Newspaper Page Text
Torah thoughts
The abomination of the earth
Adapted Irom the works of Rabbi Menachcm M
Schneerson. the I ubavitcher Rcbbe. by Rabbi
Vossi New. Chabad ot Georgia
Sidra Va’eira tells of the beginning
of the redemption from Egypt, a
country which was technologically
advanced but morally depraved to
the degree that the Torah refers to
Egypt as “the abomination of the
earth.”
As we celebrate our redemption
from ancient Egypt, it is time to
bringabout our redemption from a
certain technological advancement
that has become for the Jewish
home a Mitzrayim, an “Egypt,” an
“abomination of the earth”—televi
sion. Statistics about the harmful
effects of television pour in. TV has
become the main activity of our
children; almost as many hours are
spent in front of the TV as in front
of the teacher each week! What
impressions does the young viewer
get when he watches TV? That
crime is natural, that violence is
heroic, that immorality is glamorous.
What are the results of this TV-
reared generation—obviously, a far
greater percentage of crime amongst
youth, more violence and much
less morality.
The three cardinal sins of J udaism
Beth Tefillah to share
building with Chabad
A three-acre lot with a structure
on it, at 5065 High Point Road in
Sandy Springs has recently been
purchased to become a shared facility
for Chabad of Georgia and Congre
gation Beth Tefillah.
Rabbi Yossi New, director of
Chabad of Georgia and spiritual
leader of Beth Tefillah, said: “This
is a very important event, as it gives
our institutions a sense of permanency
in the northern suburbs of Atlanta.
We are looking forward to increased
interest and growth and now, thank
G-d, we certainly have the means
to accommodate future expansion.”
The new location is easily accessible
to major highways; close to Roswell
Road for convenient shopping and
apartments, and is only a 10-minute
ride to Zaban Park.
Lenny Habif, president of Chabad
of Georgia, extolled the progress
ol Chabad in Atlanta. He feels that
“the new center will serve as a focal
point for the organizations’ outreach
programs and community services.”
Chabad’s activities include hospital
and prison chaplaincy, family
counselling, adult education classes,
Teens ’N’ Torah, statewide Jewish
awareness programs, Dial-a-Jewish-
Story, H oliday family entertainment,
Tzivos Hashem and Gan Israel
Day Camp.
Congregation Beth Tefillah,
Atlanta’s newest synagogue, was
established less than a year ago. It
now has a membership of 25 families
and offers a full range of services.
Committee member Dr. David
Westerman asserts, “There is a
wonderful feeling of warmth and
sincerity at the shul. We invite
everyone to come and partake in
the very positive and uplifting
experience of a Shabbat service at
Beth Tefillah.”
Services will begin at the new
location in February.
JVS now enrolling juniors
in college/career program
The Jewish Vocational Service
is now enrolling high school juniors
in its college/career counseling
program. Orientation sessions will
begin the week of Jan. 12 when
students participate in the intensive
counseling and testing process that
culminates with college selection.
Sidney Rodbell, chairman ol JVS,
noted that “the career/college
program at JVS keeps growing
each year.” “In fact,” he added,
“there are families who have signed
their students up for the program
in 1989 which means that those
students are presently in the eighth
grade. We are proud of our achieve
ments in helping students through
the college selection process and
will soon add staff in that area
because of the demand lor our
program.”
The program begins with an
orientation tor parents and students.
At that point, the student has an
initial interview followed by a battery
of tests focused on career interests
and college major interests.
After an interpretation of the
tests, the student becomes involved
with career research in order to
study possible career alternatives.
After feeding back information to
the counselor, the student and
counselor begin the college selection
process, which is designed to get the
student fully involved in the process
and to help the student understand
him herself. In addition to the
usual topics investigated, such as
college size, location, majors,
competitiveness and one’s chances
for admission, Jewish considerations
are also discussed in interviews.
For more information about the
program, contact JVS at 876-5872.
Coming next week
A new beginning at
Caffe Prego
Thanks to you...
it works...
for ALL OF US
United Way
MI) COORDINATION
Rabbi Schneerson
are murder, immorality and idolatry.
For generations it was a truism
that Jewish children could not sleep
if they so much as heard about a
murder; but today our children
view thousands of acts of murder
in vivid visual detail.
As for morality, Israel’s children
in generations past were lovingly
guided by their Torah-teachers to
observe the command “And you
shall not turn aside after your
hearts and after your eyes.” Jewish
boys and girls were, for centuries,
the epitome of all that is modest
and good and pure, refraining from
even the slightest glance at anything
conceivably immodest. As a result
the lives of our young were marked
by nobility and sanctity; marital
faithfulnessfwith real understanding,
compassion and communication
between husband and wife) was
not an ideal but a fact of Jewish
life. The poisonous rays of the
television abomination have torn
deep into the heart of that former
structure. Today’s children are
exposed to untold millions of images
flashing by on the small screen,
images that contaminate, that evoke
the lowest animal urges.
Finally, the third of the three
cardinal transgressions—idolatry.
Every one of our people once shunned
even the appearance of an alien
house of worship or a priest of
another faith; but today the alien
house of worship with its priests
are brought wholesale right into
the Jewish living room!
It is not too late to accomplish
an exodus from “Egypt,” a retreat
from the "abomination of the earth;”
it is not too late to change the TV
set for another “set"—of Torah
hooks, for example!
15% OFF 252-5803 )
11
♦
CATERED SILVER SERVICE
FORATHOUSANDOF
YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS.
From dinner for fifty high above the Atlanta sky
line in the elegant Crown Room to catered kosher
for a thousand in the smashing new Grand Ballroom,
Colony Square Catering can handle it.
with creative consulting, delicious food and
impeccable service at your place or ours.
Call Doris Perman or f)
Larry Russell at 892-6000.
They’ll make your party
marvelously memorable,
no matter how many
friends you have.
COLONY eSOLARE HOTEL
PAGE II THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE January 10, 1986