el Call to Action Mr Jewish
Education in Tercentenary Year

Community Youth Schedules Program
For Jewish Book Fair's Youth Night Dec. 6

By MORRIS JACOBS
Chairman, 1951 Jewish Education Month

This 28th year of the observance of Jewish Education Month-
in Detroit ..oincides with the observance of the Tercentenary Year
of J3wish life in America. Three hundred years ago a rugged
handful -Di Jewish pioneers found their way, over what seemed
limitless stretches of ocean, to seek asylum in the New World, and
to seek. the right to live within the tenets of their ancient Faith, and
to pass on to their children their glorious heritage. It s a far cry
from this beginning on the soil of America f - '' ''
in what is today called New York, to the
dedication of the newest and most modem
building of the United Hebrew Schools, the
Esther Berman Branch, at Schaefer and Seven
Mile Road, a few weeks ago.
Jewish education has had a primary place
in the activities of the leaders of the Detroit
Jewish Community from its inception. The
community at large has been generous in
financing the growing community with new
facilities and providing the newest pedagogical
methods and systems. The leaders and the Morris Jacobs
community - IA large have combined to give dignity as well as se-
curity to the teaching staff. But somewhere along the way in
our march of 300 years of growth and progress the community
at large has lost the urge to follow in the footsteps of our fathers.
We build better buildings, but we do not send our children to He-
brew schools. This hold.' true particularly of our girls. It is a
shocking fact that girls account for only a small percentage of the
total enrollment in the United Hebrew Schools today. The en-
rollment of girls in the five-day-a-week school has declined, and
if it maintains this pace of decline, I need not tell you of the
dangers in store for corning generations. The mothers of tomorrow
are being shown today that there is no need for a Hebrew educa-
tion!
Is it coincidence that girls crowd the Sunday schools to go
through the symbol of 'consecration or confirmation to acquire at
best the merest acquaintance with Hebrew? Or is this, too, a
problem which confronts the synagogue leadership which is strug-
gling to find a solution? Will the answer come from United Hebrew
School classes in synagogues, such as are now being conducted in
several of our local houses of worship? Certainly those community
leaders who are devoting their energies to the field of Jewish
education must survey the scene thoroughly and search for a solu-
tion to this grave problem.
You and I are of the fortunate generation which was privi-
leged to witness the creation of the State of Israel, and the rebirth
of the Hebrew language as a living tongue. You and I have ties
with the new State and the people of Israel which we inherited
from our parents. An invisible bond has held us together through
the horrors of gas chamber executions in Europe to the new life
on the ancient soil. We shall continue to hold our hands in broth-
erhood and help as long as help is needed! But what of our chil-
dren? What will be their bond with the children of the present
day builders of Israel?
There can be only one bridge between our children and the
children of Israel's pioneers—the Hebrew language! If we give our
children—boys and girls—a Hebrew education, we need have no
fear that the two largest Jewries left on the face of the earth
will be strangers to each other. Across that bridge from Israel will
flow Hebrew art, music and literature, and Jewish life in America
will be strengthened by that flow! And across that bridge from
America will flow modern technological methods and skills that
will help build a sound ..iconomy in Israel! If we do not fail our
children now, historians 100 years hence will have a more mag-
nificent record of American Jewry's growth and development than
those being recorded in our Tercentenary year celebration now.
In our hands lies the responsibility of Jevish education and Jew-
ish life in America. May we be proven worthy of that responsibility!

librarians and sales personnel.
Interested persons should call
Carl Einhorn or Matilda Rubin,
TR. 5-8450.
The Jewish News herewith
prints the first of a series of
lists on books received for the
Book Fair. The first is a list of
books for children. If marked
with an asterisk, the book is
suitable for youngsters from 3
to 6.
"Jolly Jingles for the Jewish
Child," by Ben Aronin; Jane
Bearman's "Good Shabbos,"-
"Happy Hanukah," "Passover
Party," "Purim Parade" and
"Shevuot Time;" "Noah and
the Animal Boat" and "The
Jingle Book for Jewish Chil-
dren," Jacob Ben Ami; "The
Jewish Child Every DE y," Edith
Covich; "Starlight Stories,"
Lillian Freehof; "Hillel's Hap-
py Days" by Mamie Gamoran.
Others are "The First Book of
Jewish Holidays," Robert Gar-
vey; "Mickey Marcus," Halperia,
and Kreinik; "The Story of
Noah," Lila Herzfeld; "The Drei-
del Who Wouldn't Spin,"* Libby
Klaperman; "Hanukah Activity
Book" and "Child's Activity
Book," Ktav Pu:,,lishers; "Mother
Goose Rhymes for Jewish Chil-
dren," Sara Levy; "Bible Jingles
Coloring Book," Malino and
Joyce; "Now We Begin," Marion
and Ephraim Rosenzweig.
I Concluding the list are Adeline
Rosenwat - r's "Primal. : Songs
and Games for Children in the
Religious School," "The Dreidel
Hero,"* by Sharon Ross; "Bible
Stories for Jewish Children,"
Ruth Samuels; "Alefbet in
Rhyme and Story" and "Rhyme-
land for Jewish Children,"
Edythe and Sol Scharfstein;
"Hanukah Is Here," Robert Sol;
"Judah and the Brave Macca-
bees," Edith Teitelbaum; "Little
New Angel," Sadie Weilerstein;
"Molly and the Sabbath Queen"
and "What the Moon Brought,"
Sadie Weilerstein.

A representation of teen-age communityites meet to set plans
for their :anticipation in the third annual Jewish nook Fair,
scheduled from Dec. 4 to 6, at the Davison Jewish center.
* • *
Approximately 65 young peo publications, including a five-
ple, from 13 to 17, met recently volume "History of the Jew-
to plan the Youth Night program iSh People 1492-1920." A sixth
for the third annual Jewish Book volume is now being written.
Other works are "Traditions
Fair, to be held Dec. 4. 5 and 6,
at the Davison Jewish Center. and Revolution," 1952; "The Men
The youth contingent rep- of the Renaissance," two vol-
resented 12 young people's or- umes, 1949; "In the Path of
Generations," 1944; "Cervantes,"
ganizations in the city.
1952; and "Giordono Bruno,"
Under the guidance of Matilda 1953.
Rubin, Book Fair coordinator,
the group elected officers and ' Niger, born in 1883 near Minsk,
selected committees. Harold Stul- Russia, was educated at thd Ye-
berg, of the Northwest Center's shiva in Berezin, the Minsk
Teen-Age Council, was chosen Yeshiva and University of Bern.
chairman, while Rose Schwartz, Drawn to writing through poli-
of Adas Shalom will serve as tics which dominated his youth,
he helped to found the Lithera-
co-chairman.
Chairmen were chosen for rishe Monatshrift, the first pe-
riodical devoted solely to Yid-
program, hostess, refreshment
and publicity committees, all dish literature in Vilna, in 1908.
In the dispute between Yid-
of which will meet from '7:30
to 9 p.m., each Thursday, until dishists and Hebraists 'regarding
the Fair. These representatives the national language of the
will plan and execute the spe- Jewish people, he upheld the im-
cial youth program on Dec. 6. portance of Hebrew literature
while arguing that Yiddish be
Organizations represented in- used "to give literary expression
clude Cong. Shaarey Zedek, Cen- to the awakening national Jew-
ter Northwest clubs, United He- ish consciousness. He later be-
brew Schools, Adas Shalom. Sy- came a Yiddishist leader.
nagogue, Cong. Bnai Moshe,
Niger became a teacher, a
Cong. Beth Aaron, Temple Israel,
Detroit Leaders
Bnai Brith Youth Organization, writer and a school teacher
in
Russia
before
immigrating
Temple Beth El, Sholem Alei-
Confer With Sharett
c h e m Institute, Workman's to the United States in 1919.
Circle and Cong. Ahavas Achim. He joined the staff of the
JERUSALEM, Israel — Three
Youth Night is only one of the Jewish Day, and began a series
Detroit Jewish leaders, Max M.
of
literary
columns.
attractions of the Book Fair,
Fisher, executive of the Aurora
Regarded as the dean of Yid- Gas Company and treasurer of
which is designed to appeal to
all segments of the community, dish literary criticism, Niger has the Jewish Welfare Federation
Another important feature of served as president of the Louis of Detroit, Max J. Zivian, head
the Fair will be Yiddish-Hebrew LaMed Foundation of Detroit, of the Detroit Steel Corporation
I and wrote "Die Tzveishprachig- and chairman of the capital
night, on Dec. 5.
Sponsored by Sholem Aleichem keit fun Unser Literature" on be- needs committee of the Jewish
Institute, United Jewish Folk ' half of the LaMed . Fund, in Federation, and William Avru-
Schools, W o r km e n's Circle, which he renewed his hope in nin, associate director of the
Landsmanshaften Council, Kvut- unifying the Yiddishist and He- Federation, conferred with Prime
zah Ivrith and United Hebrew : braist factions in Jewish litera- Minister Moshe Sharett, who ex-
Schools, in cooperation with the ture.
pressed his gratitude for aid ex-
His latest works include "I. L. tended . by Detroiters to t h e
Center, the event will highlight
be found to attract and train the appearance of Samuel Niger Peretz," 1952; "H. Leivick, His United Jewish Appeal through
By ALBERT ELAZAR
Life and Works;" "Dertzeilers the Allied Jewish Campaign.
Associate Superintendent, United
young people who will bring to and Dr. Ephraim Shmueli.
Hebrew Schools
Dr. Shemueli, who currently Un Romanistn," 1946; a n d I The Detroit Jewish leaders,
We have seen another year of the profession a broad intellec- teaches in the United Hebrew "Bilingualism in the History of members of a special 35-man
growth in our United Hebrew tual and cultural background
. Schools is here on a leave of Jewish Literature," 1951.
I United Jewish Appeal Overseas
He edited the 1,118 page "Kid- Study Mission, met also with Is-
Schools, a year in which the en- and who will exemplify with
their
own
lives,
the
values
of
absence
from
the
Teachers'
rollment has swelled, the pro-
Training College in Haifa, Israel dush Hashem" (Martyrdom), ' rael Finance Minister Levi Esh-
gram has been intensified, the Jewish life and tradition. 1where he has been dean since 1948, which is an anthology of kol and with leaders of the Jew-
various testimonies and chron- ish Agency for Palestine, t h e
years of attendance per child in- I The Jewish Community of De - 1 1949.
creased and the desire to con- troit, through the Jewish Well He received his doctorate at icles pertaining to past Jewish UJA's principal beneficiary in Is-
tinue after Bar Mitzvah and fare Federation, demonstrated , the University of Breslau in 1922, martyrdom, and also edited rael. Mr. Eshkol expressed
graduation has brought about in past years that it stands and took advanced studies in "Achisefer" (Hebrew), 1943, praise for help extended through
the expansion of our High School ready to meet the needs of our sociology, philosophy and his- which contained studies in the the Detroit Fund, and stressed
schools as they arise. This year tory at the University of Frank- literature and language of the that many more millions of dol-
Department.
lars are required to meet the
Paradoxically as it may seem, ! too, we feel confident that the fort. He also is a graduate of Jews.
A recent call for volunteers growing refugee emergency
this very expansion of our significant saying from the the Jewish Theological Seminary
to 'serve at the Book Fair on all stemming from the tense situa-
schools and the intensification Mishna, " V' T a 1 m u d Torah ' of Breslau.
His m a n y distinctions as three days has resulted in a tion.
of its program both curricular K'neged Koolam", (but the study
and cocurricular bring forth a ' of the Torah excels them all) , an educator include the trans- "fine response," a committee
number of problems which re- ; will serve as a guidepost in the I lation of Machiavelli and spokesman said this week. There
28—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
quire the attention of the com- ! planning for Jewish education Thomas Moore into Hebrew. still are openings, however, for
Friday, November 19, 1954
clerical
workers,
book
reviewers,
numerous
of
He
is
the
author
I
in
our
community.
munity.
One of these problems is that
our present physical facilities I
are already over crowded. If the
Illustrations by MAURICE del BOURGOI
pace keeps up, and i, is our firm
Text by DANIEL ELAZAR
conviction that it will, we will Copyright, 1934, by American Jewish Preto,
need additional space to accom-
AND ✓ EW/S// SOL D/ERS CONDUCTED
THEM SELVES iv/TN SUPERB 5Al/ht.
odate new pupils. Also, increased
/A.1 /776,JEW/E11 - AMER/cAA/ al/SYNE-5S MEN
AMP BRAVERY ON THE BArrzEr/E4o/
S/CNED A ,NON-afPoRTAT/ON AGREEMENT
enrollment poses the question
As A PRETEST AGA/A/S'T "THE HRIT/5N
OF
TYRANAIV
of needing additional trained
At..rs
K/N6"5
professional teachers.
In order to maintain our
standards, ways and means must

-

Growth of Detroit Jewish Education
Leads to Overcrowdedness in Schools

THE TERCENTENARY STORY

Parley Votes to Form
European Zionist Council

BRUSSELS, (JTA)—A decision
to establish a European Zionist
Council to coordinate and en-
courage Zionist activities
throughout Western Europe was
unanimously adopted at its clos-
ing session here after an all-
ht meeting.

I I. The Jews in the American Revolution

