Spirituality

Torah Portion/Synagogues

Wonderment And Holiness Are All Around

Shabbat Emor:
Leviticus 2 I: I -24:23 ;
Ezekiel 44: 15-31.

I

n several different places, the Torah
describes the holy days of the year.
Each description has a different
focus, but each reminds us of the
importance of the cycle of our year as
the basic foundation of our lives as Jews.
In Emor, we read the most detailed
description of the fast of Yom Kippur.
The section contains an interesting
phrase. The Torah commands us to
observe the fast "on the ninth day of the
month at evening, from evening to
evening". The word erev, "evening," is
mentioned three times and the rabbis
noted that the rather strange construc-
tion serves to remind us that the fast
must include both evenings. It must
begin before sundown and is to last
until after sundown.
We follow a similar tradition when

Robert Dobrusin is rabbi of Beth Israel
Congregation in Ann Arbor.

observing Shabbat, lighting candles at
respect our partners and honor our chil-
least 18 minutes before sundown and
dren, when we take a deep breath and
only saying Havdalah after three stars
recognize the beauty of the world in
have been sighted in a darkened sky.
which we live, we add holiness to what
This tradition of taking time from
might otherwise be just ordinary. By
the weekday to add to our holy days is a
doing this, we also are adding onto holy
feature of Jewish law and it is also a
times from ordinary time.
valuable guide for how we should live
We all have role models who have
our lives.
tried to teach us the importance of mak-
One of the most important aims of
ing "everyday events" special, and I
Judaism is the investing of
write these words in tribute to
what would otherwise be ordi-
and in memory of my moth-
nary moments with lasting sig-
er, aleha hashalom, who died
nificance, of turning regular
this past month after a battle
moments into sanctified time.
with a serious illness. In
One way that we do this is
thinking back over all of our
through the saying of blessings,
memories, my brother and I
brachot, which transform each
both remembered one seem-
thunderstorm, each rainbow,
ingly minor event from our
each meal, into a cause for
childhood very clearly.
acknowledcrina b God's role in
We remembered how my
the world. These blessings can RABB I ROBERT mother would take us to the
always inspire us to find the
DO BRUSIN
window each spring day to
significance in everyday life.
Spec ial to the
watch the progress of the
But, this idea goes far
Jew ish News
budding trees. To her, this
beyond blessings. When we
was a great spiritual moment
respect our parents, when we respect
and she was right. Not only was she
our teachers, when we treat those who
teaching us about the beauty of nature,
work for us ethically and fairly, when we
but she taught us to find great holiness

Giving Tzedakah

The greatest form of tzedakah (righteous acts; things we do to help others) is
to give a helping hand to a Jew on the verge of financial ruin, through a gift, a
loan or an offer of employment.

Presented by Lubavitch Women's Organization. For information on keeping kosher or lighting
Shabbat candles, contact Miriam Amzalak (248) 548-6771 or miriamamzalakl@junzi.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 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 8:15 p.m.; weekdays
7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. B'not mitzvah of
Rebecca Klegon, daughter of Shelly and Allen Klegon;
Samantha Kritzer, daughter of Fay and Larry Kritzer.

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
am.; 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. Saturday bar mitzvah of Brennen
McAllister, son of Mark and Dilyse McAllister.

CONGREGATION BETH AHM

5075 W. Maple, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 851-6880.
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 am.,
8:15 p.m.; weekdays 7 am., 7 p.m.; Sundays and civic
holidays: 8:15 am., 5 p.m.

BETH ISRAEL (FLINT)

G-5240 Calkins Road, Flint, 48532, (810) 732-6310.

5/12

2005

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Cantor emeritus: Sholom Kalib. President: Dr. Harold
Steinman. Services: Saturday 9:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; weekdays
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 7:30 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., 6:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; week-
days 7 a.m., 6:30'p.m. Bat mitzvah of Taylor Elyse
Chimoff, daughter of Cookie and Bart Chimoff.

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 am., 8:15 p.m.; Monday-Friday 7 am.,
Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9
a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m. Bar mitzvah of Alan Kandinov, son of
Belle and Moshe Kandinov. JTS Shabbat; New Baby
Shabbat; Totally Teen Shabbat.

DOR CHADASH

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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 at casndle-
lighting time 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.

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 6 p.m.; Friday 6
p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 8:15 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Friday
bat mitzvah of Mollie Gwen Attenson, daughter of Alyse
and Ryan Attenson. Saturday bat mitzvah of Hannah Jean
Cohen, daughter of Margaret (Peggy) and Steven Cohen.
West Bloomfield, B'nai Israel Center: 4200 Walnut Lake
Road, West Bloomfield, 48323-2772, (248) 357-5544.
Services: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:15 am.; Monday,
Thursday 7 am.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9
a.m., 8:15 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Bat mitzvah of Eliana
Danielle Fenyes, daughter of Shelley and Peter Fenyes.

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 congre-
gation serving the tri-citiesarea. Religious and Hebrew
education programs for children and adults.

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.

in the moments that might otherwise
slip by.
It has always fascinated me how dedi-
cated Jews are to Yom Kippur. That is
the way it should be, of course. But,
after we leave shul on Yom Kippur —
having elevated not only 24 hours but
24 hours plus another hour of our lives
into moments of holiness — what do
we do with the rest of the days?
Judaism isn't just about Yom Kippur.
It isn't just about Shabbat. It isn't just
about the three festivals. It is about each
spring day and every day throughout
the year. Each and every day, we should
strive to replace regular time with holy
time.
We-cannot live all of our moments in
complete holiness. But, we can do better
than we do. We can try that much hard-
er to find moments full of ultimate
meaning and celebrate their holiness. O

Conversations

How have you put this idea into
practice in your life? What oppor-
tunity have you missed?

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, follow-
ing 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; 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
minutes before sundown; weekdays during the academic
year 7:30 am.; Sunday 9 am.

BAIS CHABAD OF FARMINGTON
HELLS

32000 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 855-
2910. Rabbi: Chaim Bergstein. Services: Friday sundown;
Saturday 9:30 am.; Sunday 8:30 am.; weekdays 6:50 am.

BAIS CHABAD OF NORTH OAK PARK

15401 W. 10 Mile, Oak Park, 48237, (248) 872-8878.
Rabbi: Shea Werner.

BETH TEFILO EMANUEL TIKVAH

24225 Greenfield, Southfield, 48075, (248) 559-5022.
Rabbi: Yisroel Menachem Levin.