Page Four
THE JEWISH NEWS
As the Editor
Views the News - • •
The World's Tomorrow
BUILDING ON SAND
Where were Sodom and Gomorrah? —L. 0.
According to tradition, they were located in
what is now the Dead Sea.
* *
When was the Americah Bible Society or-
ganized? A. S.
In 1816, in New York City. The first president
was Elias Boudinot (1740-1821), who was also
president of the Continental Congress.
• • /ek/C 74
Talmudic Tales
By DAVID MORANTZ
(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).
DECEIVE NOT
- The people of the village of Kebab, which was
located not far from Jerusalem, incurred the dis-
pleasure of King Solomon because of their du-
plicity in the payment of taxes. At that time
anyone owning thirty oxen and forty sheep or
goats was required to pay a certain tax to the
king. However, to avoid same, they divided their
flocks among the different members of their fam-
ilies and their servants so that it appeared that no
one owned more than thirty-nine sheep or goats
and twenty-nine oxen.
c-- **4.-
. Hadassah's Progress
With permission of Chicago Daily News
Detroit Hadassah's concluding Honor Roll
event, scheduled for next week, should
serve to call the attention of the entire com-
munity to a number of important projects
sponsored by the .women Zionists in Pales-
tine and among their members in this coun-
try.
Hadassah does not limit itself to the health
program in the Jewish, Homeland : - Its educa-
tional efforts in this country, in behalf of
the youth and among adults, are of great .
significance in a period of transformation
for the world at large.
Formation of the Henrietta Szold Founda-
tion, in tribute to the memory of the founder
of the movement, will serve not only to in-
tensify work in behalf of Palestinian child-
ren—but will institute fellowships to send
young people to Eretz Israel to study the in-
spirational work being achieved by the Jew-
ish pioneers.
The over-all efforts of Hadassah speak
volumes in praise of the women of America
who are playing an important role" in Pales-
tine's reconstruction.
Romania's King Michael has commuted
the death sentences that were imposed on
May 23 on 29 war criminals, according to a
JTA report from Bucharest.
These criminals included several who
were responsible for the massacre of tens of
thousands of Jews in Transnistria.
Does this mean that eventually the "lib-
eral" ruler of Romania will completely free
the criminals?
Is this justice?
Buy That Extra Bond
Have you bought that extra war bond?
The 7th War Loan is lagging--and it
may be due to YOUR failure to buy an ex-
tra war bond.
This extra bond may decide the time
element in our victory over Japan.
Buy that extra bond NOW.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member of Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent
Jewish Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate,
Religious News Service Palcor News Agency. Wide World
Photo Service, Acme Newsphoto Service.
Member American Association of English-Jewish News-
pap ers and Michigan Press Association.
ublished every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
Published
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 it 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. BUTZEL
ISIDORE SOBELOFF
THEODORE LEVIN
ABRAHAM SRERE
MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ HENRY WINEMAN
Fill'LIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
A. R. BRASCH, Advertising Counsel
VOL. 7•—NO. 13
JUNE 15, 1(J45
The Week's Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the fifth day of Tammuz, 5705,
the following Scriptural selections will be read
in our synagogues:
Pentatechal portion—Nurn. 16:1-18:32.
Prophetical portion—I Sam. 11:14-12:22.
Facts You Should Know
Answers to Readers'
Questions About Jews
Will the world's tomorrow be like our
yesterday?
Are we destined for another era of de-
struction, of fear, of discord and suspicion?
The new outburst of anti-Semitism in
Europe, the constant warnings of Jew-bait-
ers in the western hemisphere, the threats
to the peace of the world that has followed
so closely upon the heels of victory over
Nazism combine to inspire fear rather than
confidence.
Is it possible that the death of 5,000,000
Jews and the destruction of practically all
Jewish possessions in Eastern and Central
Europe are not considered sufficient sacri-
fice to cause the liberated peoples to be fair
in dealing with their Jewish neighbors?
The situation as it exists today is cause for
serious concern. Too many European cen-
ters today are cauldrons boiling with hatred.
Unless the conscience of the world is
awakened, all mankind will be disease-
ridden.
While Jewry stands on guard to protect
the rights of our sorely-afflicted masses,
mankind must beware lest the entire world
goes down in destruction.
Is This Justice?
Friday, June 15, 1945
This went on for a number of years until Sol-.
omon discovered the deception and was very
much provoked. - Rather than punish them, tho,
he determined to send a holy man to their city,
thinking perhaps he could induce them to repent
and mend their ways.
••• ■ •:.- -<44:
Courtesy Appreciate America, Inc.
However, they ridiculed and derided him, even
resorting to violence, and drove him away.
The Reconstituted Jewish Appeal
Reconstitution of the United Jewish Appeal deserves to
be hailed as a real accomplishment for the benefit of world
Jewry, and the President's War Relief Control Board should
be commended for its successful efforts in effecting unity
in fund-raising for major Jewish causes.
Mere jubilation and praise, however, are insufficient
as an evaluation of the importance of the revival of coopera-
tive efforts in seeking funds for relief, rehabilitation and
Palestine's reconstruction.
While there were many die-hards who had believed
sincerely that there should be separate campaigns for the
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the United
Palestine Appeal and the National Refugee Service, there
is a more rational and more reasonable approach to the
issue which threatened to split American Jewry into many
fragments.
*
*
*
A very serious job needs to be performend by the Jews
of America in behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Jews
who must be given relief and whose lives must be recon-
structed, and there is no earthly reason why the two major
fund-raising agencies—the JDC and the UPA—cannot work
harmoniously for the achievement of this aim.
The mere fact that Palestine provides the major, per-
haps the only large-scale, colonization opportunity ought
to be a motivating reason for united relief and reconstruc-
tion efforts. All our efforts must be bent to the end of secur-
ing just recognition of our rights through guarantees from
the world powers, while we, in the Jewish communities,
gather the largest possible funds to assure that the means
will be available to support the projects in behalf of the
liberated Jews.
If a task as tremendous as that undertaken by the UJA
is to succeed and is to work well, it must be conducted in
a most harmonious way and with the smallest possible ex-
pense. The division of the fund into three campaigns only
threatened to add to costs and to division of labor.
* * *
Having achieved - unity, the question should be asked:
what of the future? Shall we have repeated threats of dis-
solution every time some of our leaders disagree? Or, are
we to be assured strong, determined and courageous leader-
ship that will insist upon that unity which eliminates in-
ternal wrangling and differences of opinion?
We have difficulties enough on the political front to be
anxious to avoid an internal fight.
Let our joy over the reconstruction of the UJA be
translated also in terms of a desire and a determination
never again to permit another split in our ranks.
The Great Jewish Relief Tasks
Announcement in Paris that.the SHAEF has authorized
the American Jewish- Joint Distribution Committee to com-
mence relief activities in Germany points to the beginning
of a great effort to salvage the lives of the survivors from
Nazism.
The major JDC task in Germany will be to work the
stateless Jews in cooperation with the UNRRA, and the
staff of JDC workers will have the trying job of instilling
courage in the hearts of the remaining Jews and to inspire
them to begin life anew.
At the same time, the JDC will have the important job
of caring for thousands of Jewish children who have escaped
death. They will be faced also with the job of bringing
back many Jewish children to Jewish environments after
they had been housed and cared for in churches—provided
that the churches will consent to their return to the people
of their faith.
If we are to take seriously the statement in a recent
State Department bulletin that the problem of displaced
Jews is "a matter of international importance and concern,"
we may be hopeful that our own government and the others
in the United Nations will not rest until the dispossessed
Jews of Europe are completely rehabilitated.
This incensed Solomon so .that he determined
to punish them. He ordered a pack of wolves to
be released about the village and so many of the
flocks of these wicked people were destroyed
that they finally came to him and pleaded for his
assistance in ridding their land of these ferocious
wolves, promising that they would never again
deceive the king in the matter of taxes.
Says the Talmud further on the subject:
"It is sinful to deceive the government regard-
ing taxes and duties."
"The .law of the country is as sacred and bind-
ing as God's law."
The great Rabbi Hillel was in the habit of
saying:
"Do not isolate thyself from the community
and its interests."
(Copyright by David Morantz)
For a handsome 195 page, autographed gift volume CAM-
taining 128 of these tales and 500 Pearls of Wisdom, send
.$1.50 to David Morantz, care of The Jewish News, or
phone I'Laza 1048.
Children's Corner
Dear Boys and Girls:
Your vacation has started, and most of you
will undoubtedly have a very pleasant summer.
Some of you will be away at. camp, or in sum-
mer homes, or on vacations with your parents.
Many of you will surely have jobs for the sum-
mer—and you will get a taste of what it means to
earn a dollar.
All of your experiences are important.
It is important that young people should learn
how to face life.
It is important that they should understand
the values of living as good Americans.
And it is equally as important that they should
live their lives well as good Jews.
Therefore—even during the summer, you must
not give up your studies. You must continue to
read and study the Bible. You must know your
history. You must be good Jews and that will
make you better Americans and 'better citizens
of the world.
I wish you all a pleasant summer and a happy
Sabbath.
UNCLE DANIEL.
* S *
THE BIBLE AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE
During the period of the second temple, the
Bible was made the text-book of religion, morals
and law for our people by the teachers of that
time (Soferim or Scribes). Thus, in the syna-
gogue, one cannot understand much • of the cere-
mony, without knowing of its historical connec-
tion with the Bible. For example, a large part .
of the prayer book is taken from the Pentatuch
and the book of Psalms; and the Haftoroth are
selected from the prophets. On various holidays,
the five megilloth are read, such as "Esther on
Purim. In the Jewish home, those symbols which
are most familiar, have their basis in the Bible.
The mezuzoth contain biblical selections and the
Kiddush read on Erev Shabbos is taken from an
early chapter in Genesis.
The larger part of Hebrew literature, particu-
larly that which was .written before the 18th
century, is of a religious nature. Naturally, then,
the source of such writing, was the -Bible. The
"Mishnah" and "Gemorah" are codifications of
the law developed outside of and supplementing
that which is found written in the Bible; The
"Midrash" is a vast literature based largely upon
the narrative portions of the first division
(Torah) of the Bible. And how many are the
records, treatises and' writings of the later cen-
turies that find their source directly or indirect-
ly in the biblical wells! Indeed many of the
poems of Yehuda Halevi, Ibn Gebirol, Micha J.
Levensohn and Chaim Nachman Bialik lose their
great beauty to those who cannot understand the
biblical allusions.
Indeed we might say that the history of our
people is largely the history of a human com-
mentary upon the Bibl,g,