Page Four
THE JEWISO NEWS
As the Editor
Views the News -
Dr. McDonald's Lecture
Fight Infantile Paralysis
Explain the connection of the organ with
Reform Judaism.
—A. A.
Dr. Allan Tarshish, writing in the Jewish Lay-
man, states: "Orthodoxy objects to the organ,
stating that the playing of a musical instrument
on the Sabbath is a violation of the law. It also
feels that the service in the Synagogue should be
of a sombre character, because of the destruction
of the Temple, and it considers the organ spe-
cifically Christian. Reform believes that the or-
gan adds to the beauty of the service, and is not
concerned with a sombre service, and points out
that instrumental music was used in the old Tem-
ple in Jerusalem. It does not consider the organ
specifically Christian, but rather an instrument of
popular usage. It is also interesting to know that
in the thirteenth century, instrumental music was
used in the Bagdad Synagogue on the middle days
of Passover and Tabernacles. It is also notewor-
thy that an organ was played on Friday evenings
in one of the Synagogues in Prague some cen-
turies ago."
* * *
Why does the Catholic Church leave out the
Second Commandment, and split another one to
make ten? —S. W.
The Old Testament's Ten Commandments give
no indication how they are to be divided. The
Catholic division, following St. Augustine, has the
First Commandment prohibiting false worship and
idolatry, and the Ninth and Tenth the separate
sins of lust and covetousness. The Protestant di-
vision makes one commandment of the two dis-
tinct sinful desires of adultery and theft, while it
makes two of the one prohibition of false worship.
This division is based on Philo, Josephus and
Origen.
Fight Infantile Paralysis!
Hamisha Asar b'Shevat
Hamisha Asar b'Shevat, the historic Jew-
ish festival known as the Trees' New Year,
to be observed next Monday, draws attention
to the interesting record of the Jewish Na-
tional Fund in its tree-planting and land- re-
clamation program.
The JNF afforestation program began 20
years ago. Since then, 3,500,000 trees have
been planted on 15,000 dunams of Palestinian
soil.
It is a magnificent record and it speaks
eloquently in support of a program which
has helped to make the Land of Israel fruit-
ful and which has - enabled the pioneers to
transform wastelands into traditional garden
spots.
Russia's War Heroes
Russia's great successes against the Nazis
on the Eastern front are helping to speed
victory against the Nazi-Fascist aggressors.
It is a responsibility to assist the heroes
of Russia in every way possible.
Funds which were gathered through the
War Chest assist in relieving the needs of
the war-stricken population in Russia.
The supplementary drive to collect cloth-
ing for Russia's needy should be given all
the necessary cooperation, and the confer-
ence called for this Sunday for this purpose
deserves the attention of all Jewish groups
in Detroit.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member of Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent
Jewish Press Servibe, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate,
Religious News Service, Palcor News Agency, Bressler
Cartoon Service, . Wide World Photo Service, Acme
Newsphoto Service.
English - Jewish
Member American Association -
ss
Newspapers and Michigan Press ociation.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
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published every fourth Friday in the month, to all
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scription per year.
Entered as second-class matter August 6, 1942, at the
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March 3, 1879.
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wider American Jewish community.
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and the maintenance of .a militant, fearless approach to
all Jewish problems.
•The fulfillment of these ideals is the fundamental and
vital task of the Jewish newspaper as a basis for the
growth • nd enrichment of Jewish life in America."
—Credo of American Association
of English-Jewish Newspapers.
-
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MAURICE ARONSSON
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
FRED M BUTZEL
ISIDORE SOBELOFF
THEODORE LEVIN
ABRAHAM SRERE
MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ
HENRY WINEMAN
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
A. R. BRASCH. Advertising Counsel
VOL. 6—NO. 19
JANUARY 26, 1945
The Week's Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the thirteenth day of Shevat,
the following Scriptural selections will be read
in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 13:17-17:16.
Prophetical portion—Judges 4:4-5:31.
Facts You Should Know
Answers to Readers'
Questions About Jews
Dr. James G. McDonald's visit in Detroit
next Tuesday is not an ordinary occasion.
Dr. McDonald, who comes here under
the auspices of the Jewish Welfare Federa-
tion and the Detroit Service Group, in behalf
of the United Palestine Appeal, is the best
informed American on questions relating to
refugees and colonization movements. He
has studied the existing world problem from
its very beginning and the message he brings
is certain to be of great significance to our
community.
His recent addresses, especially his his-
toric statement at the United Palestine Ap-
peal conference in Chicago two months ago,
were history-making in the sense that they
gave the best analysis of the situation af-
fecting hundreds of thousands of homeless
people. He should have an overflow audi-
ence when he speaks here Tuesday at the
Jewish Community Center.
The "March of Dimes" has become a na-
tional institution, and the funds raised
through this appeal for the fight against in-
fantile paralysis is a great contributing fac-
tor in guaranteeing the health of our nation.
It began as a tribute to President Roose-
velt. Today, this drive serves as a demon-
stration of America's advancement in all
fields of community service and efforts to
fight the dreaded disease of infantile pa-
ralysis.
All of us shoUld aid materially in making
this drive a success.
Friday, - January 26, $945
Talmudic Tales
(Basea upon the ancient legends and philosophy found is
the Talmud and folklore of the Jewish people dating back
as far as 3,000 years).
Shades of Munich in Bulgaria!
Palcor's report from Jerusalem revealing that the Bul-
garian Jewish Community Councils and Jewish Section of
the Fatherland Front have adopted resolutions denouncing
Zionism as "bourgeois," urging a ban on HebreW, delineating
the Bulgarian Jews as. "Bulgars of the Jewish faith" (shades
of Munich!) and renouncing affiliation with all Jewries ex-
cept the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee of Moscow, is most
saddening and most disturbing.
The news is especially upsetting in view of the charges
that Bulgarian Jewish affairs are in the hands of a "minor-
ity group," and because of the warnings by David ben
Gurion, chairman of the Jewish Agency Executive, after his
recent visit in Bulgaria, that Jewish life in that country has
been "usurped by the Communists, although Bulgarian Jewry
is mainly Zionist."
Such conditions do not help the cause of internal unity
anywhere, and they may effect the new movements in
American Jewish life to welcome leftist groups within the
councils of Jewish affairs. A desire to create such unity had
encouraged the welcoming of the Jewish Fraternal Order
into the American Jewish Conference, and The Jewish News
saw fit to endorse such steps towards unity. But if the sit-
uation in Bulgaria is an indication of a new trend on the part
of leftists to take control of Jewish life, there is certain to be
a change of heart motivated by resentment against what is
happening in Bulgaria.
The Terrorists' Conviction
Conviction of the two Palestinian youths for the mur-
der of Lord Moyne attracted worldwide attention, and it is
obvious from the reactions to the case that the issue has
not ended.
Suppression of news from the Cairo ° courtroom has not
helped any, since it was generally considered a breach of
elementary civil liberties. Coupled with the severest indict-
ments of the Palestinian terrorists are declarations that the
guilty-ones should have been treated as "misguided idealists"
—a term coined for the young killers by C. L. Sulzberger,
New York Times correspondent in Cairo.
Speaking in the United States Senate, Senator William
Langer of North Dakota, criticizing the censorship that was
introduced at the Cairo trial, made this statement:
Now, Mr. President, political assassinations are one of the
world's most ancient and persistent ills, and the precedents are
very numerous, but it is the custom of civilized peoples to give
fair and open trials so that justice may prevail. I submit, Mr.
President, a procedure which prevents the defendants from stat-
ing their case is grossly unfair and inimical to justice. I rise to
express my hope that the British authorities in Egypt, who have
probably forced this procedure upon the Egyptian judges trying
this case, will rectify their grossly erroneous decision.
Mr. President, we are in the midst of a bloody and costly
war for human decency and justice. The Hebrew people—the
compatriots of the two defendants—have suffered millions of
dead wantonly murdered by our barbarous enemies. The two
young Palestinians must get a fair and just trial, leSt, God
forbid, they, too, be added to the staggering toll of Hebrew
martyrs in this war.
*
*
Other statements, of a similar nature, were made editor-
ially in the newspapers of this country. They were not the
declarations of Zionists, who have been unanimous in con-
demning the acts of the "Sternists" whose crazed political
views motivated the terrorism.
It is most unfortunate that the murder was made a
Jewish issue, that the Egyptian attorneys for the defendants
saw fit to drag in the entire Jewish people and to declare
that Zionism is also on trial.
Responsible leaders will not only repudiate the "Stern-
ists," they will continue to condemn their acts and to do
everything possible to eradicate terrorism in Palestine. But
the Jewish people must not be penalized for the acts of a few
crazed individuals,.
By DAVID MORANTZ
HOW LONG SHOULD A PRAYER BE?
"He spends too much time with his prayers,"
complained the pupils of Rabbi Eliezer about one
of their fellow students.
"There is nothing wrong in that," replied the
Sage.
"Did not Moses pray for forty days and forty
nights?" (Deut. IX).
At another time a complaint was made be-
cause a pupil did not take enough time with his
prayers.
"That is nothing to be concerned about," re-
turned the Rabbi. • "Did not Moses' prayer on be-
half of his Sister Miriam consist of only these few
words: '0 God, heal her, I beseech thee' (Num-
bers XII) and was not this brief prayer effective?
"Remember, my pupils, that prayers do not
depend upon the number of words, nor upon
the time taken, but rather on the sincerity and
the devotion of him who prays."
(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:
Two great causes expect our help this week
—the drive to fight infantile paralysis and the
appeal for the planting- of trees in Palestine
through the Jewish National Fund on the oc-
casion of Hamisha Asar b'Shevat, the Jewish
Arbor Day.
I am sure you and your parents will be liberal
in aiding both causes.
The - fund to fight infantile paralysis started as
the "March of Dimes." But it has developed into
a great cause for which people are giving large
sums of money.
Tree-planting in Palestine is a project which
helps in the development of the land and
provides labor for the Jewish pioneers in Zion.
It also makes possible the settlement of larger
numbers of people in the Jewish National Home.
A pleasant Sabbath to all.
UNCLE DANIEL.
*
*
*
Joseph's Coat
Little Joseph was having a natural history
lesson, and his teacher asked him what was
obtained from the sheep. "Wool," answered
Joseph readily. "And what is made from wool?"
Joseph hesitated. "Come, come," urged the teach-
er, "surely you know that. What is your jacket
made from?" "Daddy's old trousers!" replied
Joseph promptly.
* * *
The Verse "Next Door"
Not only did the Rabbis examine every word
of the Scriptures for hidden meanings, but they
also sought instruction from the order in which
the verses were placed. Thus the injunctions:
"Ye shall fear every man his .mother and his
father" (Lev. xix, 3) follows immediately after
the command "Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord
your God am holy."
One Rabbi thus explains this association: Ac-
cording to the sages, there are three partners in
the creation of every human being—God, father
and mother. God's part is entirely holy; the
others can be made holy likewise. So the Scrip-
ture tells us that we should fear lest what we
have inherited from our mother and our father
may resist holy influences. We have to be masters
of our lowly passions and not have them master us.
* * *
TALMUDIC WISDOM
Once Aba-Tachna, the pious, returned to his
town on Sabbath eve—when darkness was falling,
and he carried his bundle upon the shoulder. At
the crossroad he found a• man afflicted with boils
who entreated. "Rabbi_, please have pity with me
and bring me to the town."
."AnAer profiteth nobody.'