Jewish Issues Eyed Closely
by GOP 'Ethn ice Consultant
WASHINGTON—The strong pro-
Israel position of the Republican
Party bears the stamp of Bernard
Katzen, known to the GOP as con-
sultant-director of the ethnic divi-
sion, Republican National Commit-
tee.
Katzen, who has a wide legal and
political background, tackles the
Anti-Semitism
Reflected in
Southern Song
Tragic anti-Semitic inferences
often infiltrate into folk music.
Southern American music is no ex-
ception, as "The Jew's Daughter"
ballad, incorporated in "Folk-Songs
of the South," edited by John Har-
rington Cox and issued as a paper-
back by Dover indicates.
In fact, the singing of anti-Semi-
tic Southern ditties during the Leo
Frank trial in Atlanta was one of
the manifestations of the bigots
that led to the unjust court deliber-
ations and the subsequent lynching
of the innocently accused Jew.
Several versions, differing slight-
ly, of "Sir Hugh, or the Jew's
Daughter" were communicated to
the editor of this volume by South-
erners who heard it from their
mothers and other members of
their families in their childhood.
The song is a shocking example
of ignorance about Jews. It tells
how a Jew's daughter came out in
her fineries and enticed a child
into her home basement, "penning
him below," and "catching his
heart blood in."
It is no wonder the folklore often
has echoed the prejudices of the
time in which it was developed.
Otherwise, in its totality, the
Dover paperback "Folk-Songs of
the South" is a remarkable col-
lection of Southern folklore.
'Lightfoot Island'
J. C. Furnas' Novel
In "Lightfoot Island" published
by Atheneum (122 E. 42nd, NY17),
J. C. Furnas has produced a pow-
erful novel with a South Pacific
setting and a theme devoted to
treatment of the natives and the
role in the project of the U. S.
Navy and its commanders.
The scene is on Tarafu in the
South Pacific and while anthro-
pology is an aim of the American
commanders, it is life on the is-
land, the love affairs that ensue,
the involvements of a famous an-
thropoligist who is enamored by
the young women that becomes a
subject for a story that holds the
reader's attention throughout.
In dealing with the customs of
Tarafu, the drug habits of the
natives, the effects of the island's
environment on natives and guests,
Furnas has produced a work of
great interest.
The Prayer of a Boy
By DAVID SCHWARTZ
(Copyright 1968, JTA Inc.)
The Jewish literature about
prayer is extensive. There are
many beautiful prayers and many
different philosophies about what
constitutes the best prayer. There
was one rabbi who thought that
every individual praying should
add a bit of his own to every fixed
prayer. In an Israeli paper, we
came upon the following prayer of
a school-boy on a kibutz:
"0 Lord,
End all wars,
So that we may not have to study
history.
And put an end to all sicknesses,
So that we may not have to study
anatomy and physiology.
And make the whole world one
country,
So that we shalt not have to study
English."
Symphony Features
Stern and Staples
in Year's Concerts
Isaac Stern will be the violin
soloist with the Detroit Symphony,
in concerts Nov. 7 and 9.
Gordon Staples, the symphony's
new concertmaster, will be the
violin soloist Jan. 9.
issues of particular concern to the
Jewish community, advising the
leadership of these issues and act-
ing as liaison man with 60 GOP
ethnic units throughout the
country.
On July 29, Katzen testified
before the Republican Platform
Subcommittee on Foreign Policy
and National Security, urging
incorporation in the GOP plat-
form of a st r ong statement
favoring arms for Israel, includ-
ing Phantom jet planes.
As a result of Katzen's urgings,
the GOP adopted its position on the
Mid-East.
Katzen, a New York attorney
who • commutes to Washington three
days a week, says there are three
key issues with which the ethnic
division concerns itself: foreign
policy affecting the Middle East,
anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe;
and "law and order."
The last category was listed by
Katzen because "Jews have a feel-
ing for social justice. Without law
and order, the Jew is insecure.
The history of mankind has shown
that when there is social unheaval,
the Jew becomes the victim or
scapegoat."
Active in Jewish organizations,
many of which have honored him,
Katzen insists there is a "Jewish
vote." Jews have a good voting
record, he said, and they are
"opinion molders."
Dental Team Finds
Way to Treat the
Handicapped Child
NEW YORK—Researchers have
found a long-sought answer to one
of the most heart-breaking of prob-
lems facing parents of mentally or
physically handicapped children
who are unable to cooperate with
or are in fear of dentists, accord-
ing to Prof. J. Lemin-Epstein of
the Hebrew University-Hadassah
School of Dental Medicine in Jeru-
salem.
Prof. Lewin-Epstein, who will re-
port on the dental phase of Hadas-
sah's medical activities in Israel
at the organization's 54th annual
convention opening in Chicago Sept.
8, spoke of the dental problems of
handicapped children in a pre-con-
vention interview here.
Children who are either physical-
ly handicapped or emotionally or
mentally disturbed often are not
manageable under clinic condi-
tions, yet they need preventive
care of their teeth as much as
healthy children do. Dr. Lewin
Epstein disclosed that at Hebrew
University-Hadassah School of Den-
tal Medicine, founded by Alpha
Omega Fraternity, a team of re-
searchers has found that the an-
swer to the problem is to put these
children under a general anesthe-
sia, then complete all the dental
work at one sitting. The team is
working on a suitable combination
of drugs for children.
Elul Quiz
By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX
(Copyright 1968, JTA, Inc.)
Friday, August 30, 1968-17
Astigmatism, reduced field of
vision, farsightedness, nearsighted-
ness and color blindness all affect
visual acuity, and many hunters
have these vision defects without
knowing it, warns the National
Fasting on Yom Kippur will Society for the Prevention of
come much easier if you're fat.
Blindness.
This is one finding in a series of
studies on obesity by Dr. Stanley
Schachter, a Columbia University
psychologist, and other research-
ers. The studies are described in
the current issue of Science maga-
zine.
According to Dr. Schachter, slim
Jews have a much more diffi-
cult time fasting than their obese
brothers, especially if the fat per-
sons spend most of the day in
synagogue, away from all external
factors, such as taste, smell and
sight of food, setting and time of
day.
Because normal weight Jews are
motivated by internal factors, pri-
marily an empty stomach, they are
unaffected by the number of hours
7100
spent in the synagogue. When their
stomachs growl, they're hungry.
Fatties Fare Fine
on Fast; Shinnies
Suffer, Says Survey
Why is the shofar blown in the
synagogue during the month of
Elul?
The entire Hebrew month of
Elul is regarded as a period of
penitence. In the first place it is
the month before the festival of
Rosh Hashana which is regarded
as an occasion of judgment. Man,
thus spends the month before his
trial before the divine tribunal in
preparing his defense, which con-
sists of confessing his sins and
resolving to improve himself. Ac-
cording to the Sephardic custom
of the oriental Jews, the peniten-
tial prayers which the occidental
Jews recite the week before Rosh
Hashana and during the period
between Rosh Hashana and Yom
Kippur are recited during the en-
tire month of Elul. It seems that
in some areas and during certain
times in history Jews would fast
during the daytime hours every
week-day on in the month of Elul,
as well as on the week-days be-
14500 W. 7 MILE
tween Rosh Hashana and Yom
Kippur. This was done to . emulate
12,000,000 tons of pollutants
AT LODGE X-WAY
the behavior of Moses who as- are dumped into the air each year.
cended Mt. Sinai for the second
time on the first day of Elul and
did not descend until the day of
Yom Kippur. As the Bible tells
us, he neither ate nor drank dur-
ing this period. In the days of
OUR ALTERATION DEPARTMENT
Moses it was also a period of peni-
tence because the Almighty had
Stands ready to Assist in Expert Altera-
been angered over the sin of the
Golden Calf and the original tab-
tions on Ladies', Men's and Children's
lets had been broken. Moses was
Clothing.
therefore pleading for forgiveness
and a second chance for his peo-
COME IN AND SEE OUR LARGE SELECTION OF THE
ple. According to Jewish tradition,
the shofar is blown on fast days.
"New Look" in • Suits • Slacks
The month of Elul, being a month
of fasting in some areas, was
• Sport Coats • Topcoats & Men's Furnishings
therefore a month during which
the shofar was blown. Even among
the occidental Jewish communi-
C O LT E
Cr
ties where fasting for the entire
month is not practiced, the shofar
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Phone: 398-9188
is blown as a signal to repent.
Some writers also point out that
the blowing of the shofar is re
miniscent of the occasion of Moses'
ascent and descent from the moun-
tain at which time the shofar was
blown.
*
*
Why is it customary to visit
Once a Year Opportunity to Stock
the cemetery- during the month
up on Children's Books . . .
of Elul?
Generally speaking, experiences
PLAN AHEAD — PUT AWAY
are sought which would bring a
somber mood to people. Visiting
the cemetery indeed makes one
more serious and concerned. Some
claim that the visit to the ceme-
tery makes us realize how_ helpless
we are in the hands of the Al-
mighty. This, in turn, prompts us
to seek His mercy during these
penitential days. Others contend
that the visit to the cemetery is
Oak Park
a means of asking the deceased
to offer prayers for our welfare
OPEN DAILY 9:30 to 9:00; SUNDAY 10:30 to 8:00
during this period of judgment.
Still others are of the opinion that
the visit to the cemetery brings
us to pray for the souls of the
deceased who might also be judged
at this time.
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The Black Man's Needs Mishkan Israel Sets
Stressed by Synagogue 3 Holiday Services
Cong. Mishkan Israel Nusach
Council on Labor Day ,Hari
Lubavitcher Center will hold
"Time is running out!" is the
warning contained in the annual
Labor Day message issued by
Rabbi Jacob Philip Rudin, presi-
dent of the Synagogue Council of
America, to the American labor
movement.
"Black and white men stand in
a most dangerous confrontation in
our society," Rabbi Rudin de-
clared. "The black man is still
alienated and the white man still
grudges him a worthy sense of
participation in America's destiny.
The black man has not been ac-
corded an honorable place in our
society."
At the invitation of the AFL-CIO,
the Synagogue Council of America,
as well as the National Conference
of Catholic Bishops and the Na-
tional Council of Churches, issue
annual greetings to the labor
movement to mark Labor Day ob-
servances.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
three separate services during the
High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana
and Yom Kippur.
At regular services in the main
sanctuary, cantor during morning
services will be Rabbi Moshe Y.
Polter. The afternoon services will
be led by Jay Bodzin. Members of
Cong. Beth Joseph Anshei Rezhin
will join the Lubavitch Center con-
gregants in the main sanctuary
services.
Special youth services will be
held in the social hall, where seats
will be free of charge. The serv-
ices will be conducted by Rabbi
Abraham M. Baitelman, newly ap-
pointed director of youth activities
at the center.
Auxiliary services will again be
held at Lessenger School, in Oak
Park. Conducting the services will
be Rabbi Yitchak M. Kagan.
For information, call the syna-
gogue office, 548-2666.
MIZRACHI
TOURS
3984764
Irrtim
01111
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