Two Revealing Books Abo ut Nazi Terror Published

Tragic experiences by sufferers!
from Nazism in Poland are de-1
picted in two volumes—by Henryk
Grynberg and Janina David.
Grynberg's "Child of the Shad-;
ows," published by Vallentine
Mitchell in London and distributed
in this country by Hartmore
House, Hartford, Conn., is a deeply
moving narrative of experiences
that indict the brutalities of Naz- '
ism and appeal to mankind's con-
science to understand the Hitler
period.

Parohet

By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX

(Copyright 1969, JTA, Inc.)

The rapid economic progress stimulated by Israel Bonds has produced many signs of growth in the
new and old cities of Israel. Foremost symbol of the tremendous expansion of Tel Aviv, which is now
celebrating its 60th anniversary, is the 32-story Shaolm Tower skyscraper (left). Another unusual example
of modern architectural design is the new synagogue in Beersheba shown above (right). Much of Tel
Aviv's rapid development as a center of Israel's flourishing commerce and light industry during the past
two decades has been aided by State of Israel Bonds.

'Synagogues of Hungary' —Memorial to Great Community

World Federation of Hungarian
Jews, jointly with Diplomatic
Press, have issued a combined
history and album, "The Synago-
gues of Hungary." It is a reveal
ing work because it provides a
contrast between the pre-Holo-
caust era and the tragedy of the
World War II.
Frederic Gorog. in behalf of the
Federation of Hungarian Jews.
stated that the aim, in publishing
this volume and in retaining other
memorabilia, "is to rescue for
future generations the rich cul-
tural treasures of the Hungarian-
Jewish past. -
Because so little of the life of
the Jews in Hungary remains in
that Nazi-devastated land, this
purpose is greatly approached in
the presentation of facts about the
past.
Hundreds of photographs in
this volume indicate how exten-
sive Jewish religious activities
had been in Hungary. The per-
iod after World War II is one of
impoverishment.
Edited by Randolph L. Braham,
with the assistance of Ervin Far-
kas. this album and history con-
tains data in English, Hungarian
and Hebrew. It gives a full ac-
count of the congregational activi-
ties and the 467 photographs and
drawings serve to emphasize the
strength that was inherent in Hun-

garian Jewry before the Holocaust.
In view of the mass murder that
nearly destroyed all of the Jews
in Hungary when they were sent
to their death by the Nazis, it is
interesting to note in the record
compiled in this book that in 1914
there were "585 main Jewish com-
munities, 1,718 branch religious
communities. 431 rabbis. 1,321
assistant rabbis and numerous
religious teachers."
While this memorial volume
serves to perpetuate the knowl-
edge about the past, it serves
splendidly as a chronicle of
events of the past, as a record
of synagogue life, as an elabora-
tion on the manner in which the
religious community in Hungary
worshipped and created splendid
synagogues.
For students of architecture this
is an especially valuable work in
its revealing facts about creative
efforts to establish attractive
houses of worship. The lay reader
will similarly be impressed by the
history of a great community.
Many basic facts about Jews
who lived in times of stress are
told in this work. For example.
there is this historical note:
"In Hungarian synagogues
there is no trace of a fortified
type of arrangement as there
was in Poland. The Polish kings
often required the Jews to for-

Matt's Mastery on Earth, Divine
Regulations Viewed in Wilf 's Book

What is man? The ancient ques-
tion is asked and the answer is a
result of much probing in "Origin
and Destiny of the Moral Species"
by Alexander Wilf, published by
A. S. Barnes and Co.
The author defines: "Here on
earth man subdues, adaptes, har-
nesses, controls and utilizes nature
and natural forces in accordance
with his own will and desires.
Nature does not prevail in exert-
ing its pressures of selection upon
man. It is man who exerts his
pressures of selection upon nature.
It is man who decides which ob-
jects in nature will live or die.
Thus the sovereignty of nature can
not he a universal law."
Commenting that "political
sciences which derive their prin-
ciples under the laws of nature's
God can lead to freedom and
democracy," Wilf asks: "Can
Communism which is so deeply
rooted in Atheism ever submit
to these concepts?" He believes
that "Communism will never
submit to the sovereignty of
foreign nations without war"
and states: "When they will be-
come convinced through demon-
strable facts that man has under-
gone a metamorphosis from
animal life to spiritual life, when
they will become convinced by
self evident facts that man has
abandoned his fantasy of domi-

nating all life on earth and the
universe, only then might they
join humanity and submit to nat-
ural moral laws derived from the
first law of the universe. They
are human and yearn for peace,
freedom and survival."
Will turns for background mate-
rial for his thesis to Tora, to the
Pentateuch. His contention is that
"the Tora acknowledges that the
things that are revealed to scien-
tists are the property of man, and
the scientists seem to agree that
the secret things belong to the
Lord. He quotes as proof Deu-
teronomy 29:29: "The secret things
belong unto the Lord our God: but '
those things which are revealed to
us belong unto us and unto our
children forever."

Excommunication
Excommunication from Judaism
was used in ancient times against
Jews whose activities were consid-
ered by the rabbis to be contrary to
the good of the community. It in-
volved complete severance from
personal, social, business or reli-
gious contacts with other Jews. A
milder form was later introduced
to apply for 30 days. Excommuni-
cation was a frequent weapon dur-r
ing the Middle Ages but has now
completely disappeared from the 1
religion.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

22—Friday, September 12, 1969

Modern Architectural Face on Israeli Urban Centers

tify their synagogues for reasons
of security."
Hungarian synagogues as por-
trayed here show the various sty-
les of structures in various eras.
The period of Turkish rule, the
18th and 19th Century structures,
the houses of worship in the period
after the 1848-49 revolution and
the more modern and pre-Hitler
era structures are underscored.
Synagogue paintings are explained
and the entire structural trend is
evaluated knowledgeably.
History and art are linked to
form a deeply moving memorial to
retain the facts about the years of
sanctity that were followed by the
horrible destruction.

The "Parohet' is the curtain
that is usually suspended, either
on the outside of the Ark which
holds the Torah according to Ash-
kenazic ritual, or inside the Ark
which holds the Torah, according
to Sephardic ritual. The general
purpose of this curtain is traced to
the iBble which describes such a
curtain in the Holy Sanctuary to
"separate between the "Holy" and
"Holy of Holies" (Exodus 26:33).
Some commentaries claim that
this is like a separation between
the king and the people to give
added aura to the divine presence
of the divine King. Some claim
that if it were not for this curtain
the congregation would always
have to remain standing, since it
is forbidden to sit in the presence
of royalty, especially the royalty
of the Divine Presence. It is inter
esting to note that on the one hand
the people of Israel is asked to feel
the presence of God in their midst
and on the other hand they are to
feel that there is a distance be-
tween the Immortal One and His
mortal subjects. In our prayers.
therefore, God is addressed both
as the Father and the King (Avinu
Malkenu) simultaneously.

Grynberg's includes the poetic
addendum by the author, "The
Grave," which adds effectively
to the accusation against the
beasts who perpetrated the hor-
rors.
Miss David's
"A Touch of
Earth," an Orion Press book, is an
autobiographical account of how
the author, as a child, was con-
verted to Catholicism, thereby re-
ceiving haven in Polish homes,
and of the terror that accompanied
her years under such conditions
because of the constant fears of
being exposed.
Miss David, who lived in Paris
after the Holocaust, then settled
in Australia where she worked in
factories and studied at Melbourne
University, has since settled in
England.
Both books state dramatically
the experiences of sufferers whose
indictments serve to supplement
the revelations about the terrors
created by Hitlerism.

MACCABIA ACCOMMODATIONS
The Maccabia Village outside
Tel Aviv will be only one of four
locations that will house the more
than 1,200 athletees expected to
participate in the World Macca-
bia Games, July 28-Aug. 7. Others
include the Wingate Institute for
Physical Education at Netanya,
the Kibutz Seminar at Ef Al and
the Ramat Aviv Hotel in Ramat
Gan. All are within 30 miles of
Tel Aviv.

AUTHORS WANTED
BY NEW YORK

PUBLBISHER

Leading book publisher seeks man-
uscripts of all types: fiction, non-

fiction. poetry, technical, scholarly
and religious works, etc. New
authors welcomed.

VANTAGE PRESS

120 W. 31 St.,
New York, N.Y. 10011.

LE SHONO TOVO

DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGAN
JEWISH i WAR VETERANS

Of THE UNITED STATES & LADIES AUXILIARY

Sincerely Wish a New Year of Continuous Peace
and Happiness to the Entire Jewish Community.

MORTON A. SILVERMAN-DETROIT
POST NO. 135

Bernard Zaffern, Commander

PFC. JOSEPH L. BALE POST 474

Max Snyder, Commander

CHARLES SHAPIRO POST NO. 510

Ethel Arden, 135 Auxiliary President

Bertram Ellstein, Commander

Ruth Elson Cohen, 418 Auxiliary President

Alice Katzman, Auxiliary President

JONES POST NO. 190

LT. ROY F. GREEN POST NO. 529

Joseph Jones, Commander

Phil Goodman, Commander

Ruth Schreiber, Auxiliary President

Esther Kaufman, Auxilibry President

LT. ELI LEVIN POST 230

YETZ-COHEN POST NO. 530

Ben Purple, Commander

Harry Hoffman, Commander

FLINT POST NO. 231

Ruth Benach, Auxiliary President

Herman Cohen, Commander

SHOLOM POST NO. 537

Barbara Yale, Auxiliary President

Arthur Kutnick, Commander

LT. RAYMOND ZUSSMAN POST NO. 333

Alice Cooper, Auxiliary President

Arnold Wagner, Commander

HARVEY DATER POST NO. 559 (Lansing)

Seema Fischel, Auxiliary President

Bernard B. Friedland, Commander

BLOCH-ROSE POST NO. 420

OAK PARK POST NO. 716

Al Braunstein, Commander

David Gildenberg, Commander

Miriam Lawrence, Auxiliary President

Dolores Greenspan,

ROBERT J. RAFELSON POST NO. 431

Sam Solomon, Commander

PFC. DORAN GOLDFARB TRI-CITY POST
NO. 727 (Saginaw)

Lillian Stern, Auxiliary President

Dr. Lewis !merman, Commander

HOWARD WATERSTONE

DEPARTMENT COMMANDER

•

Auxiliary

President

DOROTHY GOLDBERG

DEPARTMENT PRESIDENT

JOHN NEMON

JWV MEMORIAL HOME ASSOCIATION