The Death of a Poet

By NATHAN ZIPRIN

Expect Tourists to Israel to Reach 500,000 in '69

JERUSALEM (ZINS)—A recent ing and expanding, despite attacks
statistical study recently publish- by terrorists. The Arab countries'
ancients and the k'doshim who as Manger has already largely ed shows there are 14,000 hotel efforts to attract tourists have thus
done, he stands even more alone
died so that Israel might live.
rooms in the country, and 2,500 far failed.
Itzik Manger, who was a folk than in those moments of aloneness more are under construction.
hero in his lifetime to myriads of when creative discernment was
In 1968, 432,000 tourists visited
Jews wherever his tongue was upon him. Now his work is done Israel, leaving $90,000,000 in the
ELECTRONIC
spoken, was a giant among giants for all to behold and judge, and country. Some 36 per cent of the
GARAGE DOOR
in contemporary Yiddish literature there can no longer be rescinding tourists came from the United
and one of its most colorful figures. of word or even comma.
OPENER
It is at this point in his life that States.
It has appropriately been said of
It is estimated that in 1969,
him that he was the darling of the the creative man truly tsenses the 500,000 tourists will visit the coun-
masses and the intellectuals alike. climate of awesome finality.
try, and they will spend $100,000,-
Manger, who ironically enough
I sensed that moment in Man- 000 there.
was catapulted into fame in the
ger on his 60th birthday party on
The statistics show that Israel is
United States by a Broadway pro-
a radiant day in May 1961 in his today the only country in the Mid-
duction of his Purim play, "The
silent answer to my remark that dle East where tourism is flourish-
Call Evenings Until 9
Megila," instead of by his other
"The summit can be terrifying."
manifold works of pure art, in-
And when I asked Manger how a THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
353-3284
cluding the Megila, should by all
poet felt when he has reached the
Friday, March 14, 1969-13
standards have been a poets' poet
age of GO and tasted the joy of
since his artistry is of a rare vin-
recognition, he observed with a
tage.
majestic wave of bands that "60
Yet, in the course of his creative is a long road for a poet, but no
life, which ended in Israel recent-
human being can possibly con-
I
ly after a tragically long and de- sider himself old or aging when
bilitating illness, he became the he thinks of the ancients."
idol of the Yiddish-speaking mas-
Manger was deeply rooted in
4111,1110...has a better Xise
ses first in Eastern Europe and Jewish lore, and it was no mere
Because they have
later in the United States and coincidence that he thought of the
Israel, where the adulation extend- ancients, for by ancients he essen-
ed to all segments of Jewry there, tially meant the old biblical fig-
including the sabras.
ures about whom he had written
He achieved this deserved dis- so profusely and tantalizingly ori-
at
tinction by the power of his unique ginal in his verse.
artistry, by a contagious quality of
Now Manger rests with the an-
folkiness and by a miraculous ca- cients, destined to be unforgotten
pacity for identifying himself with among the men of his tongue even
14240 W. 7 Mile Road at the Lodge X-Way
With the firm belief that Jewish the people. In a word, he was a as the patriarchs with whom he
DI 1-3800
education is of primary import- people's poet. On reading Manger now shares a common fate.
ance, the Flint Jewish Community one has the feeling as if the author
Council established a Commission had forged a partnership in crea-
on Jewish Education two years ago. tion with the reader.
However great, no poet is ever
One of the commission's first acts
was to contact the American Asso- unconcerned about the years or the
ciation for Jewish Education and ripening and the shadows that
request a survey of Flint's present come with time.
More often than not, the artist's
facilities and to give guidance for
future planning and action. Through script as he ages is blessed with
this initial contact and investiga- finality and ripeness. He has
tion arose the understanding of the spoken his word and chanted his
kind and quality of communal song and now he can afford the
magnanimity of sharing his crea-
Jewish education necessary.
And you don't have to be a non-veg- with their best-known "compan-
On Feb. 17, Dr. Samuel Dinsky, tion with others. And when he has
director of the AAJE, completed collected his works between covers,
etarian either! You can serve Heinz ions"—Kosher franks or other
the _first of three consultation meet-
ings with the schools and reported Controversial Dr. .„Jacobs
Vegetarian Beans all by themselves Kosher delicatessen meats.That will
his findings and recommendations
of London on U.S. Tour;
as a side dish or even a main dish and probably get you an "A plus". As we
to a special consultation subcom-
mittee of the Commission on Jew- New Book, 'Faith,' Issued
win
an "A" in Meal Planning. Or said, to enjoy these tasty beans, you
YORK—For
religious
faith
NEW
ish Education.
An ad-hoc committee under the to be significant, it must not fly in
you
can
put a generous helping of don't have to be a vegetarian. You
chairmanship of Dr. Saul Gorne is the face of everything that we
now being formed to implement Dr. know about life, a prominent Eng-
Heinz
Vegetarian
Beans on a plate just have to be hungry.
lish rabbi declared here. But, he
Dinsky's recommendations.
"It is through the cooperation added, there is nothing in modern
of lay leaders of the schools and thought that should move us to-
Council that we have been able ward unbelief.
Rabbi Louis Jacobs, of the New
to pinpoint our problem areas
and embark on realistic correc- London Synagogue, made his com-
ments
at a joint news conference
tive measures," Dr. Gorne said.
Other members of the commis- of the American Jewish Commit-
sion are Murray Moss, Dr. Bernard tee and Basic Books, publisher of
Dickstein, Jack Shaprow, Marc Rabbi Jacobs' new book "Faith."
Lebster, Mrs. Harry Mills, Moshe The ADC's Jewish communal af-
Giskan, Rabbi Hillel Millgram, fairs and community services de-
Rabbi William Greenebaum II, B. partments have arranged a nation-
Morris Pelavin, Louis Kasle, Dr. wide speaking tour for Rabbi
Leon Rosky, Marvin Levey, Dr. Jacobs.
His trip marks publication in
William Bernard, James Lebster
the U.S. of "Faith," in which
and Joseph Megdell, president of
Rabbi Jacobs examines Jewish
the Flint Jewish Community Coun-
belief through a critical study of
cil.
Judaism's philosophical sources.
In 1961, Rabbi Jacobs figured in
a controversy when the then-chief
rabbi of England, Dr. Israel Bro-
die, refused to endorse his appoint-
ment as principal of Jews College,
London, because of a doctrinal
dispute. Three years later, Chief
Rabbi Brodie banned Rabbi Jacobs
from serving in congregations con-
trolled by the United Synagogue.

(Editor's Note: Itzik Manger's
hold on the people of Israel was
incredible. The Yiddish poet's
funeral was attended by thousands
from every part of the country.
Among the mourners were Presi-
dent Zalman Shazar, Foreign Min-
ister . Abbe Eban and an array of
political, literary, labor and reli-
gious leaders. It has been said of
Manger that when he walked on
the streets, in every part of Israel,
he_ attracted veople like the famed
Pied Piper. Here, Jewish News cor-
respondent Nathan Ziprin recalls
vignettes in the life of his good
friend.)
Itzik Manger, the inimitable Yid-
dish poet, once said in a poem call-
ed "Autumn" that "the green eyes
of the September night peek wear-
ily through all windowpanes" and
"Itzik Manger sleeps on the bare
floor, stripped of all dreams."
Now the bard sleeps the sleep
of the dead in the soil of the land
that is Israel, not "stripped of all
dreams" but in fulfillment of an
over-powering wish he cherished to
be buried with the patriarchs, the

Vemco

D FD
4 I \ I

IRV KATZ

Committee to Meet
Education Needs
in Flint Study

McDonald Ford

You don't have to be
a vegetarian to enjoy
Heinz Vegetarian Beans!

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PEC Earnings Improve

NEW YORK—PEC Israel Eco-
nomic Corp. reports net income
from operations of $751,940 of 85
cents a share for 12 months ended
Dec. 31, 1968, compared with $684,-
390 or 76c for the preceding year.
In addition the company reports
net gains from the sale and dis-
position of securities of $118,405 or
13c per share as compared to a
loss of $65,943 or 7c a share the
year before.
The company paid a cash divi-
dend of 65c per common share
(last year: 60c) on Feb. 20 to its
10,000 stockholders in the U.S.
Founded in 1926, PEC has current-
ly invested $23,000,000 in equity and
loans in some 40 enterprises in
Israel.

You'll find the ©seal of THE UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGA•
TIONS OF AMERICA on the front of the label. On all four sizes, of course!

