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., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit, Mich. 48235,
VE 84364. Subscription $7 a year. Foreign 88.
Second Class Postage Paid at Detroit, Michigan
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher '
SIDNEY SHMARAK
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Advertising Manager
Business Manager
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
Sabbath Shuva Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the sixth day of Tishri, 5729, the following scriptural selections will
be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Deut. 31:1-30. Prophetical portions,_ Hosea 14:2-10, Micah
Yom Kippur Scriptural Readings, Wednesday
7:18-20.
Pentateuchal portions: Morning, Lev. 16:1-34, Num. 29:7-11; afternoon, Levit. 18:1-30.
Prophetical portions: Morning, Isaiah 57:14-58:14; afternoon. Jonah 1:1-4-4:11,
Micah 7:18-20.
Candle lighting, Friday, September 27, 6.52 p.m.
VOL. LIV. No. 2
Page Four
September 27, 1968
Atonement—Rooted in Moral Responsibility
There is a Mishnaic admonition that
serves as a guide for the Day of Atonement.
In the Tractate Yoma we are told: "The Day
of Atonement will achieve nothing for him
who says,' I'll sin and the Day of Atonement
will atone." It is a firm declaration that
while there is a cleansing of sins on Yom
Kippur, it is achievable only as a moral re-
sponsibility, as a duty to oneself to repent
and to society to affirm the sense of reach-
ing out against any continuation of wrong-
doing.
Expiation in the sense of amendability
and of reparation for sins is valuable on a
sacred day on which we seek a cleansing
of evil deeds, and evil intentions. It is
through the ethical means of repenting that
the day of the Great Fast marks the begin-
ning of a new day for those expiating, for
whoever may have been afflicted, for the
seekers of peace and justice on earth.
The historic significance of Yom Kippur
remains rooted in the Haftora prescribed
for that day from the 58th chapter of Isaiah,
in which is emphasized the duty to avoid in-
justice, to prevent poverty, to heal the suffer-
ing. In this great affirmation of the spiritual
period's search for highest ideals we will
read from Isaiah:
"Is not this the fast that I have
chosen? To loose the fetters of wicked-
ness, to let the oppressed go free, and
that ye break every yoke? Is it not to
deal thy bread to the hungry? . . . . When
thou seest the naked, that thou cover him,
and that thou hide not thyself from thine
own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth
as the morning, and thy healing shall
spring forth speedily; and thy righteous-
ness shall go forth before thee, the glory
of the Lord shall be thy reward . .
This is how the great ideals taught by the
Yom Kippur liturgy raise the .worshippers
to supreme heights, indicating to them that
the needs of the hour for mankind are
taught by the approach to expiation for sins.
In this method of expiation, based on
Scriptural lore, we find the universalism
of the Day of Atonement which instructs in
lessons of justice for all peoples. And in
this universality aspiring to righteousness
we find solace on an historic day on our
calendar.
Dtrod- as a Pennant-Holding City
Detroit has gained the role of being in the
world's limelight, and the Tigers have
brought glory to our community.
By giving this community the American
League Pennant, the Detroit Tigers have at-
tracted the interest of all sports-minded peo-
ple to this city, and the period of contest for
the world championship in one of our major
sports will be among the unifying events in
our experience. People of all faiths, all races,
all nationality backgrounds, will share the
common interest in the World Series in which
this city's team plays so historic a role.
We were in the limelight a year earlier
when races clashed and there were serious
casualties. Now we are marking a better era,
which gives assurance that athletes need not
have skins of the same color to have team
work. There is a lesson in this unity—that if
people can work harmoniously in sports, why
not also in all areas of human endeavor?
What an interesting coincidence that the
first of the World Series games is tobe played
on Yom Kippur! And how well the Los An-
geles Dodgers' manager, Walter Alston, ex-
pressed his feelings regarding ballplayers'
aspirations when he said that his policy is to
wipe the slate clean at the end of one season
and start the next one anew. Isn't this a way
of eliminating hatreds and commencing each
season with faith in the coming of a better
day?
Thus, good sportsmanship has such a fine
lesson in humanitarianism, and the current
day of a Pennant for Detroit carries with it
glory and also hope for good days.
It is in this spirit of amity among all and
joy in a great achievement that we join in sal-
uting the Detroit Tigers and in sharing the
hope fora World Series victory. And may
these victorious events on the baseball dia-
mond also lead to triumphs in human rela-
tions.
Politicians and Their Irrelevant Shibboleth
Issues that should be viewed as irrelevant
have been dragged into •the political cam-
paign, and many niore can be expected to
figure as issues utilizable in vote-getting.
There is no excuse for the injection of some
of them.
The Middle East is a typical example. The
United States and Israel have an established
friendship that must be cemented, and every
effort must be made to avoid conflicts. There
also is a relationship between this country
and the Arab states — although some of the
latter have seen fit, very unwisely, to break
relations with us.
In the best interests of peace in the Mid-
dle East, disruption of which will drag in the
leading nations of the world, it is vital that
armed threats should be prevented, and the
only way of achieving such a task is by mak-
ing Israel so well fortified that the numerous
enemy nations surrounding the Jewish State
will think twice before resorting to more
threats to annihiliate the small nation of Jews
who have been repatriated from Nazi Bolo-
cau,stal horrors... .
aemeaft—i
'The Sacred Books of the Jews'
Covers Vast Literary Fields
Viewing Judaism as "the most literate, the most book-intoxicated,
of the world's great faiths," Harry Gersh has produced a most inter-
esting work explaining the central ideas in Jewish teachings by
analyzing the literary qualities and the teachings incorporated in the
major Jewish religious classics.
In "The Sacred Books of the Jews," published by Stein -and Day
(7 E. 48th, NV17), Gersh speaks of the Beth haMidrash (house of study)
as having taken precedence over the Beth haKnesset (synagogue), the
rabbis having taught that it is proper to change the synagogue into a
house of study, and he declares: "This Jewish intoxication with the
written word comes out of the Jews' earliest history." His point is
proven in his analyses of the.Bible as history and law, the Prophets,
the Talmud (Mishna and Gemara), the Midrash, commentaries and
codes, responsa, mysticism and liturgy.
With his discussion of the contents of the Sidur, the social and
ethical commandments which deal with all aspects of human rela-
tions including laws of business and on war; giving examples of
tractates in the Talmud and Mishna and presenting the seven sec-
tions of Proverbs, he illuminates his theme.
In all instances he)points to authors and sources, and he quotes
from the works under review to indicate their history and ethical
merits. The views of eminent non-Jewish as well as Jewish scholars
are utilized in defining his subject matter. Reference to archaeological
findings and resort to chronological data prove extremely helpful to
the reader.
The account of "Wisdom Literature in the Bible" provides helpful
material in the study of Job, Koheleth, Ecclesiastes.
The Talmud is described for authorship and historical value, and
in dealing with the Mishna, Gersh outlines the transcription of the Oral
Law.
Aggadic tales of the Midrash are illustrated with appropriate
and impressive selections.
In his treatment of response, the author is additionally illuminating,
and the roles of the Geonim through the ages emerge here in excellent
description.
Gersh's work proves its value with his discussion of the philosophic
challenges, among them his chapter devoted to Maimonides' "Guide
to the Perplexed."
Then there is the outline of mysticism—of the Kabbala and the
Zohar.
Explaining the Sidur, he contends that the prayer book_is "still
in the process of change," pointing to the addition of prayersjor the
Six Million victims of Nazism, to the fact that "more colloquial trans-
lations are being made." "This is a good augury," he states, "since
the Sidur is today the most known, the most read, the most directly
affecting religious book of the Jews."
the power to fulfill a pledge to provide Israel
with defensive weapons, is playing a hide-
and-seek game, intended, perhaps to embar-
rass the man who was his running mate four
years ago, and this is most deplorable. LBJ
has the power to wipe out unnecessary venom
A Baccalaureate Sermon preached at the Jewish Theological Sem-
in the current political campaign.
inary of America by Rabbi Jacob E. Segal of Cong. Adas Shalom, was
Another issue in the campaign, which chosen for inclusion in "Best Jewish Sermons of 5727-5728" by Rabbi
threatens to continue, is the one involving the Saul I. Teplitz.
The volume was published by Jonathan David -(131 -E. 23rd, NY10").
Supreme Court, and the venom poured at
The Detroit rabbi's sermon, on the Sidra Behaa1-
Mr. Justice Abe Fortas does not lend dignity
otha, was entitled "An Invitation to Hunger." It
to GOP selfishness in the search for power
dealt with the Israelites' mutiny in the desert and
and in what may well prove an unjustified
Moses' confrontation with the lusting multitude.
overconfidence that the party will gain White
"The sublime and redeeming paradox of spiritual
House control.
influence," Rabbi Segal said, is that 9n giving of
- our own faith and moral vigor, we ourselves grow
There are more vital issues: the war on
stronger." He advised rabbinical students in this
poverty, the threat to the peace and security
sermon: "Our light, our passion, our faith, will be
of our cities, the educational needs, the civil
augmented only as we share our hungers of the
rights problems.
spirit with those who look to our ministry. This Wail
Rabbi Segal be their redemption—and ours."
Let the politicians exercise some better
Teplitz, in the volume he edited, states, 215
judgment. The voters may rebel against the his introduction, that Rabbi
"a good sermon rarely provides a final answer,
injection of irrelevant matters in the current but it reflects an honest
coming to grips with the problem and a sinces•
campaign. Let the parties get down to brass search towards an ultimate solution."
Rabbi Segal's Baccalaureate
Sermon Among Best of the Year
tacks. The people's needs are too vital.to be
'But-President Johnson,- who, alone, las- s acrificed
altar- Of 1altU§e4thi4e•SS4
. Included in his collected sermons, in addition•to Itabbi ■ SegaPt, nos
addresses by 24 other rabbis from many parts of
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