Downtown Synagogue Buys New Buildings on Griswold; Young Israel Day Marked in Detroit
Readies Structure, Sanctuary for Services in the Fall by Proclamation of Mayor Cavanagh
The Isaac Agree Downtown Syna-
gogue this week purchased the
Fintex Building at the corner of
Griswold and Clifford in downtown
Detroit, directly across the street
from its present quarters. Price
for the building was not disclosed,
but it was paid for in cash from a
small number of building fund con-
tributions, according to Adolph
Goldberg, chairman of the fund
raising committee.
Since 1939. when the synagogue
came to Griswold Street from Rose-
dale . Court, - it has always rented
quarters in several locations but
always on Griswold, within a block
of the downtown shopping center.
"Our purpose has always been
to allow persons in the downtown
area as well as visitors to the city
to avail themselves of a place to
worship, which is convenient to
their places of business and the
downtown hotels," Goldberg stated,
"but primarily we are providing a
place of worship as a free syna-
gogue to persons who have not
affiliated elsewhere."
Although the building is paid
for. extensive remodeling will be
undertaken this summer under di-
rection of Charles N. Agree Asso-
ciates, and will be ready for occu-
pancy this fall. This work will start
at once, and the Jewish community
will be asked to contribute funds
to pay for the cost of renovating
the building.
The ground floor will have a
reading room, library, and
several classrooms. The second
floor will house the sanctuary
and rabbi's study. The third
floor will be converted to a
SANCTUARY VIEW
social hall, and the fourth floor
will consist of offices. None of
the building will be rented out
as it is anticipated the synagogue
will need all of the space.
The building is fireproof, and is
completely air conditioned and has
central heating.
Rabbi Noah Game is its spiritual
leader and Louis Blumenthal is
the sexton.
Officers of the synagogue are
Mitchell Spivak, president; George
Bass, Moe Wolfe and Al Berkowitz,
vice presidents; Martin Budman,
secretary; Morris Rothstein, treas-
urer; and Nathan Agree, chairman
of the board of trustees.
In addition to Goldberg, the fund
raising committee consists of E.
M. Rosenthal, Bass, and Nathan
. and Charles Agree.
Sam Reinstein heads the ritual
committee, and Norton Rosin is
head of the legal committee. Joe
Weiss is president of the Men's
Club.
Shavuot Quiz
Why is it especially customary
to eat dairy foods on Shavuoth?
The author of the Kol Bo ex-
plains that the reason for eating
dairy foods on Shavuoth is because
it is the anniversary of the Revela-
tion of the Torah which has been
compared to Milk and Honey. He
infers this from the verse in the
Bible (Song of Songs, 4:11) which
states "Honey and Milk are under
thy tongue." Another medieval
commentator bases the practice
upon the Hebrew initials of the
Biblical phrase "when ye bring a
new meal offering unto the Lord
(in your Feast of Weeks) (Num-
bers 28:26) which spell out the
word "Mechalav" (from milk).
Some authorities contend that this
was a means of remembering that,
at the occasion of the Revelation
of the Torah, the laws of ritual
slaughter (Shechita) were given to
the people of Israel. This meant
that the meat that remained in
their possession from earlier days
was not permissible, since it had
not been slaughtered properly.
Thus they could eat only dairy that
day.
There are commentaries that ex-
plain the custom on the basis of
the fact that limiting themselves
to dairy foods makes people
humble as compared to those who
indulge the gluttonous desire for
meat. The Torah revealed at Sinai,
teaches man - to be humble, and
thus dairy foods are consumed as
a demonstration of humility. Other
commentaries inject a very simple
practical explanation. They con-
tend that, since the practice devel-
oped of staying awake all through
the night of Shavuoth, the popu-
and after an early prayer service
lace was hungry in the morning,
eould not wait until the meat
dishes could be pr e p a r e d and
warmed. Hence they ate some
dairy foods which needed little
or no preparation. From this
developed the folk practice of eat-
ing various dairy delicacies like
"kreplech," "blintzes," etc. which
many make for one meal during
the holiday, and which others make
for a tasty delicacy eaten before
the regular holiday meat meals.
Why does the congregation
rise when the Ten Command-
ments are read in the synagogue?
By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX
I
It is claimed that this practice is
enacted to emulate the condition
at Sinai d u r in g the revelation,
which the Bible describes by
saying "And they stood at the
nether part of the mount" (Exodus
19:17). Since the Biblical portion
describing the Ten Commandments
depicts the epic at Sinai we too
rise and stand as our forefathers
did when they heard these very
same commandments at Mount
Sinai. Furthermore, it reminds
every Jew that he ought to feel as
if he himself were at Sinai to
receive the commandments when
they were given.
Rabbi Arm to Speak
to Farband May 23
Rabbi Milton Arm will be the
guest speaker at a Yom Ha-Atzmaut
celebration of Farband Branch 114,
Saturday, May 23, 8:30 P.M., in the
Habonim Room of the Labor Zion-
ist Institute.
There also will be a musical pro-
gram by Jerry and Michael, folk
singers, and refreshments will be
served. All members are invited to
come and bring their friends.
Rabbi Arm is the incoming di-
rector of the Jewish National Fund.
The affair is in advance of the
Labor Zionist Movement-Landsman-
shaften Israel 16th anniversary
celebration.
S. African Rabbis Join
Detention Law Protest
JOHANNESBURG, (JTA)—Three
prominent Jewish religious leaders
in South Africa joined clergymen
of other faiths in protesting con-
tinued use by the authorities of the
90-day detention law.
This law provides for the deten-
tion of up to 90 days, without trial
or warrant, of any persons suspect-
ed of "sabotage" or of those be-
lieved to be in possession of infor-
mation on acts of "sabotage."
The rabbis signing the protest
declaration addressed to Prime
Minister Hendrik Verwoerd and
Foreign Minister Vorster were
Israel Abrahams, chief rabbi of
Cape Town; Bernard Casper, chief
rabbi of Johannesburg; and Re-
form Rabbi David Sherman of Cape
Town.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, May 15, 1964
17
Mayor Cavanagh proclamied I balance of funds necessary for the
Thursday "Young Israel Day" in I expanded youth activity program of
Detroit, to honor the 40th anni- the organization.
sary of the Young Israel movement
Karbal hopes to raise the entire
in the Midwest.
sum for the Youth Fund in time
In the presence of the presidents, for the culminating 40th anniver-
and the boards of directors of the sary dinner.
four branches of
Young Israel and
United Synagogue Gets
invited g u e s ts,
Two
National Awards
the mayor lauded
The National Academy for Adult
t h e accomplish-
Jewish Studies, the United Syna-
ments of the
gogue of America's department of
Young Israel
adult education, has won the an-
youth movement
nual citation of the National Coun-
and congrat-
cil on Jewish Audio-Visual Ma-
ulated the organ-
terials.
ization f o r hav-
One of the Academy's publica-
i n g reached 2 0
tions has won the Jewish Book
per cent of its
Council of America's annual award
goal of $150,000
for "the outstanding work on Jew-
f or the estab-
ish thought published during the
lishment o f a
year."
Youth Founda-
Cavanagh
tion Fund.
Morris Karbal, general chair- High School to Graduate
man, and Mrs. Robert Sosnick, 70 Beth El Students
chairman of the Women's Divi-
students of Temple Beth
sion of the Fund, announced the El Seventy
High School will be graduated
receipt of a gift from Benz Glass at 8:30 p.m. services today.
Co. in memory of Joseph Benz, a
The valedictory address will be
life-long friend of Young Israel. delivered by Ruth Ellen Selitsky.
The gift was presented by Sam
The consecration service for con-
Klein and Harry Fridson, sons in- firmands and their parents also
MAIN ENTRANCE
law of the late Mr. Benz, on behalf
Minyanim are held daily at the of the family for the establishment will he held today in conjunction
synagogue at 8 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. of the Joseph Benz Leadership with the graduation. Confirmation
On Sundays and holidays, services Training Seminar in Young Israel. will be held 9:45 a.m. Sunday.
start at 9 a.m. High holy days
On Thursday evening 200 leaders
Like water, the Torah (given on
services are held each year at the
of Young Israel met to plan a six- ' Shavuot) cleanses and is priceless
Veteran's Memorial Building.
month campaign to r a i s e the and free.—Sifre.
-
For Shevuoth
it's a better party with
that
great
v.o.
taste
chances are you'll like it at first sip.
You'll like its brilliant flavor.
Its special kind of lightness.
Most people do.
Distilled
and bottled
In Canada
Seagram's Imported Canadian
Known by the company it keeps
CANADIAN WHISKY–A BLEND OF SELECTED WHISKIES. O YEARS OLD.86.13PROOF. SEAGRAM-DISTILLERS CO., N.Y.C.
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