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 12555G0 DON'T MISS OUR WOODWARD 200th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE Issue Date: July 26 Ad Deadline: July 20 t Special Education Cases Attorney Sidney Kraizman • State of Michigan special education hearing officer 1996-2006 • Representing children with disabilities and their parents at IEP team meetings, mediations, and due process hearings • Appointments at your home or my offices in Detroit El Royal Oak at your convenience. Samuel Bronfman Foundation. 248.354.6060 (313) 961-7078 I sidkraizman@sbeglobalanet May 24 • 2007 35