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4

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Communal Service
Unit Picks Leader

NEW YORK — William
Kahn, executive vice presi-
dent of the St. Louis Jewish
Community Centers Asso-
ciation for the past 18 years,
has been elected president
of the National Conference
of Jewish Communal Serv-
ice for a two year term.

`Who Then Is an Arab?' Author
Patai Examines the Arab Mind

By ALLEN A. WARSEN

June 25, 1976 19

Jeans 'N' Things

CAMPING NEEDS

Courage said, 'I shall go to
By the time the issue is
"The Arab Mind" by Or- Syria'; 'I shall go with finally discussed at the
you' said Rebellion. 'I
Summit, it would be too
ientalist Raphael Patai pub- shall
Everything Discounted
go to Iraq,' said
late, and the conference
lished b'y Charles Scrib-
Pride;
'I
shall
accompany
eventually comes out with
Sleeping Bags
ner's Sons, is a welcome
Painters Pants
a unanimous general deci-
addition to the literature on you,' said Humility. Pov-
Duffel Bags
Ponchos
erty
said,
"I
shall
go
into
sion
which
—
more
often
the Middle East. In this
Ditty- Bags
Rain Suits
the
Desert";
"I
shall
go
than not — would not be im-
book, the author explores
Back Packs
Tube Socks
with
you,'
said
Misery."
plemented
by
the
member
various aspects of Arab life,
Significent are the simi- states."
Laundry Bags
Underwear
including sex mores, folk-
larities
and
differences
be-
"The
Arab
Mind"
is
a
Mussette
Bags
Hood Sweat Shirts
ways, character traits, and tween the supernatural be-
Knap Sacks
Blue Jeans
the question "who is an liefs of the Christian and profound critique of Arab
social life, and provides in-
Arab."
Yucca Bags
T-Shirts
Islamic
religions.
Both
reli-
sights into the mentality
According to the author,
Canteen
Straps
and behavior of individual
one-seventh to one-sixth of gions concur that God is the
Scout Knives
Compass
creator
of
the
world,
that
he
Arabs.
mankind are Muslims, and
Mess Kits
Bandanas
Raphael Patai was
the area they inhabit ex- is eternal, omnipotent, mer-
ciful,
and
invisible.
Neth-
Stuff
Bags
awarded
the
first
Ph.D.
by
tends from the Atlantic
coast of Africa to West Pak- ertheless, to the Muslims rthe Hebrew University of
241 W. 9 Mile
Ferndale
istan, and from Central who are strictly monotheis- Jerusalem. He is the author
tic
"the
Christian
concept
of
of
twenty
books,
including
Asia to the Sahara. The a God who became man,
"Cultures in Conflict" and
544-1144
Arab world, however, occu-
and,
while
man,
suffered
"Israel
Between
East
and
across from F & M
pies North Africa, South- and died smacks of outright
west Asia, including the idolatry, as does the Catho- West."
Fertile Crescent, the region lic veneration of statues of
where Jordan, Lebanon,
Syria, and Iraq are situated. Christ, Mary, and the
Obviously, not all Mus- Saints."
The two faiths also
lims are Arabs. Who then is acknowledge
the existence
WILLIAM KAHN
an Arab?
of a material hereafter.
In
pre-Islamic
times
the
The NCJCS is a profes-
While to a Christian parad-
sional organization com- term designated a desert ise is a place of perpetual
posed of 2,500 members dweller who owned a herd pleasure derived from God's
from more than 500 Jewish of camels. This also seems radiance," to the Muslims it
community centers, Jewish to be the Biblical designa- is the realm where the pious
federations, Jewish commu- tion. We read: "Neither have everything, "including
nity relations councils, Jew- shall the Arabian pitch the services of houris, those
ish educators, Jewish fam- tent there" (Isaiah 30:20) eternally young, beautiful,
ily and children services and and "As an Arabian in the and virginal black eyed
wilderness" (Jeremiah maidens."
Jewish homes for aged.
Kahn previously was 3:2). However, the poet
Illuminating is the au-
president of the National and novelist Jabra I Jabra thor's description of the
Association of Jewish Corn-: defines Arab as "anyone Arab sex mores that affect
munity Center Workers, who speaks Arabic as his exclusively the unmarried
one of the associate groups own language and conse- people and forbid contact
of the conference. He is an quently feels as an Arab." between the sexes. Nonethe-
associate professor at the Raphael Patai seems to less, the married man "may
George Warren Brdwn agree with Jabra's defini- make reference to his own
School of Social Work of tion.
sexual desires or activities
Washington University and
Yet, it is important to without any embarrass-
associate professor at the note that an Arab in the ment, in much the same
St. Louis University School abstract does not exist. manner in which he would
of Social Service.
There are Syrian Arabs, talk about being hungry or
Iraqi Arabs, Beduin Ar- enjoying a hot bath."
Singles Week Due
abs, etc. Even the concept
It was told of the late
"all-Arab" at present is only king
at Grossinger's
Saud that after a
"a matter of aspiration." heavy Ibn
meal he often would
GROSSINGER, N.Y. — A Neither does an all-Arab excuse himself by telling
"faculty" of leading psychol- character or personality ex- the guests without the
ogists, sociologists, and uni- ist. Arab scholars make re- slightest embarrassment
versity professors will spark ference to Beduin character, that he was going into his
the popular "Speak-Out" Egyptian character, etc.
"harem" and would re-
programs d
- uring the 1976
Ibn Khaldun, for in- turn after a while.
summer seasons's first
"Singles Week" at Grossin- stance, the Arab historian,
Enlightening is the chap-
portrayed the Beduins'
ger's July 11-18.
ter
titled "Conflict Resolu-
Held each afternoon in an character: "Savagery has tion and Conferentiasis."
become
their
character
and
outdoor setting, programs
While reading it, this re-
Classic elegance appropriately describes our
feature introductory talks nature because it means viewer reminded himself of
seersucker shirt suit with white oxford col-
by the "faculty" experts fol- freedom from authority and the "Wise Men of Khelem."
lowed by an hour of give- no subservience to leader- Anytime a problem arose in -
lar and cuffs. Outfitted with a complimen-
and-take between the speak- ship. Such a natural disposi- Khelem, the Khelmer would
tary
white slack to effect a look of suburban
ers and the audience. A tion is the negation and an- convene a public meeting to
sophistication.
tithesis
of
civilization."
special series of workshop
resolve the difficulty. If a
sessions has also been
The Egyptian historian deadlock developed, they
scheduled this time to com- Taqi al-Din Ahmad al- would call another meeting,
plement the main discus- Maqrizi said this about the and still another meeting ad
sion programs for those who Egyptian character: "The infinitum.
want to get involved on a Egyptian character is domi-
The Khelmer public gath-
more personal, intimate nated by inconsistency, in-
level in some of the topics decision, indolence, coward- erings bring to mind the
under discussion.
ice, depondency, avarice, Arab summit conferences=
Among the subjects to be impatience . . . All of them recorded by Leila S. Kadi:
discussed are "Playing And are not like this, but these "A typical summit confer-
Winning The Singles faults are encountered ence would create a follow-
up committee to decide on
Game," "Male And Female among most of them."
an issue. This committee
Sexuality," "Liberated Men-
Characteristic is this would reach a deadlock; it
, Liberated Women," "The
Psychology of Being Sin- Arab "midrash: "When would refer the issue to the
- gle," "How To Make It With God created the world, He Foreign Ministers to decide
Another Person — Getting also created, it is said, ten on it; a deadlock would be
ORCHARD MALL
Close, Staying Close," character types: faith, reached here also; and the
ORCHARD LAKE ROAD NORTH OF MAPLE
"Becoming More Assertive," honor, courage, regellion, issue would be referred to
•
85 1 -9444
WEST BLOOMFIELD
"Sexual Consciousness- pride, hypocricy, riches, the Prime Ministers; these,
Raising For Men," "Sexual poverty, humility, and in turn, because of their ina-
open Thurs. & Fri. 'til 9
Most major credit cards honored
Consciousness-Raising For misery. Faith said: I shall bility to reach a decision,
Sat. 'til 6
Women" and "Role Rever- go to Yemen'; 'I shall ac- would refer the question to
the Summit Conference.
company you,' said Honor.
sal."

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