Purely Commentary
By Philip SiOrnOvitz
Nehama Lifschitz's Mission: Symbolic Link
Between the Oppressed and Kinsmen in Freedom
Nehama Lifschitz emerged as a symbol of our time, linking the
distressed in her native land of Russia with their kinsmen in freedom.
On her appearance here she emerged as the forceful artist who
linked the generations, who demonstrated the manner in which she
kept the faith, brought her fellow Jews together in a semblance of
unity and inspired the distressed into a new will to live.
Her concerts in this country are akin to those she gave in Russia.
She has appeared before many people who did not understand a word
of what she had sung. But when the young Russian Jews listened to
her, even without understanding, they were affected by the spirit of
her interpretive skills and they became as one with her in an affirma-
tion of unity for their people.
One wonders about the possibility of a similar reaction from
American Jews who do not understand Yiddish and who may have
come to her concerts in the hope of being entertained. For while
Nehama entertained, she also reconstructed history and unburdened
an anguished soul defying tragedy while re-enacting it.
That is why she appears in the first half of her program in black,
and in the second in a bright gown to denote the humor in our life,
even if the satirical is mingled with pathos.
The petite, the diminutive in size Nehama rose to very great
heights with her interpretations of what had taken place in Jewish
life. She is defiance itself in her concerts, since she reproduces what
she did in Russia—and to have clone it under the shadow of the
Kremlin took much courage.
Yet she brought a reminder of other tragedies. Those who come
to her concerts for enjoyment may not fully comprehend the pathos
that has engulfed Jewry into a state of suffering. Those who do not
understand Yiddish may be missing the grandeur of the defiant who
hold fast to life, while the borne town burns ("die shtetl brent"),
or are admonished never to utter the final word "zogt nit dem letzten
vort") because there is never a final word—Jewish life goes on! Or
when she sang that "der gantzer leben is a gzeira"—all of life is a
verdict—and in Jewish life a verdict often is intended by the anti-
Semite to spell the Jew's doom!
At a concert like Nehama Lifschitz's it becomes evident that the
decline of Yiddish has added distress to Jewish existence because
Hebrew has not displaced it and because no other dialect can possibly
express the vigor that is inherent in Yiddishisms. And the decline of
Yiddish has marked a reduction in understanding of the anguish of
Jewish existence and the stubbornness of the Jewish will to live.
Nehama Lifschitz brought a glow of life and charm into our
communities. Primarily, she brings to us a reminder of the unity of
Jewry in a single heritage that embraces all climes. The Russian Jews
seemingly understand it fully. How can - we bring that message with
sufficient power to our American youth?
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Something Unusual Happened in Jerusalem!
Arabs Vofed in Defiance of the Terrorists!
Indeed, what has happened in Jerusalem on Tuesday was something
most heartening, most unusual, very encouraging—indicating that
peace is possible, that one does not speak disparagingly of Arab
cousins but tries to labor with them and live with them in harmony.
The Jerusalem Arabs responded on Tuesday: they voted ! They
were threatened not to, but they voted ! They are a part of a city
composed of cousins—Jews and Arabs—and they voted together,
amicably.
They took advantage of a great freedom: until Israel regained the
Holy City only property owners could vote; now all vote—and the
response was great.
It was a glorious day for democracy and while the terrorists
threatened their kinsmen voted.
Blessed be the day of true democracy !
Yiddish Flourishing in Wathington Schools
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Yiddish series. The group would like to
is flourishing in the Greater Wash- start Old Testament classes,
ington area in both formal and in- taught in Yiddish, and wants to see
formal teaching programs, a de- more women's organizations read-
velopment being stimulated by ing Sholem Aleichem and Peretz
formation of a new group formed in the original. Jacobson added
to coordinate and supplement Yid- that "some of us would like to
start a weekly Saturday program,
dish activities.
The new group is called the Yid- a Melava Malka, marking the
dish Kultur Gesellschaft, now be- end of the sabbath. The Yiddish ,
ing set up at the Jewish Commun- songs are being forgotten. They
ity Center in Rockville. Gad Jacob- should be revived."
Interest in Yiddish at the Mid-
son of Bethesda, its chairman, told
the Jewish Week that its purpose rasha Community Hebrew High
was "to promote Yiddish, to get School has become so intense that
people who know it to come back class enrollment by teenagers in
to it again and speak Yiddish at a Yiddish elective had to be limit-
red to 36 students. One student
home, among themselves."
The new group is not intended to travels 25 miles each way to at-
replace existing Yiddish groups in' tend the class. Some of the young
the area. One of it activists is people say they belong to a youth
Harry Lerner, a Bethesda attorney movement and want to understand
who has been chairman of the their Yiddish-speaking peers from
Workmen's Circle Yiddish lecture other cities at conventions. Some
students want to be able to read
Sholem Aleichem in the original.
Mrs. Murray Frank, who taught
a similar class at the school three
Israeli Scientist
at City of Hope
years ago, said the young Jews
were especially eager to learn.
She reported receiving calls regu-
larly from adults and teenagers
who want to take Yiddish lessons.
She said that the children whose
parents do not know the language
want to learn it more than others.
The Chaim Weizmann Yiddish-
Hebrew School where Mrs. Frank
Is the principal, has an enrollment
of 112 children. At the Silver
Spring school, children from 6
to 14 learn Yiddish.
Shaare Tefila Congregation In
Silver Springs plans a Yiddish
course, to be taught by Morris
Kaminetsky, who reported he had
already received a number of
applications. He said the adult
education course will involve Yid-
dish conversation, grammar and
literature. The Farband Labor
Zionist Organization has five Yid-
dish programs planned for the or-
ganizational year. The Workmen's
Circle is sponsoring Yiddish activ-
ities and lectures.
Boris Smolar's
'Between You
... and M e'
(Copyright 1969, JTA Inc.)
CJFWF ASSEMBLY: What is the state of the Jewish communities
in the United States and Canada today? What are the key issues facing
the communities? What problems in Jewish community life should
receive priority in 1970 in the programs of the Jewish Federation?
These and other important questions concerning Jewish communal
activities will be among the major topics of discussion at the general
assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds
which will take place in Boston in the middle of November. The 1,500
Famed Israeli physician - sci-
entist Dr. Chaim Sheba (right .t.„
visits research laboratory of Dr.
Ernest Beutler, chairman of
medicine at the City of Hope.
Both men are widely known au-
thorities on a heriditary blood
disorder known as g-6-pd defi-
ciency, which can cause severe
anemia and occurs frequently
in Mediterranean and Oriental
Jewish populations. Dr. Sheba
organized medical programs for
the Palmach, and in the Jew-
ish immigrant camps in Cyprus,
organized and directed the Is-
raeli Army Medical Corps dur-
ing the War of Independence,
and served as Director-General
of e Ministry of Health. He is
vice-president of Tel Aviv Uni-
versity and director of Tel-Ha-
shomer Hospital.
Lebanon's Dilemma ... Religious War . .. Israel as a Source of Inspiration
While the battle of Lebanese kinsmen in Tripoli and its environs and on the outskirts of Beirut
is cause for concern to Israel, close to whose borders the struggle is in progress, the background of the
new war should be known for an understanding of what is actually taking place there now.
It is generally agreed that Lebanon's population is about equally divided between Christians and
Moslems, with each side implying that its half is larger. But what is actually greater in size is the status
of the Christians, their earthy possessions, their control of the banks and of industries. This creates jea-
lousies and if ever the Moslems should gain the upper band and absolute control of the government, it
might mean a wholeale massacre of Christians.
This, more than any other reason, accounts for the Christian friendship for Israel. The Maron-
ites—the Catholics in Lebanon—do not speak of it, but their attitude is one of hope that Israel should not
fail, lest a defeat of Israel would bring power to the Moslems and then woe unto the Christians in that
country!
Thus, the struggle between brothers in Lebanon has much to do with the Syrian, Jordanian and
Egyptian desires to invade Lebanon, to end Christiandomination (the president and the chief of the arm-
ed forces in Lebanon are Christians) and to acquire the wealth that has been accumulated in that small
but most progressive of Arab lands.
While the struggle may not end too quickly or too satisfactorily for the Christians, it is doubt-
ful whether the guerrillas, whose numbers and activities may have been exaggerated, can possibly suc-
ceed. Surely, it is in the best interest of Israel that the Christian elements should remain triumphant.
There was a time in history when the Moslems were more tolerant, when they were friendlier to
Jews than were Christians, when Moslems and Jews labored together for the advancement of sciences
(especially mathematics and medictne) and for mutual accord as well as religious toleration. Perhaps
the time will come when all faiths will labor towards such much-desired amity.
But if the Lebanese mission to Cairo should make any concessions whatever to Nasser, the situa-
tion will become more threatening, an inroad may then be made into Lebanese activities by the guerrillas
and Israel would be compelled to take drastic steps to prevent threats to her border settlements. This is
how warfare could be extended to involve the Lebanese who desire to avoid conflicts but who are be-
grudged it by the other Arab states that are too jealous of her progress and her peaceful intentions.
Meanwhile the lie is spread, Arabs are resorting to every conceivable fantasy to arouse hatred
for Jews and Israel and the Middle East war's end is not in sight. The new lie is regarding alleged par-
ticipation of Americans in the Israeli armed forces and their campaigns against the Arabs. This is rem-
iniscent of the concocted bluff about the United States having shared in the Six - Day War. But Israel
secured the tape, and exposed the telephone conversation between Hussein and Nasser, both having agreed
to utilize the lie that America was involved in the war. The new bluff will certainly peter out as quickly
community leaders and professionals who will attend the assembly—
the most important Jewish communal gathering of the year — will
evaluate both progress and retrogression in the work of the communi-
ties in the past year and will take a look into the immediate future.
Major problems face the organized American Jewish community.
One is the need for strengthening Jewish identification and commit-
hent. It will be discussed most thoroughly at the general assembly
with a view toward giving it top priority in Federation programs. It
will involve greater community action and more financial assistance in
the field of Jewish education.
Another problem is the increased need for American and Canadian
Jewish communities to raise in 1970 more funds for Israel than ever
before.
It is estimated that Israel will need about $500,000,000 for Its
human needs in 1970. This sum is expected by Israel to come from
Jews of the rest of the world. At least $250,000,000 will have to come
from the Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds in this country. In
1969 the latter provided about $180,000,000 for human needs in Israel.
Thus the organized Jewish communities in this country will have to
raise at least $70,000,000 more for Israel in the coming year. How to
do it will be the question to which the CJFWF assembly will try to
find the answer.
*
IMPORTANT ISSUES: The general assembly will also have
before it for discussion some important issues now developing in a
number of communities and which affect relations with the non-Jewish
population. One of these is the request of the black population to have
its members on boards of Jewish agencies. Such requests have
been
made in some cities to Jewish hospitals and other institutions founded
by the local Jewish communities and supported for years by Jewish
Federation funds.
The Jewish health institutions make no distinction between Jews
and non-Jews or between white and black in admitting patients, or in
employing physicians, nurses and administrative personnel. There has
never been any charge against any of the Jewish hospitals throughout
the country of having discriminated either against black patients or
black personnel. Yet, Negro pressure for naming black members on the
boards is very strong in some cities. The CJFWF assembly will hear
a report on this issue and will have to shape definitive guidance to
Federations and their agencies on this subject.
s
s
s
BOSTON INFLUENCE: Jewish education looms very high on the
assembly's agenda, especially post-elementary education. The dele-
gates will assess recent community actions in this field. Guidelines for
community planning and financing of Jewish education have been
prepared by a special CJFWF committee headed by Mandell Berman
of Detroit and will be reviewed at the assembly.
The assembly takes place in Boston on the 75th anniversary of
Boston's Combined Jewish Philanthropies, which is the first Jewish
federation in the world. It is in the light of this historic event that the
Assembly will look into the future, based on the achievements of the
past.
Jewish Federations can be found today in every Jewish community
in the country—large and small. They constitute the backbone of
organized community life of American Jewry. They raise at least
$250,000,000 annually to support the United Jewish Appeal and local
and national Jewish institutions. Their central body, the CJFWF, is
considered as "Organization Number One" of American Jewry, repro-
senting about 800 Jewish communities.
as did the one of June 1967.
The origin of the federation idea is credited to a small group of
It has been estimated that some 80, more or less, American young Jews are serving in the Israel philanthropically-minded
Jews in Boston who were concerned about the
army. This is being constrasted with the thousands of Russians in the Egyptian and Syrian armies.
social problems and the povery of the new immigrants from East=
Again it is being asked whether exposing the lie will help very very much. It hasn't in the past. Too
Europe.
many were indifferent to it. But the lie is on the record: let it be made known. With truth, fantasy and
untruth from Arab sources will be wiped out soon enough.
2—Friday, October 31, 1969
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS