THE JEWISH NEWS
He Lived for Brotherhood
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle •commencing with issue ofsJuly 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., VE. 8-9364
Subscription $4 a year, Foreign $5.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942, at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
Page Four
VOL. XXVI. No. 23
FRANK SIMONS
City Editor
February 11, 1955
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twentieth day of Shevat, 5715, the following Scriptural selections will be
read in our synagogues:
•
Pentateuchal portion, Ex. 18:1-20:26. Prophetical portion, Is. 6:1-7; 9:5, 6,
Licht Benshen, Friday, Feb. 11, 5:38 p.m.
Middle East Setbacks: More Threats to Peace
Hangings that are interpreted as official
murders in Egypt, the refusal of Syria to re-
lease four captured Israelis, murders on Is-
rael's frontiers by Arab infiltrators, continue
to haunt that entire area.
While we are troubled by the Formosa
situation and the necessity for use of our
armed forces to prevent the spread of Com- .
munism in the Pacific, another threat comes
to world peace from Fascist-influenced Arab
states.
There was some hope in the position taken
by Turkey and the move made by that en-
lightened country to effect peace agreements
with Iraq, and later possibly with the other
Arab nations. But the craving for power
apparently is holding the Arab politicians
back and they are placing every available
obstacle in the path of peace.
The convictions in Egypt created horror.
Israel and the free Jewish communities ev-
erywhere, expressed their indignation over
the "hasty" hangings of two of the Jews who
were charged with espionage on behalf of
Israel. Such acts can do only one thing: in-
crease the tensions that have turned the Mid-
dle East into a powder keg, and the actions of
the Arabs are threatening to blow it up at
&most any moment. Such a calamity would
be as serious for world peace as the Chinese
situation.
What the democratic world seems to
overlook is the fact that the rule of the
Free Officers' Junta in Egypt, under the
MSC's Centennial
A series of historic events which have
great significance for all Michigan citizens
will commence on Feb. 12, to mark the
Centennial of Michigan State College. On
that day,
E C0 1
MSC will be
+
100 years old.
It
will be a
0
day for con-
y
gor a tlullaw
tiohnos
entennial t
leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Gamal
Abdel Nasser, is a dictatorship. It would
be well for those who are concerned with
the defense of democratic ideas every-
where to take into consideration the con-
clusion reached by Claire Sterling, in her
article "Egypt: Nasser Walks the Tight.
rope of Power," • in the current issue of
:The Reporter: "One thing is certain: It
will be years before any democracy —
least of all the American or British kind—
can work here."
A grave responsibility rests upon the
statesmen of the world. The quest for peace
can not be limited to the Pacific. It must be
extended to the Middle East, and a firm stand
is needed to prevent the threatened new out-
bursts of trouble.
Israel, meanwhile, is making overtures . to
the United States, Great Britain and France
for military ties to the West. The era of
neutrality is ending and there is a definite
tendency on Israel's part to be included in
the Western defensive organization.
A New York Times correspondent in
Washington outlines Israel's request for
three "binding and definitive" - commitments
from the West as follows:
I. A new security _ guarantee upholding
the status Quo and promising to come
to Israel's aid if she is attacked.
2. An undertaking, in view of the Arab
states' hostility toward Israel, not to
change the balance of power, either
negatively by refraining from supply-
ing arms to the Arab states or positive-
ly by supplying Israel with enough arms
to offset Arab strength.
3. An affirmative act integrating Israel
in the Western security system, much
as Iraq has been integrated by her arms
Supply agreement with the United
States and her pending pact with Tur-
key, which is a member of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization.
The search for defense arrangements is
an indication of the growth of anxiety over
the war threats that plague Israel. Opinion
prevails that an earnest effort by the West-
ern powers could end the tensions in the
Middle East. But the intrusion of anti-Israel
propagandists in this country and in Eng-
land, the platforms that are being given
them, the encouragement the Dorothy
Thompson and other groups are receiving,
point tiya long struggle before ISrael can
make headway in -her appeals for peace.
1$4.5•1955
A Review by MORTIMER J. COHEN
Author of PATHWAYS THROUGH THE BIBLE.
Rabbi of Congregation Beth Sholom, Philadelphia, Pa.
AWAKENED: A Novel. By Margaret Abrams. Philadelphia, Jewish PublicatioR
Society of America, 5715-1954. 344 Pages. $3.50.
This should prove a most controversial novel, not so much
for the story it tells, but for what it implies about American Jewisil
life, about the condition of Judaism in America of our times.
The story it narrates is simple, direct and engrossing. It con-
cerns a refugee—Rabbi Kurt Rosen and his wife Ellen—who came
to the United States and, through one of the Rabbinical Semi-
naries, was placed in charge of a congregation in a small town
in Texas.
Their struggles, their unhappiness, their achievements and
their final victory 'constitute the major part of the book. In and
about Kurt and Ellen swirl the tempestuous waters, Jewish and
American, of Fall City. HoW they helped in awakening their com-
munity to its Jewishness, how they interpreted their role in build-
Mg a better Jewish understanding within the Jewish community,
the kind of Jews they met and had to .help face their Jewishness
in all their relationships make a fascinating and engrossing tale.
Some readers may take objection to the picture the author
has drawn of. the Rabbi and his wife. Kurt and Ellen are pic-
tured in ideal terms.. Rarely, if ever, has the rabbi been shown
to such high advantage in American Jewish fiction as . m
"Awakened." Yet, if the picture is not altogether accurate, most
Rabbis and, indeed, most laymen of good will, would want to be..
lieve that Kurt Rosen and Ellen represent what the rabbi and
his wife should be like.
It is over the picture of the American Jewish community that
the author has drawn and ilT the quality of its Judaism that con
troversy will undoubtedly rage. Here is a distressing summary,
of what American Jews look like to eyes that have seen a richer
Jewish culture and a more vital Jewish communal life. Numerous
Jews are found in this story, very few if any of them praiseworthy.
These Jews run the entire gamut of Jewish attitudes, from old --
Mr. Jacobson, whose Judaism stems from former generations, to
the old Mrs. Sarah Kalman for whom Jewishness was summed
up in old habits, desiccated observances and Jewish edibles.
Perhaps the deepest theme that runs through the life of Kurt
and Ellen is the need to be awakened to the glory and nobility
of the religious heritage of Judaism. Apart from the continuous
need for interpretation and reinterpretation of Judaism to make
it a vital and challenging faith for each generation, the duty of
the Rabbi—a.s this author explains through Rabbi Rosen—is to
make his people sensitive to the reality of spiritual and moral
values, to make them more awake to the rich spiritual and ethical
treasures that Judaism holds.
"Awakened" is an excellent novel. It should be widely read,
pondered over, and discussed. Here is a story that not only rep-
resents enjoyment of the heart and mind, but is a challenge to
American Jews to think seriously upon the spiritual condition
of Jews and Judaism in our American scene. It is crammed full
of fine Jewish insights into the spiritual nature of man, the
meaning of God, the human values involved in religion, the need
for religious resources with which to face life and death, and
birth and marriage, human needs and human relationships.
"Awakened" stirs deeply the need for a better appreciation of
• To Mrs. Joseph H. Ehrlich deservedly goes our religious heritage; it calls for "awakened" Jews to -strive for
positive attitude towards the Jewish religion as an enriched way
the 1955 Fred M. Butzel Award for distin- a &,f
life.
.
,
have helped
in the prog-
ress attained
• t
& A II 5
by this great
NIA or us the hying
. io be dedicated c 0 1 1 e g e,
tem to the unfinished work .
"-Lincoln whose status
is approach-
trig that of a university. All of the Centen-
nial events, which will continue until the end'
of the year, invite nationwide interest and
provide the residents of this state with a
sense of pride in a remarkable educational
achievement.
It is interesting to note that the student
enrollment at MSC in 1857 was 123, that
the number of students dropped to 88 in guished services to our community and for
1865, then began to rise steadily, reached
the 1009 mark in 1905, advanced to 3,278 in noteworthy leadership. • •
1930, jumped to 5,622 in 1945, 14,996 in 1950
Mrs. Ehrlich shares with the four previous
and 15,525 in 1954. These figures in them- winners of the award — Julian H. Krolik,
selves point to an enviable record that lends Henry Wineman, William Friedman and
glory to our entire state.
Abraham Srere — the distinction of being
Having started as an agricultural col- chosen for the outstanding mark of recogni-
lege, and having established a great reputa- tion that can be given by our community for
tion for its Veterinary College, Michigan devoted services to Jewry.
State College—originally set up, by Gover-
Nationally acclaimed as a leader in
nor Kingsley S. Bingham's proclamation on Hadassah, the women's Zionist movement,
Feb. 12, 1855, as the Michigan Agricultural Mrs. Ehrlich continues a tradition of many
College— quite naturally drew the attention years as a leader in the Jewish Welfare Fed-
of many foreign lands to its program. Many eration,
makes the Butzel Award; as
Palestinian Jews had come to Lansing to an active which
worker in behalf of our educational
study at Michigan Agricultural College, and system, and
as a supporter of all movements
now Israelis gain knowledge in numerous
of merit in Jewish life.
departments at Michigan State College.
Last year, Mrs. Ehrlich Nkas accorded the
In congratulating MSC on its Centen-
nial, we share with all Michigan citizens the distinct honor of having the Surgical Operat-
satisfaction and the joy of knowing the ing Theater of the Hadassah Medical Center
great educational attainments that are rep- at EM Karem, Israel, named in her honor.
resented in the three significant initials. We Now, her home community honors her. It is
heartily applaud the Lincolnian philosophy with pride that all of us will join in endorsing
that was chosen- as the theme for the Cen- the choice for the 1955 Award and in ac-
teriniah YIt is for, us the- living . . . to be de- claiming Mrs...EhrliCh .fiyr her share in the
dicated. here-to .the -unfinished work -,-...... - progressive -attainments- of- Detroit -Jewry • -
*
Quaking, Querulous, or Confident?
C ontroverstal Novel on Jewish Life
Butzel Award Winner
...-
Current Trends Analyzed in
'Modern Judaism G uideposfe
Dr. Jacob B. Agus, Baltimore Conservative rabbi, offers many
thought-provoking ideas in his new book, "Guideposts in Modern
Judaism: An Analysis of Current Trends in Jewish Thought,*
published by Bloch.
Reviewing the impacts of American culture, offering explan-
ations of various trends in American Jewry and describing the
ideologies of the different religious groupings, Rabbi Agus makeS
a strong plea for the synagogue and for spiritual values. He
asserts in one of his essays: "All who are genuinely concerned
with the advancement of spiritual values among our people will
find the institutions and disciplines of religion most suited lot
their purpose."
Jewish tradition, he argues, should not be presented as a
relic from the past or as a foreign national development, but a
a cultural factor vitally relevant to our time.
Dr. Agus declares that the Conservative movement seeks *the
establishment of a rabbinic and lay body for the interpretation
of Jewish law and standards of action for our day."
He points out, in. an analysis of the views of Dr. Mordecai
Kaplan, that while the Reconstructionist ideas are at times open
to question "there can be no doubt that his philosophy echoes,. in
the main, the vague and groping sentiments of American Jewry,
Which it'beeRrning coMmunity-minded and national.
liticany-minded."