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HOW TO SEND IN LISTINGS: Send listings by noon Tuesday, nine days prior to publication.
Email listings and questions to calendar@thejewishnews.com . For telephone inquiries,
call David Sachs at (248) 351-5140.
Much To Do!
THURSDAY, NOV. 8
JEWISH PHILOSOPHERS
7:30 pm. Geoff Berdy's two-week class on major
Jewish philosophers begins at Temple Emanu-El
in Oak Park. He will trace the Jewish encounter
with Western philosophy from the Bible through
Viktor Frankl. Information: 248-967-4020.
SATURDAY, NOV. 10
LEARNING TOGETHER
A community day of Jewish learning begins 10
am at the Oak Park JCC and 11 am at the West
Bloomfield JCC. For information or to register,
contact the Sh'ma Hotline: 248-502-2850 or
shma@jfmd.org .
KNITTING HATS FOR IDF
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 14
1 pm. The Pomegranate Guild of Southeastern
Michigan meets in the community room of
the Prentis Apartments in Oak Park. Anne
Greenstein will lead in knitting or crocheting
hats for soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces.
Information: Judy Galperin, 248-661-5337.
SONGS & STORIES
VETERANS SHABBAT
9 am. Cong. Shaarey Zedek in Southfield pays
tribute to its veterans, including a tribute to its
World War II vets. A listing of CSZ vets, living
and deceased, with details of their military ser-
vice. Any Jewish veteran in the community who
would like to participate in the service, or be rec-
ognized, can contact Martha Goldberg, 248-357-
5544 or mgoldberg@shaareyzedek.org .
TOT SHABBAT
9:30 am. Babies, toddlers, parents and grand-
parents are welcome at Beth El's Tot Shabbat at
the Bloomfield Twp. temple. Informal service fol-
lowed by crafts. Information: 248-865-0612.
SUNDAY, NOV. 11
ELECTION POST-MORTUM
9:30 am. The Adult Education/Community of
Learners program at Temple Emanu-El in Oak
Park hosts journalists Jack Lessenberry and
Nolan Finley reflecting on the results of the elec-
tion. Information: 248-967-4020.
MONDAY, NOV. 12
BE A CANCER MENTOR
11 am. Cancer Connection at Jewish Family
Service will be training cancer survivors as peer
mentors for the newly patients. Contact Shira at
248-592-3963 or cancerresources@jfsdetroit.org .
TUESDAY, NOV. 13
TUESDAY MUSICALE
10:30 am. Tuesday Musicale hosts a free con-
cert with works by Robert Schumann, Robert
Muczynski and Leonard Bernstein following its
meeting at the Maple West Commons Building,
1307 E. Maple in Troy. One of the performers is
Southfield pianist Helen Kerwin. Information:
248-353-6245.
6:30 p.m. Beaumont Health System's cancer
support groups Sharing & Caring and One to One
present Please Send Hats, a humorous presenta-
tion of a baby boomer's experience with ovarian
T
he Affirmations Faith Alliance
and the Michigan Roundtable
will host "Shower of Stoles"
Thursday, Nov. 8-18, at Affirmations, 290
W. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale.
Coordinated by Judy Lewis, director
of Affirmations, the exhibit will feature
more than 80 liturgical stoles and tallitot
donated by clergy forced to resign from
their pulpits because they identified as
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
(LGBT) as well as those who have kept
their sexuality private so that they can
continue to hold their positions. Each
piece is accompanied by a story.
The Detroit exhibit is part of the
national "Shower of Stoles Project," a
collection of more than 1,100 stoles
and tallitot representing 27 denomina-
tions and six countries. The project was
founded by Martha Juillerat, who worked
for many years as a closeted Presbyterian
minister in rural Missouri.
"When faced with the threat of being
defrocked by her church in 1995, after
16
November 8 * 2012
explores the variety of modern Jewish experi-
ences using selections from the book I Am
Jewish: Personal Reflections, inspired by the
last words of journalist Daniel Pearl, murdered
by Al Qaida. Services at 9 am. followed by Beit
Midrash program at 10:30.
COMEDY AT BERMAN
1 pm. CSZ Seniors presents afternoon with
Maggie and Jack Ferguson at Southfield Cong.
Shaarey Zedek. Janet Pont, 248-357-5544.
8:30 pm. Al Muskovitz, JN columnist, emcees
The Last Testament: A Memoir by God as told by
David Javerbaum, at Berman Center, adjoining
West Bloomfield JCC. Ticket: $8; cash bar. the-
berman.org or 248-661-1900.
THURSDAY, NOV. 15
MONDAY, NOV. 19
WOMEN IN ISRAEL
CANCER THRIVERS KNIT
7 pm. Downtown Synagogue's Women's Rosh
Chodesh Circle at Rabbi Dorit's home, 10075
Nadine, Huntington Woods, looks at "The Status
of Women in Today's Israel." 313-962-4047.
1:30-3 pm. Cancer Thrivers Network for Jewish
Women hosts a knitting group at the West
Bloomfield JCC. Free. Novice and experienced
knitters will make afghan squares or lap blankets
for chemotherapy patients. Michelle Passon,
248-895-2664 or Smp1543@comcast.net .
FRIDAY, NOV. 16
MONDAY NIGHT FORUM
FAMILY FUN
7:30 pm. U-M law professor Richard D. Friedman
provides overview of U.S. Supreme Court history
from the John Marshall era (1801-1835) through
the recent health care case. At Birmingham
Temple, Farmington Hills. 248-477-1410
6 pm. Pray & Play Family Shabbat Dinner at
Cong. Beth Ahm, West Bloomfield. Followed by
games like "Mishpachah Madness" and "Name
That Tune." $15 per adult; $8 for ages 6-12; ages
5 and under are free; or $36 per household.
RSVP by Nov.12: 248-851-6880. Information:
Elissa Berg, 248-851-6880, ext. 25, or eberg@
cbahm.org .
OVARIAN CANCER PLAY
Signs Of Support
Elizabeth Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News
Administration Building auditorium,
3711 W.13 Mile, Royal Oak. Actress and ovarian
cancer survivor Laura Clark-Hansen will discuss
warning signs for ovarian cancer. Free. RSVP:
classes.beaumont.edu or 800-633-7377.
cancer at its
SATURDAY, NOV. 17
BEIT MIDRASH SHABBAT
9 am. Cong. Beth Ahm in West Bloomfield
TUESDAY, NOV. 20
MUSIC FOR SENIORS
Noon. Ambassadors of Temple Beth El in
Bloomfield Twp. Luncheon features the Fantasy
Strings from the former Soviet Union, blending
classical, modern, jazz and other music. Open
to all. $12. RSVP by Nov.15: Doris Kushner, 248-
352-5882, or Beverly Mitz, 248-642-5513.
"Shower of Stoles" exhibit tells a story of gay clergy.
coming out as a lesbian, she chose to set
aside her ordination," Lewis said. "It was
important both for Martha and for her
partner, Tammy Lindahl (herself a min-
ister), to impress upon their governing
body the fact that they were only two of
hundreds of LGBT people of faith who
were active in the life and ministry of the
church.
They asked LGBT friends and col-
leagues to send a stole to hang at the
presbytery meeting on the day that she
was to set aside her ordination. They
were hoping to receive a couple of dozen
stoles; instead they received 80, almost
overnight."
Lewis said she first discovered the
Shower of Stoles online.
"I was most affected by the number
of stoles that were donated by 'anony-
mous' clergy," she said. "I was intrigued
and began to read their stories. What
heartbreak for many of them. How sad
that they couldn't be 'authentic' in their
lives and in their holy work. I couldn't
imagine how deeply it must have affected
them to hide themselves."
Among those who submitted a tallit
was Rabbi Amy Bernstein of California,
who wrote: "As a result of the conflict
between my core identities, I left Yeshiva
High School, Judaism and Jewish life
behind me for the rest of high school and
college. The few times when I felt com-
pelled to engage with Judaism, like the
High Holidays or Passover, I would touch
such pain that I resolved to keep my dis-
tance from it for another year. It is all of
those who have gone before me who have
earned the honor of this tallit."
Lewis noted that while Reform and
Reconstructionist Judaism have been
inclusive for some time now, "It is only
recently that the Conservative movement
(December 2006) has been able to move
forward," Lewis said.
"As a result of the teshuvah [rabbinical
opinion] written by Rabbis Eliott Dorff,
Danny Nevins and Avram Reisner, which
received 13 votes and used the prin-
ciple of k'vod habriot [human dignity]
to override rabbinic prohibitions on
homosexuality, gay ordination and same-
sex unions are now permitted. Social
attitudes toward gay Jews have begun to
shift in the Orthodox community, due in
part to movies like Trembling Before God,
but the prohibitions still remain."
As director of the Affirmations Faith
Alliance, Lewis is responsible for "creat-
ing a coalition of interfaith clergy and
religious leaders, to provide education
and support LGBT people of faith and
to educate our metropolitan community
about LGBT inclusion in our faith com-
munities," she said.
"We have a number of congregations
who are actively engaged in this work,
including Catholics, Presbyterians,
Methodists, Reform Church of America,
Lutherans and others.
"My hope is that I can somehow bring
my Jewish family to this very important
table, so that our Jewish voice can be
part of this much-needed conversation."
Tours of the local "Shower of Stoles"
will be at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10,
and Saturday, Nov. 17, and at 1 p.m. and
3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. A final tour and
the closing ceremony will be 3-5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 18.
To arrange for a tour, contact Judy
Lewis, jlewis@goaffirmations.org .