.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating The Detroit-Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of did 20, 1951
Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. -18075.
Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $10 a year.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Editor and Publisher
Business Manager
Advertising Manager
Alan Ilitsky. News Editor . . . Heidi l'r•ss, Assistant \el% s Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections •
This Sabbath, the ninth of Elul, 5736, the following scriptural selections will be read in on r synagogues:
Prophetical portion, Isaiah 54:1-10.
Pentateuchal portion,. Deuterononmy
Candle lighting, Friday. Sept. 3, 7:45 p.m.
OL. LX1X, No. 26
Page Four
Friday. September 3, 1976.
Yiddish in an Historic Role
Sufficient interest in Yiddish was in
evidence in Jerusalem last week to give the first
conference of its kind called for the purpOse of
giving renewed status to the language the
significance it deserved.
Recognition given to Yiddish in Israel added
importantly to the aims of the meetings which
had drawn delegations from many parts of the
world. During the early years of Zionist ac-
tivities for the redemption of the ancient
homeland the national purpose was linked with
the ideal of making Hebrew the living tongue of
the Jewish people. It had served as the language
for prayer and the Zionist cause led also to the
revival of the Lashon HaKodesh, the sacred
tongue, into a medium of speaking, conversing
and doing business in the revived state of Israel.
in the early years of hebraic redemption there
was the battle of languages, Hebrew versus
Yiddish, and the Consequences were regrettable.
Perhaps it is with the triumph of Hebrew
that the war of languages ended in Eretz Israel.
It is questionable, however, whether that con-
flict had any effect at all on the declining status
of Yiddish and so vast a reduction of its usage
that it represents one of the saddest experiences
of Jewish life everywhere as an occurrence of
the past .four decades.
The decline of Yiddish was in evidence with
the minimalization of journalistic functions in
Yiddish, the demise of leading newspapers, the
reduction of periodical Yiddish literature to • a
fraction. The Yiddish theater virtually ceased to
exist. - Most unfortunate of all is the dis-
appearance from the scene of the Jewish writers
and of Jewish compositors who are the
typesetters for Yiddish books, newspapers and
periodicals.
That this should have happened in so short
a period is not only cause for concern but an
emphasis on the reality of the horror imbedded
in the Holocaust. The murder of the Six Million
by the Nazis no doubt denuded Jewish ranks of
the chief proponents of a language so rich in
cultural aspects, so filled with the treasures of
writings by very eminent writers on subjects of
history, poetry, fiction and humor.
The Yiddish literary treasures have been
accepted into world literature and by scholars of
all nations as great contributions to historical,
poetical and narrative writings. The chief need
is the perpetuation of the language in its
original, not as a translation. If this is the
achievement of the Jerusalem conference then
the efforts of the conferees will have been
justified.
Similarly, the concern shown in retention of
the values of Ladino, the Spanish dialect of
Sephardic Jews printed in Hebrew characters,
gains consideration. Perhaps the new interest in
Yiddish and Ladino will add measurably to
Jewish scholarly tasks.
The Jerusalem Conference for. Yiddish,
with the aim of giving new impetus to the
language, was a timely and very necessary task.
It gave new inspiration to the idealists who have
retained their devotion to Yiddish and who seek
to enhance its status and to encourage greater
use of it.
Accreditation of Yiddish as an elective
language in the high schools and universities of
Israel should add immensely to the revival and
expansion of usage of Yiddish. Perhaps similar
interest in the language in the Diaspora will
enhance the effort.
The Jerusalem Yiddish Conference was a
necessary undertaking and its'objectives should
receive worldwide Jewish backing.
Cooperation in Human Gains
A news story released by the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem proves how cooperation
between schools of higher learning contributes
towards human gains.
The Jerusalem report announces that Prof.
Ralph Mitchell of Harvard University and
Prof. Ilan Chet of the Hebrew University's
faculty of al,riculture have developed a new
technique for purefying water by means of
magnetic material. The important an--
nouncement explains:
"The method is based on the suspension in
the water of a magnetic powder. This attaches
itself to the microorganisms- in the water, which
are then absorbed by a powerful magnet. In
experiments on sewage water undergoing
preliminary treatment, this method got rid of a
very high proportion of microorganisms."
This is not all. The experts representing the
two great universities also are laboring on
methods to achieve desalination. The Hebrew
University announcement states, as a supple-
ment to the report on water purification:
"In addition to purifying the water, the
scientists have succeeded in concentrating the
microorganisms and breaking them down into
,
protein and amino acids that can be used for
animal feed. The method can be used to prevent
pollution of water sources by industrial wastes,
and to purify water already polluted. It can also
be used to clean and concentrate wastes dumped
from ships. A further use may be the separation
of fungi and microbes that produce antibiotics,
organic acids and other useful materials. The
researchers are now testing the method's poten-
tial for desalination of sea water and elimina-
tion of dye residues from industrial sewage."
The significance of this report is not only,
the scientific gift that comes from the research
conducted by professors in Israel and the United
"States, but even as significantly, it emphasizes
the value of cooperation among scientists. The
Hebrew University report also points out that:
"A large Swedish company, through its
subsidiary in the United States, is now testing
the method's efficiency in water purification on
a semi-industrial scale."
Thus, peaceful methods benefit humanity.
Cooperation unselfishly achieved is the root of
humanism. Many peoples have yet to learn
these values.
Zev Vilnay's Fascinating
'Legends of Judea, Samaria'
Zev Vilnay earned the title of Dean of Israel's Guides be c . ause of
his knowledge of every nook and corner of the land and especially
because of his mastery of the folklore of the Holy Land. Having en-
chanted the thousands of visitors to Israel with his guidance through
the land, he now enchants the Jewish communities with authorship of
volumes describing the folklore of the Jewish people.
The Jewish Publication Society of America renders an invaluable
service with his trilogy on folklore. His "Legends of Jerusalem," the
first volume in the trilogy, was an enduring introduction to his series
of new books. Nov the second volume in the series, "Legends of Judea
and Samaria," provides so much fascination and knowledge that the
audience of his admirers is growing among all the English-speaking
Jewries for whom the works are made available by the JPS.
The more than 300 legends in this new book deal with the historic
cities of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, Jaffa, Beersheba, Sheliem,
Caesaria and other sites.
The tales about holy places, fortresses, waterways, the heroes
linked with them in history, prophets and warriors, are replete
with the fables enriching the charm of Hebraic folklore.
The rich storehouse thus provided in "Legends of Judea and Sa-
maria" were drawn by the author from the Talmud, the Tosefta and
the Midrash, as well as tales from Arab sources and some with more --
modern connotations.
A specific example of the interest to be derived from these tales
is a modern version about Tel Aviv.
Noteworthy is the tale, "Why is a Flying Camel the. Emblem of
Tel Aviv's Fairs?" as related by Vilnay:
The emblem of all the fairs held in Tel Aviv is a flying
camel. Why? The first fair in Tel Aviv was held in the time of
the British Mandate in 1933. When it was still in its prepara-
tory stages the mayor of Jaffa and his Council were invited to
participate. They objected violently, and in a flight of oriental
rhetoric the Arab mayor exclaimed: "When the camel grows
wings and flies, only then will there be a fair in Tel Aviv!"
"Indeed," said the promoters, "let the flying camel be our em-
blem!" The fair was held at the proposed time and met with
great success. • -
The more than 100 illustrations and modern photographs of sites
under discussion add immeasurably to the fascination of this work.
The effectiveness of Vilnay's narratives, their charm, the knowledge
they add to an understanding of history, reality and the influence of
legend upon the generations seeking knowledge about Eretz
Israel give special status to this work.
'The Talit' and 'The Mezuza'
Educational pamphlets published as the "Jewish Tract
Series" by the Burning Bush Press have just been enriched by
the publication of two new titles.
"The Talit" by Dov Peretz Elkins is a 27-page brochure
defining the prayer shawl, its origin and significance. Exten-
sively annotated, it is marked by researched facts offering a
definition replete with historic facts.
"The IVIezuza" is a 19-page pamphlet, also fully explanat-
ory, about the traditional Jewish symbol on the doorposts. It is
backed by definitive statements by Miamonides and rabbinic
lore, with enriching notes.
The pamphlets are pocket sized. The series is edited by
Marvin S. Wiener.