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Thursday, December 15, 1841

Page 21

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Williantsburg's 'Angels'
Live Their Own Lives

History Is Repeated

Chronicle classified ads bring

results! Call WO. 1-1040.

GREETINGS

United Cut Rate

By PHILIP RUBIN

peculiar Christian sect, the
TIME YOU COME to Amish, near Lancaster, Pa., is a
New York on a visit it sect of farmers whose dress is
Hardware
might be worth your while to go strongly reminiscent of East
G I;
-
-
Paint
European
OW-
Jews,
who
do
down to the East Side where on
'ides but in
Electrical Appliances
Delancey street you might take not ride in :
.s, who refuse
the elevated train or a bus that horse-drawn
BUILDER'S HARDWARE
goes over the Williamsburg to instal modem improvements
15738 Livernois - UN. 2-7303
Bridge and land In the Brooklyn in their homes, who send their
community of Williamsburg. children only through eight
YE. 7-94911
13513 Fenkell
There you will find a large Jew- grades of school, who generally
prefer
to
live
the
lives
of
their
ish community on an area of
•• ■ ••••• ■•■••■•■•••■•■•••■■ •••• ■
about one square mile which is ancestors of 300 years ago. The
undoubtedly the most orthodox Williamsburg "Malahim" bear a
GREETINGS . . .
certain
resemblance
to
the
community in all New York City
and in the United States gen- Amish.
Their group sprang up in the
erally.
There you will find that nearly Bronx a few years ago. Their
all the Jewish stores are closed founder, it is said, was such a
on Friday night and Saturday, saintly type of person that people
Brakes Lined and Adjusted
that most Jewish women either in the neighborhood nicknamed
Cars Washed
cover their hair with kerchiefs him "The Angel." This was how The Jews of Israel celebrating Chanukah find inspiration in this
or else wear artificial "shaitlach," his followers acquired the name Menorah which graces a hillside settlement near Jerusalem
Cor. Milwaukee and John R
that on almost every block there by which they wish to be known. founded by United Jewish Appeal funds. The Menorah, fashioned
Originally, they were Hassidic from helmets used by Israeli troops in the Arab war, is near the
PETER RIDAL
is some Synagogue or Yeshivah
and that the community contains followers of the Lubavitcber site where Judas Maccabeus celebrated the defeat of the Syrians
TRinity 2-9698
Rebbe.
But
for
one
reason
or
an-
a sect of Jewish mystics called
more than 2,000 years ago.
"angels" ("malahim" in Hebrew) other they left that cult and ac-
who, as one might say, are the quired their own ideas as to what who have joined this mystical,
tvitslx$.szt sest,z,17 ,..zisszawt.:;I:t.74
"talk of the town" because of constitutes true Jewish piety. semi-ascetic group come from
They
began
to
dress
differently,
W.
g
GREETINGS
Season's
Greetings
their strange behavior.
discarding ties, allowing their rather well-to-do homes and up-
M
I came upon a bakery which beards to grow long and the ear- on joining the group have spurn-
displayed big signs in the win- locks to dangle by the sides of ed many of the advantages, eco-
-4 .
i
dow exhorting Jews to observe their temples. But, above all, nomic and otherwise, their pros-
it
Renuvenate
Process
the Sabbath. From the open door they became outwardly dis- perous parents could bestow upon
M
14.
,
Dry Cleaning by
I noticed the bearded proprietor, tinguished by the fact that they them.
Distributors Weston's and P
ii
wearing a caftan like an East would wear their "talith katan,"
Nearly all the "Angels" are
European Rabbi, who was sway- the little talith with the four young married folks and most
r4
Salerno
ing over a huge tome—a religious fringes of tsitsith dangling from of them have many children.
Crackers-Cookies-Pretzels v
book, no doubt—and mumbling it, on the outside of their gar- They will not send their children
r A
al
to himself.
1124 OAKMAN BLVD.
ments. This made them imme- to any kind of school but have
m
11
Main Office and Store:
• • •
them taught in Hebrew and se-
diately conspicuous.
4465 Beaubien
cular subjects by private instruc-
WILLIAMSBURG HAS ONE
TO. 8-7590
• • •
A
-'i:.*:, EZS M '.1Z ':',:. V.A,
iti.A.!::;. - .:mvzs ! . '4. Y..;.,..
tors who come to their homes for
of the largest Orthodox parochial
FINDING THE ATMOSPHERE this purpose. Some of the "An-
•■■■• •••■••■•••■.1111. 0■....•
schools in the country, the Yeshi-
•■•■.•■•■ •••••
• ■•
vah Torah Vdaath, occupying of the Bronx not pious enough, gels" refuse to call in doctors in
three buildings on three different the "Angels" moved to the more case of illness while the majority
streets, where children receive hospitable Williamsburg. Upon of these parents will send for a
both an elementary and high the death of their founder, Yaa- doctor in case of illness, but will
use only medical men who are
school education in secular as
I
well as Jewish subjects. It has coy Shor became their leader. I strict Sabbath observers. ,
looked up Shor—or perhaps
perhaps a half-dozen other small
Yeshivoth where, however, only should better say "Rcb Yaacov"
—and tried to obtain an inter-
GREETINGS
a Hebrew religious education is
DISTRIBUTORS OF
view. But the "chief angel" I
•
imparted.
merely
shook
his
head,
which
PHILCO,
BENDIX,
COLEMAN, CONGOLEUM
• • •
meant "no interview." While
UNITED NEWS CO.
Williamsburg has one of the there I noticed several other •
NAIRN,
MOHAWK
and
YOUNGSTOWN KITCHENS
if
largest orthodox synagogues,
•
H. L. HERSCHBERG
young men, looking older than •
COLUMBIA
RECORDS
•
country,
not the largest, in the is
2 0 0 their r age because of their beards,
New
Year
Party
Favors
:
Tifereth Yisrael. It seats ,0 seated before Talmudic tomes .
is
•
persons. Its spiritual leader
Decorations
•
. and wearing the "talith katans" •
•Rabbi N. David Herman.
: and Novelties of All Kinds :
on the outside.
Within recent years perhaps a
•
Many, if not most, of the ''An - •
score or more of Hassidic "reb- gels ' are American-born and • • 24 W. JEFFERSON AVE. • •
bes," European refugees, the American-educated. Nearly all of •
.WO. 1-6697
•
"wonder-rabbis" about whom so them are self-employed workers • •
much has lately been written, and small business
men. Some 0 •••••••••• •• •••••••"4
men
us
bi
-7-
•
have flocked into Williamsburg ___
with their followers. These liassi- -----"-•—
dim, with their joyful ritual,
GREETINGS . . .
their' picturesque garb, have
helped much to give Williams-
burg the orthodox flavor it ac-
TE. '1-8220
4466 Woodward
quired.
3915 WEST 7 MILE ROAD

NEXT

Ridal's Service
Station

INDEPENDENT
BISCUIT CO.

Luster-Tex •

A

FAMOUS g
15 . CLEANERS

GREETINGS . . . from •

••••••••••••••••••••41

•

HAROLD BLAKE CO.

• • •
WE NOW COME to the "An-

gels," that strange outgrowth of
Williamsburg orthodoxy. They
are only about 200 in number,
yet they are on everybody's lips
in the community, subjected to
the criticism of everyone who
does not belong to their sect. That

East Side
Auto Parts Co.

LA. 6-7300

i i?

Season's Greetings

1

g
Frank's
W A Stadium Service
l i Courteous Service Always

W

W

W

FRANK ROUTH, Prop. • g

i 1715 MICHIGAN AVE.

Is

WO. 4-7763

BORIN BROS., INC.

Wishing Our

Friends mul Patrons

A Happy Holiday

TO. 8-8800

Greetings to Our Many Friends and Patrons

1194- GRATIOT

w

BRUNSWICK-BALKE
COLLENDER CO.

CHANUKAH GREETINGS

1635 Westminster

New and Used Auto Parts
Tires - Batteries - Radiators
Generators - Accessories

Chanukah Greetings

.44 11MOMNIMMOIONMOMO ■0 ■•■■ •■■•■••■•••■•■•••■••■•■■•■•••■•■

WE OFFER SELF SERVICE ICE SERVICE
ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT AT OUR ICE-0-MAT
MACHINES THROUGHOUT THE CITY

GREETINGS

BUHL SONS CO.

g

g

azvaasignat:taimaasavat , :a.

REX

Plating Works

Expert Workmanship on

ALL KINDS OF PLATING

— CALL FOR ESTIMATES

2545 Grand River

—
WO. 2-3906

Wrigley's
Super Markets

23 Stores to Serve You