HOLIDAY I TORAH PORTION

Party In The 'Woods

Families have fun at Aish Chanukah bash.

A

mong 300 guests of the Aish
Huntington Woods annual Super
Chanukah Carnival were a few that
were longer and skinnier than the others —
and even a couple who were green and orange.
In one of the 10 hands-on booths set up
for the event at Burton Elementary School in
Huntington Woods was a guy dubbed "Reptile
Man;' who was joined by live snakes — and
other "family" members.
Those who attended the Dec. 2 carnival
were treated to Chanukah delicacies, created
tzedakah boxes, designed mezuzah covers and
learned about scribing from Rabbi Levi Kagan
Yoni Tolwin, 2, of Huntington Woods
of Oak Park.
shows off dreidel-shaped artwork on his
Aish HaTorah runs educational programs
face.
geared towards young Jewish families.
"Our goal is to create positive Jewish experi-
ences that encourage Jewish life integration and knowledge about our heritage said Aish
director Rabbi Simcha Tolwin. "With deluxe menorah building, challah braiding and dreidel
decorating, all participants got a warm feel for our Jewish heritage and the holiday of
Chanukah7

- Shell! Liebman Dorfman, senior writer

Ellen Lipton of Huntington Woods and her son Cory, 9, visit with a slimy carnival

quest.

At Blessing For The Generations

Shabbat Vayechi: Genesis 47:28-50:26; I Kings 2:1-12.

Jacob lives the last years of his "difficult" (Genesis 47:9)
n this week's Torah portion, we find Jacob together with
life
in comfort and peace, surrounded by his reunited and
all of his children and grandchildren. After more than
loving
family. This spirit of reunion, reconciliation and unity
20 years of grief over the "loss" of his son, Joseph, they
is emphasized even more in
have been reunited, together with his whole
Jacob's blessing to Joseph,
family, including Joseph's sons.
And after the past hatred
his son, and to Joseph's sons,
As Jacob himself
between
his
sons
that
caused
Menasheh and Ephraim.
says (Genesis 48:11):
"... I never imagined
the loss of Joseph, they have Jacob tells Joseph (Genesis
48:5): "... and now your two
that I would see
all
become
reconciled
and
live
sons, who were born to you
your face (again)
together in mutual love and in the land of Egypt before I
and behold God has
came to you to Egypt, they,
enabled me to see
concern.
Ephraim and Menasheh,
even your children
are to me like Reuven and
..:" And after the past
Shimon." For Jacob, these "for-
hatred between his
eign
born
and
raised"
grandchildren
are not only consid-
sons that caused the loss of Joseph,
ered
completely
equal
to
those
of
his
family, born and raised
they have all become reconciled
within
his
household;
but
even
the
generation
gap between
and live together in mutual love and
his
own
sons
and
these,
his
young
grandsons,
is
irrelevant.
concern.
Likewise
in
his
blessing
of
these,
his
(grand)sons,
Jacob
Further, the jealousy between
48:17):
"...
He
that
redeemed
me
from
all
(Genesis
declares
those sons that caused the hatred
evil
will
bless
these
young
men,
and
they
will
be
called
by
has been eliminated. We even find the rivalry between the
my name and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac
older brother and the favored younger brother — a curse
that plagued generation after generation, from Cain and
These two grandsons become an integral link in the
Abel, to Ishmael and Isaac, from Esau and Jacob to Jacob's
chain
of the generations of the future Jewish people. The
other sons and Joseph — has now disappeared; even as
Torah tells us further (Genesis 48:20): 'And he blessed them
Jacob favors Ephraim over his older brother Menasheh.

I

that day saying: 'Through you will Israel be blessed, saying:
"God will make you like Ephraim and Menasheh": and he
put Ephraim before Menasheh:'
Ephraim supercedes Menasheh, whose very name recalls
the separation between Joseph and his family (Genesis
41:51): "And Joseph called the name of his firstborn
Menasheh 'because God caused me to forget all of my dif-
ficulties and all of my father's household!" Thus, Jacob calls
upon the Jewish people to be blessed by God — and, as is
the practice, to bless our children with the wish for unity,
reconciliation, mutual love and respect.
This is Jacob our father's blessing for us and our own
prayer for our people. I I

Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or Chadash in Oak Park.

Conversations

How is the blessing of Ephraim and Menasheh a
model for the unity of our people despite religious,
cultural and generational differences? Why does
it seem so difficult for the Jewish People to really
be united? Is it necessary that differences and dis-
putes shatter the unity of our people? Can we dis-
agree and still remain united demonstrating mutual
love and respect?

December 20 • 2007

A29