R. Alcalay's 'Complete Hebrew-English
Dictionary' Enriches Jewish Lexicography
An encyclopedic new work
enriches Jewish lexicography.
Thanks to the pioneering
efforts of Prayer Book Press,
(410 Asylum St., Hartford 1,
Conn.), "The Complete English-
H e b r e w Dictionary" is now
available in a single volume.
Ruben Alcalay, head of the
translation office of the Israel
Prime Minister's office, is the
author of this immense work
which appears in 4270 columns
for a total of more than 2,100
pages.
The compiler has a rich back-
ground as lexicographer. He
was chief translator for the
British mandatory power in
Palestine in 1930. His first small
English-Hebrew dictionary in
1939. It was done for his own
use but out of it has grown his
present great work.
His efforts of the present
volume of 120,000 entries com-
menced in 1953. He was aided
by a collection of 20,000 words
that were gathered by the He-
brew Language Academy. Use
was made of available scientific
and medical terms in other dic-
tionaries.
The manner in which
Detroit Chapter of HadassPh Party
to Climax Annual Honor Roll Drive
A gala celebration, with danc-
ing, entertainment and refresh-
ments, will climax the Honor
Roll Campaign of the Detroit
Chapter of Hadassah 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 11 at Cong. Shaarey Zedek,
announces President Mrs. Max
Lichter.
The star of the evening will
be "Saucy" Sylvia (Mrs. Mike
Stoun), who plays piano accom-
paniment to her own vocals.
She became popular chief vocal-
ist on her own
show over ra-
dio station
WLW in Cin-
cinnati. F e a-
tured also on
the program
will be "Fenby
Five Orches-
tra."
Mrs. Jack
W. Perlman is
chairman of
Mrs. Benson the affair. She
is assisted by Mrs. Harold Hoff-
man. In charge of decorations
is Mrs. A. C. Hamburger. Honor-
ary Honor Roll chairmen are
Mrs. Joseph Ehrlich and Mrs.
Henry Wineman. Mrs. Davis
Benson is vice-president of
fund-raising.
The Hadassah Office (BR
3-5441 will accept reservations
until Wednesday. All Honor
Roll contributors are invited to
attend.
Surfside Hotel
Fire Survivor
Gam Zu LeTova
One man in the Talmud is
always called Everything is for
the Best. (How would you like
to be called Mr. Everything is
for the Best?) The name came
about as a result of the man's
philosophy. He was badly crip-
pled, but he insisted that every-
thing is for the best, so he
got to be called that, or its
Hebrew equivalent, which is
given the simple Hebrew transla
tion of "batel" with a note that
it is a "psak din"O, but in
Alcalay it is "batel," with the
added "hishtalet al bet halordim
bitel et piske hadin shel bate
hamishpat"—which is explained
as "the House of Lords has over-
ruled the judgments of the
courts."
To the credit of Kaufman's
work it should be said that it
does contain most of the terms
appearing • in Alcalay. But the
latter is a vast enlargement
that expands the knowledge of
Hebrew and provides many ad-
ditional Hebrew words.
Thus, Kaufman's has terms
for "ingrate" and ingratiate"
but Alcalay expands and offers
Hebrew terms for "ingrate,"
"ingratiate," "ingratiating," 'in-
gratiation," and 'ingratiatory."
Some differences in favor of
Kaufman's also must be noted.
For instance, for "abscess"
Alcalay gives "murah," but
Kaufman's has the additional
"tiv," "makah," "makah triya."
But Alcalay lists in the section
"Hidushei L a so n" — new
words" — the additional term
"hitmaress" and in the
lengthier collection he lists
the additional terms for
terms for "abscess e d"—
"maleh mursah," "naguah
b'mursah."
Plan Center Concert
for Temporary Location
Due to the recent fire at the
Jewish Center, the next concert -
of the Center Symphony Orches-
tra, under the direction of
Julius Chajes, is scheduled for
Dec. 17 at the Community Arts
Auditorium of Wayne State Uni-
versity, Cass and Ferry. Gordon
Staples will be the soloist.
Alcalay resorted to all avail-
able background sources be-
comes evident in comparing
the terms used in previously
issued English-Hebrew dic-
tionaries with those appearing
in the new work. For instance,
in the dictionary edited by
Dr. Judah Ibn-Shmuel Kauf-
man, the word "overseer" is
given the Hebrew translations
of "roeh, mefakeakh, mash-
giakh," but in Alcalay's they
are "mefakeakh, mashgiakh,"
with the added one "memuneh
al haoniyim" as m e an ing
"overseer of the poor."
In Kaufman's "overrule" is
Ginny Grosser, 68, shows
the strain of her night's or-
deal after finding herself one
of the survivors from the fire
which took 25 lives at the
Surfside Hotel in Atlantic
City, N.J. The blaze, which
spread to six other hotels in
the area, also injured 23 per-
sons and caused damages
estimated at $3,000,000.
The comparisons could be
multiplied a hundred-fold • to
indiCate some changes, many
expansions, references to Eng-
lish sources which make Al-
calay's considerably more com-
plete than Kaufman's.
With all due credit to the
latter, which has been published
in both Hebrew-English and
English - Hebrew dictionaries,
with an addendum volume for
the English-Hebrew listings, it
should be dicated that Alcalay's
becomes useful primarily as a
supplementary work. It is in
this respect that Hebrew lexi-
cography, already extensively
compiled, is enriched.
—P. S.
Gam Zu LeTova.
FREE TO OUR READERS !
BY HENRY LEONARD
'When - the gegslah
Cam..
Chilean Nazi Youths
to Stand Trial for
Attacking Synagogues
BitterMalt-Weitzer
Engagement Told
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
SANTIAGO, Chile — A group
of members of a brown-shirted
Nazi youth organization will go
on trial soon on charges of at-
tacks on synagogues in Santiago.
Franz Heinz Pfeiffer-Richter,
25, and four of his followers in
the national socialist movement
were indicted for trying to dyna-
mite a synagogue here on May
21, 1958. Three days later, his
group allegedly tried to set a
Jewish clubhouse afire and at
about 'the same time three other
synagogues were attacked.
While the five were in prison
awaiting trial, police raided the
movement's headquarters and
found a large collection of flags,
other Nazi and Ku Klux Klan
f material, and pictures of Hitler.
The Court of Appeals freed
he Nazis on grounds of insuf-
rient evidence on some of the
charges. The Nazis were held in
c"stody, however, pending a
hearing by the Appellate Court
on the specific charges of at-
tacks on synagogues.
A pre-war Chilean nationalist
party, which embraced Nazi
ideology, faded when the allies
crushed Nazi Germany. The new
movement attracted public at-
tention when Pfeiffer-Richter
said he would lead "a battle
against the Jews" and that he
would be a candidate in the
presidential elections in 1964.
The movement claims about
6,000 members.
Pfeiffer-Richter,- who c a 11 s
himself the Grand Dragon of the
Aryan Knights of the Secret
Kingdom, said Jewish business-
men were to blame "for the
flight of c a p i t a l• away from
Chile."
MISS COREEN BITTERMAN
Mr. and Mrs. Irving Bitter-
man of Oak Park announce the
engagement of their daughter,
Coreen, to Milton Weitzer, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Weit-
zer of Stoepel Ave. An early
January wedding is planned.
Want ads get quick results!
11:1V JAMES
Will GIVE Your
Bar Mitzvah Boy
Michigan leads all the states
in per capita support of higher
education, and Michigan's insti-
tutions of higher learning, both
public and private, include some
of the foremost in their fields.
When you Buy his
Bar Mitzvah suit
from . . .
foundations
by
Corsets-Brassieres
Expertly Fitted
20127 W. 7 MILE RD.
538-5575
Parking in Rear
18045 Wyoming and
13807 9 Mile Rd., Oak Park
MORE FUN, MORE TO DO
AT HALF THE COST...
-Just 3 hours from Detroit!
There isn't a resort in the country where you'll have such
a great time! And now, with our new, modified American
Plan starting at $8.75 per person, you'll sleep soundly in
an attractive room ... enjoy breakfast and dinner in our
famous dining rooms (order anything you want from the
regular menu) . . . see a free floor show, and dance on
weekends . . . attend nightly free movies ... get a tan in
our year 'round, sun lamp solarium. All this for only
$8.75 per day! For just a bit more you'll relieve tensions
in our popular Sulphur Baths, relax in Sauna Baths,
have a soothing massage. You'll feel like a new person!
Play cards, chat with new friends, sip a cocktail in the
bar .. . walk on the beach or visit nearby shops. Dress
informally, forget your worries and just have fun!
New This Season!
Modified American
Plan from
Only 3 hours' drive from Detroit via I 94.
Michigan Central train daily to Niles—
and we'll meet you if requested.
24-Year Hebrew-English
Calendar. 32 pages. All
dates and Hebrew equiva-
lents and days of the week,
Oct. 1940 to Sept. 1964.
Important Jewish holidays
to 1970.
For free copy write to H. J.
Heinz Company, Dept. J2,
Pittsburgh 30, Pennsylvania
S
1 1
"Your Honor, my client would like to change his
name from Gaines to Ginzburg."
Copr. 1963, toyeria Produalens••
EN JIM
Sulphur Springs Hotel, St. Joseph, Michigan
Phone: YUkon 3-2501 (Area Code 616)
per person,
daily, double
occupancy. Includes
full course breakfast and
deluxe dinner! Same rate
weekends or week days.
European Plan (room
only) if you
prefer.