2 Friday, November 25, 1977 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Purely Commentary

U.S. Jewry'

Elihu Bergman, author of the October 1977 Midstream
article, "The American Jewish Population Erosion,"
blamed the failure to place much greater emphasis in Jew-
ish educational needs as a contributing factor to the numer-
ical decline of U.S. Jewry that may mean its extinction in a
century.
Many factors are attributed by Bergman to the declining
virility of American Jewry. He is especially concerned over
the failure to give fullest priorities to educational needs. He
refers to a significant warning on that score by stating:
The most obvious methodology to deal with the future
condition of the American Jewish community would be
an educational system that effectively socializes Jew-
ish children to maintain their Jewish identity by equip-
ping them with the appropriate norms, supporting
knowledge and motivation. Obviously the American
Jewish community so far has not produced such a sys-
tem, with the result that as Jews, today's Jewish chil-
dren are endangered species.
While Jewish education is not the ultimate guarantor
of a Jewish identity, it most likely is a major factor. In
a recent study of the condition of Jewish education in
the United States, Harold Himmelfarb reported agree-
ment among researchers who have explored the issue,
on the link between Jewish education and Jewish iden-
tity — the more education, the more likely a continuing
Jewish identity. Yet, he found that the proportion of
Jewish children receiving some type of Jewish educa-
tion is declining, and the quality of education even for
those who are exposed to it is predominantly deficient.
Himmelfarb estimates that in 1974-75 only 33 percent of
Jewish children in the 3-17 age bracket were enrolled in
a Jewish school. (Thus 67 percent of eligible American
Jewish children are not receiving a Jewish education.)

In terms of its long-range value for the maintenance
of Jewish identity, Himmelfarb observes that the Jew-
ish educational exposure experienced by 80 percent of
those who have received some type of Jewish educa-
tion has been a waste of time. Thus, as matters stand,
no more than 14 percent of the pre-college age Ameri-
can Jewish population is being exposed to an educa-
tional experience that would most likely contribute to
the maintenance of a Jewish identity.

As for the definition of an "effective Jewish educa-
tion," one most likely to have an impact on the mainte-
nance of Jewish identity, Himmelfarb found that a
minimum of 3,000 hours of instruction was required.
This level of education would require an average of 15,
but no less than -12 years attendance at a supplemen-
tary afternoon school; or an average of 10, but no less
than 6 years attendance at an all-day Jewish school.
Since the required attendance span for supplementary
schools clearly is unrealistic, the day school emerges
as the only model capable of providing an effective
educational experience within a realistic time span. In
any event, since few Jewish children are enjoying a
Jewish educational experience within these parame-
ters, the level of education most receive is meaningless
for creating the conditions that would sustain a Jewish
commitment.
The level of effective Jewish education established '
by Himmelfarb's research would occur through the pri-
mary and secondary school years. For educational
body-building, these are the critical years. What hap-
pens afterwards, during college and post college years,
is marginal if not irrelevant.
Accordingly, on the assumption that effective Jewish
education is potentially the most powerful deterrent to
assimilation, how is the American Jewish community
handling the equation? Perhaps the most visible avail-
able measure of community response is reflected in the
allocation of funds to pre-college educational programs
by Jewish federations.
Who will deny the pragmatism of these claims and the
importance that must be attached to the warnings that
accompany them?
The Bergman-Himmelfarb admonitions relate to a local
situation to be judged as equating to the national issue.
The Detroit Jewish community had begun recently to
finance the Day Schools. But the supporters of these schools
believe that the assistance that has come forth is too min-
imal to elicit praise for those who are budgeting educa-
tional agencies.
Phillip Stollman, Irwin Cohn and their many associates
hope for more funding for Day Schools. They are concerned
about what they call lethargy. A discussion held recently in
viewing the Day Schools' needs was anticipated by Cohn in
this statement to this Commentator:
I have been bothered for a number of years over the
Federation's failure to adequately provide for the reli-

Day Schools as the Most Urgent Media to Assure a Strong
Educational System for Jewish Communities...Disparate
Experiences in Educational Needs and Their Shortcomings

By Philip
Slomovitz

Lack of Vision in Pursuing Educational Needs

gious schools of Detroit. This should be one of the
topics of discussion.
In Cleveland there are two all-day religious schools
with 847 students which receive from the Federation
$496,838, or an average of approximately $586 per stu-
dent. In Detroit there are four schools; Lubavitcher
School, Yeshivath Beth Yehudah, Hillel School and
Akiva School, with an attendance of 1,200 students.
They receive a total of $144,800, or an average of $120
per ,student. In Cleveland the Hebrew all-day Academy
with 706 students receives $373,579. All of the schools in
Detroit with 1,200 students receive $144,800. I believe
the figures are generally correct.

It became necessary to ascertain and establish the facts,
and there was need to secure authoritative opinion. Dr. Jay
Stern, superintendent of the United Hebrew Schools, is cer-
tainly authoritative on the subject. He favors Day Schools
but he recognizes the vitality of the Afternoon Schools and
the obligation to protect them. Nevertheless, he outlined the
facts as follows:
In 1975 federations gave $8 million to Day Schools in
70 communities, or $9.4 million in 100 cities. Overall
they supplied 41.4 percent of all Jewish education allo-
cations, to Day School support. Overall, 9.2 percent of
all funding given to local needs including education,
social welfare, etc., was given for Day Schools. The
above figures do not include New York City which is
carried as a separate item.
The report breaks down the allocations by size of
city. Detroit falls in the above 40,000 Jewish population
category. Such cities on the average in 1975 gave $246
per capita for the support of Day Schools. Cities in the
15,000 to 40,000 category gave $231. Cities in the 5 to 15
percent category gave $257. Cities under 5,000 Jewish
population gave $397. The overall average is given as
$249. Once again, the figures do not include New York
which would tend to make these averages much lower.
Within the over 40,000 Jewish population category in
which Detroit falls, the highest per capita allocation
was Cleveland with $558. Cohn gives the figure $586 and
this probably relates to a later year. The Cleveland
Federation covers 44.4 percent of Day School budgets.
The low per capita amount is from Montreal where the
figure is $67. Detroit is given as $151 per capita. In the
large cities category, of 15 such cities listed, four have

lower per capita rate than Detroit and 10 higher. Once
again, New York City is not included.
The above figures have to be seen in the context of
the total Jewish education allocation for large cities
which include the Day Schools, and other forms of Jew-
ish education. In this case, 16 large cities are given,
including New York City. In 1975, Detroit . allocated
$814,196 for all of Jewish education. It was eighth high-
est of those 16 cities with only the following cities
ahead of it in the order noted: New York, Toronto, Chi-
cago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Cleveland. I think you
will gather from the above that while Detroit has been
generous in the support of Jewish education relative to
the size of its Jewish population, the figures tend to be
skewed in favor of support of the afternoon Hebrew
School, most particularly in favor of the United
Hebrew Schools which institution I represent.
There is no great secret _about the fact that I am a
proponent both of afternoon and Day School education,
feeling as I do that there is a place for both. .I have
tried, perhaps too slowly, to be supportive of th ; Day
Schools and indeed we have several proposals pending
before the Federation for further support of Day
Schools. Our situation however, is somewhat pre-
carious since the United Hebrew Schools has both its
own afternoon school budget to support, and is Feder-
ation's central agency for Jewish education and as
such is responsible for Day School funding. The histori-
cally low level of per capita support for Day Schools in
_Detroit may 'be a result of this anomalous situation. I
hope to be instrumental in bringing to the attention of
this community the rising importance and the great
effectiveness of Day School education.

The tackling of this serious issue is not muckraking.
Neither Bergman nor Cohn nor Stern are muckrakers.
What is needed is a fair approach to the needs, a proper
handling of the situation, a realistic attitude on matters
involving Jewish identification and knowledgeability and
the proper training of the Jewish youth.
The facts are at hand. Will there be proper and prompt
action? It is not enough to say Am Yisrael Hai, the People
Israel Lives, or to reaffirm with the Psalmist, Lo Omut Ki
Ekhye
I shall not die but live. These slogans must be
supported. For that purpose proper community interest and •
action is mandatory.

—

Bedouin Painter in Israel Opens Beersheba Exhibition

By MOSHE RON

The Jewish News
Special Israel Correspondent

TEL AVIV—There are
10,000 Bedouin in Israel.
Their life-style is backward
in comparison with that of
the hundreds of thousands
of other Arabs. The Bedouin
live mostly in northern Sinai
and around Beersheba, and
keep the style and manners
of their ancestors as they
wander around in the Sinai
desert, putting up their tent-
camps here and there, wan-
dering with their camels,
donkeys and fowl. Their
women's faces are veiled,
and it is the women Who do
all the work, while the men
sit in their tents con-
templating, arguing, drink-
ing black coffee and
smoking.
The cultural life of Israel,
however, is increasingly
pentrating the Bedouin
camps. Hygenic improve-
ments of the Israeli author-
ities has reduced the morta-
lity rate among the
Bedouins. The authorities
have also opened elemen-
tary schools in the camps,
and some of the Bedouin
have continued their studies
at high schools, and there
are even a number of Bed-
ouin students studying at
the University of Beer-
sheba. High school pupils
and students return home to
the camps in the evenings
from their studies. They are
exerting a certain influence

on their parents to modern-
ize their life-style.
Recently, a Bedouin
painter (perhaps for the
first time in history) from a
tribe in the Sinai desert held
an exhibition in Beersheba.
His name is Abdul Rahman
Salima Mubarak, aged 27,
the father of two .children.
Invitations to attend the
exhibition were sent in
Hebrew and Arabic, the
exhibition being - held at
Mubarak's tent in the El
Azma tribe's encampment
in the Negev near Arad. The
paintings deal with Bedouin
life, landscapes and Bedouin
types. The exhibition was
opened by the noted Bed-
ouin Sheikh, Yusof Abu
Balal.
Abdul Rahman was born
in 1950 in northern Sinai,
completing primary school
in Gaza, and during this
period he began pencil
drawing. After the Six-Day
War, when the Gaza Strip
was occupied by Israel,
Abdul Rahman was
employed by the Omer
regional council, north of
Beersheba. Here a drawing
teacher discovered his tal-
ent and advised him to learn
the principles of painting,
Abdul Rahman then joined
an artists! circle, drawing
the attention of the Jewish
teacher Camella Gur, who
teaches painting in Beer-
sheba, and-studied twice a
week with her. Carmella

came especially to Omer to
test against the grey and
teach Abdul Rahman and
yellow of the desert. One of
later he learned painting
his pictures expresses his
from the artist, Drori, in
desire for peace, showing a
Beersheba. Abdul Rahman
Lebanese soldier bidding
then started painting farewell to his family. A
woman sees a fire—a syrn ,
independently.
bol of war—but around the
Experts who saw his
family are flowers and
paintings advised Abdul to
birds—symbols of peace.
arrange an exhibition in
Mubarak paints a lot of
Beersheba. He was doubtful
at first, whether as a Bed- hens, explaining that they
are important to Bedouin
ouin he would be able to
become a real painter, but life.
Mubarak is continuing his
to his surprise the art gal-
studies
ORT semi-
lery in Beersheba consented
nary at at the
Beersheba.
He
to have his exhibition.
works nights as a watchman
Mubarak's paintings at Omer. He hopes that he
earned him a very positive will succeed in transferring
press criticism. His main his exhibition to Jerusalem
color is green, and he and Tel Aviv, and perhaps
explains that this is a pro- abroad.

Couple's Positive Approach
Aids Absorption in Israel

By GIL SEDAN

an absorption center outside
Jerusalem.
He acknowl-
JERUSALEM—The
edged that all was not
ordeal that new immigrants
simple in the process of
face in their dealings with
becoming an Israeli. It
Israel's notozious bureauc-
racy may not be as bad as entailed running from office
some people say. But it
to office, filling out forms in
helps to have a sunny dis- Hebrew which the Gallands
position, a positive philoso-
did not understand and
phy of life.
struggling to learn the new
If you .4faVet'ati optimistic
language. "Everything
approach to life. life treats
seems difficult until you are
you well, said Michael Gal-
actually doing it," he said.
land, 34, sitting over a cup
The Gallands learned that
of coffee with a visitor in his
it
was something to be lived
temporary home at with.
Mevasseret Yerushalayim,

(Copyright 1977, JTA, Inc.)