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 EditthIal Association. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 Postmaster: Send address changes to The Jewish News, 17515 W. 9 Mile Rd., Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $12 a year. CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ Business Manager PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher ALAN HITSKY News Editor HEIDI PRESS Assistant News Editor DREW LIEBERWITZ Advertising Manager Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the sixth day of Tishri, 5739, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Deuteronomy 31:1-30. Prophetical portion, Hosea 14:2-10; Micah 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27. Wednesday, Yom Kippur Pentateuchal portion, (morning), Leviticus 16:1-34, Numbers 29:7-11; (afternoon) Leviticus 18:1-30. Prophetical portion, ( morning) Isaiah 57:14-58:14; (afternoon) Jonah 1:1-4:11, Micah 7:18-20. Candle lighting, Friday, Oct. 6, 6:48 p.m. VOL. LXXIV, No 5 Page Four Friday, October 6, 1978 Season of Atoning Days of Awe, commencing with Rosh Hashana, are climaxed by the Day of Atone- ment. These are the serious days of introspection, of soul searching, of self-expressive regrets of what had occurred during the preceding year, emphasized by the pledge that the errors of the past should not be repeatable. The sincerity of the Yom Kippur dedication is never questioned. After all, it finds comfort in a Neilah, in the rising of new heights which are assumed to indicate a cleansing of the misdeeds of the past. The emphasis is usually on the personal, yet it has connotations for the communal, for family and community. While the individual may account for the per- sonal transgressions, the congregations gather- ing in large numbers on Yom Kippur may well ask themselves whether there is the compulsion for expiation collectively. The obligations upon a community, for a people striving to uphold the banner of its tradi- tions and legacies, never vanish. They keep de- manding realization of the tasks to be per- formed, of the duty never to abandon the less fortunate in a society of affluence, of defending the rights of the oppressed, of protecting the just rights of a nation when it is in distress. On Yom Kippur, while resolving for oneself and family, it is obligatory to remember the aged and the impoverished, and for Jews it is New Ktav Volume obligatory to resolve never to abandon Israel, to remember the persecuted in the Soviet Union, to think in terms of aiding the insecure in other areas where Jews are in constant danger. Indeed, while thinking of atonement there is also the need to take into account- shortcomings in behalf of the people at large so that errors in For students of theology, the writings of Rabbi Milton Steinberg, approaching the obligations should be cor- the legacies that are retained in the guidelines to be found in his rected. Perhaps this is the way of making teachings, provide a place of honor in the records of creative Jewish Atonement Day complete for a unified people. cultural processes of the previous generation. Biography of Milton Steinberg Portrays Author, Theologian Crisis in Education; Revisions Needed A serious crisis exists in Jewish educational ranks, and its effects on children as much as on teachers must be considered with the utmost urgency. It is not only because there was a teachers' strike and the Hebrew schools were closed all- too-long,_ even if it was for a period of some days: There is much more to the existing situation than is realized. Six years ago, one of the problems was the closing of one of the schools because of a decline of students in the northwest Detroit area. People with vision should have foreseen that reductions in school enrollments might occur in other parts of Greater Detroit and that the prob- lems arising from such conditions might create serious problems-. Now the drop in enrollments has become an all-embracing reality and to it may be ascribed the conflict over wages and the status of teachers. Changing times also forced changes in school timetables. Before the rise of the Day Schools, which have made great strides in recent years, the Afternoon School was conducted on the basis of two sessions. Now sessions have been reduced to one and the number of study days also has been altered. Parents have expressed concern over their children attending classes which extend into dark hours of the early eve- nings during which second sessions were con- ducted in previous years. This has resulted in teachers in Jewish schools working on the basis of reduced pay periods. Thus, at this time nearly all of the teachers in the Hebrew schools are on a 12-hour-a-week schedule and this has affected costs as well as their incomes. To compare incomes of Jewish teachers with those in the public schools, to liken the 12-hour employee with the 30- or 35-hour-a-week educator is preposterous. Naturally the per- centage basis for the Jewish teacher thus emerges higher than that of the public school teacher. Therefrom emerges a problem which de- mands practical solutions and pragmatic ap- proaches to pressing needs. What can be expected from the 12-hour-a- week teacher who must look for additional in- come for a livelihood? How can the problem be solved? An editorial comment is intended to arouse concern and is not expected to offer a solution. The communal responsibility on that score is too obvious. As mere suggestions, let it be said that under conditions when it is difficult enough to enroll qualified teachers for the Jewish children the status of the educator must be considered to- gether with the financial problems when budgeting is conducted with the utmost stringency. Why can't a community plan for a teacher in the Afternoon Schools to be linked with the Day Schools, for the utilization of the teachers' services and for providing that teaching hours be extended to a full-time basis so that able educators will serve both systems?. If this can not be properly appropriated, why not introduce the vitally needed courses for adults, with special-classes for women who can attend afternoon classes, thereby making it possible for educators to teach and lay people to learn? How long can the present process of a teacher constantly settling for wages and the schools suffering enrollment reduction continue with- out serious consideration by the responsible community leadership? There is an undeniable problem, and to shun it assesses those in responsible roles with guilt in tackling the school problems. Dr. Steinberg wrote extensively on the major issues in Jewish life, on world affairs and on Zionism and his views influenced not only his students at the Jewish Theological Seminary but Jewish leadership everywhere. As an eloquent lecturer as well as brilliant author he earned a notable place in Jewish life in this country. The life story of this eminent personality is told in an extensive biography, "Milton Steinberg: Portrait of a Rabbi" (Ktav) which, fortunately, was compiled by the man who succeeded him as rabbi of Park. Avenue Synagogue in New York upon his death in 1950. Rabbi Simon Noveck was Steinberg's associate rabbi and he became inti- mate with the senior spiritual leader during their several years of association. Rabbi Noveck delved into the records, read all of Rabbi Steinberg's writings, his scores of sermons; he interviewed members of the family and therefore attained an unusual insight about the noted leader about webm he has written with admiration. It is primarily as a theologian that Rabbi Steinberg is acclaimed in this extensive biographical study. Notably, at Mrs. Steinberg's re- quest, the words "Faith and Reason" were chosen as inscriptions on his tombstone. These words are descrip- tive of a life that was dedicated to jus- tice, not only for Jews but for all who were oppressed. It denotes the role that the eminent rabbi played in defin- ing Zionist aspirations. It is the evi- dence of his brilliant appeals for faith- fulness to Jewry and for the deepesitit understanding of the theologic Jewis , values. _ Most famous of Steinberg's works were "The Making of a Modern Jew" and "As a Driven Leaf." In all of his RABBI STEINBERG writings there were the inspirations to faith. As Rabbi Noveck states in the concluding words of his tributes to the man he acclaims with so much dignity: "In the end- Steinberg was essentially a religious Jew whose aim was to teach the lessons of faith. The words which he put into the mouth of Rabbi Johanan, the son of Zakkai, in his novel remains the model of his life; 'There is no Truth with Faith. There is no Truth unless there first be a faith on which it may be based.' " Rabbi Steinberg had Ahad HaAmist ideas about the redemption of Palestine. He questioned statehood and believed in federalism. When the state emerged he was elated, was among the strongest supporters and defenders of Israel, was always the dedicated Zionist, even if he had resorted to early criticisms of the movement. The Noveck biography of Rabbi Steinberg lends great status to a great leader and to one of the most fascinating and most creative personalities in the three decades preceding the rebirth of Israel.