, ,
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20. 1951
Member American Association of EnglIsh-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Association
Publishing Co.. 17515 IV. Nine Mile. Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News
Second•Class Postage Paid at Southfield. Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices.
Subscription $8 a year. Foreign St
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
DREW LIEBERWITZ
• Advertising Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the second day of Adar 5731. the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exod. 25:1-27:19. Prophetical portion, I Kings 5:26-6:13.
Candle lighting, Friday. Feb. 29. 5:59 p.m.
VOL. LVIH. No. 24'
Page Four
February 26,1971
Opposition to Establishment and Realities
Some months ago a bright young man
delivered a guest sermon at one of the lead-
ing Conservative congregations, during a spe-
cial youth program, and he was very critical
of the Establishment. The sermon was
viewed as unconstructive, the synagogue's
school was assailed as not creating the nec-
essary inspiration among the youth, leader-
ship was viewed as falling short of its duties
to followers and the community.
More recently, two young people made
similar accusations in a joint statement at
a Reform temple.
Establishment has thus come under scru-
tiny. Youth protests inadequacies in the ap-
proaches made to them by the spiritual forces
in our community. They seek changes that
will enable them to share with joy the ben-
efits to be derived from the opportunities
available in Jewish communities.
In 'at least one sense the responsible
bodies viewed as Establishment should be
pleased with the expressions of protest that
are now being heard more frequently from
our youth. It is the fact that displeasure is
uttered not on the outside, not with an in-
ention to harm, but within the synagogue,
youth to adults, on the basis of a desire to
render service, to be linked with the estab-
lished community functions.
Therefore, there is need for study of the
protests and for a realistic approach to the
issues at hand.
Youth also is not immune from criticism.
In the condemnations of Establishment heard
from them we are yet to hear practical pro-
posals for improvements. It is not enough to
say that communal institutions do not func-
tion satisfactorily. There must be pragmatic
ideas in relation to criticism. How are condi-
tions in our communities to be improved? In
what fashion is youth to be. more firmly
linked with the elders? What roles are the
young people to play in an altered setting?
From some quarters we de get ideas for
action, suggestions linked with demands for
improvements, actual volunteering for action
by young people. The latter demonstrations
become evident whenever misguided young
Jews join the ranks of- Israel's enemies, or
when the anti-Israel ranks become anti-Jew-
ish under Arab and Communist pressures.
Very radical young people, in their resent-
ment of the threats leveled at their kinsmen,
have shown that- they can be both leftists and
realists, supporters of socialist ideas and at
the same time defenders of the right of Jews
to live in an autonomous Jewish setting.
That is why some of the ablest defenders of
Israel have come from such ranks which have
indicated an understanding of the Zionist
principles on a far higher level than their
.
elders.
While we expect realism from youth, there
is an obligation for their elders to seek im-
provement in their ranks and to search for
the causes of declines which are given em-
phasis in youth protests.
If, as many of them charge, the Jewish
schooling they received is inadequate, then
an impartial study must be pursued to estab-
lish the reasons for it and to seek means
of assuring improvements.
If, as the elders are accused, there is the
lack of proper leadership in assuring the
most proper involvements in the basic causes
which demand our participation—the civic
duties that are so vital to good citizenship—
than we must ascertain the facts and not
bury our minds and hearts—ostrichlike—in
a state both of indifference and ignorance of
realities.
Yes, realities are urgent, and to present
them is a duty that evolves upon both young
and old. Both must eliminate blind spots from
their planning toward a stronger and well-
functioning community.
It is good that there is criticism. We are
doing well as rahamanim bnai rahamanim-
as a people of mercy rendering mercy to the
needy—as a philanthropic folk. But we are
much more than that. There is a spiritual-
cultural factor that must be adhered to, and
it must have the appeal of pragmatism and
the ability to draw youth to it realistically.
Let's not be blind to such needs.
'The Taste
Taste of Yiddish' Provides
Humor in Defining the Language
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Lillian Mermin Feinsilver vies well with other writers who have
turned to evaluations of Yiddish as a folk language. It is evident that
she has made a thorough study, marked by research • and extensive
reading preparatory to writing "The Taste of Yiddish," just published
by Thomas Yoseloff. Following a pattern of illustrating her interpreta-
tions and explanations with anecdotes, she has produced a delightful
work that will surely arouse much interest and may even reach a best
seller rating.
In a sense her "The Taste of Yiddish" also is a lexicon. But it is
much more than that. It traces historical facts. It defines vernacular
expressions. Indeed, it is the Yiddish tam—the expressive taste of a
language that has produced a rich literature and was the medium of
expression for millions—that emerges from this work.
There are many banalities in this work, but it beConim, evident
that the author's desire was to have a complete collection of 'Yiddish
terms, regardless of their origin or significance, as long as they are
in use. For example, there is the irrelevant comment on an interchange
of the terms "Michiganer" and "Michigander" because students at
the University of Michigan from other states are not Michiganders
and there is, therefore, that remote application of inhinigener. But
there is much to compensate for banalities and such corny puns in the
book in its entirety.
The defiatlive portions of the book are especially dgafficant.
The lallnewee of Yiddish epos the English language and the absorp-
tion of Yiddish terms-Ms Wish are voted, and the influence of
English opus Midi* is similarly indicated. Thee there are the
. people who baneweid Thillsh and who wrote in it, the translations
and other factors that are given due coosideration.
When Counter-Boycotts Punish the Guilty
When the world Jewish communities in-
stituted a boycott of articles manufactured
by Germans during the Nazi regime it had
an assured success because it became part
of an international protest against the bar-
barism that was enforced by the Hitler re-
gime. That boycott was a major instrument
in the war against the terror that had
emerged under Hitler.
But concessions to an Arab anti-Israel
boycott like those made by a major oil com-
pany do not go very far. When a firm con-
cedes to such stupidities as boycotting a six-
pointed star because it resembles the Magen
David then it gives credence not only to
bigotry but to utter nonsense.
The Arab boycott does not even have the
fullest support of all the Arab peoples. And
the British government's attitude is one of
tongue in cheek, approaching a double stand-
ard when a spokesman interpreting Britain's
attitude can say that "it is for each company
to decide in the light of its own commercial
interests what its attitude is to be toward
such boycott."
Jewish communities need not wait for
such decisions to materialize before decid-
ing whether a boycott merits a counter-boy-
cott. The credit cards that were torn up or
returned to the guilty oil company were
spontaneous indications that any injury done
to Israel will earn retaliatory action.
It had been hoped that the age of boy-
cotts was over — especially since anything
akin to Nazism is rather unthinkable in our
time. But a sinning oil company invited coun-
ter-action, and all who resent an effort to
harm a nation by introducing genocidal ac-
tions will undoubtedly continue to punish
the guilty who condone any attempt to inter-
fere with the economic position of a small
nation in its battle for, survival amid enemies
who impose warfare and boycott.
*
• •
While the Arab boycott has not harmed
Israel to any great degree—it has -merely
been an unnecessary nuisance — MEM are
other areas in which the anti-Israel -senti-
ments have played regrettable roles.
For instance, there Is the matter-of the
Japanese position. Jewish War Veterans
groups have undertaken counter-action in the
form of "an educational campaign about Jap-
anese-made cars, in order to offset the dam-
age believed to have been done to Israel by
the concessions to the Arab boycotters of
Israel.
But as in the instance of Mobil Oil Co.,
whose officials now deny they are engaged in
a "worldwide boycott of Israel," the Japanese
also are, reportedly, "dodging" the issue.
Which goes to prove that there is a sense of
guilt over joining such antagonisms to Israel,
but there is yielding to it out of business con-
venience. "Business is business" and that's
what seems to count. But there is also a
moral, and the moralists on the side of Israel
are not taking abuse indiscriminately. They,
too, have feelings, and these call for resist-
ance.
-
A sample page front this book will give a better idea of the book
and , what it offers. Here Is a portion of an offering:
•
•
•
GETROFN!
Right! You got it!
NISHT GETROFN! Wrong! You missed it! You got it wrong!
(See Resig., NU, IZ NISHT GETROFN.)
' PUNKT GETROFN (often ironic) Exactly right! 'On the button!
GIB ZICH A KIR!
Bestir yourself! Get a move on!
GICHER! Faster! Speed it up!
GLAT AZOY
Just so; for no "pedal reason.
Also, GLATLNI DER VELT ARAYN. Lit ; .-just into the world;
rout of the blue.'" -
GUT GEZOGT!
Well sea Well spoken! (often approval of skillful repartee,
as in ..!`You said it, boyt You told him!")
OY, G'VALD (GESHRIGN)! 0, help (besought)! This has been
adopted by entertainers and crops up in unexpected places. I heard a
Gentile salesgirl in a Milford, Connecticut, specialty shop murmuring
to herself as she was dressing a window, "Oy, gevald; every time
I carry that manikin, the head falls off."
A lively old song, "G'veldthe Brider" asks, "Heavens, brothers, why
are you sleeping? It's already time for prayers and study! Without
them, what good are you in this world, or the next?" In a more solemn
vein, the word has been used dramatically In a poem by H. Leivick.
"G'vald, Yidden, Zayt Zich Nit Meyaesh" ("G'vald, Jews, You Must
Not Despair"), based on the Warsaw ghetto uprising in 1943. There the
work is interpreted as meaning Forever.
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Transliterations, suggestions for readings and lists of recordings
and song books, an idea on how to learn the language—many related
addenda add valuably to this book. -
Many of the puns, practically all the stories narrated in this book
are fairly well known to all who read and speak Yiddish. But -for the
general reader they have added merit of novelty, of emphasis on fam-
iliarization with folkways, manners in which the.autbor excels in devot-
ing herself. to accumulating the kvetcb and the nuance.
The author has had Interesting literary asspciationsoShe is married
to a Reform rabbi. They live in Easton, Pa.