AKIVA DAY SCHOOL PROGRAMMING ACTIVITIES
HELPS BUILD JUDAIC-AMERICAN LEADERSHIP
Universalism and Particularism
Educational Perspectives
WHAT LEADERS PROCLAIM
ABOUT THE HEBREW DAY SCHOOL
Rabbi Joseph Grunblatt
Honorable Abe Fortas—Supreme Court Justice
There is a standard objection raised by parents who stand at the
periphery of the Day School: "We do not mind the Jewish education;
but, upon spending so many years in a `parochial' school, my child
will not be able to cope with the outside world. After all, this is not
Israel and we are a minority in a non-Jewish environment. Besides,
good Americanism demands good-will and cooperation amongst various
groups, of all races and all creeds. Segregating ourselves in `parochial'
school may tend to the withdrawal from the general society and
continued parochialism after graduation."
The first part of the argument has long since become discredited.
Day School graduates and even Yeshiva graduates at higher learning
levels have proven themselves quite capable of coping successfully
with their American environment, achieving distinction in the pro-
Michael Feigelman as he ad. fessions and success in financial enterprises. It is no longer an oddity
dressed the concert audience at to find an observant Jews and even a Talinid Chochom in a university
the Akiva Premiere
chair, research labortory or occupying an executive suite in a respectable
company. The obvious fallacy in the initial assumption was that success
in the American society is based on some cultural element in which
we differ from our non-Jewish neighbors. In truth, however, the
Senator Jacob Javits Republican, New York
ingredients of success, knowledge, courage, endurance, imagination,
The Hebrew Day School offers the opportunity to educate the
etc., are values cherished by all, Jew and Gentile alike, and are rooted
child for the role he will play in both the secular community and the
in that which we have in common in our respective traditions.
community of his faith. The increasing number of children taking
The second part of the contention has been countered with the
advantage of the programs offered bespeaks the contribution of the
devastating argument—how can you meet the other without really
day schools to the spiritual and moral upbuilding of our youth.
knowing yourself? If the child would possess other resources of Jewish
identity and self-knowledge, such as a vital and viable Jewish home
life and a deeply Jewishly oriented organized community, then meet-
ing non-Jewish friends in public school could be construed as "meet-
President—Robert Torgow
ing" the other. But, since home and community are tepid in their
Chairman of the Board—Lila Eisenberg
ROBERT TORGOW
Jewishness and far from knowledgeable, mingling in a general school
Vice President—Programming—Rayetta Herschfus
P.T.A. PRES.
is not "meeting" the other; in fact, it may turn into "becoming" the
Recording Secretary—Ruth Levin
other and this is vastly different. This is certainly not what is meant
Corresponding Secretary—Gaby Karp
by a pluralistic society in which different group and different creeds
Dues Secretary—Gordon Ryback
live in harmony, meet each other, but hold their own ground and retain
Mimeograph Secretary—Esther Glicksberg
their own identity. While Jewish education is no panacea guarantee-
Mailing Secretary—Natalie Levin
ing Jewish identity and survival, ignorance is the most effective method
Tributes—Myra Selesny
to oblivion.
Culminating Dinner—Shirley Jubas
All this is undoubtedly true but it must not obfuscate the inherent
Head Room Mother—Esther Ryba
contention and fear expressed that "parochial school" could lead to
Telephone Squad—Esther Ryba
parochialism
in a world which is intellectually, at least, moving
AKIVA is a name
Sunshine Chairman—Miriam Kelman
towards a commutual concern, understanding and interaction of all
given to desks & chairs
Historian—Roz Berlin
groups. Again the physical setting, namely that Jewish children are
and books and copy paper
Hospitality—Evelyn Schwarzberg
together with only Jewish children, is not a serious objection. After
and children and teachers
Publicity—Phyllis Koenigsberg
all, we all grow up within our own families. If our upbringing is
AKIVA
is
an
idea
for
a
better
School Liaison—Fayga Dombey
way to grasp the whirling world, sound and healthy, we should not find it difficult to relate to outsiders
Board Member Ex-Officio—Irving Hershman
and strangers at any level. What is really objected to by the marginal
not only to cling to it but
Board Member-at-Large—Carolyn Leiderman
parent is the spirit of the teaching which places heavy emphasis on
to enrich it and its peoples.
Sports Nite Chairman—Abe Selesny
our differentness from the rest of the world. This self-preoccupation
AKIVA is your child asking
tends to culminate in the conviction that not only do we have some-
questions for more meaningful
.
-
thing different but that in fact we are different.
answers.
PEOPLE
WHO
CARE
TRIBUTES:
AKIVA
is
a
genesis
to
spawn
LATEST MONTHLY TRIBUTES TO SUPPORT AKIVA PROGRAMS
Coping
with
Our
"Choseness"
a generation to take pride
Rosie and Mark Schlussel
Mr. and Mrs. Herman K. Cohen
in the past, question the
Of course, this is not merely an educational problem. It is a
Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Cash
Rabbi and Mrs. James I. Gordon
present and make contribution fundamental theological challenge facing the contemporary Orthodox
Arnold and Ethel Cohen
Isaac Katz
of G-D given intelligence
Jew—how are we going to cope with our "chosenness" in a world
Lila and Sandy Eisenberg
Bernice and Jerry Kelman
to the future.
which subscribes, at least theoretically, to the idea that common
Lou Harris and Family
Linda and Donald Polk
AKIVA is a fertility ready to
humanity transcends group particularly? But particularism and uni-
Leon and Ray Herschfus
Fayga and David Greenbaum
nurture the emergence of
versalism maintain a paradoxical coexistence in Jewish tradition even
Mrs. Eva Kadish
Nettie and Alter Greenbaum
the newest generation.
though they are not always easily reconcilable. "Elu v'elu divrei efoloim
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Ryback
May and Hecky Platt
AKIVA IS A HEBREW DAY chayim"—"they are both words of the living G-d," and Judaism must
Goldie and Eddie Weiss
Paula and Eddie Katz
SCHOOL
evidently live with both. Unbridled particularism leads to withdrawal
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Drozen
Myra and Abe Selesny
fully accredited to dynamite
from history which is untenable and unBiblical; total abandonment
Rabbi and Mrs. Jay Braverman
Mr. and Mrs. Shimon Kleinplatz
the crust of mediocrity and
to
universalism leads to the undermining of the Covenant which is
Mr. and Mrs. Dick Belmont
David and Lottie Tanzman
reveal the splendor of thought, the cornerstone of the Jewish faith commitment . and the observance
Sandy and Al Finn
Joan and Chuck Levi
action and intelligence.
of
mitzvos. Judaism truly and historically lived must promote both.
Ethel and Harry Itskovitz
The Krakowitz Family
AKIVA is success spelled out in
Sociological circumstances have provoked occasional overem-
Mel and Anita Jacobs
Roz and Moe Berlin
the words and deeds and
phasis of one or the other, particularism or universalism. The eastern
Mr. and Mrs. David Levi
Phyllis and Tom Koenigsberg
understanding of your child.
European
community which encountered a coarse, uncultured and
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Rothenberg Pauline and Sam Krinsky
AKIVA is the recognition of
bitterly hostile non-Jewish neighbor selected from its tradition that
Fanny and Sigmund Lax
Rabbi and Mrs. M. Pick
this nation's leaders whose
which seems to extol the "otherness" of the Jew and that which
Dave Edelstein'
Mae and David Berris
torch will be grasped
reprobates the gentile. On the other hand, in the nineteenth century,
Yeshai, Daniel, Sharonah and
Bess and Meyer Eisenberg
by able hands.
in the emancipation-conscious west, even the Orthodox Jew was eager
Aryeh
Koenigsberg
Mr. and Mrs. Morris H. Berris
AKIVA is the Jewish Green Giant to rediscover all the prophetic and rabbinic pronouncements which
Rabbi and Mrs. Joel Litke
Blanche and Mary Engel
firmly astride AMERICANA and
accord honor, glory and salvation to the civilized G-d-believing non-Jew.
Martin and Carol Lowenberg
Sonia and Seymour Ribiat
JUDAICA.
—Reprinted from The Jewish Parent
Mr. and Mrs. Wolf Glicksberg
Esther and Martin Ryba
AKIVA IS YOUR CHALLENGE
Rabbi and Mrs. Chas. Rosenzweig
Lillian and Sam Aaron
—PROUD PARENTS ... as you
Raiselle and Chuck Snow
Fayga and David Dombey
dream of `naches fon die kinder'.
Shirley and Sam Ginsberg
Mr. and Mrs. Sol Zeme
Mr. and Mrs. Percy Haron
Marilyn and Iry Hershman
AKIVA CLASS OFFICERS
Rose Manning
Shirley and Harry Jubas
Rosalie Kaufman
Carolyn and Frank Leiderman
PRESIDENT
Gary Torgow
Mr. and Mrs. George Weingarden TREASURER
Marilyn and Nate Peiss
Leah Herman
Beatrice Davidson
Mrs. Bernard Singal
SEC'Y.
Yosef Menachem Pick
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Zwick
Miriam and Max Stryer
AKIVA NEWSPAPER STAFF
Merton J. Segal
Sam and Belle Platt
EDITORS
Gary Torgow
Mr. and Mrs. Sol Knoikow
Larry Platt
Terry Leiderman
Rose and Jack Lieberman
Mr. and Mrs. Abbe Levi
REPORTERS
Gedalia
Litky
Bertha and Manuel Merzon
Judy and Herb Speiser
Sheldon Klein
Rabbi Wolicki
Bess and Meyer Eisenberg
Sarah Ryba
Bernice and Jack Tomarin
Mr. and Mrs. Herman K. Cohen
Bruce Tenenbaum
Anne and Abe Salzberg
Dave and Sylvia Edelstein
Leah
Herman
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Samuel
Granitz
Lea Feldman
SPORTS
Gary Torgow
garty and Fay Weinstock
Clarence and Harriet Salzberg
Paula, Eddie Katz and Family
Mr. and Mrs. Simon Schwarzberg
Marge and Abe Alper
Miriam and Cy Servetter
Annual Symphony
Bonnie and Bob Torgow Family
and to the numberless contributors
Mrs. Abraham Rosenshine
Akiva Hebrew School Classes in assembly hall offer the
Concert Evening
who in the past have added to the
Leonard Antell
traditional pledge.
stature of .AKIVA HEBREW. DAY
Beatrice Davidson ,
Feb. 22, Ford Aud.
SCHOOL.
22 — Friday, January 2, '1970
THE DETROIT )FINISH NEWS
Miriam and Tulie Kelman
I believe that what these Hebrew Day School children are getting,
what they are learning, is Americanism as well as Judaism. Ours is
a country that depends for its richness upon the richness of each of
the cultures for this great and magnificent nation. And as these chil-
dren increase the strength of their roots, as they increase the depth
and intensity of their awareness of their own background and the
greatness of Judaism, so they increase the depth and the intensity and
the meaning of their Americanism.
This is the future of America and the future of the Jew. A Hebrew
Day School—means excellence.
Professor Marvin Fox Ohio State University
The Days Schools, which are the most intensive instruments of
Jewish education in America, have an opportunity to add a distinctive
note to American education. If they are proud and forthright in affirm.
ing the value of learning—for its own sake, they may yet succeed in
counter-balancing the painful primacy now accorded to lesser achieve-
ments.
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