Salute to AJPA 20th Year THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951 Member American Association of English—Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Associations, 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 58. Entered as second • class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under act of Congress of March 8, 1879. PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ HARVEY ZUCKERBERG Business Manager Advertising Manager City Editor Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the fifteenth day of lyar, 5722, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues. Pentatenchal portion, Be-har, Levit 25:1-26:2. Prophetical portion, Jeremiah 32:6-27. I.icht Benchen. Friday, May 18, 7:30 p.m. Page Four Vol. XLI, No. 12 May 18, 1962 / American Jewry s Maturity and New Duties In his survey of the origin of the close," but already has witnessed its last Detroit Jewish population, made for the days, and all current and future plan- Jewish Welfare Federation, Dr. Albert ning, educationally, spiritually, must be J. Mayer of Wayne State University done to fit into a new setting in which reaches the conclusion that "in 20 years the community is thoroughly American, the bulk of the adult Jewish population searching for methods of perpetuating under 65 years of age will be American our legacies in an environment that. neith- born." He asserts that while "today the er knows nor understands the mores of influence of European Jewish culture is the parents and the grandparents. still strongly imprinted on the American New customs, new mannerisms, new Jewish community, this period is quickly traditions are finding their way into our way of life. That does not mean that drawing to a close." Dr. Mayer's facts regarding the per- heritage will or need be sacrificed. It centages of foreign born in Detroit Jewry only admonishes us to approach our are most illuminating. Already, our popu- needs in accordance with new conditions. lation is a thoroughly Americanized body, There is hardly any cause for concern and in a sense his assertion that the Euro- over the changing conditions. Throughout pean Jewish cultural aspects still are felt our history we have experienced trans- among us is rather surprising, the trends formations. Some resulted in the disap- having been for some time away from pearance of large communities, but in the main there must be a retention of faith Old World influences. The disappearance of some of the that survival need not depend upon old European influences has not been helpful and outmoded characteristics; that a wholesome Jewish existence can adapt to the community's efforts to extend its itself to fit into new conditions. cultural activities. Many of the scholarly Our educational system already has aspects that were felt in past years have made rapid strides towards such adapta- been missing. The demise of Yiddish has tion and has not lost by it. We must have removed a factor that is irreplaceable. faith that a new type of educator will Yet, the change in the status of the com- emerge, from the colleges of Jewish munity must be viewed as an inevitable studies and the seminaries, to be well fact. American Jewry, as we have indi- qualified' to capture the affection and the cated time and again in these columns, loyalty of our youth for the ideals • which has come of age as a community that is stem from their heritage as Jews. creating its own standards, completely The survey made here by Dr. Mayer removed from former influences. bluntly challenges us to face the facts The period during which European realistically. We live in a new era, and Jewish cultural influences still affected American Jewish life is not, as Prof. we must fit into it proudly and prag- matically. Mayer states, "quickly drawing to a Young Israel's 50th Anniversary Fifty years ago, a group of 15 young men and women formed a new organiza- try, Young Israel offers proof that it is tion for the purpose of conducting lec- possible for an observant element to tures and discussions on Jewish subjects, prosper in a free environment. This movement has been able to of enlist in- The aspirations of the on creators of this whose members are natives this the coun- New York's It originated in English. terest of parents as well as their children, East Side and the movement was named and the term young in its name is indica- Young Israel. Its aim was to encourage tive more of the agelessness of Israel an interest in orthodox teachings among than of the age of the organization's the Jewish youth. members. In Detroit, the Young Israel movement movement materialized and Young Israel has grown to a large membership that has made lasting contributions to com- functions in 90 United States, Canadian, munity programming. The progress made by Young Israel European and Israeli branches. It has and the movement's aims to advance our 500 cultural and athletic through youth clubs, assists Sabbath observers a spe- it people's culture and traditions as a living spirit of Israel have earned for it high cially organized employment bureau and regard among all Jews, and Israel a total on com- maintains other services, including an munity congratulates Young its armed forces and veterans bureau. As an American movement, most of 50th anniversary. A Place for Youth in Jewish Ranks Inez Robb's Book Contains Approval of School Prayers, Criticizes Discriminations The interest that currently exists in the arguments pre- sented before the U. S. Supreme Court in the New Hyde Park, N. Y., public school issue, finds an echo in the new book by Inez Robb, "Don't Just Stand There," published by David McKay her new Co. (119 W. 40th, NY18). (Mrs. Robb will autograph book at the J. L. Hudson Co. on May 25.) -mrs . Robb the well known columnist, disagrees with the appeal against the reciting of a religious prayer in the public schools. She insists that she is dedicated "to the complete separation of church and state," but is troubled "by the modern and bitter opposition to the mere mention of God and the Ten Commandments in the public schools." She disagrees with the position of the American Jewish Congress and the New York Board of Rabbis, and while respecting such opposition, she finds that "it is sad that the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament, which Jewish, Protestant and Catholic faiths alike cherish, could become a cause of dissension." Believing that this could be an area for agreement, as a "moral and ethical yardstick that would be valid for their children." Mrs. Robb states: "Perhaps if the Ten Commandments were given a chance, were permitted to hang on classroom walls where children from time to time might glimpse them, some of the Decalogue's moral strength and purpose would rub off. Surely. in these troubled times, that couldn't be bad." What Mrs. Robb fails to take into account is the precedent that religious practices in schools would establish, thereby lead- ing to the total breakdown of the separation principle. In another essay. "On Burning Books," Mrs. Robb deals a severe blow to those who would raise false cries of anti-Semitism and to prejudices that could arise out of index expurgations. She was motivated in writing this essay by the removal of Paul Gallico's "Farewell to Sport" from books approved for New York public libraries, on the ground that the book contains anti-Semitic statements. A number of Jews were asked for their opinions and none could find an anti-Semitic angle in Gallico's book. Mrs. Robb declares in the author's defense: "Since the blood, wisdom and talent of the great and ancient people of Judea flow through Mr. Gallico's veins. the charge must have come as something of a surprise to an author who has always been proud of his Jewish heritage from a maternal grandparent." After some 30 years of extremely varied, always busy and often hectic journalistic experience, Inez Robb bases her column- writing on one simple rule. "Anything that amuses, annoys or challenges me is likely, I believe, to amuse, annoy or challenge those who read what I write," she says. Writing with sharp humor and easy charm, she makes her one "simple" rule work so well that her column for United Feature Syndicate, Inc., now appears regularly in more than 130 leading newspapers in the United States and Canada. She earned one of journalism's most coveted honors in December 1957 when she received the New York Newspaper Women's Club citation as "the writer of the best column in any field." In 1959, the University of Idaho recognized her outstanding contributions to journalism with the honorary degree of Doctor of Literature. "Don't Just Stand There" contains scores of essays with witty observations on the American way of life. She considers herself one of the luckiest women because "I get paid for my opinions." In her new book she writes under such chapter titles as "Every Girl Should Have a Husband—Preferably Her Own," "The Fodder of the Country," "The Really Fragile Sex" and others of a similarly intriguing nature. While claiming that there is an up- ure of our college students to take a deeper interest in Jewish life. surge of interest among young Jews in the synagogue and in our religious af- It is true, of course, that a college fairs, Jewish leaders more often than not student who is indifferent to Jewry and utter of upsurge a threatened collapse Judaism during his college days often If warnings there is an of religious in Jewish ranks. returns to serious Jewish activities upon his resumption of his place within his loyalty, the simultaneous warnings against family and among his friends. But at a assumed threats to Jewish existence due time when many more of our young Bloch Publishes Dr. Hertz's Book Bloch Publishing Co. will issue, before the end of this month, to internal disintegrations are unwar- people are about to graduate both from ranted. Yet, there seems to be a far the high schools, preparatory to college the newest book by Dr. Richard C. Hertz, rabbi of Temple greater substantiation of the warnings entrance, and from the universities, it is Beth El. of Himself," Dr. than of the over-confident assumptions that young and old are beginning to flock to the synagogues and that there is emerging a new craving for Jewish cul- tural and spiritual values. Many studies have been made of the existing attitudes among young Jews, and most of them have brought negative con- clusions. Especially distressing is the fail- well that we take intO account the need to retain the interest of our youth in Jewish affairs beginning with their under- graduate collegiate days and to attract the university graduates to Jewish lead- ership. These are vital needs during the Under the title "The American Jew in Search Hertz's new book deals with the American Jew's religious questions and doubts, his search for guidance and inspiration. The publishets state that Dr. Hertz succeeds in crystallizing "the religious yearnings of the thoughtful American Jew seeking understanding of himself, his situation in America, his hopes out of Judaism and Jewish identification." Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, one of a group of scholars who have weeks of commencements in the schools commended this book, calls it "most timely ... . a valuable book which should be an inspiration and guide to young and old." throughout the land.