Hebrew Schools, Education Week
Leaders, nsue Plea • to Corinnunity

Calls for the enrollment of all
children in the United Hebrew
Schools and for strengthening
of our educational system were
issued this week, on the occa-
sion of Annual Education Month,
by the chairman of _Education
Month, Rabbi Moses Lehrman;
the president of the schools, Abe
Kasle, and the superintendent
and associate superintendent of
the schools, Bernard Isaacs and
Albert Elazar.
Rabbi Moses Lehrman's state-
ment reads: ,
"Jewish education is so basic
to our well being that no spo-
radic stir can substitute for a
permanent awakening to its
need.
"So many of our young peo-
ple stand helpless in the face
of Jewish problems for no other
reason but that they don't know
themselves. The fear of the
unknown is the gravest con-
tributor to prejudice and de-
lusion.
"Why should we expect our
indifferent Jewish youth to rally
to the cause of Judaism, to flock
to the synagogues and to share
in the destiny of our people
when they don't know Judaism
and, what is more realistic when
they don't know themselves!
Failing to hand our children the
heritage of our people is more
than depriving them of a cul-
tural opportunity. It is to place
them in the impossible position
of telling them that they are
Jews and leaving them in the
dark as to what that means. -
"It is for us parents to play
fair , with our children, not
merely to tell them that they
are Jews but to offer them the
opportunities for explai n i n g
what it means to be a Jew. Let
us dispell the darkness which
breeds apathy, resignation and
fear. Send them to the Hebrew
School."
Abe Kasle stated in his ap-
peal:
"During the past years I have
had the privilege of working on
behalf of various Jewish insti-
tutionsi educational, social and
philanthropic. ' Through this
work, I have had the opportun-
ity of coming into contact with
people of various backgrounds

URGES?

<ku

S4~

0

p

ai

and life-philosophies. I also
have had the good fortune of
visiting the newly-born State of
Israel, and meeting there with
people of all types—merchants,
chalutzim, refugees, and also the
top leaders of the Israeli gov-
ernment, and I have invariably
found that what consistutes the
greatest personal, communal, as
well as national asset, is Jewish
intelligence.
"It is Jewish intelligence
which gives our life that in-
visible something which we call
Jewishness. Under the name,
Jewish intelligence, I mean Jew-
ish training, Jewish , knowledge,
which, in turn, -leads to Jewish
living, and Jewish knowledge
cannot be achieved in any other
way but through continuous
study, through attendance in a
Jewish school, through the study
of our great books—the prayers,
the Torah, the prophets, the
history, the Hebrew language
and its literature, and I am
confident that the call issued by
our United Hebrew Schools and
other - institutions of learning to
the Jewish community will not
go unheeded.
"The United Hebrew Schools
offers an education to students
at all levels of education—Ele-
mentary, High School, Midrasha
(College of Jewish Studies). It
is constantly expanding and
broadening the area of service
to include the newly settled
Jewish neighborhoods.
"Lets us hope that the New
Year will bring an awakening,
not only in the field of Jewish
education, but in all Jewish en-
deavors."
Bernard Isaacs has issued
the statement :
"Why the observance of an
Education Month? Aren't we the
people who have always lived
by the word of the Book? Hasn't
the love for education been the
most outstanding characteristic
of our people? .aren't we read-
ing in our daily prayers the
injunction _ 'And Thou Shall
Teach Thy Children Diligently?'
Haven't our own fathers made
every sacrifice, even to the ex-
tent of depriving themselveA of
bare necessities, in order to give
their children a Jewish educa-
tion?
"To these questions, the an-
swer is an affirmatilie 'yes'. But
the fact remains that thousands
of our children receive no Jet'vish
education whatever, not even a
one-day a week ,education and
only about 12% receive the more
intensive education of four or
five days a week. These are the
deplorable facts and this is why
an effort is being made to con-
vey to our people the message of
Jewish Education.
"This year marks the 26th
Annual Education Month ob-
served by the - United Hebrew
Schools, and we hope that the
call issued by the United Hebrew
Schools will reach all parents
of children of school age who
will begin , to think earnestly

about giving their children an
intensive Jewish education."
Albert Elazar states:
"Historically speaking, the de-
sire for Jewish learning has been
part and parcel of the Jew,. How-
ever, life in our days makes it
necessary for Jews to set aside
a special month to stimulate
and inspire the Jewish com-
munity to remain loyal to such
a lofty tradition.
"One of -the serious problems
confronting the Jewish commun-
ity has been the inadequacy of
the preparation of many of our
children for the Bar Mitzvah
ceremony and its meaning. Very
often we find children whose
only preparation for this cere-

mony has been the teaching of
the Haftorah and, in some cases,
the chattering of a Bar Mitzvah
speech devoid of meaning and
understanding to the Bar Mitz-
vah lad.
"A most important step in
eliminating- such practice in our
community has been made by
the joint action of the Conserva-
tive congregations in our city
and the United Hebrew Schools
in adopting a Bar Mitzvah code
and the fulfillment of definite
requirements on the part of the
child. These requirements will
not only prepare the child for
the ceremony itself, but will also
help him in the community.
"This year, during this month

toE Luya
FINEST

THE JEWISH NEWS--3

Friday, Sept. 19, 1952

The start of the New Year is a time
of dedication,' when men renew their
vows to work for justice, to strive for
brotherhood among peoples, to pray
for peace among the nations.

The American Road is more than a
highway that has helped bring pros-
perity to this country—it is a way of
living, wrought out of the character of
a people constantly moving forward
toward a better life for all mankind:-
Ford Motor Company is dedicated to -
the American Road, in the belief that
it will lead toward freedom, justice
t and security for all men.

, •

•

Ford Motor Company

FORD • LINCOLN . MERCURY CARS • FORD TRUCKS AND TRACTORS

our Community Wuddi

More than a • generation-long
dream will become reality in the im-
mediate future when Sinai Hospital
—the first hospital in Detroit under
Jewish auspices—begins operation.
Adding .the medical phase to the
network of Jewish Welfare Federa-
. tion local services, Sinai is expected
to receive its first patient in January.

of Tishri, the spiritual leadership
will stress from the pulpit the
importance of such an undertak-
ing and urge the congregants to
prepare their children adequate..
ly for the Bar Mitzvah- ceremony.
"Past experience has proved
to us that whenever a worth-
while decision is made by re-
sponsible leadership in the com -
munity and properly presented,
the community supports it
wholeheartedly.
"May this month of Tishri be
remembered as another mile-
stone in the progress of Jewish
Education in America."

1111

ANY

SINAI HOSPITAL

WINE S

MI

MA cti AND GOTTLED

WINERIES. DETRO•

MICHIGAN SONDED WINCH

6741 West Outer Drive

11■••■111,

