49684, (231) 929-4330.
Rabbi: Chava (Stacie) Bahle. Weekly Shabbat celebra-
bons, holidays, year round programming, children's edu-
cation. Summer programming for downstate visitors.
GROSSE POINTE JEWISH COUNCIL
(313) 882-6700. Rabbi: Nicholas Behrmann. Cantorial
soloist: Bryant Frank.
JEWBILATION
CONGREGATION SHAAREY LEDEK
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.
Southfield: 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, 48034, (248)
357-5544. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:30
a.m.; Monday, Thursday 7:15 am.; daily 5:30 p.m.; Friday
5:45 p.m.; Saturday 9 am., 5:30 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 am.
AGUDAS YISROEL MOGEN ABRAHAM
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 am., 5:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Bat mitzvah
of Leigh Grinberg, daughter of Nurit and Asher Weiner
and Isaac Grinberg.
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.
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.
ANN ARBOR ORTHODOX MINYAN
1429 Hill St., Ann Arbor, 48014. Rabbi: Rod Glogower.
Services: Friday at sundown; Saturday 9:30 a.m. and 20
SYNAGOGUES on page 60
2/10
2005
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