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 Associa-
tion. 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
PH ILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor an Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 14th day of Tamuz, 5733, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Num. 22:2-25:9. Prophetical portion, Micah 5:6-6:8.
Scriptural Selections for Fast of 17th of Tamuz, Tuesday.
Pentateuchal portions, Exod. 32:11-14, 34:1-10. Prophetical portion, Isaiah
55:6-56:8.
Candle lighting, Friday, July 13, 8:49 p.m.
VOL. LXIII. No. 18
Page Four
July 13, 1973
Day Schools to the Fore on Our Agenda
Maximalists in Jewish educational ranks
have 'gained significant ground in the past
decade. Recognition of the urgency for pri-
ority to cultural needs as means of strength-
ening the traditional role of our people and
as means of assuring a knowledgeable identi-
fication of our youth with their legacies has
emerged as one of the most notable accom-
plishments in our communal planning.
Day schools as ideal means of providing
'Superstar' Film
More Insulting
to Christians
Analyses of the "Jesus Christ Superstar"
film version unquestionably point to its anti-
Semitic character. Yet, in evaluating the
studies made of the picture by non-Jews, it
is reasonable to conclude that its objection-
able aspects are more insulting to Christians
than they are to Jews.
Trampling upon New Testament sources
which are already diffused with prejudice-
inspired references to Jewry, the manner in
which the producers have portrayed the ty-
rannical crucifier Pontius Pilate as a lovable
hero, the numerous other distortions, all add
up to the portrayal of a tainted portrait of the
Jew who is already a sufferer from ancient
anti-Jewish passions.
The new version is promoted as a Passion
Play — and this very assignation already
condemns the production as prejudiced be-
cause the Passion Plays of OberamMergau
have for many decades served to a r o u s e
hatred-s, to perpetuate the venom of accusing
Jews of being "Christ killers," to call into
play all the appeals to disrespect of every
effort to create better Christian-Jewish re-
lations.
The thorough study of the film by the
eminent Christian scholar, Gerald Strober,
exposes the anti-Semitism of the Jewison pro-
duction so devastatingly that there is cause
for amazement that there wasn't more proper
evaluation of the script by either the produc-
ers or the supervisors of the Israeli acting
teams.
Community responsibility to be on guard
so that such errors should not be repeated is
very vital: Now there is the added duty to
secure the cooperation of churches to explain
the bigotries and exaggeration to those of
their groups who may be lured to see the new
film. Misunderstandings and delusions must
be averted.
The best in ecumenism could be de-
stroyed by films of this nature which already
seems to attract family gatherings — and
under such a label young minds will be
poisoned much more than all the films now
declared prohibited for youth audiences.
Just because the producer of the new
film has to his credit the Sholem Aleichem
"Fiddler" does not render the anti-Jewish
New Testament product acceptable to any
audience, let alone viewers who could other-
wise be brought into the ranks of the unpreju-
diced religiously. The "Superstar" as a film
is sd objectionable that it is to be hoped that
Christians more than Jews will condemn it.
the highest standards in the training of our
children had an uphill battle for accreditation
by the federated forces which provide the
means for these costly projects. The dedica-
tion to the sacredness of the public schools'
sanctities in American life dwindled with
changing neighborhoods, with a decline in
standards of teaching in many of the large
cities and with the realization that the after-
noon school programs do not sufficiently train
Jewish youth in our accumulated spiritual
treasures.
Perhaps the issue is still debatable. The
funds provided from available community
means for day schools needs are still very
nominal compared with the allocations for
other school systems.
On a national scale, the day schools have
made such rapid gains that the response to
the needs impressively demonstrates the in-
terest parents have in attaining the highest
goals for their children's Jewish knowledge.
Not only the primary day schools, but the
developing high schools in the Jewish day
school systems have shown rapid gains, as
these recorded facts and figures indicate:
Year
1945
1955
1965
1972
Schools
69
180
323
404
Enrollment
10,000
33,500
63,500
80,300
June, 1944
TOTAL UNITED STATES
Elementary Schools
High Schools
TOTAL NEW YORK
Elementary Schools
High Schools
TOTAL OUT OF NEW YORK CITY
Elementary Schools
High Schools
39
30
9
30
23
7
9
7
2
June, 1972
TOTAL UNITED STATES
Elementary Schools
High Schools
TOTAL NEW YORK
Elementary Schools
High Schools
TOTAL OUT OF NEW YORK CITY
Elementary Schools
High Schools
404
270
134
187
118
69
217
152
65
These facts in themselves serve as an
inducement to communities everywhere to
take into account the new interests among
Jews in their children's education. The non-
Jewish communities have also turned to pri-
vate schooling and to extended parochial
systems in search for improved methods of
educating their youth. While Catholic paro-
chial schools have suffered in recent years,
the general private school 'systems have not
been affected that seriously. While the Su-
preme Court rulings invalidating assistance
to religious schools with public funds is harm-
ing the financial status of our day schools,
the interest in them and their necessity will
undoubtedly compel support for them by the
communities involved.
There are three day schools in Detroit.
While the Jewish Welfare Federation's en-
larged allocations do not even touch the basic
needs for their upkeep, it has become appar-
ent that their backers will not let them down.
They can not fail, judging 'by the enthusiasm
that is being generated for them by an en-
larged supporting faction. This is the status
that will surely inspire an even greater back-
ing from the over-all community as time
progresses.
'Jews in the South': Volume
Replete With Historical Data
"Jews in the South," published by Louisiana State University
Press, has the valuable advantage of being a compilation of views,
and of descriptive essays on various aspects and areas of our South,
by noted scholars who are authorities on the subjects covered by them.
Edited by Prof. Leonard Dinnerstein of the University of Arizona
and Mary Dale Palsson, documents librarian of the University of
Arizona Library, the studies in this work commence with "Jewish
Life in the Antebellum and Confederate South" and continue through
the present era involving "Jews and Desegregation."
In addition to being co-editor of this volume, Dr. Dinnerstein
wrote the essay "Atlanta in the Progressive Era: A Dreyfus Affair
in Georgia." It treats the subject of southern sentimentality and
prejudice and relates it to the Leo Frank tragedy of 1913. It describes
the antagonism to northerners by rural southerners. There is this
interesting comment:
"A Boston newspaperman wrote in 1916 that had Frank been a
native Georgian he would never have been convicted in Mary Phagan's
death. More likely, had he been a respected member of the gentile
community, no southern prosecutor would have staked his case on
a Negro's accusations. Moreover, had the people of Atlanta not found
the cares of life so great a burden, there would have been less demand
for a scapegoat to pay for their accumulated frustrations. The coming
of industrialism was ::lot solely responsible for Frank's fate. But the
technological changes in society, which uprooted people and set them
down in strange, urban areas, aggravated whatever intolerance and
anxiety the southern culture had already nurtured."
Of interest in the essay by David and Adele Bernstein on "Slow
Revolution; in Richmond, Va.: A New Pattern in the Making," is the
description of the influence in that community of Rabbi Edward N.
Calisch who was one of the extrernest anti-Zionists. It was because
of him that Richmond had, until very recently, responded niggardly
to appeals for Israel, and only in the past few years a new trend is
in evidence there. The authors deal frankly with their subject and
with the type of, Judaism that was taught by Rabbi Calisch. They state:
"If Rabbi Calisch, as has been claimed, did not succeed in giving
his coreligionists the 'inner Jewish content' with which to cope with
the calamities and the ideologies of the past 10 years, neither have
the new communal leaders so far provided Richmond's Jews with any-
thing newer than a crisis psychology which is stale by now."
They conclude: "Who will wear the mantle in the new Richmond
of the generation ahead?"
There are reports of progressive changes in that community, Af
responses to the UJA, of a new generation that could not tolerat
Calisch. But the background as given in this volume is • historica,Ay
valuable because it exposes Jewish reactionary trends.
Many significant southern developments are under consideration
in this impressive volume. Jacob Henry's historic speech on admis-
sion to the North Carolina House of Commons (1809), the stories
of eminent personalities like Judah P. Benjamin, David L. Yulee and
others, and specific issues like mixed marriages and relationships
with the non-Jews are given due consideration.
A chapter about "The Jew's Daughter" ballad relates a unique
southern experience.
Essays by Dr. Bertram Wallace Korn throw light on Jews and
slavery and the Jews' position in the Confederacy. The loyalties of
Jews to their environment is a specific factor indicated in these and
in subsequent essays which are summarized: "Life for Jews in the
New South (relating to post-Confederacy days) proved to be trying
for many, perilous for some, prosperous for others."
Dilemmas for southern Jews during the current desegregation
period, the roles of rabbis and general conditions affecting the cur-
rent • status are incorporated in a special section that adds merit to
this important volume.
"Jews in the South" should be used as a textbook in all Jewish
schools and should serve as a most valuable reference work for Amer-
ican historianS.