Torah Portion/Synagogues
A Different Perspective Adds Light
Noa, Chaglah, Milkah. and Tirtzach.)
story here — for a couple of phenom-
These five go to Moses and ask a
enal things occur leading up to the
question that directly affects
celebrated ruling. We see
their lives. What about
Halachah (Jewish law) going
inheritance if a man had no
through a revision right
sons, only daughters?
before our eyes. The census
Wouldn't
it make more
n the midst of this week's Torah
establishes the law, but some-
sense, they ask, rather than
portion, our ancestors literally
one's just and moral question
are preparing to enter the land of leave their father's name
motivates a new understand-
out, to give these women a
Israel. So once again, God commands
ing. Just like that, God
share of the possession?
Moses to take a census, but what
changes Divine legislation
Unsure of how to
teaches us most is what occurs imme-
due to the validity, the justice
respond,
Moses goes direct-
diately afterward.
in another contrary view.
RAB BI
ly to God. Remember, he
The Promised Land will be divided
What a blessing for us to see
had just completed a census
MIC HAEL
up as an inheritance according to the
this in Torah — and what an
where only the men were
MOSKO WITZ example for what Halachah
names the census lists. But there is a
counted. But now, these
Special to the
problem — and this is where some-
should be.
women bring up a chal-
Jewish News
thing amazing in our history occurs.
Rashi looks at this change
lenge. Amazingly, God says
Five women step forward and, in
and provides some wonderful
that these women speak the truth.
making a request, demonstrate the
insight. He taught, in referring to the
Moses
learns at this moment that the
utmost courage. Most of us only know
daughters and their perspective, that
women are right. And then, God pro-
them as the daughters of Zelophehad
"their eyes saw what the eyes of Moses
ceeds to change the law immediately
— very few know their individual
did not." It is not that Moses was
declaring, "if a man dies and has no
names. Yet their impact changes our
unable to see the validity in the
son, his inheritance shall pass directly
tradition from that moment on. (For
daughters' claim. Rather, he just wasn't
to his daughter." (27:8) Yes, amazing.
our benefit, they deserve to be men-
thinking like they were. He couldn't
We can rejoice in this mandate for
tioned appropriately — Machlah,
think like them for he was not stand-
what it tells us of women's rights and
ing in their shoes. Yes, the great lead-
ers and the great thinkers ideally have
Michael Moskowitz is a rabbi at Temple the reality that our faith has honored
this from the very beginning.
the ability to think from other per-
Shir Shalom.
But step back a moment in the
spectives, to not only demonstrate
Shabbat Pinchas:
Numbers 25:10-30:1; I
Kings 18:46-19:21.
I
Giving liedalcah
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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 am., 8:45 p.m.; weekdays
7:30 am., 6 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 am. Baby naming of Seth
Brasch, son of Faith and Jeffrey Brasch.
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: Martin Diskin. Vice presidents:
Aaron Engel, Jeffrey Kirsch. Services: Friday 8 p.m.;
Saturday 9 a.m.
CONGREGATION BETH ABM
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 am., 7 p.m.; Sundays and civic
holidays: 8:15 am., 5 p.m.
7/21
2005
36
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 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 am., 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 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 Berns. 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
am.; Sunday 6 p.m. Haftorah, Irving Lopatin.
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
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. Cantors: Meir
Finkelstein, 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., 8:30 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 a.m.; Monday,
Thursday 7 a.m.; daily 6 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9
a.m., 8:30 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 to-cities area. Religious and Hebrew
education programs for children and adults.
empathy and compassion, but to help
with that perspective in mind. Yet,
here, we learn that even the greatest
prophet couldn't understand every-
thing, every angle, and needed some-
one else's lens to bring the necessary
reality into focus.
So, too, is it the case in our own
lives. We would like to think that we
grasp so much, that we can solve so
many different challenges; but more
often than not, a different perspective
can add such light, such understand-
ing. So maybe this Torah portion,
more than anything else, is reminding
us not to discount any opinion, any
perspective. If Moses could do this,
imagine how much we can do with
our minds open. I can't tell you how
many times my children have helped
me understand this world. Thank God
for the blessing we have to be able to
learn from others every single day. ❑
Conversations
Has Judaism, liberal or traditional,
gone far enough in including and
truly regarding women as equal?
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.
OR'rHODOX
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 am., 20 min. before sundown; weekdays 7:30 am.;
Sunday 9 am. 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