ON.IMMOM MOMMMMUMMM I MUMMON

O

Party

Pages

You've Been Spotted!

Our Party Pagel. "' photographers are looking for the best parties!

Watch for us!

Sydney with Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit Varsity Volleyball Team

friends Rachel, Danielle, Laurenne, Vanessa, Lilly, Jillian and Lixi.

fIC,.!(/ i ,I a i3or,k

Dvar To

by Ruthie Lehmann

May 23, 2009 Bamidbar

The Book of Bamidbar enlightens us with the story of the Jewish people's
40-year journey in the desert. As the nation advances towards Israel, many
troubles develop as a result of their failure to follow God's commandments.
Our sages refer to this book as Sefer HaPekudim, or the Book of Countings,
because of the two censuses conducted while the Israelites traveled through
the desert. On the surface, these two counting episodes seem relatively minor
in comparison to some of the book's more noteworthy events. A significant
question arises: Why was such a title selected for this Torah portion?
Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin points out that while two countings oc-
curred, they were of two distinctly separate groups. The first was taken in the
beginning of the book as B'nei Yisrael (Children of Israel) left Egypt, whereas
the second occurred upon the nation's entry into the Holy Land. Leaving
their lives of oppression in Egypt, the first generation related to God in su-
pernatural terms. They saw Him protecting them during the Ten Plagues;
liberating them from slavery; and splitting the Red Sea miraculously, then
destroying the Egyptian army.
In contrast, the people entering the land of Israel connected to God on
a more physical level. This generation was commanded to cultivate soil for
crops and to wage war to conquer land. While God certainly assisted the na-
tion in this challenging process, His presence, in this case, was veiled.
Although at face value, Pekudim seems like a trivial aspect of Sefer Bamid-
bar, it is a key theme. By providing a numerical snapshot, the census serves
as a type of signature, tracking the transition from one generation to the next,
from a supernatural to a reality-based human experience.
Throughout our lives, we all face major transitions — childhood, adult-
hood, parenthood. Perhaps the study of Sefer Bamidbar can give each of us
the inspiration and guidance necessary to effectively with-
stand transition periods. With God's help, this will bring
every one of us closer to the land of Israel, which awaits
our arrival.

Ruthie Lehmann, 17, is a junior at Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield.

Sydney with good friends Inbar and Hallie.

NS WELCOME!

'

HOTOGRAPHY • VIDEOGRAPHY • WRITING

T2T STAFF MEETING

SUNDAY, MAY 24 • 1 PM. • JN OFFICE

y1) AND GET DIRECTIONS, E-MAIL KCOHEN@THEJEWISHNEWS.COM

NT2T.COM

teen2teen staff •

hotline: (248) 351-5144 • kcohen@thejewishnews.com

Jessica with Sarah, Jodi and Jamie

Reporters I Gabriella Ring (Berkley); Nechama Tawil (Beth Jacob, Oak Park); Jake Wayne, Spencer Wayne, Sydney Wolf (Birmingham

Seaholm); Seth Samuels (Birmingham Groves); Teddi Cantor, Alexa Eisenberg, Lauren Lewis, Sara Smoler, Rachael Vettese, Rachel

Wein (Bloomfield Hills Andover); Jordan Birnholtz, Abby Hyman, Jessica Singer (Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood); Adina

Applebaum, Rachel Brown, Avi Buckman, Carly Cykiert, Rachel Goutman, Jessica Kahn, Michelle Kappy, Atara Lakritz, Rachel Margolin,

Andrew Milgrom, Blake Orman (Frankel Jewish Academy, West Bloomfield); Benjamin Cher (Hillel, Farmington Hills); Mitchell Barnett,

Sam Gringlas (North Farmington); Ben Eilender, Jennifer Finkel, Bridget Labe, Rebecca Liebman, Shaye Winer, Ariella Yedwab (West

Bloomfield); Stephanie Steinberg, Danielle DePriest (University of Michigan); Brett Alpiner (U-M-Dearborn); Mackenzie Coden (West

cr .

Bloomfield Walnut Creek); Eryn Fox, Molly Grossman, Elizabeth Kirshner, Ruthie Lehmann, Avielle Movsas, Stephanie Schulman,

Sarah Spitzer (Yeshivat Akiva, Southfield).

Photographers I Jessica Polk (Frankel), Colton Graub (Hillel) Cartoonist I Josh Loney (Bloomfield Hills Andover)

supervising staff

Chief Operating Officer I F. Kevin Browett
Editorial Director I Robert Sklar
Executive Editor I Keri Guten Cohen
Copy Editors I David Sachs and Alan Hitsky

Jessica with Ryan, Cecily, Marisa, Alex and Jamie

This section is sponsored by Party Layne®

Party Pages.", You've been SpottedIrm and Partyrazzi.' are trademarks of Party Layne®

Creative Director I Deborah Schultz
IT Director I Deanna Spivey
Teen Consultant I Jon Layne

Jewish Renaissance Media — 29200 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034

J) Jewish
— Federation

of Metropolitan

Detroit

JE'NISH EDUCATION

Supported by a generous grant from
the Stephen H. Schulman Millennium Fund.
A Jewish Renaissance Media publication © 2009

DETROIT
JEWISH NEWS