As the Editor
Views the News ...
Message from Israel
Israel in '50, 'The Wall,'
In Newsweek's History
Jewishly Unschooled
Unlike its counterpart which covered the
events of 1949, the second volume of Newsweek's
"History of Our Times," covering 1950 events,
(Funk & Wagnalls, Publishers, 153 E. 24, NY10)
contains very little material about Israel. The
reason is obvious: Israel is firmly established
and events were less exciting last year than in
the previous one.
A study conducted by the research de-
partment of the Canadian Jewish Congress
reveals the following facts:
Of a total of 27,400 Jewish children of
school age in Canada (6-14 years) 48.6 per cent,
or 13,326, are receiving Jewish education.
According to this survey (which does not
include data on private tutoring), 7,560 of these
children (27.6 per cent) are attending week-
day afternoon classes; 3,486 (or 12.7 per cent
all day schools, and 2,280 (or 8.3 per cent)
Sunday schools.
Congregational schools provide facilities
for 4,376 children (16 per cent) and commun,.,
ity schools for 8,050 (31 per cent). On the
whole, 14,074 children of school age out of a
total of 27,400 receive no Jewish education.
These figures are presented for study in
our own community because they are not
isolated instances of limited education of our
children. Only half the Jewish youth in Cana-
da are receiving a Jewish education. In the
United States the situation is even worse.
According to the 1951 Jewish Education
Register and Directory published by the
k-".--sican Association for Jewish Education,
the Jt',..ish school enrollment in this coun-
try in 1950 was 266,609 out of a total Jewish
child population of 634,845. This means that
only about 40 per cent of the children in the
United States are receiving a Jewish educa-
tion in schools of all classifications—includ-
ing Sunday schools.
So much is being said about Israel that
many people are overlooking a basic.need in
support of the Jewish state: an understanding
of its needs and preparation of our youth for
retention of interest in the builders of Israel.
Without a thorough education, this will be
either impossible or very difficult. Jewish
education must be placed on a par with caus-
es in support of Israel and the rehabilita-
tion of persecuted Jews in the Jewish state.
Policy Reversals
DO JUSTICE
AND LovE,
/ SV?.9 EL- —
A long paragraph covers the story of the
naming of Jack Gering to the post of Minister
of Commerce and Industry by "Premier David
Ben-Gurion, the rock-jawed, snowy - haired
leader of the Mapai (Socialist Party) ;" the first
defeat of Ben -Gurion by Knesset, the patching
up of a compromise by Pinhas Rosen, the contin-
uation of Ben-Gurion in office, Gering's chang-
ing of his name to Gery 'lest he remind his fel-
low Cabinet members of the Nazi Hermann
Goering." The second defeat of Ben-Gurion in
the Knesset took place in 1951, necessitating the
forthcoming election.
61 44.../c44t eX-at.
Newsweek's second volume of "History of Our
Times" has an interesting resume of General
MacArthur's activities in the Eastern zones and
meeting with President Truman.
With the Israel Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, as his International
and national affairs; arts,
its guest, the United Jewish Appeal conference in Chicago sciences, business, education, religion, books,
this week-end will assume unusual importance.
movies, the theater are covered in this historical
Immediate Cash Through UJA
The major task of this gathering is to secure a large
sum—in cash—for UJA to assure the uninterrupted efforts
of the major reconstruction agencies in the histOric task of
moving hundreds of thousands of dispossessed Jews - into
Israel.
Emissaries from Israel, including Prime Minister David
Ben-Gurion, Minister of Labor Golda Myerson, Minister of
Finance Eliezer Kaplan, and others, have repeatedly stated
that 600,000 Jews must come to Israel during the next three
years in order to escape persecutions and degradations. Mr.
Ben-Gurion has emphasized at the Madison Square Garden
meeting in New York that Israel "will not let a single Jew
suffer humiliation." To fulfill...the task of settling in Israel
the hundreds of thousands whose lives and security are
threatened in their native lands, it is necessary that the "free
dollars" should be made available without interruption.
By "free dollars" we mean the contributions that are to
be used to cover the cost of transportation, temporary hous-
ing and feeding of the new settlers in the Jewish state. They
are dollars that can not be repaid, but which are in them-
selves the finest investment in Israel's upbuilding since they
assure that means will be provided for rescue - activities which
must be intensified in view of the worsening of the Jewish
position in Moslem countries.
The UJA conference in Chicago will, in a sense, serve
as the major reception to Prime Minister David Ben-
Gurion by the entire American Jewish community. Until
now, Mr. Ben-Gurion was welcomed by the United States
Government, by President Truman and officials of the
State Department, and by city and state officials at com-
'nullity gatherings. In Chicago, UJA leaders from com-
munities throughout the land will participate in the recep-
tion to the noted Israeli statesman. The national UJA con-
ference will, therefore, represent American Jewry's wel-
come to the Prime Minister of the Jewish state.
There is only one way of greeting Mr. Ben-Gurion: by
assuring him that American Jewry will continue to be liber-
al in its response to Israel's needs, that large sums in "free
dollars" will be made available for the settlement in Israel
of hundreds of thousands of Jews, that an immediate large
sum will be provided for this work in cash at once.
Detroit Jewry will be well represented at the Chicago
conference. It is important that our representatives should
be supplied with the means with which to greet Mr. Ben-
Gurion in a practical way: through large cash gifts. The
chairman of Detroit's Allied Jewish Campaign, - Mr. Abe
Kasle, and his corps of volunteers. are working to that end.
The community owes it to them to uphold their hands, to
support them in their efforts and to strive for an important
share in the only effective greeting to Mr. Ben-Gurion-----
through a successful Allied Jewish Campaign and immediate
payment of pledges to the UJA.
Sponsorship of a resolution by the Amer-
ican delegation to the United Nations to
compel Israel to stop work on the Huleh
drainage project serves as a warning to all
who are concerned that there should be no
abuses of basic principles in this country's
share in the building of a better world.
There are several primary matters to be
remembered in connection with the unfor-
tunate stand that was taken 'by the U. S.
spokesmen at the UN last week:
I.. Large sums of money were invested
by American Jews since 1934 for the pur-
chase of the Huleh area at a cost of
$1,000,000, although Arabs privately val-
ued it at not more than $20,000. In a
period of 17 years, Jews have planned the
development of that area, in the best in-
terests of Jews and Arabs alike. Chris-
tian Americans should have viewed with
greater respect the aims of their Jewish
fellow-citizens who were motivated by the
sincere desire to reclaim neglected areas
in sponsoring the Huleh project.
2. The Huleh drainage work should
have been considered as one of the most
important steps towards the fulfillment of
President Truman's program for the de-
velopment of undeveloped territories.
3. By developing the Huleh region, by
draining its swamps, the Jewish pioneers
will benefit not only themselves but their
Arab neighbors as well.
If these had been taken into considera-
tion, the American delegation to the UN
might have hesitated to sponsor their dam-
aging resolution. What they did proves
anew that unless the defenders of Israel will
remain on guard against similar occurrences,
the young state's position will be forever
endangered. Last week's unfortunate reso-
lution proves the need for strengthening the
Zionist defense positions and for continuing
efforts to enlighten Americans about the
Israel Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion's visit will be
historic developments which have resulted
indelibly recorded in the history of the Jewish community
in the re-creation of Israel.
of Detroit as one of the very great events of all time.
The joy with which he was received here, the fusion
of feeling among all elements in our population, the non-
Member: American Association of English-Jewish News- Jewish community's response — all these factors unitedly
papers, Michigan Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing served to emphasize the impressiveness of the occasion.
Co. 708-10 David Stott Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., ANr0.5-1155.
The Free Press, in its welcome to the Prime Minister,
'Subscription $4 a year; foreign $5.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office, in Detroit's behalf, made this comment: "A City that believes
Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
in doing things extends a hearty welcome to a man who has
already done so many things and plans to do many more."
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
It was, in a sense, an encouragement to Mr. Ben-Gurion in
SIDNEY SHMARAK, Advertising Manager
the launching of the Israel $500,000,000 bond drive.
Vol. XIX—No. 11
Page 4
May 25, 1951
There is only one comment that can posSiblY be made
by the Jews of Detroit: a positive acclaim of - the bond drive,-
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
large investments in Israel and hearty cooperation in efforts
This Sabbath, the twentieth day of Iyar, 5711 to assure success in the great effort to make Israel self-sus-
the following Scriptural selections will be read ii taining.
our synagogues:
A good beginning has been made here in the bond drive.
Pentateuchal portion—Lev. 25:1-26:2.
Nov all efforts must be exerted to make every Jew—every
Prophetical portion—Jer. 32:6-27.
man, woman and child—a possessor of an Israel bond.
B-G and the Bond Drive
THE JEWISH NEWS
The 1950 Israel events are limited to the in-
ternal political struggle, to the truce with the
Arabs and to the economic difficulties of the
young state. The points are made that the
Israel pound sold for less, that "a querulous
truce" was maintained with the Arabs, that
"dollar contributions from the United States had
dwindled."
OA PEACE
analysis.
-
The book section makes this interesting ref-
erence to John Hersey's "The Wall": "A novel of
the Warsaw ghetto under the Nazis, though it
was burdened with an awkward form—the pap-
ers of an imagined historian of the ghetto--
nevertheless evoked the heroic resistance of a
doomed people. As an attempt to get inside the
psychology of the Jeis under Hitler, and to face
the overwhelming horror of the concentration
camps and the extermination factories, it was a
work of great imaginative courage and steady
balance."
Facts You Should Know .. .
Is it proper accordinA to Jewish tradition
to select one's grave while yet alive, i. e., pur-
chasing it in advance?
According to the Midrash (Leviticus Rab-
bah, 5:5) it appears that such is a commendable
deed. From a passage in the Book of Isaiah
Rabbi Eleazer deduced the principle that "A
man should have a nail or peg fixed in a ceme-
tery, in order that he may thereby gain the
right to be buried *in that place." In some re-
sponse it is even mentioned that pious men
would visit their future resting place and study
or offer alms there so that the place becomes a
hallowed spot. It must be pointed out, however,
that not everyone was in complete agreement on
the subject. Generally, it is a matter of personal
preference; although one cannot help overlook
the strong recommendations in favor of this
practice.
*
*
*
Why is it customary to bury the dead with
the head to the West and the feet to the East?
It should be noted that this custom is not
universal. There are records of places where the
bodies were buried in a North to South position.
The famous Maharil is said to have asked to be
buried "from North to South." The general cus-
tom is, however, to bury the dead with the head
towards the West and the feet towards the East.
In general, the reasons advanced for this cus-
tom indicate that it is a symbol of the resur-
rection of the dead in the days of the Messiah
to come. Some claim that the deceased is so
placed so as to meet the rising sun of righteous-
ness to be brought about when the Messiah
comes. Others claim that since all the dead
will come to life and go Eastward towards Jeru-
salem, the bodies are placed facing this way so
that upon rising the dead shall not have to be
turned about to reach their destination.
Why is it customary to bury the dead with
the face turned upwards?
Generally it is regarded as another symbol - of
the resurrection of the dead. Having the corpse
facing up -indicates the expectation of resurrec-
tion. It also is regarded by some as giving the
appearance of facing heavenward. It. diverts the
pessimisin of thinking of the grave as final and
leads one to thoughts of the re-birth of the soul
which has gone to the heavens above.
*
*
Why are marriages prohibited :during the
time between Passover and Shevuot?
This period is considered to be one of mourn-
ing. It was in this very . span of time that the
disciples of the great Rabbi Akiba were slaugh-
tered by the Romans. For this reason - and other
unfortunate historic events that are said to have
occurred in this period, these clays are considered
inappropriate for the performance of marriage
ceremonies which are by nature happy and
festive occasions.