THE JEWISH NEWS . . Hold it .F 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., 17106 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35. Mich., VE 8-93(34. Subscription $5 a year. Foreign $6. Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Offict, Detroit, Mich.. under act of Congress of March 3, 1879. PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher SIDNEY SHMARAK Advertising Manager CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ FRANK SIMONS Circulation Manager City Editor Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the thirteenth day of Tishri, 5719, the following Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Haazinu, Deut. 32:1-5 2. Prophetical portion, II Samuel 22:1-51. Licht Benshen, Friday, Sept. 26, 6:31 p.m. Sukkot Scriptural Selections, Monday and Tuesday Pentateuch& portions on first two days of Sukkot, Thursday and Friday, Lev. 22:26- 23:44. Num. 29:12-16. Prophetical portions: Thursday, Zachariah 14:1-21; Friday, I Kings 8:2-21. VOL. XXXIV. No. 4 Page Four September 26, 1958 Unethical Boycott ancrMoral Health' in Business Dr. Louis Finkelstein, Chancellor of the business life of some Americans. For the Jewish Theological Seminary of some months now, frantically urgent ap- America, arguing that the businessman's peals have been addressed to a number of moral failures may lead to the destruc- exporters not to become parties to an tion of our society, in an article in Fortune unjust boycott of Israel that was inspired Magazine, made this observation: by Arabs who are bent upon destroying "Morally sensitive and informed Israel. businessmen can c o in p e I American It has been pointed out that the eco- philosophy and religion to focus on the nomic boycott of Israel does not help the basic problems troubling mankind." downtrodden masses of the Arab people, "The businessman can," Dr. Finkel- and that all it does is prolong the state of stein asserted, "without 'moralizing' war between the two kindred peoples. (which would be deadening and self- But that is just what the Arab war- defeating), transform his home into a mongers want, and honest businessmen school for moral responsibility." should not be parties to such destructive Calling upon the businessman to international programs. "literally place ethics on the agenda—for There still are a number of business himself at home and in the office, for the firms that continue to support the Arab company and trade association," the dis- boycott. There are cigarette manufactur- tinguished leader of Conservative Juda- ing concerns that go along with a British ism proposed that the businessman concern which has yielded to Arab pres- "should put moral health on the same sures in supporting the boycott of Israel. level as mental and physical health, Others have just as blindly gone along indeed above them. This means he with Arab attempts to end Israel's exist- should read literature dealing with ence. ethics, alone and with colleagues and scholars; work for the establishment of This is where Dr. Finkelstein's pro- research in ethics, as he has worked posals could do a world of good. The magnificently for the development of boycott of Israel is unethical. It is as research in science and technology." unethical as if the businessmen involved These are unusually interesting and had boycotted an element of their own sound bits of advice for the man in busi- people, among their workers or their ness, in a critical time in the nation's competitors. history, and all of us should pray that Dr. What the manufacturers and export- Finkelstein's admonitions will be listened ers who go along with the Arab boycott to and his suggestions put into practice. need is a lesson in ethics, some training in the "moral health" that Dr. Finkelstein There are many areas in which Dr. wrote about. Finkelstein's advice can be workable. It Nothing else has helped when appeals car work in relation to the workingman. were made to the manufacturers of ciga- It can function in competitive activities. rettes and to others, who are guilty of It can be applied also to the relationship participation in the boycott of Israel to among nations. abandon their destructive tactics. Will a In the latter sphere, we are compelled lesson in moral laws do some good? to touch upon a very disheartening situa- Here is an opportunity to put Dr. tion that has entered dishonorably into Finkelstein's theories to the test. Drawn For National Newspaper Week by Povl Conrad of the Denver Post Morris Epstein's Fine Children's Book 'My Holiday Story Book Morris Epstein is one of our best informed Jewish writers. He is especially well equipped to write stories for youngsters, whose cultural needs he understands and the approaches to whom he makes so ably as editor of World Over. His newest book, "My Holiday Story Book," published by Ktav Publishing House (65 Suffolk, N. Y. 2), therefore is a most welcome addition to the Jewish children's library. Quoting Rabbi Mein, "for the children's sake I give you Torah," Epstein fulfills this admonition in every story in his book. He knows how to address children, and each of his tales proves it. Steeped in Jewish knowledge, he imparts the basic ideas to the young reader. He begins with "Fish for Sabbath" and concludes with the Shavuot narrative, "A New Commandment." Sandwiched in are other holiday stories. In the Shavuot story, the festival is viewed as two holidays —as a harvest festival and as the Ten Commandments holiday. The child, Gita, in the story, tells her mother that there ought to be eleven Commandments — the eleventh to keep the other ten! The other stories are: "The Boy's Prayer" for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur; "Gita Meets Some Friends" for Sukkot and Simhat Torah; "The Old Dreidel" for Hanukah; "Gita Asks a Riddle" for Tu b'Shvat; "Father's Secret Invention" for Purim; "A Just Reward" for Passover and "Rabbi Akiba's Answer" for Lag b'Omer. Informative, entertaining, well-written, Epstein's stories will thrill the young readers. The parents will delight to share the stories with their children when reading it to them. "My Holiday Story Book" is, indeed, a very fine book for youngsters. `My First Book of Prayers There is a growing need for books with Jewish contents for the very young readers. A most attractively published little volume—five inches wide by 101/2 inches deep—provides just such a need. It is "My First Book of Prayers" by Edythe and Sol Scharfstein. Appropriately illustrated by Ezekiel Schloss and Arnold Lobel, this little volume, published by Ktav Publishing House (65 Suffolk, N:Y. 2), opens with "Good Night Prayers"— "Forgive me if I have this day Done any wrong in work or play • Before I sleep I'd like to say: . 'Thank You for a happy day.' " There follow prayers for Good Morning, Sportsmanship, Daily Food, Foods That Grow, Good Deeds, Prayer for Help, For Everything, The World, Shma YiSroel, All of Me, For Morn and Dad. For Friendship, For Our Home, . Sabbath Prayers, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simhat Torah, Hanukah, Purim, Passover, Shevuot and America. The titles indicate not only the wide range of subjects but also the all-inclusiveness of a child's everyday interests. The Scharfsteins' "My Filst Book of Prayers" is a 'most appropriate and helpful little volume. It will be found very useful in teaching young children their Jewish duties and to inspire them in Jewish devotions. Despots Continue to Rule Middle East Western aid to Arab nations continues unabated. But while the democracies are assisting backward nations in an effort to strengthen libertarianism and to offset communist inroads, the Arab peoples who are surviving with our help are dis- criminating against our citizens. Two weeks ago, it became known that Jordan was barring members of the Jew- ish faith who are serving in the armies of the Western powers. Last week, Sidney Silverman, a Jewish member of the British House of Com- mons, who sought admittance to Jordan for the purpose of visiting British troops stationed there, was prevented from entering the ,Hashemine kingdom. A World Jewish Affairs report from London this week stated: According to the Amman correspondent of the London Times, conversations between the Jordanian authorities and the headquar- ters of the American forces in the Lebanon on the question of permitting American sol- diers to visit the Holy Places in Jordan "have reached a standstill because Jordan made her agreement conditional on preventing any American soldier of Jewish origin from entering her territory." Simultaneously, the British Embassy in Tel Aviv has confirmed reports of the Israel Government having given special permission for the flight over Israel on 1st September of members of the Jordanian Royal family in a - the Queen Mother; King Hussein's daughter Alia, his sister and Queen Zein's aunt. The members of the Jordanian Royal family were reported to have been "on their way to have medical treatment in Europe." That's how the Arab nations are re- paying the United States and her allies for favors extended to them. And thus far there has not been a single protest against the despotism and bigotry of the Arab nations. Congress is in recess, and there is hardly a public forum where a protest can be uttered against injustices to Jews. It is about time such protests were heard. * * Speaking of protests, one must begin to wonder what has happened to the so-called Presidents' Club. It was formed by heads of nearly all our national Jewish organizations, for the purpose of acting in time of crisis. But it has been ominous- ly silent in the last several months. It should have spoken in protest against the undue involvement of Israel into the most recent Middle East crisis by irresponsible propagandists. But its leaders were silent. It should have spoken out against the revived boycott of Israel, but this Club has suddenly become in- visible. '1_1.2. • • F The Term `Massorah' By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX Copyright. 1958, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc. 1 The term "Massorah" has come to be known as the word used to refer to Jewish tradition. The original word as found in the Bible is said to come from the Hebrew root meaning "to bind." The Talmud (Babli-Ketubot 106a) tells us that a standard copy of the Bible was deposited in the court of the temple for the benefit of the copyists who made and wrote scrolls. All texts were copied from others which were originally taken from this manuscript, Along with the manuscript went an oral tradi- tion which divided and subdivided the text, provided rules for pronunciation, spelling, grammar, and writing style. This tradi- tion was later standardized and written down in the form of