Shabbat Hol Hamoed Pesach
Sara Debbie Gutfreund
I was always an admirer of the people who left everything behind and set off into the wild in order to live "authentic" lives. I remember when I first encountered the raw passion of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass and the idealistic yearning of Henry
David Thoreau's Walden Pond. I remember when I first read these words of Thoreau's: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
How will I learn to live deliberately?After reading these words long ago, I walked down the brick paths of my university campus and stared at the first green leaves dotting the bare branches around me. And I asked myself: How will I learn to live deliberately? How will I figure out how to live at all?
Recently I read a fascinating book by Jon Krakauer called Into the Wild. It is a true story about a college graduate named Chris McCandless who hitchhiked to Alaska in 1992 and walked alone into the wilderness. He had donated all of his savings to charity, left behind all of his possessions and burnt all the cash in his wallet. In the end, this young man dies of starvation. Some dismiss his journey as foolish and irresponsible. But others believe that Chris was sincere in his beliefs and at least had the courage to try to live according to them.
He writes to one of his friends during his journey: "So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. Don't settle down and sit in one place. Move around, be nomadic, make each day a new horizon" (Into the Wild, p. 58). After I finished the book, I began to think about courage and the wilderness a little more.
Since my earliest years, I have been enthralled with nature. Everything fascinated me, from the tiniest flower to the grandest ocean. I guess most children are like that, constantly longing to be outside and part of the hugeness of the universe. But that yearning only became stronger as I grew. I felt like I belonged when I was diving between the ocean's waves. I found peace along rocky mountain trails, drinking in the brilliant blue sky and the vibrant green forest. Skiing down pure white slopes, I glimpsed a spark of potential in every icicle. Scuba diving hundreds of feet beneath the water's surface, I stared at colors and shapes that whispered of unknown worlds, waiting to be discovered.
There are two ways to use the beauty of this world, but when I think a bit more deeply about my pull to the wild, I realize that there are two ways to use the beauty of this world. One way is to walk into the wild in order to escape one's inner turmoil. Get away from it all. Find some peace and quiet. Block out the pressures of life by distracting oneself with nature's
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for additional insights on this week's parsha and others, visit The JTS Torah Commentary archive: http://www.jtsa.edu
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May Their Memories Be For a Blessing
April Yahrtzeits
4/17/2014 (17 Nisan)
Esther Manko
4/18/2014 (18 Nisan)
Goldie Chaner
Rose Kaye
Rose Kleinbard
4/19/2014 (19 Nisan)
Bluma Stark
4/22/2014 (22 Nisan)
Shmuel Muchkies
4/23/2014 (23 Nisan)
Julius Abramson
4/26/2014 (26 Nisan)
Ida (Huddle) Band
Lottie Kwiatek
4/28/2014 (28 Nisan)
Sara Garber
Morris Soloway
To make a donation to commemorate a yahrtzeit, please click here. If you are a member of the synagogue and a yahrtzeit for your loved one is not on the list, please contact the synagogue office so we can update our records.
Please click here if you wish to permanently memorialize a loved one by purchasing a yahrtzeit plaque.
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SHABBAT SHALOM!
There is a TKA Bar Mitzvah this Shabbat. Shuttle Parking is from Prince Of Peace.
Shabbat Hol Hamoed Pesach
Friday, April 18th
6 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat/Maariv,
Sanctuary
9 a.m. Services, Sanctuary 10 a.m. Supervised Youth Room, lower level
Kiddush is sponsored by the following families: Feigelson, Beider, Berlin, Seigerman, Canvasser, Glazier/Schmeltz, Berger, Marcotte/Friedman, Ellias, and Dines.
Interested in learning or polishing up on birkat
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Click here to help with Kiddush Lunch
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*Kiddush Lunch is available through donations to the Kiddush Lunch Fund, the generosity of weekly sponsors, and volunteer efforts of our congregants and regular attendees. Please e-mail or call the synagogue office if you would like to sponsor a kiddush lunch. To sponsor as part of a "group," please e-mail Joanna Abramson or Mindy Shuback. You may also make a donation to the Kiddush Lunch Fund by clicking here.To sign up to help prepare Kiddush Lunch please use the "volunteer spot" button above.
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PASSOVER SERVICES SCHEDULE
FINAL DAYS
4/20 Sunday Evening
5 p.m. Minha/Maariv Chapel
Monday and Tuesday Mornings 4/21 and 4/22
9 a.m. Services, Sanctuary. The Service on Tuesday morning will include the Yizkor service and dedication of Memorial plaques for Dr. Sheldon Kapen and Dr. David Levy.
Monday Evening , 4/21
6 p.m. Minha/Maariv Chapel
Tuesday Evening, 4/22
8:45 p.m. Minha/Maariv/Havdalah to conclude the holiday, Chapel Kiddush during Passover is sponsored by the following families: Feigelson, Beider, Berlin, Seigerman, Canvasser, Glazier/Schmeltz, Berger, Marcotte/Freedman, Ellias and Dines.
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Community Opportunities
TKA Blood Drive
April 28th, 2-7:45 p.m., Social Hall
Bookstock 2014
Sunday, April 27-Sunday, May 4th
Laurel Park Place, Livonia
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Upcoming Youth and Family Activities
Family Night at Minyan, One Sunday/month.
Bring your family to help make minyan at 5 p.m. and enjoy pizza dinner in the social hall following services. MARK YOUR CALENDAR: 4/27, 6/1.
Upcoming Shabbat Youth Activities
SHABBAT CHILDREN'S WORKSHOP DATES for youth ages 7-12. 30 minutes of tefilla and parsha fun.
11-11:45 a.m., ROOM 9
MAY 3 (10:30 A.M.) JUNE 7 YOUTH SHABBAT
SHABBAT TEEN ACTIVITIES 
D'VAR TORAH COCOA CAFE
for ages 13-17,
May 3rd. 11:00-11:45 a.m., Social Hall
Listen to the D'var Torah in the main sanctuary, then give your take over cocoa and cider. Kiddush lunch following, with Spirited singing and Birkat Hamazon led by teens. e-mail teens@bnaiisraelwb.org for more information. FUTURE DATE:
MAY 3RD
To stay current on all youth and family activities, contact Ilana Glazier to join the B'nai Israel Families Facebook Group.
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Adult Education
"Reflections on the Siddur," with Dr. Mitch Parker
Saturdays, 11-11:45 a.m.
April 26 May 10 and 24 June 7 and 21
Mitch will focus on Ashrei, Aleinu, the Kaddish, Adon Olam, Yigdal, Hallel and Birkat Hamazon.
Class meets in the lower level, Room 9.
Lunch and Learn Series
with Hillel Buechler, Ramah Fellow 
First Tuesday of every month
Next session: 12:15 p.m., May 7th.
Meet at Barnes and Noble on Orchard Lake Road Bring your own lunch. There is no charge to attend. Please e-mail Hillel Buechler if you plan to attend.
Shabbat Shiur Series
Shabbat Afternoons, last Saturday of the month following lunch and prior to minha. Shiur (class) will meet in the chapel. All our welcome. There is no charge to attend.
Want to brush up on your prayer skills, tropes or birkat hamazon? C lick here.
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Mazel Tov

APRIL BIRTHDAYS
18 Karen Rosen
20 Cheryl Berlin
21 Rachel Kapen
21 Jeffrey Lupovitch
21 Cooper Myers
22 Marvin Finkelstein
24 Elianna Orel
26 Evan Chudnow
26 Marvin Kozlowski
27 Noel Lawson
27 Adam Weingarden
27 Shira Wolf
30 Charles Seigerman
30 Nathan Soverinsky
APRIL ANNIVERSARIES
If your birthday or anniversary information is not listed, please email the synagogue so we can update our records.
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Caring Community Information
Refuah Sh'leimah/Wishing a Speedy Recovery.
Please e-mail Michael Golob or call the synagogue: 248-432-2729 to add a name to our communal mishebeirach list.
Shiva assistance: To assist in providing a shiva meal for BI member families and/or if you are able to lead a shiva minyan, please e-mail the synagogue.
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B'nai Israel Synagogue is affiliated with USCJ, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
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