Is Man?'
Dr. Heschel Offers Philosophic View of
Boris Smolar's
'Between You
. . and Me'
(Copyright, 1965, JTA, Inc.)
JEWISH RECOGNITION: Jewish leaders are discussing plans on
how best to immortalize the memory of Moses A. Leavitt, the late
dynamic executive head of the Joint Distribution Committee . . .
"Moe" Leavitt was known not only to every Jewish leader in every
community in the United States but also to Jewish leaders throughout
the world .•.. He was -admired for his integrity and dedication by all
who came into contact with him in this country, in Israel, Europe,
North Africa, Iran, India and all over the globe . . . Thus, Jewish
leaders everywhere feel that something impressive should be done to
have his memory honored in a way that he be remembered for genera-
tions to come . . . As a major force in the Joint Distribution Com-
mittee, Leavitt served the Jewish people in many parts of the world
with supreme devotion during the war years, the most tragic years in
Jewish history . . . After the war, he was also the force behind the
JDC plans in assisting the reconstruction of European Jewry and he
played a dominant role in the negotiations with West Germany far
the payment of reparations to Jewish victims of Nazism . . . He was
one of the pillars of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims
Against Germany from the very first days of its formation . . . He
was in the center of the 1952 reparation talks with Germany which
he conducted with dignity and firmness, and he was instrumental
—up to the very last days of his life—in shaping and guiding the
program of the Claims Conference which provided various forms
of aid to Jewish survivors of the Nazi holocaust . . . His interest in
Israel went way back many years before the establishment of the
Jewish state . . . During his years in the JDC, he cemented strongly
the relations between the JDC and the Jewish Agency and was greatly
responsible for bringing into existence, in 1950, the Malben—a network
of social welfare institutions maintained in Israel by the JDC for
aged, sick and handicapped immigrants . . . Since one of his favorite
institutions in Israel was the Baerwald School for Social Work at the
Hebrew University—carrying the name of Paul Baerwald, the late
chairman of the JDC—one of the present plans is to establish a
Moses A. Leavitt Library at this school . . . It is estimated that the
cost of this project would be about $100,000 to be raised among Moe's
friends and social workers whose esteem and high regard for him is
well-known . . . Other projects are also being considered by a special
committee set up by the Joint Distribution Committee . . , Jewish
Agency leaders in Israel, like chairman A. L. Pincus, indicated they
would like to see the formation of a worldwide committee formed to
honor his memory . . . And so did Jewish community leaders in
European countries.
Abraham J. Heschel, the emi-
nant religious leader, philosopher
and theologian,
posing the qu'es-
tion "Who Is
Man?", in a chal-
lenging book pub-
1ished by Stan-
ford (C a 1 i f.)
University Press,
admonishes h i s
readers to "think
of man in human
terms," and he
describes "being
human" as a
"desiretaum i n
human being" in-
terpreted by ex-
perience.
Offering d e f i- Dr. Heschel
nitions of man, explaining the
meaning of being huma n, Prof.
Heschel emphasizes that "the roots
of existence are never plain, never
flat," that "existence is anchored
in depth" that "one cannot study
the life of a tree by excavating its
roots."
"Being human," he proceeds
to explain his thesis, "is not a
solid structure or a string of pre-
dictable facts, but an incalcul-
able series of moments and acts.
As a process man may be de-
Population figures
The estimated world Jewish
population at the end of 1964 was
13,216,000, according to the Amer-
ican Jewish Year Book.. The three
largest Jewish communities were
in the U.S., Soviet Union, and Is-
rael, together accounting for more
that 75 per cent of the world total.
Only four other countries had Jew-
ish populations of more than 200,-
000: France, Great Britain, Argen-
tina, and Canada.
THE RELIEF FRONT: The Joint Distribution Committee will, in
1966, support 109 yeshivoth in Israel . . . It is anticipated that it will
bring even greater pressure on yeshivoth in Israel for admissions.
. . . Today, more than 20,000 persons are benefiting in Israel from
the aid which the JDC provides for yeshivoth . . . This aid consists
not only of actual cash grants, but also of food which comes from
the U. S. Government Foor-for-Peace supplies . . . Should these O
supplies be reduced this year for any reason, the budgetary re-
quirements of the U. S. food supplies will not be reduced, the JDC
plans to support the yeshivoth this year to the extent of about
$950,000 . . . It is esimated that 5,500,000 pounds of foodstuffs will V
be imported in 1966 by JDC for feeding yeshivoth students in Israel
and their dependents—more than 1,500 of them are married and
have children . . . Although this part of the JDC work has received
almost no publicity in this country, it is interesting to note that
JDC aid to yeshivoth in Palestine started way back in 1914 and has
continued uninterruptedly for more than 50 years . . Another
important JDC contribution to the religious and culturdl activities
in Israel is its assistance in establishing programs to train religious
functionaries, for whom there is a growing need in the country . . •
Mention should also be made of JDC financial aid to refugee rabbis
in Israel and other religious functionaries there and their dependents,
who number about 1,000 persons . . . The JDC also supports in Israel
five research projects employing more than 100 -scholars, in addition
to the Malben project, JDC's multi-functional health and welfare
program in Israel from which close to 50,000 persons benefited in
1965 in one form or another.
scribed biologically; as an event
he can only be understood
creatively, dramatically."
Dr. Heschel's philosophy further
is expressed in his view that "to
be human involves the ability to
appreciate as well as the ability to
give expression to appreciation."
Stating that "the meaning of
existence is experienced in mo-
ments of exhaltation," he declares
that "man must strive for the sum-
mit in order to survive on the'
ground," that "the security of
existance lies in the exhaltation
of existence," and he adds:
"This is one of the rewards of
being human; quiet exhaltation.
capability for celebration. It is
expressed in a phrase which
Rabbi Akiba offered to his dis-
ciples: "A song every day, A
song every day."
Dr. Heschel concludes that "from
the perspective of the Bible":
"Who is man? A being in travail
with God's dreams and designs,
with God's dream of a world re-
deemed, of reconciliation of heaven
and earth, of a mankind which is
truly His image, reflecting His
wisdom, justice and compassion.
God's dream is not to be alone, to
have mankind as a partner in the
drama of continuous creation. By
whatever we do, by every act we
carry out, we either advance or
obstruct the drama of redemption;
we either reduce or enhance the
power of evil."
THE DETROIT BRANCH OF AMERICANS FOR PROGRESSIVE
ISRAEL HASHOMER-HATZAIR
Invites the Public to Hear
DR. RAPHAEL MAHLER
Professor of History at Tel Aviv University
Who Will Speak On: "Israel and the Diaspora"
SUNDAY, JANUARY 2nd, 1966 at 8:30 P.M.
At the Labor Zionist Institute
19161 Schaefer
A question and answer period after the lecture
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INVITATIONAL DINNER
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of the Sheraton Cadillac Hotel in the behalf of the
tNassco gsrael Corporation,
Buenos Aires Jews Adopt Resolution on Soviet Bias
"constitutional and moral obliga-
tions" to Russian Jewry.
Dr. Isaac Goldenberg, president
of the DAIA, the central repre-
sentative body for Argentine Jews,
'which sponsored the protest, re-
called previous efforts to induce
Soviet authorities to remove wide-
ly publicized disabilities imposed
1966 HOLIDAY SPRING
on Russian Jews.
TOURS TO SUNNY
He called for reopening of
Yiddish schools and theaters, re-
sumption of publication of news-
papers and journals in Yiddish,
ending of impediments to reli-
(Many With Steopovers in Europe)
gious observances and permit-
Featuring:
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JET TOURS AND CRUISES FOR •
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In Mexico City, a strong resolu-
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For further information and
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BUENOS AIRES (JTA)—A reso-
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ed here Dec. 22 at a huge mass
meeting. The resolution urged the
Soviet government to meet its
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Charles.
•
Abraham Borman, Torn Borman, Avern Cohn, Irwin I. Cohn, Samuel Frankel, David Goldberg,
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Nothing is lost on a journey by k
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—Spanish Proverb
Zuckerman.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
10 Friday, December 31, 1965
Rassco Detroit Office: 18244 Cherrylawn Street, Detroit,, Michigan 48221
—
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
341-0533
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