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a bus headed for Camp Ramah),
time was ticking for the quest to
find a spiritual home. Belonging
to a synagogue has been and will
always be a top priority for our
family. Not because we have to get
High Holiday tickets, or have kids
who need Hebrew school or a bar
mitzvah date. It is because here in
Michigan, far away from family, we
need a community.
During our "shul shopping:' we
were happy to learn that we have
many choices. Every congregation
we visited this summer gave us
warm welcomes on a level we never
experienced in other communities.
We were showered with greetings
and given honors on the bimah
within every sanctuary. Everywhere
we go, people simply rave about
their synagogue.
One night, before going to sleep
in our new home, I expressed to
my husband my worries of finding
employment. He had his work. My
kids had school. Like many in my
position who move to another town
for a spouse's job transfer, I would
have to reinvent myself.
"Don't worry:' he said. "I'll make
the living. You go out and make us
a life here
Wise and true were his words.
While my husband worked at his
office, I worked at finding doc-
tors, pediatricians, dentists and
orthodontists. I finalized details of
moving out of one house and mov-
ing into another. I phoned school
counselors on both sides of the
move to assure the proper transfer
of transcripts and my kids would
be signed up for the proper course
work for high school.
I did all I could so when they got
off the bus in Detroit, sad to leave
camp and even more saddened
to be leaving all that was familiar,
their biggest worry in their first
days here would be how they were
going to get through all that dirty
laundry.
This year of transition has taught
me many things. My kids are capa-
ble of stepping up more around the
house. I can trust my husband to
buy our next dream house even if I
only saw it on Zillow. Most impor-
tantly, this move has reaffirmed
for me the importance of keeping
connected to the Jewish commu-
nity. You never know where the
road may take you, but our kehilah
kedoshah, our holy community, will
always be there to take you in. ❑

Stacy Gittleman is a freelance writer

and Jewish educator. See her blog at

Jewish News readers by showing your
theater, concert or Ball game tickets

Make An Effort To Be
Welcoming To Others

FOOD SERVED 'TIL 10PM SUNDAY-THURSDAY

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Dr. Ron Wolfson
Special to the Jewish News

The art of welcoming rests on a cen-
tral Jewish idea: Every human being
is created in the image of God. When
we see each other as an embodiment
of Godliness, welcoming someone
becomes an act of profound spirituality.
Welcoming is the first step in building a
relationship with another. So when I see
someone walk into a worship service, I
can ignore the person or I can initiate
a conversation with a simple greeting
of welcome. Without that crucial move
there is no possibility of relationship.
Abraham and Sarah practiced the art of
welcoming strangers. In parshat Vayeira,
Abraham is sitting at the entrance of his
tent in the heat of the day, convalescing,
when three strangers appear. The instant
Abraham sees them he runs to welcome
them, and calls to Sarah and his servant to
bring water and food.
If we are to create Jewish institutions of
relationships, we all must continually work
on improving our ability to welcome oth-
ers. The upcoming High Holy Day period is
our annual family reunion, the largest gath-
ering of our people. This year, after greeting
family and friends, spend three minutes
welcoming someone you don't know.
If we all did it, we would change the
culture of our community from cold and
aloof to warm and welcoming. Tap into the
Godliness within you and connect to the
Godliness in others.

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Second-Day Reform
Services At Kol Ami

The Metropolitan Detroit Reform
Synagogues will hold second-day Rosh
Hashanah services at 10 a.m. Friday,
Sept. 6, at Temple Kol Ami in West
Bloomfield. There is no charge and
tickets are not necessary. Worshipers
are asked to bring their own copy of the
Gates of Repentance prayer book.
Rabbi Norman T. Roman and
Cantorial Soloist Tiffany Green will
conduct the service, with participation
by clergy from other Reform congrega-
tions. The guest speaker will be Barrett
Harr, newly appointed Michigan regional
director of youth engagement for the
Union for Reform Judaism.
For information, contact Temple Kol
Ami at (248) 661-0040 or visit www.
tkolami.org

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August 29 • 2013

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