II Page. Four THE JEWISH NEWS . As the Editor Views the News - - The Educational Survey Through the Golden Gate ' A session called for the coming Sunday afternoon, at the Jewish Community Center, to discuss the results of the Detroit Self- Study on our educational needs, as conduct- ed here during the past few months under the direction of the Citizens Committee, is certain to be an historic event for our com- munity. The entire project was initiated by the Jewish. Welfare Federation with the view of clarifying the .various conflicting ideol- ogies affecting our educational agencies and the programs conducted by our community agencies in behalf of adult as well as youth educational projects. Sunday's session will pass judgment on the recommendations to be made to the Citizens Committee by the several sub-corn- mitties which functioned during the period of the Self-Study. It is important that there should be ob - - jective thinking and acting; that the final decisions should lead to the sponsorship of educational media which •aim to train a well- informed Jewish community. If the efforts of the Self-Study Commit- tee will lead toward amicable and coopera- tive efforts in behalf of all factional educa- tional agencies, then the work of the past few months will not have been in vain. He was a great American and a great newspaperman. His death, however, is a loss not to America alone but to all humanity. Ernie Pyle's genius lay in the fact that he wrote for the great mass of the American people about the average GI. He never played up to any one. When the hero he selected for mention in his cables was an Italian or a Jew or a Pole, he treated his characters alike—like human beings, like equal cogs in a great machine created for victory for human principles. Ernie Pyle belonged to that small group of heroes—the war correspondents—many of whom have already lost their lives in this war in an effort to bring the story of human values from the war fronts to the peaceful hearths of the tens of millions at home. He and his confreres who have died or who are carrying on the great work where Ernie has left off will be revered for all time among the real heroes of our generation. Our Jewish Farmers In his annual report as managing direct- or of the Jewish Agricultural Society, Gabriel Davidson emphasizes the point that in recent years an effort was made to re- habilitate refugees who sought salvation in farming, many refugee families having been settled on farms in 12 states. The report also states that since the outbreak of the war the society's activities have been mobilized to- ...* ward the end of helping Jewish farmers achieve maximum food production. This society has made an important place for itself in American Jewish life, and the settlement of more than 100,000 Jews on farms may be credited in great measure to this society's activities. Cultural activities among farmers, the sponsoring of special courses, the guidance offered by experts have been among the im- portant planks in the program of the Jewish Agricultural Society, and its over-all ac- tivities deserve to be acclaimed by all Amer- ican Jews. THE JEWISH NEWS Member of Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent Jewish 'Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Religious News Service. Palcor News Agency, Bressler Cartoon Service. Wide World Photo Service, Acme Newsphoto Service. Member American Association of English-Jewish News- papers and Michigan Press Association. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish- ing Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26. Mich. Telephone RAndolph 7956. Subscription rate, $3 a year; foreign, $4 a year. Club subscription of one issue a month, published every fourth Friday in the month, to all subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of the Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit, at 40 cents a club sub- scription per year. Entered as second-class matter August 6, 1942. at the Post Office at Detroit, Michigan, under the Act of March 3. 1879. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAURICE ARONSSON PHILIP SLOMOVITZ FRED M. EUTZEL - ISIDORE SOBELOFF THEODORE LEVIN ABRAHAM SRERE MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ HENRY WINEMAN PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor A. R. BRASCH, Advertising Counsel VOL. 7—NO. 6 IIP APRIL 27, 1945 The Week's Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the fifteenth day of Iyar, 5707, the following 'Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal .portion—Lev. 21:1-24:23. Prophetical portion—Ezek. 44:15-31. .Facts You Should Know Answers to Readers Questions About Jews - Ernie Pyle Friday, April 27, 1945 The San Francisco Conference Jewish hopes are not necessarily pinned on the sessions of the United Nations Security Conference which have just commenced in San Francisco. It has been stated clearly that this conference will merely set up the machinery for the peace conference; that the fate of small people will not be discussed but will be deferred for future consideration; that the question of mandates will not be settled at this time. But it is equally as clear that the preliminary work will be of a nature that is certain to affect the future status of our peOple. Homes will have to be found for the survivors from Nazism. The question of reparations will be one of the serious issues with which the democratic powers will be con- fronted. The Palestinian problem will have to be solved if there is to be some semblance of order in the Middle and Near East and if there is to be peace of a lasting nature in the world. The responsible powers, therefore will have to consider the Jewish case—even if the consideration that is to be given the problem of millions of stateless Jews is not to be a subject for public discussion or public hearings. It is natural, therefore, that our people should look with deep anxiety to the San Francisco sessions. The great statesmen of the world who have assembled in San Francisco should consider seriously the many tragedies which have af- fected Jewry and should seek, for all time to come, to put an end to conditions which make it possible for a bigot like Hitler to attempt to exterminate an entire people. The question of Jewish homelessness is one of the major issues involved in the consideration of the Jewish case. After reparations and repatriations will have been provided for, there will remain the grave problem of providing homes for hundreds of thousands of Jews. Most of them insist upon Palestine as their first choice for a homeland. Few, if any, other territories are extending a welcome to homeless Jews. Unless the pledge for the creation of the Jewish National Home in Eretz Israel is adhered to, it is "questionable wheth- er there will be much honor to an established peace. The American delegation at San Francisco includes spokesmen who, like U. S. Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg and Rep. Sol Bloom, have been warm supporters of the Zion- ist movement. Many others, in the U. S. and other delega- tions, are concerned that justice should be meted out to our people. We plead with them to consider the plight of Israel, to be firm in their consideration of an issue which has been the crux of the human problems which the democratic powers are fighting to remedy. May the hands of the delegations at San Francisco be strengthened! May they be guided to wise consideration of the issues facing mankind and may they be given the vision to see that acquisition of freedom calls for the removal of all fears—including that of homelessness. President Truman and the Bible All our Presidents have been lovers . of the Bible, and President Harry S. Truman is not an exception to the rule. In his first address to Congress, the President used a Biblical quotation in his concluding statement in which he said: "As I assume my heavy duties, I humbly pray to Al- mighty God, in the words of Solomon: 'Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this, Thy so great people?' I ask only to be a good and faithful servant of my Lord and my people." This is equally as significant as another statement in his address in which he declared: "Our forefathers came to our rugged shores in search of religious tolerance, political freedom and economic oppor- tunity. For those fundamental rights they risked their lives. We well know today that such rights can be preserved only by constant vigilance, the eternal price of liberty." These quotations indicate that President Truman has gotton off to a good start as our Chief Executive. May he be given the strength to carry our nation to victory and to a lasting peace. What are the rules governing the sending of packages to relatives in Soviet Russia? —Mrs. S. Adinoff, Port Huron Chaim Finkelstein of the Division for Displaced Persons of the World Jewish Congress, 1834 Broadway, New York 23, N. Y., provides us with the following answer to this question which has come to us, in addition to Mrs. Adinoff, from many other readers: In reference to your inquiry, we wish to inform you that we accept standard parcels for refugees in the U.S.S.R. There are the following types. of parcels: Parcel B/27—price $56.-1 pair of shoes, 1 cap, 1 overcoat. Parcel B/28—price $68-1 pair of shoes, 1 cap, 1 suit. Parcel B/32—price- $26.-1 pair of shoes, 1 lb. powdered soup, 2 1/5 lbs. powdered milk, 1 1/10 lbs. of sugar, 2 lbs. vegetable oil. Parcel B/35—price $32.-2 1/5 lbs. soap 1 pair of shoes, 2 lbs. powdered soup, 1 1/10 lbs. pow- dered milk. Please note that the contents of the parcels are subject to change and it might happen that when certain types of parcels are used up, other ones are shipped instead. Numerous senders of parcels have already re- ceived direct acknowledgements of receipt by the addressees. However, due to the war con- ditions as well as to the fact that refugees in the U. S. S. R. often change their residence, each sender of a parcel has to take a chance if he is eager to help his beloved ones. Since the parcels are shipped from Iran, the New York office of the World Jewish Congress does not accept food or clothing for shipment. If you wish to send a parcel, it will be neces- sary for you to furnish us with the exact last known address of the refugee in the U. S. S. R., informing us which parcels are to be sent. The check or money order should be made payable to the World Jewish Congress. Talmudic Tales (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 RABBI AKIBA'S RETURN To his faithful wife, Rachel, Rabbi Akiba gives credit for whatever fame he ever attained. It was she who encouraged him, while still a poor, uneducated shepherd, to go away to study. After twelve years of diligent pursuance of his studies under Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, he returned to /his wife accompanied by 12,000 disciples. Intending to surprise her he did not notify her of his arrival, hence, she was unaware of his homecoming. - Approaching his home he heard voices in ani- mated conversation and upon listening before opening the door, he heard a neighbor woman up- braiding his wife for having permitted him to leave her virtually a widow for twelve years up- on the pretense of going to college. He hesitated before opening the door, because he wished to hear what his wife would say in reply to this. Imagine his pleasure and pride in his self sacrificing wife, when .he heard her say: "If my husband were here and could hear me, I should permit, yes urge him to stay another twelve years if it would benefit him." Hearing this, Akiba left Jerusalem, without even greeting her or advising her of his presence and continued his studies for twelve years more. When he returned this time, he brought with him twice 12,000 disciples and all Jerusalem welcom- ed him back. The wealthy Kalba Shevua, his wife's father, who had disowned her when she married him be- cause of his lowly station as a shepherd, repented of his hasty- temper, and was among the foremost to greet this now celebrated scholar and welcome him and the faithful Rachel back under his roof. (Copyright 1945 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: One of our minor festivals—Lag b'Omer- occurs this year on May 1. This semi-festival takes place between Pass- over and Shevuoth. Lag b'Omer means the 33rd day during the period of the counting of the Omer. Its signifi- cance is both agricultural and historical. The festival recalls the custom that was as- sociated with the Passover celebration in olden times when an omer of barley - was brought as an offering to the Beth Hamikdash, the Holy Tem- ple. For seven weeks the Omer was counted— until Shevuoth. Its historical connection is the folloWing: Dur- ing the Bar Kochba revolt against Rome in the years 132-135, Rabbi Akiba and his disciples were among the participating patriotic heroes. But a terrible plague broke out and many of Rabbi Akiba's and 6 Bar Kochba's followers had died. But on the 33rd day of the Sefira period of the counting of - the Omer, the pestilence ceased and Lag b'Omer became a minor festival. Lag b'Omer, because of the connection with the students of Rabbi Akiba, is also known as "The Scholars' Festival." It has been customary for Jewish schools, es- pecially in Palestine, to arrange hikes and minia- ture battles amonc, Jewish children, and to honor the memory of the Jewish heroes. Perhaps some of you will remember this day by arranging special hikes, by reading the story of Rabbi Akiba and Bar Kochba and dedicating yourselves to greater devotion to your study of your history and to activities in behalf of your less fortunate brethren. I wish you all a very plea. ant Sabbath and a very happy Lag b'Omer. UNCLE DANIEL: