THE JEWISH NEWS

Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle conimencing 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,
VE 8-9364. Subscription $6 a year. Foreign $7.
Second ClasS Postage Paid - At Detroit, Michigan

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ HARVEY ZUCKERBERG

Advertising Manager

City Editor

Business Manager

Sabbath Scriptural Selections

_ _

This Sabbath, the thirteenth day of Heshvan, 5723, thrne following Scriptural selections will
be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Lekh lekha, Gen. 12f1-17:2T Prophetical portion, Isaiah 40:27-41:16.

Licht Benshen, Friday, Nov. 9, 4:59 p.m.

VOL. XLII. No. II

Page Four

November 9, 1962

Ancient Synagogues and Aged Communities

It has been an historically established matters historically. But insofar as people
fact that the Jewish community in Rome generally are concerned it is doubtful
had antedated what is presently known whether a knowledge that Jews had lived
in ancient Rome and present-day Italy for
as the Italian people that developed in two thousand years will make much of a
the eras that followed Roman rule by difference, just as it matters little in Ger-
centuries. Excavations in the past defi- many that Jews had lived in Cologne for
nitely confirmed such contentions. a thousand years; just as it means little
The discovery' of the ancient syna- at all to the people of Poland that there
gogue in Ostia, the port of Imperial rule were Jews in Warsaw and in Krakow and
at the Tiber, again calls attention to this other Polish communities for more than
historic fact. The Chief Rabbi of Rome, 800 years.
Archaeological findings are valuable
Dr. Elio Toaff, expressed the view that
the newly discovered synagogue site was historically and they give our people a
the largest ancient Jewish religious build- sense of pride and of belonging, wher-
ing any w h ere exclusive of Solomon's ever our kinsmen may be. They do not
Temple in Jerusalem. assure security. Yet, the facts that make 'What It Means to Live as a Jew • • • 1
In our time there are no doubt, larger our people so valuable historically in all
synagogue structures. In our own corn- parts of the globe should never be for-
munity we may soon boast of the emerg- gotten and should be made known, even
s ' Jewish
ence of the largest synagogue structure if they should . serve to deter a single
Israel's universality, the colorful history of our people, the
in the world. In the instance of the Ital- individual from giving credence to anti-
beauty of Jewish ceremonialism, the influence of our faith upon
ian findings it is the age, of course, that Semitism.

Karp'

Apartheid, Israel and African Jewry

South African Jewry's troubles are South African Jews have been frozen and
certain to mount as a result of Israel's all support for Israel from South Africa
vote with the overwhelming majority to has been cut off.
Even worse is the fact that South
expel South Africa from the United Na-
tions unless the apartheid practices are African Jews are unable to leave their
country if they wanted to, in the event
abandoned.
Having voted consistently against the threatened anti - Semitism were to
racial discrimination, Israel's delegation expand, because they are unable to take
to the UN is on record against the racial any portion of their possessions with.
policies of the South African government, them.
While all men of good will always
in spite of the otherwise friendly rela-
tions that existed, first between the South hope for improvement in human relations,
Africans and Zionism and later in the it is impossible to be overconfident about
cordial relations established by Israel the situation in South Africa. It is most
with South Africa. serious there for all whites who suffer
The firmness with which Israel has from liberal attitudes and it becomes all
stood against racial prejudice may have the worse for Jews who, whenever their
undermined that good spirit between the liberal spirit emerges, are immediately
two governments. It brought about an- charged with radicalism. We may well
other grave result: a resentment among feel concerned about our kinsmen in the
South African whites against their Jewish unfortunate country where apartheid
fellow-citizens. Contributions to Israel by displaces humanism.

Israel's Withdrawal from World Fair

The Palestine Pavilion at the New
Israel's withdrawal from the World's
Fair to be held in New York in 1964 is York World's Fair in 1939 served a valu-
as much a disappointment to American able purpose in alerting Americans to the
Jewry as it is to the Israelis who had hopes and aspirations of the world Zion-
hoped to have another opportunity to ist movement and the settlers who were
show what they have achieved and what striving to attain the goal of a Jewish
they hope to attain in the years to come, National Home. Even greater impacts
as a result of the technological skill that could be brought about by Israel's partici-
has been developed by the new state in pation in the forthcoming World Fair.
less than 15 years. It is regrettable, therefore, that a nega-
Yet, the reasons for the withdrawal tive decision had to be reached on the
are understandable. Israel does not feel subject this year. It is a decision that
that it is justified to spend $2,500,000 in should impress American Jewry with
the construction of a pavilion, at a heavy Israel's internal needs and with the reality
cost—this sum means 7,500,000 pounds of the duties that face us in the months
in current Israeli currency— at a time ahead in the assistance we must give in
when so much is needed to integrate providing the help so urgently needed
many thousands of newcomers into the for the escapees from persecutions who
state's economy. are flocking to Israel.

Israel's Ingathering Role

Israel's ingathering role became evi- Jewish funds for the continued function-
dent with the announcement that the ing of their Jewish schools and for their
Algerian crisis had resulted in a flight of spiritual
needs.
While
there are temporary provisions
French nationals which included a suffi- for these refugees, most of them will
ciently large number to account for the soon have to find homes elsewhere, and
rise in France's Jewish population from Israel alone can be looked to as the haven
350,000 to 500,000, in a five-year period. of refuge. Many Algerians already have
While France provides partial relief found homes in Israel, and many more
for the newcomers, they are dependent are yet to be provided for.
The Algerian influx and the emigra-
upon the Joint Distribution Committee,
which receives its funds from the United tion of Jews from Many other lands
Jewish Appeal, for the major income for emphasizes Israel's vital role as the res-
subsistence. They are dependent upon cuer of the oppressed and expatriated.

Way of Life'

the worldthese are among the factors to be found in an impres-
sive book, "The Jewish Way of Life," subtitled "what it means
to live and worship as a Jew," by Rabbi Abraham J. Karp of
Rochester, N.Y., published by Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs,
N.J.
It is a volume of considerable merit because of the variety
of topics it covers and the scores of definitions it offers for Jewish
observances, our traditions and our historical background.
Covering a vast field, from Biblical times through our own
era, Rabbi Karp shows how mankind's course has been influenced
by Judaism. He does not take a partisan view but sees all
trends in Judaism—Reform, Conservative, Orthodox—as being
approaches to the same Jewish ideal. Describing the glory of the
synagogue and its program—"Fashioned to meet the varied needs
of American Israel"—He speaks of Judaism as "a religious
civilization, encompassing a wide spectrum of religious, cultural
and fellowship interests and activities." He looks upon the
Amercan Jew as one who, "feeling himself part of a religious
conununity, has made the synagogue his expression of Jewish
association. It gives him roots in his past, status in the present,
and a sense of destiny in the future."
Another indication of the universality of Rabbi Karp's mes-
sage is the manner in which he deals with the Chosen People
idea, presenting the views of all differing elements in Jewish
life, quoting Rabbi Robert Gordis who said "the election of Israel
has never meant the rejection of mankind," and Messiah."
The Sabbaths and festivals, Zion and Israel, the family and
the home—scores of related subjects are discussed.
The book closes with a beautiful parable by Rabbi Nahman
of Bratslav, "The Tree and the Road."
Son-in-law of Rabbi Abraham Burnstein, who is himself a
noted author, Rabbi Karp has pursued his scholarship with skill
and his book is valuable for all who seek an understanding of
the values of Jewish life and worship.

'A Son of Faith'—Dr. Halpern's
Addresses Honor His Memory

Dr. Abraham E. Halpern, of St. Louis, Mo., was one of the
most distinguished Conservative rabbis. He was a noted scholar and
his erudition earned for him a high place in the rabbinate.
In tribute to the memory of this learned man, who passed
away last April, at the age of 71, a volume of his sermons has
just been issued by Bloch Publishing Co., under the title "A Son
of Faith."
Edited by Rabbi Berncrd S. Raskas of St. Paul, his son-in-law,
this volume contains not only the son-in-law's tribute to the
father-in-law, but also a statement of tribute from Dr. Louis
Finkelstein, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of
America, where Dr. Halpern was ordained. Dr. Finkelstein calls
Rabbi Raskas' compilation of his father-in-law's address "an act in
piety and devotion."
Sixty-five addresses by the late Dr. Halpern are included
in this volume, dealing with God, Torah, Our Way of Life, Israel
and America. Every aspect of human endeavor, all major Jewish
interests and activities. Inter-faith relations, civic and govern-
mental functions, social needs and many other matters are among
the subjects the deceased rabbinic leader dealt with.
The H-Bomb, the Eichmann trial, the inauguration of a new
President, reciprocal respect of parents and children, the syna-
gogue's centrality—these are among the many topics upon which
Dr. Halpern addressed his audiences, from his pulpit and on other
public occasions. -
Possessing a sense of humor, fortified by a knowledge of his
people and thoroughly steeped in Jewish learning, Dr. Halpern
was able to tackle his problems realistically, as his collected ad-
dresses indicate.