Friday, September 7, 1945
Jewish Life on
the College Campus
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we
oted
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J
t
ish students to hold Sabbath serv-
ices under Hillel Foundation aus-
pices. There are the usual slack-
bhues
t ethyeouantg
tenpdet
et
oupiclee
resr'c eonft acgoeu rfsoe;
is much higher than in Temple or
Synagogue at home.
It is possible that the mah yom-
ru hagoyim — What Will the Gen-
tiles Say If We Don't Have a
Jewish Service on the Campus?
— has influenced this manifesta-
tion of Jewish solidarity in the
form of official Jewish group wor-
ship. But then, was it not Moses
of Bible time, who coined this
much-abused slogan, so precious
as 0 formula in the technique of
the Jewish public relationships?
The Catholics have "masses,"
the Protestants "religious meet-
ings." Likewise, the Jewish stu-
dents hold their Sabbath Eve ser-
vices. Subconsciously the Jewish
students recognize and accept the
situation.
Outstanding are the High Holi-
day services — organized and
conducted by the students them-
selves (always under Hillel Foun-
dation auspices) on the campus.
There is no disputing that in the
very nature of things these evoke
a far more personal, more inti-
mate spiritual communion than
the participation of these very
same students in their home Syna-
gogues. Here they are not just
young people relegated to an im-
provized Young Folks' Service in
the Temple vestry. Here they are
the members and Synagogue offi-
cials, the cantors, the readers,
the shamoshim and the gabbaim
themselves, by their own choice
and by the circumstances of their
academic life. It is Judaism in the
open. The shofar blast resounds
in the Chapel and re-echoes
through the open windows over
the University campus. Jewish
worship is accorded, as a matter
of course, its rightful place in the
religious life of the Campus Com-
munity.
Hillel also publishes its own
Campus bulletin. True, it is a
modest affair, but it is the ac-
knowledged voice of the Jewish
student on the Campus. It is the
local Jewish press.
L
.
i67
ty
4
Cultural Programs
1111111 '
I
)A
.
In civilian life the Average Jew-
ish you* *felldvi hlisrVirl rarely
attends a lecture on ''Judaism; al-
most never an evening dedicated
to Jewish music or art. On the
campus, Hillel furnishes these
programs and Jewish students do
attend and enjoy them without
embarrassment. Moreover, faculty
members attend and non-Jewish
'students often appear. These af-
fairs assume an aspect of "cul-
ture" and are held in the Univer-
sity's Community House.
What of those very much pub-
licized fraternities and sororities?
It is the conventional thing that
a Jewish student join a "Jewish
fraternity," a "Jewish sorority."
What advantage will he or she
gain by worming his way into a
non-Jewish social group? Even in
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
the dormitory the University
Housing Authorities make a con-
! scious effort to room Jewish stu-
dents together, that they be made
. to feel at home with one of their
own.
These Jewish social clubs (for
that is all a fiat is) enjoy the
self-same opportunities and in the
same measure in which are enjoy-
ed by the non-Jewish fiats — in-
cluding an equal chance to play
campus politics. So why should
the Jewish student want to run
away front . himself? The answer
is, he doesn't — with very few
exceptions.
The relationship between the
frats and organized Jewish life
on the campus is on the whole
what it should be. The fiats take
turns in supplying the social
half-hour at the Sabbath Eve ser-
vices,
It is well that they play fiat.
politics in running for Hillel of-
fices. Not to do so would point at
indifference, at a deplorable lack
of interest in !Niel. It speaks
well for the situation that the
current Hillel president is the
general chairman of the Annual
Military Ball and a member of
the Varsity Tennis Team. Only
17 YEAR OLD VET, OVERSEAS FOR A YEAR,
IS YOUNGEST JEWISH WAR VETERAN MEMBER
a man popular on the campus can stances — such as exams and
give Mllel status on the campus. other college activities.
Few Jews on Faculty
Benjamin Seidman, who will be 17
this September, receives Jewish War
Veteran Certificate of Membership
from National Coininander Archie H.
Greenberg as Louis Obolsky, his post
commander, proudly looks on. Be.
lieved to be the youngest member of
the J.W.V., Seidman enlisted in the
Nasy on Sept. 4, 1943, just two days
after his fifteenth birthday.
As a member of the Gunfire Support
Craft attached to the. Eleventh Am.
phibious Forces of the U. S. Navy,
soung Seidman saw action aboard an
English gunboat during the Normandy
invasion, nd•was with the Allied land
forces irt rahie during the Plantes at
St. Lo and Cherbourg. While ashore,
Ben suffered arm and leg injuries and
while at sea, his boat was hit by Ger.
IF
man mortar fire causing all hands to
abandon ship.
He was honorably discharged from
the Navy with the rank of Seaman
Second Class on November 6, 1(.41,
after more. than a year in senice,
when his sister revealed his true age
to his commanding officer. Enlisting
under the name of Jerry Bernhardt,
the young veteran was trained at the
Great Lakes Naval Training Station.
On joining the J.W V., Seidman said
to Commander Greenberg: "I'm proud
of my country and I'm glad that I
enlisted to fight for this wonderful
land and for all it stands." Before
* *
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Extend New Year Greetings and
Good Wishes to All
May Victory and Peace Be Ours.
REICHHOLD CHEMICALS
INCORPORATED
THOMAS C. MURPHY
•
WAYNE COUNTY
JUDGE OF PROBATE
SYNTHETIC RESIN - INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS
•
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
5706
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
*
Automatic Stoker Service Co.
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LE SHONO TOVO TIKOSEVU
ROSH HASHONAH GREETINGS
1945
NEW YEAR GREETINGS
•
To Our Many Friends and Patrons
And Best Wishes to You All
214 E. HAZELHURST
1504 SECOND AVE.
CONTINENTAL
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SAMPSON
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York's Haaren High School; he is now
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Domestic or Commercial and Industrial Stokers
BRENNAN
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GREETINGS
Best Wishes for a Joyous Holiday .. .
enlisting, young Seidman wits studying ,
aeronautics in the fourth term at New
"A QUALIFIED SERVICE ORGANIZATION"
!It
tr--
A Happy New Year To All!
*
Greetings
The Jewish students want a
building of their own. The feeling
is that Jewish self-respect de-
mands it, The Catholics have their
chapel; the Community House is
under Protestant auspices. The
Hillel Foundation should be hous-
ed in its own building. Conse-
quently the Hillel Choir makes
pilgrimages to neighboring Syna-
gogues where they officiate. There
they draw the parent public. They
publicize Hillel's program and they
urge Hillel's Building program.
There is a realistic need for a
building. Pesach seders, attended
by Christian faculty members, pre-
(Continued on Page 12)
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
LE SHONO Tovo TIKOSEVU
Roth Hashonah
Need Building
Strange to record, this Univer-
sity, of which we now write, has
a disproportionately small num-
ber of Jews on its faculty. The
Jewish student body cannot be
expected to grapple with an ad-
ministrative problem of this na-
ture, but influential Jewish alum-
ni and prominent Jewish citizens
in the State cannot afford to ig-
nore what is definitely an intol-
erable state of affairs. One may
speculate as to what extent this
paucity of Jewish teachers affects
or fails to affect Jewish cultural
student life.
One unpleasant thing did hap-
pen not so very long ago. The
President's Reception took place
on Kol Nid•e Night. The Univer-
sity authorities had not been pro-
vided with a Hebrew calendar
when they set the date. The Jew-
ish students almost in a body at-
tended the Kol Nidre services and
then serenaded the President's
Reception. Not a single student
went inside. There was a simple
dignity about that demonstration.
One characteristic aspect of ci-
civilian American Jewish life does
not "take": The separistic ten-
dency. An attempt at holding an
orthodox minyan on Saturday
mornings failed. A Zionist group
could not muster even half a doz-
en members. Still the Jewish stu-
dent body is prevailingly pro-
Palestine. Nevertheless, a show-
ing of a Palestine talkie did not
bring out even a fair attendance.
However, one has been told that
there were extenuating circum
Bring our Soldiers back sooner
with the purchase of an Extra
War Bond,
•
Page Eleven
Our best wishes for a Happy and Prosperous
New Year to the Jewish people here
and everywhere. May the year
just beginning bring realiz-
ation to their fondest
hopes and ambi-
tions.
•
FRIARS ALE
CLIX MALT BEVERAGE
Happiness, Peace and Good Cheer to You All
GEORGE A. DINGMAN
County Drain Commissioner
Paradise Valley
Distributing Co.
439 THEODORE
TE. 2-9479