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. — — AKIVA SCHOOL PTA OFFICERS WHY NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO AKIVA SCHOOL