Page Four

THE JEWISH NEWS

LOTS TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, November 20, 1942

by BRESSLER

Member of Independent Jewish Press Service, Jewish Tele-
graphic Agency, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Religious News
Service, Palcor News Agency, Bressler Cartoon Service, Wide World
Photo Service.

.

The Thanksgiving Feast of
Universal Religion

Published every Friday by Jewish News Publishing Co., 2114
Penobscot Bldg., Detroit, Mich. Telephone, RAndolph 7956. Sub-
scription rate, $3 a year; foreign, $4 a year. Club subscription of one
issue a month, published every fourth Friday in the month, to all
subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federa-
tion of Detroit, in accordance with 1942 Allied Jewish Campaign
pledges, at 50 cents a club subscription per year.
Application for Second Class matter pending at Detroit, Mich.

By RABBI LEON FRAM
Temple Israel

Is Thanksgiving Day an Ameri-
can National Holiday? If so, it is
certainly different from other-na-
tional holidays. It bears no re-
semblance, for instance, t the
Fourth of July, or to Labor ay,
for its obse r- %-•
vance is almost
exclusively in
the home and in
t h e house of
worship.
Is Thanksgiv-
ing Day, then, a
religious h o 1 i-
day? If so, it
bears no resem-
blance to. Christ-
R abbi
mas, for
to ina-ssovRe bsiinF
ceraintlis
neither distinctively Christian
nor distinctively Jewish.

MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ and PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Publishers

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
MAURICE ARONSSON
ISIDORE SOBELOFF
FRED M. BUTZEL
ABRAHAM SRERE
THEODORE LEVIN
HENRY WINEMAN
MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor

VOL. 2—NO. 5

The Weekly
Sermonette

NOVEMBER 20, 1942

This Week's Scriptural Portions:

On the Sabbath of this week, the twelfth day of Kislev,
the following Scriptural selections will be read in our syna-
gogues: Pentateuchal portion, Gen. 28:10-32:3; Prophetical
portion, Hos. 12:13-14:10; or 11:7-12:12; or 11:7-14:10.

It Belongs to All Faiths
In view of its origin—the deci-

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day, the great American festival, is
always occasion for great rejoicing because we have so
much to be thankful for as citizens who are sheltered by
the Stars and Stripes.
This Thanksgiving Day is even more significant. We
are to observe it during the worst crisis for all humanity,
and the most tragic one for Israel, with the knowledge
that the principles for which our great Republic stands
are the most vital for the preservation of human rights.
We are thankful for the ideals which make this land
humanity's guide in the fight for freedom for all peoples.
We are thankful that the poison which caused the
collapse of the European peoples failed to find root in
America.
We are thankful that the strength retained by our
great democracy is now leading the free peoples of the
world to victory over the beasts of Europe and Asia.
May the ideals and principles which give us cause
for thanks soon become the blessings for all mankind.

Decline in Jewish. Population

It is daily becoming more evident that the Nazis are
seriously carrying into effect their threats to reduce th e
Jewish population. The leading Nazi gangsters do not
hesitate to admit that they seek to "exterminate" the Jews.
The latest figures showing the decline of the Jewish
population in Europe come from the Norwegian Informa-
tion Service. In a bulletin describing seizure by the Nazis
of Jewish men and boys from 14 to 75, the Norweigian
service reports that the Jewish population in Norway has
dwindled to only 800. The American Jewish Book gives
the pre-war figures of the Jewish population for Norway
as 1,359.
The Norwegian Information Service also reports that
all Jewish families in Narvik are ;segregated in a single
building, in effect a ghetto, and that the total number of
Jewish men in Norway is now between 200 and 300.
Thus. the nefarious Nazi scheme continues to deci-
mate the Jewish population of Europe. But, not unlike our
allies in this war, we shall soon see the day of reckoning.
When it comes, the Jewish communities of Europe will be
rebuilt and there is certain to be recompense for the suffer-
ings now suffered by millions of our kinsmen.

.

Jewish Book Week

Observance of annual Jewish Book Week, which
will commence this Sunday, is symbolic of the determina-
tion of th . e free peoples of the world to carry on their
normal activities during the war period. In effect it means
that we are strengthening our home front by retaining our
cultural values and by refusing to abandon efforts that
are vital. for the preservation of our democracy.
Annual Jewish Book Week is the occasion for encour-
aging the buying and the reading of Jewish books. It calls
for encouragement and support of Jewish publishing ven-
tures and Jewish authors.
The Jewish Publication Society should be remem-
bered on this occasion. Also, this annual observance should
be utilized for the spreading of books published by the
Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Bloch Publish-
ing Co., Behrman's Jewish Book House and the Hebrew
Publishing Co.
In Detroit, a particular book deserves special attention
at this time—Mr. Samuel D. Weinberg's "Jewish Social
Services in Detroit," published by the Jewish Welfare
Federation. This volume is not only the first Yiddish book
to be published by a Federation in this country, but it also
has the distinction of being the first Yiddish book, by a
Detroiter, published in Detroit. The volume ought to be
in the hands of every Jewish leader in the Yiddish-
speaking community and every Jewish organization should
possess it.
Jewish Book Week will be observed in appropriate
fashion by the Jewish Community Center and Shaarey
Zedek Library. It should also be occasion for celebration
in Jewish homes, with parents and children honoring the
traditions of the people of the Book by chesishing the
value of possessing and reading books.

The J. D. C. War Efforts

A statement issued this week by Joseph C. Hyman,
executive vice-chairman of the American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee, serves to remind us again that the
J. D. C. stands in the center of relief activities during this
tragic war period. Were it not for the J. D. C., suffering
would be much greater among those trapped by the Nazis.
Dr. Hyman, in his statement, declared that in accord-
ance with the policy for enemy-held territories, established
at the beginning of the war, the J. D. C. had advised local
French Jewish leaders, prior to the scrapping of the
armistice with France by the Nazis, to continue their relief
work for refugees and other needy Jews with borrowed
funds to be repaid after the war. This was necessary be-
cause Nazi control of unoccupied France had cut the Jew-
ish community off from direct contact with outside relief
agencies.
Expressing deep concern over the fate of 200,000
Jews in France-145,000 of them native-born, the rest
refugees—Mr. Hyman's statement, nevertheless, carries
with it 'encouragement for greater relief among hundreds
of thousands of Jews throughout the world. He indicates
that while the Jews in France are now in grave danger,
th e occupation of North Africa by British and American
troops will bring freedom to 330,000 Jews in that sector
who have suffered until now from the pro-Nazi laws en-
forced by Vichy. There are 110,000 Jews in Algeria, 160,-
000 in French Morocco and 60,000 in Tunisia. Included in
these figures are 25,000 refugees who were transported
from Europe to work on the trans-Saharan railway.
Thus, J. D. C.'s effective program offers hope to the
Jews trapped by the Nazis in France, and the North Afri-
can Jewish communities will be freed by the troops who
are occupying former Nazi-held territories and are raising
the banners of the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack.

.

Buy MORE War Bonds

An analysis of the trend in the sales of War Bonds,
made by Nate S. Shapero, one of the leaders in the Michi-
gan War Bond sales organization, shows that sales in-
crease when United Nations' losses are heavy and decline
when fortunes of war are with us and our allies.
That is unfortunate. It indicates that people are in-
clined to wait for calamities before acting. The opposite
ought to be the case. The more War Bonds we buy, the
more strength we provide for our Government to carry
this war to a successful conclusion. If we wait until we
are compelled by adverse circumstances to give all we
possess towards winning the war, we will be giving aid
and comfort to the enemy.
We are on the road to victory, and we must pave the
way to success for the United Nations. This is the time
to buy MORE War Bonds. This is not the time to shirk
responsibility.

Jewish Fighters on A II Fronts

Jewish citizens of democratic countries are earning
their spurs as fighters for freedom on all fronts.
The encouraging news from the North African, South
Pacific and Russian fronts is dotted with thrilling reports
about Jewish heroes who have distinguished themselves
in the fight against the Axis.
The Detroit Jewish community has its share of heroes
and casualties. Capt. Ruben Iden and Lieut. Roy F. Green
have given their lives in the service of our country. Major
Max Weil, reported missing, is one of the great heroes of
the battle of Bataan.
May the collective sacrifices of the fighters in the
cause of the United Nations bring speedy victory for the
cause of humanity and freedom the world over

sion of the Pilgrim Fathers to de-
vote a special day for thanks-
giving to God for the first harvest •
in the new land—and in view of
the customs that have become
associated with it, the family re-
union at dinner, the home pray-
ers, and the Thanksgiving serv-
ices at churches and synagogues,
the holiday must inevitably be
defined as a religious holiday. If 1
so, it is perhaps the only in-1
stance we have of a holiday of 1
universal religion, for its is al
day which Protestants, Catholics-1
and Jews observe with equal rev-
erence. It belongs to no one of
them exclusively, and yet it be-1
longs to all of them.
Long before such institutions as
"Brotherhood Day," or "Brother-
hood Week," were established as
an occasion when people of var-
ious religions may emphasize the
common ideals which unite them-
rather than the ideological dis-
tinctions which separate them,
Thanksgiving Day had already
been serving this high purpose.

A Second Succoth

Long ago and spontaneously,
there spread over hundreds of
cities of America the custom of
community services on Thanks-
giving Day, when men and worn-
en of all faiths worship God to-
gether. It is a good thing that
we have this universal day of
worship, imbedded deep in the
history and the heart of the
American people.
We Jews, who are especially
sensitive to all influences mak-
ing for unity and brotherhood,
ought to celebrate this holiday
with a special "Kavanah," devo-
tion. We ought to observe it not
only with the turkey feast in the I
home, but by attending commun-
ity Thanksgiving Services and by !
holding Thanksgiving Services
also in our own- synagogues.1
Thanksgiving Day should be for
us a second Succoth.
Its Basis Is In The Torah
When the Pilgrim Fathers de-
cided to designate a day of
thanksgiving to God, they were
undoubtedly influenced by the
Biblical description of Succoth;
the Autumn Feast of the Harvest
in ancient Palestine. "On the
fifteenth day of the seventh
month, when ye have gathered
in the fruits of the land, ye shall
keep the Feast of the Lord."
(Leviticus Chap. 23, Verse 39).
It is for us Jews a matter of ,
special rejoicing that Thanksgiv-
ing Day, too, like so many .of the
principles and ideals of the Amer-
ican way of life, has its basis in
the Torah of Israel.

5,000 Russian Jews

Honored for Bravery

KUIBYSHEV (JPS). — Five
thousand Russian Jews received
medals and decorations for braV-
ery during the first 15 months of
the war, it is reported here.
The Jewish commander of a
flying squadron, Yusi Trachtner,
carried on the tradition of hero-
ism on the Stalingrad front, dis-
tinguishing himself by shooting
down many German airplanes.