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First Requisite of Education
A Physician's Advice to
Sufferers from Coronary
Tisha b 1Ab
On the eve of the official opening of the
23rd Zionist Congress, in Jerusalem, on Aug.
14, world Jewry again will observe the an-
niversary of the destruction of both Temples,
on Tisha b'Ab. Delegates to the Congress
will be unable to go to the Wailing Wall,
the remaining Temple remnant, because it
is in Jordan-held territory, in the out-of-
bounds Old City of Jerusalem. But the spirit
of Tisha b'Ab will be revived nevertheless. A
certain amount of mourning will be in evi-
dence, in spite of the realization of the goal
of Israel's redemption, because of the trage-
'dies that are recorded on the Tisha b'Ab
date.
Tisha b'Ab, however, has a stronger ap-
peal than that which in the past - limited the
.day to mourning. It is an occasion to serve
as a reminder that while Israel is redeemed
as a state, it is not altogether secure; that
while there is a Jewish government it must
be fortified with the means with which to
gather the exiles from all corners of the
earth and to bring them into a safe Israel.
Tisha b'Ab is a reminder: the work must
go on. The task for redemption does not
end until there no longer is need for fleets
of boats to ply the seas with ,immigrants,
tents for newcomers, food for the hungry.
On Tisha b'Ab the traditional appeal is made
for the Jewish National Fund for land ac-
-quisition. On this day we must think in terms
of successful United Jewish Appeal and Is-
rael bond drives. It is a day for action rather-
than tears. And when the action is com-
pleted, all Israel will make of Tisha b'Ab a
day of rejoicing.
-
The Zionist Congress
The World Zionist Congress meets in Je-
rusalem next week at a crucial time in the
history of the World Zionist Organization.
These sessions follow closely upon the heels
of the national Israel elections which leave
the Israeli population divided, without an
outright majority. The links that must be
retained between the Jewries of the world
and their kinsmen in Israel who only re-
cently have acquired statehood therefore call
for serious action by those who desire to be
helpful to the Jewish state.
Israel stands in danger of remaining a
house divided—depending upon the reactions
that will be felt in Zionist ranks. Whole-
hearted and sincere cooperation with Israel
would tend to strengthen the Zionist move-
ment while, at the same time, encouraging a
wholesome response within Israel that would
lead to greater unity in the ranks of the re-
deemed state. A divided Zionist movement
will lead to continued division in Israel.
It is sincerely to be hoped that the World
Zionist Congress will earnestly seek to
abandon party divisions and to aspire to
unity in Jewish ranks. Israel's needs should
encourage such an aspiration. World Jewry
will await anxiously a fusion of interests for
the sake of the speedy redemption of all
exiles and for uninterrupted progress in the
building of the Jewish state.
4 *_47
True Redemption
In the truly great book by Victor Gollancz,
"IVIan and God," published in this country
by Houghton Mifflin Co., the author has in-
corporated this passage from the Prayer of
Rabbi Israel of Koznitz:
"Lord of the world, I beg of you to redeem
Israel. And if you do not want to do that,
then redeem the Gentiles."
There is something majestic about this
prayer. It is marked -by a universal ideal
which merits emulation by all peoples. If all
could pray in this fashion we would, indeed,
have true redemption.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit JewiSh Chronicle
commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member: American Association of English-Jewish News-
papers, Michigan Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co. 708-10 David Stott Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., W0.5-1155.
Subscription $4 a year; foreign $5.
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
Vol. XIX—No. 22
Page 4
August 10, 1951
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the ninth day of Ab, 5711, the
following selections will be read in our syna-
pogues:
Pentatenchal portion—Dent.
Prophetical portion—Is, 1:1-27.
Tisha b'Ab Selections, Sunday •
Pentatenchal portions: Morning, Dent. 4:25-
40; afternoon, Es. 32:11-14; 34:1-10.,
Prophetical portions.* Morning, Jer. 8:13-9:23;
afternoon, 15.55: 6-56:8,
`From a Doctor's Heart'
Crackpots Do Not Frighten U.S.
The scatterinc, here last week of anti-Semitic leaflets
from an unidentified plane points to two truths: 1. Crackpots
still are at large and 2. Americans refuse to be bullied by the
demented who seek to arouse inter-group hatred.
Some groups have identified the pamphlets as being
akin to the leaflets which have been distributed by notorious
hate-mongers since 1911. It hardly matters what the names
of the organizations which may have inspired such dastardly
un-American acts. The first thing to remember is that these
crackpots insist on functioning. Therefore, true Americans
must remain on guard against any and all manifestations
of bigotry.
Then there is the encouraging evidence that Americans
disapprove of such tactics. We are yet to hear of any one
who spoke approvingly .of the mystery plane's hate mission.
American public opinion condemns the dissemination of
hatred. The strong weapon against bigotry still is inherent
in the American way of life which condemns under-handed
anonymity in spreading poison and demands fair play for all
elements in the American population and for all human be-
ings. In the long run, the American spirit of fair play will
triumph.
B-G and the Israel Elections
Not even his severest critics doubted for a moment that
David Ben-Gurion would emerge the victor in the Israel elec-
tions. The result is a great tribute to the man who has guided
Israel through severe crises and who continues to serve her
as—to quote James G. McDonald—"one of. the great states-
men of our day."
- Premier Ben-Gurion's personal victory represents only
one side of an interesting story registered in the election re-
sults. The fact that his party, the Mapai, polled so large a
vote—percentage-wise much larger than the Mapai vote of
1949—adds to the glory of the man and to the wisdom of
his party. It marks a far greater gain than the figures them-
selves indicate, because the ruling party—although still in
the minority—has succeeded not only in retaining the loyalty
of the citizens who were in Israel in the first year of state-
hood but also in gaining endorsement and support from the
hundreds of thousands whose numbers doubled the Jewish
state's population in the first years of its existence.
Israel is, in fact, a labor state. Counting all the labor
party votes, exclusive of the Communists, the workers polled
63.1. This figure includes the following percentages: Mapai,
37.1; Mapam, 12.3; Poale Mizrachi, 6.8; Poale Agudath Is-
rael, 2.; Mapai Arab vote, 4.9.
With Mapam remaining a die-hard group that steers
to the left of center, with a pro-Soviet tinge, it will continue
to be difficult for labor to form a united front of workers'
deputies and it is_ to be hoped that Mapai will enlist a coop-
erative partner for a coalition government.
In reckoning with the General Zionists, this must be un-
derstood. It is wrong to speak in terms of a "revision" of
economic views of the dominant labor party, as some already
have. The fact is that Premier Ben-Gurion has steered his
party toward conciliatory action in granting many privi-
leges to investors in Israel. Only those who insist upon fol-
lowing lines which would encourage either inflation through
black-marketeering or the destruction of the basic ideals of
social justice inherent in Jewish statehood will fail to find
encouragement from the Israel government.
Well-meaning investors have never been turned away
from Israel. The projects that have been undertaken by lead-
ing American non-Jewish firms in Israel are the best indi-
cations of the sincerity of purpose of the labor party. The
test will dome in the new coalition government. Through sin-
cere cooperation, a working system can easily be effected.
But a lack of sincerity can easily destroy the good that has
been recorded to the credit of the state of Israel by the able
Ben-Guri 0 n. administration.
Premier Ben-Gurion clearly is preferred by Israelis for
leadership. He should be given a chance to enforce policies
which are aimed at assuring economic and_national security
for the young state. Any interference that may be based on
selfish party motives will meet with disapproval from the
millions of Jews who feel a kinship in the effort to help
build Israel. At the same time it must be remembered that
the democratic powers in the world are kindly disposed to-
wards Mr. Ben-Gurion and his party. Given a fair chance
B-G and Mapai will register great success for Israel.
*
.
Dr. Eugene F. Snyder's "From a Doctor's
Heart" (Philosophical Library, 15 E. 40th, NY),
is a unique book. It offers advice to sufferers
from coronary and aims to aid them to make
the best of life. It is, at the same time, autobio-
graphical. It is full of wit. It is informative on
world conditions.
The author presents a personal account of
pain, mixed with hope, of despair offset by cour-
age. It is the story of a man who has fled from
revolutions in Europe and has - found haven in
this country. It is an account of a. struggle
against Killer No. 1—coronary thrombosis.
Many questions are answered in this volume.
Presented in the form of informative discussion
between the writer and his wife and their young
son, it offers advice which is summarized in this
concluding paragraph:
"The logical way to react to a sentence of
death in the unknown future is to seek to get as
much good as we can from the few years we
have. It is important for each of us, the chron-
ically ill, to work out a new way of ,life and a
new way of thinking. We must base our philos-
ophy on a willingness to prolong our lives and
keep well, to help our families and all with whom
we are brought in contact; not to worry too
much about ourselves. If we live fully from day
to day, years will be added to our lives . I take
leave of my reader, wishing him happiness and
good health, with this final thought expressed by
Longfellow: 'Ali! nothing is too late till the tired
heart cease to palpitate.' "
Life in Russia and in other European coun-
tries and numerous experiences which had filled
an interesting life are incorporated in "From a
Doctor's Heart." He tells why he did not want
to return to Russia "where I was threatened
with complete spiritual extinction which is worse
than physical death, as Zionism and Hebraism
were, and are, taboo in the USSR."
Thus, advice to sufferers from heart ailments
is mixed with personal experience and with his-
torical occurrences in our time, making this a
very interesting book.
Facts You Should Know .. .
Why do pious Jews remove the knife from the
table before reciting the grace after the meal?
Why is this not done on the Sabbath or holidays?
A number of interesting reasons are offered
for this strange custom. Some believe the cus-
tom originated from the fact that the Jewish
table is always to be considered as a replica of
the Altar. The Jewish home was always regarded
as a facsimile of the Temple of God.
A strange Biblical reqiirement ordered the
people of Israel not to "lift metal" over the Altar.
The commentaries explained this prohibition ,by
saying that the Altar was intended as a means
of prolonging life by bringing forgiveness and
favor to the individual and the multitude. In
contrast, metal, was regarded as an implement
of warfare. And war shortens life. Thus an
element which shortens life should not be held
over the holy Altar which is supposed to pro-
long it. Likewise, the Jewish table, like the
Altar, is the source of prolonging life through
the food and prayer which are offered over it.
While metal implements are permissible during
the meal; they are removed during the grace
which includes prayers that ask for long life
and sustenance.
Others connect the removal of the knife dur-
ing the grace to an incident in which a pious
man once came upon the passage in the -grace
which speaks of Jerusalem and, when realizing
the fact that the temple in Jerusalem was des-
troyed, took it so to heart that he thrust the
knife with which he had eaten into his heart,
killing himself in his agony for the destruction
of the Temple. The knife is since removed as
either a memoriam to this sympathetic soul or
as a preventative to other such emotional out-
breaks.
Interesting is the fact that most late author-
ities say that the knife may be left on the table
on Saturdays and Holidays even when the grace
is recited. According to the .,arst reason this is
allowed because no building was allowed for the
temple or its component parts on Sabbaths or
holidays; so that no metal could have been used
"over" the altar on these days anyway because
of the spirit of the Sabbath or the festival. Ac-
cording to the second reason, this tragic incident
is said to have occurred on a week-day. Thus
the prohibition only applies on week-days. The
Sabbath and the holy days are said to be pro-
tective elements in themselves which watch over
the people of Israel which observes them.
•
•
•
I was once told that "Tisha b'Ab" (occur-
ring this year on August 11th and delayed to
the 12th) commemorated other things than
the destruction of the two temples. Could you
enlighten me as to this?
The fast day of the ninth day of Ab does
commemorate other tragedies besides that of the
destruction of the Temple. The Talmud (Tal-
mud Babli, Tractate Taanit, 29a) points out that
it was on this day that the Hebrews in the desert
were the recipients of the decree telling them
that they could not enter the promised land.
The city of Bethar was conquered on that day,
captured and destroyed, terminating the heroic
uprising of Bar Kochba against the Roman
power of Hadrian. The city Of Jerusalem was
plowed over with a plowshare on that day.
Strangely enough, the day set by Ferdinand and
Isabella of Spain to expel all tho Jews from
Spain in 1492 was also that v-ry same day of the
ninth of Ab. It seems then that the ninth of Ab
was a predestined day of misfortune for - the peo-
ple of Israel.