Torah Portion/Synagogues

Hands Raised In Blessing

Numbers 4:21-7:89;
Judges 13:2-25.

E

mbedded in this rich and
complex portion are three
lines which are brief and
beloved. The priestly blessing is the
most ancient biblical text ever discov-
ered, inscribed on two 27-century-old
silver scrolls in a burial niche in
Jerusalem's Ketef Hinom.
Since the days of the Torah, our
priestly caste has raised hands and
blessed the people Israel with these
sacred lines that build in length (three,
then five and seven words) and intensity.
But who are the priests to bless us?
Hasn't God promised (Exodus 19:6)
that the entire nation will be a "king-
dom of priests and a holy nation"? Isn't
it elitist and unfair to privilege one
family from the tribe of Levi with the
perpetual prerogative of blessing Israel?
The last few decades have been the
best of times and the worst of times

Daniel Nevins is a spiritual leader at
Adat Shalom Synagogue.

for the priestly blessing. On the one
rational and even scientific. This ritual
hand, this blessing has been popular-
was neither. It also seemed elitist to
ized, with parents routinely invoking it
treat the Kohanim as somehow better
on Friday nights, and Tevye fetchingly
than the rest of us.
singing it on Broadway. Nevertheless,
Yet, in recent years, this ancient ritu-
many otherwise traditional
al has made a comeback.
synagogues simply dropped
Americans have decided, it
this ancient ritual from its
seems, that they don't really
place in our prayers, telling
want their religion to be sci-
the Kohanim, in effect, that
entific. Meaning and mystery
they should stay in their
today trump logic and histo-
seats. What's up?
ry. This priestly blessing has
Traditionally in diaspora
great evocative power, which
communities, the Kohanim
differentiates it from many of
offer this blessing as part of
our denatured rituals.
the Mussaf service on the fes-
What about the elitist
RABBI DANIEL
tivals of Passover, Shavuot,
image of Birkat Kohanim?
N E VINS
Sukkot and on the Days of
Shouldn't everyone be equal?
ecia 1 to the
Sp
Awe. After washing their
Equal, perhaps, but not
Jewish News
hands, they stand before the
identical.
ark until their time arrives to
Today's ethos is a celebra-
turn, raise their hands in the way made
tion of diversity. If Kohanim have spe-
famous by Star Trek's Spock and repeat
cial heirloom rituals, why shouldn't we
the words of blessing after the cantor.
all benefit from their performance?
Why was this powerful blessing
Moreover, it isn't really the
dropped from so many American syn-
Kohanim who are blessing us. If you
agogues in the mid-20th century? Two
look closely at the verse (Numbers
reasons come to mind: It seemed
6:26), it says, "they [the Kohanim]
superstitious and it seemed undemoc-
shall place my name over Israel, and I
ratic. The highest compliment back
[God] shall bless them."
then was for a ritual to be deemed
The rabbis have long noted this

Giving Tzedakah

It is a great mitzvah to give financial assistance to the poor person who is too
sick to pay for his medical expenses.

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

To help consolidate lifecycle listings in
one, easy-to-find location, we've moved
all b'nai mitzvah announcements to the
Maze! Toy! 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 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., 9 p.m.; weekdays
7:30 a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. Aufruf of Brooke
Lipman and Matthew Weingarden. Shavuot: Monday,
June 13, 9 a.m.. 6 p.m.; Tuesday, June 14, 9 a.m., 9
p.m., Yizkor during a.m. service.

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 emer-
itus: A. Irving Schnipper. Cantor Emeritus: Shabtai
Ackerman. Guest rabbi: Aaron Bergman. Visiting schol-
ar: 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 a.m., 5 p.m.
Shavuot: Monday and Tuesday, June 13-14, 9:30 a.m.,
7 p.m.; Yizkor on Tuesday.

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 a.m.; weekdays 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 7:30 p.m.

CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM

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. Totally Teen
Shabbat; installation of officers. Shavuot: Monday, June
13, 0 a.m., 6 p.m.; Tuesday, 9 a.m., 9 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
candlelighting 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 Barris. 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.

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.

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., 8:45 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m.
Shavuot: Monday, June 13, 9 a.m.; Tuesday, June 14,
8:30 a.m.

BETH TEPHILATH MOSES

West Bloomfield, B'nai Israel Center: 4200 Walnut
Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323-2772, (248) 357-

146 South Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043, (586) 465-0641.

distinction, extrapolating that even if
a Kohen is not a perfect exemplar of
religious devotion, he must still par-
ticipate in this ritual. His family has
been chosen as a conduit, but God
remains the source of all blessing.
Naso, our portion's title, means "lift
up." The Torah teaches Israel to lift
up daily rituals until they become
sacred encounters with the divine.
Ordinary activities like schlepping
(dragging) furniture through the
wilderness are lifted up until they
become a sacred service.
On Shavuot, our ancestors lifted up
baskets of their first fruits until the joy
of harvest was linked with the holiness
of God's Temple. In many synagogues
across the world this week, Kohanim
will lift up their hands in blessing. May
we all merit to accept this blessing and
to see its promise of peace fulfilled.

❑

Conversations

What ordinary activity can you
"lift up" this week? Does your
synagogue or school need end-
of-year assistance packing up
classrooms?

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., 8:45 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Shavuot:
Monday and Tuesday, June 13-14, 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 con-
gregation serving the tri-cities area. 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 cele-
brations, 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, fol-
lowing 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.

SYNAGOGUES

on page 64

6/ 9

2005

