As the Editor Views the News .. Twin Village of Merhavia Whither Education, Uncle? Personalized Picture Of Moshav and Kibbutz Syrian Armistice Political and strategic significance has been given to the Israeli-Syrian armistice signed last week. After more than six months of negotia- tions, Israel has concluded a cycle of armis- tice talks and has reached decisions for an end of military operations with all her neigh- boring Arab states. The Syrian armistice provides for the retreat of all of Syria's military forces from strategic positions affecting the vital area of the Jordan River and Lake Tiberias. The terms of the armistice recognized the prin- ciple that there should be no military or political advantage gained and that the rights of the parties involved should not be prejudiced. Thus, thanks to the efforts of UN Pales- tine Mediator Dr. Ralph J. Bunche, Henri Vigier, UN political adviser, Brig. Gen. Wil- liam Riley, chief of the staff of the truce supervision organization, Israel's Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett and his staff, an- other triumph has been scored in efforts to effect peace in the Middle East. By concluding peace agreements with Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, "wise statesmanship on the part of both parties" has been in evidence, according to Acting UN Secretary-General Byron Price, who also stated that these agreements "prove once again that the processes of mediation and conciliation employed by the United Nations are bearing fruit." Mr. Price said: "The suc- cess of these methods in Palestine will be an inspiration to all United Nations missions engaged in this work." These triumphant peace efforts point the way once again to the realization of the prophetic dream that "out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Nordau Centennial Today—July 29—marks the 100th anni- versary of the birth of one of the greatest Jewish personalities of the 19th and 20th centuries, the colleague of Dr. Theodor Herzl, the man whose analyses of political af- fairs as they affected the Jewish people were always the landmarks of World Zionist Con- gresses : Dr. Max Nordau. Long before he took his place by the side of Herzl in the Zionist movement, Nordau was among the most discussed philosophic writers of his time. His "Paradoxes" and "Conventional Lies of Civilization" stirred up worldwide interest. When he came to Zionism he had given to the Jewish national causes added fame. Nordau believed that "either Judaism will turn to Zionism or it will cease to be." While it is not as strong a statement as Herzl's famous admonition : "Zionism calls for a return to Judaism even before there is a return to Zion," it indicated his deep-rooted faith in the effort to effect the rebirth of Jewish nationhood. Although there have been serious differ- ences of opinion between President Chaim Weizmann of the state of Israel and Nor- dau, the former's high regard for the emi- nent philosopher's evaluations of Jewry's status, at Zionist Congresses, was expressed in the following Weizmannian statement: "Nordau's concept of anti-Semitism was dif- ferent from ours. But it was a bugle call sounded all over the world, and the world took note." It is proper that the Zionist movement should utilize the 100th anniversary of Nor- dau's birth for a revival of interest in the great man and his works and for worldwide tributes to the leader who gave so much courage to Herzl in the trying early days of Zionist struggle for recognition. Nordau's name always will live as a blessing in the annals of Jewish history. 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,. 2114 Penobscot Bldg., 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 March 3, 1879. PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor SIDNEY SHMARAK, Advertising Manager VOL. XV—No. 20 Page 4 July 29, 1949 Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the fourth day of Ab, 5709, the following Scriptural selections will be read in our Synagogues: Pentateuchal portion—Deut. 1:1-3:22. Prophetical • portion—Is. 1:1-27. Tisha b'Ab Scriptural Selections, Aug. 4 Pentateuchal portions: Morning, Deut. 4:25- 40; afternoon, Ex. 32:11-14;34:1-10. Prophetical portions: Morning, Jer. 8:13-9:23; afternoon, Is, 55:6-56:8. Merhavia. By Dorothy Bar Adon, Published by Youth and Hechalutz Department Zionist Organization, P.O. 92, Jerusalem, Israel Tisha ID'Ab and Sabbath Nahamu Changes are inevitable in Jewish life with the rebirth of the state of Israel. In the course of time, old traditions will be amended, many established practices will be altered and new ones introduced. Many of our people undoubtedly are asking themselves: "What will happen to Tisha b'Ab—and to the Sabbath Nahamu (Sabbath of Consolation) that follows it ? Will Jew- ry continue to observe the sad day and the happier Sabbath which has been moulded for us as a consoling instrument?" For nearly half a century, Jews were asked to con- tribute funds for land redemption in 'Israel on the anni- versary of the destruction of both the First and Second Temples—on Tisha b'Ab. On Sabbath Nahamu we recited the famous chapter of Isaiah: "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people,' and on both occasions our people were asked to rally in support of the cause for Jewish national redemption. What now, in the era of realized redemption ? The observant Jewish community apparently will con- tinue to wend its way to the synagogues on Tisha b'Ab, which this year will be observed on Wednesday eveninc, and Thurs- day, Aug. 3-4. The Book of Lamentations will 6 be read and the Kinoth will be recited. But there will be a ifew spirit, created by the reality of Jewish statehood. Similarly, new interpretations will be given to the Sab- bath of Consolation. When we read the fortieth chapter of Isaiah on that day, there will be new emphasis on the sen- tence: Bid Jerusalem take heart, And proclaim unto her, That her time of service is accomplished, That her guilt is paid off; That she hath received of the Lord's hand Double for all her sins: There is no diminution of spiritual significance in the entire Prophetic chapter which begins with the words "Com- fort ye . . ." In the era of liberation Israel will repeat again with fervor, the words of Isaiah, after more than 22 Cen- turies of Sabbath observances: 0 thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, Get thee up unto the high mountain; 0 thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, Lift up thy voice with strength; Lift it up, be not afraid; Say unto the cities of Judah: Behold the Lord God will come as a Mighty One, And His arm will rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And his recompense before Him . . All the nations are as nothing before Him; They are accounted by Him as things of nought, and vanity . . His discernment is past searching out. He giveth power to the faint; And to him that hath no might He increaseth strength. Even the youth shall faint and be weary, And the young inen shall utterly fdll; But they that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; They shall walk, and not faint. . The faith we possessed throughout the centuries has helped us carry on a struggle for freedom. That faith is needed today, and the words of Isaiah are as necessary at this time as they were prior to Israel's liberation. It is equally as necessary that the work of redemption go on, that the instruments of construction be moulded with sincerity and courage. The work of creating homes for the homeless goes on without interruption. Israel is being built in faith. And the faith that has made possible the triumphs of liberty must be supplemented with labor—with the help that comes from awe-inspired and faith-animated people who are determined that there shall be an end to suffering. For those who help build Israel, the new interpretations for Tisha b'Ab and Sabbath Nahamu provide no problems, The work goes on. The land must be redeemed. The Jewish Na- tional Fund's traditions for these two days continue. And those who carry on these tasks provide reality for the words of Isaiah that "They shall walk, and not faint" In this pocket-size booklet, Mrs. Bar-Adon presents a personalized picture of a Moshav and Kibbutz growing side by side in the Emek of Israel. The two communities depicted share the name Merhavia, the services of a Histadrut Kupat Holim clinic and their consecration to the renaissance of Israel. Aside from that com- mon ground the author paints life in these sepa- rate societies in terms of their contrasting theo- ries of community organization and family life. Through Mrs. Bar-Adon's own first-hand ex- perience the Moshav's communal living practices and the collectivism of the Kibbutz are detailed in terms of the inhabitants' daily lives. The par- ticular problems of living in each society, their hardships and benefits, are brought to light in great detail. While the Kibbutz is noticeably favored throughout, each of the settlements is credited with a poignant evaluation of their worth to the upbuilding of Israel. Woven through the factual and authoritative information on life in these two communities is a strong flavor of inspiration with which Merhavia seems to have engendered the author. Mrs. Bar-Adon is often captured with a spirit of intense enthusiasm as she lends herself to a description of the valley, or some aspect of life in the kibbutz. The booklet also contains • photographs of Merhavia and its people, together with interest- ing material on the early history of the colon- ization of the Emek, including information on the purchase of the land of Merhavia from the Turks and the coming of the first Jewish settlers in 1910. Though the booklet is not exhaustive in its coverage, still it presents a concise picture of an integral part of Israeli life. Readers will find much to add to their understanding of life in Israel, especially the workings of Israel's unique social experiment, the Kibbutz. In capturing the spirit of the settlers of the Emek and especially of Merhavia, Mrs. Bar-Adon chose to end her work with this quote: "You are forbidden to be sad! Anyone who is sad won't see the prophet Eliahu. Every night, Eliahu comes down to see how much land we have ploughed in our country. When we shall have ploughed and sown all the land, Eliahu will come with the Messiah. Every furrow shor- tens the way of the Messiah. So we must sow and reap with love and joy." —A. S. Facts You Should Know . Why is it customary for mourners to sit upon low stools during the seven-day mourning period? The Talmud derives this from the Book of Job where it is stated that Job's friends sat down with him "near to the ground." To a mourner, death is a means to humility. It sort of "brings us closer to earth." It shakes the greatest of men loose from pride and haughti- ness. And sitting lower than usual makes us feel humble. Some claim that it brings us nearer to the loved one buried in the earth. Others say it is a reminder that every human body is only a limited distance from the earth, the source and final end of the human body. • Why does the "Shohet" make a special prac- tice of covering the blood of the chicken he slaughters? There is a commandment in the Bible which says, "And whatsOever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that so- journ among them, that taketh in hunting any beast (the wild or ravenous type) or fowl that may be eaten, he shall pour out the blood there- of, and cover it with dust." In keeping with this commandment the blood of fowl or wild animals—like deer—is covered with dust of some kind. Only fowl and ravenous beasts are in- cluded in this ordinance and not cattle and domesticated animals. The Baal Haturim com- mentary on the Book of Leviticus claims that the blood of cattle and domesticated animals such as sheep was sanctified by the fact that they were used in the course of sacrifices to be sprinkled upon the altar for atonement. The blood of most fowl and of ravenous animals was not used on the altar. Why does the Jewish day begin the night be- fore? The secular calendar is a solar calendar, and reckons its dates according to the sun, while the Jewish calendar is a lunar one and proceeds according to the moon. * . * Why is it customary among very religious Jews to hold parties for seven days after a wedding? Sources trace this custom back to Jacob and Samson, whose wedding parties lasted seven days. It is interesting to note that both wed- dings and deaths are traditionally marked with seven-day periods. Death is followed by a seven- day mourning period and marriage by a seven- day festival. Realizing that such a custom took place where the bride and groom did not break away for their honeymoon, it was quite a prac- tical means of making the first week of married life a merry one. Some tie the custom up with the seven days of creation, indicating that a new. marriage is a source of creation in Jewish life.