THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 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 885. Southfield, Mich.
Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield. Michigan and Additional Mailing
48075
Office, Subscription $12 a year
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
Business Manager
ALAN HITSKY
HEIDI PRESS
DREW LIEBERWITZ
News Editor
Assistant News Editor
Advertising Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 15th day of Nisan, 5738, is the first day of
Passover (second Seder), and
the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pen-tateuchal portion, Exodus 12:21-51; Numbers 28:16-25. Prophetical portion, Joshua 5:2-6:127.
Sunday, second day of Passover
Pentateuchal portion, Leviticus 22:26-23:44; Numbers 28:16-25. Prophetical portion, II Kings 23:1-9;21-25.
Hol Hamoed Passover
Monday, Exodus 13:1-16; Numbers 28:19-25. Tuesday, Exodus 22:24-23:19; Numbers 28:19-25.
Wednesday, Exodus 34:1-26; Numbers 28:19-25. Thursday, Numbers 9:1-14; 28:19-25.
April 28, seventh day of Passover
Pentateuchal portion, Exodus 13:17-15:26; Numbers 28:19-25. Prophetical portion, II Samuel 22:1-51.
Candle lighting, Friday, April 21, 7:02 p.m.
VOL. LXXIII, No. 7
Page Four
Friday, April 21, 1978
Passover's Many Challenges
Major among the festivals on the Jewish
calendar, Passover is here again to inspire its
observers and to provide the joys that are so
thrilling for the millions throughout the world
who will share in its historic significance.
Perhaps on no other occasion are Jews
gathered at a single ceremony in their homes in
so many lands as participants in the traditional
Seder.
Except for the ingathering of the masses of
Jews in the synagogues during the Holy Days,
the Seder may well be viewed as the most unify-
ing single traditional day on the Jewish calen-
dar. It is at the Seder that Jews recall their
liberation from Egyptian bondage, and the
ritual serves also as a study in historical values
and as a review of the spiritual legacies that
serve to make Israel One People, with traditions
rooted in a common heritage.
The current aspects of Jewish experience are
inseparable from the manner of celebration that
will be in evidence during this Passover. While
recalling the past, there is the present to alert
Jews to their role as members of a community
with global aspects. The Exodus from Egypt
which gave rise to Passover in some fashion
directs attention to Egypt and the Egyptians of
this era. The Jews who were a large community
in Egypt only two decades ago now number less
than 300. They symbolize part of the tragedy of
Levantine Jewry. Now Egypt assumes a new
form of challenge to the Jews. It is from Cairo
that talks of peace with Israel are being heard
and yet are stifled by demands that would-be
destructive for Israel. Thus Egypt once again is
challengingly on the agenda of Jewish interest.
As the Festival of Freedom, Passover has
other new challenges. If liberty is to rule the
earth the evils that undermined it must never
be permitted to see the light of day. Therefore,
when gathered to celebrate the Passover at the
Seder and for eight days thereafter, Jews must
be active in rallying the forces of justice never to
permit another Holocaust.
Passover has another challenge for Jewry: a
call to duty to assure the identification of youth
with the people's needs and aspirations. The
educational tasks must be increased, cultural
values must be raised to the highest poSsible
standards and there must be a determination to
retain knowledgeable people to hold the banner
of the Jew high and to strive for generations
who will uphold the teachings and traditions of
the People Israel.
There are challenges of great seriousness and
there is a people prepared to meet them. In such
a spirit the exchanges of greetings for a Happy
Passover add to the joys and inspirations of the
Festival of Freedom.
Undivided Devotion in Time of Crisis
•
This community's response to the cultural,
spiritual and social needs of Israel and the re-
sponsibilities in tasks of settling new immig-
rants in the Jewish state is evident in the suc-
cess anticipated for the current Allied Jewish
Campaign.
If there are diabolical attempts to divide
American Jewry in the present critical period in
the history of the state's relationships with
other nations, primarily the United States, they
are certainly dispelled in the generous expres-
sions of kinship shown during the fund-raising
that is about to conclude.
There is an assurance that last year's con-
tributions will be oversubscribed. This is in it-
self heartening. As the drive draws to a close it
is equally important that many more donors
than in previous years should be enlisted in the
roster of participants in order to give emphasis
to the solidarity with Israel at a time when the
Jewish state so urgently needs support and
craves for encouragement in search for security.
While registering support for Israel it should
be remembered that the contributed dollars go
towards aiding new settlers, assuring that their
housing, employment and social services will be
provided for. Those going on Aliya are assured
By Jerome Rothenberg
`Big Jewish Book' Classic
Covers Vast Anthological Field
Jerome Rothenberg is not only a poet of distinction and an au-
thoritative anthologist of poetry, he also has the sense of the drama-
tic. How else could he have conceived "A Big Jewish Book" as the title
of his impressive collection of poetry and notably scholastic selections
from Jewish writings in such a weighty 635-page volume.
"A Big Jewish Book" (Anchor Press—Doubleday) is exactly what
the title implies. It is big not in size alone — 635 pages may not be so
immense. It is immense in contents. It represents research, transla-
tions, and all - inclusiveness in anthological skills.
The editor, currently on the faculty of the University of California,
has a rich academic background. His poetic works and anthologies are
incorporated in more than 20 volumes. In the "Big Book" he expressed
an especially unique approach, the three parts being patterned after
the Torah (law), Neviim (Prophets) and Khtuvim (writings)
of
the Bible. In his selections he has gathered the major Jewish poetic
expressions.
The illustrations from classical records add significantly to the
immeasurable value of a great book. His collected items dealing with
the mystical, and those devoted to the Tetragramaton, denote scholar-
ship and emphasize the totality of the research conducted by Dr.
Rothenberg.
His own comments on the work are important. To quote him:
"I have included works from the ancient Jewish languages — Heb-
rew and Aramaic — and from those like Yiddish and Ladino de-
veloped in the course of exile, as well as from other languages (Greek,
Spanish, Arabic, German, English, Persian, French, etc.) used by
Jews in biblical and post-biblical times."
"I worked out a three-part structure into ways, visions,
and writ-
ings, and movement from myth to history to,language and poetics per
se . . . In addition I have used a variety of 'commentaries' in a more
extensive and often more personal way than in my previous gather-
ings."
thereby that they will not be abandoned and the
secondary and higher educational needs are
supplemented with funds from the United
Jewish Appeal, the chief beneficiary of the
drive.
Not to be forgotten are the scores of other
How did Dr. Rothenberg reach out to compile "A Big-Jewish Book?"
He relates in his preface:
causes, the major local and national move-
"There was a dream that came before the book, and I might as well
ments, which are financed with funds from this
tell it. I was in a house identified by someone as The House of Jews,
campaign.
where there were many friends gathered, maybe everyone I knew.
Thus, the efforts of many hundreds of volun-
Whether they were Jews or not was unimportant: I was
and because I
teer workers, under the direction of the able
was I had to lead them through it.
co-chairmen, Phillip Stollman and Philip War-
"But we were halted at the entrance to a room, not a room really,
ren, provide comfort in' the knowledge that a
more like a great black hole in space. I was frightened and exhila-
community with a tradition for generosity
rated, both at once, but like the others I held back before that dark-
adheres to its highest standards.
ness. The question came to be the room's name, as if to give the room a
name would open it. I knew that, and I strained my eyes and body to
There is sufficient time for many more to en-
get near the room, where I could feel, as though a voice was whisper-
roll in this great current effort. The many unaf-
ing to me, creation going on inside it. And I said that it was called
filiated should join the ranks of the volunteer
Creation .. .
workers and of the contributors who are signal-
"So Creation — poesis writ large — appeared to me first in that
. ling to Israel and the causes assisted overseas
house, for I was aware then, and even more so now, that there are
that they will not be forgotten; who say with
Jewish mysteries that one confronts in a place no less dangerous
or
their gifts that the local and national education,
real than that abyss of the Aztecs: ... a difficult, a dangerous place, a
recreational, spiritual and social services will
deathly place: it is dark, it is light . . ."
have the aid of Greater Detroit Jewry. In this
Prof. Rothenberg edited this book together with Harris Lenowitz
and Charles Doria.
way this community sends forth a message of
They
have utilized the Yiddish and the Ladino, and many non-
solidarity with the people of Israel and gives 4
Jewish sources.
assurance that the Jewish legacies will be re-
The medieval and the modern are represented and the more than
tained and respected uninterruptedly.
200 selections stem from many lands.