Page Two

Purely
Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

DOCTOR NATE S.. SHAPERO•
Nate S. Shapero, to whose name_ until
May 17 were appended ,the letters Ph..B.,
'now has the additional degree of LL.D.
The versatility of this. Jewish awl civic
leader has won for him the esteem of
his fellow-citizens. He earned his way
through Cass High School and Ferris
Institute of Big Rapids, Mich., as a vio-
linist. But he became a national figure as
the organizer of the most successful
chains of drug stores.
Ferris Institute, where he earned his
Ph. B. degree, has recognized his ability
and has rewarded him with the Doctor-
ate.
The most interesting thing about t h e
award he has received from Ferris In-
stitute is that his Alma Mater recognized
the important role he has played not
only in the business life of this com-
munity, but also in the civic and human-
itarian movements of his country and
the Jewish people.
The citation read, by President M. S.
Ward in awarding him the LL.D. degree
made mention of the role he plays as
head of the American Association for
the Chaim Weizmann Chemical Re-
search Foundation of Rehovoth, Pales-
tine, his association with the Detroit
Round Table of Christians and Jews and
his other civic affiliations.
Doctor Shapero has a noteworthy rec-
ord for all-around service, and he has
well earned the honor accordO him.
* * *
ARLAZAROFF ANNIVERSARY
When Dr. Chaim Arlazaroff was as-
sassinated in Palestine 11 years ago, Jews
throughout the world sat in mourning
over the loss of one of the most prom-
ising leaders.
A noted scholar and linguist,' a very
able speaker and a ibrilliant diplomat, Dr.
Arlazaroff had succeeded in befriending
Arab leaders, and it was believed that
his efforts would lead to powerful Arab- '
Jewish friendships. He was only 33 when
he died, but he had alreadY made him-
self felt in Jewish life in Pakstine,
where the dastardly murder - occurred,
in EuroPe and in this country. .
A group . of Detroiters was 'among the
first to honor his memory by establish-
ing a branch of the Jewish National'
Workers' Alliance (Farband) bearing
his name. When Detroit's Arlazaroff
branch celebrates its 10th anniversary
on June 11, it will be an occasion for
re-evaluation of Dr. Arla7aroffs contri-
butions to his people's efforts for nation-
al rebirth. The present generation of
young Jews has much to learn from the
lessons taught by the genius of Arla-
zaroff, whose memory will live as a
blessing.

Friday, May 25, T

THE -JEWISH NEWS

Shevuoth Legend. of Muth

By DR. AARON ROSMARIN

Director of Mizrachi Youth and Education Department

The Jewish holidays are literary festivals. The Scripture - readings for
these occasions suit the character of the holiday. On Sukkoth, which signals
the approach of winter,. Jews read the pessimistic book of Ecclesiastes; on
Passover, occurring in the spring, Jews read. "Song of Songs", the most fam-
ous love poem in any literature; on. Shevuoth, the idyllic story of "Ruth," the
gleaner of wheat.
The Book of Ruth has only four short chapters. But many legends about
its characters have accumulated, particularly the legend that King David •
descended from Ruth. These legends - adorne the simple tale of Elimelech,
his wife Naomi, their sons and daughters-in-law.
A Leader Who Deserted His People
Elimelech was an important man, a leader. When the famine descended .
upon the Land of Israel, he feared that all would knock at his doors and ask -
for bread. He decided tp 'leave the country, knowing that he could - not help
them. He took his wife and his tvva- sons, Mahlon and Chinon, and emigated
to Moab.
But legend tells us that God resented the fact that Elimelech had deserted
the Land of Israel. God decreed death for Elimelech, and :even the merit
of his forbear .Nahshon, the Son of Aminadav, the first to jump into the sea
when Israel went out of Egypt, could not save him.
Mahlon. and Chilion, witnesses to their father's punishment, failed to heed.
its moral. They went further than their father, and took Moabite women for
wives and did not even convert them. The name of Chilion's wife was Orpah,
and that of Mahlon's—Ruth. .k
For 10 years God kept admonishing Mahlon and Chilion hoping that they
would ultimately repent. He destroyed their cattle, and upOn seeing that even
after this they did not repent, he decreed their death. And God remembered .
His people Israel and gave them bread for the sake of the righteous man Boaz.
After Naomi had lost her husband and her two sons, she sought to re-
turn to her country. She said to. her two daughters-in-law: "Go, return each
of you to her mother's house." Ruth refused to leave. Naomi tried to dissuade
Ruth from accompanying her, by discussing the difficulties of observing Jew- ,
ish law. But Ruth replied: "Whither thou goest, I will go.' Thy people shall
be my people. Thy God shall be my God."
Barefooted Journey Home
Ruth was determined , to follow her, and moved by her tears and pleas,
Naomi took her along to the Land of Israel.
- There lived in those days in Bethlehem, Boaz, the son of Elimelech's
brother, a wealthy landowner. He was a prominent man and a judge who
judged the people of Israel for seven years. He had 30 sons Wand 30 daughter&
However, Boaz enjoyed no happiness of his children. They all died during his
lifetime. His wife died on the day of Ruth's arrival.
To support herself, Ruth went to glean in the fields, and so happened to
come to the fields of Boaz. Unlike the other maidens, Ruth did - not frolic
with the reapers. She behaved Very discreetly. She was particular to find
among the reapers decent men near whom to glean. Boaz, observing her dis-
cretion,. sought to befriend her.
From here the love story evolves, with 80-year old _Boaz appearing before
the Sanhedrin and taking Ruth for his wife.

•

(Copyright, 1944, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.Y

Strictly
Copfidential

By PHINEAS BIRON

(Copyright. 1944, by Seven Arts
Feature Syndicate).

Between
You and Me

By ARNOLD - LEVIN

(Copyright, 1944 Independeta iewisk
Press Service, Inc.)

WEDGWOOD AND VAN PAASEN
In accepting membership on tie Wedg-
wood Memorial Committee, publishers
of the late. Lord Wedgwood's 'Testa-
ment to' Democracy," Pierre Van Paas-
sen writes to the Committee's honor-.
ary secretary, Moses Schonfeld that he
became a Zionist through Wedgwood . .
"When I was a young soldier in the
British Army, Col. We _ dgwtod was one
of my commanders . In Toronto and
Montreal .I had the honor of leading
him around night after night to meet-
ings when I served as a labor reporter
on Canada's national newspaper. He,
more than any other man, excited in
me an interest in Palestine and the
Jewish national cause, so that in the
course of time I also made that cause
my own . . . "
* S *
CAPITOL LINE
Some Patterson-McCormick column-
ists have launched a new line of attack
on Vice-President Wallace by' shouting
that he is being backed for renomination
by "the Frankfurter boys." The Frank-
furter boys, by the way, will go down
in the history of the New Deal era as
persons who helped to shape America's
destiny . . The same columnists are
trying to build up Breckenridge Long,
Assistant Secretary of State, to take
over Secretary Hull's job. He is the man
responsible for a great deal of 'red tape
which prevented the- rescue of Hitler's
victims. Through testimony at a. Con-
gressional hearing, Breckenridge Long
sought to give the impression that the
U. S. had done its share in the rescue
of refugees. The President's order cre-
ating the War Refugee Board showed
that the President did not share Mr.
Long's opinion on the matter.

-By VICTOR WAYNE

(Copyright, 1944, by Seven Arts Feature Syndicate)

Inc)

ZIONIST NOTES
POLITICAL COMMENT
flints received by Zionist -leaders here
Well-informed circles regard as a po- point to the fatt that the British ,have
litical blunder the Appeal to Stalin is- something _up their sleeve with _regard
sued by the Emergency Committee to to the White Paper . Otherwise,. why
Save the Jewish People of Europe . . . should British *:iffiCials. tell Arabs quiet- •
Some members of this Emergency Com- ly that Britain : may be forced to re-open
mittee are known in Moscow as having the question of 'Jewish 'immigration to
maintained a consistently anti-Soviet. at- Palestine because of American preesure.
The projected: trip by Di. Chaint'Weiz,-
titude . . . They are certainly the wrong
people to appeal to Stalin for anything. mann to Palestine will haVe:to be post-
poned until after the invasion' has . start-.
THE MUSICAL BEAT
The sponsors 'of the Madison Square ed . . . At present Dr. Weizmann has no-
Garden Flag Day observance on June chance of leaving England since even
14th had a happy inspiration when they diplomats of friendly nations are not al-
decided to. present Halevy's opera "La lowed to leave the country as a precau-
Juive" on that occasion . . . This im- tionary measure preceding the invasion..
American JeWs are urged to do some-
mortal masterpiece against intolerance
thing about the fact that under the
will be most appropriate,. -
Jacob Gladstone, poet, novelist a n d
A tone poem describing._Iledy Lamarr White Paper they- are excluded' from
staff-writer on the Jewish Morning is the latest work of composer George entering Palestine while American non-
Journal, Yiddish daily, voices the reac- Antheil.
Jews can enter the country without any
tion of many of his colleagues on read-
Add things we never .knew before: restrictions . . . A call- to this effect is
ing the news-report that • the Bill of That there is a theory that Wolfgang issued by the Hias leader Sanmel A.
Rights Church was gifted candlesticks Amadeus Mozart, the famous Austrian Telsey, in the Hias organ "Rescue"
by New York Times publisher Arthur composer, was born a Jew; but was bap- American Jewish citizens' have the right
Hays Sulzberger, and that Mrs. Sulz- tized in his early childhood on the orders to ask their governMent to protect them
berger gifted to the church the candel- of an imperial personage who, hearing against the discrimination involved in
abra of the ancient synagogue of Lan- the infant prodigy perform, decreed that the enforcement of .the White Paper, the
dau.
a Jew could not be a genius . . We Hias leader thinks.
* * *
Gladstone writes: "The candelabra garnered this from "A Guide for the Be-
devilled," whose author, Ben Hecht, at- BIRTH OF A PROJECT
represented a piece of old Jtidaiim . .
and was the property of an old Jewish tributes the ukase to Marie Antoinette,
Now that the _news of the gigantic
community in the German city of Lan- though he inclines to the belief that if $150;000,000 Jordan Valley Authority
dau, several centuries back . . The there is anything to the story it must prOject has officially been announced, it
candelabra's pious light cast on the walls have been Marie Ailtoinette's mother,. ....can be revealed that the credit for this
of the Synagogue the fear in which Maria Theresa, who brought about the- comprehensive power-and-irrigation plan
Jewish communities lived, in those far- conversion:
for - Palestine goee to Einariuel Neu-
off years, when they were dependent ABOUT PEOPLE .
mann . . . Plans for starting the engin-
upon the grace of the great-great grand-
Congratulations to Leonard Bernstein eering investigations of the project were
fathers of the contemporary Nazis . .
on the selection of his symphony, "Jere- outlined by Neumann as far back as
"The candelabra was brought .here by miah," as the outstanding orch.estral two years ago ... -As usual, there were
Joseph Levy, _ a great-grandfather of work by an American composer •ntro- hitches .• • A discussion also arose • to
Mrs. Sulzberger, to whom the. members duced in New York this season . . whether it should be carried on through
of the ancient synagogue had presented This its a fitting climax to Bernstein's private channels, or . by the Zionist
it as a sign of their esteem, but Mrs. first season in the public eye ( a year Emergency Committee . . Several
Arthur Hays Sulzberger would no lon- ago he 'was known only to a select circle months - were lost until Dr. Weizmann
ger keep the candelabra and gifted it in his own Massachusetts bailiwick).
personally took the matter into his own
to an Episcopalian church . . Slit bap-
Eli Lloyd. Hoffman, former Broadway' hands and settled it by appointing a
tized a Menorah. It was an act of sense- press agent, is. now 'columning in an Ar- special committee to handle the project
less desecration and it is surprising that Army publication . . . And Mel. Diamond,. and report to the Jewish Agency . •
the old aristocratic church to which the another former Broadwayite, n o w at-
also persuaded Neumann to take
gift was made, did not,realize how abom- tached to an anti-aircraft unit in Italy, personal charge of the matter . . . By
inable an act the heire of. Adolph Ochs is keeping his hand in by writing color- that time it was March, 1943 . . . One of
were committing . ... The baptising of ful reports ,of the proceedings t h e r e the consultants of the survey commis
the menorah of the city of Landau is
(Winchell re' ently published one in his ion which is now working on the pro-
both unethical and unesthetic . . . Why column.)
ject is regarded as the greatest authority
did Mrs. Sulzber g er dare do to the
Aside to Goebbels: The late -Mrs. Sara on irrigation and claim ... If and when
menorah something she would not dare Delano Roosevelt did you dirt when she his name is revealed, people in the
to do herself? The Church to which the named her only son Franklin . . . Just Colonial Office will sit up and take
gift was made, is historically connected think what a field day you would have notice . • . American readers will be
with the Bill of Rights. Why wasn't the had if she. hadn't overruled a Roosevelt interested to learn 'that David Lilienthal,
menorah permitted the freedom Of con- . •family - tradition in accordance with head of the vast $800,000,000 TVA enter-
tinning in Jewish fashion to the end of which the future President should have prise; has also taken a warm interest in
the Jewish project. " '
its days2.4.
been christened . Isaac.

Baptized Menorah

Heard in
The Lobbies

Greenberg In India

By. _BORIS SMOLAR

;Copyright, 1944, J:cwish Telegraphic Agency,

-

We received a letter the other day
from Capt. Hank Greenberg, who is now
stationed somewhere in - India.
If * ever baseball needed Hank, :
the time-But Uncle Sam needs hihimore.
Hank Greenberg, the 6'3" slugging
bambino from the Bronx, gave up $55;7
000 contract when he was first called 'to
the colors in May 1940. Hank has for. -
Sakeii baseball not only for :the., duration.
hilt. for the rest of his 'life_ At 1--Iala.k!
age, .although the guy's only 33,, a base,-
ball_career is very, very limited, Thus,
when Hai* was _released from the Army
as Sergeant Greenberg on Dec. 1,, 1941,
because of his over-age classification, the
rumors in the hot-stove league anent
this superb first baseman—more 'recent-
ly a top-notch outfielder—were many.
The only definite item among all the
'gossip that flooded the preSs wires was
the one in' which Hank was slated to
get another contract calling for $55,000
from the Detroit Tigers. -
But, one week after the man who was
voted the most valuable man in baseball
on two separate -occasions got his re:-
lease papers from the Army, the Japs
bombed Pearl Harbor. Without any fan-
fare, without any publicity, • without
anyone the wiser for it except his im-
mediate family, Jewish Hank Greenberg
reported back to his Army Camp and
said, "Boys, I'm in for the duration. My
country needs 'me."
By the time Greenberg gets through
with the Army he will be through with
baseball as an active player. But the
records he has piled up over his eight
years in the majors will stand for long,
king periods as a monument to his bril-
liance as a ball player and sportsman.
Every fan in the land knows the rib-
bing Hank - took in his early days as a
rookie with the Tigers simply because
he was Jewish. However, it didn't' take
long 'for the fans to r e a l i z e that in
Greenberg they were w a t c h i n g the
greatest slugger since the halcyon days
of Babe Ruth, and what is more, one of
the greatest- first basemen of all time.
Thus, when in 1935, Hank received the
"most valuable player award" there
wasn't a dissenting- voice.
The fans will remember Hank's swan-
song the day before he left for the
Army. He hit one homer early in the
game. Drove in two runs in his second
time at bat. COnnected for a triple his
third time at the plate and then for good
measure smacked the apple clear over
the fence for his second home run of
the . ,game. That was his way to end a
career.

Baseball fans, salute him.