The Staff at Roma Soosa
would like to wish our clients,
fiends and family a happy
and healthy New Year!

DIGEST

Embracing from page B4

confronted with many challenges.
Continued external threats to the
State of Israel and economic hard-
ships that so many of us struggle
with here in Michigan demand our
attention and communal resources.
But at the same time, we must not
lose sight of our children and their
Judaic needs. Providing the tools
and resources to provide them
with an intense and positive Jewish
education must be our collective
concern. It should be at the top of
our agenda.
When external danger confronts
our people, we take all the neces-
sary steps to ensure our survival.
When faced with an internal threat,
such as apathy and ignorance of
Jewish values and teachings, we
must tackle the issue with the same
alacrity, resolve and determination.
Let us hope that this year fosters
a reawakening to the beauty of our
religion.
May we, as individuals and as a
community, strengthen and sup-
port the institutions and initiatives
that effectively transmit our love,
commitment and knowledge of
Judaism to the next generation. ❑

Yechiel Morris is rabbi of Young Israel
of Southfield.

Yiddish
Limericks

Israel Is 60 Yahr

Israel is 60 yahr*
Lomir** wish her many more.
Zi is shain***
Und zi is klain.****
Und zi hot hutzpa***** like
before.

Yahr — year
Lomir — let us
Zi is shain — she is
beautiful
Und zi is klain — and
she is small
Und Zi hot hutzpa —
and she has chutzpah

Rachel Kapen of West Bloomfield

prepared this limerick in memory of

the late Mary Jo Fleischmann, long-

time JN Yiddish limerick writer.

Golem Creator Cited
Prague/JTA — A Jewish learning
institute named for an influential
16th-century rabbi and scholar
opened in Prague. Judah Loew ben
Bezalel, also known as the Maharal,
was a chief rabbi of Prague whose
writings have influenced countless
Jewish scholars.
To many Jews and non-Jews, Loew
is known as the creator of the Golem,
a clay giant made to protect the Jews
of Prague. The center is intended to
introduce the public to Loew's writ-
ings that contributed to the develop-
ment of Jewish philosophy.
The institute, inaugurated Sept. 18
by the Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Israel,
Yona Metzger, aims to provide an
insight into the Maharal's teachings
and will feature a full-time yeshivah
study program for rabbinical stu-
dents. The center, located in the heart
of the former Jewish quarter, was
established by Prague's Chabad center
and was opened on the 399th anni-
versary of the Maharal's death on the
Jewish calendar.

Australian Gay Ceremony
Sydney/JTA — A same-sex com-
mitment ceremony was held in a
synagogue in Sydney, an Australian
first. Scott Whitmont, 47, and
Christopher Whitmont-Stein,
38, stood under a chupah at the
Emanuel Synagogue Sunday in
front of about 75 guests.
The pair, who had a secular com-
mitment ceremony six years ago,
exchanged rings, smashed a glass
and walked around each other 3.5
times. The celebration follows a deci-
sion in May 2007 by the Council of
Progressive Rabbis of Asia, Australia
and New Zealand to allow its rabbis
to officiate at same-sex commitment
ceremonies.
Whitmont-Stein, a registered nurse,
converted at Emanuel Synagogue in
2002 under the guidance of Rabbi
Jeffery Kamins, who also officiated at
Sunday's ceremony.
In a recent letter to congregants,
Kamins defended his decision.
"Contemporary knowledge from biol-
ogy, psychology and other fields has
led to a far deeper understanding of
human sexuality:' he wrote. "Gay or
lesbian relationships are not 'deviant;
but part of human behavior."
Dayenu, a gay and lesbian Jewish
group, held a Shabbat dinner Friday
night in honor of the couple. It is still
illegal for homosexual couples to
marry under Australian law.

RON 1 SPOS

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248.960.0511

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248.539.0505

May the coming year be filled with
health and happiness for all our family and friends.
L'Shanah Tovah!

I

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1,147f.

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September 25 • 2008

B5