THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS—Fr iday, March 27, 1959
Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Two Centennials—Sholem Aleichem's and Ben Yehuda's
World Jewry takes note this year of two centennials—
the 100th anniversary of the birth of Eliezer Ben Yehuda
(Perlman), whose name is perpetuated in Jewish history as
"the father of modern Hebrew," and Sholem Aleichem (Solo-
mon Rabinowitz), the great humorist and interpreter of Jewish
•
mores and conditions in the ghettos of Russia.
Each, in his way, left an indelible mark on the events
that transpired in Jewish life- in the early decades of this
century.
Both were men who suffered from tuberculosis, who defied
personal sufferings to carry on their work: Ben Yehuda as the
propagator of Hebrew as the language of Palestine and of
present-day Israel; Sholem Aleichem as the prescriber of laugh-
ter as a cure for Jewish miseries from persecutions and eco-
nomic sufferings.
Ben Yehuda was 20 When he went to Paris to study medi-
cine. He gave up his studies at the Sorbonne because of his frail
physical condition. The doctors gave him six months to live.
He then wrote his famous essay, "The Burning Question," in
which he began the championing of Hebrew as a spoken tongue.
He continued to defy T his•personal ill health and to carry on his
work, and he saw the fulfilment of his dream when Hebrew be-
came the language of the Jewish settlers in Palestine. He
started the first Hebrew paper with his .son, Ittamar Ben Avi,
in 1921, and he wrote the famous dictionary which is to this
very day a great encyclopedia work for all Hebraists.
The Bulletin of the Canadian Jewish Congress reveals, in
a sketch of this "father of modern Hebrew":
"On the first day of Hanukah, 1922, Chaim Weizmann
came to pay a visit to the Ben Yehuda home (in Jerusalem),
and to ask, on behalf of the Zionist movement, that Ben
Yehuda write an article, similar to the 'Burning Question'
of his earlier years, that would spur European Jewry to come
to Zion. Ben Yehuda agreed and set to work as soon as his
visitor had left. It was late, however, and he felt he could
finish in the morning. But Ben Yehuda was never to finish
the article; he died peacefully in his sleep that same night,
leaving the 'Burning Question' as his one and only will."
Sholem Aleichem did not have as long a life as Ben Yehuda.
He died in New York in 1916. He, too, suffered all his life from
ill health. But he, too, defied his personal ailments. He knew
that his people needed courage to carry on the battle for exis-
tence under grave and difficult circumstances. He, too, left a
great testament: the lesson of laughter.
We pay honor to the two names. History will perpetuate
their names. They left great legacies to Jewry.
Equality Granted Hebrew Teachers, Principals Plan
to Israel Women Tribute Meeting for Poet Bialik
At a community-wide gather-
Cheered at UN
ing sponsored by the Associa-
25 Years After the Death of Chaim Nachman Malik.
Another great name is in the news this month: that of
Jewry's "poet laureate," Chaim Nachman Bialik.
Jewish communities, including our own, are now observing
the 25th anniversary of his death.
This is being utilized as an occasion not only to reminisce
about the great writer, who also was an inspiring leader in
Jewry, 'but also to revive interest in his writings " and in the
language—Hebrew—which he had enriched with his stories
and poetry.
Blessed be the names of these giants who gave so much
glory to our people.
Israeli Elections
—
Parties and Costs
Israel's approaching elections are arousing interest not only
among the Israelis but throughout the world.
Entrance upon the political scene of Abba Eban and General
Moshe Dayan, as leaders of the "younger element" of Israelis,
adds a vast amount- of excitement to the contests. As Mapai
candidates, they may help considerably in the labor party's
retention of power.
Of special interest at . this time, in view of increases in
taxation and the rise in Israel's cost of living, due primarily
to the expanding migration of Jews from Eastern Europe, is
the cost that will be involved in the forthcoming election
campaign.
Eliahu Salpeter,. the Jewish Telegraphic Agency's corres-
pondent in Israel, - shows in a survey he • has conducted that
there will. be a marked increase in political campaign expendi-
tures this year. Based on compilations by the Israel press, he fore-
casts the following .official campaign budgets and makes the
following comments on them:
'Party
Mapai
General - Zionists
Mapam
A hdut Haavoda
Herut
National-Religious
Agudah Yisrael
Poali Agud. Yistael
Progressives
Campaign Clubs, Offices
IL 1,000,000
IL 2,500,000
- 1,000,000
2,000,000
200,000
1.000,000
500,000
1,000,000
500,000
1,000,000
100,000
100,000
500,000
Total
IL 3,500,000
3,000,000
1,200,000
1,500,000
500,000
1.000,000
100,000
100,000
500,000
"(The above list does not include the two small Arab parties
and the Communists, whose budgets are not known.)
"The remarkable fact about these estimates is the lack of
proportion between the size of some of the parties and the
money they officially plan to spend. Mapai, three times as large
as the General Zionists, plans to spend only IL 500,000 more,
while Herut, the second largest party, intends to spend the same
as the Progressives with a third the number of Herut's seats.
"But what is beginning to strike many Israeli observers is
the total amount involved: IL 11,600,000 by official admission,
and at least twice as much actually spent when all is said and
done. IL 23,000,000 is about two thirds of the amount the Treas-
ury hopes to raise by the levying of a new compulsory im-
migration loan. An increasing number of commentators is now
raising the question whether such spending is justfied in a year
when the nation is making a supreme effort for the absorption
of mass immigration from Eastern Europe."
The observations made by Salpeter are of interest not only
to Israelis but also to their friends in this country. The results
of the election will be watched with keen interest, and many
questions may be addressed to Israel's party leaders relative
to the costs they are incurring in the struggle for government
power. But in the long run this is an issue strictly of internal
concern. The results are what will matter in the long run.
Israel's attitude towards Mapai and its principal leader, David
Ben-Gurion, will be of chief interest in the forthcoming elections.
Direct JTA Teletype Wire
To The Jewish News
UNITED NATIONS—Israel's
policy of absolute equality for
women, in every profession
and trade, was praised by dele-
gates here Monday after a
report on the economic oppor-
tunities offered women in Is-
rael by Mrs. Tamar Shoham-
sharon.
She is Israel's representative
on the United Nations Commis-
sion on the Status of Women,
currently in session here, and
is rapporteur for the commis-
sion.
She noted that Israel has an
"equal rights" law, making it
possible for women to enter
any profession. She reported
that there is no discrimination
against women in Israel,
"either in fact or in law."
In the legal profession, 14.3
percent of Israel's lawyers are
women, and 18.4 percent of all
law students are women. Five
percent of Israel's building en-
gineers are women; 15. percent
of the country's architects are
women. In electronics and
aeronautics, 2.5 percent of the
students are women.
Youth Take Up
Grandmother's
Work for Charity
That the goad we do lives
on eternally through the deeds
of others was illustrated here
this week by three young teen-
agers.
The trio—Sandy Zalman, Ted-
dy Schneider and Gerry Faber
—learned early in their lives
that children less fortunate than
themselves should have fond
memories of their childhood.
Their teacher was an aging
grandmother, Mrs. Sarah Faber;
who passed away last year.
Although she was over 90 and
had been sightless for many
years, Mrs. Faber never failed
to respond to the challenge of
raising funds for charities.
One of her favorite philan-
thropic projects was the Mo'os
Hitim Fund, for which she
raised hundreds of dollars each
year.
And so, this year, Mrs. Fa-
ber's three grandchildren have
continued her work, and have
raised a substantial amount of
money for the Mo'os Hitim Or-
ganization of Detroit, so that
other children will have a hap-
pier Passover.
tion of Hebrew Teachers and
Principals of Detroit, tribute
will be paid to Hayim Nachman
Bialik on the 25th anniversary
of his death.
The memorial program will
take place April 5, in the Esther
Berman Bldg., Schaefer and W.
7 Mile Rd.
Bialik, the most widely ac-
claimed Hebrew poet of modern
times, was born in Radi, South
Russia, in 1873. His pious par-
ents, though poor, made certain
he received a thorough ground-
ing in Bible, Talmud and rab-
binic literature.
His first poem was written
while he was a 17-year-old stu-
dent attending_ , the Yeshiva of
Volozhyn. He called it "To the
Bird."
In Bialik's search for secular
knowledge, he left Volozhyn af-
ter two years and traveled to
Odessa, where many of the great
Hebrew writers of the day lived.
Although he alternated be-
tween business and Hebrew tu-
toring, Bialik managed time to
write one brilliant poem after
another, and soon his reputation
as a poet spread throughout the
Jewish world.
The advent of Communism
brought suppression of the He-
brew language in Russia, and
through the intercession of
Maxim Gorki, Bialik left for
Berlin to continue his work.
HAYIM N. BIALIK
After two years, Bialik left to
settle in Palestine, where he de-
voted himself to the furtherance
of Hebrew literatur and to edit-
ing and publishing Hebrew clas-
sics of the Middle Ages.
When he visited the United
States in 1926, he was enthusi-
astically received by the Jewish
communities in many cities, in-
cluding Detroit. His 60th birth-
day, in 1933, was celebrated
throughout the Jewish world,
and, at that time, he was ac-
claimed the central personality
of modern Hebrew literature.
He died only a year later.
Will Orthodoxy Abandon
Bar Mitzvahs on Sabbath?
By NATHAN ZIPRIN
Editor, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate
Is the Sabbath bar mitzvah institution on the way out from
Orthodox synagogues?
This strange question may well become the most heated
Jewish issue of the year if certain Orthodox rabbinic elements
prevail in their insistence that no bar mitzvah ceremonies be
held on the Sabbath. Their motivation is quite obvious—closing
the gate to Sabbath desecration.
The Orthodox rabbis are of course painfully mindful of the
fact that many, if not most, of the bar mitzvah guests are old
"baale aveyraniks" who do not need • a bar mitzvah excuse to
ride on the Sabbath. Yet, when that happens the rabbis and the
synagogue baale batim have in effect contributed to the viola-
tion. An aveyra under Jewish law cannot under any circum-
stance become a medium for a mitzvah. But that is precisely
what happens when one desecrates the Sabbath to attend a bar
mitzvah. The result is that both the rabbi and the baale batim
are put in the position of becoming instruments in initiating
and in a way condoning the imperthissible.
Some two or three years ago I asked an extremely erudite
rabbi how he reconciled his Orthodox position with permitting
bar mitzvah services in his synagogue on Sabbath when he must
know that many of the worshippers attending the services know-
ingly violated the Sabbath in order to partake in the bar mitzvah
ceremony. His reply was "we do not assume that Jews violate
the Sabbath." I told him that his assumption was wholly errone-
Admit Anti-Semitism ous, unless it was wishful thinking or he meant to imply that any
Jew who violates the Sabbath loses his Jewish status—again
;n Communist Party
VIENNA, (JTA)—An admis- an untenable position, one that finds no support in halachie
an
sion that there has 'been con- opinion nor in traditional Jewish thinking. This exchange was
siderable resurgence of anti. irritating one to this writer because he felt the rabbi was dodg-
Semitism in Poland during the ing the issue instead of meeting it squarely.
An Orthodox rabbi with whom I discussed the situation
last two years, and an indica-
tion that some of the anti- told me that the "chillul shabbas" resulting from the Sabbath
Semitic manifestations were in- bar mitzvah was a "chillul hashem that must be stopped if
side the Communist Party itself, Orthodoxy is to maintain its dignity and self-respect." He suggest-
were seen here in a report pre- ed to his congregation that bar mitzvah ceremonies be held on
pared for the third congress of the week days—Tuesday and Thursday—when portions of the
the United Workers (Commu- Torah are read in the synagogue. That, he said, would permit
compliance with Jewish law and eliminate Sabbath violations by
nist) Party of Poland.
The report, entitled "The the bar mitzvah, his parents and guest worshippers. He sug-
Third Congress and the Jewish gested that parties could be held on Sundays. When the officers
Population," says: "We cannot of his congregation heard of the suggestion, there was at once
forget the serious times suffer- a violent revolt, with intimations that a more "reasonable rabbi'
ed by the Jewish population, could be gotten if the incumbent insisted on his plan. The baale
especially in the last two years, batim argued the synagogue could not afford to lose the bar
when anti - Socialist elements mitzvah income on Saturdays and that if that happened many
throughout the land have at- parents would simply hire halls for bar mitzvah parties, with
tempted to come to the surface more "reasonable rabbis" officiating- at the ceremony. Others
on the crest of a wave of anti- argued that such impediments would drive many of the bar
mitzvahs to Conservative or Reform synagogues.
Semitism."
I have since learned that the rabbi I talked to was not alone
The document then indicates
that Communists were also in- in his proposal to do away with Sabbath bar mitzvahs. I under-
volved in anti-Semitism by quot- stand that reputable Orthodox rabbis and rabbinical organiza-
ing lengthily from a resolution tions are giving serious consideration to handling the problem
previously adopted by a Com- on a national apart from a local level. One way they hope to
munist Party plenum. That reso- accomplish the objective is through a takanah, religious decree,
lution enjoined all Polish Com- invalidating bar mitzvahs in which deliberate chillul shabas was
munists from participating in involved, and prohibiting rabbis to officiate at such ceremonies.
The problem promises to rage in the Orthodox world until
racist or anti-Semitic activities
and called upon them to fight the planned convocation next year of an urgent rabbinic "asifah,"
parley, where the issue_ Willbe thoroughly aired.
all such tendencies.