-111111111-
Awew-4 •7", ""
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, February 6, 1976 7
A Bicentennial Feature
We Make Our Own Glasses
The Bible and Jews in Colonial America
By RICHARD C. HERTZ
Rabbi, Temple Beth El
The Jew in me is proud to
be in this land. The British
historian Lecky has written
that "Hebrew mortar ce-
mented the foundations of
American democracy." And
it is true that so many
American ideals are rooted
in the Jewish values-struc-
ture.
There were, perhaps, two
or three thousand Jews Hy-
d r ing in the 13 colonies in
_ _ ' 1776. Only in Rhode Island
were Jews welcome with
full rights of citizenship.
Under these circumstances
it is difficult to imagine
Jews in the position of lead-
ership in any colony.
However, there can be a
good case made for the im-
portance of the Hebrew Bi-
ble in influencing the think-
ing of many a cdlonial
patriot.
For the early Puritans in
New England, their God
was the God of the Old
Testament. Their laws
were the laws of the Old
Testament. Their guides
to conduct were the char-
acters of the Old Testa-
ment.
The Bible was not only a
guide in religion; it was
their textbook in politics.
And in the Book of Exodus
the early colonists found
classic similarities to their
own troubles over tyranny.
Early colonists remem-
bered that warning of Sam-
uel. America never chose a
king.
On the afternoon of the
day of the Declaration of In-
dependence was to be
adopted, Benjamin Frank-
lin, Thomas Jefferson and
John Adams were appointed
by a special committee to
prepare a proper device for
a seal for the United States
of America."
They proposed a design
showing Pharoah, sword
in hand, seated in a char-
iot, pursuing the Israelites
through the dividing wa-
ters of the Red Sea. On the
farther shore, already
safely landed, stood Israel
and Moses on the rays of a
pillar of fire. Moses, ex-
tended his hand over the
sea, closed its waters to
overwhelm Pharoah and
his hosts.
Over the sea were the
words, "Rebellion to tyrants
is obedience to God."
The year 1776 meant the
beginning of the largest
community under one sover-
eignty in the history of the
Jewish people, the strongest
and freest in two millennia
of the Diaspora.
As one decade followed
another to the fateful year
1776, the American Jewish
community grew too. But it
was a slow and unpromising
growth, lagging far behind
the general growth of the
colonies.
In 1664 there were prob-
ably some three hundred
Jews in North America.
"
By the time of the Revolu-
tion, they had grown
nearly eightyfold.
Comparatively few of the
two million Jews of the
world during that period
had the means to undertake
the long, costly and hazard-
ous voyage across the Atlan-
tic to the New World.
Most of those who took
the long journey were Se-
phardim, the descendents of
Portuguese and Spanish
Marranos, dwelling for the
most part in Holland,
France or England. Jews
who lived there often had
become international trad-
ers, and to them the ocean
was not so much a terror as
a highway.
In 1776 there were Jews
in all 13 colonies, but only in
New York, Newport, Phila-
delphia, Charleston and Sa-
vannah were there organ-
ized Jewish communities.
HEADQUARTERS FOR
• LATEST DOMESTIC AND
IMPORTED FRAME FASHIONS
• PRESCRIPTIONS FOR GLASSES
ACCURATELY FILLED
• Immediate Repair
• Reasonably Priced
ROSEN OPTICAL SERVICE
13720 W. 9 MILE nr. COOLIDGE
OAK PARK, MICH.
LI 7-5068
Hours: Daily and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Close d Wednesday
WE NEVER STOP CELEBKING Al'
GENTLEMEN'S QUARTER
Liberal Abortion Law Gets
Mixed Reaction in Knesset
JERUSALEM (JTA) —
The Knesset was immersed
in heated debate last week
over a proposed amendment
that would substantially
liberalize Israel's present
abortion laws.
Only the Orthodox MKs
railed against the measure,
terming it degenerate and
national suicide.
The amendment would
make abortion legal if ap-
PLO Will Attend
UN Trade Parley
YR
NEW YORK (JTA) — The
Palestine Liberation Organ-
ization will participate in
the United Nations Confer-
ence on Trade and Develop-
ment to be held in Nairobi,
Kenya in May.
The UNCTAD's "group of
77," meeting in the Philip-
'nes, accepted the PLO as a
member, according to
reports reaching here from
Manila. The PLO was spon-
sored by a member of the
Indonesian delegation and
seconded by Latin Ameri-
can and African groups.
In London, the Board of
Deputies of British Jews
has made a strong protest to
the Home Office (Britain's
Interior Ministry) at the
plans of the official IRA's
political wing — Sinn Fein
— to invite the Palestine
Liberation Organization to
attend a conference of "re-
volutionary organizations"
to be held later this year in
Ireland.
proved on either medical or
social grounds by a commit-
tee of two professionals who
may consist of a doctor, a
gynecologist, a public health
nurse or social worker.
The criteria for permiss-
able abortion would be
danger to the life of the
mother which is grounds
for abortion under existing
laws; danger to the life of
the fetus; and "danger of
serious damage to mother
or children because of
family circumstances"
meaning large families on
the poverty level.
The amendment would
permit abortions within the
first three months of preg-
nancy and only in approved
medical institutions. Abor-
tions would also be justified
in cases of pregnancy out of
wedlock or resulting from
rape or incestuous union or
in cases where the mother is
a minor.
The only woman law-
maker opposed to the
amendment was Geula
Cohen, of Likud, who
claimed the measure was
too loosely drafted and
therefore would have the
effect of abolishing all re-
strictions on abortion.
He who acquires knowl-
edge, without imparting it
to others, is like myrtle in
the desert, where there is no
one to enjoy it.
—The Talmud
•
NS.
After Inventory Clearance Sa e
20% to 60% OFF
We think .an inventory clearance sale is something to celebrate, you're invited to our store to
purchase the finest lines of men's apparel and Zip Champagne.
Gentlemen's Quarter
26820 Southfield Rd. at 11 Mile
Lathrup Village 557-3060
Monday Thursday
Friday 10 to 8:30
Tuesday Wednesday
Saturday 10 to 6
All major credit cards honored
All Sales Final
GENTLEMEN'S QUARTER
Your Hosts
Sheldon Sakwa
& Rick Skiba
a!
01
a
0
•
at
0
of
a
a
a
a
a
0