Secondary Training for Youth
Urged at United Hebrew Schools

By ALBERT ELAZAR

Associate superintendent, United Hebrew Schools

The Detroit Jewish communi-
ty is well aware of the program
• of the Elementary Department
. of the United Hebrew Schools
and its Midrasha, the College of
Jewish Studies. We dwell, there-
' fore, at this time, on our High
School Department, which is the
necessary link between the other
two departments.
• `About two \ years ago, our ed-
ucation committee decided to
concentrate on the development
and improvement of secondary
..„,

ALBERT ELAZAR

Jewish education. Although High
School classes were being con-
ducted in some of our branches,
it was decided to centralize this
department and thus bring
about 'the necessary improve-
ments. It was felt that by such
centralization, our efforts would
be concentrated and thus afford
us the opportunity of having
better instructors, a more varied
program and would also develop
the necessary spirit required for
a successful program for the ad-
olescent.
Jewish Values
Our High School classes now
meet at our main building, the
Rose Sittig Cohen Building. The
hours of --instruction are six
hours per week, so that although
classes are held daily, the stu-
dent is required to attend three
days a week. At present we have
an enrollment of 56 girls and
boys who are drawn from dif-
ferent neighborhoods and from
varied economic and social
backgrounds. The aims of the
High School are to develop a
pattern of values that will give
.our students inner security and
wholesome satisfaction; to teach
them the concepts of Judaism
that will interpret to them Jew-
ish life and render it worth-
while; and to develop in them a
love and a desire for Jewish liv-
ing, Jewish culture and civiliza-
tion.
In all our studies, the classic
texts of Judaism are utilized.
The students study the Bible,
the early Prophets, the later
Prophets, other writings such as
selections from the Psalms, the
Proverbs, the Megilloth; Jewish
history, modern Hebrew litera-
ture, ethics and Mishnah. Our
curriculum also includes present
day life in Israel, its geography,
its people and institutions. In
addition to their regular studies,
students are required to read se-
lected Hebrew books, newspapers
for youth published here and in
Israel. Classes are, of course,
conducted in Hebrew, as the
Hebrew language opens for the
student the great treasures of
our - literature. We also feel that
it is practically impossible to in-
terpret the values of Judaism
without distortion should sub-
jects be taught in any other
language but Hebrei.
Recreation Activities
In addition to our formal
classes,- h o l i d a y celebrations,
clubs in arts and crafts, choir,
dancing and sports are also of-.
fered the students. Through this
media we encourage our stu-
dents to do some creative work
and at the same time apply their
acquired knowledge lco- putting
it into practice. An effort'is be-
ing made to conduct these ac-
tivities in Hebrew as much as
possible.
Realizing that even six hours
a week are not sufficient to pre-
pare our students for the Mid-

rasha, several of our promising
students have been sent for the
summer months to Sharon, a
camp sponsored by the College
of Jewish Studies of Chicago for
intensive study in a relaxed at-
mosphere in a Hebraic environ-
ment.
This year, four of our High
School students who attended
Sharon and completed the pre-
scribed course of study were
graduated from the High School
department and are now en-
rolled in the Midrasha.
Healthy Attitudes
As we look upon the young
people who are attending our
High School department, we can
almost see them being imbued
with ideals to which they can
cling and with goals which will
help shape their character. We
can see them develop healthy at-
titudes toward Jewish values and
traditions. We look upon them'
as a "Maayan," a well from
which to draw our future teach-
ers, Rabbis and lay leaders.
Of course, we are still in need
of better texts, improved meth-
ods and proper facilities. We are
fully aware of the difficulties in-
volved in devoting even six
hours to study, but with due
encouragement from the home
and appreciative understanding
on the part of the community,
students will continue with their
higher studies.
Experimental Studies
Being aware of the fact that
our community has many High
School students who have had
some Jewish education and
many more who have had no
Jewish education to speak of, we
have,, in conjunction with our
M i d r a s h a, experimented this
year in organizing classes for
young people of high school age.-
These classes meet on Monday
and Wednesday evenings, and
the following courses are . offer-
ed : Hebrew, beginners and in-
termediate; history and Bible.
In order to enroll in this de-
partment, a student is required
to attend a minimum of three
hours weekly.
Sixty-seven students have en-
rolled. Through this experi-
ment, we have discovered a
number of students who have -
quite an advanced amount of
knowledge and with additional
study and special attention will
be able, in due time, to enter our
regular Hebrew High School, re-
ceive their diplomas and---be eli-
gible for entry into the inten-
sive department of the Mid-
rasha.
Jewish youth, given the op-
portunity, need not be labelled
"the lost generation." Jewish
youth can be helped to find it-
self, to fit into the pattern of
American Jewish living and be-
come a credit to the American
Jewish community. If given the
concepts of Jewish values in a
dynamic form, they cannot help
but accept them and thus en-
rich their lives and become an
influence wherever and whatever
they may be.

THE JEWISH NEWS-13

Friday, November 17, 1950

UHS Auxiliary Makes
Final Plans for Dinner'

Workers and chairmen of the
Women's Auxiliary of the United
Hebrew Schools dinner project
met at the home of Mrs. Her-
man Wetsman for -a pep rally

Ben Fishman Heads UHS Membership
Drive; Continues Father's Efforts

"This is 'Membership Time' in
the United Hebrew Schools.
"Old members are requested
to renew their membership and
new ones are being solicited now.
"A large membership means
increased support from the com-
munity, in addition to the allot-
ment received from the Allied
Jewish Welfare Federation. It
is this additional income from
the membership that enables
the schools to make needed ex-
pansions, to improve education-
al facilities, and to introduce
new methods and techniques.
"A membership also consti-
tutes a source of encouragement
to the staff, to the administra-
tion, and to the Board members
who always work towards the
improvement of the school sys-

tem."

workers for the United Hebrew
Schools. His committee consists
of Daniel G: Cullen, Nathan R.
Epstein, Henry Feinberg, Ira
Kaufman, Jacob Kellman, Sol
King, Robert Marwil, Sidney
Shevitz, Allan L. Weston and
Joseph Yolles.

Dov Kagan, Lithuanian
Leader, Seeks Support
Here for Hebrew Hadoar

Dov Kagan, a distinguished
leader of Lithuanian Jewry, who
arrived in this country six
months ago and now is seeking
support for Hadoar, the only
Hebrew weekly in America, and
Histadruth Ivrith of America,
was a guest here this week to
enlist local cooperation for his
projects.
Mr. Kagan addressed the
Kvutzah Saturday night and de-
scribed his experiences during
various stages of his life, includ-
ing the war and his incarcera-
tion by the Nazis.
A resident of Lithuania dur-
ing World War II, Mr. Ka,gan
afterward was in various con-
centration camps. He was liber-
ated by the U. S. Army.
In Lithuania, he was manager
of the Central'Cooperative Bank.
While in Germany he was Judge
of the Court of Honor in Mu-
nich. He assisted in numerous
activities of JDC and OSE.
Pointing out that Hadoar •.is
in its 30th year, Mr. Kagan said
that the Hebrew periodical is
working under the burden of a
deficit, that it seeks to become
self-sustaining and hopes to
secure the encouragement of
Detroit Jews.

With this statement, the pub-
lic has been invited to join the
ranks of the membership of the
United Hebrew Schools, "who
recognize the value of a sound—
both traditional and modern,
program of Jewish Education
for our children."
The chairman this year for
the membership enrollment en-
MRS. SAM STEWART
deavor is Ben Fishman, son of
luncheon. Final plans were made the late Morris Fishman, who
at -this meeting for the dinner, was one of the most ardent
which will be held at 6 p.m., Nov.
26, in the social hall of Shaarey Parkside Hebrew School
To Fete Third Anniversary
Zedek.
The Parkside Hebrew . School
Among the chairmen for the
- Teachers' Organization
affair, who have helped Mrs. Parent
Wetsman and her co-chairman, will commemorate its third an-
Mrs. Morris Krause, are Mes- niversary with a party on Nov.
dames Sam Stewart, Charles 20, at the school, 15705 Parkside.
On the special program planned
Smith and Julius Berman.
will be la guest- speaker, movies
Mascha Benya, of New -York, of children enrolled in classes
will be guest artist of the eve- and a program of songs.
ning. Those who have not yet
made reservations are asked to
call Mrs. Wetsman, TY. 7-6159,
or Mrs. Krause, UN. 4-9525. Mrs.
Louis Tobin, president of the
A Salute to the United Hebrew Schools on the
auxiliary, extends thanks to all
Occasion of Its 24th Annual Education Month
chairmen for the work they have
done on the dinner.

Professor Finds Proof
Of Old Jewish Town
Existing in Hungary
. •

BUDAPEST, (JTA) — Evidence
of the existence of a Jewish
commUnity. in Bartfa, in north-
ern -Hungary, in the 15th cen-
tury has come to light, according
to a report 'published here by
Prof. Sandor Scheiber, director
of the Rabbinical Seminary of
Budapest.
His thesis deals with several
medieval Hebrew manuscripts
recently discovered in Hungary.
Among the manuscript -material
found is a fragment of a Mach-
zor dating back to the 16th cen-
tury and printed on parchment.
The Machzor—consisting of
four pageswas found inside the
binding of a book' of commen-
tary by Rabbi Isaac Ben Issachar
Beer on the Book of Proverbs.
The manuscripts were deposited
.in 'the library- of the Rabbinical
Seminary of Budapest.

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that obtaineth understanding . ."
—Proverbs 3-13.

From the earliest days of our- history to the present
time, education has been the strongest instrument in
our people's survival.

Through learning and the advancement of our cul-
tural values, the Jewish people has retained its cultural
strength against obstacles created by persecutions.
- To retain this traditional strength, our schools
must prosper and we must uphold the hands of our
teachers and men of learning.
In this spirit, we felicitate the United Hebrew
Schools and wish them success in the task of advancing
the cause of Jewish learning.

Louis Laded Foundation

for the Advancement of

Hebrew and Yiddish Literature

Jewish Education

Urged for Girls

Make sure that your child has the proper Jewish Educational background
to make his life as a Jew meaningful. The United Hebrew Schcols offers
him 'training in the Hebrew Language, Bible, Prayers, History, and ac-
quaints him with the whys and wherefores of Jewish Customs and Cere-
monies. The United Hebrew Schools, in a well-rounded curriculum,
stresses modern Jewish living, encourages wholesome social activities
as well as sports and recreation.

Fn.uitt rf444, dad Tortif W eitt it,aut

BERNARD ISAACS
In an illuminating article ap-
pearing on page 12, Bernard
Isaacs, superintendent of the
United Hebrew Schools, urges
girls to study Hebrew and to
acquire a Jewish education on a
par with the boys.

•••• ■ •=4. The UNITED HEBRE SCHOOLS

Phone TO. 8-0063 for Information

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