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.