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CLIFTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, OHIO

Thursday, September 14, 1950

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Page 3

OFF THE RECORD

A Jew Forgives God, and Yom Kippur Can Start

By NATHAN ZIPRIN
TT WAS THE CUSTOM of the great zaddik Levi
Itzhak Berdiehever to take his position before the
pulpit immediately after reaching the synagogue be-
fore Kol Nidre. On one such occasion he entered the
synagogue and began pacing up and down its length.
The worshippers sensed that their rabbi was greatly
troubled. Yet no one dared approach him with 'questions.
They knew, the worshippers, that the mystery of
the rabbi's deviation from custom would be cleared
up soon enough. Hadn't Levi Itzhak of Berdichev once
come late to Kol Nidre because he quieted a suckling
whose mother had gone to synagogue? And hadn't he
once delayed the chanting of Kol Nidre until he was
assured from above that a certain request of his would
be granted?
The ways of the rabbi were strange but what
mortal could understand them? The worshippers stood
in silence, prayer shawls over shoulder, prayer books
open and lips begging for song and service. Suddenly
the rabbi paused before a prostrated figure in silent
sobbing. Gently the rabbi signaled the Jew to rise
and asked for the cause of his weeping.
And it was a sad tale the man had to tell. He had

Mich. Zionist
Region to Hold
Parley in Flint

led an exemplary life the year before, the Jew related.
He obeyed God's laws, fed the hungry, gave shelter to
the homeless, rescued wandering Jews and performed
all the sundry good deeds imposed on man by higher
sources.
Moreover, his wife had even been more pious. She
was the essence of goodness and piety and generosity.
And now He from above, the Jew pointed to heaven
with his finger, has taken her away. And not alone
that but He also caused his house to burn down and
now he remained a widower with six children without
a roof over their heads.
But that was not all. He had a family prayer book
that was so arrangeu that he could always follow the
service without need of turning pages. Now that too
was gone with the fire and how was he going to follow
the services without that prayer book?
Necks craned. Eyes were centered on the rabbi
and the simple Jew. Suddenly the silence of the con-
gregation was broken by the rabbi's soft voice, We
must find a prayer book such as this man described,
the rabbi decreed And the search began. Time passed
and none was found for that particular edition of the

The deadline of t h e Jewish
Chronicle is noon on Mondays.

The Michigan Zionist Region
will hold its third annual con-
vention at the Hotel Durant,
Flint, on Sept. 30, and Oct. 1.
In addition to the regional
agenda pertaining to the 12 Zion-
ist districts within the state of
Michigan, clinics and discussions
in education, investment, Israel
projects, and Young Zionist dis-
tricts will be conducted by na-
tional officers and chairmen
from the New York office.
Delegates and leaders from
Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and the
Ohio Valley Region will join in
the ZOA area conference sched-
uled at 2 p.m., Oct. 1.
An American Zionist leader,
now in Israel at the invitation
of Premier David Ben Gurion,
will be the banquet apeoltoe Sun-
day evening.
Morris M. Jacobs, regional
president, has designated Abe
Riskin, president of the Flint
Zionist district, as convention
chairman.
For further information, call
the Zionist office, WO 5-1484.

A welcome gift for any occa-
sion is a subscription to the Jew-
ish Chronicle. Call WO. 1-1041.

Get Cleaned Up
for the Holidays

Rabbi Rosenwasser of the
Downtown Synagogue

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Address:
Downtown Synagogue
1205 Griswold St.

ANNOUNCES THE OPENING OF OFFICES

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Kindly forward names, or bring in
same to reach us before Kol Nidre,
Wed., Sept. 20th.

CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

WEDDING

Pallister Tea Room

W. Jefferson corner Shelby
1 p.m. until 2 p.m.

H. ALVIN SHAPIRO

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Holiday Greetings

MEMORIAL PRAYER
at

Yom Kippur Yiskor

We're

prayer book was an old one, But the rabbi's word was
sacred.
The worshippers knew the rabbi would not start
conducting services if the afflicted Jew could not join
him in prayer Patience stalked more slowly in the
house of worship. In the end such a prayer book was
found.
When the Jew took the prayer book in his hand
he began thumbing its pages with trembling joy. It was
exactly like the one that went up in fire. The rabbi
looked on with compassion on the man and then asked
him: "Now, have you forgiven Him? Is there anything
else you have against the Creator of the Universe?"
No, was the soft answer of the Jew. "Then you have
forgiven Him for all he has done to you in the bygone
year?" And the Jew shook his head in strong affirma-
tion.
Rabbi Levi Itzhak Berdiehever straightened up
and told the worshippers that now that God has been
forgiven the congregation can join in prayer for for-
giveness from Him. And he walked erect and sure to
the pulpit and began chanting the Kol Nidre in tunes
that speared the portals of heaven.

It