THE JEWISH NEWS

Among the Valuable Books

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, Mich. 48235.
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Business Manager

SIDNEY SHMARAK

Advertising Manager

CHARLOTTE HYAMS

City Editor

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the tenth clay of Shevat, 5727, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogueS:
Pentateuchal portion, Ex. 13:17-17:16. Prophetical. portion, Judges 4:4-5:31.

Hamisha Asar b'Shevat will be celebrated next Thursday

Candle lighting, Friday, Jan. 20, 5:14 p.m.

VOL. L. No. 22

Page Four

January 20, 196'7

Growing Neo-Nazi Danger in Germany

In a series of articles on the neo-Nazi
Neo-Nazi activities in Germany generally
are not viewed with too much alarm. Con- peril in Bonn, Werner Guttman stated: "The
sidered a small minority, we have had assur- shadow of the swastika has reappeared.
ances that they cannot spread more widely Without vigilance the shadow may become
than they already have and that they may substance."
even lose the status of a recognized party in
This admonition must not be ignored. The
West Germany.
danger exists. If the big powers — especially
Nevertheless, the apologists have much our own government — will be blind to the
more to prove than the speculation that is realities of what is happening in Germany,
based on wishful thinking, and the gains that danger will grow rather than diminish.
made by the "National-Demokratische Partei
There are indications that the new admin
Deutschlands," generally referred to as the istration of Chancellor Kiesinger is deter-
NPD, remain serious cause for concern.
mined to prevent the rise of the elements on
A NAN..A. report by Winston S. Churchill, the radical right and to assure democratic
who has interviewed NPD leaders, shows that rule in West Germany. But even he and his
the neo-Nazi party's membership of 23,000 associates are challenged by the re-emerging
is subdivided into 45 per cent under age 35 bigotries. That is why the combined efforts of
and 72 per cent under 45. This means that a all democratic elements must be put into
large number of young people who were too play to avoid the recurrence of the horrors
young to be members of Hitler's military that had turned the years of Hitler rule into
forces now are backing the reactionary move- a nightmare.
ment.
While Churchill indicates that some
young Germans are ashamed of their na-
tionality because of the shame that is
attached to the Nazi beasts who made
A non-Jewish world traveler, having cov-
slaughterhouses of concentration camps, ered the Israeli scene and having produced
and that 80,000 Germans have emigrated an outstanding film which has won the award
since the war, he states that "as far as they of the National Council on Jewish Audio-
(NPD) are concerned Germany's 'Jewish Visual Material, during his visit here offered
Problem' was solved by Hitler and there
are today no more than 25,000 Jews living a valuable suggestion for practical extension
in the Federal Republic. Instead they vent of Jewish studies: .
Julien Bryan made the comment that the
their racial prejudice on the 1,400,000
foreigners working in Germany today." enthusiasm with which children reacted to
What does this mean, if not an endorse- his "Israel" film caused him to hope that they
ment of the policies that retain the "Nazi would dig further and "do some homework"
beast" appellation for a German who does based on the lessons they learned from wit-
not strive to wipe out the shame of the past, nessing the emergence of the State of Israel
who does not accept blame that is ascribed and the young nation's achievements.
It is the lack of homework, the reticence
to the entire people that condoned the Nazi
with which our students do additional home-
crimes?
Last week another apparent neo-Nazi 'work—in other words, conduct some research
organ, the Deutsche National and Soldaten and do some supplementary reading to the
Zeitung, launched an attack on the new lessons they learn—that creates the shortcom-
chancellor, Kurt Kiesinger, for what it termed ing to the progress we have made in giving
his pro-Jewish and pro-Israel attitudes as priority to Jewish education in our communal
they were uttered by the new
of the planning.
If something could be done to get our
West German government in the
the interview
he gave the JTA. The pro-Nazi paper also youth to dig in further, to read more, thereby
criticized Kiesinger for having conferred with adding diligence to their studies, we could
Dr. Nahum Goldmann and for a pledge on approach a measure of the maximum in Jew-
renewed indemnifications. What does this ish learning.
Perhaps such a step in the direction of
show if not a continuing anti-Jewish and pro-
new achievements is dependent upon the ex-
Nazi attitude?
A recent report from Bonn revealed: amples set by their parents. It has been said
"Among the long hair and guitars on the that he who does not read is likened to one
jackets of long-playing records in West Ger- who can't read. Let the elders set the exam-
many's music shops, a new phenomenon has ple and the youth will follow. Then we will
appeared — a larger-than-life Nazi iron cross. have learned something from the lesson
The contents within the jackets are equally taught us by the good Christian friend Julien
startling. The record is under attack as Bryan.
*
*
*
`blatant pro-Nazi propaganda.' "
Perhaps
the
urge
to
do
homework
is being
All of which adds up to a renewed warning
that the Nazi spirit is not dead, that many inspired in many quarters. At Wayne State
young people are influenced by it, that the University a group of young Jews formed
danger from the right in Germany is very real. what they call the New Haskalah. Reversion
to the principles of the era of enlightenment
is in itself an indication of a growing aware-
ness of the need to link the Jewish ideals
with the obligations inherent in the advance-
Supplementing the Nobel Prizes in Litera- ment of the highest American principles.
ture that were awarded to Nelly Sachs and S.
Some of the new groups, like the Haskalah
Y. Agnon, a number of awards were made in of the last century, may be motivated by
recent weeks to Yiddish and Hebrew writers, secularism. But in their very secular ap-
including such eminent personalities as I. B. proaches these groups are spiritual, they are
Singer, Jacob Glatstein and a number of faithful to a great legacy. Therefore their
others.
aims and aspirations point to a new hope
Of special interest is the recognition that that the craving for learning is far from dead
has gone on an international scale to Hebrew and that out of the wilderness we have wit-
writers, and to the fact that Yiddish still is .a nessed in the recent past there may surely
language that is filled with vigor.
emerge a new enlightenment that will mark
The creative efforts of the awarclees mark the continuation of the Jewish idealism that
a most heartening trend in Jewish experi- is vital to the cultural interests of all man-
ences.
kind.

Need for Homework

Literary Awards

Hausdorff's 'Golden Heritage':
Collection of Basic Jewish Facts

David H. Hausdorff has distinguished himself in research. His
"Book of Jewish Curiosities," his "Handbook of Jewish Information,"
"The Biblical Picture Gallery" and his several other works are filled
with information about Jewish customs, historical facts and details of
general Jewish interest.
His latest work, "The Golden Heritage," published by Philipp
Feldheim (96 E. B'way, NY 2), is a continuation of his earlier efforts.
Primarily, however, it could be viewed as a religious textbook, as a
definite work dealing with Jewish traditions, with customs and cere-
I monies, with the Tora and the Talmud.
All the books of Sacred Scripture, the various Mishnaic,
Talmudic and Midrashic texts, are explained and briefly defined.
In single paragraPhs Hausdorff often explains an entire Scriptural
work.
His book is much more than that. It contains chapters dealing with
all the festivals, with the Shulhan Arukh, with established Jewish
traditions.
There are explanatory sections devoted to the Mezuza, Tallis,
Tefillin and Tzitzit.
He details the texts of Judah Halevi's "Sefer HaKuzari" and he
reviews Maimonides' "Mishne Tora" and "More Nevuhim."
More than that: since this is the golden heritage, the author quotes
from famous "Ethical .Wills"; he offers gems from "Parables of the
Dubner Maggid"; he explains the Jewish calendar, tells about famous
Jewish scholars and presents as a guide a well compiled chronology
of Jewish history.
Because of their special merit, he has included in his book,
as a concluding section, excerpts from his "Book of Jewish Curiosi-
ties" which appears here as "Unusual Nuggets of Jewish Knowl-
edge."
The entire work is steeped in devotional dedication to the basic
Jewish regulations, and his book may well be called a glorification of
Orthodoxy. -
The facts incorporated in Hausdorff's book will serve Jewish stu-
dents well in their search for basic information about Jewish customs,
traditions and historical occurrences.

H. Golden's 'Forgotten Pioneer'

When Harry Golden's "Forgotten Pioneer" first appeared as a hard-
cover book, published by World, The Jewish News reviewer rated it
as Golden's best work.
It is his opinion that it retains that rating now, even after two
other of Golden's books had appeared.
Now "Forgotten Pioneer" has been issued as a paperback by
Fawcett World Library (67 W. 44th, NY36). It is a splendid work of
research. Unlike Golden's other books, which are filled with brief items
of general interest, "Forgotten Pioneer" deals with the peddler in
American history. Golden has gone to earliest records to describe the
peddler's role in general and the Jewish peddler's activities in
particular.
Reaching out to the farmer, serving an important need as a provider
of necessities in the eras when traveling was difficult, facing many
obstacles, the American peddler emerges in Golden's book in an inter-
esting and most sympathetic light. "Forgotten Pioneer" is the story
of a craft that became part of early American history. Golden's is a
splendid account of it.

Teacher's Guide to 'Israel Today'

"Israel Today" by Rabbi Harry Essrig and Abraham Segal,
published by Union of American Hebrew Congregations, was widely
acclaimed when it first appeared two years ago.
Supplementing this illustrated volume, UAHC has just issued a
teacher's guide to the immense work which has fascinated those
seeking information about Israel, the Zionist movement that pre-
ceded it, the historical facts relating to state-building.
The guide was prepared by Abraham Segal. While it was
prepared for teachers, it will :serve an excellent purpose for home
use by those who have acquired this valuable work.

