Incorporatingt-N7Pu
THE JEWISH NEWS
'
Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of JuIl 20, f951
.
Member American AssaeliMs --Of Hnitish-Jewish Newspapers, Miehigan Press Association, National Hditorial Assort.
aUon Published every Friday
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business ?Amager
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the._28th day of Tevet, 5732, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exod. 6:2-9:35. Prophetical portion, Ezekiel 28:25-29:21.
Rosh Hodesh Shevat Torah reading, Monday, Num. 28:1-15.
Candle lighting, Friday, Jan. 14. 5:06 pm.
VOL. LX. No. 18
Page Four
January 14, 1972
Smashing Myth of Affluence in Social Services
An American Jewish Committee-sponsor- with hardly any social companionship, to be
ed two-day conference entitled National Con- widowed usually means to be totally and
sultation on Poverty in the Jewish Commu- hopelessly alone. Most of the Jewish poor
nity reviewed problems that had recently are poor because of special circumstances:
emerged as demanding more, studious atten- isolated old age, cultural separateness, sick-
tion. The conference was informed by the ness, maladjustment, death of the bread-
AJCommittee's vice president, Bertram H. 'winner. Whatever the special circumstances,
Gold, that estimates of the number of Jews certain common factors emerge. These are
in the United States living on an income people who live in fear—fear of economic
of $4,000 a year or less for a family of four deprivation, of physical safety, of inter-group
ranged from 500,000 to close to 1,000,000. conflict. They live with a sense of defeat and
The number of Jews living below the poverty an impoverishment of spirit that dulls moti-
level, he stated, is actually larger, because vation and quenches initiative. They live in
-um
most Jews live in cities and there, "the edge isolation with a growing feeling of alienation
of poverty, according to the government, lies from Jewish establishment and alternating Shakespeare Lexicon Denotes
nearer $6,000. What is more, he said, just moods of despondency, rage and militancy."
above this level there are still others—no He also blamed failure of government
one knows
many—who must
find o their programs to meet the needs of the Jewish Poet's References to Jews
near
overt how
especiallygalling
because
Research in its most extensive form is evidenced in the 1,500-word
sf a poor, stating that "there has not been enough two-volume
large number
Dover classic, "Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Die-
ur of cultural factors—the stress private aid either, for poverty has not been fionary."
on
higher
education the
among
Jews, for
Jewish
the agenda
chief item
the '30s.
Jewish
This valuable compilation was prepared by Alexander Schmidt in
family
expectations,
pressures
upward
since on the
"We community's
in the Jewish
social mobility in the Jewish community." community also labored under the myth of 1875. A second edition supervised by Schmidt was issued in 1885.
The third edition was enlarged and revised, in 1901, by Gregor &wth
ra'.
Introductory studies dealing with the ex- universal
affluence.
Jewish into
neigh-
The two volumes have now been made available in large paper-
tent of the near-poverty level in Jewish ranks borhoods Jewish
changed,
as Jews As
moved
su- backs.
have already been published, and details
They are described as "a complete dictionary of all the English
proving that "affluence is not the `norm' in burbia, our Jewish social agencies turned t O words,
phrases and constructions" used by the poet. Every word In
the Detroit Jewish community" were pub- a number of new directions. For one thing ' Shakespeare
is defined and located, and there are more than 50,000
as we moved to serve the majority, who were d
lished in our columns on Sept. 3, on the basis better
identified
quotations.
off, we moved our institutions an
of figures made known by Samuel Lerner,
In view of the interest in and the conflict over the Shylock
executive director of the Jewish Family and began offering a variety of services in our
theme, it has often been asked whether Shakespeare had an
group work and case work agencies geared
Children's Service.
acquaintance with the Bible and with Jews. He did, as this Lexicon
proves. Thus, we 's have this listing: "Hebrew (cf. Ebrew, a Jew; Gent.
But the basic factors involved in the prob- to middle class needs."
Are discussions such as instituted by th e
11, 5, 57; Merch. 1, 3, 58, 179."
lem of the impoverished Jews, as outlined by
The references are, of course, to the Merchant of Venice and
Mr. Gold, should be helpful in providing the American Jewish Committee, and researc h
I
Two
Gentlemen
of Verona.
help that is so vitally needed in aggravated of the type reported in Detroit by Samue
Under Ebrew, we have the annotation: —
"Hebrew: a Jew, an e.
Lerner,
contributing
towards
the
shatterin
situations. Mr. Gold stated that the problem
g , Jew, H4A
II, 4, 198," and the source is First Part of Henry IV. will
in Jewish ranks is due in some measure to of "the myth of universal Jewish affluence?'
Now we come to the lengthy insertion under "Jew." This
the high proportion of old People among the Apparently they do, because Jewish agencies
prove most revealing to Jewish readers—that the Shakespearean
Jewish poor. He said that "As many as two- are viewing the problem of the aged and th e
contents should have so many references to Jews in such a variety
thirds may be in their 60s or older — most- impoverished more seriously, and there is
of his plays.
ly members of the immigrant generation cause to believe that government participa -
The complete text of the "Jew" portion in this Shakespeare Lexicon
who were left behind when their neighbors tion in tasks to relieve poverty and to ai d is:
"—Fr se). In Err. 117-=, 23 0. cznl. jes1.----„.
made it into the middle class. Many of the the aged will be increased.
Jew, a Hebrew; 1) masc.: Gent. II, 5, 58. Merch.
7
,
1, 3, 154. 178. II, 2, 2. II, 4, 18. 34 (and passim in
aged poor live in wretchedly neglected houses
There also is the problem of the mentall Y
this play). here crocus my father J. Merch. II, 6, 25. jigs; to wal
in neighborhoods no longer Jewish. Many ill, of the retarded children, of homeless fo ✓
the villain J. II, 8, 4. the dog J. 14. a J. would have tune at the
are so afraid of crime in the street—with whom there is no future in institutions and
wept to have seen err parting, Gent. II, 3, 12. if I do wars do
good reason—that they rarely venture out too little joy in foster homes.
not love her, I am a J. Adolf, 3, 272. I am a J., if I j., you
Jig-maker,
serve the J. any longer, Merch. II, 2, 119. my master's
even to shop or see the doctor and do not
We have only just begun to deal with
a very J. 112. 1 am a J. else, an brew J. H4A II, Ill, 2, 131.
visit with friends at all.
the problem of mental retardation. It is al 1
4, 198. liver of blaspheming J. Mcb. IV, 1, 26 (as an
Jill (cf.
"Most Jewish institutions — synagogues, a question of money. It usually becomes
ingredient in the cauldron of the witches). Con- bath not J.
community centers, Y's—moved away when available when our people become aware o ( founded
(1
with jewel: my incony J. LLL III, 136. most 2, 461.
the majority of Jewish residents did, and the needs. Let that be the case in dealing with
lovely J. Mid,. III, 1, 97.
Shr.1V„
2) fern.: most tweet J. Merch. II, 3, 11. a Gentile
their services have not been replaced. Thus, poverty, with the aged, with retarded.
Jingle, to
4
.
Most newsmen and columnists have been matic. Thus, Roscoe Drummond, reviewing
realistic in judging the Middle East situation. the issuing and indicating Israel's readiness
But the Stewart Alsop column in Newsweek, to negotiate for peace, commented: "The in-
"Israel: The Weakness Is Here," puzzled itiative is not with the Soviets or with the
many people, and rightly so. Alsop wrote: United States or with the Israelis. It is with
"In this country's post-Vietnam mood, it the Egyptians. They will have to decide
would take a brave President to commit whether to make war or to make peace."
American air power and risk war with Russia
John Chamberlain, commenting on
to 'defend the State of Israel.' A President the And
that exist, declared, also with
who did so to defend Israel's hold on the a bit confuSions
advice to our government and to peo-
Sinai would risk impeachment and tear ple of of vision:
"The conventions of diplomacy
America apart in the process. This suggests
what they are, Golda Meir can't tell
why the Middle East is still the most danger- being
Secretary
of
State Rogers that he is being
ous area in the world. For there is a fatal geopolitically stupid
in trying to force the
weakness
in the otherwise strong Israeli opening of the Suez before we have a reha-
position, and the weakness is right in the bilitated conventional navy. All she can do is
United States." to ask for delivery of Phantom planes to keep
This of happens
to be a most
distorting
own balance in the Middle East. If
aspect
a major element
in Israel-U.
S. re- Israel's
Golda Meir
- can't try."
talk sense into Rogers, some-
lations. Israel has not asked and does not ask one else should
for manpower from this country. On the con-
trary, such an offer would be rejected because
There are always two sides to every ques-
it is not needed and also because any attempt tion, but when one side—Israel—says "let's
at getting American soliders into the area negotiate," and the avowed enemy replies
would be damaging to American Jewry. "clear the road for me first," Drummond and
Other columnists have been more prag- Chamberlain know whereof they speak.
and no J. II, 6, 51. there will come a Christian by, rattle: — ing
will be worth a --'s eve,11,_&.,43 (0. Pdd. Jew
etc. as fem. As for the metre, cf. whale's disayff. in 49. 11,'2,
LLL V, 2, 332; moon's, Mids. II, 1, 7; rope's, Err. IV, of a hawk: 116
1, 03 etc. It was common in the middle ages to extort
2) design
sums of money from the Jews by threatening them love my
with mutilations, if they refused to pay. The threat IV, 3, 1
of losing an eye must have had a powerful effect. In V. 2, 9
our passage, of course, a quibble is intended).
2, 112. no.-
Jewele”,'
'^old ^ •
Shakepeare Lexicon is of such great value for students and
teachers, for lovers of Shakespearean plays, that the reprinted Lexicon,
in two voluminous paperbacks, is a definite contribution to every library
of merit.
Kimche's '2nd Arab Awakening'
Holt, Rinehart and Winston has reissued as a paperback "The
Second Arab Awakening—The Middle East 1914-1970," by Jon Kimche.
Important historic events are recounted here, commencing with the
ambitions of Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and continuing through the
experiences that involved Great Britain, France, the Arab nations and
the United Nations in Israel's struggle for sovereignty.
The Zionist idea is outlined, and the conflicts as well as the suc-
cesses are enumerated, leading up to the present critical situation.
The lengthy chronology, giving a bird's-eye view of the Middle
East situation in the years under review, is a most valuable part of
this important historic analysis.
The personalities who pass in review are intimately treated, and
their relationships to the Middle East story provide a better under-
standing of the developing events as they are analyzed by Kimche.