Don't Arrive Too Late

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 Q5 a year. Foreign $6.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Offic,, Detroit, Mich.. under act of Congress of March
3, 187:

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-third day of Teb et, 5719, the following Scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Sheinot, Ex. 1:1-6:1. Prophetical portion, Is. 27:6-28:13, 29:22-23.

Licht Benshen, Friday, Jan. 2, • 4.54 p. m.

VOL. XXXIV. No. 18

Page Four

January 2, 1959

Another Campaign—Increased Responsibilities

The morning after every annual pre- that unless there are marked increases in
campaign budget conference usually sig- our gifts we can not possibly fully live
nifies the informal beginning of the next up to our obligations to a great need.
It should be remembered that during
Allied Jewish Campaign.
This year, the decisions of the pre- 1959 new challenges will face Israel and
budget conference were supplemented by her kinsmen. It is believed that nearly
an earlier choice of a campaign chairman 100,000 Jews from behind the Iron Cur-
and by a most realistic approach to the tain will seek admission to Israel this
challenges that face us on the overseas year. Their hopes will be shattered un-
less there is a marked increase in in-
as well as the local scenes.
The selection of Irwin I. Cohn as cam- come for the United Jewish Appeal, ma-
paign chairman served as a signal to the jor Allied Jewish Campaign beneficiary.
community that the drive is beginning, An important point to remember is
that the duties that face us must be met that all philanthropic philosophies are
with devotion comparable to Detroit's pre- quickly shattered if the foundation for
vious demonstrations of loyalty to phil- action is not strengthened. In our case,
anthropic needs, and that we must pre- the foundation is the local community.
pare for a serious effort to surpass last Unless larger sums are raised, the local
year's results which, regrettably, were agencies are certain to suffer. They can
marked by a drastic decline in income not stand decreases in allocations. Our
as compared with the preceding year. social services for the aged and the ill
The campaign formula adopted for must gain in strength rather than lose
this year places the local and national stamina. Our schools are preparing to
agencies on a par with the overseas and up enrollments, but a reduced income
Israel allocations in the event either of will doom plans to make Jewish educa-
an increase or a decline in income. The tion available for several hundred more
adoption of last year's pledged subscrip- children.
tions as the basis for a minimal goal is
It is clear that every effort must be
an indication of realism: if economic con- made to fulfill our obligations and to live
ditions do not warrant anything better, up to our responsibilities in a critical year
there is nothing to be done about it. But, in Jewish life. The new campaign chair-
by the same token, the fact that Israel's man should be given all the cooperation
income declined to the tune of $1,036,000 necessary to assure success for the forth-
in 1958, as compared with the gifts we coming drive, and every contributor
made for Israel's reconstruction in 1957, should plan to do his utmost to help
should prove a s u f f i c i e n t incentive
for all of us to proceed on the assumption make the drive a complete success.

.
Dr. Israel Goldstein 's Spiritual Leadership

There have been numerous testi-
monials in recent times in tribute to Jew-
ish leaders, and among the most deserv-
ing was the one that was extended to Dr.
Israel Goldstein on the occasion of his
40th anniversary as Rabbi of Congrega-
tion Bnai Jeshurun of New York.
The establishment of the Dr. Gold-
stein Chair in Practical Theology at the
Jewish Theological Seminary, which had
ordained him as Rabbi in 1918, was an
appropriate way in which to recognize
his numerous contributions to Jewish life
and for the advancement of the status
of Jewries in many parts of the world.
In the principal address at the din-
ner in his honor, Dr. Louis Finkelstein, -
chancellor of the Seminary, extolling Dr.
Goldstein, warned of the need to avoid
a "total disaster" in the world through
"a real return to real religion," and he
acclaimed his colleague as being exem-
plary of the dedicated leadership necessary
to accelerate spiritual recovery by stating:

"In a world whose continued existence
depends upon our ability to progress in the
humanities, in philosophy and in the techni-
ques of ethical decision-making to an extent
which will be commensurate with our rapid
strides in technology and the sciences, we
are sorely in need of leaders who draw upon

the tradition for inspiration, and who under-
stand its application to the perplexing prob-
lems of modern civilization. There are only
two sources for such leadership.
"One is men like Rabbi Goldstein, whose
lives and careers give evidence of their
personal dedication to these goals, and who
are young enough so that we may look to
them for many years of continued leader-
ship. The other source is our youth, as yet
untried in organizational skills but who give
evidence of the religious devotion in which
such talents are best grounded. The educa-
tion of these young people, so that they may
fulfill their promise, is perhaps the greatest
immediate challenge facing any of us."

Representatives of movements in
every walk of life joined in honoring Dr.
Goldstein and in recognizing the validity
of the encomia which were expressed in
recognizing his services. His leadership
in the Zionist movement, in the Jewish
National Fund, in the American Jewish
Congress, in the Jewish Conciliation
Court, in the National Conference of
Christians and Jews as well as other civic
movements, have assured him indelible
honors in Jewish history.
We join in congratulating this dis-
tinguished leader and in wishing him
many years of good health so that he may
continue to serve Jewry and humanity.

20th Anniversary of Detroit Technion Society

Detroit Jewry's contributions towards Segal, Harvey Goldman and a score of
the advancement of the Technion — Is- others, the Detroit Technion Society has
rael's Institute of Technology in Haifa— earned a place of great worth in the
will be evaluated at the 20th anniversary Haifa technological institute's advance-
dinner of the local Technion Society. ment. The 20th anniversary of the local
Since the formation of the society, society is surely only a beginning for
many concrete contributions have been many more activities, by Michigan's Jew-
made for the establishment of libraries, ish scientists and engineers, on behalf of
towards the building of the present new the . school that is rendering so many
Technion university campus and in nu- important services towards Israel's ad-
merous other ways. vancement and in behalf of pulling the
Under the guidance of a group of entire Middle East out of its degradations
leaders that includes Leon Kay, Benjamin onto a new scale of higher values in
Wilk, Murray Altman, Julius Lev, Karl human endeavor.

—The Miami Herald

Commandments and Ethics
Evaluated by Dr. Waxman

Jewish precepts and commandments, ethics and their prac-
tical applications, are dealt with by Dr. Meyer Waxman in his
new book, "Judaism — Religion and Ethics," published by
Thomas Yoseloff (11 E. 36th, N.Y. 16). It is an impressive work
and will serve an important purpose in assisting those who seek
an evaluation of the traditional Jewish religious practices.
In his effort to provide the basic facts to readers who
"evince a desire for such knowledge," Dr. Waxman sought "to
avoid technicality and abstrusevness" and he therefore "reduced
notes to a minimum," he transliterated Hebrew terms and dealt
with technical terms in nontechnical language.
There is emphasis on his having "sought to avoid writing
as a partisan," yet it is evident throughout his book that he is
motivated by the traditional ideals of Judaism, and rabbinic
lore is utilized throughout in expounding his views.
In an introducing essay, "What Is Judaism," Dr. Waxman
states that no single group in Jewry — including those who cling
to the national element — has the right to say that "This is
Judaism," "for," as he asks, "is not Judaism the share and heri-
tage of Israel, both the nation and the religion being intermin-
ably joined together as, to use a well known Rabbinic phrase,
the flame and the light which it emits?"

The value of Dr. Waxman's work becomes apparent in his
explanations of the major religious practices of our people,
and especially of the Sabbath. He begins his outline of the
institutions of Judaism with the Sabbath, and he shows what
a great contribution the idea of a day of rest was to mankind.
He shows that "the Sabbath was the most frequent target

of the quips and epigrams of Roman poets and satirists," and
he states that "Greeks and Romans were hostile and antagonistic
to the idea of a weekly day of rest." He proceeds to show that
the Sabbath is the symbol of human equality and dignity, and
explains the type of work prohibited on the Sabbath.
Describing sanctification of the Sabbath through kiddush
and habdalah, Dr. Waxman also points to intellecutal enjoyment
on the sacred day: "the Sabbath is devoted partly to instruction

and learning."

Explanations of the festivals are followed by outlines of
institutions of prayer: including the daily services, the kaddish,
Rosh Hodesh, Mezuzah, Tefillin, etc.

The chapter on the dietary laws will be found most illumin-
ating as a guide to Jewish laws of food purity.

The Jewish views on family relations, marriage, divorce
and other problems form the contents of another chapter, and
the first portion of the volume, dealing with precepts and
commandments, concludes with discussions of man and Israel
in relation to God, ethical ideals and dogmas of Judaism.

The author evaluates with skill the Jewish contributions to
world ethics.
"Judaism — Religion and Ethics" is another valuable gift by
Dr. Waxman to the Jewish bookshelf.

Servicemen 's Prayer Book

The "Prayer Book for Jewish Personnel in the Armed Forces
of the United States," issued by the Commission on Jewish
Chaplaincy of the National Jewish Welfare Board, shows remark-
able skill in abbreviating the traditional services and making
them suitable for speedy worship necessitated by conditions
existing in the military forces.
Traditional orthodox services have been condensed, and
splendid use also was made of the Union Prayer Book for
Reform services, to which a special section is devoted towards
the end of this servicemen's prayer book.
Condensed services have been arranged, in this unique
Prayer Book, for weekdays, the Sabbath and all holidays.
The Chaplaincy Commission has incorporated in this 470-
page pocket-sized book all the important special festival prayers.
In addition, there is a section of Personal Prayers—for moral
strength, for home, in illness, upon recovering from illness and
a special Confession for Critically Ill that ends with the Shema.
All the important hymns, for festivals and the Sabbath,
and an index on Psalm readings are among the features of
this valuable Prayer Book.

