issues to Settle
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member: American Association of English-JewiSh Newspapers, Michigan Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 708-10 David Stott Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 5-1155.
Subscription $4 a year, foreign $5.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942, ai Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
Vol. XXII—No. 7
FRANK SIMONS
City Editor
N
GTKERAL ASSEMBLY
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
Page 4
October 24, 1952
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the sixth day of Heshvan, 5713, the following Scriptural selections will be read in
our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Gen. 6:9-11:32; Prophetical portion. 1s. 54:1-55:5.
Licht Benshen, Friday, Oct. 24, 5:19 p.m.
Welcome, Delegates to Hadassah Convention
Detroit will be host this week-end to an
important conclave of women leaders who
will gather here to plan the advance-
ment of Israel's health program and the es-
tablishment in the Holy Land of a much-
needed medical school. Hadassah's 38th con-
vention — marking the completion of 40
years of outstanding activities by the wom-
en's Zionist organization of America—takes
place here in a crucial period in Zionism. But
the practical efforts which distinguish the
movement cause it to rise above controversy
and to be charged with great responsibilities
in behalf of Israel which should be shared
by all American Jews.
Hadassah's current convention must not
be viewed merely as an occasion to plan
fund-raising. While the raising of money is
a major duty of all Zionists, in view of the
trying conditions in Israel which call for our
continued cooperation, there are other needs
which must be fulfilled by the great Jewish
women's movement. Hadassah has emerged
strong in her accomplishments as well as in
numerical strength. The enrollment of 350,-
000 women in a single organization attests
to a recognition of the worth of the move-
merit. It is an endorsement that increases
the challenges to its potentialities. It creates
burdens in behalf of the entire American
Jewish community.
While Hadassah is primarily engaged in
providing medical care in Israel and to as-
sist the Hebrew University in the establish-
ment of the projected medical school, the
organization includes in its program, educa-
tional projects. It engages in the spread of
Jewish knowledge. It encourages the forma-
tion of study groups and the study of Jewish
history. It is in this field that it can render
great service to Jewry.
*
*
*
Jewish educators have been greatly dis-
turbed of late over the decline in the enroll-
ment of girls in Jewish schools. Bernard
Isaacs, the superintendent of Detroit's United
Hebrew Schools, last week deplored the fact
that the previous ratio of even attendance
between boys and girls, in our Jewish
schools, now has radically changed so that
there are 85 boys to 15 girls pursuing Jew-
ish studies. This is a disturbing situation.
As Mr. Isaacs has pointed out, the girIs,
whom we seek to enroll in our schools, will
be the managers of the Jewish homes of the
morrow. "It is • inconceivable," Mr. Isaacs
wrote, "to have a real Jewish home without
an educated mother to guide it. Although
the husband may have received a thorough
Jewish education and may be anxious to
have a Jewish home it is the wife who must
do the implementation. If things Jewish are
foreign to her, she is naturally unable and
perhaps unwilling to inject Judaism into her
home."
*
*
*
We endorse this viewpoint and we com-
mend its consideration by Jewish women's
groups and especially Hadassah. This problem
is not unrelated to Hadassah's work. If there
is to be genuine interest in and loyal devo-
tion to the needs of Israel, whose welfare
we are obligated to advance, it can only be
accomplished if there is understanding of
the problems involved; and an understanding
of the problem must be attained through
genuine knowledge and good Jewish train-
ing.
The problem we pose is directly related
also to the Zionist idea. There have been too
many unfair references to Zionism in recent
months. Too many people have acquired the
delusion that Zionist activities should be cur-
tailed in view of the realization of the ideal's
major goals. Zionists themselves, and es-
pecially the women Zionists, must be taught
that there is an important task to be achieved
and that the affiliated members of the move-
ment—the women's as well as the men's—
must continue to spread knowledge about
the cause in order that Israel may be pro-
tected and Jews everywhere may benefit
from the satisfaction of having aided a great
cause.
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Matthew Arnold, Forgotten Writer
Many men of letters, whose writings dominate a historical
period, pass into oblivion so that their names convey little or
nothing to a generation or two after their death. Such a figure of
the late Victorian age was Matthew Arnold, who died in 1888.
A great poet, Arnold's. verses were invested with a strong strain
of Hebraism, but it was to Greek models and thought that he
turned for both style and inspiration. He was thus a link between
the two great sources of human moral and intellectual power.
Arnold wrote two works dealing with the Bible. The first,
"Literature and Dogma," was an attempt to free the Bible from
the theological net that enmeshed it, to give it to the people as
a great literary and moral treasure. His second work, "God and
the Bible," contrasted the decline of Greek religion, as Greek
national greatness declined, with a very different story as far as
Hebrews were concerned.
"The Hebrew people and Hebrew history, when they begin,
begin like the Hellenic people and like Hellenic history, with a
religion of soberness and righteousness. And the after-decline of
this religion in Greece we have seen. But in Judea, at the close
of the national history, what do we find to be the condition of
this religion? Has it weakened, has it grown obsolete, has ht
fallen out of sight and out of mind?
"So far from it," writes Arnold, "that it has grown into an
enthusiasm, turbid, passionate, absorbing and all-pervasive, to
bring in everlasting righteousness."
The women Zionists, like the men's or-
ganizations, will be unable fully to reach
their specific goals unless their members are
well informed on what is transpiring; unless
the community at large understands the
aims of a sacred cause. Fund-raising will be
more difficult unless there is this under-
standing of the values of the movement. In
greeting the Hadassah convention, as the
delegates begin to gather here from all parts
of the country, we urge serious consideration
not only of the financial obligations that
challenge the movement but also the cul-
tural and educational aspects without which
even so great a movement can not last long.
If the children are to follow in the footsteps
of the parents in future planning, then the
mothers must understand the objectives of
the movement to be able to pass them on
to sympathetic daughters. And if you have
ardently devoted Hadassah mothers and
daughters, we also shall have equally ardent
fathers and sons. It is in this area that
Hadassah can render an especially great
service to American and world Jewries and
`It Takes All Kinds': Zolotow's
therefore also to Israel.
We welcome the Hadassah delegates. We Brilliant Stories of Eccentrics
wish them success in their deliberations and
we hope that their attainments will be as
Whoever has read Maurice Zolotow's "No People Like Show
great in the educational area as they must People" will find it impossible to resist the temptation of securing
be in the financial field.
his follow-up book, "It`Takes All Kinds," which has just appeared
from the press of Random House (457 Madison, NY22). And hat-
ing read this second book, the reader won't regret following the
Well-Deserved Award to Senator Lehman
This Saturday night, the Jewish Labor
For his great contributions to the welfare
Committee will present an award to Senator of the United States and to Jewry, we join
Herbert H. Lehman, at Cass High School, in acclaiming Senator Lehman on the occa-
in recognition of the distinguished leader's_ sloe of his visit here to receive the well-
courageous services in defense of civil rights deserved award.
\ and in support of legislation to guarantee
and uphold the highest American traditions.
Senator Lehman's devoted services to
City of Hope, the hospital, located 20
Jewry antedated by many years his political miles east of Los Angeles, "where no one
activities. The honor to be accorded him pays and everyone shares in running it,"
therefore represents an expression of grati- has for many years had the wholehearted
tude not by a single group in Jewish life support of a large group of interested De-
but by the entire American Jewish corn- troiters. A number of Detroit Jews have
rnunity. been sent to this.famous hospital for healing
The able New York Senator was unsuc- and restoration of their health.
cessful in his efforts to prevent passage of
Nathan R. Epstein has been the mainstay
the McCarran Act. But he succeeded in sur- of the local movement in support of City of
rounding himself with splendid support from Hope, frequently referred to as the Los
some Of his ablest associates, from Senators Angeles Sanatorium. On the occasion of his
Moody, Morse, Douglas, Humphreys and 65th birthday, the local support group's an-
others. It was The inspiration that came from nual event, to be held on Sunday evening,
Senator Lehman that resulted in the strong hopes to raise $65,000 for this important
Truman veto message against the McCarran cause. In recognition of Mr. Epstein's activi-
Act. Perhaps this inspiration will result in ties and in support of a worthy movement,
the repeal of the 'un-American bill by the it is sincerely to be hoped that the objective
ilext Congress.
—the $65,000 goal—will be attained.
City of Hope
eminent writer along the paths of his many experiences with
interesting and curious people.
In "It Takes All Kinds" you'll read about Jules GIaenzer, the
famous salesman of jewels; Maurice Dreicer, authority on steaks;
Dunninger the mind-reader; Richard Himber, orchestra leader
and practical joker; Feedback Jack Auerbach, the turf adviser.
There is a fine chapter on Bruno Furst the - memory. There is
an interesting story about Furst's escape from Hitler Germany.
He saved his heavy furniture but left his $150,000 account behind
him, coming here to gain fame.
What has made Zolotow become so interested in eccentrics?
He relates his personal background and tells the story of his
father, who was a militant atheist. "Not even on the high holm
days (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), when the most latitud-
inarian. Jews went to the synagogue, would my father bow his
head to what he considered unscientific and outworn supersti-
tions." He was not a passive opponent of orthodoxy, but an argu-
ing kind. • "He loved to upset the sensibilities of all his relatives,
including his wife, by eating bread during Passover and ham
sandwiches at other times." But when his diet underwent a revo-
lution and he came under the influence of Bernarr Macfadden,
Zolotow's father changed his tune. He bedame a devout vege-
tarian and a big change came over him.
Zolotow Pere also changed his Socialist tune and later beeame
less belligerent in his political advocacy. His son writes: 'It seems
to me now that his primary motivation in espousing unpopular
ideas was to establish his validity as a human being, to shock
other people into an awareness of his existence." The son there-
fore evinces marked ability in describing eccentrics and their
tricks, and he has succeeded, in "It Takes All Kinds," in delineat-
ing interesting people in a most interesting style.