As the Editor
Views the News .. .
We Can Help Give Them the 'Lift'
Abdullah's Peace Aims
Israel-Jordan peace plans are slow in de-
veloping, but reports from Transjordan's
capital, Amman, appear to indicate that
there is a sincere desire among the Arabs
across the Jordan in favor of a treaty of
amity with the Israelis.
Arab radio broadcasts have taken to task
those who stand in the way of peace. Last
week King Abdullah was reported openly to
have defied the Arab League for interfering
with his negotiations with Israel. He re-
minded the League that two years ago it-had
promised "to massacre all the Jews of Pales-
tine," and he sarcastically pointed out that
not only did this "promise" remain unful-
filled, but that the League had failed to pre-
vent the establishment of the Jewish state.
Transjordan's radio, which is contro'led
by Abdullah, stated: "The Arab League has
done nothino- but bring misery to the Arabs.
tp
The only future
for the Arabs lies in the
achievement of a final settlement of the
Palestine problem."
This sounds like plain talk, out of which
we are justified in expecting to witness the
emergence of peace.
Meanwhile, the Israel Ministry of Edu-
cation is proceeding along lines of cement-
ing friendship with Arabs. Special courses
were established for 53 Arab teachers, in-
cluding 20 women, for training as instructors
in Israeli Arab schools.
Israel continues to consider seriously the
status of Arab refugees who wish to be re-
united with their families in Israel.
Not all the negotiations are developing
smoothly. There are, indeed, some obstacles
on the read to peace. But prospects are good.
A Woman of Valor
Behind the drive in Israel to enforce a
ban on child marriages, an unfortunate prac-
tice that was inherited by the Israelis from
the former Moslem rulers, is Miss Ada
Maimon (Fishman)., 57-year-old sister of
Rabbi Judah L; Maimon, Israel's Minister
for ReligiouS Affairs.
Unlike her. brother, Miss Maimon belongs
to the Mapai and represents the dominant
labor party - in the Knesset-the Israel Par-
liament.- She is :however, a deeply religious
observer. Sponsor,. in private life,. of an ag-
ricultural training farm at Ayanot,,near Tel
Aviv,k Miss Maimon has .been.OUtraged by
' the tragedies of 'child marriages.
Defying the nine Knesset members who
are of Oriental origin, Miss Maimon
began . a campaign to put. end to mar-
riages of little- girls. She called attention to
the horrorsi-that--mark the marital experi-
ences of girls as young as 9. She referred
to one marriage; that of a 12-year-old girl, as
"murder," and painted a sad picture of
withering 25-year-old women mothering a
dozen children, looking, like grandmothers.
The Oriental Jews denied these accusa-
tions. Patriarchal Abraham Tabib, Yeme-
nite, said the Yemenite women are not
scrawny. Eliahu Hacarnieli denied knowing
about polygamy among his group. Eliahu
Eliasher indignantly refuted charges that
Oriental mothers were breeding delinquents,
said his mother married at 13 axed lived to
be 105 and that two of her sons are now
90 and 84.
But Miss Maimon insists that the mini-
mum age for marriage shotild - be set at 18,
and from all indications she will win her
battle for one of the great- reformS in pres-
ent practices in the Middle .East.
Already, Miss .Maimon's courageous
stand lias won for her the proverbial title
"A Woman of Valor.-' -
1- -
The Pioneer Women of-Detroit- are mak-
ing it possible for their - followers in the la-
bor Zionist movement to meet Miss Maimon
during her stay here this week-end. It is
good to be able to welcome this distinguished
Israeli to Detroit and to commend the Pio-
neer Women for sponsoring her visit here.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member: American Association of English-Jewish News-
pspers, Michigan Press Association.
Services: Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Seven Arts Feature
Syndicate, King Features, Central . Press Association.
Published every Friday by l'he Jewish News Publishing
Co. 708-10 David Stott Bldg., Detroit 2"6, 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 Match 3, 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
SIDNEY SHMARAK Advertising Manager
RUTH L. CASSEL, City Editor
Vol. XVII—No. 2
Page 4
March 24, 1950
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the seventh day of Nisan, 5710,
the following Scriptural selections will be read
in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Lev. 1:1-5:26.
Prophetical portion—Is. 43:21-44:23.
Hayyim Schauss' "The Jewish Festivals,*
which continues to fascinate its readers, proved
such a great literary triumph that it is natural
for the very name of the author to force atten-
tion to whatever he writes.
His new book, "The Lifetime of a Jew," just
published by the Union of American Hebrew
Congregations, Cincinnati, is equally as thrilling
and informative as his earlier book. Like the
former, the new work deals with Jewish customs
and ceremonials. It covers everything in the life
of Jews from birth to death and points out the
religious practices as well as acquired super-
stitions.
"The Lifetime of a Jew" abounds in folklore.
It is full of enchanting little episodes describing
ceremonials. Here are some typical examples in
the author's own words:
IRAQ JEtvs
Mounting Racial Tensions
The warning issued recently by the Mayor's Inter-Racial
Committee that there is evidence of rising racial tensions in
Detroit is a challenge to this community to be on guard
against a repetition of the horrible events which resulted in
the death of more than 30 persons here in 1943.
Controversies over housing projects again bring to the
fore the impending dangers. Fights that have ocurred after
high school basketball games here should have served as suf-
ficient proof that what happened in Detroit seven. years ago,
what occurred in Chicago last November, may flare up into
renewed rioting.
Rising tensions are in evidence in other communities.
Student riots, for instance, also occurred recently in Denver,
Colo. There are reports of possible dangers in other cities.
If, collectively, these tensions point to a patterned trend
of new events in this country, then we may expect trouble on
a large scale.
The evidence already at hand demands that the commu-
nities affected should be prepared to meet the dangers with
courage, with dignity, with good common sense.
Police reactions in Chicago, during the Peoria Street
riot, were, at the outset, marked by a certain amount of pre-
judice which aggravated the situation and delayed a solution
to a problem that disgraced the good name of that city. Ex-
periences in Chicago and elsewhere should serve as a lesson
for future action.
Since The issue already is being anticipated in Detroit,
this city's governing forces must seek means to prevent the
recurrence of trouble. The. Mayor's Inter-Racial Committee
has rendered an important .service by making timely warn-
ings against impending riots. Now it is up to the responsible
agencies of our city government to act firmly for the perpe-
tuation of peace and the • cementing of genuine good will
among all elements in our population.
The Jewish Community Council of Detroit is keeping
constant watch of developing local situations and can be
counted upon to assist in all efforts that may be exerted
to prevent tragedy in American communities. It is sincerely
to be hoped that timely vigilance and a just approach to
issues involving housing and the elimination of prejudice
will put an end to further tension and will assure harmony
among all races and creeds in our communities.
•Anti-Semitic Trends in German , - .
Deutscher Rundfunk a few days ago broad--
cast •from. Hanover, Germany, the results of a Gallup poll,
organized in western Germany, in which 2,000 Germans
expressed their views on the Jewish question. An analysis
of the poll by the World Jewish Congress, follows:
Asked whether they had ever been acquainted with Jews,
35% said: Never. Of these, 43% were under thirty years of age.
The remaining 65% "did not know." Queried on the number
of
Jews they thought were now living in Germany as compared
with the 600:000 in 1943, 10% gave the correct reply (20,000).
65% of the 2,000 were of the opinion that Nazi propaganda had
increased the dislike of the Jews, while 13% took the view that
it had "the opposite effect." 21% believed in this propaganda;
27%•-considered it repulsive and. 52% were "indifferent."
37% remembered their Jewish acquaintances in a friendly
way, 9% had bitter feelings, the rest had no Jewish acquaint-
ances or were indifferent.
Asked .whether active anti-Semites should be punished by-
courts, 17% replied "yes," 24% "Yes, but only in serious cases," .
15% "no" and 16% "Don't know." Asked whether hi their view
Germany was obliged to restitute property to surviving. Jews,
54% answered "Yes," 31% "No" and 15% "Don't kno*." 54%
answered "Yes" when asked whether they would do their shop-
ping in Jewish shops if the goods were of equal price, 25% said
No," the rest "Don't know."
Asked whether they would marry a Jew (Jewess), 8% said
"Yes," 22% "Perhaps," and 70% "No."
,
The results are far from encouraging. They reveal again
a trend towards anti-Semitism. The marked "indifference"
is as serious a.s the outright antagonism. .
Unfortunately, the treatment accorded the Germans
by the armies of occupation has not helped matters in eradi-
cating anti Semitism. A typical example of "softness" to-
wards Nazis is shown in the report in the Austrian parlia-
ment that durino. the last four years 25,822 Nazis were - in-
dicted, of whom 6 43 were executed, 31 were given life prison
sentences and 621 were given from five to 20 years' imprison-
ment. -
-
Schauss"Lifetime of a fete
A Highly Informative Work
"Circumcision is not an exclusively Jewish
rite. It was and still is practiced also among
peoples and tribes all over the world—in Asia,
Africa, Australia, the islands of the Pacific
Ocean, and, sporadically, among Indian tribes.
. . . Today, many European and American
Christians practice circumcision for reasons of
health. . . . However, it was only among Jews
that circumcision became a wholly religious
rite, a sign of a covenant between God and
man."
"In Talmudic times there was a very in-
teresting Jewish custom in connection with
the growth of a child. Jewish mothers weighed
their children and donated the equivalent in
money of the increase in weight to charity.
Mention is made in the Talmud of a certain
mother who weighed her only son every day
and donated gold proportionate to the increase.
in weight to the Temple."
"In Eastern Europe parents were reluctant
to show their handsome children to a person
who had never before seen them. .. . Among
the preventives against an evil eye the amulet
played a most prominent part. . . . Various
remedies in Jewish popular medicine were
employed for a child who had been frightened,
most popular of which was the whispering
charm. . . . The number of years of the age
of a sick child was multiplied by 18 and given
in money to charity."
There are some interesting comments about
name-giving. Mr. Schauss writes: "The ten-
dency to give children names of non-Jewish
neighbors, which began as far back as the time
of the Babylonian exile, has continued through
the Middle Ages. .. . We have referred to Jews
bearing Babylonian and Greco-Roman names,
Later they were called by Aramaic, Persian and
Arabic names; the Jews in Eastern Europe .
bearing Germanic, .Romanic and Slavic names.-
Hebrew names were absorbed into other lari.6•
guages (Baruch, the blessed, became Benedict),
and foreign names were sometimes translated
into Hebrew or Aramaic (Fabius-Phoebus was
translated to Shrago, which is Aramaic and
means light, and in Yiddish. it became Feive or
Feivel). But of all languages Jews have spoken,
none has produced so many adaptations and
transformations of Hebrew as Yiddish."
Educators will find Schauss' new book most
valuable because of his descriptions of the vari-i
ous changes in educational systems in early
Talmudic, Middle Ages and. modern times. There.
are valuable explanations of- the Bar Mitzvah
ceremonies and their transformations. We learn
that:
"In America, confirmation was first intro-
duced in Temple EManit-El, New York, in the
year 1847."
The cutting of the bride's hair and its dis-,
card, the Ksuba, the various beliefs connected
With marri
age are covered in several chapters.
. Similarly, the book deals with death, burial
and mourning; the comforting of survivors, the
silent burial of suicides without solemn rites,
the erection of tombstones. We learn:
"At first Kaddish was recited for 12,
months after death, corresponding to the
period in which wicked people were kept in
Gehenna, according to the predominant view
of the rabbis of the Talmud. Later, the Kad-
dish period was curtailed to 14 months, in
order that the dead parent should not appear
. wicked."
In every detail, the new Schauss book makes
good and informative reading. It is a most
valuable addition to Jewish literature.
Facts You Should Know . . .
What is a "Mogen Dovid?"
"Mogen Dovid," which Means the "Shield of
David," is the name of the six-pointed star that
is often called the "Jewish Star." This symbol
is found in the synagogUes, upon the Jewish
flag and is perhaps the most popular symbol on
Jewish ornaments.
The general feeling is that the six points of
. the star represent the omnipresence of God ln .
all six. :eaKthly directions: east, west, north and
south, also up and down: The "Hebrew term
"Mogen Dovid" is made up of exactly six letters.
Others feel that when drawing the inner diag.
onals of the star one would come upon 12 tri- ,
angles which might symbolize the position of
the 12 tribes of Israel.
Some maintain that there is an association
between the six points of the • star and the six
measures of barley Boaz gave to Ruth, which
symbolized the fact that six great people would
stem from Ruth, foremost among these being
King David. Others see it as a symbol of the
six days in which the -Lord created the world.
Some see it as a symbol of the six heroes of
Israel—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses
and Aaron. 'Some consider it a symbol of the
coming of the Messiah Who is scheduled to ar-
rive after six millenia.