TIIE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Associaton of Englsh,lewish Newspapers. Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Association
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield. Mich. 48075.
Phone 356-8400
Subscription $7 a year. Foreign 58.
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and
Business M
Publisher
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath. the 25th day of Teret, 5730, the following scriptural selections
will be react in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion. Exod. 1:1-6:1. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 27:6-28:13:
29:22-23.
Rosh llodesh Shrat Torah reading. Thursday. Num. 28:1-15.
Candle lighting, Friday, Jan. 7, 4:53 p.m.
Page Four
VOL. LVI. No. 16
January 2, 1970
Concern Over Our Educational Systems
Discussions of communal needs that were
inspired by the annual budgeting conference
of the Jewish Welfare Federation marked a
significant development in Detroit Jewry's
approach to major issues and needs.
Not only because of the worldwide con-
cern in Jewish educational projects but be-
cause of the continuing interest in our
schools by so many in our community, the
attitudes expressed indicated that there is
need for further expansion of our program,
that there needs to be a study of the function-
ing agencies and that added attention must
be given to the day school program.
There is no doubt that unless further
exploration is undertaken to arrive at the
future needs, our school systems will suffer
from jnany shortcomings. The particular
handicap is the shortage of teachers and un-
less, as a spokesman for the teaching staffs
said at the Federation conference, a serious
effort is made to enroll as teachers in the
Jewish schools a large number of American
youths, there will be a real crisis in Jewish
educational tasks.
If ever we lose out in that task, we may
return to the type of teaching that was in
evidence half a century ago, when any one
who could read Hebrew had a chance to
qualify as a Hebrew teacher. The American
Jewish community can ill afford regression
of this type, and all efforts available should
be exerted to solve the mounting problem.
Then there is the problem of the day
schools. Such schools demand vast invest-
ments, much larger allocations than commu-
nities have been able to make on the basis
of the fund-raising standards, and on this
score, too, there is need for further study and
additional negotiations with the sponsors of
the day schools to assure their continuation.
* *
*
The day schools inevitably commenced as
private ventures by small groups of parents
and later developed into a communal status.
Except for the yeshivot which were part of
the general religious school system, many of
the day schools were the products of groups
of parents who were dissatisfied with the
attainments of the afternoon school systems.
If these all-day Jewish schools are to become
a part of the community school system, a way
will have to be found for their proper financ-
ing.
And if there is to be a fusion of such
school systems with the community schools
that are already supported with large sums,
then there will be justification for a demand
that the existing competing day schools
should merge in order to avoid duplication.
All of which justifies the request of the
Hebrew teachers for a thorough study of the
needs, for examination of existing conditions,
for elimination of unnecessary functions and
the introduction of such ideas that will serve
to entice young Jews to enter the teaching
profession while encouraging the community
to give its vast support to Jewish education
as a priority in our communal efforts. There
should be no delay in acting on such practical
proposals. * * *
In the planning stages of providing the
urgently needed help for our day schools, we
must deal realistically and honestly with the
question that has arisen over Parochiaid. It is
true that adoption of a plan for aid to paro-
chial schools would assist greatly in reducing
the plight of day schools, because of an added
income from state funds. But this is not the
way to solve a serious educational problem.
The fact is that we are, in principle, obli-
gated to defend the church-state separation
idea, and if we are not to abandon that duty
we must reject Parochiaid.
Unless we abandon an obligation to assure
the prevention of church rule over the state,
we dare not even entertain the idea of Paro-
chiaid acceptance. Let there be complete re-
jection of double standards on that score.
*
*
*
There is one other matter that needs con-
sideration, the introduction of the idea that
the community should find a way of providing
assistance in solving the problem of the men-
tally retarded.
A courageous woman spokesman made
the plea at the Federation conference Sunday
and she had some practical ideas: eventual
plans for housing shelters for the retarded,
creation of workshops for them, assuring the
compassion that is needed for such unfor-
tunates who need our help.
A program of this nature has already
been introduced at the Jewish Community
Center. There is reason to believe that event-
ually aid for the mentally retarded will be-
come part of the vast Federation program.
When such a vitally needed service becomes
part of our community's contributions to-
wards solving serious problems it will be
another blessed day for Detroit Jewry.
Israel's Retention of Friendships
While there are prejudices against Israel,
a poll taken by the London Daily Telegraph
showed, in response to the question "Who are
your sympathies with in the present Middle
East dispute," the following attitudes:
ISRAEL
EGYPT/ARABS
NEITHER
DON'T KNOW
Today
34
5'
32
29
Sept. .Aug. June '67
41
36
59
5
4
4
35
31
22
19
29
15
We would have hoped that the 1967 atti-
tudes could be matched, but as long as Israel
still commands favor we must hope and
strive for improvements. If only the churches
would help by indicating Israel's desire for
peace—and by contributing towards its
achievement!
The numerous similar polls taken in this
country indicated an attitude akin to the one
reported by the London Daily Telegraph.
But in many respects the prejudices that
have emanated from the Middle East dis-
cussions have not added favor to the Jew-
ish position, and because of it that it
becomes so vital to renew educational en-
deavors for the presentation of the Israeli
position to the unknowing or to those who
may be misled by the vast amount of Arab
propaganda that is being flooded into demo-
cratic spheres.
There is a need for expanded knowledge,
and on that score our national organiza-
tions have added duties to make certain
that the Middle East cauldron does not boil
over with an excess amount of hatred.
Impressive evidence that Israel's friends
emerge in time of crisis was offered twice
within a short few days—in the statement
of Richard Cardinal Cushing and the con-
demnation of State Department policies by
George Meany.
Both statements are indications that not
all are blind to reality, that there are many
who understand the Middle East problems
that there are courageous men who speak up
for justice.
We are so very grateful for the courage
of the libertarian seekers of• justice!
•
Splendid Children's Stories
in Collected Israeli Works
Many of the so-called first generation and younger writers have
already become so well known that they are no longer novices. They
represent a strong factor in Israel's cultural life. They are the creators
of a literature which supplements the great works of Shmuel Agnon
and the earlier classicists. They are the natural supplement to the era
of Bialik, Shneour, Tchernichowsky and others from a distinguished
generation of great scholars and interpreters of Jewish life and condi-
tions.
Nevertheless, the group of now famous younger Jewish writers is
referred to as the "first generation" of short story tellers in the book
entitled "The New Israeli Writers," edited by Dalia Rabikovitz and
published jointly by Funk and Wagnalls and Sabra Books.
There are 14 stories in this volume, and among them is one by
the editor of this volume, Dalia Rabikovitz, who, under the title
"Uri and Rachel," depicts interestingly the human factors in
a friendship that becomes estranged. While Miss Rabikovitz has
mastered English, her story was translated by David Saraph-
Represented in this volume are such already well known writers as
Aharon Megged, Moshe Shamir and Benjamin Tammuz. Others whose
stories have been selected for inclusion in this volume are 'Yitzhak
Ben-Ner, Amos Oz, Yehudit Handel, Nathan Shoham, Dan Ben-Amotz,
S. Yizhar, Avraham Raz, Yosef Ben-Yosef, Hanoch Bartov and Ori
Orlay.
Besides Saraph, translators are Judith Silver, Miriam Shimoni,
I. M. Lask, Israel I. Taslitt, Uzy Nystar, Batya Rabin, Naomi Handel-
man, Dorothea Shefer, S. Hadari and Yosef Shachter.
Israeli life is depicted in these stories and much experience Is
reflected in echoes of the wars and the struggles for Israel's existence.
Miss Rabikovitz, who so splendidly performed the task of editing
this book won the Shlonsky Literary Prize for her stories in 1965. She
was born in Ramat Gan, Israel, in 1936, her early education was In
kibutz, she attended high school in Haifa and specialized in English
literature in the Hebrew University, of which she is a graduate.
'The Joy of Jewish Humor'
Often, when a book on Jewish humor is announced, there Is cause
for skepticism as to the genuineness and correctness of the compiled
stories. More often than not, such work draws upon the stage charac-
terizations.
All suspicion vanished in the instance of a very small book, "The
Joy of Jewish Humor," published by Simon and Schuster as an Essan-
dess Special Edition.
It is a brief collection in which a number of wise sayings and
stories from the Talmud, from Hasidic lore and other sources are
packed into less than 50 pages. Because each of the quotations bi
marked by the dignity of the sources themselves, this little book con.
mends itself to all who are interested in the wisdom of the sages which
becomes a source of humor.
Ralph L. Woods compiled these selections and in his introduction
he comments that:
"If some of these pieces are morbant and ironic as well as
wild and joyful, it's to be expected. For as the Jews constantly
remind themselves:
"When you're hungry, sing.
When you're hurt, laugh."
-
Adaptations from Nathan Ausubel's works, quotes from the Mid-
rash and the Proverbs, Hasidic stories are the mainstays of this booklet.
From Proverbs 15:15 the compiler quotes: "He that is of cheerful
heart hath a continual feast." There is the saying from Solomon Iba
Gabirol: "Soliciting a miser is like fishing in the desert." And he
quotes this from a man of Bratzlav:
"There are men who suffer terrible distress and are unable
to tell what they feel in their hearts, and they go their way and
suffer. But if they meet one with a laughing face, he can revive
them with his joy. And to revive a man is no slight thing."
And so we have joy, humor, philosophy combined into a series of
interesting quotations that make Woods' "The Joy of Jewish Humor"