or

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FAMILY MI AC1

Ari Segel, 7, of Farmington Hills
plays around with a palmello

Mission from page 33

while visiting Kibbutz Yael.

ed Hillel Day School and now the Jewish
Sheba Hilton, knew that it wasn't any kind
Academy of Metropolitan Detroit, and Lori of joke, as the feeling of unity and purpose
says the trip — their first time in Israel — was almost tangible, bringing many to
was already a great way to build on their
tears.
school education. "Jessica told me that it's
The service was six months in the mak-
nice to be able to experience what they've
ing, and a collaboration of commitment,
been told in their Hebrew classes all these
compromise and community for Rabbi
years:' Lori said.
Loss and Rabbi Paul Yedwab and Cantor
The Weisbergs are traveling with Steve's
Michael Smolash of Temple Israel, Rabbis
parents, Alvin and Henrietta of Bloomfield
Daniel Nevins and Rachel Shere of Adat
Hills.
Shalom, Rabbis Jonathan Berkun and
Likewise Marshall and Rhoda Tobin of
Joseph Krakoff of Shaarey Zedek, Rabbi
Farmington Hills were excited to be
Dannel Schwartz of Temple Shir Shalom
together with their children and grandchil- and Tamarack Canips Director Jonah
dren. Ten Tobin, five Shanamans and four
Geller.
Schlafers comprise their children and
Having the first Shabbat in Eilat rather
grandchildren who made the trip. A very
than Jerusalem posed a challenge, said
close family, almost 30 family members
_Rabbi Yedwab, explaining how everyone
come together each Sunday for brunch and was committed to making the program as
time together, and they travel together
spiritual and uniting as possible. "We
every year, usually on a cruise.
wanted Friday night to set the tone for the
"We've been wanting to come to Israel
whole Mission and give people the sense
for a number of years, but when the kids
that this was important, but there were a
were old enough all hell broke loose here
few problems:' he explained. But it worked
and we were too worried to come
because "we all recognized how important
explained Rhoda. "But now this is the right it was for all of us to be together as one
time to come, and the Federation Family
community, so everyone went out of their
Mission is the right group to come with."
way to stretch!'
The Mission is co-sponsored by the
They had toagree .on the best time to
Detroit Jewish News and the Michigan
hold the service (traditionally sunset for
Board of Rabbis.
Conservative and after dinner for Reform),
Returning to the hotel to prepare for
whether to play instruments (traditionally
Shabbat, many folks came together to light yes for Reform and no for Conservative),
candles, then a community Kabbalat
whether to say the Mourner's Kaddish once
Shabbat service brought everyone together (Reform) or twice (Conservative) as well as
outside by the pool.
what melodies to use.
"I think people could tell there was give
Service Mixes Streams
and take in the service Rabbi Yedwab
Rabbi Harold Loss of Temple Israel joked
added, noting
that if four Conservative rabbis, three
that they held
Reform rabbis, a Conservative cantor and a the service near
director of a Jewish camp could come
sundown, said
together to put together a service for the
two Kaddishes
group, there is hope for -Middle East peace.
— the second
But he and the more than 500 people 'gath-
one being a
ered around the pool at the Queen of
Kddish that

everyone said. Originally, the plan was to
divide the service, having one half more
Conservative and the other half more
Reform, but it was decided to mix them. -
"We were able to move seamlessly back
and forth between the two and the energy
was able to build:' said Rabbi Yedwab. "It
gave the rabbis a chance to see each other
in action, and each rabbi's kavannah —
explanation of a prayer — was more beau-

Above: Allison Schoenberg, 7, of Ann Arbor bakes

pita bread with a bedouin at the

Photo by Don Cohen

Nokdim Bedouin Camp.

Left: Liat Lis of Farmington Hills and Nicole

Zausmer of West Bloomfield, both 16, pose in the

Red Canyon.

34

December 29 a 2005

tiful than the next. I was really very proud
of each of my rabbinic colleagues."
"There were tears in my eyes and I kind
of choked up," said Anne Rottman Of West
Bloomfield and a member of Congregation
B'nai Moshe, a Conservative congregation.
While not totally at ease with the use of
musical instruments, she was moved that
"we could have a service with all these
Conservative and Reform Jews together as
one." She especially liked singing the song,
"We Are One," which was written by Rabbi
Yedwab and another Temple Israel col-
league, Scott Stern. "The music was real
good and there was a lot of spirit to it!'
Karen Myerson of Bloomfield Hills and a
member of Temple Beth El, a Reform con-
gregation, also found it to be powerful. She
admired the clergy coming together and
being so personable.
"Personally, I enjoyed seeing how pas-
sionate and comfortable they were in their
Jewishness. I think they got a kick out of
each other, and played off of each other."
She liked that everyone stood together
for a communal Kaddish. "Rabbi Loss
explained that we could stand together and
say Kaddish for the soldiers who had died,
and for anyone that needed Kaddish said
who didn't have anyone to say it. It was
very symbolic of community and people
were touched. It brought us closer togeth-
er.
Steven Zinderman of Farmington Hills
and a member of Adat Shalom Synagogue,
a Conservative congregation, was a bit put
off that he didn't know how the service
would be conducted. He was uncomfort-

