To Life!
Torah Portion/Synagogues
explains, they say, why Torah lists d'vash
(honey) among the seven plant species
of Eretz Yisrael.
"Milk and honey" appears in Song of
shoulders, is not only the symbol of
Songs (4:10-11) as a very different
Israel's Ministry of Tourism, but appears
metaphor: "How sweet is your love, my
often in Jewish art. It is almost as famil-
sister, my bride! ...Your lips drip honey,
iar to us as the phrase Eretz zavat chalav
my bride; honey and milk are under
ud-vash, "a land flowing with milk and
your tongue; the scent of your garments
honey."
is like the scent of Lebanon."
The phrase of course, is an
Here, milk and honey have
idiom, meaning that the land
a sexual reading, and else-
is rich in nourishment, flow-
where it's referred to as baby
ing with God's own naturally
food (Isaiah 7:14-15). In fact,
produced food and drink. We
the phrase appears 23 times
presume that the "flowing
in Hebrew scriptures, always
milk" describes the many
in the context of being "com-
herds of goats that the spies
fort food."
saw, an indication that the
For Joshua and Caleb,
land was good and well able
their promise that the land
to support them.
flows with milk and honey is
But identifying the "honey" RABBI JOSEPH in direct response to the cries
KLEIN
has been long debated by
and complaints of the
Special
to the
commentators and bible
rebelling multitude who want
Jewish News
scholars.
to turn back to Egypt where
"Honey" could certainly
they had "proper food."
mean that the spies found bee's honey,
Joshua and Caleb challenged the
that the hills were lush in flowers and
people to go forward, into the midst of
blooming plants. But scientists tell us
an unknown and dangerous place. And
that bees' honey, found wild, is suffi-
the reward for accepting that challenge,
ciently rare to have not made any
they seem to say, is that instead of suc-
impact on the spies.
cumbing to danger that would consume
More modern commentaries tells us
us, we will succeed in transforming it
that this d'vash was more likely the
into comfort food that will nourish and
syrup made from grapes or dates. This
sustain us.
Lesson Of America
Shabbat Shelach-Lecha:
Numbers 13:1-15:41;
Joshua 2•1-24.
0
ur Torah portion this week
opens with Moses sending out
12 men to spy out the "prom-
ised land" of Canaan.
The men are told to bring back a
report along with a sample of its fruit.
The spies return with a huge cluster of
grapes, declaring "it is a land flowing
with milk and honey."
Joshua and Caleb urge the Israelites
to right away enter and conquer the
land, but the other 10 spies are fearful,
saying the land and the resident popula-
tions will "eat us up."
This story of the 12 spies rises to
great prominence in our Jewish tradi-
tion. It is our source for both a lasting
visual image, as well as an enduring
phrase.
The picture of two Israelites walking
in profile, with a huge cluster of grapes
suspended from a pole across their
Joseph Klein is rabbi of Temple Emanu-El.
DOR CHADASH — U. OF MICH.
Giving Tzedakah
Jewish law states that one should never turn away any solicitor empty handed.
Presented by Lubavitch Women's Organization. For information on keeping kosher or lighting
Shabbat candles, contact Miriam Amzalak (248) 548-6771, miriamamzalakl@junu.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 am., 9 p.m.; weekdays 7:30
a.m., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 am. Aufruf of Ronna Katzman
and Kenny Whiteman. Baby naming of Shayla Rose
Mostyn, daughter of Lezlie and Robert Mostyn.
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 Martin Diskin. Vice presidents:
Aaron Engel, Jeffrey Kirsch. 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.
6/23
2005
86
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.; weekdays
7:30 am., 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8 am., 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 am., 6:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; week-
days 7 am., 6:30 p.m.
BETH TEPHILATH MOSES
146 South Ave., Mt Clemens, 48043, (586) 465-0641.
Services: weekdays 7:15 am.; Saturday 10 am.; 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 am.,
Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 9 am.;
Sunday 6 p.m. Baby naming of Ashley Kronenberg Falick.
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 moming 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 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., 9 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 am.
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 a.m.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9
a.m., 9 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 am. A liberal, egalitarian congre-
gation serving the tri-cities area. Religious and Hebrew
education programs for children and adults.
The challenge of the Israelites is ours
today. We live as a small minority in our
Promised Land. We might easily be
consumed by the inviting attractions of
this secular American culture that wel-
comes us as equal participants.
But that fear of becoming lost as
Jews ought not dissuade us from enter-
ing and fully living within it. Let us not
become like the 10 fearful spies who
would have us to separate ourselves,
even retreat from, the openness of
American culture.
Let us be like Joshua and Caleb, and
engage it as affirming and identified
Jews, establishing ourselves within the
public community as a distinct and
identified people. Judaism has survived,
only because we have entered and fully
engaged the challenges of new lands. ❑
Conversations
What aspects of our America
directly benefit the Jewish com-
munity? Are there circumstances
when we benefit from removing
ourselves from the cultural activ
ities around us? How best might
we maintain an active, identifi-
able Jewish presence within the
American scene?
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.
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 a.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.