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Page Fourteen

THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, December 12, 1947

Eight Congregations Follow Long Tradition
Of Education as Major Synagogue Function

Heine on the Messiah

Article Seven in a Series

By RUTH MIRIAM LEVINE

F

OLLOWING the Jewish tradition that educa-
tion is one of the primary purposes of the
synagogue, eight of the community's congrega-
tions maintain regular classes for the religious
education of their children. Although their or-
ganization and methods differ, each school aims
at giving the child a positive knowledge of and
attitude toward Judaism, in accordance with the
specific ideology of the congregation.
Congregations Beth Aaron, Beth Itzchock
Bnai David, Bnai Moshe, Shaarey Zedek, North-
west Hebrew Congregation, Temple Beth El and
Temple Israel operate their own schools. Most
of them are open to the families of the commun-
ity, as well as to the congregation.

Classes in Public School Buildings

Sunday morning classes are conducted by the
Northwest Hebrew Congregation, Bnai David
and Beth Aaron, at the Bagley, Central High
and Schulze public schools, respectively.
Temple Israel's classes meet Saturday and
Sunday mornings at the Hampton school, while
Temple Beth El's school, in its own building,
also meets on Saturday and Sunday. Schools
meeting Sunday morning and week-day after-
noons are Bnai Moshe, Shaarey Zedek and Beth
Itzchock.
The majority of the schools are under the
supervision of a board of education, drawn from
the membership of the congregation, and have
a rabbi or trained layman in the post of direc-
tor of education. The faculty listings show a
high proportion of professional teachers, and
many who received special training in a Jewish
teachers' seminary.

Employ Newer Trends in Education

.
The curricula of the congregational schools,
• for the most part, .employ the newer trends in
education—use of audio-visual equipment, crea-
tive expression through arts and crafts and dra-
matics, extensive use of music, particularly the
Hebrew melodies, and student participation
school administration throught student councils.
Extra-curricular activities take a prominent
part in most of the school programs. These in-
clude school papers, athletics, social events,
dram'a groups, literary and oratorical contests,
holiday parties, debating and other projects,
all designed to strengthen the child's ties with
the synagogue and to insure' a Jewish aspect in
his daily life.
Participation in community projects also is
widespread. Every child in a congregational
school is taught the Jewish tradition of Tzeda-
kah through contributions to Jewish and civic
philanthropic campaigns, and many of the
schools combine for various projects.

Recognition Ceremony for Girls

The school year is punctuated by achievement
exercises at varying age levels. Most of the
schools have a seventh or eighth grade gradua-
tion, and, for those which continue through
grade 12, high school commencement exercises.
In addition, the majority of the schools have
instituted a recognition ceremony for girls, in
which young women, at about 14, affirm their
faith in a mass ceremony comparable to the
individual Bar Mitzvah rites for boys.
At Shaarey Zedek, Northwest and Bnai Moshe
this takes .the form of consecration exercises.
The two Temples have confirmation ceremonies
for boys and girls at the end of the ninth grade,
and Temple Israel also offers Bar Mitzvah for
boys at 13. None of the Detroit congregations
have yet attempted the practice. of Bas. Mitzvah,
an individual cereretny for girls at 13, which is
beginning to be seen in American synagogues.
Schools which offer a complete curriculum,
from kindergarten through high school, are
Shaarey Zedek, Temple Beth El, Temple Israel,
Bnai David and Bnai Moshe.

Beth El's Educational Objectives

The Temples are affiliates of the Union of
American Hebrew Congregations, the associa-
tion of Reform congregations. Beth El's 675
• students receive a thorough training in Bible,
Jewish history, ceremonies, current events and
Hebrew.
Beth El lists as its educational objectives:
To inculcate within the Jewish child a feeling
of self-respect, based upon a knowledge of his
heritage and the Jewish contribution to civili-
zation; to make Judaism an integral part of the
child's spirit through holiday celebrations and
an intensive panorama of Jewish history and
Biblical literature; to strengthen his bond with
the Jewish past and with Klal Yisroel.

Dr. B. Benedict Glazer, is supervisor of the
Beth El school; Rabbi Sidney Askelrad, director;
Mrs. Samuel Mendelsohn, student-faculty advisor;
Rosalind Schubot, school secretary. Teachers are
Marabel Denenburg, Carol Alexander, Mary Lou
Kleinman, Mrs. Leo Alexander, Mrs. Isabelle
David, Madeline Levy, Ruthe Brown, Pearl Lev-
enten, Ethel Friedman, Ruth Adler, Mrs Morris
Friedman, Mrs. Louis Orman, Ruth Podolsky, Mrs.
Allen Bernstein, Henry Desmon, Esty Carson,
Dorothy Weiman, Eleanor Heilbronner, Moe Kes-
ner, Seymour Matenky, Fave Flint, Ruben Selit-
sky, Mrs. Virginia Heller, Faye Portner, Samuel
Milan, Manuel Simon, Edward Kohleriter; music,
Jason H. Tickton, Mrs. Jason H. Tickton, Betty .
Kowalsky, Bette Shanbrom; Hebrew, Roslyn Hor-
witz and Charlotte Lehrman; librarians, Mrs. _
Arthur Goulson and Ruth Sood.

Temple Israel's program of education aims to
have the children of its religious school live the
life of the synagogue and of the American Jew-
ish community. The children are taught to love
the worship of God as something beautiful, to
enjoy the Jewish festivals, to welcome the Jew-
ish symbols and ceremonials and to render serv-
ice to the community.
Although children attend formal classes only
once a week, they are engaged in religious
school work through the week, through par-
ticipation in extra-curricular activities and in
such projects as the annual Sukkah contest.
While the children of Temple Israel are taught
the tenets of Liberal Judaism, they learn to
think in terms of the. Jewish community as .a
whole. In many social service projects they
work together with the children of Orthodox
and Conservative schools, and they join the
Jewish people as a whole in serving the causes

of relief and rescue and the building of the
Jewish homeland in Palestine.

The school is under the direction of Rabbi
Leon Fram. Mrs. George Blumenstock is chair-
man of the school board, and Mrs. Irma Somlyo
is school secretary.

Bnai David Religious School

The Bnai David Religious School was estab-
lished in 1934, to supplement the religious in-
struction of the home for those who are unable
to acquire a maximum program of religious edu-
cation during the week.
Bnai David maintains the historic, traditional
point of view. All textbooks used must contain
the Orthodox view of Jewish customs and cere-
monies, relating in reverence the secular and
sacred institutions of the past.

The school is conducted under the supervision
of Rabbi Joshua S. Sperka, assisted by Cantor Hy-
man Adler, who is in charge of Hebrew liturgy
and music. Rabbi Eric Greenbaum is educational
director, and the faculty includes Ben Baumgar-
ten, Martin Bruson, Mrs. David J. Cohen, Helen
Fried, Ruth_ Friedland, Phillip Jaffe, Mrs. Seldon
Leach, Leonard Newman, Phillip Nushoitz, Shir-
ley Richie, Rachel Rosenstein, Robert Solomon,
Mrs. Dvorah Dworkin and Mrs. Hyman Miller,
clerk of the school.

At Bnai Moshe, the curriculum includes his-
tory, home and synagogue ceremonies, blessings,
Hebrew melodies, holiday observances, Jewish
calendar, Jewish literature, Zionism and Jewish
communal life. The reading of Hebrew- is re-
quired in the upper grades. •
The textbooks stress the traditional manner
of observing Judaism, and girls in the upper
grades are trained in the practices of a Jewish
home, that they may become successful mothers
in Israel.

Walter Farber is educational director at Bnai
Moshe, and the faculty includes Miriam Weiss,
Madeline Belkin, Mrs. Seymour Abramson, Rabbi
Hugo Mandelcorn, A. Gornbein, Morton Good-
man, Jay Bodzin, Sam Neuschatz and Max Chom-
sky.

HEINRICH HEINE
Writing in the November issue of Liberal Judaism, Lee M.

Friedman, well known American. Jewish historian, quotes from
Heinrich Heine's essay on Ludwig Boerne which contained his views
The educational facilities of Shaarey Zedek, a
on the Messiah.
Conservative institution, are designed to enrich
- Mr. Friedman, commenting on the sesquicentennial of the birth
Jewishly Jewish boys and girls and men and
of Heine, occurring in December, 1947, says of the eminent German-,
women of the community. Children may be
Jewish poet:
enrolled in the Sunday School, kindergarten
through 12th grade; the daily Hebrew • school,
"Born a German Jew, baptized, fervent admirer of France and
grades one through five, or the Midweek Acad-
hater of Prussia, recognized national poet of pre-Nazi Germany,
emy, grades seven through ten.
no party, no school nor sect can rightly claim him. He was the true
Shaarey Zedek's curriculum is based on the
cosmopolitan. Yet, steeped in Jewish tradition and expressing largely
following goals: To develop and enhance the
and often Jewish idealism, it is well that the Jewish press take -
child's spiritual and ethical sensitivity, to equip
advantage of this anniversary to reprint some unforgettable gems
the child with knowledge of the Hebrew lan-
scattered throughout his works, too unfamiliar to American Jewish
guage, to impart a knowledge of Jewish history,
readers."
literature and culture; to develop the ability
Heine's essay on Boerne as quoted by Mr. Friedman follows:
and the desire to participate fully in traditional.
Jewish observances and practices in the syna-
"Many years ago when I was in Poland and saw the great Rabbi
gogue and the home; to instill the desire to
Manasseh ben Naphtali at Cracow, I listened to him gladly and with
continue Jewish studies beyond an elementary
an open heart, when he spoke of the Messiah .. . I do not know now
level; to develop an interest and a desire to
in what book of the Talmud the details are to be found which the
participate in local, national and world Jewish
great Rabbi gave me and only in its main features can I recollect
affairs.
this description of the Messiah. The Messiah, he said, was born on
It is the belief of the Shaarey Zedek directors • the day when Jerusalem was destroyed by the villain, Titus Ves-
that weekday instruction is necessary to do
pasian, and since then he has been living in the most beautiful palace
justice to the requirements of Jewish education,
in heaven surrounded by brightness and joy, wearing a crown upon
but that the Sunday School should achieve a
his. head, just like a king . . . but his hands are fettered with golden
degree of education which will be profitable
chains!
for those who have no Jewish affiliation or
" 'What,' I asked in amazement, 'what is the meaning of these
synagogue membership. An active junior con-
golden chains?'
gregation and regular children's services aug-
ment the classwork.
" 'They are necessary,' replied the great Rabbi with a wise look
and a deep sigh. 'Without these fetters the Messiah, losing patience,
Sidlow Chairman of Education
would suddenly plunge down and begin too early, at the wrong
Dr. Leonard Sidlow is chairman of the Shaar-
time, his work of deliverance. He is no sluggard. He is a beautiful
ey Zedek Committee on Education. Rabbi Morris
Adler heads the administration; Charles Rosen-
man, very slender, but of monstrous strength; he is as fresh as youth. -
blatt and Ben S. Chinitz are co-directors; Ruth
The life that he lives is very monotonous. He spends the best part -
Rabinowitz, registrar; Bernard Jaffe, sponsor,
of the morning in prayer, or in laughing and joking with his servants,
junior congregation; Mrs. Samuel Lehrman,
angels in disguise, who sing sweetly and play flutes. Then he has.
sponsor, children's services. Other faculty • mem-
. bers are Leonard Baruch, Dale Berger, May
his long hair combed and he is anointed with nard and dressed in
Cohen, Sol Disner, Geraldine Fineman, Sarray
his princely garments of purple. All the afternoon he studies the
Finkelstein, Bernard Jaffe, Charlotte Kelman, Ada
Cabala.
Koblin, Evelyn Koppelman, Florence Lipshitz,
Ben Mekler, Louis Panush, Sol Panush, Louis
" 'In the evening he sends for his old chancellor, an angel in
Rcsen, Herzl Saperstem, Mrs. Herzl Saperstein,
disguise, and the four strong councillors who are with him are also
Irving Schlussell, Herzl Shur, Mrs. David Subar
Sklash, Gertrude Strauss, Adeline Subar, Lorraine
angels in disguise. The chancellor then reads to his master from a
Wine, Aaron - Grossbard and Norval Slobin.
great book what has happened "each. day .. . Then all sorts of stories
Synagogues which offer religious education
are told, at which the Messiah smiles with pleasure, or shakes his
in a smaller age range include the Northwest
head
disapprovingly ... But when he hears how his people are ill-
Hebrew Congregation, Beth Aaron and Beth
treated on earth then he becomes terribly angry and cries out so
Itzchock. The latter, an Orthodox institution,
that the heavens tremble .. . The four strong councillors have then
offers the only Jewish educational facilities on
to hold back the enraged Messiah lest he should hurry down to the
the East side of the city. Classes in Hebrew and
earth and truly they would not be able to withhold him were hiS
Yiddish are given for children seven to 13 on
hands not fettered with golden chains .. . He is soothed with gentle
weekday afternoons, along with Bar Mitzvah
words and they tell him that the time is not yet come, the true hour
training. A Sunday-School, supplementing the
of salvation, and he sinks down upon his couch and veils his face
daily Hebrew school, admits boys and girls aged
and weeps . .
five to 12.
"So, more or less did Manasseh ben Naphtali instruct me at
The Hebrew school is under the direction of
Rabbi Jacob Hoberman and Benjamin Aaronson.
Cracow in his beliefs, supported by references to the Talmud. I have
Rabbi A. Zentman directs the Sunday . classes.
often been made to think of his story especially lately since the July
500 Enrolled at NW Congregation
Revolution. In hours of darkness I heard with my own ears a rattling
as of golden chains and then a despairing sob .. .
Northwest Hebrew Congregation classes, for
children of kindergarten through the ninth
"0 despair not, beautiful Messiah, thou who are not to deliver
grade, are held at the Bagley public school.
the Jews only, as the Jews imagine, but all suffering humanity!
Construction of the congregation's own school
Break not, ye golden chains! 0 keep him fettered yet a little time
building, however, is about to begin. Founded
lest he come . too soon, the Savior and King of the World."
in 1945, the school has over 500 students en-
rolled.
The aims of the school, which is a part of the
Conservative movement, vary in accordance
with the age level of the childrep. For example,
the kindergarten aims to help the child adjust
• By ARNOLD LEVIN
to a Jewish religious environment and to de-
velop such character traits as altruism, co-
(Copyright, 1947, Independent Jewish Press Service, Inc.)
operation, loyalty and respect.
Arab Schisms
In addition to regular classes,. the Northwest
school features an "opportunity room," where
A three-way schism exists in Arabdorn over the Palestine issue,
boys and girls who have had no previous Jewish
according to the most reliable informants. The Mufti knows he has
education can acquire sufficient background to
to throw his all into the fight to frustrate partition, but is determined
enable them to join others of their age group.
nevertheless to plant a government of his stooges in the portions of
The school is under the general supervision
Palestine assigned to the Arab state, so he will be able to wage
of Rai.. 3i Jacob E. Segal. The school chairman is
David Miller, and the director is Allen Warsen.
guerrilla• lrarfare in his own right and dominate the new - state
Beth Aaron, one of Detroit's newest congre-
through stooges, thus preventing King Abdullah from annexing the
gations, opened its first religious school classes
territory. Abdullah has long been accused of avarice as regards
this year at the Schulze School. Sponsored by
y
Syria,banon
and Palestine. His troops are said to be poised and
the Sisterhood of the congregation, the school
his off' .ers are believed to have sealed orders for the occupation
offers instruction, along Orthodox-Conservative
of the Arab portion of the partitioned state. Syria would like neither
lines, to children from six to 13.
the Mufti nor Abdullah in charge of that area; fearing them both,
Many of these congregations, as well as other
and—as Faris el Khouri, Jew-baiting Syrian delegate to the UN, has
synagogues in the community have extended
stated over and over again—Syria has claims of her own on Palestine.
their educational program with classes for
These inner schisms help deplete Arab resistance which, to begin
adults in a variety of Jewish subjects: These
With, is not a resistance by the masses who want peace, but by poli-
will be considered in a later article in this series.
ticians who want tb assuage their own avarice.

Shaarey Zedek's Program Largest

,

.•
Heard in the Lobbies