As the Editor
Views the News .
University President
Bigotry Must End
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No other person has earned as much
right to the presidency of the Hebrew Uni-
versity as the selectee Prof. Selig Brodet-
sky. The Hebrew University trustees are to
be congratulated on their choice. Prof
Brodetsky will lend dignity to his new office.
He is qualified for it by temperament, train-
ing and scholarship. Great -accomplishments
will surely come forth from the Hebrew Uni-
versity in Jerusalem under his guidance.
Our Young Adults
The Jewish Young Adult Council's an-
nual meeting, scheduled for next Wednesday
evening, is an appropriate occasion for a
review of the activities of our young people
and for re-evaluation of community plan-
ning in an area which should be considered
of particular importance as a field for the
training of future leaders.
The -mere fact that many groups of
young people have banded together in one
council is significant in itself. It is an in-
dication that our youth are prepared to work
together, even though they may differ
ideologically. Having joined forces, they
give us cause to await truly constructive
results in their planning of community cul-
tural programs, in assistance to fund-raising
projects and in training future leaders.
The guidance given to this Council by
able educators and by leaders in youth
movements are additional evidences of the
advent of good leadership in Detroit Jewry.
All who are concerned that we should have
a good community, led by inspired leader-
ship, wish this Council well in all its under-
takings.
Ruth Gruber and FBI
All who know Dr. Ruth Gruber will testi-
fy to the blunder committed by the FBI in
linking her with the Reds in the Judith
Coplon espionage case. One reference to Miss
Gruber, which described her as secretary to
Harold Ickes when he was Secretary of the
Interior, reads: "Gruber has been reported
to have been a contact of F. A. Garanin of
the Soviet Embassy, Wash." Another type-
written paper said: "In March 1946 subject
had in her address book the name of Ruth
Gruber. Gruber has been reported to have
been a contact of F. A. Garanin of the
Soviet Embassy, Wash. Gruber was secretary
to Ickes, Secretary of Interior."
The "evidence" is flimsy enough, but it
made the headlines and brought this reply
from Miss Gruber: "I never knew or heard
of the Coplon girl until her name appeared
in the newspapers. I never was a contact
person for anyone. My job was not secretary
to Mr. Ickes, which might imply I had access
to secret papers. I had mine. I was one of
the department's field representatives work-
ing on several projects."
Mr. Ickes himself, who was reached by
telephone at his farm in Maryland made
this comment: "If that's a test of the ac-
curacy of the FBI, they had better disband.
Some fool writes her name on a slip of paper
and they try to smear her. If she's a Red,
I'm a Hottentot."
We, can subscribe to Mr. Ickes' addition-
al comment that Miss Gruber is "a damned
able person." Furthermore, we know her as
a loyal American, an outstanding journalist
and an accurate reporter. • The smear is a
most regrettable blunder on the part of the
FBI and calls for an apology.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member : American Association of English-Jewish News-
papers. Michigan Press Association.
Services: Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Seven Arts Feature
Syndicate. King Features, Central Press Association, Palcor
News Agency.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co.. 21.14 Penobscot I31,1g., Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 5-1155.
Subscription .- $3 a year; foreign $4.
- Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office,
Detroit; • Mich-., under Act of Mara 3. 1679.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
SIDNEY SHMARA K. Advertising Manager
Vol. XV—No. 13
-
Page 4
June 10, 1949
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the fourteenth day of Sivan,
5709, the following Scriptual selections will be
Tcad in our synagogueS:
Pentateuchal portion—Num. 4:21-7:89.
Prophetical portion—Judges 13:2-25.
60.1teri" Yil.t6RXTV1. A64.-1
Hebrew and Language Revival
The Washington Post of May 25 carried a. most inter-
esting editorial on "Language Revival." Its reference to
Hebrew raises some interesting questions in connection with
the progress that has been achieved in Israel in making the
language of the Bible the medium of conversation. The Post
editorial reads :
The revival of a dying language, or one already dead, is
not impossible under given circumstances, though neither of
these circumstances is present in Ireland., where the experi-
ment is being made. History offers at least two examples. One
is medieval Latin, which had an enormous practical value as a
means of written and -spoken communication among the edu-
cated classes of every part of European Christendom. The
movement, which began with the Renaissance scholars to re-
store Latin to its classical purity: was probably one of several
reasons leading to its second demise.
The other example is the revival of Hebrew in Israel to
provide a common speech for Jews from every part of the world.
Yiddish would not have served the purpose, because large sec-
tions of Jewry, for example, the Sephardim, were wholly ig-
norant of it. _However, to make it suitable to modern conditions,
Hebrew had to be vastly revised in structure and the manufac-
ture of neologisms put upon a systematic basis. Thus the dif-
ference between the demotic Hebrew now spoken in Israel and
Scriptural Hebrew is said to be far gPeater than between
Medieval and Golden Age Latin or between modern Greek and
the Koine of the Gospels and the Attic Greek of the Platonic
dialogues.
But in Ireland the conditions which made possible and even
necessary the revival of Latin and Hebrew are absent. For
English already provides the means of communication between
the Irishman who has the Gaelic and the Irishman who has
none, and for that matter between the Irishman and almost
any foreigner, for English of a . sort is rapidly becoming. the
lingua franca of the world.
And here we come to another paradox. There are many
who think that the emergence of English as a world language
has killed it idiomatically, despite the. efforts at rescue by the
late brothers Fowler and others. Generally speaking, idiomatic
English, or as it is sometimes called, standard English, is the
language which has resulted from the evolution of the East-
Midlands or Kentish dialect which has been the medium of
most of the great poets from Chaucer to the Victorians. But
not, it is said that in England itself the idiom is being aban-
doned by the young. However, one place where it flourishes in
something close to purity is Dublin. There, at any rate, the
ghost of Milton or Dryden or Dr. Johnson would. find less to
offend its ear than in London or even Oxford.
The brevity of an editorial undoubtedly has made it
impossible for the Post writer to indicate that there are
other Jewish dialects, most of which are disappearing, and
that the equivalent for Yiddish in the Sephardic communi-
ties is Ladino.
While the Post is correct in its major approach to the
thesis, it overlooks a basic fact: that the Hebrew used in
Israel and by Hebraists throughout the world is in reality
the Hebrew of the Bible. Naturally, modern terms have been
adopted and there have been numerous adjustments to suit
our times. In the main, however, the Bible is the basis for
the creation of a spoken language, and even the Talmud
has been utilized to borrow necessary terms for the revival
of Hebrew.
In any event, the revival of Hebrew, which was among
the first attainments of Zionism, may well be considered
among the truly great miracles in Jewish life in this cen-
tury. It was an inevitable result of the yearning of Jews
to acquire a normal existence, and to become masters of
their own destiny in their homeland, after centuries of per-
secutions and degradations. The revival of Hebrew is one of
the major signals to the world — hitherto antagonistic to
Jewry that Israel has regained dignity and self-respect, in
addition to achieving self-liberation.
Mendele's Don Quixote
'Benjamin iii° Done in
An English Translation
The 18th in the series of Schocken Library
Books, Mendele Mocher Seforim's "Travels of
Benjamin III," introduces tc the English reader
the translation of one of the great Yiddish
classics.
Originally, this story, by the Grandfather
"Der Zeide" — "Sava" of Yiddish Literature,
appeared in Yiddish. Mendele himself trans-
lated it into Hebrew. In its excellent English
translation by Moshe Spiegel it serves as an
introduction to a new audience which may
have known very little about the great writer
who was the guide for such eminent literary
figures as Sholem Aleichem, and others.
Mendele—Shalom Jacob Abrahamovich, 1836-
1917—firSt wrote in Hebrew, then became the
pioneer Yiddish story-teller.
His "Travels of Benjamin III" is a satire
about an adventurous Benjamin who decided to
go out into the world in search of the Red
Jews. He inveigles Senderel to go with him, to
leave their families and to pursue their ardu-
ous task in the interests of posterity. The two—
in Don Quixote and Sancho Panza fashion—
experienced many trials and tribulations. They
flee from their wives, eventually fall into the
hands of the army into which they are inducted
under false pretenses, and finally are released
to go on with their venture.
Senderel teaches Benjamin to go begging.
Thus they manage their way through several
villages. First published in 1885, "Benjamin III"
reveals the vast knowledge of the eminent
author and his understanding of the Jewish
masses of that time who were huddled in the
Pale of Settlement and knew nothing of the
world outside their synagogues, their village
marketplaces and their bathhouses.
Benjamin is called the Third in line to
Benjamin of Tudela, the 13th century Spanish
traveler and author, and Joseph Israel Benja-
min, who in the middle of the 19th century
traveled in the Orient and to America. Men-'
dele's pen has drawn of this Don Quixote a most
interesting character who emerges as the hero
of a most fascinating story.
Schocken again has rendered an important
service by producing this fine book in an Eng-
lish translation.
A Basic Peace Problem
By DR. MAENNA CHESTERTON-MANGLE
The Human Rights Commission of the United
Nations is looking out for the little fellow. Plans
are afoot to make sure that Jacob and Ivan
and Pierre and Hans really have the-basic free-
doms promised them in the Universal Declara-
tion of Human Rights adopted by the UN last
December.
Many organizations have contributed sug-
gestions on this vital subject. It has provoked
widespread interest, especially among religious
groups.
Another interesting study has just been re-
leased by the Consultative Council of Jewish
Organizations, which includes the American
Jewish Committee, the Anglo-Jewish Association
Of Great Britain and the Alliance Israelite
Universelle of France.- In a 96-page document
entitled "Implementation of an International
Covenant of Human Rights," the Consultative
Council outlines a. series of proposals suggesting
that individuals be given the right to petition
the United Nations for the redress of grievances
involving human rights. It urges the creation
of a central Commission on Human Rights -with
regional agencies throughout the world, ready to
accept and investigate such petitions.
The idea sounds fine. The underlying reason
for an International - Bill of Rights is to protect
all the plain Joes in the world from oppressive
governments. Providing a way to take grievances
over the heads of rulers directly to the United
Nations certainly would be a step in the right
direction.
The members of the United Nations Human.
Rights Commission are grappling with a prob-
lem basic to world peace. It's good to see pub-
lic-spirited individuals and groups pitching in
to get the job done.
Facts You Should Know ..
What are the "Aron Kodesh" and the Eara-
ches?''
The "Aron Kodesh" is the Hebrew for the
"Holy Ark" in the synagogue. In the Bible the
two tablets bearing the Ten Commandments
were placed into a special gold box. The orig-
inal ark is referred to in the Bible as "The Ark
of the Covenant of the Lord" (Numbers 10:33),
as the "Ark of the Testimony" (Exodus 25:22)
and in most places just as "the ark."
The term "Poroches" is given to the curtain
that is suspended over the front of the Holy Ark
in the Synagogue. It, too. has its origin in the
structure of the Holy Temple of old. Originally
the "Poroches" was the name of a fine curtain
that hung in the Tabernacle of the desert days
which separated the section of the structure
called the "Holy*" from the innermost compart-
ment known as the "Holy of Holies." It was in
the latter. compartment that the Holy Ark bear-
ing the two tablets were kept. Actually the term
"Poroches" means "separation," from an an-
cient Hebrew root meaning "to break" or, figur-
atively speaking ,"to separate."