Prof. Simon Halkin To Speak in Detroit
For United Hebrew Schools Group
Simon Halkin, professor of
modern Hebrew literature at the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
Israel, will be the guest of the
United Hebrew Schools on Feb.
10 and 11 when he will address
a number of meetings.
At a program planned for
senior students of the Hebrew
High School and members of
the Midrasha, College of Jewish
Studies, on Feb. 10, Prof. Halkin
will speak on "Youth's Respon-
sibility to Their People."
At 8:30 p.m., that evening, he
will speak at a meeting open
to the public on the cultural
attainments of Israel since the
establishment of the . Jewish
state. There is no charge: Both
addresses will be delivered in
English in the Esther Berman
Bldg., Schaefer and Seven Mile
Rds.
On Feb. 11, Prof. Halkin will
speak in Hebrew to the teach-
ing staff of the United Hebrew
Schools. He is currently visit-
ing professor at the University
of Judaism and University of
California at Los Angeles.
Critic, poet and translator,
Prof. Halkin is one of the lead-
ing authorities in Israel on
American and English litera-
ture. His translation of Walt
Whitmah's "Leaves of Grass"
into Hebrew is popular in Israel.
Other translations are those
of Shakespeare, Shelley, Metter-
linck, Jack London and W. H.
Hudson. Only recently, he edited
the translations of other writers
on the complete works of
Shakespeare.
Prof. Halkin has held teach-
, ing posts at Hebrew Union Col-
! lege, Chicago College of Jewish
Studies and JeWish Institute of
Religion. He has published many
poems, stories, essays, critiques
and research papers in many
periodicals in the U. S., Europe
and Israel.
Wayne U. Offering
Two Hebrew Courses
Two courses in Hebrew will be
offered by Wayne University
during the spring semester be-
ginning on Feb. 7. Classes will
be in elementary and interme-
diate Hebrew. •
Both courses will be taught by
Louis Panush, in Room 62 of the
Old Main Building, and will
offer four credit hours. They
are .available for undergraduate
and graduate credit.
Hebrew 120, elementary He-
brew, will be taught from 4:30
to 6:10 p.m., Tuesdays and
Thursdays and will f e a t u r e
reading based on Hebrew folk-
lore, with emphasis on fluent
reading and simple writing.
The intermediate course, He-
brew 240, will meet from 7 to 9
p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays,
and will offer representative
selections from each period of
Hebrew literature — Bible, Tal-
mud, medieval, modern and Is-
raeli. Students will select one
author for intensive study.
Registration will begin on
Monday and continue through
Feb. 5, at the university.
,
Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Milton Friedman: 5 of 2,500 Questions to Ike
. Editor and Publisher has compiled a two-year box score of
2,500 questions that were addressed to President Eisenhower, at
press conferences at the White House, by Washington correspond-
ents. Included in the list is Milton Friedman, our able JTA Wash-
ington correspondent, who is represented by five queries. Included
among them were inquiries about Israel and the immigration acts.
We place this on the record hi recognition of Milton's excellent
work in our behalf in the nation's capital.
Incidentally, A. E. Salpeter, of Haaretz, of Tel Aviv, is reps ;
sented in the Lox score with two questions.
*
*
V S2r-is, NEWS
2— t f ?trELRy0 I ja. uEaVry
-
Abbell Named to Head
Anti-Bias Committee
More than 300 women delegates and the Arab lands.
v e l i n g,
In addition to t
from nine midwestern states will
teaching, • lecturing, preaching
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—Presi- convene in Detroit Feb. 7 and 8 and . radio broadcasting, Dr.
dent Eisenhower appointed Max- to consider problems of Israel's Voss is the author of two re-
well Abbell, Chicago Jewish newcomers and youth, it was cently completed books — "The
leader, as chairman of a newly- announced by local leaders of
Problem Today : Is-
' created five-member committee Mizrachi Women's Organization 'Palestine
and Its Neighbors,' and
to prevent discriminatiOn in of America. • - rael
Meeting in Hotel Detroiter, "The Universal God," an inter-
hiring and firing procedures
the
regional conference will faith anthology. He is a member
against government workers on
a basis of religion, race, or na- formulate campaign plans for Of the faculty of the New School
the coming year towards meet- for Social Research in New York
tional origin.
A Presidential Order directed ing a buaget of $1,120,000 for City, and a leader among the
Protestant clergy.
the committee to report directly , social services in Israel.
Mrs. Phillip Fealk and Mrs.
to the President. The new unit
Joshua Sperka will serve as
replaces the
I chairmen of the conference.
Civil Service
There will be delegates froth 39
Commission's
chapters of Mizrachi Women in
Fair Employ-
Illinois, Indian a, Iowa, Ken- I
ment Board
tucky, M i c h i g a n, Minnesota, ' Dr. Louis Perlman, an interne
which reported
Missouri, Nebraska and Ohio in at Beth _David Hospital in New
to the Commis-
York, expects to enter practice
attendance.
sion.
The Fannie. Gluck Chapter in June, at the age of 65.
A White
Believed to be the oldest per-
and Sisters of Zion Mizrachi,
House state
-both Detroit son to begin a medical practice,
ment said the
groups, are Dr. Perlman was graduated last
committee to be
hostess
chapters year from a medical college in.
headed by Mr.
for the two-day Heidelberg, Germany, where he
Abbell, estab-
meeting. M r s . was at the top of his class of
I lished at a
Emil Spilman 168.
(Presidential Abbell
But an MD degree is , only the
and Mrs. Milton I latest
level, will have in,creased stature
a long string of aca-
Winston, presi- demic in
over the old Fair Employment
achievements. Dr. Perl-
dents of the De- man has a bachelor's degree and
Board. James C. Hagerty, White
chapters, a master's degree in eastern Eu-
troit
House Press Secretary, said the
are chairmen of ropean languages from New
"increased stature" would result
the arrange-, York University, a doctor of
from the new group reporting
ments commit- philosophy from Columbia Uni-
directly to Mr. Eisenhower. The
tee.
Fair Employment Board abol-
versity, master's in education, a
The two - day law degree, doctor of jurispru-
ished by this order was created
conference will dence and a master of science.
by President Truman in July,
Dr. Voss
be highlighted by a public ses-
1948.
His first job in the United
Mr. Abbell is a former presi- sion Monday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. It States, after he arrived here at
dent of the United Synagogue of will be addressed by authorities 20 from Minsk, Russia, was as
America, central organization of on Israel. It will be open to the a factory worker. He stayed
the Conservative movement, and public and there will be no so- there long enough to go to col-
is vice ,president of the Ameri- licitation of funds.
I lege, and, when he was 30 he
can-Palestine Trading Corp. He
The guest speaker at the pub- , received a degree in podiatry
supported the candidacy of Mr. lic meeting will be Dr. Carl. Her- , (chiopody).
Eisenhower in the 1 952 election mann Voss, chairman of the ex-
In 1948, Dr. Perlman turned
campaign. -
ecutive council of the American his practice over to his son, and
Other members of the new Christian Palestine Committee, left for Heidelberg to get his
committee include Archibald J. who recently returned to the medical degree. This also was
Carey, Jr., vice-chairman; and U.S. from Israel, Turkey, Greece his first vacation in 45 years.
J. Ernest Wilkins, Assistant Sec-
retary 'of Labbr; W. Arthur Mc-
Coy, Civil Service Commission,
and Charles Kendall, general
counsel of the Office of Defense
Organization.
By BORIS SMOLAR
1
Begins Career
InMedicine
Mt
at 65
•
.
Feinberg to Open
Whitman Library
Exhibit on Feb. 9
A Fascinating Story: The Almighty and the Jewish Agency
For this story, we are indebted to Hamazkir, who, writing in
the (London) Jewish Observer and Middle East Review, tells about
a simple-minded Jerusalem Jew who addressed a petition to the
Almighty, requesting 100 pounds. He knew of no other earthly
address and sent his letter in care of the Jewish Agency. The
Agency's Finance Department, to whom it was referred, responded
to the plaintive appeal with a gift of 50 pounds. The poor man
used up the money in several months and sent a similar letter,
using the same address, making the same request, but appended
a P S in which he stated: "Please don't send the money through
the Jewish Agency as they kept 50 pounds back last time."
*
*
Behrman: A Correction and an Evaluation
Before the distinguished playwright, S. N. Behrman, learns
that Detroit has an erudite Talmudist in Irving W. Schlussel, this
Commentator desires to correct an error in last week's column
which was devoted to Mr. Behrman's."The Worcester Account," a
Random House publication.
Mr. Schlussel, a distinguished leader in a score. of Jewish corn-
munal causes in Detroit and nationally; is an outstanding Jewish
scholar, Your Commentator, who has not studied "Yevomos," the
Talmudic tractate that deals with family life and sex problems, is
indebted to him for this information:
The story about a man who "fell off a rampart," struck a girl
and she became pregnant does appear in the Talmud—in Yevomos.
But the story can not be separated from the whole of the discus-
sion on family and sex problems. In the first place, it is not a
rampart but a roof that 713 referred to—gaag is the word. And the
man did not necessarily fall off the roof upon a girl, the gaag
being referred to as the place of residence of the person involved
in the discussion. The entire dispute is one involving responsibil-
ity for a girl who became pregnant. It is part of concern that
existed in Talmudic times over family matters.
The debate that ensued was over consummation of a marriage.
High ethical principles are involved in these Yevomos debates, and
it is possible that the ancient Talmudic Jewish laws by far super-
sede in justice those in practice today in the most enlightened
countries.
The scoffers' use of the. story quoted by Mr. Behrman is a
misrepresentation. The fall described was a form of expression,
and a modern man like Mr. Behrman—whose book would have
gained so much by the exclusion of the story we took exception
to—has resorted to a fantastic angle. It may have speeded the
sale of "The Worcester Story."
What concerns us is that Mr. Behrman, whose fascinating "a
glezele varems" (A Glass of Warmth") and other portions of his
book are sufficient to make his "Worcester Story" stand out as a
delightful narrative, should have seen fit to select a story from
that Talmud that, as told, can do little good to the people whose
ancestors created that book.
. (Those, at the Allied Jewish Campaign budgeting conference
last Sunday, who may have wondered why Mr: Schlussel and this
Commentator were detained for several minutes at the opening
session Sunday, and what book they were poring over, will be in-
terested to know that it was Page 54 in Mr. Schlussel copy of
Yevomos. That's how we gathered the facts, thanks to the able
Detroit Talmudist, for the correction to last week's column).
39 Midivestern Mizrachi Women's
1 GroupsConvene Here Feb. 7 and 8
One of the most important
Walt Whitman exhibits to be
held anywhere in the United
States and abroad will open
Wednesday, Feb. 9, and con-
tinue through March, at the
Main Library, Woodward and
Kirby. The exhibition celebrat-
ing the 100th anniversary of
,"Leaves of Grass" will include
manuscripts, letters, books, and
association items selected from
the Whitman collection of
Charles' E. Feinberg. These items
will be taken out of bank vaults
where they are kept for safety.
Mr. Feinberg will officially
open the exhibition at 8 p.m.
Feb. 9, at 'the meeting of the
Friends of the Library in the
Children's Room, Main LibrarY,
I Woodward and Kirby, and will
I speak on "Walt Whitman, Voice
of America.," The program is
op_en to the public.
Mr. Feinberg, one of the
j founders of the Friends of the,
Library and a Member of its
board of directors, has collected,
I over a period of 30 years, the
most extensive collectiOn of
Whitman Material in existence,
and has become one of the
foremost Whitman authorities.
A large part of the material will
be shown for the first time to
the public.
The Whitman material will
include 140 manuscript items,
books from Whitman's library,
and books, about him< The ex-
, hibit Will represent.every period
* of Whitman's literary creative
, life.
1,
Grant Made for Catholic
Chapel Fund at Brandeis
(Copyright, 1954,:Jewish Telegraphic . Agency, Inc.)
JeWish -Sidelights
Although Jews do not conduct active missionary work, the
New York Federation of Reform Synagogues conducts a continuous
course for the preparation of prospective converts to Judaism
A similar course is also maintained in Chicago . . ,Reform rabbis
make it clear to Christians seeking to be converted to Judaism that
they do not have to undergo circumcision as required by the Jewish
religious law . . . They point out that this is required only by
Orthodox and Conservative Judaism . In the preparation course,
the prospective convert learns something of the history of the
Jews and Judaism and the basic concepts of- Jewish religion . .
He is also introduced to the literature, rituals, practices and
prayers of Judaism ... He is given an understanding of the place
and furiction of the synagogue in Jewish life, and the present-day
organization of the Jewish community ... He is also instructed on
the philanthropic undertakings of Jews who seek to contribute to
the welfare of fellow Jews and-the advancement of humanity . . .
Upon completion of his initial course of study, the convert to Juda-
ism is welcomed into the household of Israel at a special ceremony
arranged by a rabbi .. The ceremony usually takes place in a
synagogue in the presence of several witnesses, other rabbis and
leaders of the congregation . in that ceremony he is asked to
share in the faith and fate of the Jewish people and to pledge
that his children will be reared as Jews ... He is given a certificate
as an official record of the conversion; a duplicate of the certifi-
cate is placed in the archives of the congregation ... After this,
he is asked to affiliate with the synagogue, teach his children the
meaning' and practice of Judaism, practice philanthropy and help
to advance the welfare of the Jewish community . . . He is con-
sidered an equal member of the Jewish community and can
Marry another Jew or jewess without restriction, since .marriage
between a Jew and a convert to Judaism is considered by Jewish
tradition a fully Jewish marriage.
*
*
Family Trends
The conversion of non-Jews to Judaism in the United State*
is one of the sidelights of the growing number of mixed marriages
in this country . . . Very few non-Jewish men seek to adopt the
Jewish religion when they marry a Jewish girl, but the case IS
usually different with non-Jewish girls marrying Jewish men . .
The girls, anxious to bectime a part of the • Jewish family, try to
get acquainted with Jewish ritual laws and traditions . < In many
cases they become even more kosher-minded than their Jewish
husbands . • . With non-Jewish men in mixed marriages, the ques-
tion of religion usually crops up when the children start to attend .
school . Confused by questions of playmates, these children do
not know whether they are Jewish or Christian ... Sooner or later
they pose' this question to their parents, . . It is then that the
non-Jewish father and the Jewish mother have to make lip their
minds on the religious future of their children . . . Some non,.
Jewish fathers, who have in the course of their married lives dis-
covered the moral and ethical values of •Judaism through their
day-to-day contacts with Jewish life, do.not hesitate to join the
Jewish.community ... In this way they try to prevent their chil-
How-
dren from developing split and confused personalities .
ever, in most cases, the Jewish wives follow the will of their
Christian husbands and give the children a fully Christian educa-
tion in order to make them' feel that they are full fledged
A special grant for the Cath-
olic Chapel Fund at Brandeis
University, Waltham, Mass., has
been designated by Louis Perini,
manager of the Milwaukee
Christians,
Braves, and 'his family,
-