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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

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Detroit Jewish Chronicle

Published by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
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Entered as Second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at
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SEYMOUR TILCIIIN
Publisher

GERHARDT NEUMANN
Editor

Ab 13

Thursday, July 27, 1950

Judaism Needs a Summer Holiday

A Guest Editorial

By RABBI LEON FRAM

Temple Israel

Once again, on the ninth day of the month of Ab, last
Saturday night, and Sunday, Jewish people assembled in their
synagogues to lament the destruction of the Jewish state. Yet,
the Jewish state is here. Once again, Jewish people pray for
the redemption of Judea. Yet Judea has already been restored.
Here is a challenge to Jewish orthodoxy. Is it capable of
adjusting itself to unmistakable facts? It would not be fair to
ask that century-old institutions shall be changed in a day, or
even a year. One could plausibly argue that the Jewish state
is not secure. Its boundaries have not yet been defined. It is
not yet at peace with its powerful neighbors. Even the status
of the City of Zion, Jerusalem, is still in doubt. Those who
would resist the immediate abandonment of the day of mourn-
ing over the destruction of the Jewish state, can invoke the
support of all such pertinent considerations.
Nevertheless, the issue will have to be faced. If not this
year, then next year, or five years from now. Within a reason-
able period of time, we do expect the state of Israel to become
as securely established as any smaller state can hope to be.
We do expect that its boundaries will be recognized by the
United Nations and that it will ratify peace treaties with all
of its neighbors. We do expect that Jerusalem will remain the
capital of the Jewish state and that only certain small areas
of the city and country will be designated as holy places
subject to international rule.
Wihin a relatively short time, there will be absolutely no
basis left for . the lamentations that are recited on Tisha b'Ab.
Every verse, every phrase of the Book of Lamentations and of
the Kinnot will be contradicted 15y the facts.
In a deeper sense, however, it is not orthodoxy alone that
must meet the problem set by Tisha b'Ab. It is a question of
mental habit which all Jews must face. We are all inclined to
indulge and cherish our sense of martyrdom, Even to those who
never fasted or wept on that day, it remained a symbol of
Jewish suffering, and therefore remained in the foreground
of their conseiotoness. The minor key of the "Echa" chant was
also the key to our interpretation of history.
What we now do with this day of mourning will be deter-
mined by our concept of the future of Jewish life in the world.
Those who believe that the only important reality in Jewish
life is the state of Israel will merely cancel the ninth day of
Ab out of the Jewish calendar, A holiday lamenting the loss
of the Jewish state cannot be permitted to function in the face
of the restoration of the Jewish State.
Those, however, who believe that Jewish life outside of
Israel can be just as important as life within the Jewish state
itself, those who believe that we of the democratic world are
not essentially in exile, but are capable of a creative Jewish
life wherever we reside — those who believe this, would not
be content with the mere obliteration of the ninth day of Ab.
We would, instead of abandoning the day of mourning,
transform it Into a day of joy. Tisha b'Ab, and the days pre-
ceding it, should become a Jewish summer festival. The con-
tent of this festival would be our rejoicing over the part we
played in restoring the Jewish state, our celebration of the en-
richment we derive from the Jewish state; and at the same
time, an affirmation of the serious purposes and the creative
possibilities and the solemn obligations of Jewish life in the
world at large.
American Judaism needs a summer holiday. There is too
long a period of doldrums between Shabuot and Rosh Hashana:
Instead of being a period in which weddings are prohibited,
July would rival June as the favorite time for Jewish weddings.
This joyous festival of Tisha b'Ab could provide a summertime
revival of the Jewish spirit.
It is a myth that the Jewish community leaves the city on
the Fourth of July to stay away till Labor Day. In cities like
Detroit. most Jewish people remain in the city. So, the city-
wide programs of our summer festival would be well attended.
In addition, the holiday could, of course, be celebrated wher-
ever Jewish people may be — in camps, in summer resorts,
and aboard ships.
This, I believe, is he best solution for the moribund Fast
of the ninth day of Ab: That it shall become a gay colorful
festival celebrating, at the same time, the joy of all Jews in
Israel and the potency for survival of Jewish life outside of
Israel.
Reform, conservative, and orthodox Jews could unite in
such a celebration of the significance of Jewish life outside
of the state of Israel. The state would thereby be strengthened.
Being a little state ; it will always have need of support, mate-
rial and psychological, from vital communities throughout the
world.
This summer holiday would give Jewish life at last, the
element it has been so significantly lacking, the note of triumph,
the song in the major key.
Participating everywhere in mankind's urge toward world
peace, and world freedom, contributing of our strength to man-
kind's effort to establish a democratic world, safe for little
states and safe for all the variety of minority groups — why
should we not transform ourselves from a lamenting to a re-
joicing people?
The martyrs of the days of Babylonia and the days of Rome
and the days of Warsaw would be the first to applaud our re-
juvenation.

Eddie Cantor in Israel

Thursday, July 27, 1950

Israeli Culture
Available Only
Via Hebrew

By HAROLD S. COHEN
In an interesting article in the
Jewish Chronicle of London,
Rabbi A. Altmann raises the ques-
tion of the cultural and religious
relationships between Israel and
the Jews remaining in "exile"
throughout the world. He points
out that today Israel has not
evolved a mature enough spiritual
stage to enable it to assume lead-
ership among world Jewry.
In this connection he points out
the necessity for Anglo-Jewry to
learn the Hebrew language it
there is to be a cultural and re-
ligious interchange with Israel.
The same problem confronts
American Jews. It is clear that
in a generation Hebrew will be
the sole instrument of expression
Eddie Cantor, National Campaign Chairman of the United Jewish Appeal,
recorded one of the great achievements of the year 5710 when he helped
for all Israeli scholars and ar-
raise large sums for the programs of immigration and settlement in Israel,
tists.
and then visited the Jewish State to see how the money was being spent—
This raises several problems.
and to survey Israel's needs for the year 5711. The famous actor and dynamic
communal leader is shown here at the port of Haifa as he greeted an elderly
Many American Jews will ask,
Presi•
with
"Can I not read translations?"
Jewish immigrant from Morocco. Mr. Cantor conferred in Israel
dent Chaim Weizmann, Prime Minister David Ben Curion, and other leading
Translations
are, however, a very
officers of the Government and the Jewish Agency for Palestine.
poor substitute since it narrows
the reader's choice to those works
which publishing houses deem iI
commercially feasible to translate
and publish.
Also the reader is left com-
pletely at the mercy of the trans-
lator and he has no way of know-
ing whether the real spirit and
Israel which for Jewish children meaning of the work has been
By ALFRED SEGAL
A CERTAIN LADY writes that is one of the doors to brother- caught,
" she fears for my grandchil- hood.
A multitude of American Jews,
dren and suggests that I myself
Paul will continue to cherish who are neither Zionists by affi-
am subsersive toward the future the story of our country as a liation nor orthodox by religion
of these poor kids. She means story of which he, as an Amer- may sensibly ask, "what will 1
that I haven't been friendly to ican, is the proud heir. Yet I gain by learning Hebrew?"
would be disappointed in him if, "Would it not be better to expend
the ideas and
as a member of the human fain- the same time and energy in
purposes of the
Hy, he did not feel proud of the learning say Russian or German
American Coun-
story of Israel, too.
cil for Judaism
or French? Would not these lan-
which is striv-
Proud of the victory of an ideal guages open up greater mines of
ing to save my
over cruel odds; proud of fellow culture for time invested.
grandchildren —
human-beings who out of vest-
The only answer to that. line
p
fryom
fatae n unhap-
iges of existence established a
a gentle reminder
good life in a good land; proud of reasoning
at one is a is Jew and not a Rus-
It seems that
of the noble example of liberty that
if I were more sok
under lay that has been estab- sian, Frenchman or German. and
As Jews, we have a feeling
thoughtful of
fished in the new land; proud of
Segal
m y grandchil-
the compassion that has em- relationship to the Israelis which
dren's
I would
be going
along future
with the
anti-Zionist
braced within its borders all the is unique for us. We and they
oppressed among Jews; proud of share a common past and a feel-
American Council for Judaism the construction for peace that mg of difference from other peo-
on their American life and would devoted hands have built there. pies. It may be noted incidentally
be telling off the Zionists whose
that these factors differ little from
Paul would be less the brother i what is called nationalism. That
activities may give the impres-
sion that they are under com- of man if he could not rejoice in is we feel that the Jews are a
all this, less the American if he distinct people.
pulsion of a double loyalty.
could not applaud a people that,
I came upon the lady's letter like the Americans, by their
As such there are values for us
just after I had been reading a blood sanctified their country and in the cultural and spiritual prod-
book titled ''The Story of Our by their ideals and hands built it. uct of any Jewish community, in
Country" to Paul, one of my He will be less the Jew if out of Israel or elsewhere, which we
grandsons. The Story of Our Israel he does not discover a ful- cannot find in the cultures of
Country" was about this, our fillment of ultimate justice that other nations and peoples.
America. I had no idea that our is of his religion.
At present the Israelis have lit-
country was any other than this,
tle to offer culturally. Those who
Dear 'lady, please be of cour- have visited the country have
nor did Paul.
ageous heart for my grandchil-
Paul, age 7, has heard some- dren and the future of your own come back with glowing reports
the cultural activity witnessed
thing of Israel as a country to children as Jews. What we need i of
there. But
one must keep
which poor, driven people go for fear most for our children i is not in mind is what
that cultural contri-
refuge. Sometimes he brings Israel but the world and the way
I buttons are not measured in terms
pennies to Sabbath school for it seems to be going.
of the quantity and quality of
kids in Israel, just as to public
I hope that Paul and my other propagation but in terms of the
school he brings pennies for the
Red Cross or for CARE bundles. grandsons, Jan and Rickey, will uniqueness of content and tech-
come through the dangers of the
Paul's American patriotism is current world to their fulfillment niques evolved.
That is to say, we have nothing
not irr the least vitiated by the as Americans and long later I
to learn from a country in which
fact that some pennies of his may
will tell them:
several symphony orchestras give
help to carry some soap to a child
"When you were very young excellent renditions of Brahma
in Greece. No more is he less
American if he is taught to care that there were those who were or Motzart, or in which the the-
worried about the American fu- aters perform Shakespeare in
about boys in Israel.
ture of you and other Jewish translation. We can hear Brahms
It is good that kids learn to children. There was the Amer- or see Shakespearean works
know their brothers all around ican Council for Judaism."
right here at home.
the world, including those in
What we cannot find now In
"What's
that?"
they
will
ask.
Israel. The fact that boys in
Israel, but which may emerge in
"It
no
longer
exists.
It
was
a
Israel happen to be religious
the future, is a wholly new ex-
kinsmen of Paul does not mean symptom of the fears of some periential art which gives rise
Jews;
it
was
the
tremor
of
some
that he should be careful what
to new art forms or major modi-
brothers he takes up with, that Jews. They were afraid of Israel fications of old ones. Out of a
and
what
it
might
mean
to
their
he should be afraid lest people
synthesis of its European and
say, ''Paul, arc you an Ameri- standing—and yours—as Jews in Middle East cultural background
America.
Even
when
the
world
can or an Israeli?"
seemed about to explode they with the conditions of pioneer
So I must say to the lady that were afraid of themselves in that life and the environment of Is-
I do not fear for my grandchil- way."
rael, a new culture may arise.
dren if they grow up to be people
When that occurs, it will be
I know, dear lady, that you
educated in the idea of brother- don't like my answer to your let- necessary for American Jews to
hood; their affection for Israel ter. I should tell you that I have be prepared to receive and under-
will be one of the ways of broth- never been a Zionist and, indeed, stand that art. And for that it is
erhood.
at one moment I was a member necessary that Hebrew be wide-
I shall fear for Paul only if he of the American Council for ly understood in this country.
To educate the majority of
grows up to be one of the narrow Judaism. I wished for a bina-
little people whose moral boun- tional state of Jews and Arabs in American Jews in this language
daries are the Atlantic and Pa- Palestine. But I find nothing to will require a major effort on the
cific, and to hell with the rest of be afraid in the magnificence of part of Zionists, religious groups
and cultural organizations.
the world. I am thankful for the State of Israel in being.

Children Not Subverted
by Knowledge of Israel