6—Friday, October 14, 1966 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS YIVO Outlines Expanded Activity: Yiddish Works, Exhibits, Studies NEW YORK (JTA)—The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, which has just entered its 41st year, announced a program of ex- panded activity in the field of scholarship, publications and com- munity service. J. Borenstein, chairman of YIVO's executive committee, em- phasized that YIVO is the only secular Jewish research institute in the world outside of Israel. He said it is unique in being totally unaffiliated with a n y religious political or organizational group- ing. Prof. Uriel Weinreich, Atran professor of Yiddish language, lit- erature and culture at Columbia University, discussed the Standard Yiddish-English, English - Yiddish Dictionary which will be published in the spring. Dan Miron, young Israeli liter- ary critic and scholar, who is doing graduate work at Colum- bia University through its de- partment of English and Com- parative Literature in conjunc- tion with the Atran Chair of Yiddish Studies, described the photographic edition of an early work written in Hebrew by Men- dele Mokher Sforim, one of the pioneers of modern Yiddish lit- erature. The long awaited "History of the Yiddish Laguage," by Dr. Max Weinreich, leader in the field of Yiddish linguistics, will also be published in 1967. Shmuel Lapin, newly appointed general secretary of YIVO, report- ed on some of the other major YIVO projects for the current year. Special emphasis, he said, is being placed on an expanded community service program. As examples of this phase of VIVO activity, Lapin cited the YIVO-sponsored in-service courses for teachers in the New York City public schools. Negotiations are now being conducted for a cross- country showing of the current YIVO exhibit on Jewish mass set- tlement in the United States in the past hundred years. During 1967, YIVO is also preparing the publication of two bibliographies of interest to the general public as well as 10 the academic community. They are a bibliography of translations of Yiddish works from Yiddish to English during the years 1945-1965, prepared by Dina Abramowicz, the librarian of YIVO, and a bib- liography of autobiographies by American Jews prepared by the YIVO archivist, Ezekiel Lifschutz. In general, Lapin pointed out, YIVO is devoting increasing at- Soviets Reject Offer of Prayerbooks, Say USSR to Print Them NEW YORK (JTA)—The Appeal for Conscience Foundation, an in- terfaith group protesting against the denial of religious and cultural freedom to Soviet Jewry, made public here a letter from the Soviet Embassy in Washington, rejecting an offer to send 10,000 Jewish prayerbooks to Soviet Jews but aserting that "a prayerbook and a religious calendar for Jews will he printed in the USSR in the nearest future." The foundation made the offer formally last June and had for- warded to the embassy in Wash- ington more recently a copy of an appeal by 100 American leaders, noting that Moscow had promised twice to print 10,000 Jewish prayer- books. The letter was a reply to the organization. Rabbi Arthur Schneier, president of the foundation, described the Soviet Embassy statement about a prayerbook and a Jewish religious calendar as providing "a glimmer of hope" that the Soviet govern- ment would soon honor its "long- standing promise" to provide pray- erbooks for Russian Jews. tention to American Jewish studies. A substantial grant has been obtained from a well-known American foundation for the pur- pose of cataloguing and arranging all the material in the YIVO arch- ives pertaining to American Jew- ish history over the past 100 years. This is an important preparatory step for the eventual preparation of a definitive history of Ameri- can Jewry. An up-to-date study of the Amer- ican Jewish labor movement is also under way. As part of this project, which is being financed by a number of American labor unions, reminiscences and experi- ences of leaders and rank-and- filers in the American labor move- ment are being gathered through the means of tape-recorded inter- views. In order to insure the full im- plementation of these and other current projects, and to make pos- sible the still further expansion of the YIVO program, particularly in the area of community service, YIVO announced it is seeking an additional sum of $100,000 over and above its regular budget. Israel Envoy Pleads in UN for Rights of Soviet Jews (Direct JTA Teletype Wire to The Jewish News) UNITED NATIONS — Israel ap- pealed in the General Assembly here Wednesday to the Soviet Un- ion to extend to the Jewish minor- ity in that country the religious and cultural rights enjoyed by the other nationalities in the USSR. The statement was made in the assembly's 119-member social, hu- manitarian and cultural committee by Ambassador Gershon Avner, Is- rael's envoy to Canada, who . is a member of Israel's delegation to the assembly this year. Unlike most Israeli statements in the United Nations in previous years, which attacked the Soviet Union for its anti-Jewish policy without mentioning that country by name, Avner's remarks stress- ed the "tremendous efforts" made by the USSR in the encouragement of cultural and religious diversity of its more than 100 officially rec- ognized nationalities. Continuing from that point, how- ever, Avner called attention to the fact that the Jews were one of the recognized nationalities in the Soviet Union, because they were historically "an ethnic entity rather than purely or merely a re ligious group." He added: "We would here express the fer- vent hope that, in this age of tol- eration towards minority group with the trend towards coexistence rights, the Jewish communities in and the removal of barriers be- the Soviet Union may be enabled tween peoples," he stated. to pursue and develop their re- At the same time, the Israel rep- ligious life and their religious in- presentative mentioned the "hate- stitutions." ful policy of apartheid practiced Avner stressed that the Israel by the government of South Africa" which was discussed by the com- government also hoped that So- mittee in previous sessions. The viet Jewry will be "encouraged" grave problems in that country, he in the development of their press said, had inspired the United Na- and literature and folklore in tions with a "greater sense of their own language," an obvious urgency" regarding the need to reference to Yiddish and to So- viet Jewish youth which he deal with human rights problems. hoped "will have access to the teaching of the religious and cul- For Some tural heritage of their fore- fathers." of the best buys on new Pontiacs and Tempests He also appealed to the USSR to permit its Jewish citizens to maintain contact with Jewish com- munities elsewhere and to make possible the reunification of fami- lies "torn asunder" during the Nazi invasion of E u r op e. "All these measures would be in full accord MEDICAL SUITES In modern clinic in East Detroit with busy dentist. 3 operatories, lab, private and business offices, 2 lav- atories, dark room. Near shopping center. Proven growth area. PR 6-9800 or LI 5-9059 JEWISH THEMES ASK FOR teAuu BEliC H AT Packer Pontiac 18650 LIVERNOIS 1 block South of 7 UN 3-9300 JEWISH ARTISTS Ole gine Arts Commission of Congregation Sliaarey Zecleh Cordially invites you to its Second annual art 63chibition OCTOBER 23RD TO 30TH HOURS EXCEPT SATURDAY DAILY & SUNDAY EXCEPT FRIDAY 7 P.M. to 10 P.M. 1 P.M. to 10 P.M. 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. FREE ADMISSION PARTICIPATING GALLERIES Arwin Galleries Garelick's Graphica Gallery J. L. Hudson Gallery Gertrude Kasle Gallery Donald Morris Gallery Renee' Gallery Rina Gallery Allen Rubiner Gallery Ruff Gallery Safrai Gallery Franklin Siden Gallery Anna Werbe Gallery