Torah Portion/Synagogues

Just Do It!

Shabbat Shekalim:
Parshat Pekudei;
Exodus 38:21-40:38,
30:11-16,
Numbers 28:9-15;
II Kings 12:1-17.

0

n Tuesday, March 1, more than
100,000 Jews from around the
world gathered via satellite to
celebrate the siyyum hashas, the comple-
tion of the dafyomi cycle. Linked to
Jews across the globe, we sang and
danced and honored those dedicated
individuals who devote an hour of their
day, every day for the last 2,711 days, to
study a page of the Talmud.
Traditionally, when we finish the
study of a book (or series of books), we
mark that conclusion with a siyyum, a
"concluding ceremony" But every con-

Reuven Spolter is rabbi Young Israel of
Oak Park.

eluding ceremony reminds us that a
like a monumental task — and it is.
siyyum is not an end, but just a new
The idea of studying for an hour a day,
beginning. We conclude every tractate
each and every day for 7 1 /2 years seems
with a hadran, declaring to the Torah,
almost overwhelming, if not impossible.
"May we return to you and may you
How then did 60 members of our com-
return to us." Every end is a new oppor-
munity — and thousands around the
tunity to learn another topic, another
world do it? They did it with grit, deter-
book, and.another section of God's
mination, dedication and a little help
Torah. Moreover, we consider the study
from Above.
of Torah itself— for its own sake, a
Pekudei records the final completion
very valuable endeavor.
of the various parts of the
The same holds true for
mishkan — the tabernacle
the conclusion of a book in
constructed by the Jewish
the Torah. Even as we cele-
people to serve as God's RV
brate our past accomplish-
in the desert. When the peo-
ments, we look to the future,
ple finally finish all the work
for more to learn and achieve.
and have built all the pieces,
As we conclude Parshat
the Torah tells us that they
Pekudei and the Book of
brought the pieces to Moshe.
Exodus (Shemot) during the
Rashi wonders: If they built
Torah reading, we say together
all the pieces, why didn't they
RABBI
Chazak Chazak!— "We are
just put them together them-
REUVEN
strong! We are strong!" But
selves? Quoting the Midrash,
SPOLTER
then we add one more word:
Rashi answers that they had
V'nitchazek — "and let us
Special to the
the skills and craftsmanship to
strengthen ourselves!"
construct the pieces. But by
Jewish News
Finishing Shemot is nice and
following God's blueprints
certainly worthy of celebra-
and including all that gold
tion. But our strength comes from
and wood, the pieces were so heavy that
knowing that we have more Torah to
they simply were not able to put them
study and more to grow.
together. Stumped, they brought the
Studying the entire Talmud seems
puzzle to Moshe to figure out. Moshe

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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 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:30 p.m.; weekdays 7:30
am., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Bat mitzvah of Elizabeth
(sack, daughter of Lisa (sack. Seminary 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-
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., 6 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays
and civic holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m. Bat mitzvah of
Brooke Selik, daughter of Terri and Bruce Selik.

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 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., 5:45 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5
p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Seminary Shabbat.

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 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6:15 p.m.; Monday-
Friday 7 a.m., Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and
legal holidays 9 a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m. Bar mitzvah of
Michael Aaron Lourie, son of Judy and Ira Lourie.

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 Barris. Ritual director: Dr.
Martin Herman. President: Dr. Ellen Kahn. Services:
Saturday 8:30 a.m. Saturday, March 12, is
Homecoming Shabbat.

CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK

Rabbis: Joseph H. Krakoff, Jonathan E. Berkun, Eric S.
Yanoff. Rabbi emeritus: Irwin Groner. Cantor: Chaim
Najman. Ritual director: Leonard Gutman.

said to God, "How is one person sup-
posed to put that huge thing together?"
God answered Moshe by telling him,
"You do your work." Do your part, and
don't worry about the end result. And
that's exactly what he did. Moshe acted
like he was assembling the mishkan, and
the pieces came together on their own.
Sometimes, we avoid beginning a
project or an undertaking because the
end result seems unattainable. We
decide that we can't really start studying
Torah, because, well, "If I haven't started
by now, how much can I really learn
anyway?" First of all, you can learn a lot!
But even more importantly, who cares
how much you learn? Study of Torah
carries its own value. So join a study
group, or get a Torah partner or attend a
class in your community! Start building
— or at least fake it — and don't worry
about the result. Before you know it,
you'll be building a mishkan of your
own.

Conversations

Is the true lesson of the 2,711
days actually "one day at a time?"
Is the first step of an endeavor
often the most difficult?

INDEPENDENT

AHAVAT SHALOM

413 N. Division St., Traverse City, 49684, (231) 929-
4330. Rabbi: Chava (Stacie) Bahle. Weekly Shabbat cel-
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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-
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family school and Hebrew school for all ages.

ORTHODOX

Smithfield: 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, 48034, (248)
357-5544. Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:30
a.m.; Monday, Thursday 7:15 a.m.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday
6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m.
Friday bat mitzvah of Jordan Ivy Aronovitz, daughter of
Mindy and James Aronovitz.

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 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Bar mitzvah of
Scott Haber, son of Hilary and Corey Haber.

ANN ARBOR CHABAD HOUSE

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.

15751 W. Lincoln, Southfield, 48075, (248) 552-1971.
Rabbis: Dov Loketch, Asher Eisenberger. President:
Irwin Cohen.

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.

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