THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS -- Friday, January 25, 1963 -- 2
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Impressive and Deserved
Honors to Abba H. Silver,
Great Scholar, Able Leader
Purely Commentary
A dinner given in Cleveland last Sunday, to mark
the 70th birthday of Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, attracted
nationwide attention. Representatives of many com-
munities joined the Clevelanders in - paying honor to
a great man. Many of the country's most distin-
guished scholars, from the ranks of all faiths, were
on the national sponsoring committee. But that honor
was minor compared with the lasting tribute to the
eminent scholar incorporated in a great collection
of scholarly essays.
What an enviable honor that the volume, "In the
Time of Harvest—Essays in Honor of Abba Hillel
Silver on the Occasion,of His 70th Birthday," (pub-
lished by Macmillan), was edited by his son, Rabbi
Daniel Jeremy Silver, who now shares the Temple
pulpit in Cleveland with his father; that the board
of editors who were associated with the son of the
man who is being honored so deservedly includes
Drs. Solomon B. Freehof, Emanuel Neumann and
Solomon Zeitlin; that the distinguished participants
in this anthological volume are the world's most
noted scholars.
How appropriate that Dr. Silver's congregational
leaders should have decided on such a Jubilee
Volume as the manner in which to express their
"loving respect" for the man about whom they state
in the book's introduction: "Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver
came to the Temple in August of 1917. A young man,
only two years past his ordination, he took over one
of the leading congregations in America and has
served it faithfully and led it courageously ever
since."
How equally appropriate is the dedicatory quota-
tion to the book from Proverbs 25:13:
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest,
So is a faithful messenger to him that sendeth him;
For he refresheth the soul of his master.
There could not have been a nobler source for the
title of the Jubilee Volume, "In the Time of-Harvest."
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Dr. Silver's name - will for all time be recorded
among the most distinguished leaders in the Zionist
movement. A 21-page bibliography • of his - writings,
froth 1915 through 1961, compiled by Miriam Leikind,
the- librarian- of his Temple, is evidence of his great
scholarship, of his many years of research on learned
Jewish Subjects- ,, Occupying .a .:place of glory 'in his
literary activities are his Zionist essays; and major
in hiS-- life's. work is the role he has played as one of
the architects of the. State, of Israel.
One of his closest -associates in the Zionist activi-
ties, Harold P. Manson, now the executive of American
Friends of the Hebrew University, in An Appreciation
of Dr. Silver, tells the story of his friend and asso-
ciate, of—
"An American rabbi, preeminent as a leader of
Reform Judaism, but nurtured by East European
Jewish traditions and folkways and, bound in love
to the masses of his peop/e; unclei5i.atingly com-
mitted from early childhood to the Herzlian concept
of political Zionism.; schooled in the processes of
political action in a democratic society; endowed
with a powerful intellect, a commanding person-
ality, and oratorical skill that could persuade
masses and move them to action, Dr. Silver was
perfectly cast for his role by _life itself.",
Manson's is a review of the manner in which other
great men were deeply moved and influenced by Dr.
Silver—of the impression he left on the leaders of
the world Zionist movement as well as on the masses
of the Jewish people; on so eminent a Zionist as Dr.
Emanuel Neumann; on Abba Eban and many others.
In tribute to Dr. Silver's "overpowering personality
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DR. ABBA HILLEL SILVER
on the platform, his forcefulness in debate, and his
fighting .spirit, His directness of approach," to the
men whose "enjoyment of life is huge and without
ambivalence," who is "hearty and warm" with friends,
Manson states:
"Abba Hillel Silver, Jewish statesman, taught a
generation and trained it for the privilege of ex-
periencing Israel's rebirth. He poured his gifts—his
very soul—into this generation, and it became strong
and proud. He has ennobled his time."
The manner in which this ennoblement , was at-
tained becomes apparent upon reading "Gleanings of
an Abundant Harvest," excerpts from the sermons
delivered during the "980 Sunday mornings over the
past 45 years" at the Cleveland Temple. The selec-
tions from Dr. Silver's. lectures were made by his
son,-Rabbi Daniel Jeremy Silver, and this section, too,
is part -..of the noteworthy tribute to the eminent
leader.. 'These selections occupy 70 pages in this
volume, and they are among the outstanding portions
of this 460-page volume.
Rabbi Daniel Silver also is represented in the
Volume he has edited by an essay explaining the
Jewish view on "Monarchy." In. it- he shows that
"Monarchy in Israel was never sanctified"; that "the
king remained a man and . was judged as a man";
that "the faith wept no tears when after the exile
monarchy was not re-established. Monarchy lived on
in Jewish . life mostly as a messianic pipe dream
while the realities of Jewish life struggled to estab-
lish a government of law rather than of
The essay "Monarchy" fits well into the collection
of scholarly studies in the Silver Jubilee Volume, and
as an addendum of its editor's able compiling of note-
worthy participants, as well as his accumulation of his
\ By Philip
Slomovitz
father's outstanding lectures, it enriches the honor of
son to father.
* * *
Dr. Emanuel Neumann's share in this volume is
his essay on "Israel and the Diaspora." Few men
have worked as closely with Dr. Silver as has Dr.
Neumann, the chairman of the American Branch of
the Jewish Agency for Israel. It is natural that his
article should deal with a Zionist topic.
It is equally natural that participants in the book
should include the President of Israel, Izhak Ben-Zvi,
who wrote on "The Levites Among Arabian Tribes"
—devoted to a topic on which he is considered an
authority; and that the Prime Minister of Israel should
have written on the subject "The Ingathering of the
Exiles and an Exemplary Nation."
Associates in the Reform Jewish movement with
Dr. Silver are among the contributors to this Jubilee
Volume: Dr. Nelson Glueck wrote on "Biblical Archae-
ology and Reform Judaism." Dr. Solomon B. Freehof
is the author of "The Chuppah." Dr. Jacob R. Marcus-
wrote on "The Oldest Known Synagogue Record Book
of -Continental -North America 1720-1721." Prof.
Harry M. Orlinsky's essay is on the subject "On
Toynbee's Use of the Term Syriac for One of His
Societies." Prof. Samuel Sandmel's essay is on "Son
of Man." Prof. Elias Rivkin of Hebrew Union Col-
lege wrote on "Ben Sira and the Nonexistence of
the Synagogue—A Study in Historical Method."
"The Origin of the Idea of the Messiah" is the
topic of the essay by Prof. Solomon Zeitlin, of
Dropsie College, one of the editors of the book.
A distinguished non-Jew, who has contributed
much to research on the water problem in Israel, Dr.
Walter Clay Lowdermilk, is the author of "A Pilot
Project for Total Development of Water Resources."
Conservative Jewish leaders share in the rich con-
tents of the book, Dr. Moshe Davis, Provost of the
Jewish Theological Seminary of America, is author of
"A Highway of Nations—A Chapter in 19th Century
America-Eretz Yisrael Activities." Dr. Robert Gordis
authored "Religion and the Free Society."
Israel's Minister of Education, Abba Eban, con-
tributed to the volume an• essay on "Israel in the
World of Ideas."
Prof. Morton S. Enslin of St. Lawrence University
is the author of "Paul—What Manner of Jew?" Prof.
Walter J. Fischel of the University of California wrote
en "A Hitherto Unknown Jewish Travel in India—The
Travels of Rabbi David D'Beth Hillel to India."
Zalmar Shazar, head of the education department
of the Jewish Agency, is the author of "The Idea of
Redemption in Hassidic Thought!' ""The SPro-uting
of the Horn of the Son of David—A New - Source' from
the Beginnings or the Doenme•Sect-,,iri SftIOnikai" by
Prof. Gershom Scholem'of the Hebrew University;
"David's Reign in Hebron and the Conquest of Jeruia-
lem," by Dr. Benjamin Mazar, former president of
the Hebrew University; "American Cultural Influence
on Israel," by Dr. Raphael Patai, research director
of the Theodor Herzl Institute; and "A Jewish State
in Midian — The English Sources on Paul Fried-
mann's Scheme of 1891-2," by Oskar - K. Rabinowicz,
complete the book's contents.
Dr. Silver has been honored in *many ways, by
faiths and movements, by statesmen and scholars.
The park adjoining his Temple has been named
Silver Park by the City of Cleveland, and his com-
munity has shown him many other honors. The
present one, as represented in this book, surpasses
them all.
It is a rich collection—consonant with the wealth
of knowledge that has distinguished the man who is
honored by this book. Eminently deserving of such
an honor, it, in turn, enriches our culture—in the
spirit in which Dr. Abba Hillel Silver has devoted
his life to our people and our heritage.
Hungarian Jews Reported Enjoying Full Religious Rights
LONDON, (JTA) — The 100,-
000 Jews remaining in Hungary,
out of a prewar Jewish popula-
tion of. 800,000 "enjoy full re-
ligious rights and complete
equality," Endre Sos, president
of the Central Board of Hun-
garian Jews, declared here.
Sos, a prominent Hungarian
journalist and author, who is
also president of the Jewish
Community of Budapest, was one
of three Hungarian Jewish lead-
ers visiting here — the first
time a delegation of Hungarian
Jews has come to Britain since
the establishment of the Soviet
regime in that country. The
other members of • the delegation
are Dr. Imre Benoschofsky, chief
rabbi of Budapest, and Dr. Geza
Seifert, an attorney and a vice-
president of the Central Board
of Hungarian Jews.
Sos and his two Hungarian
colleagues attended the monthly
meeting of the Board of Depu-
ties of British Jews, where they
were greeted fromally by Sir
Barnett Janner, president of the
Board and Labor member of
Parliament. Later, they were
tendered a reception attended
by many of Britain's leading
Jews as well as by diplomats
representing the Hungarian and
Israeli legations.
Illustrating the religious free-
dom enjoyed by Hungary's 12
per cent remnant of its pre-war
Jewish population, Sos said the
country had 3p synagogues, a
yeshiVa, a high school, a Talmud
Torah, an orphanage, and a Jew-
ish hospital "of which we are
very proud." Last year, he said,
1,500 boys celebrated their Bar
Mitzvah. .
Sir Barnett Janner said that
world Jewry, including the Jews
of Britain, were "concerned and
anxious about some of the recent
developments concerning Hun-
garian Jews." He said: "On the
basis of visits to Hungary by
Jews who were there recently,
and from other reports, we un-
derstand that inroads 'are being
made into the preservation of
Jewish identity of a number of
Jewish - institutions which have
been built up by the Hungarian
community. We have been un-
happy to hear, from time to
time, reports about the sale of
some synagogues, proposals for
the sale of even more in Buda-
pest and elsewhere, and of the
planned removal of distinctive
Jewish elements in the conduct
of Jewish institutions."
Another matter of concern,
said Sir Barnett, touches on, the
need for some Hungarian Jews
to leave their . country to reunite
with their families abroad. There
are "thousands of families which
have been broken up," he stated,
"and a corresponding number of
families in Hungary who wish
to join their families abroad. It
is surely in the interest of hu-
manity that facilities should be
given for reunion. There have
been none since 1957."
Dr. Silver Greeted by Eisenhower, Kennedy at 70th Birthday Dinner
CLEVELAND, (JTA) — Trib- Neumann, Israel's Chief Rabbi
ute to Dr. Abba Hillel Silver Yitzhak Nissim and. others.
President. Kennedy's message
was paid by President. Kennedy
in a jnesage sent to him on the was brought to the dinner )37
occasion of Dr. Silver's 70th United S t te s Secretary of
birthday which was celebrated Health, Education and Welfare
here Sunday night at a dinner Anthony J. Celebrezze. The mes-
attended by national, state and sage stated that 'Dr. Silver "has
civic leaders. Messages of greet- served not only his congregation
ing were received also from for- but his entire community and
mer President Eisenhower, Is- the nation. His advice and coun-
rael's Prime Minister David Ben- sel, his keen insights and his
Gurion, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, wisdom have been made freely
Moshe Sharett, Dr. Emanuel available to all of us."
Former President Eisenhow-
er's message hailed Dr. Silver's
"constructive and dedicated serv-
ice not only to the Jewish people
but to all people of America
and, the world."
Speakers at the dinner includ-
ed Ohio's Governor James L.
Rhodes, Senators Stephen M.
Young and Frank J. Lausche,
Dr. Joseph Schwartz; executive
vice-president of Israel Bonds;
Louis B. Seltzer, editor of the
Cleveland Press; Cleveland's
Mayor Ralph S. Locher; Dr. Sil-
ver's sons, Rabbi Daniel Jeremy
Silver of the Temple here and
Raphael D. Silver, leader in busi-
ness and civic life in Cleveland.
Responding to t h e tributes
paid to him, Dr. Silver envisaged
"a world moving slowly and at
times painfully in the right di-
rection." He said he feels con-
fident that "mankind will achieve
even greater good, unpredictable
though the outcome of many
issues still may be."