Torah Portion/Synagogues

Across The Languages

Shabbat Bechukotai:
Leviticus 26:3-27:34;
Jeremiah 16:19-17:14.

7

his week's Torah portion, from
the book of Leviticus, speaks in
the language of our ancestors.
They lived in the wilderness, wan-
dering from place to place during their
40-year journey from Egypt to the
promised land. Accordingly, when
Moses declared God's commandments
to the people, he did so in the vocabu-
lary of country folk, rather than that of
city dwellers.
Just look at how Moses expresses the
law: "If you follow my laws and faith-
fully obey my commandments, I will
grant rains in their season, so that the
earth shall yield its produce and the
trees of the field their fruit ... you shall
eat your fill of bread and dwell securely
in your land."
Moses continues: "I will grant peace
in the land, and you shall lie down

Daniel Syme is a rabbi at Temple Beth El.

untroubled by anyone ... I will give the
name of many Gods and many
land respite from vicious beasts, and no
prophets.
sword shall cross your land ... I will be
Their message is the same: Follow
ever present in your midst; I will be
our laws and our commandments and
your God, and you shall be My people.
all will be well.
"I the Lord am your God
The problem is that the
who brought you out from
commandments of these vari-
the land of the Egyptians to
ous groups often contradict
one another. The world is
be their slaves no more,
who broke the bars of your
more complex. Hunger,
yolk and made you walk
poverty and war abound. We
erect."
Jews are today one people
In other words, adher-
among many, a people who
have become part of a far
ence to the mitzvot by the
more particularistic and uni-
Israelites would occasion a
robust harvest, an absence
versalistic society. The obser-
RABBI D ANIEL
of war, and an assurance
vance of mitzvot is no longer
B. S YME
a sure path to health and
that God would be a con-
Special to the
stant presence among them.
peace and well-being.
Jewish News
How simple. How
And yet — in spite of all
uncomplicated a promise.
the evidence to the contrary
Just God and the Israelites
— fathers and mothers con-
in a covenant that was clear and effec-
tinue to light the Shabbat candles, to
chant the Kiddush, to make the Motzi.
tive in their time.
But today, the world is different. The Young people continue to pursue jus-
bulk of humanity lives, not in the
tice, morality and caring. Families con-
desert, but in burgeoning cities. A host
tinue to celebrate the holidays.
of voices, a plethora of peoples, speak to
And above all, we Jews reach out our
their followers and to the world in the
hands to those of other faiths, respect-

Giving Tzedakah: When people give 10 percent of their earnings to charity,

they are demonstrating that they have no absolute power over their posses-
sions, and all that they own is in partnership with God.

Presented by Lubavitch Women's Organization. For information on keeping kosher or lighting
Shabbat candles, contact Miriam Amzalak (248) 548-6771 or miriarnamzalakl@junu.corn.

To help consolidate lifecycle list-
ings in one, easy-to-find location,
we've moved all b'nai mitzvah
announcements to the Mazel Tov!
section. Avoiding duplication in
the IN allows us to run more news.

CONSERVATIVE

ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE

29901 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, 48334, (248) 851-
5100. Rabbis: Daniel Nevins, Herbert Moskowitz, Rachel
Lawson Shere. Rabbi emeritus: Efry Spectre. Cantor:
Yevsey Gutman. Cantor emeritus: Larry Vieder. Services:
Friday 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 8:45 p.m.; weekdays
7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Aufruf of Julie Beth
Schwartz and Josh Wohl.

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 am.

BEIT KODESH

31840 W. Seven Mile, Livonia, (248) 477-8974. Cantor:
David Gutman. President: Larry Stein. Vice presidents:
Marlin Diskin, Al Gittleman. Services: Friday 8 p.m.;
Saturday 9 am.

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.,
8:45 p.m.; weekdays 7 a.m., 7 p.m.; Sundays and civic
holidays: 8:15 a.m., 5 p.m.

BETH ISRAEL (FLINT)

CONGREGATION B'NAI MOSHE

6800 Drake, West Bloomfield, 48322, (248) 788-0600.
Rabbi: Elliot Pechter. Cantor: Earl Berris. Services: Friday 6
p.m.; Saturday 9 am., 8:15 p.m.; Monday-Friday 7 a.m.,
Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9
a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m.

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 at candlelight-
ing time Fridays. Monthly Shabbat morning service.
Monthly Shabbat Minchah-Seudah Shlishit Check Web
site for times www.umhillel.org

146 South Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043, (586) 465-0641.
Services: weekdays 7:15 a.m.; Saturday 10 am.; Sunday
8 a.m.

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.

ORTHODOX

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

BETH TEPHILATH MOSES

INDEPENDENT

CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK

BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR)
CONGREGATION

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.

gation serving the tri-cities area. Religious and Hebrew
education programs for children and adults.

JEWBTLATION

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.

CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM

Conversations

Discuss the mitzvot in light of
today's way of life. Which are
particularly challenging and
require special attention from us
today?

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 am., 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.

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 7:30 p.m.

ing their traditions, stalwart in our
belief that each of our peoples, joined
together in uniqueness, might collec-
tively yet help to create a world where
the ancient biblical promise is fulfilled.
We do so with determination, with
optimism and with faith, acting "as if"
our actions will make a difference.
And why? Because we have no other
choice. We are Jews, "prisoners of
hope," and together with those of every
other religion, we may yet forge an
international community, bound
together by ties of understanding, where
"every man shall sit, under his vine and
under his fig tree, and none shall make
them afraid." ❑

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 am., 8:30 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 am.

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.

AGUDAS YISROEL MOGEN
ABRAHAM

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

ANN ARBOR CHABAD HOUSE

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 am.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9
am., 8:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.

715 Hill St., Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 995-3276. Rabbi:
Aharon Goldstein. Services: Friday at sundown; Saturday
9:45 am., 20 min. before sundown; weekdays 7:30 a.m.;
Sunday 9 a.m. Times for weekdays and Sunday are for
the academic year.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

ANN ARBOR ORTHODOX MINYAN

2300 Center Ave., Bay City, 48708; (989) 893-7811.
Cantor: Daniel Gale. President Dr. Jonathan Abramson.
Services: Saturday 9:30 am. A liberal, egalitarian congre-

1429 Hill St., Ann Arbor, 48014. Rabbi: Rod Glogower.
Services: Friday at sundown; Saturday 9:30 am. and 20
minutes before sundown; weekdays during the academic
year 7:30 am.; Sunday 9 a.m.

SYNAGOGUES on page 60

5/26
2005

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