Purely Commentary
Seminary's Honors for Louis Berry
The Jewish Theological Seminary of America could not have
made a better choice in the naming of Louis .Berry as the recipient
of honors to be accorded to a Detroit leader at the annual dinner to
be sponsored by the Conservative synagogues of Detroit on Dec. 22.
Mr. Berry is deeply interested in the synagogue, and as a former
president of Shaarey Zedek he played a very important role in the
planning of the present impressive building of his congregation.
His interest in the Jewish Theological Seminary dates back more
than a decade during which he has labored in its behalf, has contrib-
uted to it generously. has enrolled supporters for it.
It is Mr. Berry's devotion to very many Jewish causes that makes
him stand out in our community as one of the ablest and most dedi-
cated leaders. As a former Allied Jewish Campaign chairman, as one
of the strong supporters of the Israel Bond investment projects. as
an associate in many efforts to aid Israel—dating back to the years
of struggle when the Zionist movement needed the aid of men and
women who helped financially • as well as by their encouragement to
political efforts—he has earned the distinction of being among the
consistent pioneers in support of the Jewish State.
Thus. as a man of faith, as a philanthropist. as a man with a
deep social sense. Mr. Berry emerges with a just right to all honors
that may be accorded him.
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A 'Debar Aher' Among Us .
Honors for an Able Leader
and a Distinguished. Rabbi
By Philip
SIOMOVitZ
Of course, we've had atheists in Jewish ranks. But, like most
secularists, they are the people who express firm views on many
issues and emphasize them either with a Barukh ha - Shem — blessed
be the Holy Name — or with Gott tzu danken — thank God.
How glorious is our association as Jews with Jews! Even secu-
larists are tolerated. ("Israel af al pi shehata Israel hu"—"A Jew even
if he has sinned still remains a Jew"—because there is always time
for atonement). And when secularists gather their common bond is
often the Hasidic melody—in itself a- glorification of the Almighty—
else they could not be held together as an entity with Jews. For them,
too, it is baruch ha - Shem!•
provided those
The issue isn't so serious — barukh ha-Shem
who give heed to this type of atheism know the score and have not
forgotten the values of our heritage — and our heritage is not godless.
Indeed. how odd of God to choose the Jews, but it's not so odd that
we have chosen God.
Rabbi Adler Has Earned the Community's Honor
On the eve of the Sabbatical Year granted to Rabbi Morris Adler
by Congregation Shaarey Zedek, his synagogue and the Jewish National
Fund are acting jointly to sponsor the naming of a school in his honor
- , in Israel.
It is a deserved tribute in recognition of the rabbi's lifetime of
services to the Zionist movement. his efforts in behalf of Israel, the
encouragement he has given the land reclamation and land develop-
ment agency—the Jewish National Fund.
Shaarey Zedek has been among the congregational leaders in
behalf of the JNF. During the traditional tree-planting projects by our
school children. which has become annual undertakings on Hamisha
Asar b'Shvat. the Shaarey Zedek's children always are in the lead. It •
is inevitably the result of encouragement given them by their rabbis.
and especially by Rabbi Adler. as well as by the teachers and the
school's directors. •
Because Dr. and Mrs. Aciler'1/4will spend .most of their time. during
the Sabbatical Year. in Israel, the fact that they will go there with the
knowledge that their names will be inscribed on a school building in
the Jewish State will be a source of satisfaction to a couple that has •
rendered service to Israel. And it will, at the same time, be a mark of
honor for a community that was wise enough to think of so appropriate
\-an honor for them.
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Rockwell's Disguise and Boasting
George Lincoln Rockwell had to resort to disguise to enter
Canada. via Windsor, but his lecture in Vancouver was canceled.
The pity of it all is that he shOuld have been invited to speak
before a civilized group.
We favor a free platform for anyone who wishes to express his
views. but when a man is known in advance for advocacy of murder,
why does he receive invitations from universities?
The Nazi Rockwell is reported to have formed a unit of his
American Nazi Party in Dallas. Tex.. and he is quoted as having told
reporters in Dallas: "Forty-seven tough young men in the Dallas
area met last week in a garage and swore to fight Jewish communism
and race mixing to the death."
Those who advocate "isolation" for Rockwell—in the form of
news blackouts—overlook the fact that he gets a platform. in many
ways. in many areas. It is a sad commentary that institutions of
higher learning. aware of his hate campaigns. should provide him
with means of advocating mass executions of Jews. And only 20 years
ago we fought his ilk on battlegrounds that took millions of lives in
order to wipe out the swastika he and his ''tough young men" now
flaunt before the American public!
r
THE CHOSEN PEOPLE OF GOD
A Yiddish Proverb
" 'Thou hast chosen us from among all nations'--what, 0 Lord,
did You have against us?"
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How Odd of God . . .
"How odd of God, to choose the Jews."
This is an old saying based on which the late Lewis Browne titled
his first best seller. He had written that book in 1934. Twenty years
later. Prof. Leon Roth. noted English-British-Jewish teacher of p
sophy, returned the pun with
"It's not so odd.
The Jews Chose God."
When we become disturbed over the frequent injection of Jewish
issues in news items — relevant or irrelevant to our normal activities
— let us think of this quip.
Some of our readers expressed concern over the constant labeling
of loan sharks as Shylocks. There have been protests against the show-
ing of "The Merchant of Venice" by actors who do not or can not
understand the hurt that was imposed on poor Shylock in Shakespeare's
play. Well, it's just too bad that writers who continually emphasize
the Shylock angle do not understand that there were other issues
involved for Jews in matters relating to offended Jews. There were
similar experiences when Dickens' "Oliver Twist - portrayed a repell-
ing Fagin. In both instances it was an old hurt and we are expected to
be used to it by this time.
What a strange age we live in! We are so advanced, yet, many
people are so backward! Only the other day, it was reported to us,
there was an exchange of personal information in a local high
school class, and one of the Jewish youngsters told his classmates
his father was in the shoe business. Whereupon a non-Jewish lad
remarked: "I'm surprised, I've been told all the Jews are pawn-
brokers." There you have the result of the Shylock bogey.
When it was announced that an inter-faith seminary was to be
formed here, some of our people were upset: how could Jews be
partners in anything akin to a movement that might vitiate Jewish
thought, they asked. The answer: why worry, let Jews stay out of it.
Isn't this what Catholics and some other Christian groups will say?
Or, take the matter of atheism. We are asked: how can a rabbi be
an atheist? There have been instances when rabbis challenged the
Almighty: the best instance is that of Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev who
accused God of permitting unjust persecutions of his people Israel. But
Levi Yitzhak's was a plea for justice while he was venerating the Al-
mighty. And even the cynics become faithful when they read the Book
of Job.
An Expression
of Faith in
Jewry's Future
By JACOB NEUSNER
Professor of Semitics, Dept. of
Religion, Dartmouth College,
Hanover. N. H.
I do not despair for our future,
even in the face of unhappy por-
tents. for two reasons.
First, I believe that the next gen-
eration of Jewish leaders may have
a finer sense for what is important
in Judaism than does the present
one. The reason is that while Jewry
today is led by men whose achieve-
THE BIBLE ON ATHEISM
ments are mainly material. Jewry
From Psalms 14:1 and 53:2
tomorrow will be led by men whose
"The fool has said in his heart: 'There is no God.'"
achievements
are both material and
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in some measure cultural and edu-
Elisha ben Abuyah—the Notorious 'Aker' Heretic
cational. In American universities
The most notorious heretic in Jewry was Elisha ben Abuyah of the today are found four out of every
first century of this civic era. For a time the rabbis who were his con- five American Jews of college age.
temporaries were proud to count him as an equal. but soon, especially That means that tomorrow. we
when he began to desecrate the Sabbath. he was viewed as a "dabar shall have a better educated' Jew-
aher"—as "another thing"—and his name is recorded derisively as ish community than we have ever
"Aher."
known in this or any other land.
(The Yiddish opprobrium dovor-aher that is derived
College education in itself means
from it charmingly denotes the ridicule ascribed to a
nothing to Judaism. But if college
non-believer).
In the Talmud it is stated: "Aher's tongue never tired of singing education will plant the•seed of a
continuing interest in learning —
Greek songs. - He knew Greek and he was Hellenic.
The one saying of his that is recorded in the Mishnah•is: "Learning as it sometimes does -- and if its
in youth is like writing upon new paper, but learning - in old age is harvest will be a commitment to
the life of the mind and the life
like wriiting upon paper which has already been used."
There are interesting evaluations of Elisha ben Abuyah in both of the soul at least as strong as
the Funk and Wagnalls Jewish Encyclopedia (1904) and the Universal the commitment to the life of the
Jewish Encyclopedia (1941). and the essay by the late Prof. Louis belly, then tomorrows Jews may
Ginzberg, in the former. is especially noteworthy. Dr. Ginsberg pointed achieve a greater appreciation for
out that Elisha betrayed the Pharisees to the Roman authorities during the spiritual and intellectual bless-
the Hadrianic persecutions and that "it is probable that the antipathy : ings of the Jewish tradition than
of Elisha was not directed against Judaism in general, but only against have today's.
Pharisaism."
And, furthermore, one of the
But the Elisha story indicated that he had lured students away virtues of an educated man is that
from the Torah. that he was an informer. that his acts were tanta- he is prepared both to recognize
mount to apostasy.
his ignorance about some matters
Graetz called him a Gnostic. Others branded him in various and to overcome it. Perhaps this
fashions. Moshe Smolenskin considered him a freethinker who was a virtue will mean, in time, that some
victim of an inquisition instituted by Rabbi Akiba.
Jewish leaders will both see how
The fact that there were not many Elisha ben Abuyahs in Jewish little they know of Judaism, how
history indicates how minimal was the heresy of our Gnostic or heretics. slight the influence Judaism exerts
It is because Jewish life without Torah and the Sabbath are incon- upon their . lives; and also seek
ceivable, yet an Elisha of the First Century CE attempted to introduce to learn more of - Judaism, and,
or to propagate such diversions. They are inconceivable even from an through carrying- out the mitzvot
Aber of the 20th Century, yet they exist in our time; they are either applying .to daily life, bring more
the secularists or the religiously disturbed. But even the secularists of Jewish tradition into _their own.
end their lives with the Shema. While there is a legend—not substan- lives.
tiated by historic facts— that Elisha ben Abuyah had yielded to the
Second, and far more important,
pleadings of Rabbi Meir, his pupil, and repented before his death, it I have complete confidence in the
is not even known whether Elisha had totally denied God.
soundness and rightness of Jew-
At any rate, just as secularists. in their final testaments, usually
ish tradition. I have no doubt that
ask for a kaddish and the reciting of the Shema—often it is out of a however frail its adherents, Jew-
desire for a measure of solidarity with their people—a modern Aher ish tradition itself remains un-
surely is not unlike such people of the spirit. Indeed. the people Israel
impaired and perfect, perfectly
is more tolerant than an Aber, because it is always assumed that able to realize itself even in the
"Israel af al pi shehata Israel hat."
affairs of distant generations be-
cause those generations will find
I srael
nnot, it.thaes ni soeam ni a nng, oifn aonwdn
the
fife
Won 'tTalk With Arabs i redeeming truths by which
alone
make sense.
may I do
'If Integrity Not Recognized' life And
not believe that
Jews in the Soviet Union without,
UNITED NATIONS — Israel however, mentioning the USSR
warned the world Wednesday that by name.
Insisted that Israel must be
it will enter into no negotiations
recognized as having a rightful
with the Arab states on any prob-
place among the underdeveloped
lem whatever unless Israel's
countries which are now or-
sovereignty and integrity are first
ganized inside the UN to obtain
recognized as an unchallengeable
more assistance for the "have
starting point."
not" countries from the minority
That statement was made
of affluent nations.
here before a plenary session
Spelled out Israel's role in the
of the General Assembly by
advancement of science and tech-
Israel's Deputy Prime Minister
nology, offering to share such
Abba Eban, who addressed the
knowledge with the rest' of the
115-nation body during its "gen-
world's scientists. •
eral debate." when governments
Known here for many years
state their over-all foreign af-
(when he served as Israel's perma-
fairs policies and the specific
nent representative) as perhaps
issues affecting their countries.
In a long address, touching upon one o t h e two
virtually every problem of concern eloquent sp-eakers ever addressing
to the United Nations as a whole, the United Nations on any issue,
Israel-Arab relations specifically Eban's speech included compre-
and issues of interest to Jewry hensive references to virtually
every one of the 90 points on this
the world over, Eban also:
Discussed t h e UN's financial year's General Assembly agenda,
crisis and the world body's peace- closing with an impassioned call
keeping operations which affect for world peace and global
understanding.
Israel directly.
After outlining most of the
Praised the accomplishments of
the recent Ecumenical Council at problems affecting the United Na-
the Vatican, which adopted a pre- tions as a whole, including Israel,
liminary declaration that would Eban came to the Israeli-Arab is-
absolve the Jewish people of the sues. But instead of reiterating
ancient clirge of deicide and Israel's traditional insistence that
it is ready to negotiate peace with
would condemn anti-Semitism.
Requested that the UN itself the Arabs unconditionally, this
condemn anti-Semitism forthright- time he did set a prime condition
—recognition of Israel's sov-
ly and by name.
. Alluded to the persecution of ereignty and integrity.
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
God
brought so many of his people
to this blessed land in order to
seperate them permanently from
his Torah. I do not believe Provi-
dence intended forever to termi-
nate the observance of the Sabbath,
for example, in the households of
Israel in America. I do not believe
that we American Jews, all of us
brands plucked from the burning,
were kept in life and kept out of
the Holocast so that we might
apostatize to the worship of no-
gods of materialism or ethnic-
chauvinism.
A tradition which sustained so
many generations of Jews under
the most dreadful circumstances
contains within itself enduring
power, resilience, rich promise,
despite the auguries of a given
moment. If American Jewry in its
masses does not today demonstrate
that fact, we need not lose con-
fidence, for the testimony of the
ages must yield a verdict of hope,
and not of despair, for the future.
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This is a time for religious Jevis
to take heart, and to keep fast
to the path they have chosen, for
the future is theirs. If only we
shall seize the present opportunity
and meet the challenge of this
doubtful hour, we may yet achieve
greatness.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
2—Friday, December 11, 1964