Spirituality
Making Progress
Reform movement strives to secure its place in Israel.
Robert A. Sklar
Editor
B
eware of imitators, the Israeli
newspaper Index bellowed on
Erev Rosh Hashanah, Oct. 3,
2005. The unsigned ads told Jews in Rosh
Hayin to stay home rather than join the
new Reform congre-
gation in that city of
75,000 near Tel Aviv.
The ads further ques-
tioned women serving
as rabbis.
"That ad was very
important to us:' said
Iri Kassel, execu-
IN Kassel:
tive director of the
Pursuing
Israel Movement for
change.
Progressive Judaism
(IMPJ), Israel's version
of the Reform move-
ment. "It was like a free commercial for us.
We didn't have to put out any ads of our
own:'
The ad campaign caused a stir, but
didn't deter the cause. Led by Rabbi Ayala
Shaashua Meiron, an Israeli native, the
congregation, Bavat Ayin, is home to 50
families today. It's Israel's newest Reform
synagogue.
"Three years ago, Rosh Hayin couples, .
mostly in their forties with children,
Educator Named
Julie Eisman has been named director of
Adat Shalom Synagogue Nursery School
and Kindergarten in Farmington Hills.
Most recently, Eisman
has been the associate
director of education at
Temple Israel in West
Bloomfield..A. gradu-
ate of the University of
Michigan, she has also
served as a youth edu-
cator at Congregation
Julie Eisman
Shaarey Zedek of
Oakland County. She is currently working
on a master's in early childhood education
at U-M.
Adat Shalom President David Schostak
says, "Julie is the perfect individual for
this position. We are confident that she
will carry on the fine traditions set by our
nursery school leadership in decades past:'
Adat Shalom Nursery School is taking
applications for the fall semester for pre-
school, "Just For Me" and parent-toddler
B2
May 29 2008
came to us and said they were exposed to
Reform Judaism abroad and didn't know
there was such a thing;' Kassel said. "They
came back to Israel and decided they
wanted to participate
Kassel and his wife, Saralee, live on
Kibbutz Hatzerim in the northern Negev.
The IMPJ is based in Beit Shmuel in
Jerusalem, which means Kassel drives
3,500 miles a month for work.
The Kassels have four children and
two granddaughters. From 1976 to 1978,
Kassel was national director of the Tzofim,
the Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation.
He now represents 24 Reform congrega-
tions and the 10,000 Jews who pay IMPJ
dues.
He figures thousands more also would
identify with the organization if given the
opportunity. About 51/2-million Israelis are
Jewish.
Spreading His Message
Kassel visited Metro Detroit on May 14-17
as the guests of Judy and Allan Tushman
of West Bloomfield following participa-
tion at the National Assembly of the
Association of Reform Zionists of America
(ARZA) in Baltimore. Allan Tushman,
an ARZA vice president, was a National
Assembly co-chair.
While here, Kassel spoke at Temple
Israel in West Bloomfield, Shir Tikvah
in Troy and Beth Emeth in Ann Arbor.
His pitch to the 500 Detroiters and Ann
Arborites he met was simple: "Something
is changing with Jewish life in Israel!'
Kassel had never been to Detroit.
Tushman saw an opportunity to make a
match.
"Too frequently," Tushman said, "Reform
Jews just hear about the stumbling blocks
placed before Reform and Conservative
Jews in Israel by the Ultra-Orthodox. That
message is negative and doesn't really help
connect Reform Jews here with Progressive
Jews there. I wanted people to hear about
the wonderful things the Israel Movement
for Progressive Judaism does and has
accomplished and why it is deserving of
our support:'
Kassel's second of three examples of
what's changing in Israel focused on
Modi'in, a city of 35,000 residents located
midway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Three weeks ago, the Israeli government
dedicated a new synagogue it financed
for the 19-year-old Reform congregation
Yozma — the first Reform synagogue
to receive such an honor. Rabbi Kineret
Shirion, who made aliyah from America
about 30 years ago, now leads 120 mem-
ber families.
Kassel's third example of how Israeli
times are changing involves Mechina,
an IMPJ-sponsored, pre-military leader-
classes. The school offers a Hebrew immer-
sion program and more. (248) 851-5105.
Adat Shalom
Installation
Adat Shalom Synagogue
in Farmington Hills will
install its new leader-
ship following a Shabbat
Rocks service and dinner
on Friday, June 6.
Jeffrey
Jeffrey Supowit of
Supowit
Farmington Hills will
become synagogue presi-
dent and Norma Dorman
and Michael Betman,
both'of West Bloomfield
will assume the presi-
dencies of the sisterhood
and men's club.
Serving along with
Michael
Sipowit will be First Vice
Betman
President Julie Teicher,
Vice President Lori Issner, Recording
Secretary David Sherbin, Treasurer
Norma
Dorman
Norma Dorman and
executive commit-
tee members-at-large
Joyce B. Weingarten,
Carol Weintraub Fogel
and Stuart Loga. Newly
elected to the board
are David Goodman,
Jeanne Maxbauer, Bruce
Brickman, Shannon
Dickstein and Alarm
Armin.
The Installation Shabbat Evening will
begin with services at 6 p.m., followed by
dinner and installation ceremony.
There is a $20 dinner charge for adults;
$10 for children 3-12; or a $52 household
charge. RSVP: (248) 851-5100.
The evening is chaired by Sharon Hart
and Paul Magy.
Rabbi To Be Feted
Adat Shalom in Farmington Hills will
honor Rabbi Herbert Yoskowitz for 14
years of service to the community at a
ship program. The Jaffa-based program
allows young adults who delay mandatory
military service to bolster their Jewish
identity, undertake volunteer assignments
and develop leadership skills. The year-
long program is open to Jews of all back-
grounds, not just Reform Jews. This year's
class has 30 participants. Graduates total
100 over the past five years.
The IMPJ annual budget is $4.5 mil-
lion. It comes largely from donations
via the Jewish Agency for Israel, ARZA,
the New York-based United Jewish
Communities and the Jerusalem-based
World Union of Progressive Judaism.
IMPJ rabbis are trained through the
Israeli program of the Cincinnati-based
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of
Religion. The current Israeli class has 30
rabbinical students.
"The Jews joining the Israel Movement
for Progressive Judaism feel something
is missing in their life Kassel said. "We
are doing our best in order to meet their
needs. We are not yet where we shall
be, but we are doing our best in order to
strengthen Jewish life in Israel." Li
ARZA dues are $36 per year. Eighteen per-
cent is sent to the IMPJ; an additional $5
goes to the Israel Religious Action Center, the
Jerusalem-based public and legal advocacy
arm of the Reform Movement in Israel.
Shabbat service and din-
ner on Friday, June 20.
Kabbalat Shabbat
Services are at 6 p.m.,
followed by a dinner
and program with Rabbi
Samuel Stahl, rabbi
emeritus, Temple Beth-
Rabbi
El, San Antonio, Texas.
Yoskowitz
Rabbi Yoskowitz came
to Detroit in 1994. He joined the Adat
Shalom Clergy 10 years ago, following the
merger with Congregation Beth Achim of
Southfield. He holds a master's in clinical
psychology and was appointed a visit-
ing fellow at the University of Minnesota
Bioethics Center. He is the editor of The
Kaddish Minyan, 20 personal stories about
the value of ritual in times of chaos and
stress.
There is a $20 dinner charge for adults;
$10 for children 3-12; or a $54 household
charge. RSVP: (248) 851-5100.
The evening is chaired by Arlene Tilchin
and Irwin Alterman.