Reconsideration of the Jewish
Community Center's decision to
open its facilities on Saturdays
was urged by two local organiza-
tions—the Zionist Organization
of Detroit and the Beth Abra-
ham Synagogue.
Resolutions expressing t h e
sentiments of the two groups
were submitted to the Center
this week by Judge Ira G. Kauf-
man, ZOD president, and for
the Beth Abraham by Rabbi
Israel I. Halpern, Ben Siegal,
president, and Henry Pokart,
chairman of the board.
The severest condemnation
of the Center board's action to
open the Center's facilities on
Saturdays came from Rabbi
Mordecai S. Halpern, of Congre-
gation Beth Shalom (Conserva-
tive), in his Kol Nidre sermon.
"I publicly condemn every
member of the Center board
of directors who voted to
break the sanctity of the Sab-
bath and open the Center on
Shabbat," Rabbi H a I p ern
said. "We demand, and we
stand in good company—Or-
thodox, Conservative and Re-
form Jews—a public account-
ing. We have a right to know!
In the past few weeks—com-
mencing with the brilliant edi-
torial in The Jewish News—
thousands of Jews in o u r
community have been shocked
by the news of the Center's
decision, its utter blasphemy
—and the obvious callousness,
perfidy and weakness of its
board of directors."
Rabbi Halpern demanded "an
immediate reversal by the board
of directors of its decision to
open the Jewish Center on
Shabbat. In this matter," he
said, "we might remind- our-
selves of the dictum-.of Rabbenu
Tarfon: 'It is not ours to finish
this task—but we nevertheless
are not free to exempt ourselVes-
from it'."
Facts about a National Jewish
Welfare Board survey of Jewish
Community Center attitudes re-
garding the use of Center facili-
ties on the Sabbath, secured
this week by The Jewish News,
show that out of the JWB con-
stituency of 353 affiliated Cen-
ters, 117 responded. Of the lat-
ter 27 replied affirmatively to
the question: "Is the Center
Open on the Sabbath?"
Of tl 27 Centers that con-
duct programs on the Sabbath,
the following include the health
club facilities: Rockford, Ill.;
Kingston, N. Y.; Hackensack,
N. J.; Tucson, Ariz.; Kansas
City, Mo.; St. Louis, Mo.; Mil-
waukee, Wis.; New Orleans,
La.; New Haven, Conn., the two
Centers in Pittsburgh, and Phil-
adelphia.
In the other 15 Centers, the
programs are limited to cultural
activities, religious and related
services.
$3,000,000 Loan to Aid
Jerusalem Development
Direct JTA Teletype Wire
To The Jewish News
JERUSALEM — The Jerusa-
lem Municipality has obtained
from a group of foreign inves-
tors $3,000,000 in loans for
development of the city. Muni-
cipal' officials said the 25-year
loan was signed in Switzerland
last week.
IF YOU TURN THE
`IT'S",(1
UPSIDE DOWN YOU WON'T
FIND A FINER WINE THAN
Milan Wineries, Detroit, Mich.
Expect Record Enrollment for 1VIidrasha Classes
The • adult studies depart-
ment of the Midrasha will be-
gin sessions on Oct. 26, it was
announced jointly this week by
Louis LaMed, Midrasha board
chairman, and Albert Elazar,
superintendent of the United
Hebrew Schools.
Courses will be offered this
year every evening, Monday to
Thursday, and on Wednesday
morning.
Anticipating the largest en-
rollment in its history, the
adult studies , department will
be headed by the following
faculty members:
Prof. Shlomo Marenof, dean
of the Midrasha and former
professor of Near Eastern civil-
ization at Brandeis University;
Michael Deshe and Shlomo
Steinberger, both Israeli edu-
cators now on the teaching
staff of the Midrasha.
Among the courses are Tal-
Editor, The Jewish News:
The following is our protest
against the opening of the Jew-
ish Center on Saturdays, sent
by us to the board of directors
of the Center:
"We wish to protest the ac-
tion you took recently in open-
ing the center for activities on
Saturday afternoons beginning
Oct. 31, 1959.
"In our opinion, this action
affronts the religious sensibi-
lities of many members of the
Jewish community of Detroit..
This is especially true of those
who regard the Sabbath as the
one sacred historic institution
which distinguishes us from
followers of other faiths. Your
motives may have been sincere,
but we feel strongly that your
action was ill-advised, indeed,
indefensible. Should you pro-
ceed to carry out this proposed
policy, you would, in effect,
not only offend the cherished
convictions of many Jewish
Direct JTA Teletype Wire
families of this city, but bring
To The Jewish News
reproach on the entire com-
JERUSALEM—Simcha Pratt,
munity in the eyes of the non- Israel's Consul General in New
Jewish population.
York, on Tuesday was named
"All of us condemn the
director of the
invidious policy of the Soviet
Foreign Minis-
government in rooting out the
try's Division
Jewish spirit in Russia. Cer-
f o r Interna-
tainly, no American Jewish in-
tional Institu-
stitution supported by all areas
tions.
of Jewish life, religious and
Prior to his
secular, can be justified in
current assign-
engaging in any activity giving
ment to New
offense to the Sabbath, the
York, Pr at t
most sacred element in Jew-
served as Is-
ish life since becoming a peo-
raeli Consul in
ple, no matter how grievously
Chicago.
it has been slighted in modern
Born in Rus-
times."
sia and a law
Sincerely yours,
graduate of
IDA AND
the University
ABRAHAM CAPLAN
of London,
.* *
Pratt was an
Pratt
Says Center Not Financed officer at the general headquar-
Exclusively_hy Orthodoxy
ters of Israel defense _forces
Editor, The Jewish NeWS:
during the war of liberation
I am positive that the Jewish in 1948.
CoMmunity Center was not
planned and built 'exclusively
for the Orthodox Jews in our Sholem Aleichem Lists
community, and I am just as Institute Activities
positive that it was not financed
Young married couples of
exclusively by the Orthodoxy.
Perhaps Orthodox Jews do not the Sholem Aleichem Institute
acknowledge the existence of will gather at 9 p.m., today, at
other Jews, but we have to be a the Institute, 19350 Greenfield,
little more realistic about it, as to discuss the meaning of Suk-
the administrators of the Cen- kot and to suggest methods by
ter have been. The decision to which the holiday can be
open the center on Saturday not made a meaningful experience
only was requested.by the ma- for the entire family.
Other Sholem Aleichem
jority of its members, but was
the result of serious delibera- events include the opening of
tion for the good of the major- a cultural series by Chapter
Two at 9 p.m., Oct. 24. The
ity.
No Orthodox family is ex- first program, "Living in TWo
pected to attend the Center on Cultures," will consider the
Saturday, and no Orthodox em- Greek influence on Jewish life.
ployee will be expected to work Panelists will be Phil Heide-
on Saturday, but the Center man, Irving Pinkney, Lil Gold
should definitely be open for and Lou Forman.
The Sholem Aleichem School
those who want it.
will hold a PTO meeting at 9
Sincerely yours,
MRS. MAURICE SHEPHERD p.m., Oct. 28, when Moishe
19176 Manor Drive Haar, principal, will speak, and
and future programs adopted.
Concluding the month's ac-
Expect Afro-Asian
tivities will be a luncheon of
Student Rolls to Rise the Women's Division at 12:30
Direct JTA Teletype Wire
p.m., Oct. 31. Hostesses will
To The Jewish News
be Mesdames Bessie Zarankin
JERUSALEM — The Israel and Esther Reder.
Foreign Affairs Ministry re-
ported Wednesday that the num-
ber of Asian and African stu- OSU Coach to Report
dents and experts training in
Israel will be doubled next year on Sports in Israel
Floyd Stahl, assistant athletic
to a total of about 350.
A second group of Burmese director of Ohio State Univer-
officers and war veterans will sity, will be guest speaker at
arrive in January for a year of the opening meeting of the De-
agricultural training, after the troit Chapter, U.S. Committee
first group made up of 40 fami- for Sports in Israel, at 8:30
lies finishes a year's stay at p.m., Wednesday, in the home
Israel collective settlements. of Aaron Katz, 3515 Sher-
After returning to Burma, the bourne.
families will establish border
Arrangements - fOr Wednes-
settlements engaged in both days meeting are being made
farming and defense along Is- by Detroiter Bob Morrison, a
rael patterns.
former OSU varsity football
Plans are tinder way to estab- player. All sports enthusiasts
lish a permanent Institute for are invited to attend the pro-
-Afro-Asian Farm Experts.--
gram„
Simcha Pratt Gets
New Israel Post
mud, literature, archaeology
and the Bible; beginners, in-
termediate and advanced He-
brew. In addition to the regu-
lar Hebrew courses, an Ulpan
course in conversational He
brew also will be taught.
All classes are taught in the
Kasle High School and Mid-
rasha Bldg., 18977 Schaefer.
For complete information, call
the Midrasha office, DI. 1-3407,
from 4 to 9 p.m.
Ulpan's Founder
Here for Seminar
adolescent and adult. will con-
tinue at 10:30 a.m. and 1:15
p.m., Thursday.
Currently, serving as consult-
ant to the Department of Edu-
cation and Culture for the
Jewish Agency in this country,
Dr. Kamrat also will make sug-
gestions for teaching language
to younger children.
All seminars will be con-
ducted in Hebrew. Members
of the teaching staffs of all
Hebrew schools in the com-
munity are invited to attend.
Dr. Mordecai Kamrat, known
as the originator of Ulpan in
Israel, will be the guest speaker
at a seminar sponsored by the
United Hebrew Schools at 8:30
p.m., Wednesday, in the Esther
Berman Bldg.
The seminar, at which Dr.
Kamrat will speak on the ap-
proach to teaching Hebrew to
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Both offices open 10 a.m. to S p.m., Monday thru Friday
Northwest office open Thursday Night till 9
Downtown, Friday till 6
AlS111111•1111111•11111
7-THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS—Friday, October 16, 1959
Center Asked IOur letter Box
Center Sabbath
to Reconsider Call
Action Indefensible
by Two Groups