THE JEWISH NEWS
United Action
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English—Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial
Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News • Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 48235 Mich.,
YE 8-9364. Subscription $6 a year. Foreign $7.
Second Class Postage Paid at Detroit, Michigan
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
CHARLOTTE HYAMS
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 22nd day of Shevat, 5726, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion: Exod. 18:1-20:23; Prophetical portion: Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5,6.
Licht benshen, Friday, Feb. 11, 5:41 p.m.
VOL. XLVIII, No. 25
Page 4
Feb. 11, 1966
Recurring Dangers of Anti-Semitism
Revelations of a growing anti-Semitic
movement in. Austria, indicated in American
Jewish Committee reports . from Austria a
month ago, received added support at • the
Salzburg trials of Nazis accused of mass mur-
ders. Not only are the accused receiving
strong backing but the demonstrations in the
Courtroom are proof that anti-Semitism not
only is not dormant in the land of Adolf Hit-
ler's birth but that it- is becoming a real
menace.
While we have been lulled into a state
of complacency by those who would have us
believe that the anti-Semitic virus has been
isolated, the facts are that the Nazi spirit is
getting a new lease of life. New trials of Nazis
are being conducted, but the efforts exerted
to whitewash the past are too apparent.
Meanwhile there have been new dese-
crations in several German communities,
anti-Semitic demonstrations have spread to
other lands, there have indications of an un-
dying anti-Semitic movement in this country,
and only the blind who, ostrich-like, bury their
heads in the sand still insist that the eternal
hatred for the eternal people—this is how it
was branded by Peretz Smolenstin in Sinat
Olam l'Am Olam' more than 80 years ago—
no longer is evident. It exists and we should
take note of it.
Indeed, taking note of it is not enough.
There will always be need for vigilance and
for action. And the greatest need is to have
the problem and its attendant issues under-
stood. We have said it time and time again
and we repeat that those who may suffer
from the hatred the most will be the unin-
formed. If our children should be faced with
venom they are unaware of or are uninformed
about, whether in the past or in the present,
they not only will be puzzled: they may be
helpless in facing tragedies.
The mere expose of the rightist trends,
the accusations against bigots who are politic-
ally active in this country, are not enough.
What we need is knowledge, understanding,
an ability to face facts and tackle issues.
There is a lot of talk about our public rela-
tions, about civic-protective activities, but
proper defense, factual refutation demands
complete acquaintance with our historic ex-
periences. These instruments have been
weakened in recent years.
Let the facts be known! Let there be an
understanding of what has happened and of
the dangers of their recurrence. Else the
dangers and the tragedies will be as much
from within as they always are from without.
Self-Defense and Physical Judaism
Dr. Max Nordau had advocated the de- resistance when threatened by hoodlums.
velopment of a physical Judaism, and he had
This sounds rational and ought to be ac-
urged that Jews should learn to defend them- cepted as legal. Through the centuries, when
Jews were attacked, when their lives were
selves.
endangered not only in the eras of the
But in the process of organizing self- Crusades, the Inquisition, during the rule of
defense, there has arisen the question of a Torquemada or a Pobedonostziev, but the
loyalty to the state, of legality and wisdom many centuries of religious hatreds and big-
in organizing defensive organisms in corn- otries, it was impossible for Jews to offer
munities where law-enforcement agencies resistance. But even in those tragic times,
function for the protection of property and Jews often offered resistance. With the ap-
human lives. proach of emancipation, Jews began to resist
The illegality of taking matters in one's more seriously and more actively. Especially
own hands, and thereby ignoring the exist- with the emergence of Zionism on the one
ence of instruments that serve to enforce the hand and the Socialist elements on the other,
law, has arisen on numerous occasions. It has in Eastern Europe, resistance became the rule
come up in the civil rights struggle in this in many quarters.
country. It emerged in England, where neo-
Now self-defense assumes a new aspect.
Fascist and neo-Nazi elements have been The interpretation given by those who would
burning synagogues and attacking individu- have individuals defend themselves when at-
als. Leaders of the self-defense corps in tacked is logical. So, also, is the hope that
England now assert that their program ad- Jews develop physically and spiritually strong
vocates that individual Jews should defend to be able to offer resistance when attacked.
themselves when attacked and that Jews There still are entirely too many sporadic
should, therefore, prepare themselves to be outbursts of insane bigotries to call for the
physically and spiritually strong to offer - development of a physical Judaism.
.
DeRegniers 'David and Goliath'
Remarkable Book for Children
w.
Beatrice Schenk DeRegniers has written a number of outstanding
children's books. Reaching great heights in story-telling and in cap-
turing a Biblical theme is her newest, "David and Goliath," published
by Viking.
It is a remarkably well-told story that adheres to the classical
text, and the book is greatly enhanced by the illustrations by Richard
M. Powers, an artist of note.
Even the children who already know the David and Goliath story
will be delighted by it, and elders who love a good tale will find charm
in a story intended for very young children.
Mrs. DeRegniers has made an interesting statement about her
new book, She said: "David and Goliath has many meanings for me.
I wanted to tell the story keeping the strength and glory of the
Biblical language and at the same time following a prototype of
the folk tale in which the youngest son, through his fearlessness
and innocence, conquers evil—and wins the hand of the princess too.
And because I have always found great pleasure in the Psalms, I
was happy to find that they wove themselves into the story."
She has succeeded admirably in this aim—both in weaving the
tale, in linking the Psalms with it, in telling about young David's
appeals to his father to let him go and serve his king, and how he
finally succeeds in his aim.
But before he can attain the goal of fighting Goliath, the story
relates how he first kills a lion and then a bear while protecting
the flock of which he is the shepherd.
It was in the course of his recollections about the role he played
in the service of King Saul, whom he later succeeded, that David the
Psalmist, who continued to play on his harp, wrote the Psalms, whence
Mrs. DeRegniers quoted as part of her story:
Let the heavens be glad,
And let the earth rejoice.
And let men say among nations,
The Lord reigneth.
Let the sea roar . .
Let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out
At the presence of the Lord... .
An historical note is appended to the DeRegniers story, addint::
significance to its link with history and the Psalms.
Brilliant Conversational Hebrew
Younger Men Among Literary Scholars Guide Book by Dr. Ben Bena.ri
A recent announcement by the Jewish
Publication Society that a group of younger
scholars has been selected to continue with
the work of translating the remaining por-
tions of the Bible, as part of the great effort
of revising the Bible translation, is heartening
indication of the emergence of a renewed in-
terest in Jewish cultural activities by the
rising generation of dedicated young people.
The revision of the existing Bible trans-
lation presented a challenge. It called for an
understanding of the need to prepare an Eng-
list text of Scriptures and Haftorot that will
be more easily understandable by the younger
generation. It needed a group of men con-
cerned with such a basic need.
By mobilizing a group of younger people
for this great project the Jewish Publication
Society proved that there are, in American
Jewry, scholars who are able to take over
the tasks that were previously done e by
scholars from abroad, by men who had come
here from Eastern and Central Europe. Now
this work is being pursued by young men
with American backgrounds, and the new
era that is setting in is an indication that one
must not despair, that the time has passed
When we were in jitters lest American youth
will not be able to continue the work that
was begun for them by scholars who had
migrated here from abroad.
This does not mean that we can now be
complacent about scholarship. Serious tasks
confront us to continue the work of building
up a new reservoir, of assuring the continu-
ation of Jewish studies by young Americans.
What the Jewish Publication Society already
has achieved is, therefore, the beginning of
a proper response to a challenge that Ameri-
cans should continue to produce new values
in Jewish scholarship.
It is in such new values that we must seek
sustenance for future Jewish planning and
communal programing. We do not live by
bread alone, and we can not ever hope to fill
all gaps through fund-raising. It is through
the higher ideals of cultural creativity that
we can hope so to educate our people that
philanthropic efforts will inevitably attain
success, but will not be the be all and the
end all of our thinking and planning. The
new JPS attainments may help attain the
higher. goal.
Hebrew textbooks, self-study volumes, guides to conversational
Hebrew, have appeared in various forms since the rebirth of IsraeL
Hebrew lessons like those that appear from time to time in The
Jewish News have proven popular.
A new guide to the language of the Bible, just issued by Shulsing'erd
Bros. (21 E. 4th, NY3), is especially commendable. It is ent itled
"Let's Talk Hebrew—A Beginner's Conversation Book," and its author,
Dr. Benjamin Benari, an expert linguist, proves his skill by his
practical approach.
There are two parts to this book. The first begins with the tradi-
tional Hebrew greetings and proceeds to teach conversation by offer-
ing 40 Hebrew dialogues. The English translations and the colloquial-
isms are perfect.
The second portion of the book—a bit too thick for a pocket
edition, although it is in pocket size, but certainly excellent to take
along on a trip to Israel—contains grammatical forms, a variety
Hebrew expressions and phrases that will be useful in conversations.
An introductory section offering the alphabet with an acorn.
panying guide to pronunciation and serving as a lesson in reading
Hebrew also is most useful.
An indication of the usefulness of this volume is offered in the
sectional titles: conversations on locations of streets, costs of purchase
to be made, time of day, dates, weather, travel, customs taxi services,
hotel and restaurant needs, at the theater and at concerts, in fact, On
every conceivable subject that may arise during a visit to Israel, or
while conversing in 'Hebrew elsewhere.
And the index, directing the reader-student to subject matter,
is most helpful.
Dr. Benari renders a service anew with his guide to students of
conversational Hebrew.
Of