The Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Center
of Metropolitan Detroit and the entire Jewish community wish
MAZAL Toy
to the 5767/2007 Graduates
of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School of Metropolitan Detroit
Albert I. Ascher, Cindy Babcock, Arline P. Bittker, Kimberley Broner, Emily Camiener, Michelle Cantor, Allyson Cohen, Susan
Cohen, Vivian Smargon Cole, Lorretta Beresh Cooper, Jo Coskey, Karen Couf-Cohen, Julie Dubin, Barbara Dworin, David
Eisenstein, Barbara Eskin, Susan Feber, Elaine Fertel, Alyson Findling, Frances Smolnick Fine, Arnold Fisher, Lorraine Fisher,
Stewart Frank, Diane Freilich, Irving Friedman, Margot Gardner, Judy Gelman, Judy Goldstein, Marcie Goldstein, Barbara
Goodman, Judith S. Goodman, Roy S. Goodman, Caryn Gross, Dr. Steve Gross, Barbara Gutman, Anita Hack, Florence
Havis, Samuel P. Havis, Rebecca Hayman, Anna Himelhoch, Ronna Hoffert, Ela Homer, Beverly Hords, Morton Horwitz, Sally
Horwitz, Eileen Hyman, Rochelle Imber, Debra Jacobs, Maria Jacobs, Rochelle Jacobs, Judith A. Jacobson, Bethann Kalt, Alan
Kandel, Cynthia R. Kandel, Austin Kanter, Faye Ullmann Kanter, Marilyn Karbal, Ann Frank Katz, Marjorie Katz, Dorothy L.
Kaufman, Judy Kepes, Laurie Kimmel, Robert Kimmel, Minna Kling, Murray G. Kling, M.D., Lisa Knoll, Phyllis Kohn, Myrna
Kolin, Michael Kreiman, Judith Kroot, Cookie Lachover, Arthur Langer, Gail Langer, Sissi Lapides, Sandra Lefkofsky, William
Lefkofsky, Kim Levin, Stewart H. Levin, Suzanne Levin, Risa Sollins Levinson, Paula Levy, Sheila Lipschutz, Susan Loss, Carol
Maisels, Carole Malizman, Jerald Maltzman, Benjamin Seth Manson, Randi Elizabeth Manson, Jennifer L. Mattler, Anne
Mendelson, Pauline Michaels, Jodi Michaelson, Esther Mintz, Harriet Morse, Andrea Nitzkin, Phyllis Novetsky, Lori Orel,
Jennifer Ostfield, Beverly Peterman, Eileen Polk, Jody Rosenberg, Karen Rosenstein, Sophia Roslin, Mark Rosner, Mindy Ruben,
Michael K. Samson, Marjorie Saulson, Michele Saulson, Saul Saulson, Rosalind Schiff, Marcia Seigerman, Arlene Selik, Susan
K. Shapiro, Martin Sharp, Judith Shewach, Sharon Sidder, Gloria Siegel, Cindy Silverman, Jennifer Silverman, Aimee Simtob,
Sandra Sirlin, Valeri Sirlin, Charles Soberman, Linda Soberman, Sally Soberman, Jay Stark, Sandy Stark, Jane Steinger,
Bonnie B. Tucker, Renae Tukel, Halley Uzansky, George Vine, Dottie Wagner, Susan Warfel!, Jodie Weinfeld, Lisa Heather
Weinshenker, Ellyn Weiss, Ellen Arlyne Whitefield, Melba Winer, Scoff Jeffrey Winnick, Martha Zausmer Paul, Emma Zerkel
friends' homes and other inti-
mate venues. Encouraging laity to
experiment with where and when
services are held does not weaken
communal bonds; it diversifies
and strengthens the core religious
experience.
Some congregations and orga-
nizations have begun to promote
and adopt such an experimental
approach. Others have gone fur-
ther, permanently changing their
services and venues based on the
above-mentioned ideas. Such ini-
tiatives should be encouraged and
the experimental outlook fostered.
Breaking Out
Synagogues have long been bas-
tions of the most conservative
tendencies — lengthy, drawn-out
services, geshrying (crying out)
over our historical grievances, and
focused more on God's needs than
on man's yearnings. Instead, we
should encourage synagogues to
become places of joy, where people
find meaning and fulfillment.
Many of us respect and admire
the traditional forms of synagogue
life as important strands in the
rich overall tapestry of Jewish
life and observance. We hope and
trust that those forms will always
be there for those who are drawn
to them. But for the most part
synagogues, whose raison d'etre is
to preserve a certain form or style,
inevitably will lose their ability to
respond adequately to the needs
and aspirations of younger people.
The Jewish historian Salo Baron
famously decried the tendency
toward "a lachrymose conception
of Jewish history" Today, some
continue to perversely believe that
the more we cry and suffer, the
more we understand and observe.
The challenge before rabbis of all
the branches of Jewish observance
is to make the synagogue experi-
ence joyful and affirming on an
everyday basis.
Can experiments like broad-
ening minyans and shortening
prayer services achieve that goal?
If we don't try, how will we ever
know?
Edgar M. Bronfman is president of the
1
the florence melton
adult mini-school )01
of metro detroit
A Project of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Join us in recognizing the students who have completed their two-year commitment to study
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 / 13 Sivan 5767
7:00 PM
Marion and David Handleman Hall and Auditorium
Jewish Community Center/D. Dan and Betty Kahn Building
Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus
6600 West Maple Road, West Bloomfield
Todah Rabah/Thank you to our Florence Melton Adult Mini-School Instructors 2005-2007:
RABBI SARA O'DONNELL ADLER
KEREN ALPERT
RUTH BERGMAN
RABBI DORIT EDUT
RABBI LAUREN BERKUN
RABBI MICHELE FAUDEM
AVIVA PANUSH
DR. MITCH PARKER
ZOHAR RAVIV
For more information or to RSVP, please contact Marion Bronstein at 248-642-4260, ext. 372 or
email: bronstein@jfmd.org
THE CiNTER
Jewish Community Center
of Metropolitan Detroit
Fed
We Deliver Mutt Jewish Education
jewishdetrait.org
11
(1
p ewish
Federa tion
of Metropolitan Detroit
ALLIANCE FOR
JEWISH EDUCATION
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May 24 • 2007
35