Washtenaw Jewish News Presort Standard In this issue… c/o Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor U.S. Postage PAID 2939 Birch Hollow Drive Ann Arbor, MI Learning Visiting Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Permit No. 85 to Pray Art in Film Outside Person Festival Again Schedule page 9 page 14 page 16-17 May 2021 lyar/Sivan 5781 Volume XX Number 9 FREE Jewish Federations work with growing movement for religious diversity in Israel Stephanie Glass, special to the WJN ince 2017, the Jewish Federations of viet Union or those who converted outside North America has worked to ad- the chief rabbinate, or if they are a same-sex Svance religious freedom for Israeli couple. This results in countless numbers of Jews through the Israel Religious Expression Israeli Jews being unable to legally wed. Platform (iRep). This consortium of Federa- In the past five years, iRep and its grant- tion communities supports Israeli organiza- ees have worked to grow a niche movement tions addressing religious civil rights in Israel. to a majority-supported cause. Through Greater Ann Arbor’s Federation was one of the public marketing campaigns highlighting first twenty-six Federations to join iRep and we Israeli Jewish couples who chose to marry continue to support its efforts in such matters outside the rabbinate and providing finan- as creating options for civil marriage in Israel cial support to organizations offering alter- and promoting equality for all streams of Ju- native lifecycle services, iRep has created a daism. groundswell of public support for marriage In March, North American Jewish com- choice. Recent data shows nearly 70 percent munities, including greater Ann Arbor, joined of Israelis now voice support for legal op- together to virtually celebrate and learn more tions that do not involve the rabbinate and about iRep’s work at JFNA’s Forward Focus approximately 1 out of 5 couples are choos- Mission. This four-part series brought reli- ing alternative methods, such as marrying gious leaders, experts, activists, and everyday abroad or common law marriage. While Israeli Jews into thousands of living rooms, as there is further work to be done around ad- they shared stories and victories regarding Jew- vancing marriage choice, iRep’s efforts have ish diversity and expression in Israel. created a critical mass of support transform- Liat and Tome, Israeli couple who married outside the Rabbinate ing marriage choice into a central issue of Fighting for Freedom of Choice for marriage choice in Israel, an issue impact- be legally married. The Rabbinate has the Israeli public discourse. in Marriage ing thousands of Israeli Jews. All Israeli Jews power to refuse to marry couples if they do One of iRep’s central initiatives upon must go through the Israeli chief rabbinate, not view one or both members as Jewish, a forming was to increase access and support the supreme rabbinic authority in Israel, to common issue for Jews from the Former So- Continued on page 7 Synagogues are not rushing to reopen, even as vaccines are making gatherings safer Shira Hanau, originally for the JTA abbi Craig Scheff knows he could didn’t feel spiritually uplifting, it didn’t feel safely hold indoor, in-person ser- participatory and many people chose not R vices at the upstate New York syna- to come,” Scheff said of the first foray into gogue he leads. indoor services last summer. “At this point In fact, the synagogue first experimented in time we’ve managed to achieve a certain with an indoor service for up to 50 people amount of intimacy and participation with last summer. Now it’s now holding bar and what we’ve been offering.” bat mitzvah services on Shabbat mornings Scheff’s community is like many oth- for a maximum of 10 households and up to ers at this stage of the pandemic: While 40 people in the sanctuary, which typically American Jews appear to be embracing the held 100-150 worshippers on Shabbat morn- Centers for Disease Control’s recent guid- ings pre-pandemic. Those services are then ance that permits small Passover Seders for streamed for the rest of the congregation. vaccinated adults and hugs between vacci- Yet Scheff isn’t rushing to resume the nated grandparents and grandchildren, few wider range of indoor services that his syna- appear to be hastening toward a return of gogue, like virtually all others across Ameri- the old way of worshipping together. ca, abruptly put on hold one year ago, even as Congregation Shearith Israel of Dallas. PHOTO CAPTION COURTESY OF SHEARITH ISRAEL For some American Jews, namely the more of his congregants get the coronavirus the Mourner’s Kaddish, and streaming Shab- for the holiday will remain virtual. Orthodox, in-person services were only on vaccine. Instead, Scheff and his Conserva- bat services. A socially distanced parking-lot “We tried opening up to a very limited hold for a matter of months, with most Or- tive synagogue are sticking with the daily Yizkor service is scheduled for the last day of number of people, very socially distanced thodox synagogues resuming in-person ac- virtual prayer service, where people can say Passover, but the synagogue’s other services inside and the feeling was not a great one. It tivities by last summer, many with masks and Continued on page 9 IFrom the Editor havuot, beginning the evening of May ready yet. I want this year's Spring to last a few 16, feels early this year. For me, it more months. I want surety that we are over marks the end of Spring and I'm not the hump of the pandemic and that we'll be S 2935 Birch Hollow Drive able to incorporate new ways of doing things Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108 that are more mindful. I love the essay on page (734) 395-4438 9, about learning to pray outside. Look up the www.washtenawjewishnews.org B'nai Jeshrun Outdoor Shabbat Tisch on April [email protected] 23 for true inspiration. If you have made some pandemic inspired changes you plan to con- Editor and Publisher tinue, WJN would love to hear about it! Clare Kinberg Have you wondered about the changing col- ors in Washtenaw Jewish News front pages? Advertising Manager They do have a meaning, inspired by this color Gordon White wheel of the Jewish year. And, finally, remember that the WJN is sup- Design and Layout Dennis Platte ported entirely by display advertising. If you patronize any of our advertisers, please tell Staff Writers them you say their ad in the Washtenaw Jew- Clare Kinberg ish News. n Lonnie Sussman, Shifra Epstein Contributing Writers Lisa Bernstein, Emily Eisbruch, Stepha- nie Glass, Amanda Glucklich, Rabbi Aharon Goldstein, Idelle Hammond- Sass, Kayla Kapen, Kesley Robinette Keeves, Molly Kleinman, Molly Kraus- Steinmetz, Margaret Schreiber, Paige Walker, Logan Wall, Jessica Weil. The Washtenaw Jewish News is published monthly, by JCMWC, LLC. Opinions ex- pressed in this publication do not necessar- ily reflect those of its editors or staff ©2021 by the Washtenaw Jewish News. All rights reserved. No portion of the Washtenaw Jewish News may be reproduced without JUNE FOR JUSTICE permission of the publisher. Turn Spring Clean Signed letters to the editor are welcome; they should S h a b b a t a t T e m p l e B e t h E m e t h not exceed 400 words. Letters can be emailed to the into Spring Green! editor. Name will be withheld at the discretion of June 4 Wear the editor. Orange Circulation: 4,500 for Gun Subscriptions: Violence Free inside Washtenaw County Prevention $18 first-class su bscription June 11 Hunger The deadline for Let Encore Sell It For You: and Poverty June 2021 Antiques & Collectibles • Sterling Silver Relief issue of the WJN is Cameras • Designer Items Monday May 10 Watches • Vintage Toys June 18 Erev Juneteenth Shabbat Publication: Thursday June 1 Electronics • Musical Instruments Extra copies of the Washtenaw Jewish News June 25 Pride Shabbat are available at locations throughout By Appointment Washtenaw County. [email protected] Services begin at 7:30 PM I In this issue… Zoom Links available at TempleBethEmeth.org/Calendar Advertisers .................................................. 31 Calendar ...................................................... 26 Kosher Cuisine ............................................. 25 Looking for Rose .......................................... 21 Obituaries .................................................... 29 Rabbis’ Corner.............................................. 28 Simchas and Sorrows .................................. 31 2 Washtenaw Jewish News A May 2021 ICommunity FOR THE HOME YOU A special tour for WTBE of UMMA LOVE TO LIVE IN. Adapted from the WTBE newsletter ore than 60 Women of Temple Among the more arresting pieces in this col- Beth Emeth members gathered lection was a portrait of James Madison (art- Monline in February to hear Grace ist: Titus Kaphar) that had been “flayed” by VanderVliet, University of Michigan Mu- the artist to expose the other (or maybe inner) seum of Art Curator for Museum Teaching James Madison, the enslaver of more than 300 and Learning, lead a tour that was provoca- people. With juxtapositions of “old” or “tra- tive, engaging, and eye-opening. Designed to ditional” art with work by artists originally help the group learn about themselves and to excluded, the effects of earlier choices become provide “an insider’s view of the complexity behind events, decisions and community pro- grams” at UMMA, the event also addressed UMMA’s effort to shape its evolving role in these changing times: “How do we tell our story as an institution that collects objects? How can we be honest about the colonial ba- sis on which we were founded?” The tour addressed the all-white, 24-foot sculpture of a head outside the museum, a shredded portrait of James Madison, and a largely shuttered museum that’s as active as ever.