Page Twelve

THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, Sepfen-16r t5, /94

begin life all over
the past, and who have placed es-
again in a strange
reers of art and professional en-
country?"
deavor aside in order to start We
It was a challeng-
anew.
ing query. When
"Its industries have sprung lap
Sara answered, her
where there were only stones' not
voice contained a
so long ago. Its orchards and
note so t mphatic it
farms and groves can be seen, now ,
bordered on anger.
where only worthless sand extend:
The Start of a
ed a short while before.
New Life
"Where there was only waste
"We do not think
and primitive values for many;
of our decision as a
many years there is now a civil-
ized pattern of government, vital-
hardship or diffi-
ity and industry.
culty," she said. "If
"All these," she concluded so-
you consider only
berly, "came about because people
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following true story of two
'your comfort, and
have been willing to make sacri-
By S/SGT. ARTHUR SLUTSKY
Italian Jewish girls who have decided to renounce
fices."
the next person also
their present_existence to become pioneers in Palestine gives ample proof that neither Mussolini
shares the same
Courage That Cannot Fail
nor the Germans succeeded in crushing the spirit of Italian Jewry. This dispatch by Sgt. Slutsky,
point of view and
I listened, touched by the sin-
was
which Written for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, has been passed by military censorship.
so on, who will as-
cerity and determination that was
sume the responsi-
plainly theirs.
bility that faces us?
As I deliberated, I turned and
And what is our
Copyright, 1944, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.
looked out through the balcony
sacrifice compared
window-doors that divided the
with the sufferings
wall on my right. My gaze fol-
of so many who
Somewhere in Italy:
"They're not kidding either,"
lowed the harbor waters that
look to Palestine as an eventual
Jack said. "But it beats me—re-
curved toward Mount Vesuvius
place of refuge?
It wasn't easy to reconcile a dis-
member the way they got so ex-
and then it turned in the opposite
"They are depending on the ef-
cussion of the rugged life in a Pal-
cited about their place in Italy's
direction to where the harbor
forts of a few more fortunate than
estine colony with the stately ef-
future, and all that, the last time
stretched eastward.
themselves
to
help
provide
a
place
fects of that luxurious, Neopolitan-
we were here?" •
"Out beyond that harbor—out,
where they can regain their self-
study—with its soft, crimson rugs,
out, somewhere," I thought, "lies
In a few minutes our rap5d-
respect
and
live
in
freedom."
its richly-carved, mahogany desk
that little speck of land where soon
fire burst of queries was helping
As Sara stopped to regain her
and the large, brown and tan leath-
these two will take up a new life."
to unfold the story of the great
breath, Alicia took up the cry: "Al-
er cushion-seats that were sprawl-
It was an inspiring realization.
change that had taken place:
most all that Palestine has today
ed about the room.
"They'll do all right," I kept think-
At a local gathering they had
has come from the hands of per-
ing. "Courage 1i 1 -e theirs can't
It was even more difficult to be-
met a few soldiers from a Pales-
sons who have known luxury in
fail."
lieve that the participants in a plan
tinian transport unit. Visits to
to leave soon for Palestine, were
their home by the Palestinians had
blonde, vivacious Alicia and her
followed. A Friday evening spent
brunette sister, Sara, with whom
witnessing the weekly Sabbath
my friend, Sergeant Jack Solomon
social program sponsored by the
• and I sat, sharing the . elegant sur-
Palestinian -company, at their
roundings of the family study.
headquarters, had revealed a brand
Little wonder it was • a composi-
1944
of idealism they had never seen.
tion of strange design! When we
Learns to Speak Hebrew
ROSH HASHANAH
had last -seen the same two young
Monday, Sept. 18
Tishri 1
Emotions began to be touched at
ladies, about two months previous,
sources they never realized existed
Tuesday,
Sept. 19 °
Tishri 2
they were full of zealous enthusi-
before. Up to this time they had
YOM KIPPUR
Wednesday,
Sept.
asm in describing "Bella Napoli"
27
Tishri
10
been yearning for an uninhibited
as it looked before the war. - And
SUKKOTH,
Monday,
Oct.
2
opportunity to study, to travel, to
Tishri 15
it was with relish that they told
sing, to enjoy life in a native land.
Tuesday, Oct. 3
Tishri 16
us about the rich culture we could
Now it was not merely a matter of
SHMINI ATZERET
expect to find in northern Italy,
Mo'nday, Oct. 9
Tishri 22
personal ease. Theirs now became
Venice, Florence, Milan, Turin.
SIMHATH TORAH
the call to belong not merely to a
Tuesday, Oct. 10
Tishri 23
Their Affection for Italy
country, but to a people as well.
HANUKAH
Monday,
Dec.
I
I
:(islev 25
"All people say that Italy be-
Not merely to a land, but to their
gins from Rome," Sara told us
Monday, Dec.. 18
land.
Teloeth 2
then, closing her eyes and smiling
Sara removed a book from a
with a misty reflection written on
1945
nearby shelf. Handing it to me,
her dark, Latin features.
she said, "We hope to speak a little
This clinging affection for Italy
.HAMISHA ASAR B'SHVAT
Monday, Jan. 29
Silva 15
Hebrew when we get there."
was no surprise to us at that time.
It was a Hebrew grammar.
PURIM
Tuesday,
Feb.
27
Adar Sheni 14
After all, they were natives of the
"A few of the boys are teaching
PASSOVER
country—members of a Jewish-
Thursday,
March
29
.
Nissan
15—
us the language," Alicia added.
Italian family whose place on Ital-
Thursday,
April
5
Nissan
22
"But where will you go? Have,,,
ian soil had been planted more
you
any
relatives
in
Palestine?"
'LAG
B'OMER
Tuesday, May I
lyar 18
than 200 years ago. And they had
I asked.
been, for years, so closely identi-
SHEVUOTH
Friday,
May
18
Sivan
6
"No, we have no relations—only
fied with leadership in cultural
Saturday,
May
19
addresses
of
people
who
are
known
Sivan
7
circles, even Fascist civic rules did
by
our
'Palestinian
friends,"
Sara
NOTE: The holidays begin the night before, at sundown.
not consider them candidates for a
answered.
literal subjection of anti-Semitic
"How will you
legislation.
live? 'What will
True, their brother was recalled
you do?" Jack in-
from the Italian Air Force, where
quired.
he was serving as a -pilot, and Sara
Plan to Join
had to give up her singing lessons
Kibbutz
at the exclusive conservatory. But
Alicia laughed
they were allowed to conduct their
aloud. "We will be-
large antique. business with no in-
come members of a
tervention; they continued to live
Kibbutz. Work • on
in comfort and they had many
the land—plant and
friends.
dig and harvest —
Their New Love:. Palestine
like the rest."
With Fascist influences now
past and a period of complete free-
"But what do you
dom in front of them, it was quite
know about agri-
natural that Sara should lean back
culture? Have you
in her chair, that day, and muse
ever planted or dug
"Bella Napoli, eh?"
or harvested be-
Today, however, a new fire
fore?" we demand-
seemed to glow in their eyes. A
ed.
glint that had been sparked by a
"No," replied
new force of conviction. Idealism,
Alicia. "I have only
not realism was kindled in them.
known how to
"We are glad you came today,"
teach school a n d
Alicia began. "In a few weeks you
Sara has only
would have to go to Palestine to
known t h e career
visit us."
o f merchandising.
"Palestine?" Jack and I couirt-
But that does not
ered in sharp unison.
matter. One comes
There Is A Road Back .. . When these refugees were clapped into intern-
"Yes," Alicia continued, "Only
to Palestine to for-
ment in Italy, the outlook for their future was dark. Today, restored to freedom by the
a few persons from Italy will be
get the past and to
successful Allied invasion, they march as free men, warmed by the bright sunshine.
permitted to go. But we have
think only of the
With
U. J. A. funds, J. D. C. must provide enlfirged rehabilitation assistance fpr liberated
managed to be among those se-
future."
Jews in North Africa and Italy.
lected."
"Do you think it
The 1944 nationwide campaign of the United Jewish Appeal for Refugees, Overseas
A New Brand of Idealism
is sensible," -I be-
Needs
and Palestine, represents the largest combined rescue operations ever undertaken
Jack and I looked at one another,
gan jokingly, "to
by
American
Jews. To meet the enlarged needs of its constituent agencies—the Joint
then at the girls: The faces of
leave your family,
Distribution Committee, the United Palestine Appeal, and the National Refugee Serv-
both bore the same proud and reso-
your comforts and
ice—the United Jewish Appeal will require $32,000,000 this ye,ar. Funds for the UJA
lute expression.
your friends, and to
agencies are secured here through the War Chest of Metropolitan Detroit.

The Case of. The
Two Jewish
Signorinas

Jewish Holidays