Americo Jewish Periodical eed

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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

HIAS Helps Aliens Register

Detroit Jewish Chronicle

Published Weekly by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
NO Lawyers' Building, Detroit 26, Michigan
SUBSCRIPTION
$3.00 Per Year. Single Copies, 10c; Foreign, $5.00 Per Year
Entered as Second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at
Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879

Jewish National Fund Celebrates

25 Years of Social Service

The Jewish Social Service Bureau, which celebrated this
week its silver anniversary is indeed one of the most unique
organizations of the Jewish community of Detroit.
Although the JSSB was originally an agency set up for
the purpose of caring for neglected or indigent children and
the older people over 60, it has, through the force of circum-
stances in the last 15 years, become the clearing house for
newcomers from Europe who, in one form or other, had their
first contacts with JSSB before they were able to stand on
their own feet.
"During the fiscal year ending last May, 408 men, women
and children from the DP camps settled in Detroit on Com-
munity assurances provided by the Joint Distribution Com-
mittee," wrote Harold Silver, the Bureau's executive director,.
in the Rosh Hashana issue of the Jewish Chronicle on Sept. 7,
1950.
He also stated that "Detroit has committed itself to take
another large group of DPs (500 or 600) who will be able to
come under the liberalized legislation. By Rosh Hashana of
1951 the last DPs eligible to come to the United States will
have arrived and after that the problem locally will continue
in declining volume for about another year."
Despite a number of hard core cases whose adjust-
ment will require a long period of patience, the overall
picture is very favorable. The great majority of the new-
comers have found their place and have made an excellent
start in a new -nvironment.
That they have succeeded so well is to no small degree
due to the guidance given them by the JSSB. The professional
workers of the Bureau and the volunteers who are giving so
unselfishly of their time have been rendering the community
a service, the effects of which will make themselves felt for
a long time to come.
It is our sincere wish that the JSSB may be able to con-
tinue its work of the next 25 years in an atmosphere of peace
and normalcy.

Scholar Sees
Literacy As
Jewry's Need

By SIDNEY AXELROD
Asst. Rabbi, Temple Beth El

SEYMOUR TILCIIIN
Publisher
GERHARDT NEUMANN
NORMAN KOLIN
Editor
Advertising Manager
Shebat 5, 5711
Friday, January 12, 1951

The redemption of the soil of Israel has been more than
a slogan for Zionism: it is the very heart and soul of the
Zionist idea. When Herzy looked around—what did he see?
Luftmenschen, as he called them, people without roots, people
without spiritual and national affiliations, Jews with Judaism.
"Back to the soil" became the central idea of Zionism. It
was therefore only natural that as early as 1900 when the
fifth Zionist Congress met at Basle, plans took shape to put the
colonization of Palestine on a financially sound basis. And so
the JNF was founded 50 years ago. Since there was no Jewish
government to level taxes on Jews anywhere. in the world,
a system of voluntary contributions had to be adopted. It was
one of the most ingenious and effective systems ever devised
by any Zionist agency: the blue and white box, symbol of the
redeemed soil of the Holy Land.
For decades, the Jewish people have been dropping
their nickels, dimes and quarters in these boxes, and when
the Jewish state came into being the fact that through
the Jewish National Fund a tremendous area of the Israel
soil had been acquired was of the greatest importance.
The Jewish people have a right to be proud of the JNF
also from another point of view. From the outset, Jews did
not come to Palestine as conquerors. They did not displace
any Arabs or take their land away, even when later they were
in a position to do so. They came as colonizers who wished to
live in peace and friendship with their non-Jewish neighbors.
Recognizing that despite its smallness Israel had enough
room for Arabs and Jews, the JNF started buying the land in
small and large lots. The pennies of the Jewish people went
into the pockets of the rich Arab absentee landowners who
made a big profit out of the Jewish "invasion" and then used
the money for inciting riots against the Jewish settlers.
However, the Jews were never dismayed by these at-
tacks. During the Arab revolt of 1937, a number of JNF settle-
ments were set up, and only those who have witnessed such
an event can really know the sweeping enthusiasm which in-
spired the settlers.
We are quoting excerpts from Davar's account of the
foundation of Hanita:
"On March 19, 1937, at daybreak, 400 men left Mishmar
Zebulun and headed for Hantta where they were going to
establish a new settlement on the Lebanese frontier on a 4,000-
dunam tract recently acquired by the Jewish National Fund.
"This was the most daring as well as most dangerous
attempt of the past years, since the place is distant and cut off
from all Jewish settlements. The hill upon which the tem-
porary camp was pitched is surrounded by mountains.
"The convoy arrived at seven that morning. The camp
was immediately divided into two groups: workers and watch-
men. The lorries could not ascend the height and so the loads
were transferred to donkeys. And the men themselves carried
loads, too.
"At dusk, the mobilized help returned to Haifa and there
remained only the settlers, the guards and the various skilled
workers.
"At midnight there was a heavy attack: simultaneous
fusillages from three directions, and from 15 different points.
There was an hour of heavy firing. but each and every man
stood his ground, and the aggressors went off."
It was in this spirit that Israel was built. The Jewish
people the world over, rich as well as poor, bought the
land, and younb men and women in Israel were willing to
take possession of the soil and to defend it, in the hope
that some day they would be able to cultivate their land
in peace and in harmony with their neighbors.
The day has not come yet. But Jews are incorrigible opti-
mists: they fight for their ideals until final victory is won.

Friday, January 12, 1951

Sunday Schools to Give
Courses for Teachers

AGENDA FOR AMERICAN
JEWS by Eli Ginzberg (King's
Crown Press, New York, 99
$2 ).-
For the past 50 years the eye
of American Jewry has been
centered on the upbuilding of a
Jewish homeland in Palestine
and the strengthening of Jewish
security at home. Worthy though
these objectives are, they have
obscured the more basic prob-
lem of the survival of Judaism
in America. In our battle for
physical survival we have over-
looked the fact that no group
can endure where the body lacks
substance and spirit.
That is why the brief volume
by Prof. Eli Ginzberg of Colum-
bia University, Agenda for Am-
erican Jews, is of great import-
ance. For as Robert Nathan and
Lowdermilk evaluated the eco-
nomic potentialities of Israel, so
does this social scientist compre-
hensively analyze the state and
future of the American Jewish
community.
With simplicity, clarity and
understanding, Ginzberg writes
of the synagogue and school, the
role that welfare plays in Ameri-
can Jewish life and the "only"
approach to better relations with
the Gentile.
But one theme is paramount
throughout: indispensable to a
healthy personal adjustment of
the American Jew and to Jewish
survival is a regeneration of in-
terest in the intellectual, cultural
and religious institutions in Jew-

shown that it is difficult to get
By WALTER FARBER
Director, Bnal Moshe Religious a Sunday school teacher who is
well-equipped with both a Jewish
School
N THE PAST nine months a and secular background. Educa-
number of meetings of school tion should never take a holiday,
directors, rabbis and school even among the best of teachers
board members have been held who have had ample preparation.
for the purpose of organizing a
school for training of religious
school teachers. This is news and
well worth a column.
We need Sunday school teach-
ers with a better Jewish back-
ground. We need men and wo-
men who are not only trained
ish life.
educators but also saturated with
By Y. RISCHIN
Our communities, Ginzberg de-
Jewish content and prepared to
JERUSALEM—The Convention clares, are in a state of chaos,
inculcate their pupils with Torah.
Center now being built here will
multiplicity of organiza-
Not so long ago teachers for strengthen the tourist industry with a and
little consciousness of
Sunday school classes were se- and contribute to the stabiliza- tions
constructive purpose. No matter
lected from the membership of tion of the city's economy.
what the announced goal of a
the congregation. Those who
Jerusalem's pre-eminence as group is, the positive values are
volunteered their services were
soon superseded by absorption in
often attached to Jewish values, the center of the country's cul- fund-raising and problems of
ture
is
unchallenged.
Yet
the
and many of these instructors
membership and politics.
proved to be instrumental in cultural development of the capi-
So intense is the preoccupation
tal
has
been
severely
restricted.
creating a love for Jewish life in
with how to increase membership
Neither
in
Jerusalem
nor
in
any
hundreds of boys and girls who
con- and how to raise more money
today are probably active mem- other Israeli city exists a
that little time is left for scholar-
bers in Detroit's communal and cert hall of international stan- ship or for the proper under-
dards--a
fact
which
causes
many
synagogal endeavors.
famous artists to stay away from standing and use of the institu-
Many others, however, did not Israel.
tions for which the physical
reach the standards of this self-
effort is expended.
The
same
situation
has
led
to
devotion and, as a result, the
There is but one solution: The
a
cultural
starvation
of
Jerusa-
children's education suffered.
American Jew must become lit-
There was little preparation for lem's residents. Visits of the erate. No individual Jew can
the lesson, tardiness and absence Israel Orchestra or theatrical achieve a personal adjustment
became common, and there was a companies are infrequent and unless he orients himself to the
lack of continuity in terms of usually confined to single per- Jewish past, present and future.
service on the part of these in- formances, with the result that Neither the synagogue nor school
a great many people in Jerusa-
structors.
lem never get a chance to hear will make much headway unless
• • •
Jews become more interested in
IT WAS FINALLY held neces- a concert or see a performance. the furtherance of these forces
The lack of a good hall also in their daily lives. The Jew
sary to compensate instructors
for Sunday school work. Today impaired the proceedings of the must make a choice of the de-
all Sunday schools of this city First World Hebrew Congress mands made upon his time and
pay their teachers, and liberally which was held last July in that of his children.
at that. Most of these teachers Jerusalem. The largest hall avail-
Particularly is this true of his
are well trained, and many of able was the YMCA auditorium preoccupation with defense ef-
them are high school teachers. which accommodates less than forts. "It is exceedingly danger-
Some have a fine Jewish back- 1,000 people. Since the demand ous," Prof. Ginzberg asserts, "for
for seats was much greater, hun- a Jewish community to become
ground, others have not.
A training school would serve dreds of educators, writers and preoccupied with influencing the
two purposes. First, it will sup- other interested Israelis could attitudes and behavior of the
plement the meager training of not be admitted to the sessions. Gentile majority because there
A little earlier, the Hebrew is no basis for believing that it
a good number of those teaching
at present. Secondly, it will be a University celebrated its 25th is likely to succeed in this effort."
Moreover, in spending its lim-
training center for these young anniversary. The actual anniver-
men and women who are interest- sary date was April 1, but be- ited resources for these purposes,
cause there was no suitable hall it inevitably neglects institutions
ed in teaching Sunday school.
The study course, as it has re- in Jerusalem available, the event and activities which would yield
cently been outlined, shows the was postponed until May 5 so it much higher returns in meaning-
desire of the rabbinate and could be held in the open. Even ful values and basic security.
school directors to provide teach- then only 4,500 participated in
If we are concerned with in-
ers with a well-rounded Jewish the ceremonies, while the demand terfaith relations, Ginzberg con-
for tickets was almost double cludes, we should cooperate with
background.
Among the subjects required this number. • other Americans interested in a
The Jerusalem Arts and Crafts better democracy and not work
are Bible, Hebrew, Jewish his-
tory, literature, religion, sociol- Exhibition was held in the Ar- along sectarian lines. "As Amer-
tists' House last September. Un- icans we are concerned with de-
ogy and education.
• • •
doubtedly, these attractive ex- mocracy, as Jews, with Juda-
THIS IS A REAL opportunity hibitions could have been shown ism."
Agenda for American Jews is
for young graduates of a high to better advantage and to more
school and Sunday school (or its people in more spacious display a challenging document from a
equivalent) to enroll in a school rooms, thus avoiding the conges- scholar who has made similar
which will be sponsored jointly tion which made the visit to art studies in other fields for the
United States government. It the
by the Midrasha and the con- friends rather unpleasant.
The Center will be designed American Jew will give it the
gregations of Detroit which con-
duct religious classes. Courses with modern acoustic devices attention it deserves, it will not
are offered with the opening of and accommodate large crowds. only help to clarify some of the
the new semester in February Halls of all sizes will be built critical issues of our day, but
at the Midrasha which meets in for congresses and for smaller redirect the tremendous mis-
the Rose Sittig Cohen Building. meetings. Adequate space will be directed energies and abilities of
I am anxious to see this project given for effective display of American Jewry into life-giving
channels.
progress. My experience has works of art.

I

Culture Center
Being Erected
in Jerusalem