THE JEWISH NEWS
Keeping a Close Watch
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 $5 a year. Foreign $6.
Entered as •second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office, Detroit, Mich. under act of Congress of March
8, 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
Advertising
Manager
Circulation Manager
FRANK SIMONS
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath. Hol Hamoed. Passover, the sixteenth day of Nisan, 5720, the following Scrip-
tural selections will be read in. our synagogues: .
Pentateuchal portions, Ex. 33:12-34:26, Num. 28:19-25. Prophetical portion, Ezek. 36:37-
37:14.
Final days of Passover Scriptural selections:
Pentateuchal portions: Monday, Ex. 13:17-26, Num. 28:19-25; Tuesday, Dent. 15:19.16:17,
N Mit . 28:19-25. Prophetical portions: Monday, II Sam. 22:1-15; Tuesday, Is. 10:32-12:6.
Licht Benshen, Friday, Anril 15, 6:55 n.m.
VOL. XXXVII. No. 7
Page Four
April 15, 1960
New Era in Jewish Philanthropic Effort
Reorganization of the Jewish Agency's
activities in relation to the philanthropic
agencies—the United Jewish Appeal and
the United Israel Appeal—and the elimi-
nation of Zionist projects from the lists
of beneficiaries of the major fund-raiSing
agencies, has created a major internal
issue in American Jewry.
The function of allocating the charity
funds gathered in campaigns throughout
this country including Detroit's Allied
Jewish Campaign—has been assigned to a
new corporation composed of 21 American
Jews, all of whom have played important
roles in Jewish movements in this country.
It is to be assumed that the new corpora-
tion will discharge its duties honorably
and that the causes to be assisted—the
United Israel Appeal's activities in Israel,
the Joint Distribution Co.mmitte's efforts
for relief and rescue in a number of
countries outside of Israel and through
Malben in Israel, and the movements that
aid Jewish immigrants in many lands—
will be served well by the new group.
Emerging as a problem, however, out
of the new development in fund-raising
in this country, is the elimination from the
campaigns henceforth to be conducted
under the aegis and with the approval of
the new corporation of important Zionist
cultural programs.
An unfortunate series of charges has
been unleashed against Zionist parties in
the course of the discussions that were
conducted prior to the setting up of the
new corporation. While it is true that the
U. S. Treasury Department has had some-
thing to do with inspiring the reconsti-
tution of the previous fund-raising organi-
zations, it is a well-established fact that
Arab propaganda charges against the UJA
and similar accusations by the Council for
Judaism—that a portion of the collected
charity funds were used for political pur-
poses—had a great deal to do with the
reorganization.
Dr. Nahum Goldmann has ably refuted
the accusation that Zionist parties are en-
gaged in political activities. It is regret-
able that stigma should have been at-
tached to the Zionist cause by its antagon-
ists, and while the reorganization of the
fund-raising media should be welcomed—
since it puts an end to accusations that
were rampant against the UJA—abuse of
the movement that gave birth to Israel
should not be tolerated.
movement was a dedicated Christian ele-
ment that recognized the urgency of a
solution of the painful Jewish problem on
a national basis, rooted in permanency.
It was the urgency for an end to Jew-
ish homelessness that brought forth in-
creasing Jewish support for Zionism. It
was the messianic movement of our life-
time, and no manner of degrading can or
will take from it the values inherent in
its basic genuine significance in Jewish
history. It remains a great movement, with
values that are indestructible, and it must
be treated as such. Even the devaluations
that are directed at the movement by
leading Israelis do not take from it the
importance it holds for Jews to this day.
441111N-
`Goci, Man and History'--Jewish
Interpretation of Many Values
"God, as He has made Himself known to man,
is a caring God. God- is our surety that nothing that
has value, in accordance with His desire for man,
ever perishes. He is the Preserver. Because He Is we
know that no good deed and no kind ward, no noble
thought and no sincere striving for the good, are
ever in vain. Because He Is God nothing worth
preserving is ever so lost in history as not to be found
again—be it even beyond history."
This concluding thought to his "God, Man and History—
A Jewish Interpretation," by Dr. Eliezer Berkovits, just pub-
lished by Jonathan David (85 Division, N.Y. 2), gives the
reader a splendid idea- of the spiritually inspiring manner in
which the learned author, who is chairman of the department of
philosophy at Hebrew . Theological College, Skokie,
approaches his subject.
Dr. Berkovits, 'who was ordained rabbi in Berlin and who
haS studied in yeshivot in Europe, having held rabbinic posts
in Germany, Australia, England and this country, treats . his
subjects realistically and logically. He views religion from all
aspects, including the : metaphysical, and gives an account of the
foundation of religion, describing revelation as fellowship . and
declaring:
"Intellectual under: - s tanding does not constitute 'fellowship'
with: the Supreme .Being.: - Thinking about God phi/osophie
or Metaphysically -- is - not, 'Countering Him. But without th'e
encounter there ca n be . no Judaism; without it there i s n6 - •
The new arrangements place certain
Zionist activities in jeopardy. We are not
speaking of the political activities of a
separate American Israel Public Affairs
Committee, which functions as a separate
entity to disseminate facts about Israel
and whose income is not tax deductible.
We have in view the numerous cultural
affairs sponsored by the Zionist move-
ment. Significant literary projects have
been sponsored with the small income
that was hitherto allocated by the Jewish
Agency. Public lectures and the publish-
ing of important historical books were
part of such activities.
It now will become necessary for the
American Zionist Council, which must
now absorb the tasks that are being
abandoned by the Jewish Agency, to seek
separate funds for its expanding program.
The American Jewish communities should religion."
Referring to Yehuda Halevi as the "most Jewish of Jew_ish
recognize the validity of these efforts, and
encourage the new programs of the Amer- philosophers," Dr. Berkovits states that he remains to this day
"the solitary figure among Jewish philosophers of religion who
ican Zionist Council.
succeeded in recognizing the independence of the religious
There already is a multiplicity of
funds. There will, no doubt, be separate
campaigns by the various Zionist parties
for funds to provide for their needs. It is
regrettable that more drives should now -
become necessary. Each party will un-
doubtedly, formulate its own program of
activity to assure continuation of its needs.
Insofar as the American Zionist Coun-
cil program is concerned, it will be neces-
sary to educate our communities to its
new needs and to assure the continuation
of the cultural Zionist programs.
The bitterness that marked some of
the accusations against Zionist projects
should come to an end with the reorgani-
zation of the fund-raising media. It is to
It is not to be forgotten that Zionism be hoped that there will begin a new era
gave rise to the supreme effort out of of wholesome consideration of the philan-
which the State of Israel arose as a reality. thropic funds on one hand and the cultural
It began as a movement of a minority, but needs on the other. Both will need sup-
within that minority were enlisted the port. Both should be upheld. And a halt
best brains in Jewry. Supporting that should be called to vituperations.
Time to Reaffirm Faith in Our Drive and UJA
The new national set-up vis-a-vis the weeks remain before the closing of the
United Jewish Appeal places an addition- Allied Jewish Campaign, which allocates
the
al responsibility upon every community the major portion of its income -to that
campaign now in progress in behalf of UJA.
is of the
utmost
urgency
every It
prospect
in the
campaign
should be
the major fund-raising responsibility of reached and that last year's income
should be exceeded.
American Jewry.
A reaffirmation of faith in the UJA
In view of the developments that had
resulted both from governmental regular will, at the same time, give new strength
tions and internal Jewish differences of to the other movements that benefit
opinion regarding the allotment of funds, from our Allied Jewish Campaign.
Redoubled efforts in behalf of our
it is necessary now for the Jews of this
country to give evidence of their undi- campaign will give new encouragement
to the UJA and will assure success for
minishing interest in the UJA.
We have that responsibility at this our great drive for philanthropic, educa-
time in our own community. Only two tional and social service agencies.
realm, combining with it a healthy respect for the faculty of
reason . . . Revelation and reason do not conflict in Halevi's
philosophy; but neither has reason to absorb revelation, nor
need revelation defame the intellectual faculty of man—or
denigrate human nature—in order to establish its own
validity."
Encounters between religion and science are given con-
siderable attention in this interesting volume. In his analysis
of the features of the encounter, he describes "the basic
religious experience." He asserts that the encounter should not
be confused with mystical communion, which, he says, "is the
end of all relationship and, therefore, also the end oU all
religion."
He asks, "If the encounter is the fundamental religious
experience, what do we understand by faith?," and he describes
the conflict between the God of religion and the Absolute of
metaphysics. He asserts the necessity for imperfection. He
involves the reader in a discussion of the essence of the law.
Dr. Berkovits clears up a lot of "fuzzy thinking", by showing
how to look at problems—problems which have ever been
bothering man—in a different light. He discusses "ethical
dilemmas" from which ethics is unable to extricate itself by its
awn strength. He ,calls attention to the dualism of human nature
and how this dualism can be resolved.
`Jewish Child's Bible Stories'
A revised and enlarged edition of "The Jewish Child's Bible
Stories," by Addie Richman Altman, illustrated by Resa Babin,
has just been issued by Bloch Publishing Co.
Commencing with the story of Adam and Eve ("The G'rden"
is the title of the story), and concluding with Judah Maccabee
("The Story of Hanukah"), the major personalities who figured
in Biblical history are accounted for in Mrs. Altman's book.
While the stories of the heroes are related, the reader mean-
while also learns about the Jewish festivals and other occur-
rences in early history. Thus, Queen Esther is described as part
of "The Story of Purim."
The other characters in the book are: Cain and Abel ("Two
Boys"), Noah ("The Great Rain"), Abraham ("The Visit of the
Angels"), Isaac ("The Ram on the Mountain"), Esau and Jacob
("The Brothers"), Joseph (dealt with in two stories — "The
Dreamer" and "The Governor of Egypt"), Moses (two stories—.
"The Baby in the Basket" and "The Great Leader"), Deborah
("The Woman Judge"), Ruth ("A Story of Love"), Samuel ("The
Boy Priest"), David ("The Shepherd King"), Solomon ("The
Wise King") and Daniel ("The Man of God").