Proposed Conservative Beth Din on M 'ridge
And Divorce Arouses Opposition of Orthodox

With Reform leaders cool to
the entire idea, Orthodox lead-
ers this week adamantly op-
posed the new Conservative plan
for revision of marriage and
divorce laws. In Orthodox ranks,
virtual war has been declared
on the Conservatives in oppo-
sition to the new regulations.
The new Conservative plans
call for the establishment of a
Joint Conference on Jewish
Law and of a Beth Din or Court.

'Learn Thyself, Teach Thy Children'
Suggested as Educational Goal

By BERNARD ISAACS

Superintendent, United Hebrew Schools

The Conference is being set up by Prof. Saul Lieberman, Dean
Adult education, which has
jointly by the faculty of the of the Rabbinical School.
been neglected for many years
Jewish Theological Seminary
Under the new contract the and which is revived spasmodi-
and the Rabbinical Assembly
bride and bridegroom are re- cally from time to time, dates
and will serve as the official in-
quired to recognize the Beth back to the very birth of our
strument in Conservative ranks
in all matters governing Jewish Din as "having authority to nation. When Moses was about
laws of marriage and family counsel us in the light of Jew- to ascend Mt. Sinai, he did not
ish tradition which requires call together the children of
welfare.
The Joint Conference's first husband and wife to give each school age to teach them the
other complete love and de- word of God—he called the "peo-
assignment is the adoption of a
ple," the adults.
votion. ."
takkanah for the ketubah, the
They were the ones whom he
marriage contract, worked out . Rabbi Harry Halpern, presi-
dent of the Rabbinical Assem- taught, and they, in turn, were
bly, pointed out that "in the enjoined to teach their chil-
American milieu there has been dren—"and thou shalt teach thy
no authority with power to pre- children diligently." This be-
vent abuses of the traditional came the national characteris-
law. Our position here necessi- tic of our people—to learn and
to teach. -
can elections for Egyptian lis- tated the establishment of a
During the Talmudic period
teners, the Cairo radio declared Beth Din and the creation of a
(3rd
to 5th Centuries, A.D.) there
marriage
contract
in
which
"What mainly interests the Arab
countries . . . is not the victory bride and bridegroom place were established institutes of
of one party over another, but themselves under its jurisdic- learning even for farmers who
the pursuance by the American tion, if we are to prevent flag- could not pursue any studies
Government—of whatever party rant abuses of Jewish law by during the year. For them there
it may be—of a policy compati- the unscrupulous as, for ex-- were set aside the months of
ble with the lawful interests and ample, the refusal to issue a Elul and Adar, when they were
rights of the Arab countries. The get, or Jewish bill of divorce- free from their agricultural en-
Palestine question will remain ment, after a civil. decree has deavors, during which time
1popular courses were given an-
been granted."
the criterion."

180 Members of New Congress
Against Arms for Arab States

WASHINGTON, (JTA) — At
least 180 members-elect of the
84th Congress are on record as
being in disagreement with the
Administration policy of provid-
ing arms to the Arab States be-
fore they make peace with ,Israel.
In all, 336 candidates for the
Senate and House of Represen-
tatives committed themselves in
advance of the election on this
issue. Of the total, 252 signed
a declaration circulated by the
American Zionist Committee for
Public Affairs opposing . arms
grants to the Arab states until
they reached a peace settlement
with Israel. Eighty-four others
indicated in statements or
speeches, opposition to upsetting
the military balance of power in
the Middle East. The 336, from
39 different states, were divided
among Democrats and Republi-
cans on an approximate five to
three basis.
In an analysis of the Ameri-

For 35 Years,
UHS Has Been the
Community School

By ABE BASLE

President, United Hebrew Schools

Education Month, observed by
the United Hebrew Schools, has
for its main purpose the focus-
ing of attention of the Jewish
Community upon the work,
achievements and future plans
of the United Hebrew Schools.
In this brief article I want to
point out the fact that the
United Hebrew Schools have al-
ways served the Jewish com-
munity in its entirety, and this
is the policy which will be fol-
lowed in the future.
The first unit of this system
of schools was established some
35 years ago in the then popu-
lated Jewish district known as
the Hastings section. When the
Jewish population began to move
northward and westward, the
schools followed them in their
migrations.
Our future plans, which are
being formulated now, are for a
building in the Oak Park-Hunt-
ington Woods area and also in
the Evergreen section.
In this connection, a point I
want to emphasize is that we
have always made every attempt
to avoid duplication of effort
and expense. We have merged
with several synagogues where
we are utilizing their school-
rooms during the weekdays
while they make use of them for
their Sunday School classes.
In the new building that we
have just erected, known as the
Esther Berman Building, we are
working together with the Jew-
ish Community C e n t e r. The
same policy will be followed in
the Oak-Woods section. Of late,
we have also consumated ar-
rangements with the Sholem
Aleichem School, with whom we
are fully cooperating.
WP are very grateful to the
4wish community for their
wholehearted support, moral and
financial, given to their com-
munal schools—the United Heb-
rew Schools. We are grateful to
the Jewish Welfare Federation,
who, through their fund-raising
arm, the Allied Jewish Cam-
paign, have made all our plans,
both as to maintenance of the
existing schools and erection of
future structures, possible.

2—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Friday, November 19, 1954

Purely Commentary:

nually at the Babylonian aca.
demies of learning.
These two months were known
as the "Kalla Months." The sys-
tem of adult study was followed
throughout the ages. It was
particularly so in the Jewish
communities of Western and
Eastern Europe.
This Jewish characteristic was
lost with our coming to America,
where we limited our obligation
of learning to that of sending
the child to Hebrew school. The
result is that the child instinc-
tively feels that Jewish educa-
tion is meant only for children,
with which adults have noth-
ing to do, and which is aban-
doned as soon as the child ma-
tures and reaches the adolescent
age.
If we want our children to
pursue their Jewish studies with
earnestness and devotion, we
must go back to our own way of
living as we lived throughout our
entire history. The guiding mot-
to should be "learn thyself and
teach thy children." Only then
will we raise a generation of
Jewishly cultured people.

The New Einstein Theory : All of
Us Are Peddlers; More About
Noms de Plume.

.

By Philip

Slomovitz

' been written that Jews were among those who loved Franklin D.
'On In
the reference
Genesis of
Rufus Learsi'
to this Commenator's explanation of the nom Roosevelt and looked to him as a friend and as a savior of the
de plume Rufus Learsi, in The Jewish News of Nov. 5, a friend of downtrodden among their kinsmen in lands of oppression. If a
Learsi sends Us the following under the above heading: man was ready to send his best friends to their worst enemy,
"Many years ago, when Zionism was a small 'East Side' what was to have been expected at his hands—had these best
affair Israel Goldberg edited its impecunious magazine, 'The friends known it at the time—for their kinsmen in foreign lands?
Does the FDR Saga teach us again the truth of the Psalmist's
Maccabaean.' There was no money to pay for contributions, so
he supplied most of them himself. But since it was not good policy warning al tivtechu bindivim—place not your trust in princes?
to have his name appear more than once in an issue, he got
himself an assortment of noms de plume: Ben Mordecai, A. Spark, The New Einstein Theory: All of Us Are Peddlers
Your Commentator's wife would swoon if she were to see her
and Rufus Learsi. The last was obtained very simply: Israel
spelled backwards became Learsi, and for a first name he chose husband repairing a leaking pipe, Jr an overflowing sink or a
Rufus, the Latin for 'red,' because in those brave days his hair faucet that needs new washers. She knows better than to seek
was of a color which led his friends to call him Red. Those heroic conversion of a working reporter into a mechanic. But Dr. Albert
days are over, his hair is now gray,, but the name has stuck." Einstein has told The Reporter Magazine that if he had to live
This is, in essence, what the Commentator already has said, his life over again, instead of being a "scientist or scholar or
except that he failed to outline the genesis of a brave man's teacher" he would "rather choose to be a plumber or a peddlers*
activities. We quote Learsi's friend's statement in full in order to He was uttering a protest against the witch-hunts of our time,
question the pessimism: "those heroic days are over." Are they? the security measures imposed on scientists, the suspicions that
Rufus Learsi's "The Jews in America" is proof that there still : have been created by irresponsible politicians.
Most of us share Prof. Einstein's resentment of McCarthy-
is need for heroism and that Israel the Red possesseS it. In a
a year of celebration of the American Jewish Tercentenary, which I isms. Yet, seeking reality, we are amazed at the great scientist's
could easily prove to be a year of default, Israel Goldberg helped : naivete. Einstein a Plumber! We doubt whether he would ever
save the situation by writing just the type of history that is needed•I trust his delicate hands to rough tools to replace the violin, to
of the Jews of America. Dr. Robert Gordis calls it a "well-balanced, I Plumbing materials as substitute for the pencil that records his
all-inclusive survey of the experiences of the Jewish people on world-shaking theories in the fields of mathematics and physics.
It is easier to be a peddler—for, all of us are peddlers: ped-
these shores of liberty." Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath, president of
the Union of American Hebrew Congregation, spokesman for dlers of ideas and merchandise and human principles. This Com-
Reform Jewry, concurs with Dr. Gordis, the Conservative leader, mentator peddles news; Einstein peddles scientific marvels. Each
by stating that Learsi's history "is a fine documentation of the of us has something to contribute to humanity. But if all of us
were to turn plumbers, and were to sacrifice the right to challenge
sage of Jewish life in the United States."
Counteracting the danger that our heritage might be sold injustice through scientific and other • media, the world would be
down the river, during the Tercentenary Year, by assimilators, a the poorer.
The great scientist's latest assertion invites rejection. Because
courageous man, his hair no longer red, has given the proper
there are bigots who would curb our liberties, there is added
interpretation to our history as American Jews. He has, earlier, reason for men of literature and science and the arts to hold on
battled with fervor in defense of Zionism. He remains fearless.
to their rights and to use their influence to defeat the witch-
Who dares say, therefore, that "the heroic days are over?"
-
(In his original note on noms de plume, this Commentator hunters.
Dr. Einstein provides us with a laugh when he thinks of him-
failed to include Ahad Ha'Am, who was Asher Ginsberg).
self as a possible plumber—and the plumbers; _too, seem to ap-
*
preciate the humor of it, having given the eminent scientist
Tragic Humor: Yalta Story of FDR and Ibn Saud
an honorary plumber's union membership card. (Could it be out
In its issue before the election, Newsweek discussed "the
of gratitude that they are now so certain of freedom from com-
behind-scenes struggles over Yalta paper" and the insistence in
by genius?)
some quarters that the documents should be published. Reference petition
But we insist on keeping him in the ranks of the Peddlers of
was made to red pencilled deletions: "the galley proofs of the Ideas. In this field we are assured of his continued efforts in
Yalta documents—more than a dozen are circulating at top defense of human rights. He can't get away from the Libertarians
government levels—are splashed with red pencil marks." Among —even with his erroneous statement that stems from what we
the "suggestions for deletions," Newsweek
would like to believe as having been an outburst of temporary
reports the following lines:
despair. The humanitarian surely will emerge triumphant, to re-
"In the margin of one galley proof, Walter
confidence in the mantle of the scientist.
Bedell Smith, former Undersecretary of State, gain
*
*
wrote: 'Delete this. It is not pertinent history.'
Some
Facts
Missed
by
Bennike
Smith's reference was to a remark made by
In his rather disturbing statement, made in Copenhagen, Maj.
(President Franklin D.) Roosevelt during the
Gen. Vagn Bennike, former Chief of Staff of the UN Truce Super-
plenary meeting of Feb. 10. This remark was a
presumably jocular reply to a question by vision Organization in Palestine, charged that trouble in the
Stalin as to whether the President intended new state was "more organized by Israelis than by Arabs. He was
to make any concessions to King Ibn Saud quoted by a Copenhagen newspaper as having said: "I was very
of Saudi Arabia. According to the record, 'The much pro-Jewish when I got to Palestine. But Danish newspapers
President replied that there was only one are not getting a true picture of what is going on. Jewish view-
concession he thought he might offer and points are predominating. The Arabs have not got the diplomatic
that was to give him (Ibn Saud) the .6 million web that the Jews have and they have not, like the Jews, money,
to finance information activity."
Jews in the United States'."
Interestingly enough, he also was quoted as having said that
It is difficult to become reconciled to such
F.D.R.
jocularity. FDR was quite a kibbitzer, and for in his opinion it "undoubtedly would have been more peaceful if
had been found
a dozen years we enjoyed his keen sense of another place on the globe other than Palestine
_
humor—until we heard the story about the for the Jews to build up their nation."
There is contradiction and confusion in Bennike's statements.
bull in Israel and now the report as quoted by
Asserting
himself in Copenhagen, he showed unawareness of the
Newsweek. When an important Jewish dele-
large
sums
spent by propagandists, with the aid of a group
gation met with him to plead in behalf of
of
Christian
anti-Israelis, in Washington, in an effort to under-
those who sought escape from the Nazi hang-
UN and in
man by being granted the right to settle in mine Israel's position. The evidence is at hand—at-the
our
nation's
capital.
Palestine, he ruined their meeting by hilar-
Also—while apparently recognizing the need for a reconsti-
iously roaring with laughter which he pro-
into the error of believing that
voked for himself by relating how funny he tuted Jewish nation, Bennike fell
Republican or the wilderness of
thought it was for Jewish settlers in Palestine Tanganyika or the Dominican
a .long
to name a bull Franklin a Roosevelt—in Africa would be safer spots for Jews. His failure, after
his honor. His prolonged laughter then con- service among Jews, to recognize the historic attachment of Jews
sumed the time granted the Jewish leaders to the Holy Land is appalling. And he is totalling uninformed
- of
for their audience with the President on the about threats of a war on Jews that were made by natives
territories
that
had
been
mentioned
as
possible
Jewish
states,
3n
Ibn Saud Palestinian issue and they left discouraged.
the event Jewry had accepted such offers. In the long run,,Eretz
over
to
us
offer
to
torn
10,
1945,
The report of FDR's Feb.
will be peace_ It he 'kg
Ibn Sauct hardly lends itself to jesting., It .doesn't enhance the Israel must . suffice--and, when :there
the
good
of
the
entire
Mediterranean
area.
had.
record. It soils an interesting chapter in histo•s i n 'INIwch it

—