neugronon or Je
Code of Jewish Religious Practices
:In • ari - article in the Recon-
structionist, Lawrence CrOlin,
Detroit Zionist leader and
member of the national board
of direetors of the Jewish Re-
constructionist Foundation, ar-
ticulates the need of present-
daY JeWry- for a- modern code
of Jewish religious practiCes.
The :need has arisen with - the
Modern rejection of divinely-
dictated law, Crohn indicates in
•his ;essay,' "T radition and
Ritual."
Necessity to re-evaluate Jew-
. ish tradition and ritual is exem.-
r-t plified in . the state of Israel,
eq" Crohn says. "There we find 'a
▪
genuine respect for tradition
and history but a sad minimum
of regard for religious perform-
ance. The overwhelmingly secu-
• larist population of Israel
Pci evinces a love for the Jewish
•
Shabbat, holidays and the Tal-
mud; but little or no regard for
kashrut, regular prayers and
many ritual procedures," he
points out.
In his article, Crohn repudi-
ates "the rationalization of old
belief" upheld by Dr. Robert
Gordis in his book, "Judaism
for the Modern Age." Dr. Gor-
dis' "Orthodox creed of. Torah
Min Hashamayim will , not
satisfy those who reject the
very idea of a divinely-dictated
law," the reconstructionist de-
cl ares.
Jewish tradition has held to-
gether many diverse groups of
Jews and the very continuity
Of Jewish life is bound up in
our traditional habits, Crohn-
admits. But he advises that cus-
tom and law be revised to "fit
the needs of the new Jew."
In advocating the formula-
tion of a new code of Jewish
religious usages, Crohn dif-
ferentiates between tradition
and ritual. "Jewish tradition
is the repository of past aims
and practices. To respect this
inheritance does not neces-
sarily involve acceptance of
ritual law as sacred in itself,"
he asserts.
In judging the validity of
ritual, "We must analyse the
_moral and esthetic values in-
herent in • Jewish usages, he
suggests. "Thus kashrut may
yet retain some symbolic idea
for us. An ancient people
sought to make all of life holy.
Eating habits were regulated to
give an aura of sanctity to man's
appetites. From this a whole
system of laws developed," he
reasons.
Yom Kippur focuses on the
concept of free-will and neces-
sity to bolster the super-ego.
It is a day for serious contem-
plation. The Sabbath . sym-
bolizes the day on which Jews
return home physically as well
as spiritually. Sabbath is a fa-
mily night," he cites as ex-
amples.
But Yam Kippur "is en-
cumbered with much medieval
and repititious_ ritual," he
points to an area for recon-
struction. "The story of the -ten
martyrs readily invokes tears
and heart-searching, but as yet
the tragedy of the six million
murdered Jews of Europe has
for the most part been left un-
spoken during this all-day serv-
ice. "New poetry, new esthetics
should conform to modern
man's interpretation of a Day
of Atonement," he recom-
mends. "Eliezer Kalir was a
famous poet in his time. We
have better techniques and
probably better poets today,"
he writes.
The love of tradition" is
noble and must not be disL
couraged," Crohn cautions.
But the structure and con-
cept of Judaism will have to
be altered to reflect the new
world-view of our times."
Realizing that comparable
alterations have been with-
stood by Jews in the past,
Crohn notes the historic
changes from sacrifices to
prayer, from Temple service
to congregational communion
and study,
"the somewhat quickened se-
construction Of Jewish customs
and ideas" need not be "too ra-
dical" says Crohn in his :Re-
ConStructionist article. "But the
revitalization of Judaisni is
Urgent. JudaiSm as a spiritual
ideal is not all-pervasive in the
lives of American Jews," he
warns.
"Our tradition - enconipasses
the whole idea - Of Jewish cus-
toms, ritual, belief and other
historic aspectS of Judaisin. To
maintain the values of this . tra-
dition will require more, than
subservience to the past. A
metamorphosis of Jewish life
is indicated, but no less than
that can satisfy the needs of the
modern Jew," Crohn's article
concludes.
Two Writers Win Awards
• In the first such departure in
the seven-year history of the
Christopher Award s, special
citations were presented to six
individuals primarily responsi-
ble for the Cecil B. DeMille pro-
duction of "The Ten Command-
ments," among them two Jews
—writers Jesse , L. Lasky, Jr.
and Frederic M. Frank.
TEL AVIV, (JTA)—"A possi-
bility has appeared" of immi-
gration of Russian. Jews to
Israel, Premier David Ben
Gurion has declared, calling the
possibility "not certain but not
unrealistic."
The Jewish youth of the So-
viet Union is "full of a desire
to immigrate," Ben-Gurion said,
because of restrictions on Jew-
ish students in Soviet univer- .
sities. -A recent visitor had: .dis-
closed; he 'added, that SOviet
universities had established a.
Jewishi quota of 1.5 per cent of
the student body. PreviouSly,
the Premier stated, the quota
had been ten per cent.
Ben-Gurion revealed that the
Soviet . authorities Were 'jam-7
ming Israel's Yiddish langauge
broadcasts beamed at the
USSR:- He also reported that
despite Soviet press charges of
Drapes — Lampshades
— Curtains —
CLEANED and HAND FINISHED
Ambassador Cleaners
12813 'Linwood
TO 8-8044-45 .
"Israeli atrocities," both Jews
Anticipating a large influx a
and non-Jews in ; the USSR immigrants, a fund of 5,000,000
were speaking of the Israeli Israeli pounds ($2,750,000) has _
Army's exploits.
been established for their care.
•••• ■•■■■.-
.
NOTICE
Readers - Residents - Voters - Taxpayers
The entire Michigan Nursery Industry has gone on
record as opposing the building of another nursery in
Southern Michigan by. the Michigan Conservation Depart-
ment, Forestry Division, for the following reasons:
Commercial nurseries in the same temperature zones
can and will produce all, the stock needed—without spend-
ing one cent of tax money! Michigan Conservation nurs- -
eries already sell over 75% of the stock produced by them
to the public—some 30, million. .
- Private nurserymen feel it is a waste of money fOr
the state to increase production one-third or to 40 million.
The cost of a state, built nursery ,is too high; $181,000 of
Soil Bank money thru the Clarke-McNary Act will be
granted , and government payrolls will be expanded.
Businessmen claim they can build the same production
facilities for approximately 25% of the amount wanted by
`the state and some nurserymen can expand for $10,000.
All the nurserymen want to do is to stay in business
without government competition, while paying taxes.
If you don't feel you should help your neighbor plant
trees with your tax money, write to your Representative,
c/o The _House, Lansing, Michigan, and Our Senator, c/o
The Senate, Lansing, Michigan. A postcard will do—but
do it now!
Behalf of: Michigan Seedling Growers and the
Nursery Industry by Gordon McCurdy
Adv.
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