Torah Portion/Synagogues

The Need To Belong Is Strong

Shabbat Bemidbar:
Numbers 1:1-4:20;
Hosea 2:1-22.

T

he Torah reading of
Bemidbar describes a census
of the Children of Israel dur-
ing the days of Moses.
Each tribe was to be numbered,
with the total figures tallied. In the
midst of this seemingly prosaic
report, the Bible introduces a pro-
found spiritual insight: "Take ye the
sum of all the Congregation in Israel
..." By what method? "By their fami-
lies and by their father's houses."
Every person was reckoned not as
a. separate and detached individual,
not as an interchangeable unit in a
series, but rather as a member of a
mishpachah (family) in relationship
to his father's house.
The Torah teaches us that one's
identity is linked with home, family,
lineage, ancestors — in short, with a
sense of belonging. I can think of no
greater yearning, no deeper hunger

Irwin Groner is rabbi emeritus of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek.

the sense of relatedness to others, the
in our age than the need to belong
— to be linked with others by ties of security of a home. We all need the
strength and support of home and
affection and regard.
family to find stability and serenity.
Material possessions do not neces-
We need friends and community to
sarily answer the hunger for belonging.
feel worthy and valued.
Are the victims of insecurity, loneliness
The imagery of Pirkei Avot (Ethics
and isolation limited to the poor and
of the Fathers) conveys this truth so
underprivileged? Not necessarily.
vividly, "The righteous person is like
Consider a gifted and promising
a tree planted by streams of
young man or woman who
water,"
declare the sages;
feels rootless and alienated.
"and even if all the winds
Consider a successful entre-
of the world blow upon it,
preneur who realizes one
it cannot be stirred from its
day that his home is not his
place." To belong to a fam-
castle. Consider a woman,
ily and to a historic com-
outwardly graceful and
munity is to have one's life
serene, but inwardly dis-
anchored in the soil of a
tressed because she feels
profound attachment.
unloved and unwanted.
The need to belong is of
Consider an older person
special concern to us as
who seemingly has all the
RABBI
Jews — one of the oldest
material security he desires
GRONER
peoples on God's earth —
but observes that his coun-
Special to the
because we taught the
sel is not desired, his pres-
Jewish News
world
the meaning of hav-
ence not welcome.
ing roots, of being part of
A sense of belonging has
an historic nation. When we enter a
little to do with what a person has,
synagogue, we encounter words of
but rather with what he experiences.
the Bible and prayers of first-century
The Torah instructs us repeatedly
Palestine and of seventh-century
that men and women need someone
Babylonia and of France and
and something to cling to. They
Germany of the Middle Ages, as well
need the inspiration of a tradition,

Giving Tzedakah

It is a great merit to give charity on behalf of sick people, so that in the merit
of this good deed, they should be cured.

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

To help consolidate lifecycle listings 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 Yoskowit, Rachel
Lawson Shere. Rabbi emeritus: Efry Spectre. Cantor:
Yevsey Gutman. Cantor emeritus: Larry Vieder. Services:
Friday 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 9 p.m.; weekdays 7:30
a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Aufruf of Heather
Rosenberg and Andrew Daitch.

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.

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

BETH ISRAEL (FLINT)

0-5240 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 am., 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 a.m.; 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.; weekdays 7 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Children's birthday
blessings.

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., 8:30 p.m.; Monday-Friday 7 a.m.,
Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9
a.m.; Sunday 6 p.m. Graduate Shabbat.

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.umlullel.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 am.

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 am.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6
p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m., 8:45 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m.

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 a.m.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9
a.m., 8:45 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.

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-cities area. Religious and Hebrew
education programs for children and adults.

as of contemporary America.
We are refreshed and invigorated
by the continuous stream of a tradi-
tion that has flowed on through the
lives and teachings of prophets and
sages, saints and scholars. To affirm
loyalty to this people and to share in
its life is to absorb Israel's strength
and courage and faith.
The great task of the Jewish com-
munity ,:)f today is to respond to the
challenge to help each Jew realize
that he counts because he is a mem-
ber of a family; he has a distinctive
lineage and a shared history with
Jews all over the world. We need to
strengthen and support the institu-
tions where we discover our roots —
the home, the family, the synagogue,
the school — for they alone shape
and fashion an authentic and fulfill-
ing Jewish identity.

Conversations

Discuss some ways the home set-
ting is vital in strengthening and
carrying on our traditions.

114DEE'ENDENT

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.

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. limes 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 am. and 20
minutes before sundown; weekdays during the academic
year 7:30 a.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.

6/ 2

2005

SYNAGOGUES

on page 94

93