THE JEWISH NEWS
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., 17160 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit, Mich. 48235.
VE 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 second day of Sican. 5727, the following Scriptural selections
trill be rend in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Num. 4:21-7:89. Prophetical portion. Judges 13:2 - 25.
Pentateuchal
Shavuot Tora Readings
portions, First Day. Wednesday. Ex. 19:1.20:23. Num.
25:26.31:
s econd day. Thursday. Dent. 15:19 - 16:17. Num. 28:26 - 31. Prophetical portions: First
Day. E:ek. 1:128. 3:12: second day. Habakkuk 3:1-19.
Candle lighting. Friday. June 9. 7,48 p.m.
VOL. I.I. No. 12
Page Four
June 9, 1967
Shavuot and Its Sanctified Ideals
Many are the purposes and meanings of
the Shavuot festival. It is the time for solemn
assembly. It is the season of the first ripe
fruits — the Flag Bikurim. It is an agricultural
festival stemming from the ancient days of
Jewish independence in the ancient Land of
Israel. and it is the celebration of the Giving
of the Tora — Zman Matan Toratenu.
A Hasidic sage. Rabbi Yitzhak of Gur. ex-
plained why the festival is called that of the
Giving of the Tora rather than of Receiving
by stating: "Because the time of the Giving
of the Tora was only at Sinai. whereas the
time of Receiving the Tora is every day."
In this thought is embodied a great philoso-
phy of .Judaism: the endless obligation to
observe the principles embodied in the sacred
Law, a duty that is not limited to a single
day on the calendar but one that calls for ad-
herence to the highest ideals all the time.
That is why Shavuot has become so sig-
nificant as the day for commencement exer-
cises in our schools, for consecrations and
confirmations. That is why Shavuot is the
Festival of the Law that has been handed
down to be honored through adherence to
the principles of the Tora.
We think of Shavuot in terms of our
children's role as the banner bearers of the
traditions of which we speak on this festival.
to which we dedicate ourselves in the obser-
vance of the symbolic holiday. For our youth
this season of the year is a time to consider
the steps that are to be taken from one grada-
tion in studies to another. For some it is a
time for graduation. For many. it is our hope,
it is an occasion to think in terms of continued
studies, of regarding the ensuing vacation
months as mere interruptions in endless
searching for knowledge.
That is why Shavuot also represents a
challenge to Jewish homes and to our schools
— to parents and to teachers. Can both
SHAVUoT
emerge with sufficient strength to inspire
study, to encourage dedication to learning? I
We have not failed in it through the ages.
There is no reason to fear that we are so im-
poverished in inspiration. that we are so
lacking in the joy of Jewish living, that we
can not continue our role as a people steeped
in knowledge and constantly searching for
Aron Marko Rothmueller, a native of Yugoslavia who has
be an appeared with many of the major opera companies, who has corn-
more of it. Shavuot should, in
i ble posed many musical scores, is the author of "The Music of the Jews,"
occasion for confidence that an indestruct
ndestctible
spirit , an endless urge for learning, is the a revised edition of which has just been published by Thomas
basic strength of an ancient people. It is with Yoseloff.
Coming to this country in 1948, Rothmueller now teaches voice
such a feeling of optimism in our future, in
Indiana University School of Music. He has gathered an immense
the fusion of forces involving parents, chil- at
amount of material relating to the subject of his book and has
dren and their teachers, that we always illustrated it thoroughly.
emerge on a high plane at a season like the
The subtitle of the book, "An Historical Appreciation," amply
present one which we welcome with rejoicing, describes the basis for this work. It is, indeed, a valuable history
affirming the season of harvest — the love of Jewish musical experiences and of the development of music
of nature and the pride in learning.
among Jews.
The many musical illustrations supplementing the text not only
1967
Rothmueller's 'Music of Jews '
A
nalyzes Historic Developments
All Together: To Israel's Aid
Israel alone can not be expected to wage
the war for survival. The Nasser threat is
clear and not to be misunderstood. He and
his cohorts say bluntly that they seek Israel's
destruction. This would mean the destruc-
tion of prophecy, as the realization of an
historic aim to end the homelessness of the
Jew: it would be a blow to world Jewry
and would destroy the major achievement
of our people after 2,000 years of stateles-
ness. It would undermine faith in mankind
whose aid was welcomed in the re-establish-
ment of the Jewish State. Anything approach-
ing even the minutest harm to the State of
Israel would be an indictment of the non-
Jewish world for having failed to prevent
the safety of a people that has been fighting
with its back to the sea.
What is happening now is a threat of
another genocide and on a larger scale. Not
a single person is secure in Israel under
Nasser's domination.
What is happening in Israel now is,
therefore, a challenge to world Jewry and
to mankind.
The Jews of the world must mobilize their
forces to guarantee all aid that can possibly
be provided to assure the independence
of Israel and the safety of its people.
The non-Jewish world's conscience is
similarly challenged. Either the Christian
world steps forward to remove all threats
of serious attacks on Israel or the threatened
destruction will place another mark of shame
on the free world which had encouraged
Israel's emergence and now appears hesitant
to act firmly in Israel's defense.
Israel is certain to battle to a finish.
There will not be another Masada. The slogan
in Israel is: "Shenit Masada lo tipol"—
"Masada shall not fall a second time." The
Third Commonwealth must survive, else all
human decency will perish with it.
Jewish communities everywhere are
mobilizing their forces to provide the neces-
sary assistance to the embattled nation. Hun-
dreds of thousands of Jews have been rescued
from many lands and have been settled in
Israel. Nearly all of the Jews in Moslem
countries have been robbed of their pos-
sessions by the Arab rulers and have come
to Israel. Israel had provided most of the
funds for the integration of newcomers. Now
world Jewry—primarily the Jews of America
—must carry the burden, so that Israel may,
without hindrance, bear the responsibility of
the heavy military load.
The United Jewish Appeal dollars must
be multiplied. Purchase of Israel Bonds
must be stimulated and should go on un-
interruptedly. Just as Israelis now are in-
vesting heavily in domestic government loans,
so, also, Jews everywhere must show their
solidarity by giving unstintingly to philan-
thropic funds and by retaining the confi-
dence that must persist in Israel's ability
to retain its balance by investing in Israel's
economic projects.
This is a time for a mass demonstration
of loyalty to basic human demands. It is
not the Jewish position alone that is in-
volved: it is the honor of all mankind that
plays its role in a crisis involving the right
of people to life, liberty and the quest for
the human decencies that are basic to the
survival of mankind.
Israelis . are holding their heads high.
Having straightened their backs which had
been bent under the persecutions of millenia
they refuse to permit a return to humilia-
tions and to human bondage. Their kinsmen
everywhere have gained a new dignity by
Israel's emergence. That dignity, that sense
of accomplishment of ending servility, must
be protected to the fullest. That's our duty.
With prayers for justice on our tongues, with
a determined will in our hearts, with a soli-
darity that makes our people indestructible,
we must retain our duties as Americans who
refuse to permit domination of brutality
over humanity and a return to genocidal
medievalism; we must keep faith as Jews
that the eternity of Israel will never be
sacrificed on the altar of indifference. With
these aims, our self-respect will be protected,
our dignity will be retained, Israel will be
protected and the glory of the worldwide
democratic principles will be retained for
the good of all mankind.
serve to assist the reader but provide also the type of data that
is vital for students and teachers.
This survey undertakes to cover nearly 4,000 years of cultural
history and the seriousness with which the author covers his subject
is a tribute to a very creditable undertaking.
Rothmueller's review of Jewish music in biblical times traces the
beginnings to the 13th Century BCE. Naturally the author goes to
the Bible. "On examining the books of the Pentateuch for references
to music." he writes, "we find the first mention in Genesis 4:20-22
which tells us that Yaval (Jabal) was the first shepherd, Ynval
(Jubal) 'the father of all such as handle the harp and the pipe' (kinnor
and ugav) and Tuval (Tubal) Cain, the first 'forger of every cutting
instrument of brass and iron.' But it is very unlikely that Jubal
was a musician who actually lived; it is much more probable that
the word yuval is intended to convey the generalized conception of
a musician."
There is an interesting footnote here which states: "There is an
etymological similarity between Yuval and Yovel, 'horn,' used to
signify the blowing of the horn to announce the Yovel or jubilee
year...."
The survey continues with analyses of music in the times of
the early kings, during the Two Kingdoms, in the periods of the
Babylonian Exile, the Restoration of the Temple, and the Greek
and Roman epochs. The Psalms and the music applied to them
provide special interest in the review of the biblical era.
Before turning to the Jewish musical accomplishments and
creativity in the 19th and 20th centuries, Rothmueller devotes the
central portion of the book to the music of the synagogue and to
developments from the first to the 20th centuries. There is an
immense amount of valuable material incorporated here relating to
the influences of the Enlightenment, Emancipation and Reform. He
shows how music written for the synagogue became "progressively
enriched." He maintains that "this great development was rendered
possible only as a result of the 19th Century Reform," and his
account of the musicians and the composers, many in the Reform
category, indicate the reason for such a claim.
The 20th Century Jewish composers, the Jewish folk songs,
the modern attainments combine to for a rich concluding third
part of this book.
Here we are introduced to the folk songs in many spheres, the
Israeli songs, Yemenite, liturgical and other creative efforts.
Names of important composers pass in review here and the
musical examples provide the basic background for a fuller under-
standing of the research that was conducted by the author.
There is an interesting comment by Rothmueller who states:
"Music has not been developed among the Jews, even those
of Europe, as a branch of culture, as it has among other European
cultural groups . . . The chief reason for the restricted development
in Jewish music is to be found in the fact that generally speaking
Jewish communal life was lived in unhealthy and unnatural conditions."
Israeli music, he adds, "is not regarded as Jewish in mood,"
and he adds that "Israeli composers are trying to overcome the
mood of mourning and brooding which derives from the Diaspora."
He finds in Israeli music "a synthesis of Bedouin-Arab-PalestiniaU
(Israeli) modern Jewish color."
An appended list of Hebrew musical terms with transliterations
and explanations of their meaning serves an added good purpose
to this volume which will be found useful by inusician.s, interesting
reading by laymen, serviceable as a textbook..