February 21, 1941
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle
I 0
Campaign Endorsed by Judge Harry B. Keidan The Yeshivah—A
I heartily approve the move-
ment to raise funds for a build-
ing to house the activities of the
Yeshivath Beth Yehudah and to
make possible the broadening of
the educational program under-
taken by the school under the
gram of the Yeshivath Beth Ye-
hudah, Detroit Jews will also have
the privilege of paying full honor
to the memory of the man whose
name the Yeshivah bears. The
late Rabbi Yehudah L. Levin was
a man who typified the Jewish
spirit at its highest and at its
best. He was not only a profound
scholar but a saintly man whose
every thought and act sought to
attain the religious ideal of the
Prophet Micah. For Rabbi Levin,
whom I knew for many years and
the recollection of whose friend-
ship I reverently cherish, always
acted justly, loved mercy and
walked humbly with his God.
Community Asset
By PROF. SAMUEL M. LEVIN
Of Wayne University
A quarter of a century has
passed since the institution now
known as the Yeshivath Beth Ye-
hudah began, in a modest way,
its vital program of Jewish edu-
cation. Despite the limited re-
sources at its disposal, it has car-
A Message from
Head of Mizrachi
By LEON GELLMAN
President, Mizrachi Organization
of America
JUDGE HARRY B. KEIDAN
leadership of Dr. Samson R.
Weiss, its new director.
Learning is an historic ideal
of the Jewish people. Everyone
interested in spreading a knowl-
edge of and love for Judaism and
for the sacred literature created
by the Jewish religious genius
should welcome a part in the
campaign which the Yeshivath has
inaugurated.
Every large Jewish community
should consider it a duty not only
to offer a minimal religious edu-
cation for every Jewish child but
also to provide facilities for those
who would pursue higher Jewish
studies. Detroit should at least be
on a par with other communities
in this highly important espect.
In helping to realize the pro-
I am doubly happy to learn
that the Yeshivath Beth Yehudah
is preparing to erect its own build-
ing. At this time, when destruc-
tion has beset our great houses of
Torah, it is our duty—in the
only land wherein Jews now en-
joy full freedom and justice—
to replace these abiding places of
the Lord.
The enemies of all mankind
have determined not alone to de-
stroy Israel's economic and po-
litical existence, but particularly
to break up our spiritual life.
Our only answer is, Back to
Judaism, to Torah.
But the Detroit project has for
me a further significance. For it
bears the name of the distinguish-
ed rabbi we all so highly es-
teemed, a founder of American
Mizrachi, Rabbi Yehudah L. Levin.
This is the most suitable monu-
ment to his memory—for his en-
tire life was bound up with Tor-
ah in its highest sense.
May you go from strength to
strength, and serve as exemplar
for all the orthodox communities
of America.
PROF. S. M. LEVIN
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF
YESHIVATH BETH YEHUDAH
By RABBI MAX J. WOHLGELERNTER
Chairman, Board of Education
The Hebrew Talmudical Acad-
emy Yeshivath Beth Yehudah
aims to give its students an in-
tensive training in Torah, and
to prepare them for Jewish living
in conformity with its Law. Ye-
shiva education, therefore, has a
two-fold purpose: to impart the
knowledge of Bible and Talmud,
and to develop a healthy Jewish
personality. These objectives are
realized by means of a thoroughly
integrated curriculum and of ex-
tra-curricular activities in a max-
imum number of hours.
Instruction at the Yeshiva is
closely related to Jewish religious
and communal life and to the
problems confronting American
Jewish youth. The pupil enter-
ing the school is immediately in-
troduced to such questions of prac-
tice as the ritual of the synagogue,
the laws of the Sabbath and the
festivals, the ethical demands Ju-
daism makes upon individual con-
duct, and his intellectual curiosity
is aroused to hold his interest
continuously. The long-term course
of study at the Yeshiva, in an
atmosphere conducive to the cre-
ation of a "felt need" for the sub-
jects taught, makes a high degree
of educational achievement pos-
sible.
Yeshivoth are not preparatory
schools for the rabbinate or other
religious callings, although their
graduates are equipped to pursue
such professional courses. The
motivating principle of these acad-
emies has always been that an
introduction to Torah and Mitz-
vah is the natural right of every
Jewish child, and that this "learn-
ing" is a life-long process which
must be 'continued through the
years, even after graduation.
American Yeshivoth are heirs to
the historical institution—the long
RABBI M. WOHLGELERNTER
unbroken chain of Torah-acad-
emies from Yavne through Pum-
beditha, Volozin and Slabodka-
which, more than any other single
factor, has been responsible for
the perpetuation of our people
and its ideals, The establishment
of these centers in many Jewish
communities of the United States
and Canada is evidence to the
eternity of Israel. Not the least of
their achievements is the provision
of new homes for the exiled schol-
ars and students of war-torn
Yeshivoth.
vied on zealously and unswerv-
ingly, bringing more and more
students within the compass of
its activities, improving its peda-
gogical techniques, and retaining
the services of a staff of schol-
arly and devoted instructors. So
marked has the demand for the
Yeshivah's Founder
Yeshivah's services become, that
(Continued from Preceding Page)
a more than 100 per cent in-
institutions of learning will prove
crease in the present enrollment
that almost all of the leading
of 115 students is anticipated by
personalities, whose names add
June, 1942, provided the proposed
lustre to the glory of our people
construction program for a new
and whose intellectual activity as-
sures the continuity of Jewish
and up-to-date building with the
thought, are alumni of institutions
By RABBI MOSES FISCHER
other accompanying requirements
whose program is in essence simi-
important communal leaders for
The reorganization and enlarge- in all the great centers of Jewish for a larger and more aspiring
Detroit and elsewhere. A number
ment of Yeshivah Beth Yehudah- life with the manifestation of the institution, are successfully finan-
greatest
sacred,
sacrificial
joy
of its graduates have completed
a high school for the study of
ced.
on
the
part
of
the
great
Jewish
their studies in the theological
the Bible, the Talmud and affil-
The very success of the Ye-
seminaries of Chicago and New
iated sacred literature, will not masses.
shivah up to this point is a signal
York and are now serving as rab-
It is to be expected that in the affirmation of its significant role
fail to call forth the greatest joy
bis or teachers. A glance at the
and satisfaction in the hearts of future history of Jewish educa- in the life of the Detroit Jewish
list of our alumni, and of the
all the lovers of the Torah and tion in Detroit there shall prevail community. The benefits to hun-
graduates who are at present en-
of traditional Jewish education, the most hearty co-operation and dreds of our young people are
rolled in rabbinical colleges, will
further, in the hearts of all loyal collaboration between the two obvious. The Yeshivah enables
illustrate the importance and ef-
adherents and observers of the great educational systems; be- them to associate themselves with
fectiveness of the work (lone by
"Jewish Way and Discipline of tween the United Hebrew Schools that rich heritage of Jewish learn-
and the Yeshivah, both of which ing, ideals, and creativeness,
Yeshivath Beth Yehudah.
Life."
It is indeed true—and none have a rich and promising field which, through generations of
III
shall dare to deny and to ques- for their activities.
Pace of Scholarship in American
time, has kept the Jewish spirit
tion the verity of it—that the
The U. H. S. appeals firstly to alive. It offers them an opportun-
Jewish Life.
United Hebrew Schools with its the thousands of thousands of ity to acquire a knowledge of the
A survey of American Jewish
branches planted in all the re- Jewish children—in fact the great thought and ethical and spiritual
lar to that of Yeshivath Beth Ye-
gions of Jewish population, have majority of the future generation contributions that constitute the RABBI YEHUDAH L. LEVIN hudah. A large percentage of the
earned never-to-be-forgotten credit —who would not give up and essence of the Jewish religion
leading figures in all fields of
in and round the field of Jewish devote daily 3-4 hours to their and culture. In doing this, it is,
Rabbi Yehudah L. Levin, foun- Jewish culture comes from Lith-
education in Detroit; it is also Hebrew studies, whose parents— moreover, helping to imbue the der of Yeshivath Beth Yehudah, unanian and Polish Yeshivoth.
who may be loyal and devoted minds of our young people with was one of the most active and Quite a number of the younger
Jews otherwise—do not care and a better understanding of their
generation of Jewish scholars and
do not desire that their children worth and dignity as Jews (espe- most influential rabbis of Ameri- thinkers were educated in Ameri-
shall study the Talmud, the legal cially important in this period of can Jewry. He was instrumental can Yeshivoth.
Jewish literature, but who are savage onslaught against Jewish in the organization of the Ameri-
The perpetuation of scholarship
eager and desire with all their life and values), with a feeling can Mizrachi and the Union of is. one of the noblest aims of
hearts, that their children shall of self respect and belonging-
Jewish communal life, The guar-
have a fundamental knowledge of ness, and a more telling recogni- Orthodox Rabbis of United States antee that American Jewish com-
the Bible, the Hebrew language, tion of the responsibilities that and Canada.
munities will continue their nor-
the history of Israel and that their face them as Jews and as citi-
In Detroit he was among the mal development in years to come,
-hildrcn be saturated with noble zen• of this country.
first to promote the idea of the rests upon their ability to pro-
Jewish pride and sacrificial love
Though the Yeshivah is ortho- United Hebrew Schools. He was duce en who are interested in
to Palestine—this great host of dox in its outlook and approach, it
and v• Bing to devote their time
Jewish disciples will find in the is, in truth, a community asset. recognized as the leader of De- to aNit anced Jewish learning, in
United Hebrew Schools and only The learning and scholarship that troit Orthodox Jewry. His book the N . dest application of the
in the United Hebrew Schools the have marked the orthodox tradi- "Aderedt Ve'Emunah" in two vol- term.
rich, modern pedagogic supply of tion, cannot be separated from
IV
Jewish knowledge and Jewish the rest of Jewish life. Nor can umes, is widely used by rabbis and Community Responsibility for the
ideals of which they are in dire the community ignore the fact scholars. After his death, the Ye-
Yeshivah
need.
that the Yeshivah is a potent in- shivah was called Beth Yehudah
Notwithstanding the fact that
The Yeshivah, in turn, shall fluence for the continuity of the ("House of Yehudah") to per- within the Jewish community of
appeal—if permitted to express my- Jewish tradition, and a significant petuate his memory.
Detroit, as in the case in other
self that way—to the "elect" of our factor in the training of future
cities, there are various shades
of adherence to Jewish tradition,
youth, who would devote a great teachers, rabbis and communal
part of the day—after passing leaders. (Some of its graduates
no o ne will dispute the fact that
their secular general curriculum are already holding teaching and t'•e University Do•pat, Estonia. an institution producing men of
Talmudical
studies
at
the
Ye
RABBI MOSES FISCHER
- character and knowledge, year
—to the study of the Torah with rabbinical positions.)
Chairman, Detroit Council of
To be able to reach its goal shivar of Mir, Poland. Rabbinical after year, must be regarded as
all that this word implies, whose
ordination
from
the
Talmudical
one of the essential and most
Orthodox Rabbis
parents—like Hanna—pray that of wider service to the commun-
of Mir, Bratislava and valuable assets to Jewish com-
undeniably true that thousands their children shall be versed in ity, the Yeshivah needs the finan- Academies
th‘? Rabbinical Seminary of Ber- munal life.
and thousands of our best Jewish the golden wisdom of Hillel, Jo-
troit
Jewry.
I
sincerely
hope
the
gin•
Descendant of old rabbinical
As a center of learning and a
youth—yea, of our young man- chanan ben Zakkai and Akiba, be cial support of all classes of De-
of the famous home for the development of fu-
hood and womanhood in Detroit, learned in the discussion of Abaia co-operation will be wholehearted family.
Grandson
Rabbi Isaac Schweiger, knowns
a. lure H b
scnocars an com-
have drawn their Jewish consci- and Raba, through whom the an- and generous.
h th Yi zca.
h k " munal leaders,
t h eacuetp h • of "Birca
Yeshivath Beth
ousness, their Jewish inspiration cient Jewish lore shall bud and
Accepted
o
at the age of 24 the Yehudah dezerves the utmost sup-
and knowledge from the rich wells blossom forth in free America,
call c to head the Wuerzburg Or- port from the community. Recog-
call
of the U. H. Schools—yet, on the and strengthen, renew and re-
thodox Teachers' Seminary, the nition by the heads of organized
they hand, it is no less true, build the fiber of Israel.
only educational institution left Jewry of their paramount duty
May the rejuvenated Yeshivah
that the movement to re-establish
by the Nazi regime for the entire in developing a group of succes-
the ancient and truly original in- and the United Hebrew Schools,
Rabbi Dr. Samson R. Weiss, German Jewry, and held this posi- sors to the leaders of today and
stitutions of learning; the Ye- like the golden Cherubim in the
shivoth for the study of both Sanctuary turn their faces with dean of Yeshivath Beth Yehudah, tion till the destruction of the of their desponsibility in pi ovid-
the written and oral law, with brotherly love toward each other, was born in 1910 in Emden, Ger- seminary in November, 1938. ing for the furtherance of Jewish
its strict discipline of an austere spreading their luminous wings many. High school and college Many of his pupils are now culture and Jewish contributions
and genuine Jewish life and the over the sacred ark of Jewish education in Breslau and Berlin. Nerving in this country as teach- to civilization, should motivate
practice of the law and command- education and raise and bring up Germany. Bachelor of Law and ers and spiritual leaders. Comes them to provide Yeshivath Beth
ment—I repeat that is an undo- a generation who shall truly Economics, University of Zurich, to Detroit from Baltimore, Md., Yehudah with adequate physical
niable fact that the re-establish- know God. love Israel and serve Switzerland; M. A. in Philosophy where he served as professor at facilities and the means for effi-
and Doctor of Hebrew Science of the Rabbinical College Ner Israel. cient operation.
ment of the Yeshivoth was met mankind.
WEISS
"YESHIVATH BETH YEHUDAH"
Dean of Yeshivah