Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 July 1994 — Page 17

NAT 12 July 13,1994

Fews by Choice

Social Calendar By Jean Herschaft

METNY (New York Metropolitan Region, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism) honored Harold Kalb, vice president of the United Synagogue and past president of METNY at its annual dinner. It was held at Temple Beth Sholom, Roslyn Heights, NY, where Kalb served as past president. On the Bima were the luminaries of conservative Judaism who had come to do honor to Kalb: Alan Ades and Alan Ticknor, present and immediate past president and Jerome Epstein, chief executive United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Temple Beth Sholom, a magnificent structure in a countrified setting on Long Island, has been the pulpit of Rabbi Joseph Stemstein who announced his retirement after 25 years of dedicated service, gave the D'Var Torah to some 300 guest rabbis and their wives from the sanctuary where the program phase emanated. His theme: "Nachus von Kinder," or "Joy from our Children." Later, preceding the dinner, David Kalb, devoted son thanked his dad as a Conservative leader for permitting him to be graduated from an Orthodox Yeshiva, as a golden Israeli-crafted menorah gleamed in the background, METNY's gift to his dad. Rabbi Stemstein had noted that Kalb would have made a winning cantor if he had not gone into the practice of law; that indeed many, many times Harold Kalb had acted as cantor in this sanctuary. The "Kinder" theme, though, predominated in the annual report of METNY innovative executive head Bruce

AT CONSERVATIVES' DINNER — At annual dinner of NY Metropolitan Region of United Synagogue: (L-R): Harold Kalb, honoree; Alan Ades, international president of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; Rabbi William Lebeau, vice chancellor of Jewish Theological Seminary of America, NYC; Richard Skolnik, president of NY Metropolitan Region of United Synagogue; Alan J. Tichnor, immediate past international president of USCJ.

Greenfield. From tots to teens — "kinder" — and now they can grow and blossom in the rich image of Conservative Judaism as he glowingly reported the birth of a third Solomon Schechter High School. In Rockland County/Westchester the third Schechter High School would open its doors. Last year, he reported the first at the Jewish Theological Seminary then... following quickly... the Schechter High School in Nassau County, both vibrant entities now. Singles programs and activities holding strong the Conservative line was another key part of the METNY year. The summer sojourn of the younger set with family at Camp Ramah another favorite social/leaming experience, he noted. Special kudos to UJA-Federation for approving a grant proposal of $34,500... to facilitate young families integration into synagogue life, Greenfield concluded. Richard Skolnik, METNY president, had chronicled Harold Kalb's rise from United Synagogue Youth leadership, as a teen through his life of activity in the Conservative Continued on page 14

Street-corner ‘Judaism’

By MARY HOFMANN You know, there's proselytizing and there's proselytizing. For all the furor over whether or not we shou Id seek converts to Judaism. I've al-

ways thought most of us have been concerned with the philosophical issues involved rather than the public relations aspects of the act itself. When I think of actively seeking converts, I think of making people feel welcome. When people call for information about Judaism, for example, I usually let them know during the conversation that I converted to Judaism so they see it as a possibility. When holidays are on the horizon, we make sure there is something in the newspaper so people feel welcome to come. When we've held bar or bat mitzvahs, we make sure the non-Jews in the room are apprised of what's going on in a non-threatening, non-exclu-sionary sort of way. When mixed-marrieds contact us, we try to make sure the nonJewish spouse feels pat of what's going on. In other words, when I think of seeking converts, it is as an act of welcoming that is carried out with Jewish dignity and pride. I guess I've sort of generalized that perception to all of us, and perhaps I'm wrong. I was one of the 93,8(X) people who attended the U.S. vs Romania game of the World Cup in June at the Rose .Bowl in Pasadena. We're a soccer family, you see. John still plays in theOver-the-Hill league; my, 26-year-old Rob could possibly have been on the US team if he'd tried, and 15-year-old Cathy plays for the city league and high school. While Cam and I don't play, it's the only organized sport we've ever enjoyed watching... but that's another story. Suffice it to say, when the World Cup came to California, the Hofmanns were there.

After the mile-long walk from the parking area and across a golf course, we finally reached the main entrance — only to be met by a young woman handing out Jews for Jesus pamphlets. Cathy looked shocked, the boys were mildly amused, and I was furious and refused to accept her propaganda. How tacky, I thought, as I recoiled from her. How absolutely embarrassing that a Jewish woman would lower herself. But, of course, she wasn't Jewish. She may have once been Jewish. Her parents may

cated, potentially prejudiced collective out there—many of whom were undoubtedly at the World Cup, wondering about this "Jewish" looney. No, I don't believe that even the most aggressive outreach advocates would advocate selling it on the street comer. But perhaps that's a nightmare possibility envisioned by our more conservative Jewish brethren. If that's what they see, I understand their horror. It won't happen, though. It won't happen because passing out pamphlets is for the loonies who believe their sal-

When I think of actively seeking converts, I think of making people feel welcome. When people call for information about Judaism, for example, I usually let them know during the conversation that I converted to Judaism so they sec it as a possibility. When holidays are on the horizon, we make sure there is something in the newspaper so people feel welcome to come.

be Jewish. Butshe wasaChristian, and is probably as much of an embarrassment to them as she is to us. Icouldn'thelpbut wonder, though, what TGU must have been thinking. Who's TGU? TGU is my acronym for The Great Unwashed... representing the nameless, unsophisti-

vation is incumbent upon us believing what they believe. That's a very unjewish belief — and it runs contrary to Jewish outreach, as well as to Judaism. Mary Hofmann may be reached at P.O. Box 723, Merced, CA 95341

Christ is decreed in British schools

LONDON — The circular by the Department for Education of the government which directed that assemblies should "accord a special status to Jesus Christ” has alarmed the Board of Deputies of British Jewry, which is considering legal action in the matter. The 1989 Education Act specifies

that collective worship in schools should be "broadly Christian." Under the law parents may withdraw their children from assemblies. School board heads have asserted that the requirements for assemblies are unworkable.

Messianists choose Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM — This city is the newest in Europe to be favored with a branch of Jews for Jesus, led by a Dutch-bom Jew who contends that the

opposition of many Jews to Jews converted to Christianity is a remnant of "ghetto mentality".