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 74 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 -7— 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.