Page.. ,Four
T:#-IF' JEWISH . NEWS •
As the Editor
- -Friday;
Busted Umbrella
Views the News - -
1944
Talmudic Tales
(Based upon the ancient legends and
philosophy found in the Talmud and
folklore-of the Jewish people.)
The Holiday of Redemption
•Passover is_more than a holiday. It is a, great institution
in the life and history of our people.
Thy Own Deeds Make Thy . Friends
" We • speak of PaSsover as the festival.. of redemption. It
is . that in every sense of the word—for .all : peoples of all
faiths.
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Just as the Bible has been accepted by the world at
large, so have the major festivals mentioned In it become
the possessions of mankind—and. Pesach stands. out amon g
the great historic events which influenced the course of all
human events.-
" When PreSident Roosevelt included "Freedom of Re-
ligion" among the Four Freedoms - which serve as the basic
ideals for which the United Nations are fighting, he recap-
tured the spirit of the world's first Festival of Freedom—the
Jewish Passover.
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In his very great book, "The Jewish Festivals," Hayyim
Schauss makes interesting comment ..on Passover, which i
applicable to our own time. He states:
"The highest point in the evolution of Pesach came
in the last century of the second Temple, when the Jews
suffered from the heavy oppression of the Romans. It
was during this period that the MeSsianic hope flamed
up, and in the minds of the Jews the deliverance of the
future became bound up with the first redemption in
Jewish history: the deliverance from Egypt. This belief
gained added Itrength in this period of Roman occupa-
tion and oppression. Jews began to believe that the
Messiah would be a second Moses and would free the
Jews the self-same eve, the eve of Pesach. So Pesach
became the festival of the second as well as the first
redemption; in every part of the world where Jews lived,
especially in Palestine, Jewish hearts beat faster on the
eve of Pesach, beat with the hope that this night the
Jetvs would be freed from the bondage of Rome, just as
their ancestors were released from Egyptian slavery -."
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Community Planning for Education
Rabbi Beroka of Hazar one day
met the - prOphet Elijah in the
crowded market place of Be
Lepht and "asked him who in
that crowd would have a share
in- the world to come.
Elijah pointed to a prison
warden who, upon inquiry, Rabbi
Beroka found was kind, wise and
merciful in this treatment of the
prisoners in his care.
The next day, when Rabbi,:
Beroka asked the same question
of Elijah, he pointed -out two
ordinary looking men of kindly
countenance, who were walking
in the crowd.
The rabbi approached these
two men and asked them what
they had done to justify Elijah's
prophecy, but they, much puz-
zled, replied:
"We know not to what you
rad% We are poor men who earn
our living by our trade, but we
always try to be cheerful and
of good nature. If we see a fel-
low man sad, we try to - cheer
him. If we see two persons quar-
reling, we. try to dissuade them
and make them friends again.
Our whole life is to make and
keep friends?'
Says the Talmud further on the
subject of friends:
"Thy own deeds make thy
friends or thy enemies."
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"To have no - faithful friends
is worse than- death."
"One enemy is one too many,
a thousand friends are none too
many."
Business Wisdom
"Small profits," says the Tal-
mud, "are not to be despised."
"He that will steal a pin will
also steal a better thing."
"Deliberate long on what you
can do but once."
"Want of. punctuality is a spe-
cies of falsehood."
"Be not misled by evil ex-
amples; never say, 'others do A
too'."
"If others jump into an, abyss
that is no reason that you -should
do the same."
"Money loaned goes quickly,
but reluctantly returns."
"Be not too positive in thy
.assertions, for - thou art - not in-
capable of error."
"To borrow upon usury is cer-
tain beggary."
"Surety. is better than hope."
"He who would catch fish
would not mind getting wet."
(Copyright by David Morantz)
In his very illuminating addregs covering the entire
community scene, at the al-II-mai meeting of the Jewish Wel-
fare Federation, Mr. Abraham Srere, president of the Feder-
ation, pointed out that while Federations have accepted
responsibility for promotion of formal Jewish education,
acceptance of such responsibility has not been extended to
the
formulation of guiding principles in cultural efforts. Mr.
There are throughout the world today several millions of
then made the following proposal:
Jews for whom deliverance from the 20th century type of Srere "In
the days ahead we must answer for ourselves how far
Egyptian slavery—the Nazi yoke--is the one hope left for
Federation should go in the field of. Jewish education. Should
survival. Therefore, Palestine again loonis on the horizon
Federation be content with a mere provision of funds' to the
various educational agencies; or, should it take a more active
as the major aspiration of Jews who must find a home and
role in community planning for Jewish education? We are at
a place of rest and security, else continue to submit to
the point where we should start thinking in terms of creating
Persecutions and indignities and risk the danger of perishing
a central community educational agency which would concern
as a people.
itself with community planning in the field of Jewish' education,
* * *
such as coordination and consolidation of school systems, setting
of standards, experimentation with new curricula and new
Passover of 5704 holds forth new hopes. Mankind must
types of ;schools, and promoting an interest in Jewish education
attain the highest principles of morality taught by religiorr,
among those families whose children are now outside the- walls
and by the principles stemming from the world's great faiths
of our educational agencies."
as they were acquired from Judaism, else we revert to
This is a timely suggestn. An evaluation of our educa-
anarchy of the jungle.
tional needs is in order for many reasons.- In the first place,
Theodore Roosevelt once said: "People educated in in- instead of centralizing echicational activities we now have
tellect and not educated in morals and • religion will become more schools of a differing nature than ever before. Then
a menace to our Nation." Acceptance of highest moral prin- there is the larger issue of providing a. Jewish education for
ciples of humanity is an extremely important need in the as many of our boys and girls as possible.
Many of the Jewish communities throughout the land
present battle for decency in the world.
have Bureaus of Jewish Education which deal with this
To win the battle for justice, it is necessary that justice
be guaranteed for all, and that no exceptions be made in problem. The creation of a central Jewish educational agency
in Detroit, as proposed by Mr. Srere, may serve to clarify
the case of the Jewish people.
some of the problems which today bewilder our community,
To guarantee justice, 'it is necessary that Jews who are because of the conflicting cultural ideologies, and may also
suffering today because they have been doomed to homeless- serve to inspire the enrollment of larger numbers of boys
ness shall have their status as human beings restored by the and girls in Jewish schools.
For a handsome 195 page, auto-
reconstitution of their ancient -homeland.
graphed gift volume containing 1213
of these tales and 500 Pearls of Wis-
Passover challenges mankind to become justice-loving
dom. send $1.50 to David Morantz,
and justice-pursuing.
care of The Jewish News, or phone
PLaza 104&
We celebrate' Passover of the year 5704 in a spirit of
Formation of the National Community Relations Council,
confidence that this , hope for Israel and for mankind shall as a result of the interesting discussions at the recent Assem-
not be frustrated.
bly of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds,
has aroused more than passing interest,- and there is hope
throughout the land that there will, at last, be concrete and
effective coordination of efforts in the field of civic-protective
•
Member of Jdwish Telegraphic Agency, 'Independent Jewish work.
Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Religious News
Nationally Prominent names are included in the list of
"The Jewish Spirit Triuinph-
Service, Palcor News Agency, Bressler . Cartoon Service, Wide
officers. These men had met. on other occasions in an effort ants ' is a. wisely chosen title for
World Photo Service, Acme Newsphoto Service.
to coordinate their activities, but the aspirations of individual the collection of 50 sermons and
Published every Friday by "Jewish News Publishing Co., 2114
addresses by .• Rabbi. Harry J.
Penobscot. Bldg., Detroit, 26, - Mich. Telephone RAndolph 7956. Sub- organizations to perpetuate their own activities have stood in
Stern
scription rate, $3 a year; foreign, $4 a year. Clith subscription of one the way of constructive unity. With the inclusion of leaders treal. of Temple' Emanuel, Mon-
issue a month, published every fourth Friday M the month, to all from communities throughout the land in the new set-uP,
This book, just published by
subscribers to -Allied Jewish Campaign of the Jewish Welfare there . is greater hope than ever for a more effectiVe and more
Bloch Publishing Co., New York,
Federation of •Detroit; at 40 cents a club subscription- per year.
unified prograM of action.
is a fascinating preSentation of a
Entered as second-class matter August 6, 1942, at the Post Office
Without such unity, they light
anti-Sernitism may be point, of view • which deserves to
at Detroit, Michigan, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
weakened: The strength of some fascist groups in America be- heard-. - •
Rabbi Stern has long been rec-
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
calls foi. continued vigilance, and it is necessary that dupli-
MAURICE ARONSSON
cation, .of effort in civic-protective work should be avoided ognized . -as an able preacher,
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
leader and writer. In "The Jew-
FRED M. BUTZEL
ISIDORE SOBELOFF
wherever and Whenever possible.
ish Spirit
THEODORE LEVIN
-
New Community Relations •Council
"The Jewish Spirit
Triumphant"—Series .
of Stern's Sermons
THE. JEWISH NEWS
,
.
ABRAHAM SRERE
HENRY WINEMAN
MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ
-
Immediate Action Necessary
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
VOL. 5—NO. 3
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APRIL 7, 1944
This Week's Scriptural Selections:
This Sabbath, the first day of Passover, the following
scriptural selections will be read:
Pentateuchal portions: Ex. 12:21-51; Num. 28:16-25.
Prophetical portion: Josh. 3:5-7:52-6:1:27.
Scriptural selections for Sunday, second day of Passover:
Pentateuchal portion: Lev. -22:26-23:44; Num. 28:16-25.
Prophetical portion: II Kings 23:1 (or 4)-9:21-25.
Scriptural selections for Ho! Hamoed Passover:
Monday, Ex..13:1 10, Num. 28:19-25; Tuesday, Ex. 22:24-
23:19,,Nutn. 28:19-25; Wednesday, Ex. 34:1-26, Num. 28:10-
25; Thursday, Num. 9:1-14, 28:19-25 .
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Scriptural selections for seventh day of PassoVer, Friday:
Pentateuchal portions: Ex. 13:17-15:26; Num. 28:19-25.
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Prophetical portion: II Samuel?,
.
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By DAVID MORANTZ
President Roosevett's latest statement on Palestine, made
at his press conference on March 28, was distresSing news
to the Jewish people. It is rightfully interpreted as a negation
of the earlier declaration he had made to Dr. Abba Hillel
Silver and Dr.. Stephen S. wise.
It is of the utmost importance Ahat our government
should recognize as speedily as- possible that what is needed
today is prompt and immediate action to guarantee the
security of the Jewish position in Palestine. Delays may
prOve costly. _
Will pledges be adhered to, or are they to be broken
with repeated .turns of events and changes in governments?
Our own government and. the goVernments of our Allies
-have assumed sacred pledgeS to provide for the liberatiOn
of the Jewish masses who are suffering under Nazism. Pales:-
tine is the. Only available haven of liberation.
Justice demands art answer favorable to the Jewish-
cause.
Triumphant" he dis-
cusses issues of current interest
to Jews. Matters affecting our re-
ligious status, our holidays, the
World tragedy and our position
in Palestine are among the sub-
jects reviewed.
Each of the 50 essays is brief—
the entire volume being con-
densed into. 213 pages.. This pro-.
vides an opportunity for the av-
erage - reader to get information
briefly. Whether the subject is
the Decalogue, or a Jewish festi-
val, or Leon Blum," or Judah Ha-
levi, the author presents it very
interestingly.,
There is a tribute in the book
to the late Isaac M. Wise, and the
series of: essays concludes with
the paper Rabbi Stern delivered
before the 53rd session. of the
Central Conference of American
Rabbis on "What Reform Juda.
iSin Means to Me."