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Sklar IT & Circulation Director: Deanna Spivey Fulfillment circulationdesk@thejewishnews.com Customer Service Manager: Zena Davis Departments General Offices: 248-354-6060 Advertising: 248-351-5107 Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049 Circulation: 248-351-5174 Advertising Deadline: Monday, 4 p.m. Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885 Deadline: All public and social announcements must be typewritten and received by noon Tuesday, nine days prior to desired date of publication. Subscriptions: 1 year 2 years 3 years 1 year out-of-state 2 years out-of-state 3 years out-of-state $79 $142 $189 $119 $214 $286 Detroit Jewish News 29200 Northwestern Highway Suite 110 Southfield, MI 48034 ©copyright 2010 Detroit Jewish News Right Down The Middle C an you belt out a song? Have you ever been plagued by get- ting the right-sized belt? Do you see where I'm going with this? The word belt has many applications. The basic belt is a strip or band of leather used for hold- ing up one's trousers or merely slug about the hips to make a fashion statement (by those who do not need a belt to hold things up; a pox on them and their metabolisms!). Men's fashion magazines dictate that one's belt and shoes should match and that a belt and Remembering Mary Travers The latest issue of Reform Judaism recounts Rabbi Daniel Syme's eulogy of his friend Mary Travers of the folk singing trio Peter, Paul & Rabbi Syme Mary. She died Sept. 16 at age 72 from complica- tions of leukemia. Spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Township, Syme is quoted in the spring issue of the Union for Reform Judaism's Mary Travers magazine as saying in his eulogy: "I remember Mary's visit to the former Soviet Union, accompanied by [Reform Action Committee Director] Rabbi David Saperstein, where she sang in Hebrew for the refusniks [Soviet Jews denied permis- sion to emigrate] the song which David taught her: `Dodi Li — am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."' Syme went on to note that she became ( (one of America's leading champions of Soviet Jewry" Rabbi Zoe Klein of Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles joined Rabbis Syme and Saperstein in speaking at a second memo- rial service in New York. Rabbi Elliott Kleinman, director of advancing Reform Judaism for the New York-based URJ, was, a friend of Travers and attended that ser- suspenders are not sartorially splendid (not that those who would wear both even know about sartorial splendor). When one had occasion to remove one's belt, it often signified that a beating was forthcoming. The mere sight of Dad starting to remove his belt could strike terror in the young recalcitrant's heart. In slang usage, a belt has come to be used to indicate a large gulp, especially of liquor. Many a loser in a Western flick has his downfall initiated by belting down one too many. If one has known hard times, he may also be aware of having to "tighten one's belt" or learn to do without. As for streets, we have Middlebelt, which at one time ran around the city and was a dividing line between city and suburbs. Such streets also can be found in other areas of the country: the Corn Belt, Sun Belt, Rust Belt and — hallelu- jah! — Bible Belt. No driver should venture out without buckling his seat belt and making sure that his passengers do likewise. It should not take a visit from a black belt to con- vince you of the import of this safety device. The next time you are so inclined, you can leave the middle of the road, hitch up your pants and break into song. 721 vice. He remembered her as "larger than life — in body, spirit and energy. Her car- ing and love were as grand as her life' to our heart. That door is the portal of goodness, repentance, and faith. Our Own Prisons Rabbi Aryeh Levin was called the Holy Man of Jerusalem. He spent his adult life in Israel, where he vis- ited prisoners, bringing them comfort, food, spiritual sustenance. Once after Passover, some of the Jewish prisoners told Rabbi Aryeh that although the seder had been good, something impor- tant was missing: Because they were in prison, they could not perform the tradi- tional rite of opening the door for Elijah, an act that invites redemption, for Elijah is the herald of the Messiah. Surely, there was no enslavement more absolute than the inabil- ity to coax forth redemption. Rabbi Aryeh replied, "Every man is in a prison of his own self. He cannot leave by going out of the house but only by pass- ing through the door of the heart. And to make an opening for himself in his own heart — that anyone can do, even a pris- oner behind bars. And then he will be in true spiritual freedom:' At each significant moment during the year, each of us should seek to understand where we are enslaved and open the door by Rabbi David Wolpe of Sinai Temple in Los This is an excerpt from "Floating Takes Faith" Angeles. ©Behrman House; used by permission (www.behrmanhouse.com ). Yiddish Limerick For Pesach We said the Hagaddah, getrunken di vine. Gezungen di zmiros, not skipping a line. Di knaidlach were tasty and even di chrain Elijah's old glaysel is filled once again. And then at the end, oy, mid vel ich zayn. getrunken di vine — drank the wine Gezungen di zmiros — sang the songs Di knaidlach — the matzah balls di chrain — the horseradish glaysel — little glass mid — tired vel ich zany — I will be Rachel Kapen of West Bloomfield prepared this limerick in memory of the late Martha Jo Fleischmann, longtime JN Yiddish limerick writer. Our JN Mission The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that's useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. It strives to reflect the full range of diverse viewpoints while also advocat- ing positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continuity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativity and innova- tion. We acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive member of the community. Being competitive, we must always strive to be the most respected, outstanding Jewish com- munity publication in the nation. Our rewards are informed, educated readers, very satisfied advertisers, contented employees and profitable growth. JN March 25 2010 9