English Derby
By DAVID SCHWARTZ
(Copyright, 1957, Jewish
Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
An Israeli paper tells an in-
teresting story about the Eng-
lish Derby. We know about the
Derby in Kentucky, but the
real Derby is the English one
named after Lord Derby, and
the family of Lord Derby is
still associated with the horse
racing events.
Recently, says the Israeli
paper, the Israeli Embassy in
London was queried whether
they might name a horse that
had proved a many-time win-
ner after Ben-Gurion. The
paper reported that the Israeli
Embassy was perturbed about
the matter.
Mordecai Ben Tov, Israel's
Minister of Development, hap-
pened to be in London at the
time, attending a World Jewish
Congress session, and he was
consulted by the Embassy.
They inquired of the horse rac-
ing people why they desired.
to name the horse after the Is-
raeli Prime Minister and the
reply was that the horse had
been sired by the well known
racing horse Palestine, so that
it was fitting that the offspring
be named after the • Israeli
Prime Minister.
There was some fitness in the
name, in view of that fact, but
nevertheless, the Israeli Em-
bassy denied the request of the
English racing authorities. B: G.
will not run in the English
Derby.
I have no doubt there was
another reason which ani-
mated the English Derby au-
thorities. Ben-Gurion is as-
sociated in the public mind—
Jewish as well as non-Jewish
with winning and that could
more suggest a winner in a.
race.
We can visualize the radio
announcer broadcasting the
race. "They're off . . . Sonny
Boy in front. Sonny Boy is
nervous. Ben-Gurion is sec-
ond. Sonny Boy takes to the
rail. Ben-Gurion pushes up in
front
Ben-Gurion wins by
a nose."
The English probably can't
understand the Jewish reluc-
tance to name a horse after a
great man. Their great men —
even Lords — are proud to as-
sociate themselves with horse
races.
Jews look at these matters
differently. Take the English
term "horse sense." Jews didn't
seem to think so highly of the
intelligence of the horse. When
a Jew calls a person a "ferd"
(horse), it is not intended as a
compliment.
Yet one can't be too rigid
about the Jewish point of view.
Jews have taken a considerable-
part in American horse racing.
One of the men who played a
most prominent part in the
early development of American
horse racing was the financier,
August Belmont. He wasn't
much , of a Jew, religiously
speaking, but still he was a
Jew. The other day in the New
York papers, we read a story
about "Hop-A-long Abromovich"
who it appears, has cut a very
considerable figure in the New
York race track circles.
In Israel, too, the attitude
toward horses has undergone a
change. Mayor Diesengoff, the
first mayor of Tel Aviv, used
to 'ride from his home - to the
city hall of Tel Aviv on a horse.
The early "Shamer," when the
Zionists began the modern de-
velopment of the homeland,
were always pictured riding on
horses. I don't know how it is
today, but horsemanship was
one of the requisites of the
early Chalutzim and I don't
doubt that Ben-Gurion did some
saddle duty kri his early days.
—
Thirteen pieces in a "baker's
dozen" originated when King
Louis of France warned all
bakers who gave under meas-
ure that they would be be-
headed..
"A RABBI INVITED
GE NIANY"
A Report By
RABBI
FRAM
FIRST RABBI TO BE
OFFICIALLY INVITED
TO VISIT THE NEW
GERMANY
Just returned from a month-
long tour of Germany as the of-
ficial guest of West Germany's
Chancellor Konrad Adenauer,
Rabbi Fram will present a series
of six exclusive articles, begin-
ning in next Sunday's Times, giv-
ing his eye-witness comparisons
of West Germany versus East
Germany. You surely will want
to read it. It's important that
you do.
DR. LEON FRAM
SENIOR RABBI TEMPLE ISRAEL
Dr. Fram, only Rabbi ever invited by the Germans in their exchange of persons program,
tells how Detroit is a strong influence on the rebuilding of Germany.
Rabbi Fram's fascinating articles present a true picture in striking contrast of living
under freedom of enterprise in the western sector of Berlin compared to the weary unen-
thusiastic existence under Communism in the East Berlin sector.
Rabbi Fram reveals what has happened to anti-Semitism, the swastika, the German's
idea of European unity, history teaching of the Nazi period, Nazi shrines, concentration
camps, education in their schools and colleges, opportunities for youth in such towns as Bonn,
Frankfort, Munich, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, and Ulm all of which he visited.
,
RABBI FRAM ANSWERS MANY PERTINENT QUESTIONS INCLUDING:
• Will rearmament restore the Prussian and Jingo
spirit of domination in Germany?
• Can and should a Jewish community be installed
in Germany?
• Will the present democratic regime be able to
meet the test of adversity?
• Has Germany given up the idea of dominating
power in Europe?
• What are the educational opportunities for Ger-
man youth?
• Is the educational system of Germany geared for
democracy?
• What progress has been made in rebuilding
homes and industries ruined by World War II?
• Is Germany pressing for world trade?
• Is Germany willing to go to war to bring about
the reunification of Germany and regain territory
taken by Poland?
• What kind of people are at the head of the Ger-
man Government?
• What is the feeling of Germans about the United
States and its forces of occupation?
• DON'T MISS IT ! Starts Sunday !
EXCLUSIVE IN THE
•
•
Arr
* * • 1 1
nate.%
•
111 e S
Phone WOodward 3-8800 for Home Delivery •
9-THE DETROIT JEWIS H NEWS -- Friday, June 2 1, 1957
B. G. and the