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October 14, 1927

Tishri 18, 5688

Education Month: Chicago Version.
— The Detroiter who possesses what is fondly called
"civic pride" always feels resentful of any comparisons
with Chicago—when such comparisons are not to the
advantage of Detroit. To him, "Dynamic Detroit" is
the wonder city of the century, far ahead of Chicago
in everything that makes a city great. Chicago, on the
other hand, is being left behind in the race for popula-
tion, she is stealing our lake water and more of the
same sort of belittlement.
As Detroiters we feel that we can be justly proud
of the achievements of our city without seeking to be-
little our sister city of the lakes. And, as Jews, we are,
or at least we should be, only too willing to learn from
Chicago Jewry whenever we can.
It so happens that, while we have much to be proud
of in the matter of Jewish education in Detroit, there
are a few things that we can learn from our Chicago
brethren in that respect. Dr. Alexander M. Dushkin,
executive director of the Board of Jewish Education of
Chicago published last week a summary of his report
for the year 1926-1927. In this report he makes some
very interesting comparisons and it will be to our ad-
vantage, we think, to glance at a few of the items he
cites.
A survey was made during this year of the number
of Jewish children of elementary school age receiving
Jewish instruction in the city of Chicago. This was
done for the purpose of comparing the situation with
that found three years ago, in December 1923. A sta-
tistical survey revealed the following comparisons:
In 1923, there were about 51,000 Jewish children
of school age; 11,000 of them, or 21 per cent were ac-
counted for as receiving Jewish instruction in some
form of Jewish school. In 1926, out of 54,000, 15,000,
or close to 28 per cent, were receiving instruction in
some form of school, (Excluding private teaching).
In 1923 there were 71 schools listed. In 1926 there
were 90 schools; the increase being due to the organi-
zation of new congregational schools, and also to the
organization of several schools by the Community
Board of Jewish Education,
In 1923, 5,000 children were receiving some form of
week-day instruction and 6,000 some form of Sabbath
and Sunday school instruction. In 1926 some 7,800
children were receiving some form of week-day instruc-
tion and some 7,200 Sabbath and Sunday School instruc-
tion.
In 1923 about 200 students were receiving second-
ary and higher instruction in the Beth MidrashLa Tor-
ah. In 1926 over 600 were being taught in the second-
ary schools of the community, namely, the College of
Jewish Studies, the Central Hebrew High School and
the Beth Midrash La Torah.
In 1923 the proportion of girls was 16 per cent of
the register in the week-day schools and 59 per cent
in the Sabbath and Sunday schools. In 1926 the pro-

portion of girls was almost 25 percent in the week-day
schools and 52 per cent in the Sabbath and Sunday

Schools.
In 1923, before the organization of the Jewish Ed-

ucation committee, (Board of Jewish Education), the
Jewish Charities spending $38,000 in Talmud To•.n
subsidy, representing a total school budget of $65.600.
, In 1926, the Board of Jewish Education received an
appropriation of $120,000 which was to control and
supervise a total school budget of over $200,000.
In 1923, when the Jewish Education committee be-
gan its activities, it worked with five institutions, rep-
resenting eight schools and a total of 2,000 pupils. In
1926, the Board of Jewish Education controlled, super-
vised and assisted 45 schools, with a total register of
over 8,000 pupils.
It will occur at once to the reader that the outstand-
ing feature of the comparisons cited above is the role
played by the Chicago Board of Jewish Education.
While it is true that during the last three or four years
there has been a steady tendency towards increasing
the facilities for Jewish education all over the country,
it is also true that such bodies as the Board of Jewish
Education in Chicago have given power and direction
to the movement. Detroit Jewry has seen appreciable
progress in the direction of increased facilities for Jew-
ish education and also increased enrollment in its Jew-
e s
ish institutions of learning. But let us admit that our
s t progress has not been equal to that of Chicago Jewry.
We do not wish at this time to go into the question
G;
of the merits of a Board of Jewish Education but, in
the light of Chicago's experience, as described by Dr.
Dushkin, we must admit that such a co-ordinating body
did have a tremendous influence on the progress of
Jewish education in Chicago. With all our well-earned
pride in Detroit's splendid system of Jewish education
we are not too proud to learn. It might be well to
0 vestigate into this matter of a Board of Jewish Educa-
tion and ask ourselves if such a scheme of co-operation
and central control is practical and feasable for lur
community.

;f0

I.

Jewish Science, Incorporated.

The America of today, like the Rome of the Deca-
dence, is the paradise of the cultist and the "religious"
mountebank. It is doubtful if even Rome was as well
provided with cults and movements as is our country
at the present time. There are cults and sects to fit
every taste—and every pocket book.
The Jews of America have until quite recently been
somewhat backward in the matter of cults. There were
plenty of varieties of Judaism, to be sure, but those who
wanted the really untra-modern, fashionable thing in
religion had to join the Christian Science church or the
Behai movement.
This unfortunate omission in our religious life has

now been filled by the creation of a new and fascinat-

ing religion--Jewish Science. Or, as Rabbi Clifton
Ilarby Levy of New York calls it, Jewish Science, In-
corporated. This latter day revelation offers us the
boom of divine healing—with the professional aid of a
"healer." It is intended to provide the sick and dis-
couraged among us with a somewhat more direct and
immediate contact with the Divine Power than other
forms of Judaism are able to offer. Its rabbinical ex-
ponents assure us that Jewish Science is not to be con-
fused with Christian Science but, after careful exami-
nation of its tenets, we must own up to the conviction
that the two may not be distinguished from each other
by any ordinary processes of human thinking. Perhaps
the element of faith is wanting in our analysis, but faith,
of course, has little if anything to do with the processes
of human thinking.
In short, we begin to suspect that Jewish Science,
Incorporated, is the product of the American craving
for fads in religion and hardly deserves the serious
study of any person who respects intelligence. Which
reminds us that the Central Conference of American
Rabbis has had this matter of Jewish Science under
consideration for several years. The rabbis of the
movement have been invited to come and explain their
tenets to the conference and committees have been ap-
pointed to study it and make reports. It seems to us
that the Central Conference can well afford to treat
Jewish Science and its practitioners as a nuisance and
come out flatly against it. To give it serious study is
really beneath the dignity of such a body. There is
nothing to be gained by treating it as something worthy
of study. As a religion it is insultingly presumptious
and as a science it is peurile and ridiculous. Its expon-
ents are not men who are distinguished either for their
religious learning or their scientific knowledge. And
its followers are not notable for their intelligence, how-
ever much they may boast of their religious zeal. The
whole thing is unJewish and if it is religious at all it
is religious only in the antiquated fashion of the blind
zealot and the mystery-monger.

Dr. Frankln On Unity.
Dr. Leo M. Franklin in his Rosh Hashonah sermon,

"The Saving Remnant," arrived at some interesting con-
clusions with regard to the problem of unity in Israel.
After defining the two diametrically opposed view-
points of the blind optimist and the blind pessimist, he
describes the attitude of the third, intermediate group
who look at life neither as a Mayfair nor as a tragedy,
who sees in human beings neither all saints nor all de-
mons, who look upon the good where there is good and
are not afraid to face the evil where it exists and call

it by its name."
It is to this group that Dr. Franklin points as the

saviors of Judaism.

The one means of salvation is that which your sane, in-
telligent, thoughtful Jew stands for, namely, consecration
---consecration to a mission to which through the centuries
the Jey has been destined by God. Translated into the
simplest of terms, this means that the Jew living among
men and learning from them, shall also be their spiritual
teacher. It means that Judaism and Americanism, that
Judaism and humanitarianism, that Judaism and clearness
of thought on social, economic and moral problems, that Ju-
daism and progress, that Judaism and mental and spiritual
growth, stand not in opposition each to the other, but that
they are in every case complementary terms pointing to
one program and to one ultimate ideal.

And then, raising the question, "Where shall that
saving remnant within the House of Israel be found to-
day," he answers:

Let it be said at once that no single group among the
Jews can claim it uniquely as its own. For you shall find
the devoted few among the Liberals, and you shall find
them equally among the orthodox. Once and for all let it
be realized that salvation for the Jew lies with no sect
nor party, but it lies with those Jews—whatever be their
shades or difference in religious interpretation—who intel-
ligently and devotedly, and even sacrificially, live out the
faith that they profess. Intelligence is not all with the so-
called Liberal, and loyalty is not all with the so-called Con-
servative.

It is quite possible that the unity Dr. Franklin refers
to is, in fact, the only unity that we can expect at the
present time. It is not the unity of ideas and the unity
of purpose but it is, at least. the unity of mutual respect
and mutual helpfulness. If there must be groups and
factions let them recognize that so far as the salvation
of the Jew is concerned, "no single group can claim it
uniquely as its own." That is not the unity that answers
to our highest aspirations but it is unity enough for
peace in Israel and co-operation in the interests of the
common welfare. Dr. Franklin's sermon was both a
challenge and an invitation. Let us hope that other
groups will accept the challenge and answer the invita-
tion in the spirit of brotherhood.

Forget Zurich.
Ever since the Conference on Jewish Rights ended
at Zurich there has been a constant stream of publicity
and propaganda emanating from the American Jewish
Congress all of which is plainly intended to create the
impression that the conference was a huge success.
The sponsors of the meeting seem to sense that the thing
did not come off with quite as much flash as they ex-
pected, so they are now busy trying to impress the Jew-
ish public with what took place at Zurich. It almost
looks as if they were themselves conscious of the fact
that nothing much really took place but are trying to
convince themselves as well as the public that the con-
ference was an event of the first magnitude.
We had occasion to comment on the Zurich confer-
ence in these columns both before and after it was held.
Our sentiments were with its sponsors before the meet-
ing in spite of the fact that Jewish opinion in America
was plainly against it. After the conference was over
we commented as follows on its results:

We have no great faith ourselves in the efficacy of
resolutions. But we are willing to wait and Mir what the
Council of Jewish Rights can do. The personnel of the coun-
cil and its praesidium is of a high character. The issues that
this council will be expected to raise are clear and well de-
fined. It cause rests upon the foundation of the peace treat-
ies— not too secure a foundation, of course—but a good deal
better than mere opinion. It can accomplish much if it acts
wisely and vigorously.

We see no reason now to change our view of the
matter. Partisan propaganda that seeks to pump new
life into an event weeks after it transpired is only an
attempt to take the press by storm. Let the newly cre-
ated Council on Jewish Rights get busy and accomplish
something instead of trying to revive interest in the
Zurich conference. We still believe that much can be
accomplished if the proper effort is made.

History of Beth El College

An Interview

With RABBI LEON FRAM

Now I suppose that Charles A. Levine is happy, hav-
ing kissed the Pope's ring. It must have been a very tu-
teresting visit for the Pontiff. It sems that Mr. Levine,
according to his own testimony, was "completely flabber-
gasted." In fact, during his audience with the Pope, he
didn't say a word, which left the conversation ball en-
tirely in the Pope's hands (or mouth). The result was
that. after three minutes, the Pope became exhausted
and the interview was at an end. In view of ibis, Mr.
Levine's observation that "the Pope is a great man" is
very illuminating.

It takes some time to meet all the Jewish notables in
this country. In the past 25 years I have been able to
cover considerable territory, but there is still much to
be discovered. This week, thanks to Leo Lehman of
Pittsburgh, I was fortunate in having the opportunity to
meet two very worth-while members of American Jewry.
One was S. L. Rothafel, usually known as "Rosy,"
and the other, Dr. Morris Fishbein, the famous Chicago
physician and editor of the American Medical Associa-
tion.

Rosy is a genuine idealist and a credit to any people.
In fact, he is so saturated with sentiment that I imagine
as a matter of safety he wears a raincoat, a pair of
rubber boots and a life preserver. I fancy that if he
had decided to take up acting he would have been a
second David Winfield. Ilia career has been another
romance. Fifteen years ago he was a bartender earning
$15 a week. Today he is a nationaly-known figure and
has been one of the constructive factors in the develop-
ment of broadcasting. In addition he has given to the
country movie houses with souls. Ile has a fine appre-
ciation of the beautiful in human rlationships as well no
in the world of art. S. L. Rothafel is a rare personality
and I for one feel privileged to have made his acquaint-
anceship.

Dr. Fishbein is a genius. Ile may not know it, but
he is. And while he undoubtedly has the capacity for
taking infinite pains, which is one of the earmarks of
genius, yet I feel that he was born with the spark of
genius. Here we have a man only 38 or 3i) years of
age who has attained an outstanding position as a medical
writer. Only one in the writing profession can appreciate
the amazing industry of this man. In addition to editing
two important magazines, he contributes daily articles
on medical subjects in a score or more leading newspa-
pers, he is a prolific writer of magazine articles. And
he finds time to travel all over the country addressing
medical societies and conventions. And in his spare time
he writes books and fights quacks. The only fault I have
to find with him is that he persists in having a name that
is constantly confused in my mind with Dr. Maurice
Fishberg, another distinguished Jewish medical authority.
•
•

James N. ("Jimmy") Rosenberg has finally writ-
ten a book. He simply couldn't escape it. Being a
lawyer, an artist, a playwright, a publicist, an investi-
gator for the Joint Distribution Committee, an orator,
there was nothing else left for him to do but to write a
book. So we have "On the Steppes: A Russian Diary,"
with a foreword by Louis Marshall. Alfred Knopf is the
publisher.

The Jews are not the only ones who have complaints
to make about the lack of religious faith on the part of
college students. Here we have a statement made by
Dr. H. H. Sweet, secretary of the education committee
of the Presbyterian Church South, which shows an ap-
palling condition:

We have been working on the supposition that
great numbers of college students were honestly
disturbed by the facts of science and the like, and
that it was up to the church to set them rgiht. The
fact is far worse than that. Ninety-one and one-
half per cent of the students in our colleges today
are simply indifferent to the spiritual verities. To
them religion is something of a bygone age.

Another argument in favor of the Hillel Foundation
for the Jewish youth in our colleges.

We can see no good in the mischievous suggestion of
Dr. Jacob Katz, Jewish chaplain at Sing Sing Prison, that
there be established in New York City a Jewish high
school. Ile states that two prominent officials of New
York pre in favor of it and that a mass meeting will be
\ held this month to further the idea. Besides the regular
high school course, the curriculum would include a spy.
cial course in Ilebrew, Bible and Jewish literature. If
we Jews are interested in further separating ourselves
from American life, then we are on the right track with
this idea of parochial. Once establish a Jewish high
school, then we shall have Jewish grade schools and Jew-
ish colleges and universities. Dr. Katz and short-sighted
New York Jews may desire them; I am unalterably op-
posed to this un-American program.

The Literary Digest picked this one out of John Bull's
Summer Annual, and it's the best of its kind that I have
seen in a long time:

Shem: "Ac have a pair of everything on
board, haven't we?"
Noah: "Yes, we have."
Sham: "Well, I hope you are right. I can't
find my swimming pants anywhere."

A writer in the new Jewish monthly, the Reflex, dis-
cusses the Jewish situation in Italy under Mussolini. And
the net result of his statements seems to be that the
Jews are as well off under the present regime as at any
other time. Italy has never been fruitful soil for anti-
Semitism and there is no indication that it is likely to
take root now. Mussolini is quoted in an interview with
Professor Sacerdoti, who had become alarmed because
certain foreign anti-Semites had gone to the Duce, as
follows:

The Italian government is not anti-Semitic,
nor does it practice anti-Semitism. . . . I refused
to receive Hitler (the Bavarian Jew-baiter) and
the Bavarian papers printed that I had sold myself
to the Jews. When they will know what I am
telling you now, they will say that I have become
a Jew altogether.

It's queer, but I can never "warm up" to dictators.
When a man is a dictator he just has to dictate or he
out of practice. Mussolini is one man today and
another man tomorrow, depending of course . upon his
mood. He seems temperamental and I have a vague sus-
picion that sometimes he is for and sometimes against.
One very important member of Italian Jewry, whose
name obviously I cannot quote, told me that Mussolini
uses human beings like pawns and when it serves his pur-
pose to be nice, he is nice, and when it doesn't, he isn't
so nice. When he needs the Jews, then he is very
friendly. But sometimes he has shown himself to be
not so friendly. At any rate, I repeat, I do not like dic-
tators. I would just as soon trust the welfare of a coun-
try o a grand opera star. However I am glad to read an
encouraging article on the Jewish situation in Italy.

gets

I

•

see where they are going to hold another confer-
ence in Chicago, on Oct. 22. It is to be a Constructive
Relief Conference of the Joint Distribution Committee.
Its purpose is to keep the leaders in American Jewry ad-
vised of the work that is being done with the money that
has been contributed; work both of a permanent and a
temporary character. It will probably be used to show
Mr. Stever that he was mistaken. There is no doubt
but that the most intensive efforts are needed to keep
alive interest in the foreign-relief work. A grat deal of
money subscribed has not yet been paid in and those re-
sponsible for the job are not going to let the public for-
get to pay. This conference looks to me like a pep meet-
ing to re-wind the leaders so they can go back and en-
thuse their local groups with the work that's being done
in Russia.

Whether we agree with the programs of our leaders
or not. there is one thing that must be said, they surely
do invest an amazing amount of time and energy in pub.
tic service. Of course, we have the professional leader
and worker, to whom all this is bread and meat. But
'`ere are others who sacrifice time and give freely of
themselves because they feel it is a duty.

In view of the approaching
'poling session of Beth El College
of Jewish Studies and in view of
he great amount of interest Beth
El College has aroused in educe-
Ulnal circles, a representative of
The Detroit Jewish Chronicle in-
erviewed Rabbi Front, the direc-
or of the College, this week.
"How did the idea of establish•
'ng Beth El College of Jewish
Studies originally come to you?"
asked the interviewer.
"It was not my own idea at all,"
answered Rabbi Frani. "The idea
was brought to me by other peo-
ple. Beth El College was estab-
lished because people asked for it."
"A'hat sort of people," he was
asked, "came to you to suggest
the opening of such a school?"
We were curious to know what
motives could have prompted the
men and women who wanted such
a school.
"The idea came principally,"
the rabbi answered, "from young
men and women who had heard of
Jewish culture and Jewish contri-
butions to literature and to civiliz-
ation and yet found themselves to-
tally ignorant of these things.
They wanted something like a sys-
tematic introduction to these •ew-
ish values, about which they had
read in every newspaper and mag-
azine and which somehow they had
missed, although they were other-
wisfe educated and intellectually
alert people.
"I believe this group of young
men and women," said the direc-
tor, "still forms the majority of
the student body of Beth El Col-
lege.
"Others, however, came from
more practical motives. There
were, for instance, young parents
whose children were asking them
qustions about religion, about the
Bible, about anti-Semitism, about
differences between Orthodox and
Reform Judaism, and who found
themselves embarrassed that they
could not give the information
which their children naively ex-
pected of them. They were de-
termined to become better in-
formed on Jewish history and on
the facts of Jewish religion.
"Several women had under-
taken to lead clubs of Jewish boys
and girls in the Oakland and in
the Fenkell districts. They want-
ed their clubs to have form
of Jewish activity, for they were
well aware of the educational prin-
ciple that the appeal to group
ideals is extremely effective with
children. When they discovered
how ill-equipped they were to dis-
cuss even a single Jewish problem
with their young charges, they ap-
proached me at the close of one of
the Saturday services and asked me
if the temple would not offer some
courses that would enable them
competently to handle this prob-
lem.
Then there were a large number
of young men and women who ap-
plied fur positions as teachers in
our Religious School and who had
absolutely no training for teaching
and no background of Jewish
knowledge from which to teach.
There was a time when the Jewish
Religious School was in such straits
that it had to accep such applicants
whose only qualification for teach-
ing was their willingness. When I
told them that a Religious School
teacher ought to be as well pre-
pared for her work as a public
school teacher, they immediately
asked, 'Well, what school can we go
to for such preparation?' The
answer was the foundling of Beth
El College of Jewish Studies."
"How many pupils were enrolled
in the original opening of Beth El
College?"
"We were completely surprised,
Dr. Franklin snit I did not expect
more than about 75 pupils. A hat
was our astonishment when as
many as 300 came for registration
—among them quite a number of
non-Jews,"
"What was the enrollment the
second year?"
"The enrollment was 250, but the
fall from 300 to 250 can by no
means be taken as a falling-off of
interest. It actually represented
an increase in interest. Of the 300
who came at the original opening,
quite a number came for the sheer
novelty of the thing and &quasi
out when the novelty was over. The
people who came the second year
came for business, that is, for ac-
tual learning rather than out of
mere curiosity, and they stayed
throughout the season."
"What is the most popular course
at the college?"
"The question is not accurately
put. since with the exception of the

course in "Methods of Teaching,
which is standardized, the courses
offered \ ery year ate different. It
is extremely interesting, though, t
note that the largest attendance is
attracted to the courses in religin
—such as the course in "Jewish Ro
ligion" given the first year, an
"Comparative Religion," the st'c
and year. These courses are give
by Dr. Leo M. Franklin who is fol
lowing them up this season with
course in "Comparative Ethics'
"Next in popularity to the sours
es in religion are the courses is
Jewish history, such as 'Ancient
Jewish History' given the firs
year, and 'Modern Jewi s h Hi s t ory
given last year. These course s ari
given by myself, and I oat follow
ing them up this year with an
unique course' in 'Current Jew kl
History.''' In this course, Rah
hi Leon Frans will take up Jewish
news front all over the world as it
comes straight from the press, an,
especially from that Jewish daily
paper called the Jewish Daily Bul-
letin and will give the class tla
complete historical background by
which alone the latest events can
be fully understood.
"In what courses is the most in-
tensive work dune?"
"The course in 'Methods of
Teaching' and the course in 'Club
Leadership' call fur intensive work
in the class-room and field work
under supervision. Besides the
smaller groups that take up 'Bible
Literature' and 'Post-Biblical Jew-
lob Literature are also sufficiently
interested to do special readings
outside of the class-room work. In
all of these more intensive courses,
some very tine papers have been
handed in by the students.
"Miss Pike, who teaches the
course in Ilebrew, points with
pride to the fact that her begin-
ners have mastered the elements
of Ilebrew in the tours of one sea-
son of 30 lessons. She is busy de-
veloping, an advanced class in He-
brew."
"Is the college self-supporting,"
we wondered since it is quite un-
usual for a congregation to under-
take the burden of an elaborate in-
stitution of that nature.
"Up to this season, when there
was only a blanket registration fee
of two dollars, the college was not
self-supporting, but we hope with
the new arrangements this year,
namely, a registration fee of two
dollars per course, the college will
become financially independent of
any contributions from the temple.
In order to achieve this independ-
ence, it will also be necesary for the
students to make sonic special con- sk:
tribution to pay for the special lec-
tures by eminent scholars which are
a feature of the college. When I
estimate that if each student makes
a voluntary contribution of one dol-
lar, the expenses of the four or
five lecturers whom we will engage
will be more than covered."
"Are the sessions held on Mon-
day night only?"
"Thus far the college has only
one session a week. In the future,
we may develop a more intensive
course for special students which
will call for more than one session
a week. At present we have an ad-
ditional session on Tuesday after-
noon for women who prefer to come
to study in the afternoon rather
than at night. The women are giv-
en the opportunity to choose any
two of the courses offered by the
college on Monday night to he giv-
en them on Tuesday afternoon."
"We have heard the announce-
ment of a graduating class this
year. How large a class is it to
be?"
"I hope the community has not
been led into expecting a large
class. The graduating class will
probably consist of a small number
of students who wish to have the
teacher's certificate that will en-
title them to teach in the School of
Religion of Temple Beth El and in
other schools. Some of the more
general students will probably wish
to join them, but I don't expect a
class on any more than 10. But
even this graduation of a group of
10 will be an epoch-making event in
the history of adult Jewish educa-
tion in the city of Detroit."
"Is Beth El College unique?"
no other school like it in the coun-
try. If it is no longer unique n o w,
"When Beth El College seas
opened, there was, as far as I know,
it is because its example has be-
come followed in many other com-
munities. We are constantly re-
ceiving inquiries, and constantly
receiving letters of thanks from
congregations and communities
which, encouraged by our example,
started such schools and are meet-
ing with success."

Talmud Torahs, Here and Elsewhere

By Norwell

(Editor's Note:—Norwell Sin-
bin , the 15-year-old son of S. K.
Slobin, Detroit merchant, is a
senior in the high school of the
United Hebrew Schools.)

About a year ago I was given
the oportunity to go West. I
came to a city of the same size as
Detroit. I looked for Jews there
and found them immediately, for
how can Jews disguise themselves?
But when I started looking for
Talmud Torahs, I found my search
to be of a sort altogether differ-
ent, for Talmud Torahs do disguise
themselves, especially in the West.
Some are called by one name,
some by another; some are in the
house of the teachers, and some
are in the house of the pupils;
some of them are in old basements,
and some of them are in Owls, and
some of them are in both at the
same time.
Finally, Got zu danken, I found
a nice, rich neighborhood where
there was a nice rich shut. In this
nice, rich shul, there was a nice,
rich Talmud Torah (I cant re-
member just under what fancy ap-
pellation they hid that simple

Slobin.

term). Rut, alas, in this nice, rich
Talmud Torah, the Hebrew they
taught was poor, which is not no
nice. But I did not find this out
about the Ilebrew until I visited
the Talmud Torah (how old-fash-
ioned of me to stick to so mean a
name!).
When I came to the rooms
where classes were supposed to be
held (I was almost going to say
"classrooms") what I really found
was two teachers, sitting on desks
and chatting, while a few children
(again i almost let my pen slip-
! was about to say "pupils") w,se
sitting at far corners of the room,
and yawning. I thought that per-
haps I had misunderstood the time
when classes were supposed to
meet. I was just going to leave.
intending to come at sonic more
opportune time. One of the char-
acters (I did let my pen slip this
time—I meant to say "teachers")
spied me, asked me who I was,
where I came from and what I
wanted. Seeing that encore was
impos•ible, I told him that I was a
Hebrew student, that I came from

(Turn to next

Sr ,

page.)

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