A Smokir, Good Time

Downtown Synagogue and Eden Gardens partner for a Lag b'Omer bonfire.

Barbara Lewis

I Contributing Writer

0

ren Goldenberg, a member of
the board at the Isaac Agree
Downtown Synagogue, was try-
ing to explain why people play with bows
and arrows on Lag b'Omer, but the children
of Eden Gardens didn't care.
They just wanted to get their hands on
two archery bows Goldenberg brought
to shoot "arrows" (actually unsharpened
sticks) into the woods and to admire the
huge bonfire that would soon be used to
roast hot dogs and marshmallows.
Besides, no one is really sure why we
shoot arrows or light bonfires on Lag
b'Omer, the 33rd day of the "Omer" period
that starts on the second day of Passover
and ends on Shavuot 50 days later.
Legend has it that in the second century
of the Common Era, a plague that killed
thousands of students of Rabbi Akiva, one
of the foremost sages in Jewish history,
lifted on Lag b'Omer.
Because of the plague, the Omer is a time
of semi-mourning. Orthodox communities
don't schedule weddings or parties and men
don't shave or cut their hair. Lag b'Omer is a
day off from mourning.
Others say that "plague" is code for the

slaughter of Jews in the rebellion against the
Romans led by Shimon Bar Kochba, one of
Rabbi Akiva's students. On Lag b'Omer the
Jews may have won a rare victory, hence the
celebration and the bows and arrows.
Why bonfires? Again no one knows. They
could represent the light brought to the
world by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, another
great second-century sage, who is said to
have revealed the secrets of the Kabbalah,
Jewish mystical teaching, just before he died
on Lag b'Omer.
Lag b'Omer's falling on a Sunday (May
18) this year was a good excuse for a
block party. Members of the Downtown
Synagogue in Detroit celebrated with resi-
dents of Eden Gardens, a 16-block commu-
nity near Detroit City Airport, around a fire
pit on Glenfield Street.
Clare Kinberg, 59, and her partner, Patti
Cowan, 66, came all the way from Ypsilanti
with their two teenaged daughters after
learning about the bonfire on Facebook.
"I've been wanting to connect with the
Downtown Synagogue, and I like to garden,
so I thought I'd come out and see what I
could learn:' Kinberg said.
The Eden Gardens Community Garden,
filling two empty lots on Glenfield, is a
partnership between the Eden Gardens
Block Club and the synagogue.

Oren Goldenberg teaches Lovell Hardy and his brother Dorean Hardy of
Detroit how to light the bonfire for Lag b'Omer.

18

May 29 • 2014

Master gardener Kelila Hopkins, a
member of the Downtown Synagogue, had
already planted peas, parsley, lettuce, cab-
bage, carrots and more. The more tender
plants, like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers,
eggplant and beans, will come later.
Volunteers from the synagogue and
the neighborhood handle the gardening
chores. This year, Hopkins hopes some of
the local teenagers will sell the produce at
Detroit's Eastern Market.
Andre Walk, who lives a block away,
would like to see the block club expand
the garden by tearing down an adjacent
abandoned house. He'd also like to pur-
chase and rehab the brick house on the
other side and use it as a training center
for youth.
The community garden has a double
claim on Chava (Karen) Knox, who has
lived on Glenfield Street for more than 30

Above Right: Eden Gardens Vice
President Andre Walk of Detroit, Eden
Gardens Master Gardener Kelila Hopkins
of Eastpointe, Noah Purcell and Oren
Goldenberg, both of Detroit.

years. She's a member of the Downtown
Synagogue and president of the Eden
Gardens Block Club.
She's frustrated by the blight that mars
her neighborhood.
"We're trying to preserve some of these
brick homes:' she said. "Even though
they've been gutted, they can be put
together again. You can buy them for as
little as $500:'
She said she hoped young adults who
want to improve Detroit will move into the
area. "If you want to change Detroit, the
best way is to come and be a neighbor:'
she said.

❑

Help Eden Gardens "Board Up

'I

The Eden Gardens Block Club, with the help of Chrysler Corporation, will hold a
neighborhood "Board Up" on Friday, May 30. Starting at 8 a.m., volunteers will clean
and board up vacant houses in the neighborhood; they hope to secure 50 houses.
Chrysler Corporation contributed $5,000 and a team of employee volunteers.
The block club will provide breakfast, and Chrysler will provide lunch.
More volunteers are needed. If interested, call Chava Knox at (313) 587-4949.

Chava Knox of Detroit plays the drum
and sings.

Dorean Hardy of Detroit hands Goldenberg
brush to light the bonfire.