JWB Religious Activities Division
To Write Prayers for Mentally Ill

lowing a similar study to be made
of the needs of paraplegics, TB
patients and surgical cases by
Rabbi Israel Gerber of Fitchburg,
Mass.
The meeting also was told of
the needs of the army and air
forces for more Jewish chaplains
and of their request to the Di-
vision to launch a recruitment
campaign for 15 more chaplains
in the next few months. It is an-
ticipated that the army will
eventually require 60 additional
full-time Jewish chaplains.
The Division also announced
that the National Guard, which
recently has been brought to full
strength following passage of Se-
lective Service, has asked it to
grant ecclesiastical endorsement
to Jewish chaplains now serving
in the National Guard units of
Alabama, New Jersey and New

NEW ; YORK—The vital need
for the immediate composition of
special prayers and devotional
literature to be used in the treat-
ment of the mentally ill, "with
specific reference to Jewish pa-
tients in VA hospitals," was re-
ported here at a meeting of the
National Jewish Welfare Board's
Division of Religious Activities.
The report was based on a study
by Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn,
of the Central Synagogue of Nas-
sau County, Rockville Centre, L.
I., made at Winter General Hos-
pital and Menninger Foundation,
Topeka, Kansas. It recommend-
ed the setting up of a committee
by the Division to write appro-
prite prayers.
The report of Rabbi Gittelsohn,
who served in the U. S. Navy as
Jewish chaplain at Iwo Jima, will
be implemented by the JWB fol-

Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Glorious Maccabaean Brothers: Israel's Freedom Heritage

For more than 2,100 years, an entire world has admired the
courage of a small group of men who defied tyrants and refused
to bend their knees in serfdom for the sake of life. The Maccabean
Brothers and their great father—Mattathias—remain the symbols of
courage unsurpassed and unequalled to this very day in all history.
Historians have marvelled at the Maccabean prowess and mili-
tary men even now study the genius and the tricks of the heroes who
defeated the great. Greek armies. Yet it remained for an American
libertarian writer, in this inspiring first year of the revival of the
rJewish State of Israel, whose defenders, like the Maccabees of old,
have defied the armies of seven ngtions for the sake of their liberty,
to reconstruct the story of the Maccabees in the most glorious fashion.
Howard Fast, has made a very great contribution to literature with
his new epic story on the Maccabees, "My Glorious Brothers," just
published by Little, Brown & Co., Boston, Mass. For Israel—the
Land and the People—it is a heartening message in this new era of
struggle for freedom.
*
*

'Once in a Long While There Comes a . • Maccabee'

Simon, the brother of Judas, about whom we are told that "once
in a long while there comes out of the people a man" whom "they
call the Maccabee," tells the story of his glorious brothers in Fast's
book. One must understand Israel to appreciate that people's pas-
sion for freedom. So, Simon speaks: _
"In all the world there is no other land as rich as ours, but
in all the world there are no other people who till their fields
as free men. Whereupon, it is not strange that, talking of many
things in Modin, we talked mostly of freedom."
Therefore; out of Modin came a 1-ilk that fought for freedom
and handed down a heritage to more than 70 generations—unto our
own glorious days of HaganAh and its 20th century Maccabees—to
cherish liberty above all else and to refuse to bend knees to
oppressors.
Storyteller Fast describes how a rabble rose "against their
trained, armored murderers, against their faceless men who were
born for war, bred for war—and live only for war," and their
weapons against the Greek legions were their knives and their bows.
The Greek forces came to fight the Jews on the Sabbath, but
Rabbi Ragesh fought and the Maccabees fought, and Mattathias told
his sons: "The Sabbath day is holy, but life is holier." The villages
were burned, but the Jews fled to the hills, and from there fought
the fight for freedom. How long was it to last? "Forever—if need be
until the judgment day."
As in our own day, Jews came from other lands to help the
Maccabeans win their struggle. Among the gifts from Egyptian Jews
was a banner for the Maccabee "and sewn beneath the star: Judas
Maccabeus. Who resists tyrants obeys God." Simon recalled:
"We learned a good deal in those eight months of almost
unceasing battle. "..Ve F_aarned finally, and for all, that a mountain
folk cannot be rooted from the soil that bred them. We learned
that a Jew will fight a little better than a mercenary, since our
fight is for God and land and the other for money and loot."
Later, Rabbi Ragesh wanted to negotiate with the enemy, to
make peace, to spare Judea further misery. Jonathan was sent by
Simon to bring this message to those who were weakening:
"Go to Ragesh, and tell him the Maccabee is in Ephraim, the
Maccabee and his brother Simon—tell him that two men are
in Ephraim and that so long as two men walk free on Judean
soil, the fight goes on. Tell him it goes on until all the world
knows that in Judea there is a people who will not bend their
knee to man or God! We were slaves in Egypt and we will not
be slaves again."

*

The Struggle Between Rome and Judea

Thus the struggle went on, until all the brothers were dead—
except Simon for whom Howard Fast wrote down the story of the
glorious brothers—a record that was presented to Legate Lentulus
Silanus to be taken to Rome. The entire tale is Simon's, except the
chapter about the Roman Legate. Here we are treated to an evalua-
tion of Judean ideas as they contrasted with Rome's. Greece was
subdued, another great power arose to challenge Judea and the
Legate came to study Israel. The Legate's statement appended to
Simon's story in itself is a review of a world's battle against Jewry.
The Legate does not oppose an alliance between Rome and Judea.
But he advises the Roman Senate as follows: "I would strongly
recommend to the noble Senate that it consider ways and means
for the subjugation and subsequent elimination of these people.
Small though they be, contained as they are in their little country,
they nevertheless must .,be understood and respected as a threat.
Speaking as a humble legate, I would submit that it is highly ques-
tionable that Rome and Judea could exist in the same world. Never
were two systems more contradictory, more unable to find common
ground either for alliance or for submission,"
But Israel lives. Lentulus Silanus' recommendations have been
repeated for 2,000 years. Not so long ago, we heard them from
Hitler. There are men in all lands today who speak this language.
But Israel lives. This is the glory of the great brothers whose story
is so magnificently and enchantingly told by Howard Fast.
In the epilogue, Simon gives a final accounting of his dream and
his concluding words—the concluding words of the great story—are:
"I thought of my brothers, and it was an old oak, truly, that
could send out so firm and mighty a limb as Judas Maccabees,
or Eleazar, or John, or Jonathan. Blessed are they and may they
rest in peace, rest easily and in peace. Life is a day and no more,
but life is also forever. Soon, soon enough, I, Simon, the least
of all my glorious brothers, would go the way they went, but
not so soon would it be forgotten in Israel—and among the
NOKRI too—that there were five sons of the old man, the Adon
Mattathias." •
The world remembers these heroes anew. They live again in the
Haganah. And Howard Fast has portrayed them in a great book.
A great literary artist has caught the spirit of the Maccabees and the
world is beginning to learn that there is room in the world for the
Judean teachings which have survived the Greeks and the Romans.
Israel lives.

•

2

—

THE JEWISH NEWS

SOS Bags Ready to Fill

Friday, October 22, 1948

,..,••••••

UAHC Board Clarifies
Issues in Proposed
NY. Headquarters Shift

CINCINNATI, (JTA) — The
executive board of the Union of
American Hebrew Congregations
issued a statement refuting the
claims of a . group which is oppos-
ing the board's proposal , to re-
rno\ve the national headquarters
of the UAHC from Cincinnati to
New York. The arguments in
favor of moving • the headquar-
ters are summarized in. the state-
ment as follows:
"New York is the organilational
center of American and world
JeWry — therefore, the Union
must have its headquarters in
New York in order to take - its
place in the councils of Jewish
organizational life. New York is
the center of religious life, with
headquarters there of the Syna-
gogue COuncil of America, the
Federal Council of Churches of
Christ in America, the National
Conference of Christians and
Jews, and countless other organ-
izations.
"New York includes the largest
Jewish community both in Amer-
ica and the world —• therefore,
national headquarters of the
Union in New York will enable
Reform or Liberal Judaism to ful-
fill its mission in winning the
masses of the unaffiliated, a task
too monumental for a regional
office, however effective. New
York is the supreme focal point
of contact with the constituent
members of the Union — most
congregants visit New York at
some time during the year, thus
providing the Union with direct
contact with its constituency.
The executive board's state-
ment calls attention to the fact
that the advantages of transfer-
ring headquarters - to -New York
have been recommended repeat,
edly since 19 115, when the late
Jacob H. Schiff urged such a
move. Without wishing to min-
imize the sentimental considera-
tions of Cincinnati as "the birth-
place of Liberal Judaism," the
executive board emphasizes the
fact that removal of UAHC head-
quarters from Cincinnati will not
deprive that city entirely of a
continuing Liberal influence. It is
pointed out that the Hebrew
Union College and a regional of-
fice of the Union in Cincinnati
"will assure that community" an
uninterrupted source of Reform
inspiration.

Truman Hails Opening'
Of Brandeis University

WALTHAM, Mass., (JTA) — A
letter of tribute from Presiden t
Truman to Brandeis University
was made pUblic at the conclu-
sion of Brandeis' three-day in-
augural ceremonies. Addressed to
Dr. Abraham Leon Sachar, presi-
dent of Brandeis, the letter reads:
"It is truly a privilege to wel-
come Brandeis University, a cre-
ation of the Jewish people open-
ing wider th do = rs of knowledge
that democracy may be strength-
ened to the enrichment of man-
kind.
"By taking unto itself the in-
tellectual and spiritual mantle- of
one of democracy's great men,
Louis Dembitz Brandeis, the Uni-
versity pledges its devotion to
freedom and the rights of the
individual. It is to be open to all
youth, irrespective of creed,
color or nationality. Brandeis
University thus joins the illustri-
ous family of nonsectarian educa-
tional institutions whose inspira-
tion and growth stem from the
impetus of religious groupings.
"In behalf of the Nation, the
ultimate beneficiary of the cre-
ative contributions Brandeis Uni-
versity will make, I welcome you
into the realm of free institu-
tions."

Temple's 100th Anniversary
ROCHESTER, N. Y. (JTA).-
Temple Brith Kodesh celebrated
its 100th anniversary of its found-
ing. Dr. Abba Hillel Silver was
the principal speaker at a special
centennial service. Rabbi Philip
S. Bernstein, a native of Roches-
ter, has served as spiritual leader
of the congregation since 1926 and
was Jewish advisor to the U. S.
Command in Europe.

iklat A:".11111.4:14 ,1111..iViti*g.002 **It tire lit** Al Mg*

#itr

•

—Detroit News Photo

-

SOS bags, which went to every 'Jewish family in Detroit in
preparation for SOS Day, Sunday, Oct. 31, were addressed by a
crew of hard-Working volunteers. MEL SHANNON (left) addresses
a group of bags, while RITA SAULS (center) and DORIS MOSS
(right) pull the record cards. The Detroit SOS Committee hopes fo,
collect more than 500,000 pounds of canned food, comfort items,
layettes and toys for the Jews of Europe and those preparing to
go to Israel.

Shertok Affirms Israel's Territorial Intentions

PARIS, (JTA) — The intention
of the state of Israel to claim
Western. Galilee, Jerusalem and
a territorial link between Tel
Aviv and Jerusalem was reiter-
ated here by Israeli Foreign Min-
ister Moshe Shertok, speaking at
a reception tendered him by the
French Zionist Federation.
Shertok asserted that the Isra-

eli Government will also make
every effort to retain the Negev.
He stressed the importance of
Israel's establishing a definite
settlement with the Middle East
states. "We have representatives
in Moscow, Prague, Washington,
etc.," he stated, "and we must
have representatives in Cairo,
Damascus and Bagdad.

Between You and Me

By BORIS SMOLAR

(Copyright. 1948, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

Election Echoes

Circles close to both Truman - and Dewey now indicate that no
statement on Israel should be expected from either candidate in the
Presidential elections . Dewey had a statement prepared, but
informed American Zionist leaders that he decided not to make any
public pronouncements on Israel during his election campaign, after
he conferred with John Foster Dulles, his adviser on foreign affairs.
. . • This, despite the fact that Dulles, who is a member of the U. S.
delegation to the United Nations, is definitely not in favor of Berna-
dotte's recommendations on Palestine . . . Truman was prepared to
make. a statement on Israel during a speech at a campaign meeting
in New York, but after his talk with Secretary of State Marshall,
he is no longer inclined to do so .. . It is possible that the Presi-
dential campaign may pass without the injection of the Palestine
issue by Truman or Dewey .. . Meanwhile, American Zionist leader.'
ship is workina in the direction of strengthening the influence of the
World Zionist 6 Organization vis-a-vis the Israeli Government . .. A
committee of 15 leading American Zionists has been named by Dr,
Emanuel Neumann, ZOA president, to study the future program and
constitution of the World 'Zionist Organization . . . Heading this
committee is Judge Simon H. Rifkind, former adviser on Jewish
Affairs to the U. S. forges in Europe ... Co-chairman of the com-
mittee is Rabbi Philip Berivtein, who succeeded Judge Rifkind as
adviser on Jewish affairs to the U. S. forces in Europe . . Other
members of this body even include "progressive Zionists" who are
opposing the present official ZOA policy . . . Named. to this com-
mittee were men like Judge Louis E. Levinthal, Robert Szold, and
other of the "progressive" group.
"Voice of Arabia" is the name of a new pro-Arab group now
formed in the United States as "an American non-profit organiza-
tion" to disseminate pro-Arab and anti-Jewish propaganda.

*

*

*

Community Trends

The question of whether leaders of Jewish Federations and
Welfare Funds should be given the opportunity to exercise greater
influence on the planning and the work of national Jewish agencies
is now becoming a major issue in American Jewish life . . . It will
come to the forefront next year . . . The Council of Jewish Federa-
tions and- Welfare Funds believes that the time when welfare funds
were merely fund-raising and allocating bodies is over, that the com-
munities are under an obligation "to go beyond raising and allocating
dollars" . . . Leaders of the Council insist that the communities must
share responsibility also for how well and how effectively these
dollars are spent . . . Their arguments, as outlined by Philip Bern-
stein, associate director of the Council, run as follows . . . The serv-
ices of the national agencies are financed and made possible by the
central community organizations . . . The national agencies, there.
fore, must be responsive and responsible to the Jewish communities,
as crystallized through their central organizations . . . This means
that a working partnership must be established of the national
agencies and the communities in the determination of policies and
programs . . . It means a cooperative effort by the national agencies
and- the communities to work out jointly the new type of national
organizational structures needed to make possible a genuine operat-
ing partnership . . . The national agencies are then urged by the
Council to make possible the participation of community leaders
"on a meaningful and influential level" . . . The Council emphasizeS
that the question is not one of seeking selfish control for selfish pur-
poses, but a common concern by the national agencies and corn-
munity orgdnizations, aimed at a better service..

Educational Notes

One of the effects of the establishment of Israel is the growing
interest in Hebrew in the United States .. . Not only has the num.,
ber of students this season increased considerably in classes of He,.
brew in the New York high schools, but many parents are displaying
great interest in having their children study Hebrew before they.
reach high school . . . The demand for Hebrew textbooks is theier,
fore now greater than ever before . A textbook which will attract
special attention has just been published by Behrman House in co-
operation with the- Jewish Educational Committee of New York .
It is the primer of "Shalom Uvracha," Hebrew Reading the Picture
Way, by Leah Klepper, illustrated by Jessie Robinson . . is a.
beautiful volume from the point of view of art . . . A labor of love*
it will rfo doubt stimulate many thousands of children—and even
adults—to complete the course given in the book within a very
short time.

•

•

'■

Xi 410,

■■••••

`,/-

