Ball Player Seeks Conversion to Judaism
By HASKELL COHEN
girl. As Maddox sees it, the
Yankees appeared to be dis-
turbed when he makes ap-
pearances, particularly in
the south, with his fiance.
What adds to the overall dis-
combobulated situation is
the fact that Maddox has
not received final divorce
papers from his wife. On top
of everything, Maddox is
seriously considering con-
verting to Judaism.
During the past winter,
Maddox consulted with me.
I found Maddox to be a sin-
(Copyright 1976. JTA, Inc.)
It is early in the baseball
season but the New York
Yankees seem to be having
quite a bit of trouble with
their center fielder, Elliott
Maddox, who formerly
played with the Detroit Tig-
ers. It seems that he and the
Yankees can't come to an
agreement over salary.
According to Maddox,
who is black, the trouble
centers around the fact that
he is going with a Jewish
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cere individual who at the
time of our meeting was
confused.
As a traditionalist, I
explained to the Yankee
ballplayer that it wasn't
an easy process, and, quite
frankly, according to tra-
ditional Jewish law, it was
incumbent upon the rabbi
involved to try to persuade
him not to convert. Mad-
dox didn't grasp this since
he had been talking to a
Reform rabbi in Texas,
and he was of the opinion
that he was actually in the
process of conversion ac-
cording to the program the
rabbi had given him.
While I was convinced
that the smooth, slick ball-
player was very sincere in
his desire to convert, I was
very much disturbed that he
felt it was a simple, rather
easy task. In reality, Mad-
dox was looking for a cur-
tailed study period'which he
felt would qualify him, and
when I mentioned the tradi-
tional approach to conver-
sion he was rather startled.
The Yankees deny vehe-
mently that his association
with his Jewish girl friend
has anything to do with the
supposedly low stipend they
have offered him, but the
center fielder feels differ-
ently.
JNF Is Planting
One Million Trees
JERUSALEM — With
the first rains, the Jewish
National Fund began its
.1975-76 planting season.
This year the Afforestation
Department of the JNF will
Plant more than one million
trees in the Negev and in the
south from Kiryat Gat
down to the Bay of Solo-
mon.
In the Yatir forest, on the
southern slopes of the He-
bron Hills, 200,000 trees will
be planted; 6,000 trees will
be planted at Di Zahav and
13,000 trees at Ophira (at
the southern tip of Sinai).
Philly Opens New
Jewish Museum
PHILADELPHIA (JTA)
— A Museum of American
Jewish History is nearing
completion on Philadel-
phia's historic Independence
Mall and is scheduled to be
open to the public in July,
according to Marvin D.
Schwartz, the museum di-
rector. It will be the only
one of its kind in America,
Schwartz said, demonstrat-
ing the role of the Jew in the
growth and development of
this country.
The idea for such a mu-
seum has long been nur-
tured by Cong. Mikveh Is-
rael, itself a product of the
Revolutionary era, which
has been raising funds for
the museum quietly over the
years, according to a spokes-
man. The congregation con-
tributed $1 million toward
construction and architec-
tural fees for the museum.
The museum is planning
a major exhibition on the
Jew in colonial America to
show the role of the 3000
Jews who were among the
Americans residing in the
colonies at the time of the
Revolution.
Seminary to Open
New Non-Rabbinic
Student Residence
NEW YORK — The Jew-
ish Theological Seminary of
America will dedicate its
first residence hall for non-
rabbinical students Sunday
underscoring the dramatic
change in the seminary's
student body in recent
years.
Fifteen years ago, the
large majority of seminary
students were in the rabbin-
ical department. Today,
three-quarters of them are
not — there are more than
400 men and women gradu-
ate and undergraduate stu-
dents in Jewish education,
Bible,. Talmud, Jewish his-
tory, philosophy and litera-
ture.
The completely renovated
residence hall, made possi-
ble by funds from Women's
League for Conservative
Judaism, has space for 70
students.
The building is slated to
open for occupancy June 8,
for students in the semi-
nary's summer session, and
in the fall, it will be the first
time accommodate students
for the seminary's general
academic year.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
sere
Invited
NAZARETH — On a hill
overlooking the national
water carrier, in the Naza-
reth area, a Jewish National
Fund forest was dedicated
recently in memory of the
late Prof. Walter Clay Low-
dermilk, assistant chief of
the U.S. Soil Conservation
Service, agricultural engi-
neer and "father of Israel's
water plan."
Off
• invitations
• centerpieces
• stationery
Phyllis Billes
United Hebrew Schools
Annual Meeting & Election
Wednesday, June 9, 1976
Announcement is made that the following persons have been nomi-
nated by the Nominations Committee for election to the Board of
Directors:
For a 3 Year Term:
Shirley Garber
Rena Bardenstein
Mitchell Feldman
Dr. Gerald M. Loomus
Dr. Milton Goldrath
G. Vernon Leopold
I. William Sherr
Norbert Reinstein
Melvin Seidman
Diane Shekter
Julian Tobias
William Yolles
Burton Farbman
Debbie Altman
Dr. Fred Averbuch
Abraham Pasternak
For a 2 Year Term:
For a 1 Year Term:
Harold Elson
Ruth Raimi
Nominated for Election as Officers
For a 1 Year Term:
Milton Lucow
President:
Robert Kasle
Vice-Presidents:
Rose Kaye
Marvin Novick
Marvin Hoffman
Secretary:
Jerome
Acker
Treasurer:
Dr. Barbara Goodman
Assistant Treasurer:
Jerome Acker, Chairman 1976 Nominations Committee
Detroit Friends of
Shure Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem
ANNUAL DINNER
HAIFA —
JNF Dedicates
Lowdermilk Forest
20%
559-4343
Kessel Residence
Open at Technion
The 13-story
Kessel Building - Mexico,
will house 200 students of
the Technion — Israel Insti-
tute of Technology, and will
devote most of its accommo-
dations to medical students.
The residence also includes
six upper floor apartments
for visiting professors and
their families.
Construction of the 4,000
square meter residence was
made possible through a
major contribution by the
Kessels, and with the help
of friends abroad, and the
Israel government.
George Kessel immi-
grated to Mexico City from
Lithuania some 45 years
ago. He and Mrs. Kessel are
active in the Mexico City
Jewish community and nu-
merous Israeli charitable
causes, particularly the Is-
rael Soldier's Welfare Or-
ganization.
May 21, 1976 25
. Wednesday, June 30, 1976
6:30 p.m.
Sheraton Southfield Hotel
17017 West Nine Mile Rd.
For reservations call
544-8412 or 544-9081
ATTENTION
JEWISH PARENTS
Do not be too late —
some openings still available in the unique
PRE 1 A FULL DAY CLASSES OF
YESHIVATH BETH YEHUDAH
• Qualified experienced teachers
• Intensive readiness program in Hebrew and
General Studies
• Balanced program of meaningful learning and
creative plays and games
• Development of perceptual and motor skills
• Social awareness and interaction with other
children
• Modern equipment for indoor and outdoor
activities
LICENSED AFTERNOON NURSERY
FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN
For information please call
557-6750
DON'T LET YOUR CHILD LOSE OUT!!
AKIVA HEBREW DAY SCHOOL has an opportunity for your child:
He will be taught to understand numbers along side mitzvot . . .
HE will learn the ABCs alongside Aleph Bet . . . Thanksgiving alongside Purim.
This kind of education will teach him to live a life with the traditions and ethics
of Judaism at his side.
Don't let your child lose this chance! Come and see what we mean at our
KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE
May 24, 1976 8:00 P.M.
For information call:
27705 Lahser Rd.
354-4664