Their Only Remaining Possession
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English—Jewisb Newspapers, Michigan Press Associations, National
Editorial Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35,
V $4344. Subscription $11 a year. Foreign V.
of
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office, Detroit. Mich., under act of Congress
March 8, 1879.
SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ HARVEY ZUCKERBERG
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Advertising Manager
Editor and Publisher
Business
City Editor
Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
in our
This Sabbath, the fifth of Tammus, the following Scriptural selections uyil1 be read
synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Korah, Num. 16:1-18:32. Prophetical portion, I Samuel 11:14-12:32.
Licht Benches, Friday, July 6, 7:52 p.m.
July 6, 1962
Page Four
Vol. XLI No. 19
Jewish Opposition to Shared Time School Plan
Both the Central Conference of Amer-
ican Rabbis and the National Community
Relations Advisory Council took firm
positions, at their conventions last week,
against "Released Time" and "Shared
Time" plans for religious studies in our
public schools.
Cautioning against the Shared Time
plan for the joint use by parochial and
public schools of tax-supported education-
al facilities, the Reform rabbis warned
that such a plan would relieve denomina-
tional schools of building their own physi-
cal education and manual training facili-
ties and that "secular subjects" would be
introduced in the public school systems
if such a proposal were adopted.
The NCRAC stand , was even more
determined in opposition to such a plan,
and its president, Lewis H. Weinstein,
charged that the Shared Time idea would
"impair and vitiate our American public
school system - ; that it would be a "targic
betrayal of our public schools."
not be intruded upon. Day Schools may
be secular and progressive, but in such
instances they are privately endowed and
supported schools. Any American who
so chooses has a right to send his children
to such a school, but it must remain pri-
vately and not public endowed.
There is another type of Day School.
The Hillel Day School of Detroit, listing
its objectives, declares that it is "a mod-
ern, progressive, elementary day school
combining Hebraic-Religious instruction
and general studies." It is, therefore, by
its own assertion, a religious school, and
must, therefore, be privately endowed.
"God Help Me!", an impressive work treating the problems
There can be no doubt about the great
values that are provided by the Jewish as they affect mankind "From Kindergarten Religion to the
Day Schools for the advancement of Jew- Radical Faith," by Dr. William B. Silverman, Kansas City rabbi,
ish studies. Yet, when they come in con- published by Macmillan, has the merit of universalism, of dealing
flict, in the ideology of those who insist with religious issues affecting all faiths, of posing probems that
all religions.
upon upholding the principle of public disturb
The able author, who has three other books to his credit,
schools and strengthening the public has the conviction that there is a divinity within all human
school systems, they can serve the needs beings, and on that basis his evaluations challenge and at the same
only of a minority of adherents. It is time inspire.
Thus, when he analyzes the requisites of religious maturity he
equally true that such a minority as a
traditional sheerith b'Israel a remnant asserts that religion must be worldly and radical, rational and
in Israel may be the saving remnant for prophetic.
He calls for theological enlightenment in considering the
the highest cultural values in Jewish life.
in immortality, in viewing the concepts of punishment
But within the American orbit the truth beliefs
in hell and reward in heaven. "The prevalence of the kinder-
of these assumptions must be recognized garten doctrine of immortality," he states "not only suggests,
and respected.
but cries out for a revolutionary rethinking of unchallenged
* * *
dogmas, a critical reevaluation of theological beliefs, and a
There have emerged, as a result of the radical excision of ignorance, bigotry, irrational blasphemy,
debates over the validity and the wisdom magic and superstition from respectable religion, in order to
of the latest Supreme Court decision, pioneer into new spiritual frontiers and advance toward the
groups that are ready to legislate in sup- realization of a mature and rational faith."
Rabbi Silverman pleads for a religion in action, for the
port of religious teachings and the utter-
retention of religion in politics as a means of dedication to civil
ance of religious prayers in our schools. rights
and liberties, striving for the ideal of "the sanctity of
If these proponents of religious ideas
personality."
should, succeed, more than the mere the human
"They are slaves who fear to speak," he asserts, and de-
separation principle will be at stake. clares: 'The devotees of the prophetic faith must mobilize for
There is nothing to stop such elements a religious war against ignorance, bigotry, racial and religious
from succeeding in declaring this to be a discrimination, poverty, disease and despair for the purpose of
Christian country. Legislation to that implementing the values and precepts that will enable man to
effect already had been proposed, but create a moral society that will fulfill the commandments of
had no chance of being adopted. But if, God."
A faith for tomorrow, he states, 'calls to man to identify
in anger, such extreme elements should
belief in God with meaningful and purposeful universe,"
succeed, then the basic ideas of American his work
for the future "by a program of consecrated action that
to
democracy and freedom will be greatly will
release the potential of divinity dormant within man."
endangered.
The rabbinic author sees in America's legacy to the future
No one denies that this is, in fact, a a dedication to the immortal doctrines of the nation's Founding
Christian country, because 95 per cent Fathers. He adds that "if mankind is to attain maturity, the
of the citizens are Christians. But it has faith of the future must emphasize the essential unity and inter-
been inconceivable that such a term-1 relatedness of men and nations, and enable us to go beyond
Christian country should be legislated, national sovereignty to a United States of the world."
just as it is inconceivable that Americans
should wish to revert. to medievalism.
The advocates of the Day School plan
for all Jewish children must recognize
that such schools are possible only if this
were to become officially a Christian
Expanded overseas travel has drawn many Jewish tourists to
country. Under all other circumstances, places
of Jewish interest in many lands. They have been handi-
all-day parochial schools must remain in- capped,
however, by a lack of information about most of the
stitutions of learning only for the minor- historic spots that should have attracted Jewish visitors.
ity. Our Catholic fellow citizens may feel
This handicap now is obviated by the informative guide —
differently about it; yet, even they, when the first of its kind — by the writers who are well qualified -to
they must send their children to kinder- prepare a guide for Jewish tourists.
"The Landmarks of a People — A Guide to Jewish Sites in
garten classes, which are not included in
their parochial systems, make use of such Europe" has just been published by Hill and Wang (141 5th,
Written my Bernard Postal, public relations director of
opportunities and send their youngsters NY10).
the Jewish Welfare Board, and Samuel H. Abramson, regional
at the outset to the public schools.
director of the United Jewish Appeal, this book at once reveals
*
*
it authoritativeness. Postal was the co-author of "A Jewish
The separation idea and the parochial Tourist's
Guide to .the U.S." Both men are steeped in knowledge
school problems often lead to bitter de- about their subject and it is hard to concieve of anything they
bates. That's regrettable, in view of the have eliminated from their guide book.
basic principle inherent in the compulsory
Unusual data will be found here. The countries covered in-
clude every part of Europe and the major attractions in the
education programs of our democracy.
There is no cause for rancor. There Soviet Union.
The 32 pages of illustrations of significant Jewish attractions
can be agreement on the subject: that
to the merits of this book.
those who prefer to finance schools of add Museums
and synagogues, homes of famous people, cemeteries,
their own can go to privately-endowed historic memorials,
paintings that have become memorable and
parochial and progressive schools. But their locations, clocks and towers that have gained fame, graves
they must pay for them, and all others of notables, noteworthy libraries and theaters — these and many
who wish to adhere to the established other items are among those to which the reader is guided.
system can continue to enjoy the non-
Tourists planning their trips to Europe will find this book
partisan, publicly-financed school systems invaluable. It will become a must for every one going to Europe,
that are now declared to be free from and at the same time it can serve as a textbook for all who seek
knowledge about European Jewry.
partisan religious influences.
Dr. Silverman's 'God Help Me
Sees Divinity in All Humans
—
These were courageous stands taken
at a time when many non-Jews, and
-some spokesmen for Orthodox Jewry. are
inclined to favor either the Released or
the Shared Time proposals. The firmness
of the .Jewish position as enunciated by
the Reform rabbis and the spokesmen
for the major civic-protective organiza-
tion reiterates the generally accepted
Jewish viewpoint that - any attempt to in-
troduce religious teachings in our schools
would impair the Separation Idea.
While these discussions continue re-
garding the Shared Time school plan, the
forces that are advocating the Day School
idea for American Jewry seem to be gain-
ing ground, and the Day Schools are pro-
gressing and increasing in number.
Whether or not the strong opposition to
the impairing and vitiating of our public
school system will also involve an official
stand by national .Jewish movements
against Day Schools remains to be seen.
Jewish educators, at recent conventions,
strongly endorsed the Day School plan
and appealed for Welfare Funds' support.
Nevertheless, the two ideas — that of
facilitating the sharing of public school
time for parochial and public school pro-
grams and the establishment of separate
schools for various denominations — are
somewhat interlinked, since they intrude
upon the public school programs.
,k
*
The educational factors involved are
currently under serious discussion. The
Reform rabbis' convention asked its mem-
bers "to urge their school communities
to undertake further studies before
launching Shared Time programs." In-
ternally there is a continuation of debates
over the practicality and desirability of
establishing separate Jewish Day Schools
which would draw away Jewish children
from the public schools.
It is a source of encouragement to
know that the issue is being considered
with great seriousness. The decisions to
be arrived at are of major significance
for our communities, and whatever rul-
ings are made should be arrived at
without haste but through the most care-
ful consideration of the consequences in-
volved, including the effect they will have
on the Separation principle.
• * *
The relevance of the latest Supreme
Court decision to the Day School idea
may be questioned by many people. Yet,
there is some relation to private schools
in the over-all issue.
What the high court's ruling implies
is that the public school as an entity can
—
—
—
'Landmarks of a People,' Guide
to All Jewish Sites in Europe
r.