T2T torah: Ki Tavo

Sept. 20, 2008 - by Phillip Ring

what goes around comes around

This week's parshah (Torah portion), Ki Tavo, has Moses talk-

my whole future will be glum, and I will not get the praise I

ing to the Jewish people before they enter the land God has

normally do.

promised them. Moses tells them if they are observant of

God's laws, their lives will be blessed in every way.

Toward the end of the parshah, Moses reminds the Israeli

people all that God has done for them.

But, in Chapter 28, Moses tells them what will happen if

You have seen all that the Lord did before your very eyes

they do not comply with the Torah, including a long list of hor-

in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his courtiers and to

rible curses.

"If you do not obey the Lord your God to observe faithfully

all His commandments and laws which I enjoin upon you this

day, all these curses shall come upon you and take effect,"

Moses said.

Awful things are mentioned, and the reader is prompted to

his whole country: the wondrous feats that you saw with your

own eyes, those prodigious signs and marvels."

It makes them aware that if they can continue to be good

people, good things will fall upon them.

By following the Golden Rule, being polite and doing what

you are supposed to do, you, too, will be

recite the portion quickly. This parshah comes near the ending

rewarded.

of the Torah, as Rosh Hashanah approaches.

Phillip Ring, 13, is an eighth-grader at

To me, this sounds like an early use of consequences and

rewards.

My parents have encouraged me to do well in school and

in whatever endeavor I choose. I know that if I don't do well,

Berkley Norup international School. His

bar mitzvah is Sept. 20 and Ki Tavo is

his Torah portion. His sister, Gabriella

Ring, 15, helped him with his dvar Torah.

Moses views the Promised Land, an illustration from "A

Record of Fifty Years' Work," published in 1901

cover story continued

would end up in the lobby or hiding a magazine
behind their prayer book."
Burnham says at Orthodox services, teens might
socialize a bit, but bringing in a secular magazine
to read is seldom seen. Instead, they opt for books
that augment the holiday. Other teens might adopt
this suggestion and look for a good book in their
synagogue library.

ward, she and her friends return to hang out in the
teen lounge.
"After a certain age, you're not suppose to go
into the room, but my grade goes in the room every
year anyways," she said.
In the lounge, teens talk, play cards and just mess
around.
"Kids will be running around and throwing pa-
per airplanes. If it's a Yom Kippur service, we all
Socializing Mixed With Learning
complain how hungry we are," Zack said.
Rabbi Jason Miller has plenty of experience with
Shane Wechsler, 17, of North Farmington High
teens. He is the rabbi of Oakland County-based School doesn't go to services at all. His family be-
Tamarack Camps. He also serves as the director of longs to Temple Israel in West Bloomfield.
ATID, the new high school program for Conserva-
"My parents don't force me to go," Wechsler
tive Jewish teens that meets on Monday evenings at said. "They don't go. So I don't go."
Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills.
Instead Wechsler stays home and does school-
"For many young people, the synagogue be- work. Sometimes he watches TV or hangs out with
comes a quasi-reunion in the fall during the High his Jewish friends who don't attend services either.
Holidays," Miller said. "Teens are excited to see
James Wechsler, Shane's father, said his family
their friends, catch up on summer experiences, and has not attended services the past couple of years.
talk about the upcoming school year and sports sea- He explained it is difficult for his son to attend
son."
services, complete homework and be involved in
Miller says synagogues should set up locations extracurricular activities. He said his son observes
where a "Pied Piper" Jewish educator allows the Judaism in other ways, such as frequently volun-
teens to socialize while interspersing a moderated teering at the West Bloomfield-based Friendship
discussion with Jewish themes applicable to the Circle.
holiday season.
"Even though we don't go regularly to services,
Congregation B'nai Moshe in West Bloomfield at- we observe internally the High Holidays in the
tempts to do this. For one hour during each service, home," he said. "It's a time constraint. We don't like
a Hebrew school teacher leads a discussion about it, but it's just the reality."
the High Holidays. Around 50 teens in grades 7-11
If his family did attend High Holiday services,
gather for the lesson in the sukkah outside the teen Wechsler had no doubt that Shane would actively
lounge.
participate in the service.
Elayna Zack, 17, of Bloomfield Hills Andover
"If parents take their family to observe a holiday
High School, participates in the discussions. After- service and they don't sit together, pray together or

celebrate the holiday together, I think that is quite
disappointing, and there is something missing in
that relationship," he said.
Of course, not all teens skip services.
Rachel Weberman, 18, of Farmington Hills at-
tends High Holiday services every year at B'nai
Moshe.
"I feel it's my responsibility as a Jew to join my
congregation during the new year and periods of
redemption," she said.
Weberman observes the holidays outside of ser-
vices as well. Besides attending Rosh Hashanah and
break-the-fast dinners with her family, Weberman
refuses to do schoolwork during the holidays.
"Many of my friends use the day to catch up
on studying or homework assign-
ments, but these are days I need to
devote my time toward my religion
and family," she said. ;

Stephanie Steinberg, 18, Is a freshman

at the University of Michigan.

teen2teen September • 2008 B3