I

Spirituality

TORAH PORTION

CeAntim.coo

Dare To Dream

Parshat Veyehi: Genesis 47:28-
50:26; I Kings 2:1-12.

S

usan Boyle's "I Dreamed
ness of the central character. In the
a Dream" shot to No. 1 on
Boyle video, it is the moment when
U.S. charts this month, once
the crowd erupts in a spontaneous
again putting dreams at the forefront standing ovation at the sound of her
of pop culture.
remarkable voice.
Eighteen years ago, the song "Any
For Pharaoh and his courtiers,
Dream Will Do" from Joseph and
it is when Joseph not only reveals
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
the meaning of the king's insoluble
rose to the No. 1 spot in the United
dreams, but also devises a plan to
Kingdom, demonstrating that the
save Egypt from the upcoming fam-
story from Genesis that we conclude
ine: "Can we find anyone like this
in synagogue this week still resonates man: exclaims Pharaoh," one in
in a time and place far removed from whom is the spirit of God?"
the world of the Bible. In
In both cases, cyni-
an era of economic and
cism and skepticism are
existential anxiety, we are
silenced by the universal
inspired by those who have
and unquestionable recog-
dared to dream, and have
nition of excellence.
lived to see their dreams
The Joseph saga is the
come true.
story of the Jewish people.
Boyle begins like Joseph,
It is the tale of a nation
mocked by others for
that rises repeatedly from
impossible dreams of
the ashes through our
grandeur. Her aspira-
universally acknowledged
Rabb i Eric
tions to become a famous
excellence. Jewish accom-
Gros sman
singer elicited laughter, like
plishments in the sciences
Specia I to the
Joseph's premonitions that
and arts have been an
Jewis h News
his family would one day
antidote to the poison of
bow down before him.
despair and hatred.
The humble beginnings of both,
Every generation brings another
one a plain woman from an obscure
Maimonides, Freud or Einstein,
village in Scotland and the other an
people who cause the world to look
unknown shepherd boy from Canaan,
up and acknowledge our greatness
made their hopes of international
and disproportionate contribution to
fame seem laughable.
humanity.
Various theories have been pro-
Whether on the battlefront of
posed for the wild success of both
1967 or in the current field of high
the Boyle story and the Joseph narra-
tech research, the State of Israel is
tive. There is, of course, the universal
acknowledged — even by our ene-
appeal of the Cinderella theme: We
mies — for its undisputed superior-
love to watch the meteoric ascent of
ity. It is a story that we love to hear
the underdog. Who among us has not, over and over, and that inspires us to
at one time, felt like Joseph: small and dream, even in our darkest days.
picked on, dreaming one day to rise
above those who have scorned us?
Rabbi Eric Grossman is the head of
In this way, the book of Genesis
school at the Frankel Jewish Academy of
ends by foreshadowing the story
Metropolitan Detroit.
of the Exodus that we will begin to
read next week. We will watch the
small and oppressed nation of Israel
Conversations
emerge from slavery to march trium-
What other events in Jewish
phantly through the sea of reeds and
history have followed the rags-
on to the Promised Land.
to-riches theme of the Joseph
But there is something more.
story? Who are the dreamers
There is a moment in both stories
today in the Jewish world? What
where the tide turns, where mocking
can we do to counter the skepti-
pity comes to an abrupt halt and is
cism that holds back the dreams
replaced — not by grudging respect
of our own community?
— but by genuine awe at the great-

?cm. ALQt-De,,,Lok

CmIettme,14-1--

PRESENTS

A Distinguished Speakers Series

Rabbi David Saperstein
Wednesday, January 13, 7:30 p.m.

Sacred Goals, Unholy Practices:
The Use and Abuse of Religion in Politics

Jewish Community Center - West Bloomfield

Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen
Wednesday, January 27, 7:30 p.m.

Step Forward: A Strategy for Facing Crises,
Both Global and Personal

Jewish Community Center - Oak Park

Dr. Susannah Heschel
Wednesday, February 10, 7:30 p.m.

Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity:
The Legacy of Abraham Joshua Heschel

Jewish Community Center - West Bloomfield

Following each lecture, please join us
for a dessert reception with the speaker.

Advance registration:
Full series: $25 per person
Individual lecture(s): $10/lecture per person

Tickets at the door:
Full series: $40
Individual lecture(s): $15/lecture per person

Advance registration and payment requested
by Wednesday, January 6, 2010.
To register, please call 248.432.5692

Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit

D. Dan & Betty Kahn Building

Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus

6600 W. Maple Road • West Bloomfield, MI 48322

Jimmy Prentis Morris Building

A. Alfred Taubman Jewish Community Center

15100 W. Ten Mile Road • Oak Park, MI 48237

www.jccdet.org

JJ) Jewish
Federation

MetinpahlenNI:vit

THE CENTER

ALLIANCE FOR
JEWISH EDUCATION

SAJE is endowed by a generous gift from Cis Maisel Keliman.

1561170

December 31 • 2009

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