owNiallwImm10- . 1 1wwwt - PIP••••'—w ----7 THE JEWISH NEWS AtionietmAs summit Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951 Member American Association of English Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Assoet. lion. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile. Suite 86.5, Southfield, Mich. 45071. Second.Clas• Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription lig • year. Foreign PP PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ Business Menage, CHARLOTTE DUBIN City 1QNer DREW LIEBERWITZ Advertising Manager Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the fourth day of Tevet, 5733, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Gen. 41:1-44 - 17. Prophetical portion, I Kings 3:15.4:1. Scriptural Selections for Fast of 10th of Tevet, Friday Pentateuchal portions, Exodus 32:11.14, 34:1-10. Prophetical portion, Isaiah, 55:8-56:8. Candle Lighting. Dee. II, 4:43 p.m. VOL. LID. No. 13 Page Four December 8, 1972 'Religious Neutrality' for Season's Spirit Guidelines prepared by American Jewish Congress units as a result of studies of ten- sions created by the introduction of religious studies in public schools plead for "religi- ously neutral" approaches to an issue that often emerges during the Christmas season. The problem already emerged in Newark, N. J., where Federal Judge Frederick B. La- cey ruled against banning a Westfield, N. J. high school Christmas pageant in which, it was charged in a petition filed by the Amer- ican Civil Liberties Union in behalf of 178 parents, that Jewish and other students were being forced to participate in such a religi- ous pageant. There was a small measure of comfort in the judge's ruling that pupils refusing 1.o participate in religious programs should not be forced into them or be penalized for their refusal. It is exactly this reservation that empha- sizes the cruelty that can be imposed upon a Jewish child who isolates himself from classes during the performance of Christmas plays. The triumph registered in the Maryland Prince George's County against the introduc- tion of Christmas songs in school programs, as a result of the intercession of Isaac Franck, executive vice president of the Washington Jewish Comunity Council, is proof of what can be attained with proper action. The guidelines issued by the American Jewish Congress researchers into the serious matter of condoned religious practices in the schools are positive. They take into consid- eration the value of "mutual understanding and respect for group differences—racial and religious." One of the statements, by the Long Island Interfaith Council, which in- cludes Christian and Jewish participants, pointed out that teaching in schools should recognize that religious festivals are observed differently and that "such teach'ng should be factional and not devotional." Another published statement, issued by the Common- wealth of Massachusetts Department of Edu- cation, in an analysis of the entire issue, emphasizes: "Teaching about religious holi- days or religion in general should be objec- tive, should avoid any doctrinal impact, and should avoid any implication that religious doctrines have the sup- port of school author- ity." It is on the basis of these approaches that, the important and timely American Jewish Congress memorandum based on the guide- lines asserts: "The actual experience of Jew- ish children in public schools having Christo- logical celebrations has brought about virtual unanimity in the organized Jewish community in opposition to these sectarian practices. The AJCongress statement declares in its prepared guidelines: It Is unnecessary to belabor the fact that Christological holiday celebrations in public schools are deeply offensive to children who are not brought up as Christians. Religious cel- ebrations of this tyne introduce tension and divisiveness into public schools and often harass and hurt children of minority faiths. A conflict is created between religious teaching at home and what is, in effect, religious teaching in the public schools. Religion in the home, in the church and in the synagogue serves incomparably to enable the spirit of mankind. Religion in the public schools, however—no matter how dressed up or watered down—serves only to harass, hurt and dislocate children of minority faiths and to till• pair wholesome classroom relationships. Jewish parents (as well as non-believers and adherents of non-Christian sects) are often made resentful and apprehensive because their chil- dren are forced either to participate in Christ°. logical observances or, what is equally hurtful and unjust, to isolate themselves by abstaining from participation. It goes without saying that no public school pupil should ever be asked to isolate himself from his classmates and to stand alone during festivities and celebrations which, in many schools, take up a major part of the school pro- gram during the month of December. When subjected to the great pressure on them to conform, Jewish children may find it easier to submit than to resist. The Jewish child, or his parent in his behalf, is left with the cruel choice of participating in religious observance contrary to his belief or of standing exposed as odd and nonconformist. We know, of course, that many Jewish chil- dren choose this latter course, despite the at- tendant embarrassment and unpleasantness. But many more take the easier path of conforming to the majority will by going along with the teach- er and fellow pupils. Still other children resort to strategems to give the appearance but not the reality of participation. This course is taken in response to the al- most painful need of the child to preserve both classroom status and identity with the family religion. The subterfuges used range from simply not singing the most obviously Christological lines of Christmas carols ("Come let us adore him, Christ the Lord") to mouthing nonsense syllables to all the music of the carols. Easter: programs in the public schools pre- sent an even more serious problem to the Jew-' ish child. It should be remembered that the New Testament at various points asserts particular Jewish responsibility for the crucifixion of Jesus. Despite Protestant and Catholic statements ab- solving the Jews of today for the death of Jesus, it does not seem reasonable to exnect that the effect of centuries-old teachings will be quickly dissipated. It is frequently said that the most important single cause for anti-Semitism has been the Christian charge of deicide against the Jews. If there is one place where this dogma should not be repeated or reinforced in any form, It is surely the public school. It is difficult to believe that the Christ- mas issue is still so high on the American agenda and that it should still be necessary to battle for the protection of the Jewish child in what could become a hostile school environment if sectarianism will not be con- trolled in accordance with the United States Supreme Court ruling prohibiting govern. ment action "respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," and a high court ruling of 1952 which stated: "Government may not finance religious groups nor undertake religious in- struction nor blend secular and sectarian education nor use secular institutions to force one or some religion on any person." Must we make it a necessity for children in the schools to confront the issue on the basis of traditional American practices of not forcing any religion upon a minority group, or is the idea of religious freedom to be established by common sense action of school authorities? Apparently, the battle for such freedom has not ended. While the Westfield, N. J., case may yet be taken to a higher court, the mere fact that a time element interferes with prompt adherence to establish decisions does not augur well for the hopes that basic Amer- ican ideals will not be interfered with. There is the heartening element in the fact that Christian groups and prominent ed- ucators are united in the effort to avoid sectarianism in the schools. On the larger front, the struggle for total religious freedom and avoidance of pressures by a majorty upon a minority is far from ended. AN D D ES TR o Y ITS HOT UNDER -1 Otik FEET!!! 0 Israeli Heroine's Moving Story of Survival, Resisting Nazis Because it is a first-hand account of a struggle against Nazism, a sort of single-handed battle for survival by a young girl with courage and with ingenuity to overcome the dangers that confronted her, "A Girl Called Judith Strick," issued by Pyramid Publications, is most noteworthy among the continuing flow of books on the Holocaust. It is not a diary, but it does represent a day-to-day account of the experiences of the author who bylines the book Judith Strick Dribben. Overcoming the miseries she experienced under the Nazis, and later the difficulties under the Russians at the end of the war, Judith went to Israel, participated in the resistance as a member of the Irgun, became a kibutz member and met a member of the American air force who had become enchanted with Israel—Ed Dribben. The love affair that developed led to her becoming Mrs. Dribben. The Judith Strick story is so enchanting that Israel's Prime Minis- ter Golds Meir wrote a foreword, stating that it is "a book stamped with Memories of death but restorative of faith in life, and it is good that its author—now a member of Moshav Orot—has written this record for all of us to read." Mrs. Meir points out that "destruction and death did not break her spirit . . that she could, after these storms and perils, turn to the life of the soil—all these are not only stages of an extraordinary life, but the stages of the history of her people, from the terrible prelude to national revival in Israel." An amazing display of courage is evidenced in the story related by Judith Strick. She was very young, the dangers were great, her family had to be on the move. She survived them, not knowing about their status until she had reached safety. But she managed both to work in the resistance as well es to outsmart her Nazi captors even in Auschwitz. She adopted a different name. She posed as a Russian non-Jewess. and her language expertness came in good stead. While translating into the Russian to the Nazi victims, she was giving the unfortunates who were chosen for humiliation courage to carry on. She was in the shadow of death in Auschwitz, managed to reach the Russian forces as the war was drawing to a close, suffered from the Russian prejudices and was determined to get to Vienna and the Israeli quarters to apply for a visa to Palestine. Her story becomes more complete in its description of the young woman's courage in the search for identification with the Jewish people. She was admonished to join Hagana by her uncle who hosted her upon her arrival in what was soon to be Israel. But she became iderbti- tied with Irgun, was among the fighters for freedom, and she became a factor in Jewish statehood. She joined a kibutz, worked in Sde Boker, befriended the Ben- Gurions who were among those to greet her at her marriage to Ed Dribben. Pola Ben-Gurion was especially nice to her: "She was like an older havers of the kibutz, and very friendly." B-G's interest was equally friendly. It was a traditional wedding at Sde Boker. "There was a big wedding party"—a victory for courage and survival. Sam Levenson at His Best Simon and Schuster first "published "Everything But Money" by Sam Levenson six years ago. It became a best seller. Now, the publish- ers have reissued it as a Pocket Books paperback edition, and once again Levenson is in the limelight. Like all his lectures, this collection of stories provides entertain- ment. The tales, mostly about himself, his family, his neighbors, draw laughs. They are also sermons. There is a lesson in every story. Wholesome, without venom, the Levenson stories are the experi- ences of an East Side lad and his relatives, friends, schoolmates. Ile was a teacher, and in his genuinely humorous approaches he remains at the head of the class, drawing out of his subjects their thoughts and presenting them to a larger audience., "Everything But Money" is good' American humor, with an occa- sional Jewish flavor. It is Sam Leve son at his best.