Page Four As the Editor Views the News - Educational Study THE JEWISH NEWS Goebbels' Propaganda Pills IN ' Formation of a Citizens' Committee to tonduct a study of our educational needs has met with a hearty welcome from all elements ha the community, and its work should be en- couraged for the good of the entire Jewish Cultural set-up. There are so many conflicting school sys- tems here, practically all of which are deriv- ing their support from the Allied Jewish Campaign, that a thorough understanding is necessary if mutual accord is to be attained. The self-study, backed up by an impartial survey, should lead to better understanding and the establishment of greater efficiency in our educational movements. What is the Midrash? The name given to the oldest expository ma- terial of Jewish scholars, gradually accumulated from the explanation or amplification of Scripture passages. * * * Is it true that Coleridge and Ruskin were devoted students of the Bible? —M. M. Yes, Coleridge once said: "Intense study of the Bible will keep any man from being vulgar in point of style." Ruskin said: "All that I have taught of art, everything that I have written, - whatever' greatness there has been in any thought of mine, whatever I have done in my life, has simply been due to the .fact that, when I was a child, my mother daily read with me a part of the Bible, and daily made me learn a part of it by heart." Talmudic Tales Detroit Fights Bigotry A House Divided (Based upon the ancient legends and philosophy found in the Talmud and folklore of the Jewish people dating back as far as 3,000 years). By DAVID MORANTZ . Separating Church and State In a number of communities throughout the land, an in- teresting practice has been introduced of having all faiths ob- serve the combined Hanukah and Christmas festivals in pub- lic schools. Jews and Christians in these communities learn Hanukah songs as well as Christmas hymns, and the inclusion of the major elements of the combined celebration is reported to be leading to a spirit of genuine good will arhong pupils and teachers. Where such joint observances are not planned, Jews have frequently—and rightfully—objected to the injection of reli- gious teachings in our schools on the ground that it interfered with the principle of the separation of church and state. The protest against the singing of Christmas carols by Jewish students in Kingston, N. Y., made by Rabbi Harold Englander, has caused a rift in his own congregation, whose members repudiated him, and the Christian Science Monitor has seen fit to reprimand the rabbi editorially as follows: American Zionism is a house divided, and there must be rejoicing in the Colonial Office in London, in the ranks of the anti-Zionist elements in the Near Eastern Division of our State Department, among the Arabs and in the American Council for Judaism. The resignations of the co-chairmen of the American Zionist Emergency Council—Drs. Abba Hillel Silver and Stephen S. Wise—is a most disheartening occurrence. At a time when leaders in the movement should have been united on major Zionist policies, internal dissention has brought about an almost-irreparable split. In the light of this occurrence, the tabling "The protesting rabbi might better have emulated the ex- of the Palestine Resolution by the Senate ample of many of his brethren who honor Christ Jesus as a great teacher. Moreover, he should have remembered that the gentle Committee on Foreign Relations becomes a Jesus taught the brotherhood of man; no -true Christian can minor matter. The speedy reconstruction of support racial prejudice. Many American Jews, in common with Palestine is the major responsibility of Jews their Christian brethren, generally observe the Christmas season themselves, and when our leadership is split, with benevolence and expressions of love and good will. These customs are part of the tradition of a liberty-loving people who, progress in reconstruction work is certain to despite imperfections, are basically tolerant and friendly. Their be impeded. carols, no matter what the words or the tongue, are songs of joy, and the Christmas story is the annually repeated expression of The introduction of resolutions of censure hope for such a world as the Master Christian sought to bring." after Zionists have suffered a setback in political action does not, in itself, represent wise or wholesome thinking in behalf of the This is a shocking statement, and it must be attributed Jewish reconstruction movement. In view of to hasty action by a very responsible American newspaper. overwhelming public opinion which backed It is altogether too evident, in the portion of the editorial Dr. Silver in his activities in Washington, it we have quoted, that the Monitor's appeal is based on religious does not help the cause to try to reprimand fervor the expression of which would be fully justified in him for a setback which was not of his own making, since the Zionist resolution also had Christian schools and in churches. But the fact remains that the accepted American ideal the backing of President Roosevelt. If Zionist leadership could not get together in a crucial is to keep church and state separate, and that separation be- hour, the latest happenings should serve as comes impossible when an appeal for the singing of songs a signal to Zionists to change leadership and steeped in Christian ideals is made on the ground that "the to select at the head of the movement men words or the tongue" do not matter. * * * and women who will be able to agree on action without placing the cause in disrepute. The spirit of good will must be strengthened, and all of us must avoid being intolerant. We must be parties to the spreading of genuine brotherhood, in the spirit of the message that was sent to the heads of the Federal Council of Churches Member of Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent of Christ in America, the National Catholic Welfare Confer- Jewish Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Religious News Service, Palcor News Agency, Bressler ence and the United Lutheran Synod by the Synagogue Cartoon Service, Wide World Photo Service, Acme Council of America which expressed the season's greetings Newsphoto Service. Member American Association of English - Jewish in the form of "good wishes and warm regards of the Jewish Newspapers. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish- community for their Christian brethren." ing Co.. 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich. Telephone RAndolph 7956. Subscription rate, $3 a year; foreign, The Synagogue Council's president, Rabbi Herbert S. $4 a year. Club subscription of one issue a month, published every fourth Friday in the month, to all Goldstein, stated in his message: subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of the Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit, at 40 cents a club sub- "In our mutual endeavors to create good will between scription per year. Christians and Jews, we accomplish that best through the Entered as second-class matter August 6, 1942, at the Post Office at Detroit, Michigan, under the Act of broad platform of Americanism which represents the contri- March 3, 1879. bution of all the people of all the faiths in the United States BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAURICE ARONSSON PHILIP SLOMOVITZ for the best interest of our beloved country. It is our prayer FRED M. BUTZEL ISIDOP.E SOBELOFF that through your devotion during your sacred season that THEODORE LEVIN ABRAHAM SRERE MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ HENRY WINEMAN all mankind may be improved, that penance and atonement PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor may ensue, which will certainly bring about a healing and A. R. BRASCR, Advertising Counsel a holy peace for all God's children." DECEMBER 29, 1944 VOL. 6—NO. 15• Creation of good will and tolerance, however, must not involve the problem of conflicting church and state activities. The Week's Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the fourteenth day of Tebet, Church and state CAN and MUST be kept separated. We are convinced that all good Christians reject racial 5705, the following Scriptural selections will be prejudice. But we equally are convinced that the cementing read in our synagogues: of good will need not be based on the introduction of eli- Pentateuchal portion—Gen. 47:28-50:26. gious practices into our school system. Prophetical portion—I Kings 2:1-12. THE JEWISH NEWS Facts You Should Know Answers to Readers' Questions About Jews MI A- new municipal law has been adopted by the Common Council of Detroit. This law makes it illegal for anyone to publish or to circulate anonymous pamphlets or any other publication, which "exposes any individual, or any religious or racial group, to hatred, contempt, ridicule or obloquy." Detroit's Councilmen and our Mayor should be informed that this is a step in the right direction: We are a fortunate community that the millions of appeals to bigotry have fallen on deaf ears. But there is no guarantee that some of the appeals to hatred will not bear fruit, and the law adopted by our Council is a measure of prevention aiming at the perpetuation of good will. Friday, December 29, 1944 "Fruit," says the Talmud, "falls not far from the tree." "Utter not, nor listen to idle words which serve no useful purpose." "Men differ according to their natures; some are jocular and happy, others are sad and mourn- ful; some are gentle, others are hardhearted; some are boastful, some whose desires are never satis- fied, others lack all desires even for the actual needs of life; some constantly pursue material gain, whilst others are idle, not even seeking their daily needs." "He is truly wise who knows that he knows nothing." "As steel sharpens steel so does one learned mind sharpen another." "Look first at thy neighbors, before buying the house." (Copyright by David Morantz) For - a handsome 195 page, autographed gift volume con- taining 128 of these tales and 500 Pearls of Wisdom, send $1.50 to David Morantz, care of The Jewish News, or phone PLaza 1048. Children's Corner Dear Boys and Girls: Every one speaks today of good will and of the need for eliminating prejudices. A very fine poem appeared in the latest issue of Common Ground which expresses the thought that all men should respect each other mutually and race differences should not cause hatreds. It was written under the title "Incident" by Eugene T. Maleska, a teacher in the New York City schools, and it reads: Three races played together—. The yellow, black, and white- -And never questioned whether It was wrong or it was right. Three children of three races Were concerned with playing ball And couldn't see that faces Made a difference at all. I like this poem very much. That is why I in- clude it in my weekly message to you. We may all well ask: if we can, as we should, play ball with friends of other races, why can't we do business with them, practice our professions with them, work with them? Let us hope that before long all prejudices will be forgotten and all men will live on friendly terms with their neighbors. Next week we usher in a new civil year. Let us , hope that 1945 will be a year of peace and of true good will. I wish you all a pleasant Sabbath and a happy 1945. UNCLE DANIEL. * * * THE HEBREW'S FRIDAY NIGHT By ISRAEL ZANGWIL (After Burns) "Come, my beloved, to meet the Bride; the face of the Sabbath let us welcome.", Sweet Sabbath-Bride, the Hebrew's theme of praise, - Celestial maiden with the starry eyes, Around thine head a sacred nimbus plays, Thy smile is soft as lucent summer skies, Before thy purity all evil dies. In wedding-robe of stainless sunshine Brest, Thou dawnest on Life's darkness and it dies; Thy bridal-wreath is lilies Heaven-blest, Thy dowry Peace and Love and Holiness and Rest. For in thy Presence he forgets awhile The gloom and discord of man's mortal years, To seek the light that streameth from thy Face, To list thy tender lullaby, which cheers His soul and lies like music on his years. His very sorrows with soft splendour shine, Transfigured by a mist of sacred tears; He drinks thy gentle-offered Anodyne And feels himself absorbed into the Peace divine. The father from the synagogue returns (A singing bird is nestling at his heart), And from without the festive light discerns Which tells his faithful wife has done her part To welcome Sabbath with domestic art. He enters and perceives the picture true, And tears unbidden from his eyelids start, As Paradise thus opens on his view, And then he smiles and thanks his God he is a Jew. So in a thousand squalid Ghettos penned, Engirt yet undismayed by perils vast, The Jew in hymns that marked his faith would spend This night and dream of all his glorious Past And wait the splendours by his seers forecast. And so while mediaeval creeds at strife With nature die, the Jew's ideals last, The simple love of home and child and wife, The sweet humanities which make our higher life.