Purely Commentary

Passover again inspires consideration of the basic human values in-
herent in aspirations for freedom. Once again there will be discussions of
the inalienable rights of men to liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
This Passover will be an especially suitable time for Jews to join with
their non-Jewish neighbors in emphasizing the duty to strive for just rights
for all. On this Passover we will renew our faith in American ideals and
will again add our voices and whatever influence we may have as citizens
of this great land in assuring an end to racial discrimination.
We approach the seder table with confidence that this will be at-
tained and that before another Passover is observed the Negro will be as-
sured his just rights as our fellow-citizen.
While the Passover theme is one of liberty and justice, the mere phy-
sical freedoms are not sufficient to guarantee for us, as for all mankind,
an honorable existence. What is needed primarily is the acquisition of a
feeling of spiritual calm, of faith in man and in just historical develop-
ments, of an ability to contribute towards such an existence by helping
to re-enforce the moral values that are so vitally needed for a good life.
In our Jewish thinking, on this Passover, it would be well that we free
ourselves from many taboos, that we once again assume a role of pragma-
tism, that we have faith in Jewry's existence and that we labor toward the
noblest forms of Jewish living.

*

*

*

One of the taboos of which we must_ be freed is the recurring expres-
sion of fear that we are sinking and are in danger of disappearing, that our
very existence is threatened by many developments, including intermar-
riage, assimilation, indifference.
We are not that pessimistic. We have never lost faith in Israel's indus-
tructibility, in the certainty that Israel will survive. The figures on inter-
marriage, even if they are not exaggerated — and we believe they are —
do not frighten us. The intermarried still represent a minority among us.
We have always suffered from assimilation, but never to the extent of being
threatened with extinction.
What concerns us most is indifference, and we believe it can be over-
provided our planning is proper, realistic, based on the needs to
come
provide nobly towards our major obligation — continuity of Jewish life in
accordance with our traditions and 'our dedication to the highest ideals of
our faith.
If there is to be proper hemshekh—the desired continuity — the basic
community obligation is in the area of learning. If we attain the goal of
creating a knowledgeable Jewry, if we can train a well-informed constitu-
ency, our problems will be closest to solution. We have nothing to fear from
a community with a proper cultural background. Then indifference can be
expected to vanish. It is a lack of knowledge that creates unconcern. It
is knowledge that assures strength and dedication.
When, therefore, a community elevates its standards and makes de-
votion to educational projects its chief objectives in programming — as
we are doing through the priorities to cultural aims in our Allied Jewish
Campaigns—then we are in effect asserting that we place knowledge above
other needs.
* •
Recognizing this basic principle of prior communal needs, let us take
into account the obstacles in the way of progress. Let us review the needs
we must aspire to.
Already, as in our own communal schools, the student population has
grown. The sentiments of the members of our community evidence a desire
to attain more knowledge, to provide good schooling for the children.
The schools are here, but there is one great handicap: there is a lack
of teachers, and every effort must be made to solve this growing problem.
There is confidence in the ranks of educators that if we could solve the
problem of a teachers' shortage we could attain greater success in our
educational efforts. Let us, therefore, devote ourselves to this task.

—

Passover and the Noblest Rank in
By Philip
Libertarianism: Elevation of Learn-
SIOMOViti
ing . . Dignity for Teachers
In order to solve the problem of a shortage of teachers, we must first
take into consideration the status of the teacher. We must encourage the
able young people in our midst to enter the JeN;vish teaching profession,
and to attain it we must provide for the teaching profession the highest
procurable status.
A teacher's role has its glorious interpretation in Jewish tradition.
In the Mishna, there is the admonition of Rabbi Eleazar ben Shamua:
"Revere your teacher as you revere Heaven." Indeed, the status of a teacher
must be that of the most respected in any sphere of activity, and a teacher
must be provided with economic security to assure for him the peace of
mind that should enable him properly to teach our youth.
One of the great Tannaim, Simeon ben Yohai, warned more than
2,000 years ago: "If you see cities uprooted, know that it came about
because they did not maintain teachers' salaries."
Salary-wise, a teacher must be the equal of any professional. If he is
economically-secure, he can devote himself wholeheartedly to his duties
and he will then be able to mold the lives of our youth.
The obligation is evident: a teacher must be given the highest rank
of a professional.
It is encouraging to know that the Jewish teacher is commencing to
gain economic status and that he is acquiring the honor and respect that
is due to people in such responsible roles. The teacher should be called
in for consultation in communal planning. He should be given the status of
the most revered. This is the traditional way, this is how it must be treated.

*

A community that has elevated its teachers to the status of communal
planning, as guides for young and old, as highly respected professional

men who share with all other elements the duty to create higher values —
such a community will best be able to encourage the youth to enter the
teaching profession.
In our search for teachers, to solve the problem of a shortage of scho-
lars who are so urgently needed to train our youth, we must also think in
terms of encouraging our young people to train for the Jewish teaching
profession.
Let us assure them economic security. Let us indicate that by entering
the teachers' ranks they assume noble roles in our communities. Our youth
should know that the teachers are saviors of our youth and the molders-- -
of our future.
In his famous little book, "Why I Am a Jew," written in 1929, the
great French-Jewish poet, novelist and historian, M. Edmond Fleg,
wrote: "I regretted my years at college . . . I should have studied
Hebrew, learned to know my race, its origins, its beliefs, its role in
history, its place among the human groups of today; to attach myself
through it to something that should be I, and something more than I,
to continue through it something that others had begun and that others
after me would carry on."
What a great lesson this is for the college students of our own time
whose loyalties we wish to encourage as Jews who, when they strengthen
their Jewish interests, become even better Americans! What a splendid
definition of hemshekh — of the aspiration for continuity in Jewish life.
Such honorable continuity calls for reaffirmation of principles which
make the teacher the honored guide of our youth, a man to be highly
revered; which establish for study and the teaching profession the major
place of honor in Jewish life; which encourage our youth to strive for the
honors that go with learning and of sharing knowledge with our fellow men.
If we attain the goals just outlined, we will have liberated ourselves
from taboos, from fears regarding our future status, and we will reach
the highest rung on the ladder of freedom: the step that leads through
knowledge to the noblest ideals of libertarianism.

One-Man 'Shadow Council' Caring for China's Dwindling Jewish Community

BY MONTY JACOBS

(Member, World Jewish Congress
Staff, New York)

A few weeks ago a brief report
came out of Shanghai to the offi-
ces of the World Jewish Congress
in New York stating that not more
than 26 Jews are
left in China to-
day from a com-
munity that
numbered 25,000,
20 years ago.
On receipt of
this information
the World Jew-
ish Congress ad-
dressed a detail-
ed inquiry to P.
I. Yuda 1 e v is h , Yudalevich
the chairman of what is now the
shadow council of the Jewish Corn-
munity in Shanghai. The questions
asked of Yudalevich and his
answers are:
How many Jewish adults and
how many children are left in
China?

Of the 24 Jews now residing
In China — two left in December,
1964 — only two are under 20.
The average age of the rest is over
65.

How many of these persons
require relief?
About 10 persons in Shanghai
are constantly in need of cash re-
lief or special grants.
What facilities do you have
for Jewish education?
Private tutors are engaged for
the two Jewish youth.

What happened to the Shelter
House formerly run by the com-
munity?
In the last few years there were
only four inmates in the Shelter
House which consisted of 18
rooms, enough to accommodate 30
to 40 inmates. In its heydey, there
used to be as many as 55 persons
in the Shelter House. However, to
maintain the operation of the
Shelter House and its kosher
kitchen, even with four inmates,
a minimum staff of four had to be
employed. To effect economies,
we had to close down the Shelter
House after the departure of two
of the remaining four inmates. We
found rooms for the last two and
manage to cover their living ex-
penses.
What happened to the syna-
gogues and other institutions
abandoned by the community?
There were three synagogues, a
Jewish school, a Jewish hospital,
and a Jewish club in Shanghai.
Only the Jewish hospital com-
pound was rented. The equipment
of the hospital was sold as far back
as 1952 to cover the severance pay
of 56 employes, and the balance
of the proceeds went to the meth
ical relief fund. One synagogue,
erected by the Shanghai Ashkena-
zi Jewish Communal Association,
was sold together with the furni-
ture on July 17, 1956, for 28,000
Chinese dollars. Another syna-
gogue, erected by the Sephardic
Jewish Communal Association,
was sold on March 18, 1957, for
18,000 Chinese dollars. The pro-

ceeds of both sales went to our re-
lief fund. The Shanghai Jewish
Club was placed under custody of
the Shanghai Real Estate Control
Bureau on September 26, 1960,
and is now considered as a public
property. At present we are nego-
tiating the sale of the remaining
Jewish school and synagogue to
meet our outstanding debts. Our
financial position has been bad
and the only income of the council
is derived from the rent of the
Jewish school and remaining syna-
gogue which are now leased by an
organization. The net income is
about 680 Chinese dollars per
month which together with the
proceeds from the sale of some
surplus furniture in the former
Shelter House and office are
barely enough to cover our expen-
ses.

What happened to the equip-
ment in the various Jewish in-
stitutions?
In 1956 we sent to Israel 11
boxes of books from the former
Jewish library of the Shanghai
Jewish Club, and 16 cases contain-
ing religious books, and 14 Torah
scrolls. At present we still have
some religious books, silver orna-
ments for religious purposes and
two Torah scrolls. All the archives
and records are kept with the
council office. We are still using
hundreds of Ghetto Letters and
other certificates every year to ap-
plicants all over the world. Each

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
2—Friday, April 16, 1965

applicant is entitled to receive re-
stitution money of about U.S. $800
from the relevant German and
Austrian governments and muni-
cipalities on presentation of the
Ghetto Letter issued by this coun-
cil. The requests for Ghetto Let-
ters are coming in without inter-
ruption. It is estimated that the
work will not be concluded for
some years.
How many Jewish cemeteries
are there and what is happen-
ing to them?
There are four Jewish ceme-
teries in Shanghai: Mohawk Road
Cemetery, 304 graves; Baikal Road
Cemetery, 1,692 graves; Point
Road Cemetery, 834 graves; Co-
lumbia Road Cemetery, 873 graves;
With the exception of the Co-
lumbia Road Cemetery, all the
other three were transferred to
Chi An Public Cemetery in Chin-
poo, a suburb about 15 kilometers
from the town. Appropriate ar-
rangement will be made to take
care of the Jewish cemeteries,
when there is hardly a Jew left in
Shanghai.
What is the structure of the
Jewish Community Council
now?
After World War II, there were
three Jewish communities in
Shanghai: the Sephardic Jewish
Communal Association, the Shang-
hai Ashkenazi Jewish Communal
Association and the Juedische Ge-
meinde. Each was doing its own
relief and migration work. After
many mass migration during the
period from 1947 to 1949, it was
considered convenient to form a

centralized organization to take
care of the remaining Jews, and
in September, 1949, the Council
was founded to manage the com-
bined operation. With the conti-
nual departure of Jews from
Shanghai, the activities and work
of the Council have also reduced
in scale. At present, the Council
has only one local employe who
has worked many years with the
Jewish organizations. Simultane-
ously, the Council also deals with
matters in connection with the
Sephardic Jewish Communal As-
sociation, the Shanghai Ashkenazi
Jewish Communal Association and
the Juedisehe Gemeinde.
Yudalevich, concluding hi/
faithfully detailed report on con
in an almost extinct Jewish
community, states that as so many
remaining Jews are in poor cir-
cumstances, the Chinese Relief As-
sociation has taken over the distri-
bution of cash grants since March,
1961, and is presently paying a
total relief check of approximately
300 Chinese dollars to the com-
munity.
The man who for so long guided.
the affairs of Chinese Jewry seems
to be adjusted to the fact that he
must, almost single handed, close
the book of its history.
English, is a former merchant, a
widower without children, who has
lived in China since 1922. His life
P. I. Yudalevich, whose letters
are personally typed in perfect
has been devoted to the good and
welfare of thousands of Jews whom
he has seen come — and go.

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