A merica 7ewisk Periodical &ter

CLIFTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, 01110

41

March 14, 1941

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Purely Commentary •

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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle

BETH EL COLLEGE OF JEWISH
STUDIES OPENS SPRING TERM
By Philip Slomovitz

Claude Gruenblatt-Nordau and Maxa Nordau to Address

Ittamar Ben-Avi—First Hebrew Speaking
Child of Palestine

Palestine's first Hebrew-speaking child was
Ittamar Ben-Avi, son of Eliezer Ben Yehuda,
and it will be the privilege of 2,000 women at
the 10th annual donor luncheon of the Ladies'
Auxiliary of the Jewish National Fund to hear
him on his visit to Detroit next Wednesday.
The romance connected with his name is de-
rived from family history. His father is known
as "the Father of Spoken Hebrew." When he
came to Palestine more than 50 years ago, he
insisted that only Hebrew be spoken. He was
ostracized by his neighbors, attacked by some of
them, abused by men who later became his
disciples. The results of his "obstinacy" are too
well known to need elaboration. Hebrew is today
the spoken tongue of the Jews in Palestine.
Bcn-Avi had his own dreams. About 10 years
ago he came forward with a proposal to inter-
nationalize the Hebrew language by adopting the
Latin script. He published a Hebrew newspaper
printed with the Latin characters. It was a short-
lived venture. Hebrew lives in the form that his
father wanted it revived—in its traditional form
of the oldest script on record. He now admits
that an over-zealous desire to popularize Hebrew
led him on the wrong track.
Only a week ago, Palestine Jewry honored the
memory of Ben Yehuda on the occasion of the
18th anniversary of his death. It was an occasion
for rededication of the Hebraic people to the
Hebraic language.
Ben-Avi never needed to capitalize on his
father's glory and genius. He created glory for
himself, in his own rights, through his own
genius. His eloquence and wit, as fluent in Eng-
lish as it is in Hebrew, will prove it at the Jewish
National Fund gathering here next Wednesday.
•

Unity and Democracy

Restoration of unity in the ranks of national
fund-raising organizations—the Jewish Joint Dis-
tribution Committee, the United Palestine Ap-
peal and the National Refugee Service—calls for
a bit of meditating and for review of the status
of the entire American Jewish communal struc-
ture.
Unity is, of course, not only desirable ; it is
an absolute necessity in a time like the present.
The breaking of unity was at the outset an
act of gross mismanagement and an abuse of
confidence placed in our "leadership" by the
Jewish people.
A study of the figures finally arrived at in
the new agreement for united action, and a com-
parison of the latest decision with the offers
made when the United Palestine Appeal decided,
two months ago, to enter upon independent ac-
tion, will indicate that the forces antagonistic
to Palestine capitulated—in the amounts allocat-
ed, if not in principle. This being the case, the
grave error of having broken unity in the first
place is absolutely unforgiveable.
There enters in the discussion a question in-
volving the much-discussed and much-abused
term of democracy. We do a lot of talking about
democratic action, we fight for democracy in the
major struggle for aid to Great Britain and in
our opposition to brutality and tyranny; but we
somehow manage to evade the ideal of democracy
when it collies to practicing it in Jewish life.
Thus, Jews were called together in national
conference in Washington to approve of a sep-
arate campaign for the United Palestine Appeal;
but they were not assembled to approve of the
new terms in the agreement for the reconstruc-
tion of the united appeal. It is not difficult to
understand the circumstances under which such
action by a small group of leaders was arrived
at. There is a cry for unity, the chance to effect
it was offered, and the opportunity was seized
at. But a semblance of democratic action could
have been given the proposals had the leaders
of the United Palestine Appeal been wise enough
to send out a hundred or more telegrams (they
seem to know how to do it when negative emer-
gencies force them to it) to key communities
urging approval of their action. It would have
called for a two-day delay in final action, and a
semblance of democracy would have been at-
tached to the final decision. That was not done.
Instead, the communities were notified of the
conditions arrived at, and the matter remains one
of decision by a handful of men at the head of
the national movements.
The present experience in community action
affecting fund-raising is reminiscent of the Amer-
ican Jewish Congress proposal for a referendum
three years ago. Some factions in Jewish life
were frightened by it, with the result that a
proposal for "unity" was made through the for-
mation of the General Jewish Council. This tragic
comedY, which turned out to be such a ridiculous
fiasco, is too well known to need repetition. Now,
we have before the Jewish communities another
referendum, involving a budging scheme. Is it
possible that fear of too-frank a discussion of the
issues involved finally forced the leaders in the
three national fund-raising agencies to arrive at
an agreement for unity?
Since two wrongs do not Make one right, the
fact that 11 handful of people reached a decision
for the entire American Jewish community, in
un-democratic fashion, does not militate in favor
of the proposed referendum for the establishment
of a national advisory budgeting committee. On
the contrary, such action should arouse American
Jews to reject autocratic action. Our commu-
nities must demand a voice in the decisions affect-
ing national Jewish affairs, and the rejection of
the proposed referendum ought to be the first
step in that direction.
It will do our American Jewish communities
good to study the address delivered by Henry
Monsky, president of Bnai Brith, at the 1941
national conference for Palestine convened in

Washington several weeks ago by the United
Student Assembly March 31
Palestine Appeal. Mr. Monsky correctly indicated
that the United Jewish Appeal would not have
The new courses in current cial assemblies at a lecture ad-
been dissolved had Jewish leaders been steeped events and Jewish history and mission fee to be announced
in the spirit of their people. He was justified in
later. All the classes and assem-
maintaining that "the critical times which now literature will open at Temple blies are held at Temple Beth
confront us require competent and balanced lead- Beth El next Monday night, El, Woodward at Gladstone.• The
ership." The kind of leadership described by Mr. March 17. For the spring term,. registration office of Beth El
Monsky could not have contributed towards the Beth El College of Jewish College of Jewish Studies is on
smashing of an united Jewish appeal for funds Studies offers a series of 10 suc- the second floor of the Temple.
for sacred causes. cessive Monday night lectures in:
Unfortunately, the issue was befogged at the "Current Events" with Rabbi
meeting of the Jewish Community Council of De- Leon Fram as the lecturer, the Aaron Rosenberg to Ad-
t•oit on Tuesday evening. The impression was special theme of this series being
dress Jr. Y. P. S. of
given that the entire issue was one based on "The Jew in the World Scene."
Shaarey Zedek
Palestine and relief needs. This is far from the Each lecture is followed by ques-
truth. The budgeting proposal affects ALL Jew- tions and discussions on the part
Resuming activities after a
ish causes, and to place power to EVALUATE of the students. Rabbi Frain's
successful Purim dance, the J ,in
needs in the hands of a small group of individuals class holds the record of being for Young People's Society ur
is to endanger independent thinking in American the largest class in adult Jewish
Shaarey Zedek will hold its next
education in America.
Jewry.
meeting Sunday at 2:95, at the
There is less to
p of American Jewry than
people imagine. All that some of our frightened "The Essence of Jewish History" will be the guest speaker. :Social .
with Rabbi Bernard Zeiger; "Jew- (lancing will follow the meeting.
Jews need to realize is' that frank discussion is ish Customs and Ceremonies"
healthy and contributes towards greater anal with Dr. Leo M. Franklin; "The
firmer unity. But when doubt is injected in the Literature of the Bible" with
hearts of the masses of the people, the cause of Rabbi Eric Friedland, and "Com-
unity is harmed, and the travesty on democracy, parative Religion" with Rabbi
as it is indicated in the juggling of sentiments Bernard Zeiger.
on the question of unity—first by severing rela-
A special feature of the spring
tions, then by a series of secret negotiations to season. of Beth El College of
resume them—is a highlight in lack of vision and
Jewish Studies will be two great
misguided leadership.
student assemblies, one to be ad-
dressed by Captain Claude Gruen-
blat-Nordau, famous Jewish en-
Lewis Ruskin's Zionism
The marriage this Saturday of Lenore Hope gineer and builder of the port of
Ginsburg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred A. Tel Aviv, and ace aviator for
Ginsburg, to Lewis J. Ruskin of Kenilworth, Ill., France in the first and second
recalls the visit of this interesting young man World Wars. He will appear at
in Detroit a little over a year ago. At that time, a student assembly Monday
he called together a group of local leaders for night, March 31, together with
the purpose of enlisting their aid in a plan to his wife, Maxa. Nordau, daughter
aid the Skiff Chemical Institute of Palestine which of the great French philosopher,
is being directed by Dr. Chaim Weizmann. On Max Nordau, and herself an emi-
his travels through Europe and Palestine, Mr. nent writer and artist.
Ruskin became fascinated with the Palestinian
Another feature of the spring
achievements and with the personality of Weiz- season will be a lecture by the
mann, and he dedicated himself to work to further brilliant a•chaelogist, Prof. Nel-
the reconstruction of the Jewish National Home- son Glueck of the Hebrew Union
land. We predict that he will yet make his mark College, who has recently re-
in Jewish life in this country.
turned from an expedition of
•
amazing discoveries in the Bible
lands.
800th Yahrzeit of Judah Halevi
The registration fee is $1 per
LEADER is not just a cleaner
Judah Halevi, one of the greatest poets of
—LEADER is a specialist in
all time, thanks to whose creation,s the era in course. Each student may take
cleaning Rugs, Carpets and
which he lived, in Spain, has become known in one or more courses. Regularly
Upholstered Furniture.
Jewish history as the Golden Period, is said to registered students are admitted
have died in 1141. Some sources give the year free to all the special lectures and
LEADER
of his death as 1142. But the former has been assemblies. No visitors are ad-
accepted generally, and there are anniversary mitted to the classes but the gen-
Carpet Cleaning Company
events marking the 800th yahrzeit of his death. eral public is invited to the spe-
Anniversary celebrations always accomplish a
certain amount of good. They create an interest °I=1:10=0===0=01=101=101=01=e
in the personality's work. They encourage study
of the period in which he lived. They arouse dis- 0
cussion over the achievements of the person
honored. This, of course, is much more true in
KOSHER
the instance of Judah Halevi. The current cele-
bration assumes significance comparable with
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the celebrations held in recent years in honor of
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Baruch Spinoza and Moses Maimonides. It is an
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occasion for study of the fascinating story of
12017 DEXTER BLVD.
Judah Halevi, his enchanting poetry, his great
0
NOrtblawn 9786
spirit which was a contributing factor towards 0
encouraging Jewish hope for a rebuilt Zion.
01:1011=10=101=0=0=10=01=10
Histadruth Ivrith of America, the movement
for the advancement of Hebrew culture and He-
brew literature in this country, made a departure
in its program by publishing a pamphlet in Eng-
lish, by its president, Prof. Israel Efros of the
University of Buffalo, on "Judah Halevi as Poet
and Thinker". It presents splendidly the story of
the life of this great poet, and gives an able
(valuation of his poetry. Himself a poet, Dr.
GET IN TOUCH WITH
Efros is eminently well suited to deal with the
subject of Judah Halevi's works. His pamphlet
should be in the hands of hundreds of thousands
of people who should become acquainted anew
with the works of the gifted man of the 11th
and 12th centuries.
Explaining all that Zion has meant to Judah
Halevi, Prof. Efros writes:
"Judah Halevi's feelings for Zion converge

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to a burning point in his great poem, the
greatest perhaps in the Hebrew language
since Jeremiah and the Psalms, 'Zion wilt
thou not ask ?' It is not really one man's
song. If all the hearts of the Jews of all

times could be formed into one great throb-
bing heart and made to turn toward the
East, the song that it would sing would be
'Zion, wilt thou not ask?' It is also majes-
tically impressive in its architectural struc-
ture. It begins with a choral salutation:

"From West, East, North, South, from far
and near, accept greetings, 0 Zion. and also
the greetings of that caotive of desire who
rheds his tears like the dew of Hermon and
would fain drop them on thy mountains.'
Then the glories of its past are mentioned,
and the poet exclaims. 'Would I had wings
to fly with my cleft heart over your cleft

mountains.' "
One of the most interesting tributes to Judah
Halevi was written by Heinrich Heine, as follows:
Yes, a great and famous poet,

Star and beacon of his age—
For his song was like his spirit:
Pure and perfect, without blemish—
When Halevi's soul was fashioned
The Creator kissed it, glowing
With His happy inspiration;
And distinguished by God's favor,
All the poet's fervent measures
Echo with that kiss forever.

Of course, Halevi's works speak for themselves
and are his greatest tribute. For instance, there

(Continued on Page 16)

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