THE JEWISH NEWS
These Are the Names
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Nomenclature Study in
Rabbi Kolatch's Book
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
SIDNEY SHMARAK, Advertising Manager
VOL. XV—No. 17
Page 4
July 8, 1949
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twelfth day of Tammuz,
5709, the following Scriptural selections will be
read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Num. 19:1-22:1.
- Prophetical portion—Micah 5:6-6:8.
Scriptural Selections for Fast of Tammuz,
Thursday
Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 32 :11-14; 34:1-10.
Prophetical portion—Is. 55:6-56:8.
Middle East Persecution
Representatives of the big powers, while
discussing the plight of Arab refugees from
Palestine—the hordes of misguided people
who left their homes in deference to an as-
surance of propagandists that they would be
returned to reclaim not only their own shab-
by home's but also the fields and the factories
of their former Jewish neighbors—overlook
a major issue in the Middle East : the plight
of more than 100,000 Jews in Arabic lands
where freedom is unknown and whose rulers
encourage wholesale massacres of the Jewish
residents.
A Jewish student from Iraq who is in
this country on a temporary visa, has asked
our government to classify him as a dis-
placed person and to allow him to stay in
the United States. At hearings conducted
by the U. S. immigration authorities, this
student, whose name must be withheld for
his own and his family's protection, gave
evidence of systematic persecution of Jews
in Iraq. At the same time, the Institute of
Jewish Affairs of the World Jewish Congress
has published information to show that Iraq
happenings are typical of persecution in
other Moslem lands.
While many Jews are managing to es-
cape from Moslem lands into Israel, the
position of the large number of Jews in these
countries is so grave that some action will
have to be taken to protect their lives and
property. Here is a summary of some of
the happenings in Moslem lands:
Iraq: Sporadic attacks in the city of
Basra have taken the form of violent po-
groms. Nearly all of the wealthy Jews were
arrested in 1948, many were arrested on the
charge of being Zionist, several were sen-
tenced "in absentia" after they had reached
Israel and one was executed on the charge
of being "a Zionist and a Communist."
Yemen and Aden : Yemen, the world's
most backward country, is next to Aden,
both being south of Saudi Arabia. Jews are
treated as pariahs in Yeman. Although de-
parture from the country is punishable by
death, 20,000 have settled in Israel in the
last 20 years. A ritual murder lie was con-
cocted several months ago and six Jews were
arrested on the charge of having murdered
two Moslem girls for ritual purposes. Aden
Jewry lives in constant fear of pogroms. Al-
though it is a British protectorate, 76 Jews
were killed and 150 wounded in the massa-
cre of December, 1947.
Syria: Members of the parliament and
the press constantly urge confiscation of
Jewish-owned property. The results of the
persecutions is that Jews are in flight, 80
per cent of the 7,000 Damascus Jews having
left the country.
Lebanon: In Lebanon alone, Jews have
been given freedom of movement. The Maro-
nite Christian community favors cooperation
with the Jewish state and is friendly to Zion-
ism. Lebanon is an oasis in an Arab desert
of corruption and persecution.
Egypt: The murder of 200 Jews and the
wounding of 1,000 has created panic. During
the past year, Egyptian Jews have lived in
constant dread of what the morrow may
bring.
French Morocco : Poverty and pogroms
dominate this backward territory. The 1948
Oujda pogrom indicated the trend of events.
There was a pogrom in Djerda where 35
Jews were killed and anti-Jewish riots took
place in Alcazar-Quivir in Spanish Morocco.
Here is collective proof of unending
danger for Jews in Arab territories. What
are the great powers doing about this ? How
about an inter-change of populations, as-
suring settlement of the unfortunate Jews
under Arab rule in Israel and the transpor-
tation of the Arab refugees to their kinsmen
in the lands that retain the spirit of the
desert ? The great "humanitarians" who
speak of justice to the Arabs had better look
into the position of Jews in Moslem coun-
-before it is too late.
Plain Talk at Rabbis' Convention
A number of rabbis did some plain speaking at the 60th
anniversary convention of the Central Conference of Ameri-
can (Reform) Rabbis, at Bretton Woods, N. H., last week.
Matters , affecting the National Conference of Christians
and-Jews and pending legislation to provide financial aid to
educational institutions were under discussion.
Rabbi Abram M. Granison of New York stirred up a
hornet's nest with his condemnation of so-called "goopl
movements and his attack on both the Conference of Chris-
tians and Jews and the Council for Judaism. With reference
to the former he asserted that Jewish dignity should de-
mand "something more from the good will movement than
the make-believe brotherhood, at' which Jews rub elbows
with Christians at round-tables under the auspices of the
national conference of several Christians and a few Jews—
just to hear some sweet nothings in the form of pious and
'nocuous platitudes."
This is not the first time that the efficacy of the "broth-
erhood" movement has been challenged. We know of in-
stances when "good will" meetings, at which platitudinous
expressions of amity were followed by most venomous at-
tacks on Negroes and Jews—in some cases on Catholics—
by men who had played an important role in organizing
such meetings. We know of events in high schools which
experienced minor race riots among students after as-
semblies at which Round Table speakers pleaded for good
will and brotherly love.
Such manifestations of bigotry surely are not ascribable
to the work of the National Conference of Christians and
Jews. The Round Table organizations certainly have tried
hard to create good feeling among all faiths. All that the
occasions we have pointed to prove is that the good will
movement still is groping in the dark, that it must find a
way of solving the problem of lack of brotherhood, that the
rubbing of shoulders of clergymen and rabbis and a few
benevolent folk of all faiths—many of whom revert after
such meetings to the five o'clock society deadline which
draws the line between talk and actual socializing—is inef-
fective in establishing genuine good will. Perhaps Rabbi
Granison's challenge will inspire a new approach to the
brotherhood ,idea, which has flourished on paper, in the
form of inspiring messages from Presidents and national
leaders, but remains platitudinous.
Most positive is the Reform Rabbis' stand in opposi-
tion to "Federal or state aid to educational institutions main-
tained by religious groups, Jewish or Christian.' Dr. Joseph
L. Fink of Buffalo, chairman of the Committee on Church
and State, declared that the problem of separation of church
and state "is growing in vehemence as well as in interest.
There are signs that the people of America are becoming
increasingly aware of the far-reaching implications of the
issue." His report favored "absolute devotion to the princi-
ple of religious freedom in America and an unbreathable
wall of separation between church and state." This stand
brings the Jewish group into active conflict in the issue in
which Protestants and Catholics already are major partici-
pants. Francis Cardinal Spellman. of New York, in an ad-
dress recently to 15,000 Roman Catholics in New York
called Rep. Graham A. Barden of North Carolina, sponsor
of an amendment to the federal aid to education bill which
would limit its financial benefits to public schools, a "new
apostle of bigotry." The Christian Science Monitor, a con-
sistent opponent of any move which would link church and
state, replied editorially: "Is it being a bigot to stand on
one's convictions that this is the soundest public policy and
to resist the demands of an organization which claims ex-
clusive religious privileges for itself in countries where it
can obtain them? If so, many will risk the epithet."
It is regrettable that venomous religious arguments of-
ten enter into the discussion of the issue affecting separation
of church and state. But in view of the fact that Jews who
insist upon the observance of this sacred American principle
to the letter of the law object also to subvention grants to
Jewish parochial schools, their sincerity is obvious.
This issue must be solved in the American way—by
means of free discussion and without rancor, on the basis
of principle and true evaluation of facts. Bitterness is not
helpful to free discussion. It is to be hoped that Jewish
spokesmen will be able to guide the discussions along lines
of rational examination, away from existing ill feelings.
Intrigued by the absorbing question of first
names, and the haphazardness with which He-
brew names are chosen for Jewish children,
Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch has written an inter-
esting book, "These Are the Names" (published
by Jonathan David Co., 505 Fifth Ave., New
York 17).
The book contains more than 1,500 popular
English names, their meanings and their Hebrew
equivalents. A 10-page index to Hebrew names,
in Hebrew and Yiddish, is appended to this book.
Its greatest value, however, lies in the author's
able exposition of The Name. He deals with
superstitions which accompanied the naming of
children, Shephardic and Ashkenazic practices
and translations.
Rabbi Kolatch makes an interesting plea for
the use of Hebrew names: "It would be a mag-
nificent compliment to our Jewish social sense,
no less than to our aesthetic sense, were we will-
ing to desist from the niceties of the time& and
return to Biblical names when we decide upon
the nomenclature of our children."
The author deplores the adoption by Jews
of Christian religious names and the shying
from Jewish names. He declares that "the
people of the Book have drifted far from the
Book."
"These Are the Names" has an interesting
chapter on statistics to show by comparison the
Shift in popularity of names between the last
two generations of American Jews.
Negro's Book on Health
Urges More Intelligent
Meal Planning by Jews
J. Ida Jiggetts, Negro nurse and social
worker who has made a deep study of Jewish
customs and diets, recommends more intelligent
meal planning in order to "influence fruitful
returns in better *health for Jews and other
ethnic groups."
Mrs. Jiggetts' recommendation is made in an
interesting book, "Religion, Diet and Health of
Jews," published by Bloch Publishing Co., New
York.
Daughter of a Methodist minister, Mrs. Jig-
getts . became interested in Jewish customs as
a child. She was guided in her studies by her
father and later in life studied at the Jewish
Seminary of Social Studies of Jewish Theologi-
cal Seminary where she was art editor of "Torah
Lishmah," and studied Hebrew privately.
The bibliographical list appended to her book
indicates that she read widely in order to be
able to outline the customs, lOws, orthodox nu-
tritional pratctices and Jewish historical back-
grounas of the subject to which she has devoted
her work. She describes in interesting fashioin
the kashrut laws, dietetics, Jewish holidays, the
differences in views on dietary practices among
orthodox and reform.
One chapter is devoted to the preparation
of food by Jews and another offers the nutri-
tional analysis of the orthodox Jewish diet.
Charts and diagrams illustrate several aspects
of the book. Morbidity trends, prevalence of di-
abetes among Jews and other statistics are ex-
pertly viewed. Mrs. Jiggetts also points out ex-
amples of ignorance in some viewpoints on
dietary restrictions.
The author's work is praised in the preface,
written by Dr. Abraham I. Katsh, professor of
education at New York University.
Facts You Should Know . . .
What is meant by "Olom Haboh?" and "Tech-
iyat Hamaysim?"
Literally translated, "Olom Haboh" means
"the world to come." Sometimes it is taken to
refer to the days of the Messiah when the peo-
ple of Israel shall be fully redeemed as prophe-
sied by Isaiah. Sometimes it is taken as referring
to the final Utopia when the entire world will be
redeemed and freed from evil as expressed by
the prophet Zephania.
"Techiyat Hamaysim" is the technical Hebrew
term for "Resurrection of the Dead," believing in
some way that the dead shall some day come to
life. This doctrine is one of 13 cardinal principles
of faith listed by Maimonidies as one of the ten-
ets of the Jewish religion.
To what extent did women participate in the
service of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem?
The Talmud interprets the Biblical verse,
"One law exists for all the multitude," as in-
cluding the rights of women. The Mishnaic code
mentions special offerings brought by women.
There was a special section in the Holy Temple
known as "Ezras Nashim" reserved for women;
a special entrance for women is mentioned in
the Talmud. Indeed women had their own spe-
cial privileges and parts in the services.
Why is Jewish tradition opposed to crema-
tion and the storage of dead bodies in mauso-
leum vaults?
Jewish tradition insists upon burying the
corpse in the ground. The Bible is the original
source for this insistence. In the Pentateuch it
is ordered that the body of the deceased "be
buried." Genesis declared that "Dust thou art
and to dust shalt thou return." Cremation is thus
not "a return to dust" nor is it a form of burial.
Storage in mausoleum vaults is also not a "re - ,
turn to dust."