c.1-] Friday, November 7, 1947, THE JEWISH NEWS Page Twenty-four Watt:Me ,5todiries from the / do, k FROM THE BOOK OF FIRST KINGS- IA THE KING JAMES AND J.P.S.A. VERSIONS -THE geHIRD BOOK OF KINGS IN THE OOLIAY VERSION"'" BY .00/V C4MERO/V/1/VD MONT- 0 OM E UL FOR!, 49 /941 By 44CGAAVE5 _3 - AND THEN KING SOLOMON BUILT A. MvGHTY FLEET OF 61-IIP6, WITH A GREAT PORT AT EZIOIN- GEBER ON THE RSO SEA SHORE IN THE LAND OF EDON\ \ 1 / 4 AT THE END OF TWENTY YEARS. SOLOMON AND HIRAM RENEWED THEIR ALLIANCE "HERE IS HIRAM'S TRIBUTE, SIRE, 6IX SCORE. TALENTS KING HIRAM OF TYRE IS TO SEND U6 PILOTS AND GUIDES FOR ISRAEL'S . • SEAMEN! OF GOLD— 1 V )-' OUR QUEEN 6PiCE4 AND DOESN'T esueve GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES SOLOMON IS AS WISE AS THEY FOR SAY ! SOLOMON'. 1-IE QUEEN OF SI-IEBA, DOUBTING TH41 STICRIES OF SOLOMON'S WISDOM,COME4 TO TRY HIM WITH HARD QUESTIONS • If\4 f4 iji ala '' yt i L'ilM\ 7111 ■ ;1\• I SHALL MAKE A GIFT TO HIRAM OF TWENTY CITIES INI THE LAND OF GALILEE! .i." ."- (:JLL OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA:6 QUESTIONS WERY SO WELL ANSWERED BY SOLOMON THAT 6HE DEPARTED SATISFIED ALL HIS GLORY, HAD BUILT A. THRONE OF IVORY OVERLAID WITH GOLD "*"" 43ooN YOUR WISDOM AND RICHES ARE EVEN GREATER, SOUDMON,THAN q gi BUT THE TIME CAME WHEN SOLOMON FOR- GOT HIS TO WORSHIP STRANGE 0006 YOU OWE DISOBEYED ta ( I WAS TOLD ! PRohmse. TO THE LORI- A AND TURNED AND SO, AS SOU:MON TURNED AWAY FROM GOO, TROUBLES BEGAN TO CROP UP- FIRST A REBELLION STARTED UNDER. HADAD, THS EDOMITG. I WILL DIVIDE YOUR KiNGDOMI Ao.v.ip& THE KING OP D LT AN ME EG WY EPR IE F \r6 RAID ISRAEL ift fl Jewish Gift to the World Saginaw Doctor Proves Value Of Circumcision in Fight on VD By GERHARDT NEUMANN Jewish 'News Staff Writer The Jewish News is privileged to be the first Jewish newspaper in the United States to report on a recent study by Dr. Eugene A. Hand, of Saginaw, Mich., which found wide in- terest in medical circles and will soon be pub- lished in a medi- cal journal, Dr. Hand's study is entitled `'The Importance of Circumcision in the Preven- tion of Venereal Dr. Hand Disease and Cer- -taro Forms of Cancer," and is based on observations in the ven- ereal clinic of a military hospital near New York City. Here are the most outstanding facts contained in the study: • In discussing these results, Dr. Hand advances several explana- tions. According to his observa- tions, circumcised individuals are "usually better educated and from families with better financial, ed- ucational and cultural back- grounds." Thus they have a better chance of familiarizing them- selves with the dangers of infec- tion. "It also gives them knowl- edge of the signs and symptoms so that if infection occurs they seek early medical advice and thus are less likely to infect others of their class." Another explanation of a more medical nature points to certain after-effects of circumcision which makes infection more dif- ficult. Dr. Hand's paper continues this discussion as follows: "A comparison of the occur- rence of venereal disease in Jews, Gentiles and the Negro in rela- tion to circumcision, sex educa- tion and habits, is most enlighten- ing. Though it is well known that there is some stepping off of the reservation it would be hard to dispute that Jews usually co- habit With Jews. Gentiles with Gentiles, and Negroes with Neg- roes. 1) Among '790 Gentiles, 525 Jews and '76 Negroes who had never had venereal clisease, 34 per cent of the Gentiles, all but one of the Jews, and 42.2 per cent of the Negroes were cir- cumcised. 2) Among 522 Gentiles, 16 Jews and 544 Negroes who have a hiStory of gonorrhea, 23.6 per Education and Venereal Disease cent of the Gentiles, 100 per "Through the ages the Jews cent of the Jews, and 13 per have practiced universal cir- cent of the Negroes were cir- cumcision at birth. Jews are cumcised. acute, shrewd, and though they (ln other words, the percent- love to gamble they know the age of uncircumcised non-Jews odds in games, business ,and love, - contracting venereal disease ex- and like them loaded their way. - ceedecl that of circumcised non- Jews, though they may be prom- Jews.) iscuous in their own race, when 3) The number of syphilis they wander it is usually with cases observed totaled 532, the better type of Gentile woman. among them 344 Gentiles, 4 The occurrence of venereal dis- Jews and 184 Negroes. Of these, ease is lower n i Jews than in 22.2 per cent of the Gentiles, Gentiles and very much lower 17.5 per cent of the Negroes and than in the Negro. This is because all four Jews were not circum- circumcision has given them a cised. lower rate of infection even when 4) A diagnosis of chancroid exposed to venereal disease, and was made in 138 instances of their shrewdness and knowledge • whom 60 were Gentiles and 78 of sex has also cut their infec- Negroes, almost all of them tion rate. Also when infected their not circumcised. acuteness early puts them under Similar observations were medical care. Thus venereal dis- • _ made in other forms of yen- ease has not been siphoned into the Jewish race generation after ereal disease. These facts warrant two generation. Instead the rate has . conclusions: remained the same or decreased a) that the percentage of Jews so that the chances of infection with venereal disease is low; of Jews and Jewesses become less b) that circumcision makes and less." • Dr. Hand ascribes the high - . -fir-a'IoNVer rate of infection, syphilis rate among - Negroes to poor sex education and bad sex habits.- Among the Gentiles, he states, the circumcision rate is higher than with the Negro, and a better financial and educational background combines with better Arrangements are being com- sex knowledge plus a somewhat pleted by the Man's Club of Con- less promiscuous sex life. How- gregation Shaarey Zedek to ac- ever, the Gentile *.yphilis rate, though much lower than among Negroes, is still higher than among Jews. Dr. Hand also believes that cir- cumcision and marital happiness have something to do with - each other, due to certain physiolo- gical circumstances. A study "of the occurrence of circumcision in relation to divorce would be most interesting," he adds. Among Dr. Hand's conclusions the following two are most in- teresting: t 'YE-c/a • ! c f., Hundreds Expected to Attend Shaarey Zedek's Study Institute 1) All steps to encourage circumcision of all males early in life should be taken. 2) As circumcision is usually found in males with better fin- ancial, educational and cul- tural backgrounds and because proper sex education is still the best approach to venereal dis- ease all measures to increase the education, including mat- ters pertaining to sex, and also the cultural and financial well- being of our people should be taken. . Dr. Hand's study is preceded by a short historical summary of the origin aid practices of cir- cumcision. Significantly, he points to the barbaric practices of cir- cumcision as they ate known among the aborigenes of Aust- ralia and other parts of the world, where the operation is of a mut- ilating rather than preventive character. Historical Background The origin of the Jewish cus- tom is hidden under the veil of prehistoric times. Since Moses was uncircumcised, there is rea- son to believe that during the captivity in Egypt circumcision was not yet common practice. It seems that Joshua introduced the custom as a general law when he circumcised, at the "Hill of the Foreskin," all the males who had been born in Egypt or in the wilderness. (See Jos. 5: 2-9). Dr. Hand-emphasizes that early Mosaic law "employed a reason- ably good surgical technique us- ing a flint knife," and also states that the operation may not be performed if the child is not able to stand the rite. Whatever the original mean- ing of circumcision, in later times it was undoubtedly considered a NORMAN SNIDER commodate many hundreds of Detroiters at the sessions of the annual Institute of Jewish Stud- ies to be held during the five-day period of Nov. 12 to 16. Commencing with Friday eve- ning services on Nov. 14, the In- stitute will wind up with a ban- quet on Sunday evening, Nov. 16. Norman Snider, a member of the Men's Club program commit- tee, who will preside et all ses- sions, announces that the series of events will commence with an address • by Prof. Abraham S. Halkin -of the faculties of Colum- bia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, in the so- cial hall of Shaarey Zedek, at 8:30 p. m. next Wednesday. Prof. icians whO had learned it from the Egyptians spread the custom, and the Greeks also learned it in Egypt. To the modern world, however, circumcision is mainly known as a Jewish custom, and for a long time has been considered mere superstition. In reality, it is one of the many Jewish gifts to the world that help to make it a better place to live in. That circumcision is not a su- perstition, but a powerful weapon in the fight against the plague of venereal disease, has been shown conclusively in Dr. Hand's val- hygienic measure. The Phoen- uable study, Halkin's topic will be "Facing the Future." The Layman's Institute courses will be conducted by Dr. Leon J. Leibreich, author, lecturer and instructor of Bible and Religion at Gratz College; and by Rabbi Henry Fisher, a member of the Board of Overseers pt.: the Jew- of ish Theological Seminary America, who formerly served on the executive committee of the Rabbinical Assembly. Dr. Leibreich will conduct a course on "The Prophet Jeremiah and His Time", while Rabbi Fisher will instruct on "The Jewish Way of Life". Rabbi Morris Adler of Con- gregation Shaarey Zedek has col- laborated with the program com- mittee to bring to Detroit this Layman's Institute. He will ad- dress the banquet as will also Dr. Leibreich and Rabbi Fisher. Albert Green, president of the Shaarey Zedek Men's Club, an- nounces the appointment of Mor- ris M. Karbal as co-chairman for the Institute. Dr. Morris M. Bur- stein is co-chairman for the courses of study. Dr. Harry Bur- stein is co-chairman for the Fri- day night service and Ben Sidlow i s co-chairman f o r banquet arrangements. Truman Greets Jewish Cavalcade, Praises Judaism CINCINNATI—Declaring that "the world of religion owes an. incalculable debt to Judaism," President Truman expressed his pleasure, in a message to Jacob Aronson, chairman, executive board, Union of American He- brew Congregations, that the Union will observe, through the American Jewish Cavalcade, dur-. ing November, December, and January "a period of rededica- tion to the principles of the an- cient Jewish culture." More than 50 outstanding liberal rabbis will form the vanguard in a religious revival program, according to arz' announcement by Dr{ Maurice N. Eisendrath, UAHC president. Cities scheduled in the itin- erary of the American Jewish Cavalcade include Grand Rapids. and Pontiac, Mich.