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Reform Rabbis Ponder Theology,
Consider Liberal 'Code of Laws'

CINCINNATI, (JTA) — Vital tivals, that will serve to further
theological issues concerning Re- the sanctification of God and
form Sudaism were discussed at the sanctification of life," he
the Institute on Reform Jewish emphasized.
Theology held here under the
Advocating the preparation of
auspices of the Central Confer- "a kind of Shulkhan Arukh,"
ence of American Rabbis, at- in order to give a central unity
tended by more than 60 rabbin- to the diversity that now char-
ical scholars and educators, in- acterizes Reform Jewish life,
cluding Rabbi Leon Fram of were Prof. Sam Sandmel of
Temple Israel, Detroit.
Vanderbilt University and Rabbi
Dr. Leo Baeek, president of Jacob P. Rubin of Long Island.
the World Union for Progressive "I believe that a corpus could
Judaism, addressing a symposi- be created which would give us
um on Jewish theology, "tenta- an authority and a unity 'sadly
tively" defined Jewish theology needed and,_ at the same time,
as the way in which "at any to be so written as to allow for
time Jewish tradition tries to the freedom and continuing de-
express itself anew." Rabbi velopment which are the key-
Samuel S. Cohort, Professor of note of dynamic Reform Jewish
faith and practice," Rabbi Ru-
Jewish Theology at Hebrew bin
argued.
Union College, said that the Re-
Prof.
Sandmel was of the
form movement, like the older
expressions of Judaism, must opinion that "a standard of rit-
ual observance, consistent with-
continually reorient itself in the ethics
consistent with the
ever-varying cultural and in- age, is and
needed; that only as Re-
tellectual climate of the times. form Jews
will cultivate inwardly
Suggestions that Judaism outward symbols of religious ex-
again become an active- mis- pression, can Reform Judaism
sionary religion, as it was in the be a vivid and personal experi-
pre-Christian era, were made ence to Reform Jews." ,
at the Institute. - •
The Insti tu t e adopted a
On the question of, whether statement on the "Mission of
there shall be drawn up a defi- Israel" which said that Jews
nite code of practice for Reform who • are not affiliated with
Jews, there was sharp difference any synagogue must be . won
of opinion. Rabbi Solomon B. back to positive participation
Freehof of Pittsburgh, a former in Jewish religious life.
The statement recommends
president of the Central Confer-
ence of American Rabbis, op- bringing "our own c _ oncept of
posed the drawing up of any Judaism to those Jews who
code of practice. "We Reform live in .non-progressive, reli-
Jews," he stated, "should be giously static areas of this
confident with regard to our world." It Urges assistance to
form of Judaism. We are devel- Reform or Progressive congre-
oping new customs, experiment- gations that are struggling to
ing with new types of -liturgy: achieve self-sufficiency.
We should not yet surrender the - In - deciding upon . the desira-
faith in our growth by pessimis- bility of "codification" of the
tically codifying our present ceremonies, practices and legis-
practice."
lation of Reform Judaism, the
Taking the. "opposite view, Institute emphasized that the
Rabbi William B. Silverman of code will implement the "Co-
Duluth, Minnesota, said that he lumbus Platform" adopted by
believes there a "desperate the Central Conference of Amer-
need" for a code to serve as a ican Rabbis in 1937. This plat-
guide to Reform Jewish prac- form said: "Judaism as a way
tice. "Not a Shulkan Arukh that of life requires, in addition --to
implies divine sanction, but a its moral and spiritual demands;
Suggested grade that can be the preservation of the Sabbath,
used by rabbis and congregations festivals and Holy Days, and the
to bring order out of chaos and retention -and development of
offer a comprehensive and prac- such customs, symbols - and cer-
tical means for the observances emonials as possess inspirational
of practices, holy days and fes- value.".

,

Then, we were slaves.

Now, we are free men and women,

This Night Is Different,

Then, we squatted in squalor in a cluster of huts on a •

riverbank and chewed our bitter crusts.

Now, we recline in luxury 'and sip sweet wine and

This Night. Is Different. -

Then, we wrapped ourselves in rags and carried our

young ones on our backs into the desert in

a desperate search for freedom.

Now„we give of our bounty that our brethren may

escape poverty and degradation and find a life a

dignity and self-respect in a nation of the

courageous.

This Night Is Different.

From This Day Forth, May Every Night Be Differen

for Jewry EveryvAere

Parents' Institute Passover Record
Acclaimed py Religious, Civic Groups

Enthtsiastic reviews and com-
ments have greeted "The ' Pass
over Story," new 10-inch record;
emboOing the story and songs
of the festival.. .
Professionally made, the rec-
ord was issued by the JewiSh.
Parents Institute of the Jewish
Community Center. The all-pro-
fessional cast was directed by
Harry Goldstein. - Irving. Rosen-
Bard and an all-male quartet
provide the musical background
Impetus for making the. re-
cording Was provided when the
music committee of the Parents'
Institute, headed by Mrs. Albert
Silber, attempted to review
children's records for recom-,
mendation to. its • membership.
The committee members found
no recordings then on the mar-. %
ket which conformed to their
high educational standards, and
decided to make a Suitable rec-
ord themselves.
On the record, the story of the
-'Exodus is told through the eyes
of a young. American girl who
is helping - her mother prepare
for the Seder. Traditional pass-
over songs are woven into the-
script. -
The audiovisual department
of the Detroit Public Library,
headed by Kurtz Meyers • ap-
proved the record and asked to
use it in the Library's children's
programs, as the subject Of an
intercultural story hour at Pass-

Asti Welfare , Board, Natiorial
Jewish Music Council and De-
troit rabbis.
"The Passover Story" is ibe-i
retailed in Detroit at the J. L.
Hudson Co., Doubleday Dordn's
Peter Pan Shop, and neighbor-
hood book, record; toy and chil
drens' wear shops. In New York
it is. being sold at Macy'. 3 and
300 other- outlets.'
Further details on the record
and the Parents'. Institute proj-
ect may be had froth Mrs. Sil-
ber, UN. 4-0010; Or Mrs. Arnold
Kass, record committee chair-
than, UN. 3-4869.

Midrasha
Adds Jewish-
,.
Atherican Fiction Course

Midrasha, College of Jewish
Studies; 13226 Lawton, announces
the addition of . a new course;
Patterns in Jewish - American
to its - spring calendar
which began_ Thursday,- March
23, and will be continued
through Thursday, June 15.
Concerned with exatrfining the
varieties.' of response writers
have to their own JeWish idea-
titles, ranging from hate to ag-
gressive pride, the cotirse will
deal with such contemporary
writers as Arthur Miller, Jo Sin-
clair, Budd Shulberg, _Ben Hecht,
Ludwig Lewisohn, Howard Fast,
and others. -
Eugene S. Feldman, of the
Over-EaStef tine Plans were Un-!
mediately -formulated for using Wayne University faculty,. Will

the record at the Main Library,
Mark_Twaini Connelly and Mon-
teith branches. The Main Li-
brary has added the record-- to
its permanent circulating col-
lection, the first on a Jewish
holiday theme to be included.
Other approving comments
have been made by the- Round
Table of Catholics, Jews and
Protestants, the National Je*-

teach the course. Reigstration is
still open. -

The HIAS office at Marseille
h_andles the. embarkation and
debarkation of all IRO prote-
gees , in Marseille, at the special
request of that 'organization.

1 4--THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, March 31, 1950

•

Pa rtake of delicacies. -

Acme Paper Co.

338 W. Jefferson

General Linqn .Supply

•1016

Pcilmer

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Boyer's Haunted Shacks

Guardian Steel Corp.

14 Neighborhood Stores

P. 0. Box 87

Backman and Chodoroff

Huber Letter Service

15500 Woodrow Wilson

Mimeographing - Multigraphing

7,31 Penobscot Bldg.

Cadillac Furniture

1255 Broadway

McLean Motor Sales, Inc.

2340 W. Grand Blvd.

Consumers Paper Co.

4058 Beaufait

Safran Printing Company

Fisher Wall Paper
and Paint Company

Abner A. Wolf, Inc.

5840 Woodward

.21-01 Bagley

America's Most Progressive
Food House