THE JEWISH NEWS
Post-Election Clean-Up
of July 20, 1951
The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue Association, National Editorial
Incorporating
Association of English—Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press
Member American
Mile Road, Detroit 48235 inch,
Association.
Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co.. 17100 West Seven
Published every
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Second
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
CHARLOTTE HYAMS
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
scriptural selections
This Sabbath, the second day of Kislev, 5725, the following
will be read in gbur synagogues:
portion: Malachi 1:1-2:7.
Pentateuchal portion: Gem 25:19-28:9; prophetical
Licht benshen, Friday, November 6, 5:02 p.m.
VOL. XLVI. No. 11
Page 4
November 6, 1964
Book Month--Its Objective and Challenge
occupies the limelight at this battles on the plains of daily life. . . .
The Book
"A person reading a great novel or bio-
time. It has stimulated the observance of
Book Fairs, and the current fair in honor of graphy lives a great adventure without distur-
of
which will commence at the Jewish bance to his peace of mind..In the words
the
book,
Community Center tomorrow night, once Santayana, art brings before our eyes what
again is expected to stimulate interest in we cannot find in action—the union of life
reading, in purchasing books, and in en- and peace. To read history is good for our
health of mind; it teaches us moderation and
couraging writers and publishers.
For an entire month, we shall again place tolerance, and shows us that the terrible dis-
emphasis on books. The theme will be the pates over which civil wars or world wars
chief topic of consideration in our commu- were once' fought are now mere wrangles,
nity's programming, and we shall consider dead and buried. And that is a lesson in wis
ourselves greatly elevated by the glory of an dom and in the relativity of values. A great
idea based on the centrality of all culture. book never leaves the reader the same as he
AL
Perennially, on the occasion of the cthserv- having
was before—he
read it." is always a better man for
arse of Book Month, we turn to Ibn Tibbon,
There is another gem, On Reading, in
y
the 12th Century Hebrew scholar, and we
. Libraries a nd Their Mission, " b
Publ ic
quote from his appeal:
Andre Maurois, published by UNESCO, from
"Make your books your companions;
which we quote:
Archaeology has captured the imagination of people everywhere.
let your cases and shelves be your pleasure-
- ed i n
. . . Read not to contradict and confute;
of the Bible are constantly . turning to o lee u
grounds and orchards . . .
anted;
nor
to
students
grounds
for
gr
and
take
interest.
nor to believe
excavations,
and
illustrated
Bible
material
draws
ever-increasing
is an even more impressive admoni- find talk and discussion; but to weigh
Adding immensely to the growing interest in the Bible and in
and consider. Some books are to be tasted, archaeological research is the impressive work, "The Bible as History
tion in the Sefer Hasidim, where we are told:
to
be
"If a drop of ink fell at the same time
others to be swallowed, and some few
in Pictures," by Dr. Werner Keller, published by William Morrow &
chewed and digested; that is, some books i Co. (425 Park, S., NY 16). In a splendid translation from the German,
. on your book and on your coat, clean first
be
rendered the text into an understandable and
the book and then the garment . . . If you
are to be read only in parts; others to
, Dr. William Neil has
read but not curiously, and some few to be fascinating story that will increase biblical interest.
drop gold and books, pick up first the books
read wholly, and with diligence and attention.
and then the • gold."
The Old and New Testaments are represented in the 329 illustra
Sonze books also may be read by deputy, and i tions in this valuable book, and there are, in addition, eight important
And so. during Book Month, as we are
by
others;
but
that
:
extracts made of them
readying to enjoy the many features of our
argu-icolor plates.
would be only in the less important
own Book Fair, we select the gems from the
It is not only the collection of pictures and their explanatory
literatures of the nations, from our own book- me-zits and the meaner sort of books; else 1
notes
that are. valuable here: the book gains in merit from the
like
common
distilled
I
distilled books are,
Synoptic Chronological Table of Biblical History. This
lore and from those of other peoples, to place
extensive
waters, flashy things. Reading m
aketh a full
hop A of the Patriarchs and_continues through the
. . ,
emphasis on the value of the book, on the
s
ar
s
writing
.
man; conference a ready man; and
period of Jesus and the Age of the Apostles.
importance of reading, on the urgency to
study. Writing on the importance of studies,
an exact man. And, therefore, if a man write i i
Then there also is an important bibliography, an index of Bible
little, he had need have a great memory; if references. the well compiled index that refers to the sources of the
Sir Francis Bacon had written:
present
a
he
had
need
have
pictures, and there are acknowlgeents
of the illustrations that
ed m
"Our civilization is an epitome of the he confer little,
he had need have
he accompanying
knowledge and memories accumulated by the wit; and if he read little, know that he doth emerge in tmportance becaus e of =the
much cunning, to seem to
on the photographs,
generations that have gone before. To partake
not. Histories make men wise; poets, witty;
Dr. Keller makes this interesting observation in a prefatory note
of it we must needs get into touch with their
the mathematics, subtle; natural philosophy,
.
•
thought. The only way to do this — and so
and rhetoric, able to his volume:
deep;
Moral,
grave;
logic
become a 'cultured' person — is by reading.
"A few decades ago such an undertaking would- have been utopian.
1
Nothing can take the place of reading — no to contend . . .
Not that there was a lack of illustrative material connected with the
men's
Having thus elaborated upon books and scriptures, for the great events of the Bible have alw a ys gripped modern
lecture or image on a screen has the same
power to enlighten. Pictures are a most valu- reading and studies, and having expressed imagination. Famous painters in the Middle Ages as in more
the great satisfaction in seeing the perpetua- i times have chosen scenes from the Bible as their theme. But without
able means of illustrating a written text, but
drawn from the past, without a knowledge
they hardly enable us to form general ideas. !ion of a tradition of observing the Book concrete, genuine prototypes
Months perenially, we must ask ourselves of the ancient East, the content of the picture was bound to be largely
Films, like the spoken word, flow by and are
week I the product of the artist's own imagination."
lost to us; it is difficult, nay, impossible to again: is this an observance for a single
Thus, supplemented by archaeological knowledge, picturization of
or a single month, are we honoring the book I
turn back to them for reference. Books abide,
enhanced in this work.
only during this period—just as we show biblical themes assumes a new role, greatly
as life-long companions.
Dr. Keller gives due credit to Edward Robinson, an American
siddur and mahzor mainly - on , .
respect
for
the
"Montaigne confessed to needing three
ar r will the idea con-
scholar, for having laid the foundation for biblical archaeology
three Holy Days a -year—o
kinds of communion — love, friendship and
with his work in Palestine 125 years ago. He states that, thus,
tinue throughout the ye? Are
. . we . merely 1
as
books. All three are much the same. One can
"after thousands of years the forgo tt,en world of the ear
participating in an impressive social even
love books — they are always faithful friends.
has once again come within our ken," that Mediterranean history
or
are
we
embracing
the
during Book Month,
I would even say that I have often foupd them
has "suddenly become alive and real."
book in the spirit quoted from Sefer Hasidim?
witt'er
makes it acceptable to
e and wiser than those who wrote them.
Is this a passing phase, or are we passing
The excitement exuded by this volume •h
A riter puts the best that is in him into his
will fin d it the -
w
the ideal of book loving on to our children Jews as well as Christians, to people of all faiths,
it
ooks. His conversation may sparkle, yet
the most sacred picturization that enlivens the text, and a text 'that reads splendidly
share
with
whom
we
must
does not endure. But one has never finished
in the review of the biblical stories.
wrestling with the mysteries of a book. More- in life?
The questions are posed for understand-
over, this friendship can be shared, without
able reasons. Publishers are not flourish-
jealousy, by millions of people all over the
ing—unless they are able to produce the sexi-
world. Writers like Balzac, Dickens, Tolstoy,
Cervantes, Goethe, Dante or Melville are a est of novels, and writers are not affluent,
wonderful bond between people who appear unless they sink quite low to produce the
sexiest of stories. While more books are be-
to be poles apart.
What are the forces that have influenced the American character?
ing published, there is no evidence that the
In a series
ri of essays published by Harper under the title "The
"Books can take us out of ourselves. None
reading public is increasing. The People of Search for Identity," edited by. Prof. Roger L. Shinn of Columbia Uni-
of us has had enough personal experience to
appear
the texts of addresses that were delivered at the Institute
has
not
indicated
that
it
has
the Book
versity
Seminary of
know other people — or, indeed, himself — strengthened its love for the written word. for
Religious and Social Studies of the Jewish Theological
thoroughly. We all feel lonely in this vast,
Even our most sacred possessions, the Bible America during 196243.
irresponsive world. We suffer because of it;
and the Prophetic works, are too-little known
Distinguished scholars represented in this volume in addition to
we are shocked by the injustice of the world
must A. Shinn include Dr. Joseph L. Blau, Dr. Richard T. Baker, Dr. Nathan
and the hardships of life. But from books we in our ranks.
Mead of Cohunbia; Herman F. Reissig, Coun-
A. Scott and Dr. Margaret
As we turn to the Book Fair, we
New York Interracial
learn that others — greater men than we —
for Christian Social Action; Dennis .1. Clark,
have suffered and have sought as we have. do it with an acknowledgement of problems: cii
Council;
Dr.
Yoshio
Fukuyama,
United
Church
Board;
Dr. Kyle Hasel-
have yet to perpetuate the love for den, Morris Harbey College; Dr. Theodore W. Sheet, N.Y. Transit In -
Books are our gateways into other minds and that we that
we
we
must
prove
that
what
Falgenia L
'
ary;
Union Theologicg Semin
other peoples. Through them we can escape books,
Book Month is not mostly lip dustry; Dr. Robert W. Lynn,
Minn.; Harold K. Schilling Penn State University;
from the narrow little world we live in and preach during,
McCarthy,
U.S.
Senator,
r
is natual
from fruitless brooding over our own selves. service during the other eleven months of At The conscience of America is explored in thess.
e essay t Iev
challenges us,
k
I K 1 r
r €$ 1 o s s Month
l thould play i mportant roles in these aluallons.
An evening spent reading great books does the year Therefo ng fi er at us, tests our t
the racist ssues
and religious `problems
an accusing
ie , abor - management, political
the same tim
for our minds what a holiday in the moun- points
es e to enjoy and to
tans does for our bodies. We come down from knowledge and our
are
Placed
under
aerutin-v-
Perhaps we shall emerge
Sea
rch for Self-
those lofty heights stronger, our lungs and honor the book.
emerges an approach o th e "American
out a it
book
of t he opening essay by Dr. Sh inn.
our mind cleansed of all impurities, and are more positive in our approach to the
Understanding ", which is the t
better equipped to face with courage the with the current Book Fair.
'Bible as Histo ry in Pictures
Is Effects of Archaeology
R evea ls
-
Ae
Essays on Amertcan Character
in 'The Search for Identity'
95,