Temple and Syna

0 •

ue Listings Spo

Tern le Israel

I Spirituality

TORAH PORTION

Synagogues from page C3

Temple Emanu-El

14450 W. 10 Mile, Oak Park, 48237, (248)
967-4020. Rabbi: Joseph P. Klein. Shlichei
Tzibor: Steve Klaper and Judy Lewis.
Services: Friday 8 p.m. Saturday 10:30 a.m.
Friday, religious school graduation service.

Temple Israel

5725 Walnut Lake, West Bloomfield,
48323, (248) 661-5700. Rabbis: Harold S.
Loss, Paul M. Yedwab, Joshua L. Bennett,
Marla Hornsten, Jennifer T. Kaluzny.
Cantor: Michael Smolash. Cantorial
soloist: Neil Michaels. Minyan Monday-
Thursday 7:30 a.m. Friday 7:30 p.m., 8
p.m. Saturday 10:30 a.m. Friday early ser-
vice baby naming of Zoe Gabrielle Davis,
daughter of Lisa and Kevin Davis. Wedding
blessing of Laura Gaan and Dr. Joel Lattin;
Kendra Freedman and Adam Rosenzweig.

Temple Kol Ami

5085 Walnut Lake, West Bloomfield,
48323, (248) 661-0040. Rabbi: Norman
T. Roman. Cantor: Kat Hastings. Rabbi
emeritus: Ernst J. Conrad. Services:
Friday 6 p.m. Saturday 10:30 a.m.

Congregation Shaarey Zedek

5085 Walnut Lake, West Bloomfield,
48323, (248) 661-0040. Rabbi: Norman T.
Roman. Cantor: Kat Hastings. Rabbi emer-
itus: Ernst J. Conrad. Services: Friday
7:30 p.m. Saturday 10:30 a.m. Friday,
Israel at 60 Shabbat.

Temple Shir Shalom

3999 Walnut Lake, West Bloomfield,
48323, (248) 737-8700. Rabbis: Dannel
Schwartz, Michael L. Moskowitz. Cantorial
soloist: Penny Steyer. Services: Friday 8
p.m. Saturday 10:30 a.m.

U-M Reform Chavurah

1429 Hill St., Ann Arbor 48104, (734) 769-
0500. Friday evening services through
school year. Co-chairs: Shayna Liberman,
Stefanie Albowitz, Edi David, Rebecca
Kamil. Reformchairs07@umich.edu .

Reform/Renewal

Congregation Shir Tikvah

3900 Northfield Parkway, Troy,
48084, (248) 649-4418. Rabbis: Arnie
Sleutelberg, Aaron Starr. Services: Friday
7:15 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. Friday, Teacher
Appreciation Shabbat. Saturday, Iri Kassel
will speak.

Renewal

Pardes Hannah

2010 Washtenaw, Ann Arbor, 48104,
(734) 213-8374. Rabbi: Elliot Ginsburg.
Affiliation: Alliance for Jewish Renewal.
Services: Friday night, monthly. Shabbat
morning, the second and fourth week.
Services led by rabbi and group leaders.

Secular Humanistic

The Birmingham Temple

28611 W. 12 Mile, Farmington Hills, 48334,
(248) 477-1410. Rabbi: Tamara Kolton.
Founding rabbi: Sherwin T. Wine. Services:
Friday 8 p.m.

Jewish Cultural Society

2935 Birch Hollow Drive, Ann Arbor,
48108-2301, (734) 975-9872. First Friday
Shabbat observances, adult programs,
pre-school. Sunday school, b'nai mitzvah
program, High Holiday observances.

Jewish Parents Institute

JCC, 6600 W. Maple, West Bloomfield,
48322, (248) 661-1000. Director: Marilyn
Wolfe. Alternative cultural Jewish celebra-
tions; secular bar/bat mitzvah ceremo-
nies; adult programming; cultural Sunday
school from nursery through teen.

Sholem Aleichem Institute

28690 Southfield, Suite 293, Lathrup
Village, 48076, (248) 423-4406. Co-
presidents: Alva Dworkin, May Moskowitz.
Holiday observances; Friday night oneg
Shabbat; cultural events.

Workmen's Circle Arbeter Ring

JCC, 15110 W. Ten Mile, Oak Park, 48237,
(248) 432-5677. President: Arlene Frank.
Michigan district director: Ellen R. Bates-
Brackett. Secular and cultural holiday
observances. Shabbes potlucks, bar/bat
mitzvahs, educational and cultural pro-
gramming. Welcoming community, Jewish/
Yiddish culture, social justice.

Sephardic

Keter Torah Synagogue

5480 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield,
(248) 681-3665. Chazan: Ben Zion Ben
Shimon. Services: Friday at candlelighting.
Saturday 9 a.m., 5:45 p.m. Monday and
Thursday 6 a.m.; Thursday 9:15 p.m.

Traditional

B'nai David

P.O. Box 251574, West Bloomfield,
48325, (248) 855-5007. Cantor: Ben-
Zion Lanxner. Services: Saturday 9 a.m.
Services held at Hadassah House, 5030
Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield.

Minyans

Fleischman Residence

6710 W. Maple, West Bloomfield, 48322,
(248) 661-2999. Rabbi: Avie Shapiro.
Services: Sunday-Thursday abbreviated
Minchah: 10 minutes before sunset, plus
Maariv. Friday and Saturday, Minchah
5 p.m.; Maariv 6:10 p.m.; Saturday and
Sunday, 9:15 a.m. Call to confirm times.

Yeshivat Akiva

21100 W.12 Mile, Southfield, 48076, (248)
386-1625. Services: During school year,
7:30 a.m.; 2:40 p.m. Community is invited.

C4

May 15 • 2008

Take Interest In, Not
From, Your Brother

Shabbat Behar: Leviticus 25:1-26:2;
Jeremiah 32:6-27.

y

our brother has run a suc-
words that the Torah uses for interest
cessful manufacturing
and increase are neshech and tarbit.
business for years. But with
Tarbit literally means "increase but the
the downturn in the economy and
word neshech does not seem to refer
the slashing of suppliers at the major
to money, but to animals, as the root of
auto manufacturers, he lost his largest
the word neshech means "to bite
contract and soon afterwards lost the
The. Midrash explains that interest
business. He's decided to run a small
actually works very much like a snake
retail store, which seems
bite. When a snake bites a per-
like a good opportunity.
son, those small flesh wounds
But he needs some start-
don't seem very serious. But as
up money to get the busi-
the poison spreads throughout
ness off the ground. With
the body, that small bite can
the economy the way it is
grow fatal.
(and his failed business),
Paying interest on loans
he can't get a bank to lend
works exactly the same way.
him the money. So he
When you first take out the
turns to you — a success-
loan (or buy the car, or the
ful doctor with more than
large screen TV), the inter-
Rabbi Reuven
enough money to get his
est payment doesn't seem
Spolter
store going.
like very much. But as you
Special to the
Do you lend him the
pay the minimum month in
Jewish News
money? Sure you do. After
and month out, that interest
all, he's your brother. He
begins to compound, and you
would do the same for you.
begin to crumble under the burden of
But how much interest do you charge mounting debt.
him? Do you ask him for the bank rate?
This scenario has played itself out
For the rate that the money would have time and time again in America today.
earned in a money-market fund? Before For this very reason, the Torah forbids
reading ahead, ask yourself this very
lending money with interest, to allow
question: How much interest would you people who have found themselves in
ask from your brother if you loaned
financial trouble to find a reasonable
him a serious amount of money?
way of rebuilding their lives.
I'll tell you what the Torah says you
Oh, by the way, your brother in our
can charge him: nothing; zero. You
story isn't really your brother. He's just
should lend him the money; and if you another Jew. But isn't he your brother,
do, you may not charge him interest
too? El
because charging interest is totally and
completely prohibited by the Torah.
Reuven Spolter is rabbi of Young Israel
In our parshah, the Torah describes
of Oak Park.
precisely your brother's situation, tell-
ing us, "And if your brother becomes
destitute, and his means fail with you;
then you shall uphold him: as a strang-
Conversations
er and a settler shall he live with you.
Any economist will tell you that
Take no interest of him or increase; but
interest plays a major role in
fear your God; that your brother may
every economy in the world.
live with you" (Vayikra 25:35-36).
Without interest, the world econ-
Rashi explains that the Torah uses
omy would fail. How did the Torah,
two words — increase and interest
which forbids interest, envision
— to refer to the same sin to teach
economic growth and develop-
us if charge interest once, I actually
ment?
violate two separate prohibitions. The

