24 Friday, Sept. 27, 1963 — THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS — Rabbi Plaut's Splendid Review of 'The Rise of Reform Judaism' Dr. W. Gunther Plaut, who already has distinguished him- self as-the author of several im- portant books, one of them a commentary on the Book of Proverbs, renders a great serv- ice to Reform Judaism with his newest work, "The Rise of Re- form Judaism," published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. Dr. Plaut, who is rabbi of Toronto's Holy Blossom Tem- ple, views Reform Judaism as "a phenomenon of man's rest- less spirit." Outlining the na- ture of the movement, he de- clares that "its branches com- bine the ancient spirit with the special beauty of each new generation." Affiliates • of other branches of Judaism will find this volume as interesting and informative as those who belong to Reform temples. Rabbi Plaut traces the rise of Reform to the period of enlightment in the 18th century, to the time of Moses Mendels- sohn (1729-1786) "who became the model for all those aspiring to civil and cultural equality." He reviews in his informa- tive book the activities of the noted leaders in the Reform movement, but his emphasis is on the issues that arose within the movement and that led to its creation, the debates over the use of Hebrew, the question of circumcision, the interpretations of the ideals inherent in Judaism, the de- bates over the bases for tne Mission of Israel. He describes t h e various magazines that arose with the movement, the changes in the prayer book, the trends first away from traditional practices and then of a return, of em- phases on Jewish education. The numerous reprinted sta- tements and essays on various subjects related to Judaism and to the Reform movement, the excepts from Zunz, Geiger, Holdheim, and many others, ex- plain the Reform views on the Sabbath, the festivals, circum- csion, dietary laws, marriage, mourning practices, etc. There are many modifications, but few truly deviating pro- posals. Even in the matter of Tisha b'Ab - the validity of its observance is • recognized. Cir- cumcision is insisted upon, but there are dietary modifications. The great controversies re- volving around Reform are analyzed and reviewed with thoroughness. The annotated portions of this book make it especially valuable for stu- dents of trends in Judaism. Thus, Dr. Plaut touches upon the basic principles of Reform and he also mentions the errors. His work is a conscientious effort aimed at factualism and realism. It is a commendable book and is a credit to the Re- form leader who has so well and with such fairness analyzed the movement to which he is dedi- cated. Announcements Last Week's Winner of the "RASKIN BIG BABY BONUS" was MRS. IRWIN PAVORSKY (7 Lbs., 3 Oz.) Congratulations on the birth of your daughter and we hope the RASKIN PRODUCTS you re- ceived helped make your first week at home easier. RASKIN FOOD CO. man), 1151 W. Nine Mile, Fern- dale, a son, Kevin Alan. * * * Sept. 18—To Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Chafetz (Lois Lipsky), 18002 Schaefer, a son, Mark Frederick. * * * Sept. 17 — To Dr. and Mrs. Stuart LaKind (Carole Peggy Bachman), former Detroiters living at 16 Shawnee, Rockaway, N.J., a daughter, Cara Lynn. * * * Sept. 22 — To Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Karp (Marlene Pearl- Sept. 17—To Mr. and Mrs. man), 17385 Indiana, a daugh- Mark Bokolor, 20530 Stahelin, a ter, Nancy.• son, Allan H. * * * * * Sept. 20—To Mr. and Mrs. Sept. 16 — To Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Copley (Norma Lieber- Donald Kay (Beverly Stein) of Maplewood Ave., Livonia, a son, CERTIFIED EXPERT MOHEL Keith Brian. * * * RABBI Sept. 10 — To Mr. and Mrs. Stanley H. Stone (Mary Ann Becker) a son, Steven Howard. * * * FE 4-4149 FE 4-8266 Serving in Hospitals and Homes Sept. 7 — To Dr. and Mrs. Soll Gaynor, 3631 Gloucester, Flint, a daughter, Naomi Ava. * * * REV. Sept. 7 — To Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Smith (Gail Landau), a son, Howard Gary. MOHEL * * Serving at Homes. and Hospitals Sept. 4 — To Mr. and Mrs. DI 1-9909 Lawrence Solomon (Barbara Dickman), 20600 Pembroke, a son, Eric Robert. * * * RABBI Sept. 3—To Capt. and Mrs. ISAAC KAPLAN Bernard Lewis (Sherrill Marvel- Certfied Mohel stone), of Minot AFB, N.D., a Serving in Homes & Hospitals daughter, Alichia Lynn. 17181 Cherrylawn * * * UN 1-1508 Aug. 22 — To Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Katz (Ruth Weinber- ger), a daughter, Lillian Karen. * * * REV. Aug. 8 — To Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Schane (Marjorie Jo Rothenberg), former Detroiters, CERTIFIED . MOHEL now of 69 Grove, Arlington, Serving in Homes & Hospitals Mass., a daughter, Sheryl Max- UN 4-0572 ine. Israel Goodman Marshall L Goldman Joseph Baras REV. SHALOM RALPH Certified Mohel Serving at Homes and Hospitals LI 7-9489 Sukenie-Schiff Engagement Told Recommended by Physicians RABBI LEO GOLDMAN Expert Mohel Serving in Hospitals and Homes LI 2-4444 LI 1-9769 Aged Happier in Own Apartments Than in Institutions JDC Survey The most modest and tiniest apartment seems to be more desirable to old people than residence in an institution. This was confirmed again in a sur- vey conducted by a Joint Dis- tribution Committee-M alb en social worker. Malben is the welfare pro- gram conducted on behalf of aged, ill and infirm immigrants in Israel by the Joint Distribu- tion Committee with United Jewish Appeal funds. The survey covered condi- tions and attitudes of elderly new immigrants who were set- tled in "minimal" housing units MISS JUDITH SUKENIC Mr. and Mrs. Norman Suke- Mc of Wisconsin Ave. announce the engagement of their daugh- ter, Judith, to Lawrence Schiff, son of Mr. and Mrs. Meyer Schiff of Mark Twain Ave. The bride-elect is a senior at Wayne State University's College of Education. A June 14 wedding is planned. American Section of Jewish Agency Reports on Education NEW YORK, (JTA) — The Jewish Agency's Department of Education and Culture reported that it was host this summer to hundreds of teachers, principals, communal workers, Bar and Bas Mitzvah boys and girls in a series of seminars and confer- ences on the East and West Coast and study tours in Israel. Other Israel study tours were: 1. A Seminar for Jewihs edu- cators, Jewish social and com- munal workers. Over 50 per- sons participated in this pro- ject, whose aim was to enable persons engaged in Jewish edu- cation and community service to study at first hand the dynamics of Jewish life and Hebrew cul- ture in Israel. 2. Sixty youngsters of promis- ing leadership calibre partici- pated in an intensive study seminar in- Israel, which com- bined formal daily instruction in Judaism with visiting all Parts of the country and becom- ing acquainted with the prob- lems of Israel. This group was sponsored by the Department in cooperation with the National Ramah Seminar of the Jewish Theological Seminary. 3. A selected group of 40 American students, engaged in Hebrew studies at Hebrew and public high schools, participated in a special "Israel Summer Seminar for High School Stu- dents," which was geared to provide an opportunity to im- prove their Hebrew and to study and tour Israel. 4. Twenty-five graduates from Beth Shalom school of Kansas City, Mo., participated in a spe- cial student workshop designed to translate the classroom study of Israel into meaningful per- sonal experience by enabling schools to transfer their classes to Israel in the summer time as a homogeneous unit. 5. Sixty students participated in an educational project for four weeks, geared for gradu- ates of the Yeshiva University. This study seminar and tour for Yeshiva University alumni combined study and apprecia- tion of socio-economic and poli- tical aspects of Israel life with particular emphasis on an ex- amination of methods used in Israel to synthesize the Jewish religious cultural heritage with the modern State. Derivation of the Name 'Adam' By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX (Copyright, 1963 Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.) What is the derivation of the name "Adam" which was given to the first man? From the Bible (Genesis 2:7) it would generally seem that the first man was called Adam because he was formed out of the earth and the Hebrew term for "earth" is Adamah." Thus "Adam" became the generic term for "Man." In the Talmud we find Rabbi Johanan contend- ing that the word Adam can be taken to be an abbreviation where each of the three letters that make up this Hebrew word stand for three elements in the make-up of man, i.e. the Aleph stands for "Efer" ashes; the "Dalet" stands for "Dam" which means "blood" and the "Mem" stands for "Marah" which means "Gall." The Apocrypha finds the four letters that make up the term Adam to represent the four directions of the world from which man originated. They are Anatole (East); Dysis (West); Arktos (North), and Mesembria (South). (Sibylline Oracles 3:24-26). This matches a Rabbinic contention that the dust went into the making of Adam was gathered from the four corners of the world (San- hedrin 38a; Midrash Tehillim 129:5). Professor Yahudah, the Egyptologist, contends that the expression Adam refers to the fact that Adam was made from red earth, the term Adamah be- ing related to expression mean- ing "red." To him the signifi- cant point is that "red earth" is vegetatively barren as com- pared with rich black soil, to signify how barren man is without the soul of G-d. Joseph Seligman, who helped float the first Union bonds in Europe in the Civil War, is said to have helped U. S. Grant get the appointment to the top com- mand. Seligman had known Grant from his earlier days. Grant, when he became Presi- dent, offered Seligman the post of Secretary of the Treasury, but it was declined. , Available for Bar Mitzvahs, wed- ding receptions or meetings — seating 10-150. Finest Accommo- dations. Free parking. CRESTWOOD MOTEL 16221 W. Eight Mile 4 blks. W. of Jas. Couzens, adja- cent to Northland Center. For Reservations Call BR 2-1403 - - ► ikii M ITZVAHIS PHOTOGRAPHED IN COLOR At the Cost of Black & White Pli*OFESSIONAL.- COLOR ILII 8-5700 OR 549 - 43161 and ENTERTAINMENT BY HAL GORDON UN 3-5730 UN 3-8982 —110wWWWWEPlerilff0' We Make Our Own Glasses HEADQUARTERS FOR • LATEST DOMESTIC AND IM- PORTED FRAME FASHIONS • PRESCRIPTIONS FOR GLASSES ACCURATELY FILLED Boom on Tel Aviv Exchange Since Jan. 1, common stock prices on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange have risen by an average of over 45 per cent, a phenomenal increase for a six- month period. Turnover for the first quarter of 1963 was double that of the previous three months. in three communities of north- ern Israel. Formerly they had lived in shanty immigrant camp s. JDC Malben, which maintains a network of homes and villages for over 4,000 aged new immigrants, joined with the Jewish Agency in installing these elderly people in their own communities as an experi- mental project. Some time after they were settled in their new apartments, the social worker called to find out how they were faring. About half of the 120 aged surveyed were living in a southern suburb of Haifa, pop- ulated mainly by newcomers; a few at Nahariya, a seaside resort north of Haifa; and the remainder at Kiriat Shmona, a development town in Upper Galilee. They were all between 63 and 85 years old, and in- cluded among them are 24 cou- ples. What did they think of their new life? All but four thought it was fine. Most of them are maintaining themselves with the National Insurance pension (social security) paid to the aged, or else with welfare grants which are roughly the same • amount. A few have part-time jobs doing light work, such as baby-sitting or mend- ing; an almost negligible num- ber are supported by their families. More than two-thirds of them report that their health had improved steadily since they moved into their own homes, and just over half said their family relationships were better now—those who former- ly had lived in cramped quar- ters with children and grand- children. Apart from the greater per- sonal satisfaction these old peo- ple derive from living inde- pendently in their own homes, the program is actually less costly than finding room for them in homes for the aged or building new homes. In summing up, the JDC Malben social worked found that the "experimental residence pro- gram for the aged was suc- cessful" and suggested that it be continued as a means of helping other aged newcomers settle in Israel. • Immediate Repair • Reasonably Priced ROSEN! OPTICAL SERVICE 13720 W. 9 MILE nr. COOLIDGE OAK PARK, MICH. LI 7-5068 Hours: Daily and Sat. 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesdays Thursdays to 9 p.m. to 12:30