Detroit Thrills to Historic Message of Dr. Silver
the LaMed Literary Foundation I tradition for philanthropy which
The course, to be a history of has made it possible for us ti I
American Jewry, will begin this provide succor for the less for-
Wednesday, at . Wayne, with Dr. tunate who could not share with
Bernard Weisberger as the in- us the blessings of this great
land; that we, in turn, in rec-
structor.
Stirton also announced the ognition of our role as libertari-
gift of Mr. and Mrs. Morris ' ans accepted with pride and
Schaver who will establish a .. with courage the greatest as--
Publications Fund at Wayne for Signment ever given to a people:
the. ,printing::of Jewish . books that of aiding in the establish-
Other funds acknowledged by . ment'of the State of Israel:
"As we recall these achieVe-
Stirton as Marking the Tercen-
tenary contributions of Detroit ' rnents, on this great festival,' we
Jewry include the $175,000 con- are aware also of a challenge—
tribution of Mrs. Aaron DeRoy of the immense question mark
towards the Wayne Medical that asks: what of the future?
Sehool Building and the recent Are we prepared to retain and
$25,000 gift of historical volumes to perpetuate our heritage?
by Leonard N. Simons to the
"We are confident that our
university library.
reply during the Tercentenary
Speaking on behalf of Mayor Year is in the affirmative; that
Cobo and also for the Univer- we shall rededicate ourselves to
sity, Stirton said it was philan- the task of elevating our com-
thropy such as this, channeled munity standards and of streng-
into such a great urban uni- th'ening our spiritual and moral
versity as Wayne, that enables forces."
education to be disseminated
Slomovitz expressed thanks
among all the peoples of the to his. associates who assisted
city.
in Tercentenary arrangements,
In his address, Slomovitz, who and especially commended the
served as toastmaster, stated in untiring efforts of the dinner
part:
arrangements committee
"We are gre. atly privileged to chairinan, Mrs. Hy Burnstein, -
be gathered here for this histor- He also thanked the Tercen-
ic spiritual birthday party, to • tenary Committee's executive
rejoice in our status as free men secretary, Irwin Shaw, and his- •
and to express gratitude that staff on. the Jewish Center,
the 23 Jews who established the notably Mrs. George Rubin
first congregation of Jews in and Abraham Kastenbaum,
this country not only created • for their assistance.
the beginning for the world's
Thanks were extended to
largest Jewish community but Leon Wayburn for his efforts
also assured for those of us as chairman of the -public re-
who came after. them security lations committee, for arrang-
and freedom. •
ing television and radio pro-
"Each of the 23 could well grams, to Charles E. Feinberg,
DR. BERNARD • WEISBERGER have said with Joseph, in the co-chairman of the Detroit
Biblical story (Gen. 45:7), 'God Tercentenary - Committee and
Announcement was made by sent me before you to preserve chairman of the exhibits,com-
William E. Stirton, vice-presi- -your lives.' We, the five million mittee, and to IKving I. Katz,
dent of Wayne University of the who came after them, can, in co-chairman of the exhibits
establishment of a .professorship turn, respond, 300 years later, committee.
in Jewish history at Wayne; with that we have accepted our heri-
Slomovitz introduced and ex-
funds contributed by Mr.. - and tage. r-iith dignity; that we; iri tended thanks to members of
Mrs. Louis LaMed„ sponsors , of turn,- have established the great the staff of the Detroit Histori-
cal Museum who were present
at the dinner—Henry D. - Brown,
Bartlett Frost, Robert E. Lee and
Miss Barbara Paulson—for the
splendid • exhibit, "Jewish Life
and Culture in Detroit."
PEI ILJP SLOMOVITZ
He •announced that this exhi;: ,
,bit will' continue through Janii.-;
The Man Who Forsook Judaism for Islam
ary and urged that organiza-
• id by tions and individuals arrange
"The Road to Mecca" by Muhammad • Asad (Publisli
fairy
tale.
It
is
the
Simon and Schuster, 530 5th, NY20) is not a
tours of the Museum. to see the
true story of a man who was born a Jew, turned Moslem and now exhibit.
is a staunch defender of the Arab cause.
Rubiner, in his brief speech,
"My story," he explains, "is simply the story of a European's called attention to the wonder-
discovery of Islam and of his integration within the Muslem ful philanthropic record - amass-
ed throughout the years by. the
community."
It is a well told story and it is revealing in many respects, Detroit Jewish community, cit-
as evidenced by his assertion that "in all my years in Arabia, Ibn ing leaders in the -community
Baud's friendship bas lain like a warm shimmer over my life." through the years who have
He refers to the Arabian King's "generosity" as "not so much a contributed, not alone with
funds, but with whole-hearted
matter of the purse as of the heart."
What has caused this Polish-born (then . Austrian) Jew to effort for the advancement of
accept the Islamic faith? There were frustrations in his Jewish the community and its welfare.
Dr. Hershman, who was given
upbringing _ which. undoubtedly Ied to his conversion. Asad
describes how he was given "a thorough grounding in Hebrew the honor of introducing Dr
religious' lore," but not "due to any pronounced religiousness in Silver, in a prefatory address,
said that the goal of Detroit and
my parents," and he proceeds to explain:
American Jews was the striving
spite
of
all
this
budding
religious
wisdom,
or
maybe
"In
for the highest possible achieve-
because of it, I soon developed a supercilious feeling toward many ments
through complete iden-
of the premises of the Jewish faith. To be sure, I did not disagree
as Jews.
with the teaching of moral righteousness so strongly -emphasized tification
In a statement following the
throughout the Jewish scriptures, nor with the sublime God-
Mr. and Mrs. LaMed
consciousness of the Hebrew Prophets—but. it seemed to me that -dinner,
said:
the God of the Old Testament and, Talmud was unduly
"The Tercentenary celebra-
concerned with the ritual by means f which -His -worshippers
were suppoSed to worship Him. It also occurred to me that this tion has • rightly stressed our
contributions to the gen-
God was strangely preoccupied with the destinies of one particular Jewish
nation, the Hebrews. The very build-up of the Old Testament as eral life and culture of America
as individuals and as a
a histbry of the descendants of 'Abraham tended to make God both
appear not as the creator and sustainer of all mankind, but, group. But, in addition, we have
rather, as a tribal deity adjusting all creation to the require- also established and maintained
ments of a 'chosen people'; rewarding them with conquests if numerous institutions—religious,
they were righteous, and making them suffer at the hands of cultural' and social—all distinct-
nonbelievers whenever they strayed from the prescribed path. ly Jewish, which hold us to-
Viewed against these fundamental shortcomings, even the ethical gether as a unique religio-cul-
fervor of the later Prophets, like Isaiah and Jeremiah, seemed tural entity within the general
framework of our American de-
to be barren of a universal message."
mocracy.
Muhammad Asad is not too -convincing. He just drifted.
"There is a need for various
Period. His reasoning is lame. After all, the faith he embraced channels to transmit and inter-
had accepted the basic ideals of Judaism. The narrower items pret our cultural values. And we
could have : been discarded for the Prophetic. But Asad had could not possibly think of , a
drifted and he is in search,, of a reason. What he offers is not better academic charmer than
impressive nor convincing.
Wayne University. We are hum-
The narrative Of- fife experienceS in Palestine, his prejudices bly proud of rwhat little we co'ild
againSt ZioniSm, his defense of the Agudist Jacol) deHaan and do to establish this first link
the Polemics he entered into against- the Jewish position and in with the hope that .it will prove
support of the Arabs may indicate why he drifted. He offers of great cultural benefit to both
another explanation: "In the Arabs I began to find something our community and Wayne Itni-
I had always unwittingly been looking for: an emotion -al lightness versity."
of approach to all questions of life—a supreme common sense- of
Rabbi Moses.. Lehrman and Dr.
feeling, if one might call it so."
Leon Fram gave the invocation
Judaism was more difficult. Perhaps Zionism was too difficult and the benediction. Mrs. Morris,
when it was possible to be embraced by the enemies. of Zionism. Schaver led in the singing of
Asad writes well. He argues with ease. It would have been better the national anthems, and the
if he had remained a Jew and accepted Zionsm. But he didn't.
Now he is in the enemy's camp. That's' too bad—but his defense
remains unconvincing. It .. is a defense for 'the enemies, not those k-DETROIT JEWISH INEWS
'Friday, Vetober. Z4 1954
t
- •
•
Whom be had - forsaken:
Continued from Page 1
ing in term§ of social progress
and welfare, in terms of human
advancement a n d civilization
More is being done in our day
for the improvement of the con=
dition of the; connnon - man . . •
than in any generation, than in
any five generations, in_f•the
past."
The audience which 'exceeded
1,200- persons also heard ad-
dresses of major importance
from several communal leaders,
included among them Philip
Slomovitz, chairman of the De-
troit Tercentenary . Committee;
Max Osnos, . who represented
Gov. Williams; Samuel H. Rubi-
ner, president of the Jewish
Welfare Federation; and Dr. A.
M. Hershman, dean of. Detroit's
rabbis.
Pure_
By
—
—
-
-
From the left: LOUIS TAMED, WILLIAM. E. STIRTON.
LEONARD N. SIMONS, Dean VICTOR RAPPORT, MORRIS
SCHAVER.
*
*
salute to the Flag was given by ovitz, chairman, Mesdames Sam-
Lawrence Gubow, chief of staff uel Heyman, Albert Prag, Wil-
of the Jewish War Veterans' ham Hordes, Sidney Shmarak,
Michigan Department, who als1 Pauline Max and Carmi Slomo-
led the audience in giving the vitz.
Hostesses: Mrs. Lewis Man-
Pledge to the Flag.
Even the dinner table decora- ning, chairman. Mesdames Al-
tions added 'significance to the exander Sanders, Irving P. Po-
occasion. Cornucopias, out of kempner, Louis LaMed, Harry
-which flowed a variety of fruit, L. Jones, Norman Drachler, The-
were arranged to honor the odore Bargman, Samuel Wasser-
holiday of Sukkot, and also man.
Telephone squad: Mrs. Sam-
being shaped like a horn of
plenty indicated our thankful- uel Aaron, chairman, Mesdames
ness at living in this land of David I. Berris, Samuel Wasser-
man, Charles E. Feinberg, David
plenty.
Goldberg, Samuel H. Leib, Mor
Mrs. B u r ri stei n, dinner ris Friedman, Ralph Pierce,
arrangements chairman, was as- Phillip Stollman.
sisted by the following commit-.
An inspiring message was Sent
tees.
to the gathering by Congrega
Registrations, Mrs. Max Chom- tion Shearith Israel of New
sky, chairman, Mr. a n d Mrs. York, the oldest Jewish congre-
Herbert Fortgang, Mesdarnes_Ir- gation in America that was
ving Blumberg, Max Kwaselow„ founded by the first group of
Milton Maddin and Nathan SA,' Jews who - settled in this coun-'
verman and the Misses Eve Ka- try.
There were messages from
ner, Jane Center and Rhi5da:
Senator Ferguson and Council
Meisner.
Decorations: Mrs. Philip SlohLz President Louis C. Miriani.
Bloch, Brandeis and Fox Bnai Brith
Lodges Plan $50,000 Israel Bond Event
Leaders of the Bloch, Brandeis
and Fox Lodges and Chapters of
Bnai Brith joined forces, at a
meeting in. the home of Moe
Berman to set a goal of $50,000
in Israel bond sales at a musical
program scheduled for Nov. 9.
The program, according to its
chairman, Ernest Curtis, will
"follow the example set by Pis-
gah Lodge and Chapter re-
cently in going all out to help
strengthen the economic de-
fenses of Israel during its hour
of needs, through concentrated
sales and purchases of Israel
Bonds." . -
Selected to work as a commit-
tee with :C u r t i s, were Sam
Greenberg, co-chairman; Lodge
Presidents Henry Wald, - Bloch
Morris Dickstein, Brandeis,. and
Rubin, Opotowsky, Fox; Chapter
Presidents, Mrs. Ernest Curtis,
Bloch, Mrs. Jack SaYles, Bran-
deis Prexy, and Mrs. Philip
Fox, Fox; Israel Chairme n,
Ernest Curtis, Bloch, Sam
Greenberg and Peter' Gordon,
Brandeis, and Moe Berman, Fox.
The Council and Pisgah - Israel
chairman is Elias Goldberg. .
Between You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1954, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Community Trends
The ambition of the National Jewish Welfare -Board, -which
provides a Jewish religious program for the armed forces, is to
have one Jewish chaplain for each 1,000 Jews in the service .
In World War I, there was one Jewish chaplain for every 10,000
Jewish soldiers . . . In- World War II, there was one Jewish
chaplain for_ every. 2,000 Jewish soldiers During World War II,
the average of non-Jewish chaplains to non-Jewish men was one
chaplain for every 1,000 men . • This is the ratio which the
Jewish Welfare Board is seeking to achieve now . . . There were
good reasons why the Jewish percentage of chaplains was smaller
than the non-Jewish service-men were scattered in small groups
over large areas . . . And—now it can be told—some military ,
commands refused to have Jewish chaplains . NeveItheless,
before the World War II was over, no less than 311 rabbis had-
served in the chaplaincy . . It is estimated that at that :time:
more than 600,000 Jews were serving in the armed forces . . .1!
The .average strength of the armed forceS during the p e r i o d
1945 - 55 will be about 3,400,000, according to.. the . JWB estimate
. . . And today a force of more than 250 military and civilian:
rabbis functions at every spot in the world., American
Jewish military personnel are -stationed . . They include More.: •
than 40 Jewish chaplains overseas, :about '70- Jewish chaplains.:
in this country, and nearly 140 civilian rabbis .who serve as . offi-
cially recognized auxiliary chaplains, at domestic military in-
Stallations . . • Thus, the .TWB, is very optimiStic ;about achieving,
its goal of one chaplain for each 1,000 Jews in service in a very
proportion to their
Short time . . . It is interesting: to note that
civilian numbers in the civilian population, Jewish—as well as
nori-JewiSh—servicemen attend religious services in larger num-
Increasingly, Jewish
bers than their civilian counterparts
chaplains have been confronted with the necessity of organizing
religious classes for the children of military personnel living at. .
installations distant from organized Jewish communities . . . The
teniarkable thing is that many of the Jews in the armed services
who establish contact with the chaplains hs.ve" never been to a
.•. •.
synagogue.