THE JEWISH NEWS

20, 1951
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July
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, 1942 at Post Offic,... Detroit. Mich. under act of Congress of March
3, 187:

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Edit( r and Publisher

SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Advertising Manager

Circulation Manager

FRANK SIMONS

City Editor

Rosh Hashanah Scriptural Selections

Num. 29:1-6; Second Day,
Pentateuchal portions: First Day, Saturday, Gen. 21:1-34,
Sunday, Gen. 22:1-24, Num. 29:1-6.
Jeremiah 31:2-2 o.
Prophetical portions: Saturday, I Samuel 1:1-2:10; Sunday,
Pentateuchal portion, Ex.
Monday:
Monday,
Scriptural Readings for Fast of Gedaliah,
55:7-56:8.
Isaiah
32:11-14; 34:1-10. Prophetical portion,

Licht Benshen, Friday, Oct. 3, 5.54 p.m.

VOL. XXXVI. No. 5

Page 4

October 2, 1959

A Year of Challenge and Opportunity

Tonight we commence another interesting year. It will be a period of challenge
and of opportunity. In the course of 5720 we will be faced with many tasks involved
in our spiritual, cultural and human obligations. It will be an especially challenging
year for American Jewry. -
American Jewry can no longer be considered primarily a fund-raising element
in world Jewry. For many years, dating back to the First World War, our people
have been engaged in the serious tasks of providing relief to needy communities. It
began during the destruction of many communities in the first international calam-
ity. We had helped to rebuild the destroyed Jewish centers.
Then came World War Two, with its calamities and with the Nazi brutalities.
A third of the entire Jewish people was exterminated and millions became depend-
ent upon us for help. We not only did not abandon them: we also assisted in their
redemption in the redeemed Land of Israel.
The era of relief, while it continues because of repeated tragedies that demand
our concern, nevertheless is no longer major in the demands upon our generosity.
We must for many years to
come, continue to be the
partners of the Israelis in
making their State self-sus-
taining, and we must assist
the Jews behind the Iron
Curtain and in Moslem
countries emerge with dig-
nity out of their degrada-
tions.
The major obligations
todiy are in the spiritual
and cultural spheres. We
must strengthen our educa-
tional programs. It is essen-
tial that our religious com-
munities should be elevated
and that the traditions of
our people should be the
guiding factors in our lives.
Perhaps the tasks are not
as simple and the endeavors
we are to undertake not as
easy as they appear on the
surface. The increasing
freedoms, the reduction in
anti-Semitic manias and the
gains we have made in the
battle for human rights
have been contributing fac-
tors in an increase in assimi-
lationist tendencies. It is
this internal problem that
must be solved, and our
people must pool all avail-
able resources to strengthen
our communities culturally
and spiritually.
That is why a strength-
ened educational policy and
an increased religious fer-
vor must be viewed as the
primary activities for the
coming year.
Most of our problems to-
day are related to the edu-
cational needs. There is a
shortage of teachers, and
only a continued deep in-
terest in our existing
schools, and especially in
the functions of such higher
classes as those provided by
the Midrasha of the United
Hebrew- Schools of Detroit,
will contribute toward a
solution of the basic prob-
lem involved in creating a
well-informed Jewish com-
munity.
In the interests of such a
strengthened cultural • out-
look, we urge unified action
by all elements of American
Jewry. In this spirit we
extend to all our communi-
ties best wishes for a very
Happy New Year.

Several 5720 Responsibilities

Several problems are increasing in scope and will
call for real statesmanship on the part of Jewish leaders
during the New Year 5720.
The issues involving Russian Jewry are very seri-
ous. There is an organized effort to secure cultural and
religious rights for our kinsmen in the Soviet Union.
On the basis of officially avowed Russian contentions
that there are no religious prejudices . in Russia, that
cultural rights are granted the many nationalities in the
USSR, it was to have been expected that Jews would
have a right to resort to Hebrew as well as Yiddish in
their studies, conversations and communications; that
they would have the right to sponsor a Yiddish theater
and to publish a Yiddish newspaper. They have been
denied these rights, and in spite of the fact that they
are labeled "Jews". on their passports, they are actually
a people "branded" rather than "recognized."
It will be one of the major hopes of 5720 to see
Russian Jewry placed in the same category as all other
nationality groups in the USSR.
During 5720, world Jewry also will have the con-
tinued task of rescuing Jews who still are virtually
imprisoned in Moslem countries and behind the Iron
Curtain.
It will be the specific task of American Jewry
during the New Year to battle for an end to discrimina-
tion against Americans of the Jewish faith in Moslem
countries—primarily in Saudi Arabia where there is a
proscription against Jews stationed with the American
armed forces—and also to fight to the limit against the
Arab boycott of Israel and of Jewish business firms in
this country and elsewhere.
Our tasks "inthe New Year also call for increased
efforts in behalf of a secure and self-sustaining Israel.
,May we be found courageous and prepared to meet
these challenges during 5720;

monzar) rano ri)Dw