Religious Influences C ounteract
Interdating. Study at I ISU Shows

Interesting reactions of male university students on the question of !
interdating between Jewish males and non-Jewish females are revealed !
in a study that was conducted at Michigan State University by Mark !
Engelman. an 111SU student from Ilaslett, NIich., under the supervision'
of Dr. James Parker, professor of social science at NISU.
Engelman, stating that "the intent of the study was to secure the
reasons for a Jewish male's desire to interdate," explains that the
diversified results encompassed about 100 Jewish male students in
ages of 18 to 23 who are taking a variety of majors at the university
in Lansing. The sample study was conducted among 80 per cent of all
Jewish fraternity members living in various Jewish fraternity homes
in Lansing. Engelman states that the other 20 per cent were either
refusals or were unavailable.
, There were 32 questions concerning the individual's attitudes,
religious upbringing• personal contact with non-Jewish girls, family
background, concern for their religion and for their parents' and
other family members' feelings, and the Jewish population of their
home towns and the Jews in their high schools.
The report on the study conducted by Engelman follows:

InterdatingAmong
Jewish Fraternity
Students at MSU

By MARK ENGELMAN
The intentions of the survey were
to test ideas concerning interfaith
dating. Some of the questions aris-
ing prior to the survey were: what
effect does the family, as a whole,
have on the individual's feeling to-
ward interdating; to what degree
does the proportion of Jewish stu-
dent in high school and community
have toward interdating; how is
religious influence in the family
related to interdating; what bear-
ing does one's specialized area of
studies have toward his dating
pattern; and, finally, how age
affects interdating. These a n d
other such questions were an-
swered fully by the survey and
are discussed here. The hypotheses
concerning these questions, were:
1. The more one's parents are
opposed to inter-faith dating, the
less likely the student will engage
in this behavior.
2. The less religious the parents,
the more likely the student will in-
terdate.
3. The higher the proportion of
Jewish people in either the sub-
ject's high school and/or his home
town, the less likely he will inter-
date.
4. The student who majors in a
more liberal field such as social
science will be more likely to inter-
date than a person in a more con-
servative field such as business.

5. Religous training will decrease
the tendency to interdate (except
when the person is coerced into
attending religious school).
The Survey's Results
Findings from the survey show
that interdating is much less for
Jewish males having parents living
together than separated. When par-
ents are separated, social control
is definitely affected. If a Jewish
male were dating a non-Jewish
girl, and marriage appeared to be
the reasonable next step, he would
explain to his parents more freely
if his parents were living together
rather than separated. If a mem-
ber of the Jewish male's immedi-
ate or extended family has married
outside of the Jewish faith, he
would be much less inclined to
follow his parents' decision not to
interdate. It is more likely for the
Jewish individual to approve of his
brother or sister intermarrying if
he himself has dated a non-Jewish
girl for more than a month. This is
true because when a person de-
ates he becomes more tolerant of
similar deviant behavior of others,
and, therefore, he is giving social
support to his own deviation. The
results also indicate the opposite is
true. If members of his family
deviate, he is more likely to de-
viate.
The intermarriage of the stu-
dents' parents was low; only 10 per
cent having married outside of the
faith.
Viewing family attitudes and
their connections in interdating
patterns, we found the following
from the survey:

Israeli Witness Who Plans to Testify
at UN Is Called a 'Schizophrenic'

In almost every interview, both
parents showed dislike for inter-
dating. If the Jewish male was
dating a non-Jewish girl, and
marriage appeared to be the next
step, a majority (65 per cent
would follow the decision of the
parents not to continue to date
her. Ilowever, 35 per cent said
they would go against their par-
ents. Jewish males who have
dated a non-Jewish girl for more
than a month would be unsure
whether to follow their parents'
decision not to interdate; how-
ever, Jewish males that dated
non-Jewish girls for less than a
month would follow their parents'
decision. This seems evident that
the longer one has engaged in
deviant behavior, the greater the
rejection of advice of convention-
al authoritative figures, and com-
mitment to the deviant goal.
The denomination of a family has
a marked effect on the dating pat-
terns of the Jewish males. In fami-
lies of the Reform sector, the com-
mon attitude is one which favors
interdating (45 per cent for inter•
dating and 35 per cent against.)
Conservative is second most favor-
able and Orthodox the least favor-
able (23.3 per cent for interdating
and 16.7 per cent against.)
Other findings from the survey
show the relationships between the
population composition and dating
patterns. In high schools with a
Jewish population less than 25 per
cent the interdating rate is very
high (68 per cent interdating, 12
per cent no interdating), whereas,
in high schools with a Jewish popu-
lation exceeding 25 per cent the
rate of interdating is about the
same as for dating Jewish girls
(38 per cent interdating and 36.7
per cent dating Jewish girls.)
In a city where the Jewish popu-
lation is less than 25 per cent the
male would disapprove greatly of
his brother or sister intermarrying
(34.43 per cent disapprove and
3.28 per cent approve.) For cities
where the Jewish population ex-
ceeds 25 per cent, 42.67 per cent
would approve while 19.67 per cent
would disapprove. In small com-
munities with a Jewish population
of less than 25 per cent, Jewish
males have dated non-Jewish girls
much less regularly than in large
communities (24.59 per cent dated
Jews and 13.11 per cent did not
date Jews.)
The composition of the popula-
tion of one's high school as it
affects interdating follows the laws
of probability; that is, the greater
proportion of Jews the less inter-
dating, and vice versa. (Population
greater than 25 per cent, 42.62 per
cent dated Jews while 1.64 per
cent did not date Jews.) In popu-
lations less than 25 per cent, 36.34
per cent dated Jews, and 13.39 per
cent did not date Jews.
The religious influence in the
family played an important role in
the dating pattern of the Jewish
male. Boys brought up under
strong religious influence would Le

Weizmann Institute Hosts
Medical-Magnetism Parley

Several dozen physicians, physi- percent of Israel's high schools.
cists, mathematicians and engi- With the opening of a new plant
neers from Britain, France, Ger- at Kfar Ruppin, scheduled for next
many, Sweden, Italy, Israel and year, these teaching aids may also
the U.S., recently met on the be exported.
The Weizmann Institute's sci-
campus of the Weizmann Institute
of Science in Rehovot, to compare ence teaching department, headed
notes on the array of possibilities by Prof. Haim Harari, Annenberg
of the use of bagnetism in medi- Professor of High Energy Physics,
cine of the future, the "Medical is devoted to improving science
World News," reported recently. instruction in Israeli schools. This
A magnetic catheter (tube' for involves the Preparation of new
insertion into body), nicknamed curricula and textbooks, as well
the pod, has been put to radical as of classroom teaching aids.

experimental use by seevral doc-
tors.
One of the first human experi-
ments with the magnetic catheter
was done in the U.S. by Dr. Sadek
K. Hilal, professor of radiology at
Columbia -Presbyterian Medical
Center in New York. He used a
pressure transducer measuring
0.06 of an inch in diameter on the
tip of the catheter to obtain ac-
curate local blood pressure read-
ings.
"We are in the process of find-
ing practical applications that
could be of immediate benefit
to the patient," Dr. Hilal said.
Drs. Hilal, William Cassarella
and Thane Asch are using another
variation of the pod to treat
serious bronchial conditions.
Dr. Hilal's group is also study-
ing possible diagnostic and thera-
peutic use of the devices similar
to the pod in the stomach. "But
that's embryonic and we don't
know yet if it's going to pan out,"
he said.
Dr. James A. Taren, of the
University of Michigan Medical
Center, reported at the Weiz-
mann Institute meeting, results
of the use of his version of the
pod to remove malformations
from patients. A 14-year-old girl
with a dangerous malformation
that could not be removed sm-•
gleally was removed by the
magnetic device Dr. Toren had
designed.
Dr. Alexander Kolin of the Uni-
versity of California at Los An-
geles is working on a magnetic
device to test blood flow. He hopes
that his "flowmeter might help
physicians determine in the future
causes of certain cases of retarda-
tion or other mental disorders.
Drs. A. I. Thumin of New York
University and Steven R. Topaz
of John Hopkins are studying
methods of transferring power to
the body for the purpose of power-
ing, some day, an artificial heart.
All of the doctors in this field
are concerned with the possible
strength of the magnetic field.
• • •
REHOVOT, Israel - Leading
researchers at the Weizmann In-
stitute of Science, in collaboration
with kibutzniks at Kfar Ruppin,
in the strife-torn Beit She'an Val-
ley, are turning out scientific
teaching aids in use in some 30

UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. (JTA) tee is a tool. No one who seeks an
-An Israeli citizen, identified only objective evaluation of the situa-
as a member of the Israeli League tion would attach any credence
for Human and Civil Rights, will or significance to the committee's
be a star witness before a special work. The fact that the world
United Nations committee investi- press almost completely ignores
gating the condition of Arab civil- it is the best proof of that." Tek-
ians in the Israel-occupied terri- oah said, "Israel is not prepared
tories when it resumes hearings to cooperate with this instrument
Jerusalem Calling
here June 14-21. Keith Beavan, of Arab belligerency." The Israel
an official of the UN Office of government has barred the com-
Public Information who accom- mittee from its territory because
mulled the inquiry committee dur- it refuses to conduct a parallel
ing its month-long tour of European investigation of Jews in Arab
and Middle East cities, told a countries.
I received a letter from a friend in
Beavan said the committee ex- more apt to follow his parents' 1
press briefing that the Israeli had
this
decision not to interdate (23.3 per London who writes that the reads ere
responded to an advertisement pected to have its report ready
, zirlii: emnsoemace ltihiqnrk..bolLet rtehretsg a m Ino
cent
would
interdate
and
6.67
per
which the committee placed in some time in August when it will
the State of Israel. "Which plays do
cent
would
not
interdate)
than
wit-
be
presented
to
UN
Secretary
several newspapers asking for
y..soku,r. (at you) theaters present?" he
nesses. The Israeli League for General U Thant. Thant is expec- those brought up under a weak
is difficult to give (return) a sim-
Human and Civil Rights was des- ted to forward it to the General influence (35 per cent would inter - pie it reply
to this question, for the selec-
cribed as an affiliate of the Assembly for discussion. The re- date and 35 per cent would not tion of performances (presentations) is
very
rich. In the course of one year
l.t., aittle of the Rights of NIan in port will contain the testimony
you can see plays of all sorts: Biblical
New York. of witnesses heard between March
and classical, tragedies, comedies,.musi-
The Conclusion
o
s al. upt. mceu lian,
a AIN1, nil!,
Ambassador Yosef Tekoah• Is- 30 and Nlay 1 and the additional
hypotheses ! earl
All of our on
The Public streams
racl's chief representative to the testimony to be taken in June. were supported. Family patterns,
At new plays by young authors in
l'N, claimed in a statement issued Many of the witnesses who testi- religous background and influence. Israel.
At present (in these days) for exam-
following the press briefing that lied did not give direct evidence composition of population, and par- ple,
one of the theaters is presenting
•"Fhe Israelis who have chosen to but related what they had heard ental attitudes all play a part in "Romeo and Juliet" by Shakespeare.
Another
theater is presenting a famous
, appear before the committee be- from second parties. Some wit-
play by Shaw, and a third group is
determining
inter-faith
dating
fre-
long to an insignificant group sup- nesses, were discredited as paid
bringing up onto the stage a play by a
quency.
young Israeli author on a Biblical
porting the Arab aim of Israel's propagandists of the Arabs or as
In short, inter-faith dating is in- theme.
destruction as a sovereign state." members of Matzpen, an ultra
Every theatre presents its plays not
Tekoah's statement added that left-wing anti - Zionist movement creased when (1) members of ones only in the three large cities-Tel-Aviv,
Haifa and Jerusalem, but also in the
"This type of schizophrenics is in Israel. A document charging family have become involved in small
towns and even in the villages.
interfaith
marriage
or
inter-dating;
not unknown in the history of Israeli maltreatment of Arabs was
The various theaters do not forget
nations, including the Jewish peo- presented by a Syrian witness in (2) when religious influence is the thousands of new immigrants and
weak;
(3)
when
religious
back-
they bring plays to the immigrant-vil-
ple." He added, "The press brief- the name of the World Council
lages frequently. Also immigrants who
ing was another example of Arab of Churches. It was promptly re- ground is more liberal; (4) when never In their lives went to see plays,
there are fewer Jewish people in accustom_ themselves to go to per-
propaganda of which the commit- pudiated by the WCC.
and to love the theater.
the population, and (5) when there formances
Translation of Hebrew column pub-
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEViS is family disintegration.
lished by Brit Ivrit Olomit, Jerusalem.
48 - Friday, May 8, 1970

Theater
in Israel

• • •
REHOVOT, Israel- Many com-
plex experiments in the Weizmann
Institute's Chemistry Department
will henceforth be carried out for
days on end without human in-
tervention, with the installation
of an IBM 1800 computer in that
department.
Once X-ray crystallographers
have, for example, mounted a
crystal in an X-ray diffractometer
- which analyses the molecular
structure of crystals - the data
obtained from the instrument will
be automatically collected and
analysed by the new computer.
Other experiments, notably in
the fields of polymer and isotope
research, will be conducted in a
similar automatic manner.

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