As the Editor Views the News ... `Need That Pillar' A Happy Purim It has been said, quite correctly, - that Purim combines sunshine and shadow. Our entire history is marked by con- stantly recurring Purims — occasions on which the existence of Jewish communities were threatened but which ended happily for our people. These numerous Purims be- gan in shadow and ended in sunshine. There was a time, not so long ago, when the Book of Esther was considered a fairy tale and some Biblical critics charged that it was pure fiction. But recent excavations in Susa, the old Shushan of the Purim story, provided proof that the Book of Esther is accurate in every detail. In nearly every generation, Jews suffered from some sort of Haman or Hitler. In most instances, the courageous battle for justice conducted by brave Jews interfered with the demoniacal in- tentions of those who sought the destruc- tion of our people. Only the Nazi Hitler of our own time succeeded in destroying nearly all of European Jewry. In view of the significance of Purim as a festival that reminds our people of a very important lesson that history repeats itself ; that Hamans and Hitlers may arise again and again ; that our chief defense is our eternal vigilance—it is regrettable that the Purim festival is losing its old character. There is less of the theatrical in the observ- ance of the holiday than ever before. The traditional Purimshpiel—the Purim play— has been abandoned. Most of us still eat the Hamantaschen—for the obvious reason that the food habits survive all else in tradition —but the Megillah, the story of the holiday as incorporated in the Book of Esther, is read by the minority. The holiday's lesson is as potent as ever, and it would be well for all of us to recap- ture the spirit of the festival and history's admonitions that go with it. There is fun in "beating Haman" during the reading of the Book of Esther at synagogues. There is joy in the gift-giving shalach monos - cus- tom, and it should be even greater when the offering is given to the Jewish National Fund for work in Israel. In wishing the entire Jewish community a joyful Purim, we hope that henceforth there always will be more sunshine than shadow in the shaping of the happiness of the en- tire world. Einstein and the A-Bomb Scientists in Washington stated, after. the attack upon the author of the Theory of Relativity by Congressman John E. Rankin, that Prof. Albert Einstein had "just about everything to do" with making possible American development of the atom bomb. Rep. Rankin, who sees "red,"—literally and figuratively—every time he visualizes a Jew, especially one of the stature of Dr. Ein- stein, inserted an article in the Appendix of the Congressional Record charging that Prof. Einstein "had nothing to do" with the atom bomb. At that rate, Prof. Harold Urey and Clarence Streit, advocates of a world gov- ernment movement, should be deprived of their citizenship. Fortunately, the record is available to all to indicate the true mean- ing of patriotism. History will bless the day on which the United States was enriched by the settlement here of Dr. Einstein and by the idealism of the Ureys and the Streits. THE JEWISH NEWS Member: American Association of English-Jewish News- impers, Michigan Press Association. Services: Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, King Features, Central Press Association. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co. 708-10 David Stott 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 RUTH L. CASSEL, City Editor Vol. XVI—No. 24 Page 4 February 24, 1950 Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the eighth day of Adar, 5710, the following Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues• Portateuchal portion—Ex. 25:1-27:19; Deut. 25:17-19. Prophetical portion—I Sam. 15:2-32. Fast of Esther Scriptural Selections, Thurs- day, March 2. Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 32 :11-14; 34:1-10. Prophetical portion—Is. 55:6-56:8. on Purim, Friday, March 3, Ex. 17:8-16 will be read during morning services. IDemoc,ratizing' The Community "What is democracy?" This question was bluntly presented at the annual meet- ing of the Jewish Welfare Federation last week by its able president, Julian Krolik, who asked whether any reasonable concept of the term "democracy" would imply that 500 or 600 people can act for 30,000 potential voters. There are 28,923 contributors to the Allied Jewish Cam- paign who were qualified to vote for nine members of the board of governors of the Federation at the annual election meeting, but less than 2 per cent of this number were pres- ent at the Feb. 15 meeting. The Federation president found it necessary, therefore, to point out that "even this is not a democratic election." He offered a solution "in faith," but welcomed suggestions for a "better solution." - Our experience as voters in civic elections has taught us that in many off-year elections a very small percentage of the qualified voters made use of their franchise. The vast majority of the American citizens cast their ballots only in Presidential elections. This in no sense justifies indifference on the part of the Jewish electorate when it is called upon to select its representatives on the Federation board, but it does indicate a certain natural phlegmatism when it comes to voting. What is the solution to the problem—since it is, admit- tedly, a community problem that apparently was aggravated by the entrance into the contest of candidates whose names appeared on the ballot by petition? One thing is certain: the contest on Feb. 15 attracted a much larger attendance at an annual Federation meet- ing than ever before. Not so many years back, it was a rule rather than an exception to find less than 200 people at an annual Federation meeting. On Feb. 15, 450 people cast their ballots for members of the board of governors. The Federation resorted to the democratic procedure of mailing 28,923 cards qualifying that many contributors to cast their ballots. But the hall in which the election meet- ing was held could not accomodate more than 600 people. It is clear that more than that number were not expected to make use of their franchise, since all who came to the meeting cast their votes. - If there is to be total democratization through the use of the ballot, another way of attracting the voters will have to be found. Two methods of approach appear to be feasible to us: 1. Balloting by mail, to enable every contributor to cast a vote which would have to be in the hands of. the vot- ing commission in time for total tallying; or 2. The setting up of voting booths in several of the important synagogues and centers, in various sections of the city, with provisions for an entire day's. voting. By pursuing either of these two procedures, the Feder- ation would make it possible for all Detroit Jews who are qualified voters to cast their ballots, thus entirely eliminat- ing criticism. Unless the term "democracy" is to be taken lightly, on the ground of lethargy and indifference, the Federation has an opportunity to establish strong ties in the community through positive methods of democratization. Either one of the two plans we have proposed should, we believe, bring the masses of our people closer to Federation and should make it easier for its fund=raising instrument—the Allied Jewish Campaign—to accomplish the important tasks ahead in 1950. After all, the fulfillment of our duties to Israel and to the numerous other causes in the coming campaign repre- sent our major and basic responsibilities in the present cru- cial hour in the history of our people. Our schools, centers, social service and health agencies; our national, local and overseas causes, the combined Jewish needs everywhere are represented in the Allied Jewish Cam- paign. The political contest is over. Now begins the great effort for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction and for the strengthening of our basic community causes. Rachmaninoff Rebuke to Nazi Told in Biography The names of the great in the musical world during the past 50 years figure in the life story Sergeiof Rachmaninoff, a biography by Victor I. Seroff, published by Simon & Schuster, 1230 6th Ave., New York 20. Of major interest in Seroff's story is the explanation , of Rachmaninoff's attitude toward Soviet Russia whence he was exiled, where his works at first were proscribed but now again are being hailed as the creations of a great Russian. It was during the war that Rachmaninoff sent medical supplies to Russia with a note: "From one of the Russians to the Russian people in their fight against their foe." At once, Russian emigres asked whether Rachmaninoff was a Red, and the biographer, Seroff, comments: For they (the emigres) hoped with a Nazi victory to see at last the destruction of Bolshevism in Rus- sia. But to Rachmaninoff "war meant catastrophe and suffering for Russia and the Russian people, whose proud son he was before anything else in the world. His action in behalf of the Red Army did not mean that he had made peace with those who were in power in Russia." We learn from the interesting story of Rach- maninoff that the "Rachmaninoff tradition" in- fluenced many musicians, including Vladimir Horowitz. Although Rachmaninoff was not too complimentary to Horowitz, we are told that the Russian composer "gained even more popularity since Horowitz included it in his repertoire." Rachmaninoff considered Jascha Heifetz the second best violinist, next to Kreisler. Josef Lhevinne, Josef Hofmann, Anton Rub- instein and other important names of Jewish musicians are among those who figure in Rach- maninoff's life. There is mention in this biography of a book by Emil Is/Medtner whose criticisms were based mostly on "Judaism in music." Rachmaninoff's biographer, Seroff, who quotes the Russian com- poser and pianist as stating that he did not like the book, states: "Medtner's book, published in 1912, reads as though it were dictated by the Gauleiter of music in Nazi Germany." Seroff adds: "It is not surprising that Rachmaninoff did not like the book: Medtner praised him as a pianist but not as a composer." Seroff's "Rachmaninoff" is, on the whole, an unusually interesting book which will prove valuable to all lovers of music. Facts You Should Know .. . Why is it customary for the father to bless the children on Friday evening after coming home from the synagogue? An interesting variety of reasons are ad- vanced for this custom. From a practical stand- point, the busy father gets his first chance to take note of his family on Friday night when he returns from the synagogue to a restful Sabbath home. At this point he is imbued with pride over his family and inspired with the desire to bless them. The rabbis say that every man has an "extra soul" on the Sabbath and the Sabbath is the proper time to bestow blessings and hope for their fulfillment. Some writers claim that on the Sabbath Satan is powerless to interfere with blessings so that is the proper time to ex- tend them. A most unusual reason is given by others, who claim that the blessings are be- stowed on the eve of the Sabbath. because during the week the parents may have scolded the children in a fit of rage. Blessing them on the Sabbath would nullify this unintended harm. These sources are quick to point out that adults should bless each other too—for the same reason. Blessing the offspring is ouite an old custom mentioned in the Bible, as in the case of Jacob, blessing his grandchildren and children. Others claim that bestowing this blessing is more ap- propriate on the Sabbath because that is the time when the goodness of the Lord is abundant. Is it true that Jewish . law prohibits the practice of hunting? If so, why? Hunting. for the sole purpose of sport or enter- tainment is expressly prohibited by Jewish law. The famous Rabbi Meir of Rothenberg (Resp. No. 27) said that a Jew who hunts for sport will • not enjoy a share in "the world to come." Maimonides claimed that he who kills birds for sport transgressed the word of the Bible (Dent. 20':19) which forbade man ever to cut down a tree that bears fruit. In this restriction one finds what might be the core of the logic which prohibits hunting. It was un-Jewish to destroy for the sake of de- struction or sport only. Man's function on this world was to "multiply" and to build. Some writers claim that hunting was prohibited on the grounds that it was cruel. Others claim that the Jew is bound by dietary laws to refrain from eating so many living things, and so hunting- would be unprofitable and might even tempt him to eat forbidden foods. It must be made clear though that a Jew is allowed to hunt to obtain food, or clothing. * * * What is the "Eternal Light"? The "eternal light" is the term applied to the light that is constantly kept burning in the synagogue over the ark. It is called the ''Ner Tamid" in Hebrew, and sometimes the "Ner Hamaarovi." The custom dates back to the instructions issued in-the Bible to the priests to keep a light burning eternally in the Holy Temple. The reason for this commandment is believed by certain writers to symbolize the eternity of the universe and its creator, symbolic of the fact that the Almighty is always watching over man. Others look upon it as a symbol that the people of Israel is eternal. Still others feel it symbolizes the fact that Israel is to be a source of light for all the nations.