Caught Between East and West
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., VE. 8-9364 Subscription $5 a year. Foreign $6.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1952 at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Circulation Manager
FRANK SIMONS
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
- This Sabbath, the twenty-fourth day of Tishri, 5718, the following Scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Gen. 1:1-6:8. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 42:5-43:10.
Licht Benshen, Friday, Oct. 18, 5:54 p.m.
VOL. XXXII. No. 7
Page Four
October 18, 1957
Myra Journeys Home: Fine
Story of Return to Jerusalem
THE S. R. 0. SIGN—standing room only—
belongs to the theatre, not to our schools! Yet
overcrowded classrooms have become
common throughout the nation these days.
In some localities, classes are being conducted
in two shifts, just to make sure each child
has a place to sit.
With greater numbers of children entering school
_ each year, additional classrooms are vitally needed,
and many more qualified teachers must be provided,
You can help, here in this community, by joining
your neighbors in citizens committees and
community conferences, supporting programs
for these necessary improvements.
A helpful booklet is yours, free of charge—
showing how similar problems are being solved
in other parts of the country. Write: Better Schools,
9 East 40th Street, New York 36, N. Y.
Major educational problems—the shortage of teachers and the decreasing num-
ber of available seats for pupils—are affecting also the Jewish schools.
During our community's Education Month, a traditional observance that was first
introduced here and has since become a national observance, the attention of our
people is called to the needs for the advancement of our educational facilities.
It is urgent that every boy and girl should be enrolled in our schools—either in
the community's over-all United Hebrew Schools systerhs, the congregational schools
and the other classes that are available.
Parents must also interest themselves in the material needs of the schools. Funds
must be made available for the upkeep of our schools. The Allied Jewish Campaign
does that, in the main, in addition to income from tuition, and the campaigns spon-
sored by the Federation Must be supported generously, so that the cultural efforts
should get our fullest support.
Then there is the need for more school buildings, especially in the newly-develop-
ing sections of our community. We must sh are in efforts to encourage young people to
pursue the teaching profession, and in ord er that such an interest should be produc-
tive of the best results, we must provide for our young people the proper schooling.
The Midrasha, the college of advancement studies of the United Hebrew Schools, is a
basis for such intensive studies.
Much needs to be done. It can be accomplished—with proper community interest.
The objective of our special Education Issue and of the Education Month is to
inspire such interest. We hope that the results 'will be exceedingly good.
About two years ago, Elizabeth P. Witheridge wrote an
interesting story for children, about a Hebrew girl in exile,
under the title "Mara of Old Babylon." Her publishers, Abington
Press (201 S. 8th. Ave., Nashville 2, Tenn.), have just issued
a follow-up to this story, "Mara Journeys Home." As in the
earlier work, the fine illustrations are by Lucille Wallower.
In the new children's book the Hebrew girl, Mara, is on
her way with her family to Jerusalem. It is a journey home. It
is a tale marked by adventures, by historical analyses, by the
revelation of a family secret.
Mara's grandfather tells her of a secret—a treasure left
for- her by her grandmother, after whom she was named. It
inspired added personal interest in Jerusalem in the young girl.
The author reveals a fine understanding of Jewish tradi-
tions and aspirations. She made sure, by contacting a rabbi and
another rabbi's wife, to assure accuracy for her details. Thus,
this is a story that can be read without prejudice and with
keen interest by Jews and non-Jews alike.
It is interesting that the community of the exiles in Babylon
should have been named by the author "Tel Abib."
Elizabeth Witheridge, who did a great deal of research in
preparation for her story, writes a sympathetic story of the
Hebrews' return to their ancient homeland. The grandfather
says to his granddaughter, Mara, as they approach Jerusalem:
"How often I have looked at the beautiful Temple on that hill.
I can see it now as it used to be I can see our house as it was
in this place so long ago. These things are gone, but they will
come again. This land is ours. Yes, 'my child, I feel at home
again."
In this spirit, Mara says that she, too, feels at home in the
homeland that was strange to her because she is a child of
Babylon. In this spirit, a good tale has been told very well.
'Judaism Under Freedom'
"Judaism Under Freedom," by Dr. Ira Einstein, one of
the leaders of the Reconstructionist movement, published by the
Reconstructionist Press, (15 W. 86th, N.Y. 24), is a valuable
guide for democratic action and for a linking of spiritual with
social and political values.
In a sense, this volume is another effort at propagating
the Reconstructionist idea. In his foreword to the volume, Dr.
Mordecai M. Kaplan, the founder of Reconstructionism, states
that while it has become hard to live as a Jew under conditions
of freedom from discrimination, a sense of direction and
purpose for such living is provided by the Reconstructionist
approach.
In his discussion of Judaism and democracy, Rabbi Einstein
advocates the preparation of suitable syllabi as guides towards
a solution of the problem of pluralism and to strengthen faith
in inter-faith efforts.
His volume strives to show how Jewish values can be
recovered and expanded. He devotes considerable thought to
the emergence of the New Jew in Israel and to Israel's important
roll in the American democratic experiment. The charge of
dual loyalties is demolished and there is strong advocacy of
support for Israel by all Americans.
'Teach Me to Pray
"Teach Me to Pray," prepared by Rabbi David I. Cedarbaum
and Libbie L. Braverman, is an interesting guide for the study
of prayers.
Covering all the holidays and the Sabbath, this book for
children, published by the Bureau of Jewish Education of
Chicago (72 E. 11th St.), explains the prayers and helps the
young student to understand the prayers.
Starting with Rosh Hashanah, this book explains the
Shofar's significance and the words associated with the sounding
of the ram's horn.
In this and other sections of the book, dealing with Yom
Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, Shavuot, Hanukah, the Sabbath,
Kiddush, etc., the relevant terms are incorpoi ated in questions
and answers, and provisions are made for written exercises.
"Teach Me to Pray" should be used as a textbook in our
schools. It has great merit and deserves acceptance by our
educational systems throughout the land.