Released Time Bill Dead in Michigan;
Christians Joined Jews in Opposing It

The Michigan Released Time
Bill (S.1040), originally intro-
duced in the Michigan State
Senate by Senator Don Vander-
Werp and passed without hear-
ing in seemingly record time
by the Michigan Senate, died in
the State House Comthittee on
Education last Thursday.
A special committee consist-
ing of Jewish community re-
lations agencies operating
throughout Michigan was
called into being by the Jew-
ish Community Council of De-
troit. This committee of lay
and professional representa-
tives from the outstate Mich-
igan Region Office of the ADL
of Bnai Brith, Michigan Re-
gional Office of American
Jewish Congress, Jewish Labor
Committee and Jewish War
Veterans, was presided over by
Samuel J. Rhodes, chairman
of the community relations
committee of the Council.
Their efforts were joined by
several Christian denomina-
tions, civic, educational and
labor bodies opposed to the
undermining of the principle

of separation of church and
state.
Efforts of churc 12 groups;
throughout the state, particular-
ly in Kalamazoo, Bay City, Bat-
tle Creek, Ann Arbor, Grand
Rapids and Flint, with the active
participation of Irving Antell,
director of the Flint Jewish'
Community Council, resulted in
numerous written and oral pres-
entations of views against the
passage of the released time bill,
mostly on the basis that religion
is not the province of the state
or its agencies but rightfully be-
longs to the home, church or
synagogue.
The meeting held by the State
House Committee on Education
heard the testimony of the au-
thor of the Bill, Sen. Vander-
Werp, who asserted that the
choice was between passing this
bill and, keeping God in America
or having "atheistic Commun-
ism." Mrs. Mary Kastead, while
representing the Detroit Feder-
ation of Teachers and the De-
troit Wayne County AFL, testi-
fied for those who opposed the
bill.
Among the score of written

Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Arnold Zweig Rebukes the Authoritaria;is
Arnold Zweig, the distinguished writer whose novels ("The
Case of Sergeant Grischa" and others) were among the most stir-
ring about World War I, was believed for a time to have leaned
towards Communism. He had lived in Israel for several years after
the last war and later went to East Germany.
Last week, however, an AP report from Berlin quoted him as
having said that the East German Communist system restricts
personal freedom. The liberal Dresden Democratic Party , news-
paper "Saechsisches Tageblatt" quoted him as telling a Communist
rally that it is time to guard against the loss of freedom, and that
a man ought to have the right to some leisure, without being told
by a bureaucrat to go out and be leisurely .
It would be interesting to read his complete statement. At the
moment, we are given new confidence that a man of reason will
not always remain blind to reality in the face of suppression of
freedoms under totalitarian rule. Arnold Zweig's courage restores
that confidence.

statements in objection to the
Bill, the views of Michigan Jew-
ry were expressed in the brief of
Rabbi Leon Fram of Temple
Israel who wrote, "As a religious
leader and as representative of
an historic group that gave re-
ligion to Western civilization, it
goes without saying that our
concern for the religious life and
for religious truths and values is
primary, intense and constant.
This concern is one of the chief
motivations of our opposition to
released time which, despite the
professed purpose of its pro-
ponents, is a hindrance to gen-
uine religious education. It is
because we consider religious ed-
ucation an obligation of the
parent and the synagogue that
we oppose state intervention in
that sacred area. When re-
ligion calls upon the state to
assist it in the religious educa-
tion of its children, it is thereby
implied con f e s s i n g its in-
ability to perform its sacred
function. American Jewry is not
prepared to concede the spiritual
insolvency implicit in a division
of responsibility for religious ed-
ucation between synagogue and
state."
Several Christian bodies, in-
cluding the Baptists and partic-
ularly. the Seventh Day Adven-
tists and the Unitarians, took an
uncompromising poSition against
the Released Time Bill.
Since the Bill, under the rules
of the State Legislature, be-
comes dead on the 21st day un-
less acted upon by the commit-
tee, the Released Time Bill, hay-
ing been tabled by the educa-
tion committee of the House, is
dead for the current session of
the State Legislature.

Isaacs, Greenberg Head
AJC Services Division

George Stark Breakfast Tops
Events During Good Will Week

Thanks to the zeal of an
Irishman, Brotherhood Week
was given special flavor at a
breakfast Monday morning in
honor of George Washington
Stark, Detroit historian. column-
ist and former City Editor of
the Detroit News.

Honoring Mr.
Stark on his
70th birthday- -
correspon din g
with Washing-
ton's Birthday—
the breakfast of
Irish Fellowship
Club, at the
Statler, was ar-
ranged by the''
club's president,
Luke Leonard.
Men and wom-
en of all faiths
met in good fel-
lowship. G. W. Stark
Under the toastmastership of
Monsignor Hickey, toasts were
given Mr. Stark and his family
—Mrs. Stark (Anne Campbell) ,
her 85-year-old mother, the
children and grandchildren of
the Starks — by Rabbi Leon
Fram, Rev. Celestin. Steiner,
president of the University of
Detroit; Gus Scholle, president
of the Michigan CIO; former
Mayor Charles Bowles, Judge
Patrick H. O'Brien, Philip Slom-
ovitz and John H. Witherspoon,
who represented Mayor Cobo.
Bringing a specially engraved
message to Mr. Stark from
Mayor Cobo, Mr. Witherspoon
spoke of the prominent De-
troiter's contributions to our
city. The Mayor, in his mes-
sage, paid honor to Mr. Stark
as "a great reporter . . . who
is a great asset to our com-
munity." The official message
said Mr. Stark is "a man who
never for a moment sold his
town short—who hasn't lost
the enthusiasm and exuber=
ante of youth—but who has

lost himself in unselfishness,
and in so doing, found him-
self."
Messages of greetings also in-
cluded ccmme ndations from
Governor G. Mennen Williams,
Senator Homer Ferguson and
former Detroiter David A.
Brown, who was prevented by
sudden illness from coming here
from California for this event.
There were piano selections by
Jean Goldkette and Irish songs
by Walter J. Couch.
The invocation was given by
the Rev. Irwin C. Johnson,
Episcopalian Minister (repre-
senting the church of Mr.
Star k's affiliation). M s g r.
Hickey gave the benediction.
The host, Mr. Luke Leonard,
presented Mr. Stark with a book
containing the signatures of all
who attended the event and
read this inscription:
"George Stark, whom the
lowly and celebrated in all
walks of life throughout the
wide world, and especially in
Detroit, have been proud to
know—those of all religions,
colors and creeds, who in suf-
ferings, sickness, poverty and
dire distress, look to him as
as their champion and fine
friend. We feel highly honored
to pay homage today, on his
seventieth birthday. George
Stark has truly been his
brother's brother and set a
plan and pattern of love to-
ward God and Country and
Humanity—a lasting monu-
ment to his great giving spirit,
inspiring us all—always.
In a moving reply, Mr. Stark
related some of his personal ex-
periences and expressed grati-
tude for chi kindnesses shown
him.
He also was honored at a
community dinner Monday
night, arranged by Variety Club.

2—DPTROIT

NPWS

Friday, February 26, 1954 •

On the Record

Fishbein Proposes a JEWISH Brotherhood Week
Jack Fishbein, editor of the Chicago Jewish Sentinel, does a
little internal reckoning, on the occasion of Annual Brotherhood
Week, by suggesting that we might sponsor a JEWISH Brotherhood
Week "to convince Jews to be more tolerant of each other." He
makes these comments:

"Why not, for instance, emphasize the desirability of the
Orthodox Jew understanding that while he has a perfect right
to practice the traditional laws of Kashruth, a Reform Jew
has the equal right to dissent. Perhaps it might have been
better if the universality of our ancient customs and traditions
had been so widely accepted that Reform Judaism would never
have arisen. The fact is however, that it's here. What- pur-
pose can it now serve for the Orthodox Jew to disregard this
fact of life?
"On the other hand, there are too many Reform Jews who
regard the traditional Jew as the remnant of a dead past, al-
most as if he were of a different people. All of us have wit-
nessed cases of where the sight of a Jew with a beard or the
use of Yiddish, evokes a look of contempt and scorn from
those Jews who feel embarrassed at what they consider this
display of 'foreignism'. There are unfortunately, 110% 'pure'
Americans in some of our temples, who are so anxious to prove
to the world that they are completely assimilated that any-
thing even remotely reminiscent of our Jewish past drives them
into a frenzy."
He proceeds to analyze the "fabrente" Zionist attitudes, the
bigoted Judaism Council propaganda, the UJA-Bond differences,—
our failure to understand the need for unity in the face of the
ever growing danger that now confronts us." Then he makes this
concrete proposal:
"That is why we favor an additional Brotherhood Week
strictly for Jews alone. During the time, let us preach and
practice tolerance for each other. Let each of us attempt to
understand the simple truth that regardless of whether we are
Orthodox. Conservative, or Reform, Zionist or non-ZiOnist, Re-
publican or Democrat, rich or poor, interested particularly in
this or that special phase of Jewish life—in the eyes of the
world, we are all of us simply JEWS. Our fate is indivisible.
Instead of fighting among ourselves, let us instead join to-
gether in fighting our common enemies. Once our own survival
as a people is fully guaranteed and all of our problems are
solved—then perhaps we can consider the luxury of taking up
our inter-group quarreling."
Our confrere sounds unnecessarily panicky. Of course, we, too,
are in. favor of all types of Brotherhood. Would that the Brother-
hood campaigns among Christian and Jews were in themselves
fruitful. Would, also, that a Jewish Brotherhood Week could ac-
complish the task of assuring tolerance.
While Mr. Fishbein is correct in deploring the existence of
many differences of opinion, we doubt whether dissimilarity is
such a horrible thing in itself. What concerns us is that most people
care little about these differences, one way or another.
The real problem in Jewry, we have believed for a long time,
is indifference rather than difference of opinion. If we could
assure concern over positive Jewish accomplishments — and that
must include an interest in democratic action — we could avoid
many pitfalls. How about a Jewish Devotionalism, which would
in itself assure Jewish Brotherhood? That's the way to solve
many of our problems: through devotion.

Brotherhood Par Excellence

By NATHAN ZIPRIN

(Copyright, 1454, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate)

John Isaacs S. J. Greenberg'

Population Trend
Seventy-five percent of American Jews are native-born,
Abraham Duker reported at the recent convention of the Yiddish
-Scientific Institute. If you add to this the fact that many Jewish
immigrants came to this country at an early age, some as children,
there emerges a picture of a Jewry that before long will be a pure
I product of Atherica. It would be a good guess, however, that there
are still about one million foreign-born Jews in the United States.
According to the census of 1940, the total number in the
American population who indicated that Yiddish was their mother
tongue was 1,751,000. Of these, 924,440 were foreign born, 773,680
of foreign or mixed parentage, and 52,980 of native parentage.
This total indicates that about 37 per cent of the American Jews
in 1940 were familiar with the Yiddish language.
My good friend and first teacher Dr Mordecai Soltes, to
whom I am indebted for this information, estimates that the
total circulation of the Yiddish papers in 1952 was about 239,000
or less than half the Yiddish press circulation of 1916. This drop
shows not the willing submission of a clan that is justly the suc-
cessor to the heritage of the millions who perished, but mainly
the inexorable effect of living in a milieu whose cultural streams
are overcoming.

John Isaacs and Samuel J.
Greenberg have been named
co-chairmen of the services di-
vision of the 1954 Allied Jewish
Campaign, Irving W. Blumberg
and Harvey H. Goldman, chair-
men of the Jewish Welfare Fed-
eration's drive, announced.
Five associate chairmen who
will assist them are Arnold
Rosman, Harry Schumer, Henry
Auslander, Adolph E. Baron, and
Myron D. Stein.
.In 1953, under the leadership
of Isaacs and Greenberg, the
services division was awarded For the Girls
the Detroit Service Group Tro-
Israel is beset by many , shortages, but one of its worst is the
phy for outstanding achieve- scarcity of marriageable girls. In fact the "surplus" of marriage-
ment in last year's drive.
able men over girls in the Jewish state is well over 50,000. In
addition the marital situation is also marked by a low divorce
rate. The meaning of all this is that nuptial-minded American
Dinner of AJC Apparel
girls had better unpack their trunks, unless of course they are
Trades Section March 3
brave enough for eligible bachelors who live in settlements that
The Allied Jewish Campaign's are rugged and almost primitive and many of whom are to be
apparel trades section will gath- found . deep in the recesses of the Negev. This nugget is culled
er for dinner at 6 p.m., Wednes- from an article in American Judaism by my good friend and
day, at the Seraton-Cadillac real Zionist Carl Alpert. Yet there is really no reason for despair,
for Carl relates that he himself lost two secretaries to marriage
Hotel.
Leon J. Keyserling, noted within a short time, one of them a young lady from Chicago who
railroad system.
economist, chairman of Presi- "landed" one of the heads * of the * Israel
*
dent Truman's Council of Eco-
nomic Advisors, will be the Take It or Leave It
I speaker.
During the critical days of the Pope's illness rumors were
A leadership bruncheon of circulating in New York that the Pontiff's life was saved by a
this section will be held at 10:30 Jewish institution—the Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn. The
a.m., Sunday, at Davison Jewish institution, rumor had it, was in possession of a rare drug pre-
Center. The meeting will be scribed by the Vatican physician but which neither Italian nor
addressed by Rabbi Morris European pharmacists were able to supply. When the hospital
Adler.
administration learned of the situation it offered to have the drug
flown to the Vatican. When this information was transmitted to
Catholic dignitaries in New York, they contacted Cardinal Spell-
Jacob Epstein Knighted
LONDON, (JTA)—Jacob Ep - man who is said to have made an incognito visit to the hospital,
stein, American-born British where he chanted, a blessing and prayer for the Pope's delivery
sculptor, was knighted by Queen over the drug. The hospital is named after Moses Maimonides, the
Mother Elizabeth in a recent Immortal Jewish philosopher and codifier whose achievements
ceremony at Buckingham Hall. as a physician have been overshadowed by his renown as a scholar
Sir Jacob was named by Queen and saint. When he died, early in the twelfth century, he was
Elizabeth II on her New Year's considered the greatest physician of his day. It is said he counted
a 'Pope among his patients.
I Day honor list this year.

