THE JEWISH Page Four As the Editor Views the News ... The Last Word? 111()VCrnent. Teachers' Dilemma - The threatened teachers' strike has become a problem for all elements in our population. Acknowledged as the most under-paid pro- fessional group in the country, the teachers have decided to take drastic steps to force the issue and to compel public interest in behalf of their needs. If we are sincerely concerned that our school system, the backbone of our democ- racy, should function properly and efficiently and that our children should get the greatest benefits from the educational facilities pro- vided for them by the community, then those who do the teaching should be made secure economically. It is our community's obligation to give the best possible deal to the teachers. Strikes must he averted and the educational system should not be demoralized. The community has it within its power either to strengthen our school system or to demoralize it. To avoid demoralization, we must avoid strikes. To avoid strikes, we must provide the teachers with a living wage. Education For FEPC Ruled off the April 7 election ballot, the Fair Employment Practice proposal never- theless remains a major issue for consider- ation by the people of Michigan. Proponents__ of the measure, composed of Catholics, Protestants and Jews, spokesmen for labor and management, now are faced with the responsibility of educating the public to the need for such humanitarian legislation. Thus, major responsibility in support of such an act now is shifted to the field of edu- •ation, and all who are deeply interested in the spead of the hi.,,hest principles of democ- racy should unite in sponsoring such a cam- paign • to the end that a Michigan FEPC may be adopted as speedily as possible. Britain's Muddlina Five Jews and an Arab woman, definitely known to have been innocent passers-by, died as a result of "defensive" shooting by British soldiers in Jerusalem, last Saturday. A British soldier was killed Wednesday morning as a result of a new Irgunist of- fensive. Another refugee boat arrived Tues- day night in Palestine with hundreds of Jews. Thus, conditions in the Holy Land remain unstable—thanks to Britain's policy of mud- dling. A just policy, pursued with firmness can restore peace in Zion. THE JEWISH NEWS MCIllh, Iclegraphic Agency. Independent Jewish S4,en Arts Feature Syndicate. Religious Nev.'s Scr,ice Palcor Agency. World News Services. Mernbei Ani•i wan Association 01 English-Jewisn News- papers and NlIonigan I'vess Association. Publisned every Friday by The Jewish News Publish- ing Co.. 2114 Penotis,lt Bid g . Detroit 26. Mich., RA. 7936 Subscription. 53 a Near. foreign. - 1St. Club subscription. ecety fourth Fliday ,d the month. to all subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit. 30 ct fits poi I.:ntertd as second cia.s flatter Aug. 6. 1942. at Post Of- Detroit. Mick.. under Act of Match 3. 1879. .1C, 1,11 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Maurice Aronsson Philip Slomovitz Fred M. Butzel Isidore Sobeloff Judge Theodore Levin Abraham Srere Maurice H. Schwartz Henry Wineman PHILIP SLrrIOVITZ. Editor VOL. 10—NO. 26 'MARCH 14, 1947 Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the twenty-third day of Adar, 5707, the following Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portions—Ex. 35:1-40:38; Num. 19. Prophetical portion—Ezek. 36:16-38. Facts You Should Know Answers to Readers Questions -About Jews Zionist Membership In the present crisis affecting Palestine, unity in Jewish ranks and mobilization of all our forces in support of the program for unlimited Jewish imMigration to Eretz Israel is of the utmost importance. Today, more than ever before, enrollment of large numbers of Jews in the ranks of the Zionist movement is desirable for the sake of such unification of all our forces. The current membership drive of the Zion- ist Organization of Detroit therefore assumes greater importance than was attracted to any other similar drive in the past. At the same t ime, those who prefer the Mizrachi or labor parties should join the groups of preference. Detroit Jews owe it to the collective will of our people to respond enthusiastically to the call for large enrollment in the Zionist Friday, March' 14, 1947 NEWS What do the letters of the organization ORT actually stand for? Is there in Detroit a branch , of OSE, how active is it and does it have branches in other. Michigan cities? Mrs. A. Adinoff, 2818 Electric Ave., Port Huron. ORT, a contraction of the Russian words Obtschestwo rasprostranenija truda, means organ- ization for Rehabilitation-and Training. It was formed in Russia in 1880 under the leadership of Baron Horace Gunzburg, Samuel Polakoff, Prof. Nicholas Bakst, Dr. L. Katzenelson and N. Rabin- Owitsch. Today it functions for vocational train- "ipg.for European Jews. OSE, also known as OZE, from the initials of the Russian •• words Obtschestwo Zdravoochranyenia Evreyev - (Jewish Health Society), is the World Union for the Protection of the Health of Jews. It has no chapters in Michigan. Its New York office is at 24 W. 40th St. Why is it customary to empty all -vessels of water in the room or place where a person died?- Three main reasons are given for this custom. First, it is claimed that the angel of death drops , an invisible drop of "death-blood" in any stag- nant water that is found near a corpse at death, and that he rinses his "death-knife" therein. Sec- ond, since in early times there was no such thing as faucets which would release running water and households kept their water in basins, pouring out the water was a symbol by which the neigh- bors were notified that a death had occurred in the house. Another interesting reason for this custom has to do with the death of Miriam in the Bible (Numbers 20:1), where it is written that "there was no water for the people," implying the fact that the water stopped flowing in her honor. It. is thus claimed that pouring out the of standing water implies a sign of respect Announcement of the withdrawal of the Mizrachi Ortho- vessels for the dead person, signifying that he is worthy dox Zionist Organization from the - Vaad Hatzalah Relief of the same tribute paid to Miriam. Mizrachi and Vaad Hatzalah Committee because the Vaad "discriminated against Euro- pean Mizrachi members in meting out relief measures" com- pels renewal of the question why it should be necessary to conduct separate relief drives for orthodox Jews. If the charge is true, that Vaad Hatzalah aims "to force DPs into the ranks of the Agudas Israel movement," then there is good_ reason for serious complaint against those crthodox leaders who seek to make political capital for their own p9.sties out of relief efforts. Such tactics deserve wide- spread condemnation. But the internal conflict that has arisen" brings to public attention anew the problem of multiplicity of fund-raising drives. Mizrachi's withdrawal from Vaad Hatzalah is ac- companiediby the inauguration of an orthodox Zionist $500,- 000 rescue -drive--$100,000 being ear-marked for Passover relief—thus . forcing upon American Jewry another relief campaign. In addition to the very great, world-wide relief activities of the Joint Distribution Committee, whose funds now are being raised through the United Jewish Appeal,•we thus have two additional orthodox solicitations. Mizrachi, of course, has an excellent case in its request for funds to suppOrt its kibbutzim, orphan homes and settle- ments in Europe. It may even be completely justified in its charges against the Agudah. As a participarit in the UJA, as one of the partners in the United Palestine Appeal, and as a responsible movement whose leaders surely recognize the widespread activities of JDC which does provide funds for crthodox relief purposes, its right to launch another relief drive is to be questioned. JDC places strong emphasis upon Passover relief among all European survivors. It has supplied Sifre Torah, prayer books and other religious necessities to our orthodox kinsmen overseas. Its religious program can be expanded wherever needed. The launching of extra-curricu- lar fund-raising projects therefore appears unnecessary and is certain to be harmful to internal unity in American Jewish efforts for relief efforts overseas. Orthodox leaders owe an explanation to the Jews of America for sponsoring new unity- splitting campaigns. Please state what are the Talmud, Zohar; Cabbala, "Der Judenstatt?" There are two Talmudic works—Babylonian and Palestinian, recording rabbinic discussions on mat- ters of Jewish law and ethics: the Zohar is the book containing the basic principles of the Cab- bala, which is the mystical Jewish Philosophy created by a sect in the middle ages; "Der Juden- statt- is "The Jewish State, - the volume written by Dr. Theodore Herzl as his first thesis outlining t1 Zionist ideal and the need for the restoration of the Jewish State in Palestine. FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE Palestine and the Jews • By ALICE JEAN HARRIS Miss Harris. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Harris. is a member of the Student Council of Central High School and of the Conservation Class of Shaarey Zedek. A subject of controversy today is whether or not Palestine be the homeland of the Jews. I, for one, definitely believe that this country be given to those whom the Bible says rightfully own it. After World War I, Great Britain was granted a mandate to Palestine. Finding this land to profit her in commerce, she has since kept it under her yoke. • Now there are approximately one million dis- placed Jews in Europe. No country is willing to accept them as citizens or will permit them to settle. They have no place to go: their only hope is Palestine. In Palestine, a very hot, dry country, the Jews have irrigated the desert soil, planted forests where before a tree had never grown, built pipelines to the mountains so that pure drinking water could be obtained, built modern cities as Haifa and Tel Aviv. and built up land where there had been swamps infested with disease. Certainly when a people have done so much for a country they ought to have the right to live there. The Arabs and the Jews for the most part get along together. On the whole, it is the officials that disagree and now as they see what a beautiful agriculture country these ten thousand square miles are turning into, they do not want to give it up. The Balfour Declaration stated that Palestine be Jewish participation in the Annual Flower Show of the given to the Jews. Only by careful planning can the Jews hope to Michigan Horticultural Society through a special Palestine the land with God designated as their Garden offers a splendid opportunity to present the happy regain regain the land which God designated as their and the constructive side of Jewry's efforts to create a Na- home. Jewish Day-at Flower Show tional Home in the Holy Land. - In spite of the saddening events transpiring in Palestine, it is heartening to know that our community has not lost its normal perspective and that it places emphasis not on the negative but on the positive aspects of one of the greatest colonization experiments in all history. JeWish achievements in Palestine extend to all fields of activities. They are, however, especially pronounced agri- culturally and in the creation of flourishing colonies. Deserts have been transformed into blossoming gardens and it is appropriate that the Michigan Flower Show, which will take place here March 15-23 at Convention Hall, should have a Palestine Garden. Designation of Monday, March 17, as Jewish Day at the Flower Show should serve to make a veritable holiday of the occasion for all Detroit Jews. The showing of Palestine movies and the concert music by the eminent organist of Temple Beth El, Jason Tickton, should enhance the program on Jewish Day. The Jewish National Fund Council of Detroit deserves the community's thanks for having undertaken the project of sponsoring the Palestine Garden and Jewish Day at the Flower Show. The Story of 'The Quiz Kids' A Splendid Book by an Informed Writer Eliza Merrill Hickok's "The Quiz Kids," pub- lished by Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. lists a chronological list of the smart youngsters. We find the name of Charles Schwartz, Emily Israel, Jack Beckman, Davida Wolffson, Muriel Deutsch, Lois Karpf, Corinne Shapira, Joann Cohen, Larry Fried- man, Maxine Klein. Harriet Kupperman, Jerry Hamovit, Louis Sissman and Gellert Seel of De- troit, Harriet Leavitt, Philip Marcus, Joanne Berg, Lee Abrams, Judith •Benjamin, Harold Weintrob, and a score of other very familiar names. And, ,9f course, there is Joel Huppertnan". Sev- eral of the most interesting portions of the book are devoted to Joel. He is as fascinating a char- acte'r in the description of him by the author of "The Quiz Kids," as he is on the radio. And Miss Hickok, as an associate of Joe Kelly, director of the Quiz Kid class, ought to know. Miss Hickok has produced a very splendid and informative book. She traces the history of -the Quiz Kids, describes how they are chosen for the programs, tells how they live, what their interests are, their miSchieVouS tricks on their tours and in hotels, the public's reactions to them, etc. The book is informative, entertaining, 'good reading.