History in the Making
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association. National Editorial Association
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co , 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35, Mich., YE. 8-9364
Subscription $4 a year, Foreign 55.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942, at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
_
VOL. XXVI. No. 21
-
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
Page Four
FRANK SIMONS
City Editor
January 28, 1955
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sab7;b.th. the sixth. day of Shevat, 5715, the following .Scriptural selections will be read
our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Ex. 10:1-13:16. Pentateuchal 'portion. Jer. 40: 13-28.
- Licht Benshen, Friday, Jan. 28, 5:20 P.M.
Community's Wholesome Budgeting Plans
The groundwork has . been laid for the
1955 Allied Jewish Campaign. Formulas
adopted by the pre-campaign budgeting con-
ference and the initial pledges of the larger
contributors point to the continuation of a•
program which has elevated Detroit Jewry
to a high position in the field of philan-
thropy.
A generous response from a group of large
givers is proving most heartening to the
campaign planners. Even more encouragincr
however, is the wholesome attitude adoptal
by the budgeting conference held last Sun-
day in anticipation of the needs to be faced
by our community.
Recognizing the necessity of continuing
the support we give to the local educational,
health-protecting and recreational agencies,
the budgeting conference nevertheless took
into consideration the obligation to provide
„the maximum of available funds for overseas
relief and for the rehabilitation of new set-
tlers in Israel.
An unfortunate decline in income in re-
cent years has caused an inevitable reduc-
tion in allocations to the United Jewish Ap-
peal. It stands to reason that the only way
of averting further cuts, and of preventing
also the possibility of reductions in the in-
come of local agencies; is to assure maxi-
mum support for the entire Allied Jewish
Campaign. This, of course, is the objective
of our local leaders who are striving ener-
getically to reach every potential contribu-
tor and to secure all the funds that can pos-
sibly be raised, and all obtainable increases.
Meanwhile, the assurance of increases to
the UJA, so that Israel's hands may be up-
held in a time of crisis, and the enthusiasm
that is. being generated by a group of in-
spired leaders who are determined that the
current drive should succeed, help to elevate
the spirit of those who are conducting the
campaign.
The inspirinc7 message of Dr. Joseph J.
Schwartz, who addressed the first of a series
of planned campaign meetings here; the in-
spiration that came from the testimonial
dinner given last Saturday in honor of Ed-
ward M. M. Warburg, in New York, and the
earnestness with which our campaign plan-
ners faced their responsibilities at the bud-
geting conference last Sunday, join in pro-
viding strength to our community, Whose
record for giving, judging by initial indica-
tions, will not be diminished.
Have Faith in Our Young People
By raising questions relating to the mini-
malized participation of our young men and
women in community affairs, as a result of
the challenge that was addressed recently
to local leaders by Mr. Abe Kasle, our Com-
mentary column appears to have forced the
issue into the open. Numerous communica-
tions—written and telephonic—indicate that
many people are vitally concerned in the
problem and that many are anxious to find
a way of drawing into communal efforts the
young adults.
The interest shown in the questions we
have raised is in itself a hopeful sign. The
suggestion advanced by one of our corres-
pondents that the Detroit Service Group of -
the Jewish Welfare Federation should as-
sume responsibility for a solution to the
problem—if we may call it a problem—points
to existence of a sense of confidence in our
central community organizations, with a be-
Turkey and Israel
lief that they can tackle the major issues
that face
•
. *-
Solutions, however, must be found not in
fund-raising, but through cultural channels.
The Allied Jewish Campaign, whose fund-
raising activities are supervised .by the De-
troit Service Group, has been successful in
drawing into our ranks many young people.
One of the most heartening results of our
Allied Jewish Campaigns has been the ent-
ranee - into our community's active ranks, as
workers as well as leaders, of many able
young people. The chagrin is over the fact
that the cultural efforts of the Hillel Foun-
dations and other similar educational move- I
ments. have not been as successful as we had
hoped in attracting large numbers of our
students and of the young adults.
It is possible that a part of the blame is
due to uninspired leadership in that area, or I
to the inability even of the finest scholars '
in our ranks to create the enthusiasm that is
needed to establish a thriving young Jewish
community. In that case, a complete revision
of our educational approaches to our youth
is necessary. If we commit errors in efforts.,
'Second Book of Maccabees'- .
Valuable Apocryphal Volume
Translated by Rabbi Sidney Tedesche, edited by Dr. Solomon
Zeitlin, "The Second Book of Maccabees,P published by Harper,
is one. of the foremost contributions to Jewish literary publication
efforts in recent years.
The fourth issue in Jewish Apocryphal Literature, the appear-
ance of this volume, which was published for Dropsie College by
Harper, was made possible by the encouraging aid of Louis M.
Rabinowitz and the. Lucius N. Littauer Foundation of which
Harry Starr is president.
Dr. Abraham A. Neuman, president of Dropsie College, said,
"It is difficult to do full justice to Mr. Rabinowitz and Mr. Stan
in the appraisal of their significant contributions to the advance-
ment of scholarship and particularly to the encouragement of
scholars who as a class are the true benefactors of mankind."
Cass Canfield, chairman of the board of Harper & BrotherS,
said that one mark of a healthy culture is wide scholarly activity
in all fields, not merely those which 'yielded marketable results.
He expressed the wish that more men would be endowed with
the understanding appreciation of the value to society or
scholarship and scholars displayed by Mr. Starr and Mr. Rabino-
witz.
The Jewish Apocryphal Literature Series has attracted the
attention of biblical scholars throughout the world. The publica-
tions are under the literary and scholastic supervisiOn of an
editorial board comprised of outstanding scholars of which Dr.
Neuman is chairman and Dr. Zeitlin, professor of rabbinical
literature at Dropsie College, is editor-in-chief.
Dr. Neuman ,points out in a foreword that the distinctive.
character of II Maccabees lies "in its theological implications;
in the new religious perceptions which were emerging beyond the
borders of Judaea . . . This was the soil in which the roots ot
Christianity were sprouted."
The text of II Maccabees is presented in this book in the
original Greek, with an accompanying English translation and
appended commentary and critical notes.
Of special importance is the lengthy introduction in which.
the historical background is offered. The reader learns of the
struggle between two empires, and the policy of Hellenization
which was the cause . for the Jewish rebellion under Judah
Maccabee.
A basic theme in the Second Book of the Maccabees is the
story of Hannah and her seven sons who sacrificed their lives to
vindicate their faith in the God of Israel. The machinations of
the High Priesthood, the "deification" of Antiochus and related
issues are reviewed in highly scholarly fashion that pursues
the policies of previous Dropsie publications.
"The Second Book of the Maccabees" is a worthy literary
creation. It enhances the aims of Dropsie College and its
sponsors.
to inspire our children, who should be pre-. I
.Iraq and Turkey recently concluded a pared for activity as young adults in the
mutual defense pact agreement, and Leba- Jewish Community through the element-
non and Turkey held four days of talks on ary Jewish education provided f o r • them,
the controversial Middle East defense plan. they should be corrected.
It was reported that the Arab League con-
sidered the Iraqi-Turkish agreement objec-
The opinions expressed by some of the
tionable and viewed it as a blow to Arab young people continue to show that there
unity.
still is confusion in their ranks; that they are
What's behind the Arabs' political moves uncertain of their position; but that • they '
which seem to undermine all efforts at peace share with the rest of the community a . To Charles Angoff goes the well-deserved credit , of having
and eventual unity among all nations in that desire to strengthen their ranks and to draw created a high standard for Jewish novelists. He does not select
area? This AP despatch from Beirut, Le- the young _ _ adults into active communal af- the vilest or make a negative element in life look vile. He seeks
fairs.
banon, possibly explains the situation:
to elevate ideals. He searches for the finest qualities in his char-
Working together, the problem can be acters. He approaches his subject with a great deal of pride. Ile
"A Jordan Foreign Ministry spokesman solved. Surely, there are many interested lends dignity to his work, and his self-respect begets respect.
said at Amman that the Arabs oppose the young men and women who will be ready to
His series of novels published until now already have evi-
Iraqui-Turkish pact 'because Turkey is an respond to a call for action and who will denced these high qualities. He now emphasizes them in his new
ally of Israel.' He asserted that Arab alli- share as much in cultural and social pro- novel, the continuation of his story about his relatives, whom he
ances with allies of Israel would facilitate gram as they have in fund-raising and in - has transformed into heroes of this monumental work.
"The Sun at Noon" is the third volume in his collected works.
the work of Israeli spies in obtaining the the excellent record they have established
secrets of the Arab governments.'
through their efforts for the Allied Jewish Like its predecessors, it is published by Beechhurst Press (11 E.
36th, NY16). Bobbe Leah and Bassel, Chashel, Motel and Nechame,
again are portrayed, wholesomely, as factors in an evolutionary
Such misleading obstructionism seems to Campaign.
There
really
is
only
one
way
of
dealing
be exerting sufficient influence to prevent a with the issue: by assembling representa- development of an American Jewry.
In his new novel, Angoff portrays especially well the young
genuine peace movement in the Middle East. , tives from student bodies and from young
Harvard
student, David Polonsky. It is clear that Angoff now
Unfortunately, some American officials are adult groups and, as suggested in the Com- enters upon
a new phase of American Jewish life—the rise of a
Influenced more by the defeatist and war- mentary in o u r recent issue, by learning young generation
whose characters are better known to the
mongering elements in that part of the from them the reasons for their abstentions readers, with whom the community of Jews is better acquainted.
world than they are by the peace-seekers. from Jewish activities and for the manner
The aspirations of the young American Jews become evident
That is why Israel remains in danger.
in which they react to calls for their partici- in this story. Not law and medicine alone, but work for the
government, teaching, writing, are spoken of as equally important
Turkey, however, represents the most pation in Jewish educational and communal as careers. The new thinking is reflected in the reactions of the
wholesome force for peace. In spite of • pres- affairs.
heroes of "The Sun at Noon." This novel represents a new
While convening such an assembly, we approach, and as in the earlier Angoff works it retains a coin-
sure from Arab League members, Turkey
has retained the friendliest relations with Is- must have faith that our youth is truly and ! mendable dignity. This offers the assurance that his work will
rael and now has come forth with a plea vitally interested in their people's welfare not be interrupted and that his reading' public will increase.
Charels Angoff is slated to be. one of the guest lecturers in the
for Israel's recognition by all Arab states. and advancement. If we learn how to inspire
Perhaps relief for that • entire area will be them, -we shall surely, draw them into-Jewish course to be offered •next- semester at Wayne 'University under;
' the LaMed Professorship of Jewish 8tildie's.. • it' good eliole4
activities.
provided by Turkey's positive attitude.
Angoff's 'The Sun at Noon'