THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951 swims§ flor Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Assoc!. ation Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075. Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $8 a year. Foreign $9 PHILIP SLOMOVITZ CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ CHARLOTTE DUBIN DREW LIEBERWITZ Editor and Publisher Business Manager City Editor Advertising Manager (06 Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 19th day of Sivan, 5731, the following scriptural selections will be read in. our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Num. 8:1-12:16. Prophetical portion, Zechariah 2:1-4:7. Candle Lighting, Friday, June 11, 7:49 p.m. VOL. LIX. No. 13 Page Four June 11, 1971 Pent-Up Problems and M. E. Dangers Israel is different. In spite of the current worldwide crisis, the embattled Jewish state continues to show cultural advancements, in- dustrial ingenuity and research that marks great accomplishments in serving the health needs of mankind. But little Israel has not been saved from the scourge of inflationary trends that are affecting many of the world's leading nations. There will be need for a lot of planning to prevent calamity, but we must recognize that this is a danger that affects all, regardless of the size or wealth of the nation. Will Israel be able to fend off whatever dangers may emerge from economic pres- sures? What will happen when the blessings of peace come the way of the Middle East? Would peace help or hinder the economic positions of the countries involved? From a practical viewpoint there is much assurance that peace would benefit all the nations who are now torn asunder by war threats. Peace might even contribute toward elimination of strife among Arabs who other- wise would destroy themselves in the search f^r power if it were not for their hatred for Israel that is their only unifying sentiment. Peace would increase tourism to all coun- tries in the Middle East. It could create a business relationship that would be enriching for all the peoples that are presently divided by the war's dangers. But there are other problems. Look Maga- zine has published a lengthy article by G. Robert Moskin who warns, after discussing the issues involving the Oriental Jews, that "pent-up problems, kicked under the rug for so long, will burst through like bombs." It would be condoning ostrichism if we were to ignore the existing confrontations. The fact is that it exists today even in a time when the unity of all Israelis is so vital to the state's existence . . The director of the Natanya Ulpan, Shula- mit Katznelson, a former University of Michi- gan student and niece of President Zalman Shazar, urged a "broad, tolerant attitude" towards Orientals or "we will explode from within." It is good that the realities are emerging before it is too late. The practical ap- proaches of Israelis responsible for existing conditions should encourage us in the hope that a nation struggling for survival on the basis of historic traditions will know how to face the issues without prejudice. now But the Orientals are not alone as an issue affecting Israel's status as a modern demo- cratic nation. Aliya from Western countries, the newcomers from behind the Iron Curtain and the large number of professional men and women who are settling in Israel will provide as much consideration as those who are now internally projecting challenges of a most serious nature. Israel has as much of a problem with absorption of newcomers from democratic countries as it does with Orientals from back- ward and underprivileged areas. It is a matter of building and creating and also of absorp- tion — of integration that is as much a need for the highly advanced intellectuals as for those who must be provided with equal op- portunities in spheres in which they now are the subordinates. Israel is much more than a need for the Israelis: it is the obligation of world Jewry. In solving the enumerated obstacles a duty will devolve upon the Jewries of the world, especially our fellow-Jews in the Americas, to provide for the needy and to help solve problems that are immense in all proportions. The challenges to Israel probably are the same as the challenges to the entire world — that of eliminating poverty, of providing equal opportunities for all and of assuring security for the masses of people. But in Israel prob- lems may become more intense, and the responsibilities will be world Jewry's. We should be well prepared for the issues that will emerge in a time of peace, just as we are now concerned with needs created by war scares. Urgent Steps to Assist Day Schools A most serious step in the direction of as- sisting, perhaps saving, the day school sys- tems has been taken by the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York. Instituting a movement to provide an emergency fund of $200,000, with the aid of an initial gift of $100,000 by Joseph E. Gruss, a member Of - its committee on education, the New York Federation may thereby set into motion a nationwide movement in behalf of the system that is acknowledged as the most important Jewish cultural responsibility for proper training of our youth for involve- ment in our communal efforts and for proper understanding of Jewish values. We need not go too far from our local ranks for an appreciation of our needs. We have three day schools in Detroit, and all are struggling for financial aid. Hillel Day School, whose impressive build- ing has just been dedicated, is receiving na- tionwide acclaim, Akiva and Yeshiva schools point to similar excellent results in youth training. All need greater support and a hand- to-heart aid is all that is now available for their survival. A proposal has been made for large-scale scholarships for day school students, and while the figures are vast they must not be viewed as unavailable, as long as the pro- gram now is becoming generally accepted. Of course, as was indicated at the Hillel Day School dedication, there is a commitment to our public schools. But there also is the great need for Jewish training and for max- imum provisions for studies in day schools, and these needs must not be ignored. Perhaps our appeals for the unification of our competing day schools can yet be real- ized. But the major responsibility — of pro- viding for their needs — must not be ignored. Steps are being taken in the right direc- tion. The debate over the needs represented in the day school programs are no longer debatable. Our communities must view the matter with greater seriousness. The time has come for us to assume full responsibility for the more extensive Jewish educational pro- grams for our youth. co00%99* EPHRAnkt - . 'Treasures of Judaica' Describes Value of Preserved Manuscripts Rabbi Harry M. Rabinowicz of London evidences a great skill for research in his "Treasures of Judaica" (published by Thomas Yose- loff), in which he has incorporated a wealth of facts regarding the gathered manuscripts and preserved Jewish illuminated material in British museums and colleges. Describing the vandalism which resulted in the destruction of many Jewish books, manuscripts and prayerbooks, Rabbi Rabinowicz marvels that so much has nevertheless been saved. Reminding his readers that Hebrew books were burned by the carloads in Paris on June 17, 1242, and that books by Jewish authors Were burned by the Germans on May 10, 1933, Rabbi Rabinowicz points to the miracle of survival: "In 1939, there were 469 Jewish libraries with a total of 3,307,000 volumes in 20 European countries. In Poland alone there were 251 Jewish libraries with 1,650,000 books, and 70 per cent of them perished in the brutal hands of Hitlerian hoodlums. It is miraculous that so many Jewish books and manuscripts survived so many centuries of barbarism and savagery. There was no national repository wherein they could be gathered and preserved. Like the Jews themselves, the books were in exile, scattered throughout the inhospitable world. While his emphasis is on the British collections—he has emerged as an expert on the preservation of books of Jewish value in England— the author indicates that valuable collections also have been gathered in America. Rabbi Rabinowicz describes the valuable "Geniza" findings by Dr. Solomon Schechter and he tells of the vast number of "Geniza" frag- ments, 103,000 of them in Cambridge alone. He calls the British Museum "A Bibliophile's Paradise," and his illustrated essays reveal the wealth of Jewish treasures to be found., there. He gives credit for the retention of many valuable works by the British and Foreign Bible Society, which had acquired the valuable collection of early Bibles of Dr C. D. Ginsburg. As an indication of the extent of Rabbi Rabinowicz's research work, the reader will learn about the immense number of collected works in the Wirner Library, the Mocatta Library, the Lambeth Palace Library, the John Rylandt Libraries, the Sassoon Library, as well as at Girton College, St. John's College, Cambridge Trinity College, Oxford and numerous other collection points. Many scores of illustrations add greatly toward an appreciation of the great value of the studies in this large volume. The annotations are helpful and add to the assurance of accuracy for which the author had aimed. The author contends that his book was intended , for the biblior and not for the specialist. It is difficult to believe ghat the specialist, s knowledge will not be equally enriched by this most valuable study. Daughter's Recollections: 'My Father: Sholom Aleichem' From Schocken Books comes another valuable paperback that enriches the Jewish library. The highly acclaimed "My Father, Sholom Aleichem" by his daughter, Marie Waife-Goldberg, has the merit of describing the life and work of the great humorist, his writings, his work for the theater. This is a work about Sholom Aleichem's activities in his native Russian environment as well as, later, in America. Biographically, and as a family album, the reprinted book draws attention anew to the literary skills of the great writer, his influence upon the generations that drew upon Yiddish for their inspiration. This life story of Sholom Aleichem draws attention to many , famous names of personalities with whom he was in contact, and in many respects this work is a valuable chapter in Jewish history, offering contrasts of the Old and New Worlds and introducing the concerns that led Jewish communities to share in their dedication to Jewish literary qualities that were aroused by the eminent humorist.