Purely Commentary
Campaigning Closing a Day By Philip
of Reckoning .. . Calamity
SIOMOVitZ
of City Without Papers
State Dept. Official,
UN Envoy, Confer in
Israel with Mrs. Meir
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — Mrs.
Jewish law is that a kohen must not defile himself by entering Golda Meir, Israel's Foreign
funeral
home.
Kohanim
have
traditionally
stayed
at
a
distance
a
Minister received James P.
Detroit Jewry is seriously challenged. When the Allied from funeral processions. The hospital authorities stated that Grant, deputy assistant Secre-
Jewish Campaign concludes its formal solicitations next Wednes- they had installed a double set of electrically operated doors to
tary of State of the United
day, there will be urgent need for a minimum of $300,000 above meet technical requirements and to provide for the shutting of States, who is in charge of
last year's income to assure the uninterrupted functions of all mortuary doors as others opened, thereby protecting kohanim Near Eastern and South Asian
the local and national agencies and the overseas relief and against defilement. Meanwhile, the problem is at hand and the affairs, on his three-day visit
rehabilitation agencies supported by the campaign funds, and mortuary issue remains as unsolved as many others—like those here. His talks with Israeli
another $1,200,000 to provide the extra funds needed to meet of divorces and marriages and other traditions in which many officials were described as "get
emergency situations and a new wave of immigration into Israel. of the new settlers find themselves in predicaments due to strict acquainted" sessions.
If the sum of $5,000,000—as contrasted with the $4,700,000 traditional regulations.
Dr. Joseph E. Johnson, spe-
raised last year—is not secured in this year's drive, it will mark
Many orthodox leaders have advocated the convening of a cial Middle East representative
so serious a setback that our educational systenri and other major Sanhedrin to plan changes in laws that might be ruled outdated. for the United Nations Pales-
causes will suffer, and the needs of those who are flocking to Their hopes for such a parliament of rabbis remains unfulfilled tine Conciliation Commission,
Israel will be jeopardized.
on his second tour of Middle
and opposition to it obstructs action.
There are thousands who are yet to be contacted for their
Perhaps the existence of Conservative and Reform groups East capitals in an effort to
gifts to the campaign. An obligation rests upon every Detroit in Israel, even as minorities, will result in the eventual effectu- help ease Arab-Israeli disagree-
Jew to be counted among the participants in the Allied Jewish ation of many necessary changes. In any event, the point made ments about possible solutions
Campaign. Those who have not been reached for their gifts by Dr. Buber. that a third force, other than secularism and for the Arab refugee problem,
should call in their pledges to the campaign office—WO. 5-3939— traditionalism, is needed to revitalize faith, can not be waved conferred with Israel's Foreign
Minister.
to prevent even a partial failure in the current drive. If the aside without tolerant consideration.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS — Friday, April
May 2 — A Day of Reckoning
originally set $5,900,000 goal is stlil attainable, all must strive to
secure it, and if this sum is not in sight, it should at least be
approached by as large an increase over last year as possible.
Next Wednesday will, indeed, be a day of reckoning. It is to
be hoped that the challenges facing us will be honorably met.
A City Without Newspapers
Nothing more calamitous could possibly strike our city than
the prolonged suspension of newspaper publishing and the
constant threats of recurring strikes.
People whose knowledge is limited to radio and tv news and
who are deprived of interpretation and opinion become ineffec-
tive constituents of our great democracy.
It is to be hoped that whatever threats have arisen to the
media that disseminate news through the printed word will be
obviated speedily; else the very foundation of our democracy
will be imperiled.
* *
A Deserved Honor for Norman Cottler
Norman Cottler has earned a place of honor in the business
world through the supermarkets which have become central
places for shopping by the women in our community. But his
interests were not limited to his business ventures. Deeply
interested in Zionism and in Israel, he also has been a consistent
supporter of congregational and other community activities.
He is especially known for his devotion to labor Zionist
projects and to the Histadrut. His interest in Israel dates back
to his service in the Jewish Legion, alongside Israel's President
Itzhak Ben-Zvi and Israel's Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion,
in the battle for the liberation of Palestine from Turkish rule,
under the leadership of General Allenby, during World War I.
The testimonial to be given him on May 1 is, therefore, a
deserved honor on the part of Histadrut with the cooperation
of many communal leaders, Jews and non-Jews. The decision to
set up a children's home in his honor at Givat Chaim in Israel
is an appropriate way of recognizing his services.
An appreciative community joins in honoring Norman Cott-
ler for his devoted services.
*
*
*
The First Reform Synagogue in Israel
"Complete freedom of religion" as a basic factor in any
democracy is the basis of justification for the establishment of
the first Reform synagogue in Israel. It was set up in a walled
garden in Jerualem last week.
Of special interest in connection with the first definite
injection of non-orthodox congregational activities in Israel is
the message that was set to the Reform group by Prof. Martin
Buber, the noted phlosopher and authorty on Hassidism, who
stated:
"Secularism, on the one hand, in spite of its slogans of
Messlanism, has in practice no aim beyond self-preservation
and survival.
"Traditionalism, on the other hand, is content with a rigid
guarantee that traditional forms will be preserved without any
earnest desire to initiate any reformation in the life of human
society, which is the initial step in bringing about in the con-
temporary world "the kingdom of God."
"Perhaps the future of the people of Israel depends more
on the creation of this third force than it does on any external
factors.
"In this process a beginning must be made, however
modest it may be, for the valid revitalization of faith. All
who are prepared to participate wholeheartedly in this be-
ginning will be truly blessed."
Conservative Jews already have set up minyanim in Israel,
and there is every indication that inroads will be made into the
iron-clad regulations that had hitherto forbidden the establish-
ment of religious institutions that do not adhere strictly to
orthodox traditions.
In a community where all faiths are respected, it is difficult
to justify exclusion of those who seek reform in Jewish observ-
ances.' Israel honors all Christian and Moslem sects, and Con-
servative and Reform Jews had a justified grievance for having
been barred from Jewish ceremonial observances.
If the inroads made by Conservative and Reform Judaism
into the religious life of Israel will meet with success, they may
lead to drastic changes in many governmental as well as social
regulations.
Many problems have arisen as a result of what has been
said to be theocratic rule in Israel. The government, inevitably
committed to the orthodox group by virtue of the existence of
a coalition, has yielded to Mizrachi and Agudah. Tensions have
arisen that were embarrassing to the government and that often
created many hardships.
Is it possible that changes in traditional practices will even-
4 Soviet Jews
Get Lenin Prize
Boris Smolar's
LONDON, (JTA) — Four
Soviet Jews—two physicists,
pianist and a sculptor—received
the highest Soviet decorations,
the Lenin Prize, at Moscow
ceremonies, according to dis-
patches from the Russian cap-
ital received here.
The prizes were presented
formally at th cibration, in Mos-
cow, of Nikolai Lenin's birth-
day. In all, about 100 Lenin
Prizes were awarded for 1962
by the Soviet authorities.
The Jewish recipients are
Prof. Lev Landau, considered
by scientists in the West as
among the foremost experts in
nuclear physics; his associate
Prof. Evgeni Lifshits, another
famous physicist and mathema-
tician, who with Prof. Landau
heads highly important projects
at the Soviet Academy of
Science; Emil Gilels, the pian-
ist; and sculptor Lev Kerbel.
Landau and Lifshits, who re-
portedly contributed very sig-
nificantly toward the develop-
ment of the satellites sent into
orbit by the Soviet Union, were
cited specifically for their re-
cent series of texts on theoreti-
cal physics.
Gilels and Kerbel are also
well-known to many Western
critics. Cilels has made several
highly successful recital tours
in the United States and in
other leading cultural centers
throughout the world.
•
Maryland Opposes Ban
On School Prayers in
Brief to Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—Mary-
land became the 17th state to
enter as "a friend of court" in a
case involving public school
prayer recitation, which is cur-
rently before the United States
Supreme Court.
State Attorney General
Thomas Finan said Maryland has
entered the case in favor of re-
tention of the prayer. Maryland's
interest in the Supreme Court
case—involving public schools in
New Hyde Park, N.Y.—sterns
from a Maryland Court of 'Ap-
peals decision a week ago, up-
holding the constitutionality of
prayer reading in Baltimore pub-
lic schools.
The Daughters of the Ameri-
can Revolution wound up its
71st annual convention here with
a resolution calling on the
states to oppose any efforts "by
the courts to suppress a recogni-
tion of reverence for God in our
public schools."
In another development, the
District of Columbia Board of
Education said it will wait for a
public hearing on the_ question of
religious practices — including
prayer reading in public
schools. Such a hearing, origin-
ally set for last week, has been
postponed indefinitly, and School
Superintendent Carl Hansen said
that all practices will remain
as is, pending the hearing. The
Washington Jewish community,
joined by several church groups
has been seeking to reverse the
tually be effected? Will a Sanhedrin have to be convoked to
attain reforms, or will they come through practice and the intro-
duction of new ways of life?
A typical example of the manner in which Israel's regula-
tions were affected was in evidence only a week ago when the -
Jerusalem Rabbinate ruled that kohanim, the descendants of
Moses' brother, Aaron, could not enter the Hadassah-Hebrew
University Medical Center because it has a mortuary. The ancient practice.
Between You
... and Me'
(Copyright, 1962,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Communal Trends
Trends in Jewish welfare financing and service were an-
alyzed by the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds
at its board of directors meeting . . . An impressive analysis,
presented by Philip Bernstein, CJFWF executive director,
brought out the fact that, during the last ten years, there has
been a striking increase in the number of homes for the aged,
their bed capacity and rehabilitation services . . . There was also
a transition from general hospitals for acute illness to medical
centers with more attention to long-term illness, psychiatric
care, and research, more closely related to homes for the aged
. . . Ward beds have shown a trend downward from 40 percent
to 25 percent; there was a proportionate rise in semi-private
beds . . . There was a continued decline in the proportion of
Jewish patients . . . A third of the clients of Jewish family
welfare agencies are now aged persons . . . There has been a
slowing up of the decline in number of Jewish children under
care, with fewer in foster homes and more treated in their own
homes—and a growing proportion of emotionally disturbed .. .
While philanthropic support for these services has grown, the
proportion of government support has increased faster, especially
in health and aged services . . . Bernstein stressed that there
is a growing community concern for the quality of Jewish
education, but close to 90 percent of the children are receiving
their religious education in congregations which are not formally
part of the structures of financing of federations . .. Bernstein
revealed that $124,000,000 were raised last year in federated
campaigns; $57,000,000 in independent national and overseas
campaigns; $57,000,000 in the sale of Israel bonds; and $16,-
000,000 were allocated to Jewish agencies by united funds and
community chests.
Jewish Affairs
All indications point to the possibility that American Jewish
organizations will not seek an invitation to the Ecumenical
Council which the Vatican is convoking in Rome . . . Originally,
some of the Jewish organizations were inclined to seek permis-
sion from the Vatican to attend this very important high council
of the Catholic Church as observers . . . This was considered
important because the Ecumenical Council could take decisions
to condemn anti-Semitism as well as to modify the emphasis in
the Catechism on Jews as "God killers" . . . However, after
consultation, with Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveichik of Boston, and
other important American Jewish religious leaders, it was
decided that Jewish groups limit themselves only to the sending
of a memdrandum to the Ecumenical Council outlining their
suggestions . . . Rabbi Soloveichik advised against sending a
Je 4ish representation but he approved of the text of a memo-
randum which was prepared jointly by leading Jewish groups
in this country . . . Authoritative Vatican circles indicated that
"Pope John XXIII is willing to consider the Jewish request to
discuss Christian-Jewish relations at the Ecumenical Council .. .
Persons close to the Pope said he is not opposed to extending
an invitation to Jewish observers because he considers the Jews,
by accepting the Old Testament, were not extraneous to Chris-
tianity . . . They emphasized that an invitation to non-Christians
would be unprecedented but was not an impossible gesture .. .
In the meantime, Dr. Nahum Goldman recently met privately
in Rome on this subject with Cardinal Augustine Bea, who is
in charge of making the preparations for the Ecumenical Council.
Success Story
Jacob Blaustein, one of the top Jewish leaders in the United
States, is also one of the top men in the American oil industry
. The story of his success is now told in "Blazing New Trails,"
a brief history of the American Oil Company . . . It was in 1910
that the American Oil Company was started as a small jobbership
by Louis Blaustein and his son Jacob . . . They started by selling
kerosene through the streets of Baltimore, having then three
employees, one horse and a 270-gallon tankwagon . .. The sale
of as much as 50 gallons of kerosene made a good day for them
. . . They were quicker than most, though, to recognize the
potential of the automobile market, and they decided that a
unique motor fuel could spell success ... Louis Blaustein became
keenly interested in benzol, a volatile by-product from the steel
mills' coke ovens . . . He, Jacob, and a collaborating chemist
finally achieved a stable blend of this benzol with gasoline .. .
This was the beginning of the world's "anti-knock motor fuel"
and also the beginning of the Blaustein success . .. Today the
Blaustein interests are major stockholders in Indiana Standard
Oil Company, with Jacob a member of the board of directors.