the Beggar Girl By JOSEF FRAENKEL Jewish News Correspondent in London "Schenkt mir a neduve!" "Give me some alms!" — the words rang in the streets of the little town of Sindrik. The voice vibrated melodiously, and everyone recog- nized Rivka. She was very young, with deep eyes in pale face and long, black hair. She wore three blouses over her long dress, sewn together around the bottom edge like a "Matzo-tasche" with three layers. One was for "fleishig," one for "pareve" and the third for "milhig" food. Rivka's parents had come to Sin- drik from Linsk, and here they settled. They lived by begging. Her father would leave Sindrik every Sunday for neighboring villages, and would return on Fridays. Both her parents died within the same week• her mother in Sindrik, her father on his way back home. * * * At first, Rivka wandered from street to street crying: "Schenkt mir a neduve!" Passers-by stopped to stare at the young girl, some women sighed and shook their heads and children ran after her. But Rivka liked the new "profes- sion" she had inherited from her parents. Some days afterward, the leaders of the Jewish community called a meeting to decide what was to be done about Rivka. The poor, orphaned child could not be left in dire distress. They pro- posed giving her a weekly sum of money, or finding her work, but Rivka turned down every sugges- tion. In the end, so that Sindrik should not be disgraced, they made her promise not to beg openly on the streets. Instead, she could call upon the "better-class" homes; and there she was given a few coins, old clothes or food. Rivka lived in a ramshackle, old hut. When she arrived home at the end of the day, she spread her "earnings" on the table. From her three-blouse "pockets" she with- drew her food — the "fleishig," the "pareve" and the "milhig." Then she counted her coins and hid them in an old trunk. When- ever she was given clothes she im- mediately set about washing and mending them. Then, put them away carefully in a wardrobe: dresses to dresses, blouses to blouses. As evening approached she would throw off her old rags, wash herself, change into better clothes, comb her hair and then admire herself in a mirror. Tiring of that, she would pull out the trunk again: counting her coins was her greatest pleasure. 4, * * Some years passed, and Sindrik had become accustomed to Rivka the Beggar-Girl. They had long since given up trying to persuade her to change her ways. She was always invited to share the Sab- bath meal with a Jewish family and she would arrive clean and neatly-dressed, eyes glowing, teeth gleaming, with her black hair hang- ing down her back in two plaits. She could easily have been taken Elect . . . JUDGE JOHN W. CONNOLLY CIRCUIT JUDGE (For 6 Yr. Term Ending Jan. 1, 1973) • Former Lt. Governor of Mich. • 121/2 Yrs. on Common Pleas Bench Pol. for a member of the family as she joined in the singing of the "Zmi- rot." Her voice was sweet, so that many a young man stole an admir- ing glance in her direction. But, who would marry her! On the fol- lowing day she became Rivka the Beggar-Girl, again. One day, the Jewish community of Sindrik was shaken to its foun- dations. In the synagogue, in the market-place, from house to house, the excitement spread. Have you heard! Rivka has inherited a mil- lion. A relative in America had died and Rivka was the sole in- heritor. He had left a million, not kronen, but dollar s. Everyone hurried hotfoot to Rivka's hut, but she had fled. Rivka had forsaken Sindrik. * * Rivka settled in the capital where she bought a house. Then she began to acquire beautiful and expensive clothes and costly jewelry. She became a regular visitor to the theater and attended most of the concerts, and gradually began to be accepted in the town's best society. Her house became the meeting- place of writers, artists and diplo- mats, and Rivka participated in their discussions on art and litera- ture, winning admiration all around for her wit and beauty. Rivka tried hard to forget her past but found it an impossible task. To the outside world she was a rich heiress but still felt her- self to be a beggar-girl. She could not appreciate the value of bank- notes but continued to hoard and treasure her small coins. Happiness always eluded her and she longed continuously for the old days. Like a narcotic deprived of his drugs or a drunk of his bottle, she pined for her alms and beggar's coppers. * * * Each Wednesday Rivka dismissed her servants and had the house to herself. Feeling elated, she would dress up in her finest clothings. Then in every corner. on tables, on chairs, she would place something; bread, butter, cheese, shoes, clothes, a portion of chicken and small coins. Every spot represent- ed a certain Sindrik family: here for Reb Yankiel; for Reb Arie; for Reb Duvidel; there for Reb Men- del; Reb Usher—for all those who had once given her alms. Rivka would then rub her face and body with mud, ruffle her hair and bring out her old rags. With the old dress and blouses wrapped around her, the cry—"Schenkt mir a neduve" — would echo through the house. Her eyes would shine and her voice tremble with excite- ment. She addressed each corner, every chair and every table: "Reb Yankel, I am a poor orphan girl!" She stretched out her hand plead ingly, and with the other hand picked up the offering. "Reb Arie, have pity on me! And tears streamed down her cheeks. How good people were, and she thanked them all effusively. Her pockets were filled to overflowing, and with difficulty she managed to mount the stairs. There she pulled out her old trunk and lovingly caressed each coin. When she had finished, she laughed to herself and danced a few steps before bursting into song. It was on a Wednesday that Rivka died. She was found envel- oped in old rags by the trunk! In her hand she had a small coin, and on her face was a satisfied smile. But the people in Sindrik nodded their heads sadly and said: "A beg- gar-girl remains a beggar-girl, even when she inherits a million." INJURIES A man should be careful never to tell tales of himself to his own disadvantage; p e o p l e may be amused, and laugh at the time, but they will be remembered, and brought up against him upon some subsequent occasion. —Johnson They that know no evil will sus- —Ben Johnson pect none. Weizmann Award Goes to Brig. Gen. Sarnoff Friday, November 4, 1966-37 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS ($33,300). Sir Isaac became an honorary citizen of Acre by a JERUSALEM (JTA) — The edu- unanimous vote of the Acre muni- cation ministry reported that the NEW YORK—Brigadier General Sir Isaac and Lady Wolfson cipal council Sunday night. David Sarnoff, chairman of the Scholarship Fund for Secondary board of the Radio Corp. of Ameri- and Higher Education awarded 2,- RE-ELECT ca, Wednesday night called on the 276 scholarships to needy students advanced Western nations to learn in Israel during the past four from the Weizmann Institute of years. Science that "Science is here for The fund was set up by the Brit- To Recorders Court the sake of humanity." ish Jewish philanthropist as an BALLOT NO. 297 Pol. Gen. Sarnoff was the recipient of annual budget of 100,000 pounds the first "Weizmann Award in the Sciences and Humanities" at a dinner here under the auspices of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science. Sarnoff, who was ill, could not at- tend the dinner. His remarks were read by his son, Robert Sarnoff, who also accepted the award for his father. Attended by some 1,200 leaders in science, business and public af- fairs, including nine Nobel laure- ates, the dinner marked the 21st anniversary of the first founders Democrat dinner held in New York in 1945, where the first million dollars was 67th District raised to establish the Weizmann Institute of Science at Rehovot, Rated: "PREFERRED" Oakland Citizens League Israel. Fund Aids 2,276 Pupils (Direct JTA Teletype Wire to The Jewish News) JUDGE FRANK G. SCHEMANSKE Re-Elect .. . ALBERT A. KRAMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE Row Stops Brandt Talk to Jewish Community WEST BERLIN — Mayor Willy Brandt canceled his scheduled ap- pearance at a Jewish community meeting here after a controversy over his sending flowers to the daughter of Nazi war criminal Albert Speer. The mayor sent the flowers to Speer's daughter, he said, as a gesture of reconciliation toward a new generation. Speer, former Nazi armaments minister and close associate of Adolf Hitler, was re- leased recently from Spandau Prison at the end of a 20-year sen- tence. COMMITTEES: Chairman, House Committee on Insurance Chairman, Special Committee to study public school psychological testing Member of House Committees on education, private corporations and state affairs. Co-chairman of the Sub-Committee relating to the matter of the Public Bank Co - sponsor of 1965-1966 record school aid legislation Co - sponsor of the Landmark Senior Citizens Property Tox Exemptio• Relief Measure • • • • Graduate Wayne State University, Bachelor of Laws, 1949 Practicing Attorney — 17 years World War II Veteran — U.S. Army 35 Months Member JWV, L.Z.O.A., Bnai Brith Re-Elect Albert A. KRAMER State Representative Pol. Robert E. • Practicing Attorney 15 years • Former Assistant United States Attorney, Chief Criminal Division.• LLB, Wayne State • WWII Vet, • Married, three children • Member American, Federal, Mich.& Detroit Bar Associa- tions • Eridorsed b Civic, Business, Labor, and Fraternal Groups Your Court Needs TM Kind o Man LAWYERS FOR COLOMBO WE HEARTILY RECOMMEND AND ENDORSE THE CANDIDACY AND ELECTION OF ROBERT J. COLOMBO FOR RECORDER'S JUDGE NO. 278 ON YOUR BALLOT MYRON ALPERT IVAN BARRIS MARVIN BLAKE BERNARD BOCKNEK ALLEN CHALFIN MURRAY CHODAK I. GOODMAN COHEN GABRIEL C,OHEN SIDNEY COHN ALBERT COLMAN ALBERT CONN GARY EISENBERG NORMAN FEDER MORTON FISHER ARTHUR FIXEL ROLAND FIXEL ELI FRIEDMAN BENJAMIN GANTZ FREDERICK GARON SOL E. GOLDBERG FREDERICK GARON SOL E. GOLDBERG ALBERT A. GOLDFARB ALLEN P. GOLDSTEIN STUART HERTZBERG MAX HORWOOD BERNARD KAHN SEYMOUR KATZER IRVING KROLL HERMAN KASS SANFORD LAKIN ALBERT LOPATIN MAX MARSTON ALBERT MILLER MORRIS MILMET NORMAN OCHS GEORGE PARZEN BALFOUR ELLIOTT PERLMAN SEYMOUR POSNER SAMUEL RHODES ARTHUR RICE SANFORD ROSENTHAL LOUIS ROSENZWEIG BENJAMIN ROTH SEYMOUR ROWE ARTHUR RUBIN SIDNEY RUBY THEODORE SACKS MYRON SCHIFMAN FRANK SCHWARTZ JOSEPH SIEGEL SAMUEL SIMMER LEONARD SIMONS IRVING STAHL ALLEN STOWE BERNARD TALON LOUIS TUCKER MAURICE VICTOR HERBERT WEINGARTEN MAURICE WELLER STANLEY WISE Pol.