Spirituality
THE ISAAC AGREE
DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE
TORAH PORTION
Invites the Community to Observe
THE HIGH HOLIDAYS
The Plaza Hotel: Ballroom
Crossing The Jordan
(Adjacent to the Millennium Centre)
16400 J.L. Hudson Drive, Southfield, MI 48075
(at the intersection of Northwestern Highway's Service Drive)
Shabbat Nitzavim-Vayelich:
Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30;
Isaiah 61:10-63:9.
Same Location as Last Year
A Warm, Friendly Environment.
No Admission Charge. No Tickets Required.
ROSH HASHANAH SERVICES
Wednesday Evening, September 12
6:00 p.m.
Thursday Morning, September 13
8:30 a.m.
6:00
Mincha/Maariv
Friday Morning, September 14
y
p.m.
8:30 a.m.
YOM KIPPUR SERVICES
Friday Night, September 21 (Kol Nidre)
7:15 p.m.
Saturday Morning, September 22
9:30 a.m.
YiZkOr
1:00 p.m.
Mincha
N'ilah
Shofar
5:30 p.m.
6:45 p.m.
8:15 p.m.
For further information, call (313) 961-9328
r
-40r
b
1300750
e
4 4 4 it
Then save the date... at the Jewish Community
Center's Janice Charach Epstein Gallery.
The date of our Joel Stern Origami
program, originally scheduled for
September 9, has been changed to
These Days of Awe present us
with a choice: life or death.
Sunday, October 7 at 2 p.m.
We've designed an amazing program!
The origami workshop is free and
open to the public.
Please join us to learn techniques
involving this ancient art of paper folding.
JAMCE
CHARACH
EPSTEIN
GALLERY
This program brought to you by The Sherrill Berman Art Education Fund.
For information, call the Janice Charach Epstein Gallery at
248.432.5579, or visit our Web site at www.jccdet.orq
Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit
D. Dan & Betty Kahn Building
Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus
6600 W. Maple Rd. West Bloomfield, MI 48322
311. 1"413
THE CENTER
34 September
6 • 2007
ou stand this day, all of you,
Jewish people the opportunity to cre-
before the Lord your God
ate a society based on justice and on
— your tribal heads, your
love, an opportunity to create a society
elders and your officials, all the men of full of meaning. Could we turn our
Israel, your children, your wives, even
backs on this opportunity? Well, any-
the stranger within your camp, from
thing is possible and unfortunately, we
woodchopper to water drawer." The
often find that we are far too willing to
entire Jewish people are there, ready to settle for the imperfect, known world
move forward (finally!) into
rather than work hard for
the land of Israel.
a more-perfect, yet-to-be
I imagine, though, that
world.
there may have been some-
In a few short days, you
one there standing among
and I will face a similar
the Children of Israel who
choice to the one that the
was wondering, (Do we have
Jewish people faced stand-
to cross the Jordan? What's
ing on the shores of the
our other option?' The short
Jordan. And we've been here
Rabbi Steven
answer of course is that
before — last year.
Rube nstein
there isn't another reason-
You already know yourself
Specia I to the — that known self of yours
able option. However, you
Jewish News
always do have options.
that you have been living
I suppose that some of
with for the past year. Don't
the Jews could have looked across the
get me wrong, there are many won-
Jordan and pondered the challenges
derful things about you. But you have
ahead. After all, there are going to be
greater potential than you have shown.
military battles, settling the land and
These approaching Days of Awe pres-
only then attempting to construct
ent you with a choice — life or death?
a society worthy of the Torah's lofty
One path would leave you satisfied
goals. This is serious work. At times
with what you did over the past year
(aka, turning back
to the desert). You
would be settling
for a spiritual death
that allows you to
live your life without
like these, even living in the desert
challenging yourself to become more
sounds like it might not be such a bad
than you already are. Or, you can cross
idea. Perhaps someone thought, 'It
the Jordan and try to become someone
hasn't been so bad out here. We've had you have never been before. What will
some good times. Maybe we should
you choose?
just stay here!
May you have a happy and sweet
But these desperate sounding
new year. Li
excuses would only mask the true
choice that the Jewish people are fac-
Steven Rubenstein is the rabbi of
ing. Standing at the Jordan, they face
Congregation Beth Ahm in West
the choice between life and death
Bloomfield.
— perhaps literally. After all, the
entire generation that left Egypt (aside
Conversations
from Joshua and Caleb) dies in the
Name one way that you can chal-
desert. To turn away from Israel at this
lenge yourself to become more
moment might be seen as embracing
than you already are? Can you
sure death. Metaphorically, turning
think of a moment in your life
toward the desert, toward the past, is
that you consciously chose to
a turn away from meaningful life and
"Cross the Jordan"? What moti-
toward a spiritual death.
vates you to change aspects of
Crossing the Jordan will give the
your life?
1301940