)41

I

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle

•January 10, 1941

P urely Commentary

•

Binoculars—Not to Trap Refugees

Bernard Richards' "Information Bureau"

Leon Kay, ardent Zionist, supporter of the Jew-
ish Congress movement, is contributing a set of
binoculars to be shipped by the American Jewish
Congress to Great Britain to aid the civilian
population in the defense of the country. But
Mr. Kay has a condition: he wants these binocu-
lars to go to England, not to the coast guards
in Palestine for trapping unfortunate Jews who
are in search of a haven of refuge but who are
being shipped elsewhere mercilessly by an unjust
administration in Palestine.
We applaud Mr. Kay's sentiment. Like the
rest of us, he is prepared to aid Great Britain to
the very limit, but he resents the injustice per-
petrated by the British in Palestine. We sub-
scribe wholeheartedly to his views.

The approach of the Allied Jewish Campaign
will introduce discussions regarding the relative
merits of agencies applying for allocations in
Detroit's annual community fund-raising effort.
Among the national organizations receiving aid
from the Detroit drive are educational groups
which devote themselves to the cause of public
relations, with emphasis on research work and
the dissemination of facts intended to disprove
libels.
Bernard G. Richards' Jewish Information Bu-
reau, on whose advisory board are outstanding
Jewish leaders and educators, is an agency not
included in the campaign but whose merits should
be explored for possible inclusion in the Allied
Jewish Campaign.
Mr. Richards has rendered important service
to the American Jewish community during the
past 35 years. His "Discourses of Keidansky,"
the republishing of which we have encouraged in
this column a short time ago, may be said to
have been among the first—and best—works
in defense of the Jewish position in this country.
During the past three decades, Mr. Richards had
been active in educational movements and in ef-
forts on the defense front. As the first execu-
tive secretary of the American Jewish Congress
he was a member of the American Jewish dele-
gation to the Peace Conference.
Through the Jewish Information Bureau, he
has disseminated important information and val-
uable literature on the Jewish question. He is
today engaged, almost single-handedly, in fur-
thering this work. He receives little support,
and the main income of .his Bureau conies from
contributions from several score of individuals.
Encouragement from communities like Detroit
would go a long way in helping him expand his
work and in bettering the activities carried on
at present.
There is this to be said in favor of our fact-
finding agencies: It is not enough that they
spread the truth among non-Jews; Jews must
also be kept informed on the truth of existing
situations. Mr. Richards is one of the men who
are best suited for such work, and we urge
that the Allied Jewish Campaign consider seri-
ously the advisability of allocating a small fund
to the Jewish Information Bureau.

•

"Every Man Is Obliged to Study Torah"

Those who are disturbed because only a frac-
tion of our youth gets the benefits of a Jewish
education will do well to delve deeply into the
problem, and they may discover the cause of the
ailment.
Nearly 800 years ago, the great Jewish teacher
Maimonides said:
"Every man of Israel is obliged to study
the Torah, be he poor or rich, well or af-
flicted, young or very old and feeble; even
a poor man living on charity and going about
seeking alms, or one who has the care of a
wife and children, must set apart periods,
day and night, for the study of the Torah.
And this he must do until the day of his
death. For, whenever he fails to devote him-
self to study, he is sure to forget."
When Jews adhered to this principle, there was
no such thing as a problem of Jewish education.
In the home in which the father studies the
Torah and the mother encourages it, the children
are also concerned, and to them Jewish studies
are a natural part of their lives,
But today, under conditions which make the
Bar Mitzvah ceremonies the maximum require-
ment for the average child, the man who studies
is the extreme exception to the rule.
Jews, today, are not only "sure to forget,"—
they have forgotten their heritage. Why expect
more from their children?
For the cure, you must go to the home. You
must make the center of Jewish influence con-
scious of its heritage and deeply concerned over
the heritage of the People of the Book. We must
go back to fundamentals. When the parent be-
comes consciously and sincerely devoted to Jewish
learning, the child will follow in his footsteps.
Until that time, there is continued danger that
only the minority will carry on our traditions.
•

Detroit's Record in J. N. F. Work

The Jewish National Fund News Bulletin, pub-
lished nationally by the Zionist land redemption
agency, reveals that Detroit leads the country at
large in contributions for the past year. This city's
contributions to the fund were $23,425.44 for
5700, as compared with $15,802.75 for 5699 and
$10,432,55 for 5698. This is a marvelous record,
due in the main to the efforts of the Ladies'
Auxiliary of the Jewish National Fund, which
raised more than forty per cent of the total in-
come. More power to the idealistic women who
are translating their enthusiasm into practical
results.

•

The Nazis Hard at Work

Pro-Nazis in this country are hard at work
to accomplish their end of dealing a death blow
to democracy.
For the first time since the outbreak of the
war, we heard a few people hissing England and
applauding Hitler during the showing of the
March of Time British RAF film.
At the meeting of the America First Committee
in Chicago on Dec. 23, there was a disturbance
when Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" was to
be sung, and the pro-Nazi element won by sup-
pressing the song by the Jewish composer. It
was the first Nazi victory in this country against
a Jewish author.
All of which indicates the need for strengthening
the democratic elements and of adopting a mili-
tant attitude in defense of liberty and in the
fight against Nazism.
We are confident that in the long run the pro-
Nazis will lose. But this will only be possible if
the conscious libertarians will assert themselves.
•

The Bible Reading Movement

The proposal that all important meetings be
opened with the reading of the Bible has caught
on. This movement, started by the Zionist Coun-
cil of Detroit, is gaining momentum, and at more
and more meetings we now hear the words of the
Prophets and Singers in Israel read upon the
opening of deliberations.
If only we could go a step further and have
these selections read in the original Hebrew!
How much more natural such procedure would
he! And, perhaps it would also be an inducement
for those hearing the Hebrew read to study it so
that they might understand the language of
their people.
But if it can not he in the original, let it he
in translation—as long as the Sacred Word is
not dead.
The Bible reading movement is being given im-
petus at gatherings like the Neshef Ila-Tanach
arranged by the Kvutzah Ivrith and the United
Hebrew Schools for the coming Wednesday eve-
ning. Menachem Ribalow, editor of the Hadoar,
Hebrew weekly, and Dr. A. M. Hershman, the
two scheduled speakers, are men best qualified
to encourage this movement. They should have
a good audience.

NEW YORK. (WNS) — The
three-day annual conference of
the Yiddish Scientific Institute
came to a close here with the
adoption of a proposal to con-
duct a $50,000 campaign in the
The eminent Hebrew and Yid- United States to further Yiddish
dish poet, I. I. Schwartz, who is research work.
a guest in Detroit for a few days,
will address a group of friends
at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Benjamin M. Laikin, 8360 La-
Salle Blvd., this Saturday eve-
ning.
TYLER
Author of a number of out-
5-8400
standing book of poems, and
translator of some of the best
selections from Hebrew poetry,
Mr. Schwartz is today among the
leading Jewish writers.
Another of his books will be
published soon, his friends an-
nounced this week.

Schwartz, Eminent
Poet,
to Address
By Philip Slomovitz
Group Saturday

•
The Palestine Hebrew Culture Fund

A community's liberality can be abused—and
exhausted—with too many appeals for funds. In
addition to the coordinated Allied Jewish Cam-
paign, we have so many minor appeals here, as
in other cities, that one often wonders whether
another one can be toleratd.
But our people must learn to discriminate in
favor of the most meritorious causes. Keren Ha-
tarbut, the Palestine Hebrew Culture Fund, be-
longs in -, this category. It encourages cultural
activities anct the publishing of Hebrew books
in Palestine, it\js at present undertaking the pub-
lishing in English translation of the works of
the outstanding Palestinian writers, and it pro-
vides relief for needy families of Hebrew writers
in the present crisis.
Since it is conceded that a people can not
subsist on bread alone, the cultural defense fund
acquires an unique position in our community
nianning; and since it must be recognized that
a man who is in want can not produce, the
Writers must be aided in this critical period of
Palestine's struggle for unhindered progress.
Dr. Simon Ginsburg, brilliant poet, writer and
lecturer, director of this fund, is in Detroit in
behalf of the Keren Hatarbut. He should be
given encouragement in the project in behalf
of which he is touring this country at this time.

•

George Washington Sought Good for
Entire World

If there are still people remaining who seek
isolation, who apologize every time an unfor-
fortunate person is helped in a foreign land,
who fear the movement to aid Great Britain in
removing the curse of Ilitlerism from the earth,
let them read the sentiments of none other than
George Washington. In 1791 the Father of Our
Country said:
"We do not wish to be the only people
who may taste the sweets of an equal and
good government. We look, with anxious eye,
to the time when happiness and tranquility
shall prevail and when all Europe shall be
freed from commotion', tumults and alarms."
This is even more true today-150 years after
this sentiment was uttered by our country's First
President. Its lesson should not be permitted to
go amiss.

Notable Days on Jewish Calendar

5701

Rosh Chodesh Shvat - - - - Wednesday, Jan. 29
Chamisho Osor b'Shvat - - - - Feb. 12
Rosh Chodesh Adar - - - Thursday and Friday,
Feb. 27 & 28
Feast of Esther - - - - Wednesday, March 12
Purim - -
Thursday, March 13
Rosh Chodesh Nissan - - - Saturday, March 29
Passover -
- April 12 — 19
Rcsh Chodesh Iyar - - - Sunday and Monday.
April 27 & 28
1,bg b'Omer - - - - Thursday, May IS
Rosh Chodesh Sivan - - Tuesday, May 17
Shevuos - - - Sunday and Monday, June 1 & 2
Rosh Chodesh Tammuz - Wednesday and Thurs-
day. June 25 & 26
Fast of Tammuz - - - - Sunday, July 13
Rosh Chodesh Ab - - - - Friday, July 25
Tisha b'Ab - - - - Sunday, Aug. 3
Rosh Chodesh Ellul - - - - Saturday and Sunday,
Aug. 23 & 24.

Call

Cleveland Meeting to Formulate
Fund-Raising Plans for NRS

NEW YORK. (WNS)--Lead-
ers in refugee work will come
together from every part of the
United States to attend the semi-
annual meeting of the board of
directors of the National Refugee
Service on Jan. 18 and 19 in
Cleveland, 0.
The question of financing the
1941 services of the NRS is ex-
pected to be one of the most
important problems facing the
meeting. The National Refugee
Service was one of the three
constituent agencies participating
in the fund-raising activities of
the recently dissolved United
Jewish Appeal.

Leader Marches In—
Dirt Marches Out!

•

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•IM

KADIMAH HEBREW SCHOOLS

ONE OF THE MOST MODERN IN THE STATE

NEW PUPILS NOW BEING ENROLLED
at 11812 Linwood Ave., corner Tuxedo, upstairs
SIMON RICHARDSON, Principal
Private Lessons Can Be Arranged

Transportation furnished for children who live at •
distance from the school.
For informatio n call TOwnsend 6.1698

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•

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1605 BARLUM TOWER