THE

Page Four

As the Editor
Views the News

-WISi-1•14EV•iS

111. 11110ff

Shevuoth-5706

Shevuoth, observance of which com-
mences on Tuesday evening, owes its historic
significance to its being the Zman Matan
Torahtenu, the time of the giving of the Law
to Israel on Sinai.
Marking the greatest single spiritual oc-
currence in the history of our people—the
acceptance of the Torah—Shevuoth serves
to remind us that our destiny is completely
bound up with the traditions and obligations
inherent in the life of a people .that has be-
come known as "a nation of priests and a
holy people."
*
*
The Torah, according to tradition, rep-
resents our strength and our salvation.' It
has guided Israel to hope and to courage
throughout the ages and has helped in our
survival in spite of all the horrible experi-
ences recorded_ in all annals of the last
2,000 years.
We have just gone through the worst
period in our entire history. There is yet
to come atonement for the- murder of the
6,000,000 Jews. Worst of all our problems
is the difficulty our people are encountering
during the period of reorientation to a life
of freedom from Nazism.
*
*
*
Under existing conditions, there remains
the danger of a spread of 'despair and the
loss of faith. Jews everywhere, especially
the Jews of America, owe a great obliga-
tion to our kinsfolk to keep up their spirits,
to protect them against future outbursts of
intolerance by battling for justice.
For those who are impatient and who
can not understand why there is delay in
effecting justice, there is a traditional Mid-
rashic Shevuoth story which may help
restore a measure of calmness. The Mid-
rashic statement thus quotes Rabbi Isaac:

"The Torah . was to have been given to
the Children of Israel at the time of the
exodus from Egypt.. God, however, said, 'My
children have not fully recovered yet. Only
recently they were freed from the slavery
and the hard work with mortar and bricks,
so they cannot receive the -Torah as yet.'
"This case resembles that of a king,
whose son was sick and whose teacher wanted
him to resume his studies as . sotin as he
rose from his sick bed. The_king, however,
said: 'My son is still weak and you want him
to attend school! • No, let him 'first regain
his strength—then he may study.'
"Similarly said the Holy One, blessed
be He: 'My children are still• weak from the
slavery, how, then, can I. give them the
Torah? Let them enjoy themselves for two
or three months eating manna and quails—
then I shall give them the Torah'."

It may be little satisfaction to those who
seek immediate relief from their troubles-
to wait until they have been fully tried.
But this is how it is with the patience of
a people that has been -tried' in many fires
and whose survival has been among the
world's greatest miracles.
Shevuoth .should teach us- to retain . our
faith, to be patient while striving for justice,
to retain our courage \ and the confidence in
a determined will . not to falter in our
idealism.

THE JEWISH NEWS

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-
BOARD OF DIRECTORS '
MAURICE ARONSSON • ' PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
ISIDORE SOBELOFF
FRED M. BUTZEL
ABRAHAM SRERE
THEODORE LEVIN
MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ HENRY WLNEMAN
SLOMOVITZ, Editor

VOL. 9—No. 11

MAY 31, 1946

This Week's Scriptural Selections •
This Sabbath, the second day of Sivan, 5706,
the following Scriptural selections will be read
in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion-L-Num. 1:14:20.
-
Prophetical portion—Hos. 2:1-22. •
On Wednesday morning, first day of Shevuoth,
the following Scriptural selections will. be read:
Pentateuchal portions—EX. 19:1-20:23; Num.
28:16-31.
Prophetical portion—Ezek. 1:1-28; 3:12.
On Thursday -morning, second day of Shevuoth,
the following Scriptural selections will be read:
Pentateuchal portions—Deut. 15:28-16:17; Num.
28:16-31.
Prophetical portions—Hab, 3:1-19; Ezek. 2:20-
3:19, -

Friday, May 3 I , 194-6

Facts You Should Know

Answers to Readers
Questions About Jews

What Jewish festivals. are known as the
"Pilgrimage Festivals"?
Passover, Shevuoth and Succoth are thus
spoken of. During the time of the Temple, Jews.
came on those occasions from many parts of
the world to offer sacrifice in the Temple at
Jerusalem.
*
*
What is the origin of the term "ghetto?"
"Ghetto," referring to the street or section of
a city where Jews were compelled to live in
segregated communities before - the era of emanci-
pation, may have come from the word ''gate"
from the Italian and Latin. It may also haVe
come from the term "gietto," the name of..the
cannon-foundry at Venice near .the first -estab-
lished Jewish quarter. Some say it comes froM
the term "Get" (divorce), implying the separa-
tion of Jews.

Mr. Biggott: "Hurry, operator, this is an emergency.
I want a white, native-born, • American policeman."

Britain's Evasive Palestine Policy

Mobilization of America's entire Zionist movement for
a battle against "the delaying tactics designed to keep the
doors of Palestine shut to Jewish immigration, currently
being pursued by the British government and, it would seem,
also by our own State Department—in direct opposition to
the position taken by President Truman," has been an-
nounced by Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, chairman of the execu-
tive committee of the American Zionist Emergency Council.
The entire American Jewish community most certainly
would back such a battle for justice, and for a reversal of the
evasive policy adopted by the British government.
Several weeks have passed since the Anglo-American
Inquiry Committee - issued its report. Members of the com-
mittee—Messrs. Crum, Buxton, McDonald and Crossman-
have issued statements denouncing the delaying schemes
of the Attlee government, and only one British member of
the committee has seen fit to answer the widespread critic-
isms of British policies. In spite of the universal demand
for speedy action in the implementation of that section of
-the report which recommends the immediate admission of
100,000 displaced Jews, the policy of procrastination con-
tinues.
The British labor government already stands condemned
in the eyes of world piiblic opinion for its policy affecting
Palestine. Mr. Attlee is delaying and delaying and delaying.
He may not lose Palestine, but he is losing the confidence
that some nations may have had in the honesty of purpose
of his government. For the sake of the good name of the
people of England, he should proceed to make good the
pledgel made to the Jewish people. If he does not, he,
more than any other person, and his associates in his . gov-
ernment- and in the Colonial Office will be charged with
perpetuating the most inhuman tactics, branded by history
as British perfidy.

What does the Torah signify?
The Torah signifies an authoritative direction
in the name of God on all questions of moral,
ceremonial, or religious duty. Specifically, the
name is applied to the Pentateuch, as containing
the law of God given through
* a Moses.

How are the Books of the 'New Testament:
classified?
Usually as historical (five), didactic (twenty-
one) and prophetical (one).

- What is Havdalah?
The Havdalah (which means separation or
distinction) is a prayer and ceremony marking
the end of the Sabbath. The idea behind it is
that of drawing • a line between the sacredness
of the Sabbath, or festival. on one hand and the
profane character of the ordinary workday.

Talmudic Tales

By DAVID MORANTZ

(ila;;..(1 upon the ancient legends and philosophy found. in
track
the Talmud and folklore of the Jewish people
•
as far as 3,000 years)

THE WOLF AND THE FOX
•
A wolf, who was very hungry, was . .once
duced by a foX to enter a dwelling in Search of
food as the inmates were preparing the Sabbath
meal.
Hardly had he entered before all the meM-
bers of the household gathered different weapons
and cudgels and attacked him, compelling hiM
to flee from the house to save his life. • .
This angered the wolf very much and he
searched out the fox intending to get revenge
for this trick.
However, the fox placated him - saying: "This
would not have happened had not thy father
on a previous occasion violated their confidence
and devoured the finest • food which . they had
prepared for their meal when they set it aside
to cool."
"In other words then," returned the wolf,
"Because .the fathers have eaten sour grapes, the
children's teeth shall be set on edge."
Says the Talmud further:
"What is intended for thy neighbor will
never be thine."
"Thy neighbor's, property must be as sacred
to thee as thine own. •'

The Automotive Golden Jubilee

Michigan's current celebration of the Golden Jubilee of
the automotive industry is . an occasion of far more than
local importance. ... •
• -It is an event of national significance because the- build-
ing of the automobile anti the advances made by this in-
dustry have revolutionized, trade and industry in America
and in the entire world.
All eleriknts have 'participated in the building of this
great industry, and the growth of the Jewish .conimunity
of Detroit has paralleled the -advances made in aautornobile
manufacturing. . • •
Prominent Jewish names figure in the story of auto-
mOtive progress. The Mendelssohn Family played an in-
teresting role in the formation of the Fisher Body Corpora
Lion. Meyer L. Prentiss rose to the treasurership...bf General
Motors Corporation. Alex Taub has been an important f.ac-'
for ih the industry. The late Albert Kahn was among the
great- construction engineers who built many of the im-
portant automobile factories. A number of prominent
Jewish engineers have labored to improve the automobile.
The enthusiasm centering in the Automotive Golden
Jubilee celebration augurs the setting of even greater strides
in the future, with Detroit gaining greatly on all fronts.
And as Detroit gains, so will the entire nation.

Will the Klan Ride Acrain?
6

There are shocking manifestations of attempts by the
Ku *Klux Klan to revive its activities. in Georgia, Tennessee,
Alabama, California and New York.
Outstanding public officials, liberals and editors were
prompt during the past three weeks in their denunCiations
of the Klan and in their demands that this bigoted move-
ment be crushed before it manages to regain some of its
lost power.
Malcolm W. Bingay of the Detroit Free Press joined
men like Victor Riesel of the New York Post and Ralph
McGill of the Atlanta Constitution in condemning the Klan
and its program.
The demand is - made that the various states should act
in adopting legislation prohibiting secret and hooded organ-
izations which threaten 'the security of our nation.
California already has acted. Will the rest of the states
follow its example, or will the Klan be permitted to ride
again?

FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

- •
Dear BoYs and .
TueSday night • we Will begin' obserVance of
Shevuoth, the - FestiVal of 'Weeks.
Shev'tioth was, an , agricultural .40 - :
tival, marking the beginning of -the wheat• festi-
val for Jews in Palestine.
Later- it-served to commemorate the- most
portant event in the early -history of our people—
the proclamation. .of ••the Ten.Commandinents on
Mount Sinai.
The historical aspects of the festival 'assumed
greater importance when our people ceased to. be
an agricultural folk.
In our own' time,, the festival assumed - added
significance as the • period marking oraduations,
confirmations and consecration .of students in
our religiouS schools. ••
Names. for Shevuoth include:..Pentecost, , the
Greek word for fiftieth,- because it occurred-:50
_days after the offering of barley sheaf during
Passover; Hag. Ha-Kazir, „feast of harvest; -‘Zom
Ha-Bikkurim, the -day of the first fruits; Zman
l4attan Toratenu, the season of the Giving of . the
Torah.
Shevuoth is a great' festix• ral, and We shoilld
rejoice in it. .
I wish you all a' pleasant Sabbath and a happy
Shevuoth.. • —
UNCLE DANIEL.

A Forestry Party

For five or ten minutes of fun at your next
get-together, try this "Forestry" • game. Ask four
guests to identify these trees: •
What tree is a fish?-- ,-Bass.
What tree is an animal?—Ewe.
What tree is part of the hand—Palm.
What tree is a covering for an animal?'—Fir.
What tree is a mineral used in building?—Lime.
• What tree is a handy container for shipping?—
Box.
What tree is a point of time?—Date.
What tree is two of a kind?—Pear.
What tree is a pestiferous insect?—Locust.
What tree is a very ancient joke?—Chestnut.
What tree is an officer in certain churches?—
Elder.
What tree is a Book of the Bible?—Joshua.
What tree do yoi:t still have after you burn it?—

Ash.

