THE JEWISH NEWS

Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951

A GENTLE, RE,MINDEk

Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Assoti
--„tion. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48078.

Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $8 a year. Foreign $9

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Sditor and Publisher

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Business Manager

CHARLOTTE DUBIN

City Editor .

DREW LIEBERWITZ

Advertising Manager

Sabbath Scriptural Selections

This Sabbath, the 16th day of Sivan, 5733, the following scriptural selections will
be rend in our gynaonques:
Pentateuchal portion, Num. 8-1-12:16. Prophetical portion, Zechariah 2:14-4:7.

Candle lighting, Friday, June 15, 8:58 p.m.

LXIII. No. 14

Page Four

4..

Ana

–

1•

- TIME FOR AN
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
FOR soviEnEwRY!

June 15, 19'73

New Spirit for Our Cultural Objectives

American Jewry's cultural-spiritual func-
tions often seem to be suffering from a sense
of pessimism. The vital Jewish Publication
Society's membership is comparatively
limited. Even more reduced is the numerical
strength of the American Jewish Historical
Society. YIVO's services are very important,
yet the movement gets far from the response
it needs.
While the American Jewish Historical So-
ciety functions primarily as the creative and
preservative force for the future, its publi-
cations are too important, its quarterly maga-
zine too valuable, for its limitations.
At the convention held here recently, it
became apparent that too few were aware of
its values, and only through the hope that
it will gain strength here in an interested
membership, in an enlarged enrollment, will
the status of our and the general American
Jewish communities' roles be vindicated.
The pessimistic views current vis-a-vis the
cultural status of American Jewry received
emphasis in an interesting presidential report
given to the Jewish Publication Society by
Jerome J. Shestack.
He assured that "we are not content,"
that more books will be published and that
more than 30 books will be made available
to the membership this year.
The publication of the revised translation
of the Book of Isaiah in a beautifully illus-
trated volume: plans for the JPS Commentary
on the Bible to appear this year, in Hebrew
and in English, and the forthcoming books of
Ezekiel, Jeremiah and A Retrospective of the
Hagada augur the valuable additions to the
treasures already produced by the JPS.
But there were the disturbing factors in
the Shestack report. He spoke of the homes
in which Jewish books are not to be found.
He expressed his concern by stating:

Jewish college students who heavily populate
our campuses have little to choose from, and that
little at high prices. Numerous Jewish classics are

no longer available and many have never been
translated. Jewish scholars find their subventions
pitiful, their markets small, and their efforts un•
recognized. Modern Jewish books, finely bound
and artistically illustrated, are a rarity. Jewish
children's books are few and seldom of striking
quality.
And this poverty in Jewish book life exists
at a time when non-Jewish publishing in America
is terrific, when Jewish writers dominate the lit-
erary scene, when scholarly works and reference
volumes abound, and when art and juvenile lit-
erature is prolific and often beautiful.
This, then, was not a time to be content with
an annual list of 11 or 12 books, with some 13,000
members and with only one major scholarly proj-
ect.

Shestack's challenge was especially em-

phasized when he spoke about the 13,000-
membership figure. It is because this is ap-
plicable to the American Jewish Historical
Society and other movements as well that
we quote his jeremiad:

JPS membership for the past three years has
been fairly constant around the 13,000 level. I do
not disparage this number. I recall Dr. Solomon
Grayzel, once quoting Henry James, that it mat-
tered little to an author whether his work was
bought by 500 or 500,000, provided that the could
choose the 500, for the 500 would bring the mes-
sage to the 500,000. We like to think that our
13,000 bring the message to thousands more. None-

theless, our membership must not remain con-
stant.
With the Jewish population of this country
numbering 6,000,000, we can be content with 13,-
000 members, or even 50,000? We have begun to

see an increase as a result of our new lists and
our new catalogues. But we have far to go. Our

marketing and promotion and membership efforts
must candidly be regarded as minimal compared
to what they should—and hopefully will be.
It is true: few Jewish homes have the

required books as guidance for the youth
and their parents as well.
When the revised translation of the Torah
first was introduced, we expressed sorrow
over the small JPS membership. It is true:
even a 50,000 membership in JPS would be
minute for an American Jewish community
of some 6,000,000.
It is not true that the proper books are
unavailable. Besides the JPS, many publish-
ing houses have produced scores of books of
extreme Jewish interest in the past few years.
The reviews.- of such books in our columns
are the best indications of the progress that
has been made in authorships. But the read-
ing public. It has not grown.
Therefore, there are serious responsibili-
ties for American Jewry to fulfill. We are
great in the philanthropic sphere. We are
weakening culturally.
There is need for deep study of the needs.
Our local educational institutions should be
surveyed. We are skeptical about the success-
es claimed for our so-called Hebrew College
of Jewish Studies. It is doubtful whether the
resort in Sunday-school fashion to history
and social science studies in our communal
schools is the program that needs preference
to the Hebraic studies.
Primarily, in facing up to the issues, we
must take into account the failure to enroll
interest in national movements such as the
American Jewish Historical Society, YIVO,
Jewish Publication Society and related move-
ments. The sooner this condition is corrected
and more of our people show an interest in
them, the healthier for this and the future
generations.

A New Editor on the WSU Campus

A budding young journalist—Tom Schram
—a senior in Wayne State University's school
of journalism, has been chosen for the edi-
torship of South End, and he had some
heartening words as a credo for his new ca-
reer. He said he will seek news relating to
the WSU campus. He spoke as a newspaper-
man, not as a sensation seeker.
He said he would not handle "too much
national or international news," and because
his paper will circulate in a community that
is well covered in these areas by two well-
qualified daily newspapers his viewpoint is
logical and rational.
It was different in the days when we
edited a newspaper on the University of
Michigan canip!.js.,,,..We had telegraphic sere-
1CC-' bur' drti'Mref ii eiegt,'too,' cvas With' "\rYi -a t
was happening on the campus.

`

Controversial issues must not be shunned.
But when the emphasis is on prejudice that
gives encouragement to hate it can not cre-
ate good will either among students or fac-
ulty or community.
Wayne State University produced good
news gatherers, especially when the campus
paper was the Collegian. It graduated men
like Frank Angelo of the Free Press, Char-
lotte Hyams Dubin, Frank Simons, Ruth Le-
vine Cassel and Hershel Fink of Jewish News
distinction and many others with ability.
Tom Schram lends encouragement to
those who seek to elevate the press to a high
level of dignity and self-respect. His univer-
sity now has.hope_for..better „days for_its
fotirrialiStic venture from his good sense and
honorable approach to a serious responsibility.

Dr. Freehors Reform Responsa,
Historical Analyses Reissued

Dr. Solomon B. Freehof of 1Pittsburgh has gained recognition from
Jewish scholars throughout the world as an outstanding interpreter of
Jewish Responsa.
His works on Ref Irrn Responsa are the predominant in the field,
and he has earned dis'nction as a pioneer interpreter of Reform ideas
in relation to Jewish c r ,emonialism, application of ethical codes of the
Reform way of life a: d analysis of the problems relating to Jewish
traditionalism by Refo,-ni Jews.
Dr. Freehof is E...)., ecially known for four works in this field:
Responsa Literature, A Treasury of Responsa, Reform Responsa and
Recent Reform Responsa. All of these have now been reissued in
two volumes: the first two in one volume and the other two in another
volume. Both works 11 been republished by Ktay.
The immense .14tt of these works lies in Dr. Freehof's having
utilized the Respc sa of Jewish scholars through the ages. In his
initial work he dealt with "The Leading Respondents" and this
is where the stull,!nt will especially be treated to a resume of
works dating bac;9 to codists of the Shulhan Arukh, to Hayyim
of Voloshin the f:rst decade of the 19th Century, Rabbi Jacob

Pollak of Prague 1460-1541), The RambaN, Isaac ben Sheshet
"Perfet" (14th Ceo.tury, Spain), Melt - ben Barukh of Rutenberg of

the 13th Century and many others.
Furthermore, Dr. Freehof concerned himself also with the wide-
spread debates over ti.1ny issues, and the "deep-rooted intolerance"
evident in much of Responsa literature. His works therefore assume
considerable historical significance. It is in this regard that works
of many Reform advocates enter into the debates over numerous
issues involving shehita, kashrut, use of ethrogim, other issues in-
volving religious life in Jewry.
Besides, the eminent Reform leader provides an analysis of
the history of Responsa—in the post-Palestinian period, among Polish
Jews, during the era of the Marranos and other periods in Jewish
history. Modern effect: are similarly taken into account.
The works of scores of Jewish scholars through the ages are re-
viewed, and the comments institute a history of the Responsa move-
ments. The entire record is encyclopedic.
Appended to these historic analyses are the volumes devoted to
Reform Responsa. These are of immense importance for an under-
standing of differences that may exist in Jewish religious ranks.
Dr. Freehoff deals with conversions and church memberships,
and Bat Mitzva, calling women to the Torah, children and Chris
celebrations in schools, circumcision, sterilization, Kadish recital,
burials and scores of other relevant subjects that disturb many in
their observances.
Because the problem of calling women to the Torah is emerging
in many synagogues, Conservatives having begun the practice in some
communities, this excerpt from Dr. Freehof's responsum is of special
interest:

"The basic law is in the Talmud (b. Megilla 23a), which
says that all may be counted in the number seven (the seven
who are called up to the Torah on Sabbath), even a minor, a
slave, or a woman. What, then, occurs regarding this in a city
composed entirely of priests?
"Joseph Karo in his larger work, "Bes Joseph," to the Tur
(Orah Hayyim 135), quotes Rabbenu Yeruchem, who is frequently.
quoted in the Law. He is a contemnorary of Asher ben Yehiel.
Rabbi Yeruchem says that in a city composed entirely of Coha-

nim, a Cohen is called up twice (which is in the Talmud al l
Shulhan Arukh), and then they call' up women because "all
may be counted to the number seven," as the Talmud says (b.
Megilla 23a)."
Dt:„ ,Freehof's reis s ued works will prove of great-interest _to all
elements in Jewry. 1-1.! has made valuable contributions to the dis-
cussions on many basic Jewish religious issues.

