16—Friday, January 31, 1969 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Boris Smolar's 'Between You ...and Me' (Copyright 1969, JTA Inc.) RELIGION IN USSR: In Moscow's "GUM"—the huge state depart- ment store on Red Square facing the Kremlin—you find reproductions in brass of famous Russian Orthodox churches. They are plaques pro- duced as souvenirs by the Moscow state factory Znamia Revolutzii (The Banner of the Revolution), and are being sold at $1.85 each. Don't look anywhere in the Soviet Union for plaques showing the imposing facade of the Moscow synagogue or the beautiful view of the Leningrad synagogue. Their reproduction would be considered by the authorities as Jewish religious propaganda; hence it is out of the ques- tion for anyone to produce them, especially a state factory. In Zagorsk, the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church, there is a factory producing icons. They are being sold all over the country for religious Russians, the number of whom is still substantial among the , older and middle-aged generations. They yield quite a profit to the church. Don't look for Jewish religious mementos anywhere whether a ' Hanuka lamp. or a Mezuza, or anything that carries a Mogen David on it—their production is forbidden. The Russian Orthodox Church maintains a factory for candles which are usually bought by religious Russians to be placed before icons in churches and at home. This, too, is a source of substantial income for the church. But can synagogues produce Yahrzeit candles which members of Jewish families place in memory of their dead? No, synagogues must buy the candles: they are not allowed to manufacture them. The Russian Orthodox Church maintains its own printing plant, and is permitted to print prayer books. sermons and liturgical literature which are being distributed from its central headquarters in Zagorsk among churches all over the Soviet Union. The plant also prints reli- , gious calendars and even a monthly church publication. The leaders of the Jewish religion can hardly dream of such full privileges, though a Jewish prayer book was printed 10 years ago in 3.000 copies and re- cently was redistributed, possibly in newly reprinted form. Hebrew U.—Hadassah Hospital Aids Indigent rab e ugees JERUSALEM — Sickness cares little about politics — and ailing Arab refugees care little that those who cure them are supposed to be the enemy. Every day, ambulances bring patients from among the half mil- lion refugees under Israeli control into the Hebrew University-Hadas - sah Medical Center. Last month. .Hadassah signed an agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to treat refugee heart and cancer patients. The UN agency pays Hadassah just under $2 for each heart pa- tient, which according to Dr. Kal- mann Mann, hospital director, is a token. The agency pays nothing for the cancer patients. The "unusual medical traffic" across the frontier was reported by James Feron in the New York Times Monday. lie pointed out that prominent Arab patients had long been cared for by Hadassah Hosiptal, but that the open-border policy between Is- rael and Jordan since the Six- Day War has meant that ordin- ary Arab citizens who cross each week can get treatment. Some 50 Arab guerrillas. most from the El Fatah, also have been cared for in the hospital. Dr. Mann called them a "nuisance," because they occupy the biggest— and best—rooms to accommodate both patient and policeman guard- ing him. Other patients don't take kindly to this treatment, but the staff has been instructed to treat the patients equally well. When Arab soldiers were accepted the first week in June 1967, "I told them (the nurses) that we have to treat them as in- I told them of my own experience in World War II treating German prisoners in Southampton, Eng- land," Dr. Mann added. He said the hospital handles an average of 35 outpatients from Arab towns a day and an average of 10 bed patients a month. Medical costs are far in excess of the fees that these patients are able to pay, said Dr. Mann. A bed costs about $30 a day, but the hos- , pital tries to get at least $9 from Let Us Bid Your Plans each patient. No urgent case is I turned away although few pay. I Phone: 331. 3-2110 9TOLIN, One third of the cancer radiation cases are Arabs, the doctor said. &girl% MOVIES BUILDING CO.,INC. 24611 Greenfield 8MM—SUPER 1-14MM gulea 3.etipw Southfield Photographers UN 4-8785 ATTENTION Paint Contractors Management Companies Investors KNOPPOW Paul Winter to Conduct RESTRICTIONS. RESTRICTIONS: One does not necessarily have Interviews at Art Show to be an Orthodox Jew to learn in Moscow the extent to which the Jew- ish religion is being muzzled as compared to the other religions in the Soviet Union. There is no question about the fact that Jewish religious activities in the USSR are much more restricted than those of other religious groups. Officials of the Council on Religious Affairs—a government organ attached to the Soviet Cabinet—are very embarrassed when presented with the facts of discrimination. They claim that the position of the Jewish religion differs in no way from that of any other religion in the country. However, it is hard for them to deny that the spiritual head of the Russian Orthodox Church is permitted to go often abroad—to capital cities like Jerusalem. Istanbul, Athens—to maintain personal contact with other Orthodox churches. No rabbi has been permitted by the Soviet authorities to ever visit Jerusalem nor to participate in any Jewish religious conference abroad —even when other Communist countries permitted their rabbis to attend these conferences. Moscow's Rabbi Levin was, for the first time, permitted last year to visit the Jews in the United States, but neither he nor his predecessor was ever permitted to proceed to Jerusalem. Inside the Soviet Union no conference of Jewish religious leaders has taken place for the last 40 years. CUSTOM HOMES CUSTOM REMODELING PROFESSIONAL and OFFICES dividuals, not as the enemy, and WE of Sholem Aleichem The sixth annual art show and sale of the Sholem Aleichem In- stitute to be held Feb. 7-9, will fea- ture a diversity of media and techniques. Paul Winter, radio and television personality, will be special guest 8:30-10:30 p.m. Feb. 7. He will con- duct a "Meet the Artist Evening," at which time he will interview the artists and ask for questions from the guests. Featuring Michigan artists and emphasizing a reasonable price range, the Sholem Aleichem Art Show is an opportunity for the beginning art buyer to try his taste and for the seasoned buy- er to enlarge his collection. Hours will be 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Friday: noon-10 p.m.. Saturday; and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. There is a nominal fee. Coffee and cake will be served. Winter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hen- ry Wineman of Detroit, is heard daily on radio station W T A K. He currently hosts a television interview series,' "Free Play," on Channel 56, Sun- day evenings. He teaches at Wayne State Uni- Winter versity and the University of Detroit and holds an award from Ohio State University for his narration of a documen- tary on the Detroit Institute of Arts. PERTINENT QUSTION: I was especially interested to find out why the Soviet government does not permit existing synagogues to govern themselves by a central Jewish religious body at a time when other religions have been given such permission. In my view, Jewish reli- giious life will cease to exist in the USSR within 20 years if it is not directed by a central Jewish religious authority. I posed the queston of permitting the existing synagogues to estab- lish themselves into a federation. I was presented with an answer reading: "The state does not prevent the formation of a central Jewish religious authority. It is a matter entirely for the worshippers to decide. They arrange their affairs and orders as they see fit." This statement was disseminated in by Novosti. the Soviet press agency. This answer implied that if Jewish religious congregations actually wanted to establish a central body of their own, they could do it. It thus put the blame for the lack of such an institution on the Jewish religious leaders in the Soviet Union. I doubt, however, whether this statement contains the real explanation for having the synagogues isolated one from the other. Jewish religious leaders in the USSR are naturally not in a position to challenge this allegation. For this reason, I did not even attempt to ask Rabbi Levin whether he would confirm or deny it. Without a central religious body, Jewish religious life in the Soviet Union will definitely melt away and disappear in a short time. Rem- nants of it will only be found in Bukhara and in the Caucusus, where the synagogues are ancient and Jewish tradition is more rooted than in any There is always some accident in other part of the country. Jewish religious leaders in the USSR are too helpless to insist on the right of establishing themselves into a central the best things, whether thoughts or expressions or deeds. The mem- authority. The initiative must come from Jews in the U.S. They are in a betterr position than the Jews in the USSR to inquire about the Soviet orable thought, the happy expres- stand on this problem. It is their obligation to address such an inquiry sion, the admirable deed are only to the Soviet embassy in Washington. And the sooner they do it, the partly ours. better. I —Henry David Thoreau. PAINT CUSTOM PVA PRIMER 2 35 WONKOTE ALKYD FLAT 75 2 KNOPPOW PAINT 14960 LIVERNOIS Hours: Mon: Fri 7 a.m..5 Closed Sat. Sun. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 862-5272 ::"-raltX>39>...419Y.:>219.X.:i4E?:FAIIK.7.421SK.421t.C.7111:41-74111V:50:K>SIEK.>240, , Z41::<..•..- BUY NOW AND SAVE DURING OUR STORE-WIDE SALE! SAVE 20% ON ALL • SUITS • SPORTC OATS • SLACKS • OVERCOATS • TOPCOATS . Our meticulous attention to fine tailoring and superb fitting, coupled with unparalleled personal service, offers that little bit more that makes a world of difference! i► s-r7 CUSTOM - TAILOR 13641 W. 9 MILE Just W. of Coolidge LI 5-3558 Open Mon., Thum Fri., to 9 p.m. Sot. to 7 p.m.; Sun. 11 to 3 JEWISH NATIONAL FUND PLANT TREES IN ISRAEL FOR ALL OCCASIONS OFFICE HOURS: MON. THRU TH,URS.,,9 to 5; fRIPAY,•NA, DISCOUNT QUALITY SINCE 1905 NATIONAL FUND JEWISH NATIONAL ELD P.D. 2210c "1: "i,•• A2237 OA' PH 0 N E 399-0820 SUNDAY . 10 TO '