NIP
62 Friday, June 15, 1979
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Readers Forum
Appeal for Falashas
Editor, The Jewish News:
We, a group of Ethiopian
Jews (Falashas) who fear
for our families in Ethiopia,
are turning to the Jews of
the world through this mes-
sage to help save our
families.
We, the undersigned,
have turned to the Israeli
authorities many times for
assistance in saving our
families, who are in direst
straits, as soon as possible
— indeed, before it is too
late. To our great sorrow
both the Israeli government
and the Jewish Agency
have failed to act or even at-
tach great importance to the
lives of those Jews of
Ethiopia- who have aspired
for thousands of years to re-
turn to Zion, to be redeemed
from the bitter and difficult
exile which has been their
lot.
We, who have fought
for the state of Israel in
her difficult wars, are
today disappointed in the
Israeli government be-
cause it has failed to take
urgent action in response
to our appeals. Our fam-
lies, many of whom are in
prison and are known to
the Israeli authorities,
address this message to
you:
"Save us! Save us! Where
is our Holy Land that we
have dreamed of for genera-
tions? Where is the Torah
that speaks to us, her chil-
dren of Zion, the Holy
Mountain? Where is the
Jewish people that is corn-
manded to ransom its
brothers who are found in
distress of soul and body, a
distress we cannot describe
to the present generation?"
All this our brothers and
sisters call, and yet no one
comes to save them. The
authorities in Israel do not
seem disturbed by our
families' plight, but the
final judgment we will leave
to G-d and the Jewish
people.
At this crucial time we
turn to you, dear brothers
and sisters, with no choice
but to beg you to help us
save our families in any way
possible. If you choose to
pressure the Israeli gov-
ernment, press hard. If you
can help save our families in
a more direct way, know
that to save the life of a
single Jew is the equivalent
of all G-d's mitzvot.
We hope and wait for a
response to our appeal. And
we thank you.
.
Ben Baruch Ishaiahu,
Tirunesh Mengistu, Adega Ezra,
Eshayahu Abraham, Solomon
Ezra, Tsege Bayauohu, Ahnelih
Truneh, Bicha Dina, Bicha
Menachem, Baruh Shabaton,
Ben Baruch Sara, Truneh
Esther, Esayas Aragaw,
Matatihu Fenta, Asaf Adane.
Writer Criticizes Editorial Stand
Editor, The Jewish News: and deliberate cruelty was
It is difficult to explain comparable to the enemy's
the reason for the seeming technique of the big lie —
tenderness with which you the greater the crimes the
treat West Germany, more apt is its memory to be
(Purely Commentary June shunned. And perhaps,
2, 1979), unless it be your judging from current condi-
humane policy, generally, tions, the enemy has not
and allegiance to our teach- failed. And it may well be
ings of non-vengeance and held that the Germany of
no-grudge-bearing. The today is not adverse to this
crimes that the Germans result. It may not be out of
committed against our range of possibilities that
people cannot be the effort being made by
encompassed by the human neo-Nazism to deny that the
mind and is beyond the crime had ever occ.A.irred has
power of description, for the the tacit if not the active
enormity and the vicious- support of the present Ger-
ness of what was done to our many.
It is not for any of us to
people by German hands, in
the words of Gerald Green, think in terms of our feel-
author of "Holocaust," de- ings in the matter when we
feats syntax. Indeed, the de- deal with West Germany.
signation "Holocaust" is the Rather we should ask our-
product of linguistic es- selves what would our men,
capism. We are just unable women and children, done
to face up to the mass car- to death by German hands,
nage of our helpless breth- have wanted to say in this,
ren, defenseless men, had they been articulate.
women and little children.
One thing may be certain
The crimes thus commit- they would not be willing to
ted, designed and carried forgive.
M. Manuel Merzon
out with diabolical methods
Materials submitted to the Readers Forum must be brief. The writer's name will be
withheld from publication upon request. No unsigned letters will be published. Materials
will not be returned unless a stamped, self-addressed envelope is enclosed.
Rabbi Warns 'Caveat Emptor' on Kashrut, Health Foods
Editor, The Jewish News:
A broad misconception
prevails that "kosher means
clean." This false notion
finds its roots in Christian
translations of the Bible,
where the words tamei and
tahor are rendered "unc-
lean" and "clean." A better
rendition of those passages
where the Torah speaks of
permitted and forbidden
foods ("tamei hu, lachem")
would be "it is unfit for you."
The rendering "clean" and
"unclean" have given the
impression that as long as
something is clean, it must
be kosher; something that is
unclean is necessarily un-
kosher.
The word kasher itself ac-
tually appears in Scripture
only once, in the Book of
Esther (8:5), where it has
absolutely nothing to do
with food.
While it is true that
cleanliness will certainly
contribute towards an
appreciation of kosher food,
kosher does not mean clean,
and cleanliness will not re-
nder otherwise non-kosher
food fit for Jewish consump-
tion.
The terms "clean" and
"unclean" have recently
come into common usage
in the health food indus-
try, and it is important to
point out that many foods
highly praised by prom-
oters of the new health-
food fad may be forbid-
den by Jewish Law. Jews
are generally concerned
with health and good liv-
ing, and many are drawn
to the health food stores
because of the promise
they hold out of a longer,
healthier life. Caveat
emptor. Let the Jewish
consumer, who is con-
cerned with the dietary
laws, be aware that not
all that_ is "clean" is
kosher.
It is well-known that
cheeses must bear the
stamp of rabbinic endorse-
ment because they are made
with rennet, which is usu-
ally derived from non-
kosher sources. A new line
of rennet-less cheeses have
made an appearance in the
health-food stores in recent
years. One may reason that,
if the main objection to
cheeses is that they contain
non-kosher rennet, these
rennet-less cheeses must be
kosher. Unfortunately, this
is not the case. While the
rennet-less cheeses do not
contain rennet, they do con-
tain other enzymes, such as
Jews Have Bigger Stake in Energy Crisis
Editor, The Jewish News:
The oil problem has be-
come serious and acute for
our country. At the same
time it has become a prob-
lem of survival for the state
of Israel and for Jews. We,
the American Jews, must
lead the fight against the
steady increase in oil con-
sumption and against the
oil pushers.
Much time is wasted in
discussion of whether the
present oil crisis is real.
Frankly, I don't care. It is
real for me and should_ be
real to all Americans and
especially American Jews
because oil consumption
means dependency on Arab
power.
It seems obvious that
individuals can't do any-
thing. Group action
might bring positive re-
sults and even become in-
fectious to other groups.
What can we do? We all
know we must reduce
gasoline consumption.
We must decide together
that we will drive cars
only for very important
trips. We must stop listen-
ing to the powerful oil
pusher's propaganda
that Americans will pay
any price for gas.
Must we have unlimited
supply of gasoline if the
price is the survival of Israel
and perhaps all Jewish sur-
vival?
H.L.P.
and
other
lipase
coagulators, which need not
be listed among the ingre-
dients on the label. These
enzymes render such
cheeses non-kosher.
The health-food addicts
have high praise for fertile
eggs, claiming that they are
more nutritious than the
conventional infertile eggs
that are generally avail-
able. While this may be
true, fertile eggs are, almost
without exception, blood-
spotted and, as such, are
forbidden to the kashrut-
observant Jew,
"A plain vegetable salad
is certainly kosher," one
often hears. Not so! When a
food establishment is not
kosher-endorsed, and the
same knife is used to slice
treife cheeses and vegeta-
bles with a sharp taste, the
innocuous salad becomes
unfit for the kosher con-
sumer.
Most health food estab-
lishments which serve
meals also sell packaged
goods, such as snack foods,
vitamins, and many
"natural" foodstuffs. One
should not presume that the
concern with "health-foods"
is any guarantee of kashrut.
A recent inspection of one of
the newest and largest of
these stores' showed that
items offered for sale con-
tained a wide variety of for-
bidden ingredients, such as
ox bile, lard, gelatin P
non-kosher stabilizers
emulsifiers.
In conclusion, one should
never presume that because
something is called "clean"
that it is kosher.
Rabbi Jack Goldman
Monument Unveilings
The family of the late Zal
Aaron announces the un-
veiling of a monument in
his memory 11:30 a.m. Sun-
day, June 24, at Nusach
H'Ari Cemetery. Rabbi Leo
Goldman will officiate.
Relatives and friends are
asked to attend.
* * *
The family of the late
Julius Berkowitz an-
nounces the unveiling of a
monument in his memory
11 a.m. Sunday, June 17, at
Beth Moses Cemetery.
Rabbi Schnipper will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to attend.
The family of the late
Jennie Glassman an-
nounces the unveiling of a
monument in her memory
12 noon Sunday, June 17, at
Machpelah Cemetery.
Rabbi Gruskin will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to attend.
* * *
The family of the late
Florence Lan announces
the unveiling of a monu-
ment in her memory 12
noon, Sunday, June 24, at
Hebrew Memorial Prak.
Rabbi Goldschlag will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to attend.
The Family
of the Late
SOPHIE KATZ
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in her memory 1:15 p.m.
Sunday, June 17, at
Machpelah Cemetery.
Rabbi Stanley Rosen-
baum and Cantor Louis
Klein will officiate.
Relatives and friends
are asked to attend.
The Family
of the Late
RUTH
SCHURGIN
* * *
The family of the late Fay
Epstein announces the un-
veiling of a monument in
her memory 11 a.m. Sun-
day, June 24, at Machpelah
Cemetery. Rabbi Nelson
will officiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to attend.
The Family
of the Late
ALEC
BEAR
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in his memory 11 a.m.
Sunday, June 24, at
Turover Cemetery.
Rabbi Goldschlag will
officiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
I
The Family
of the Late
MOLLIE BLOOM
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in her memory 11:30
a.m. Sunday, June 24, at
Nusach H'Ari Cemet-
ery. Rabbi Nelson will
officiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
The Family
of the Late
PEARL FARBER
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in her memory 10:30
a.m. Sunday, June 17, at
Workmen's Circle
Cemetery (Turover Sec-
tion). Rabbi Arm will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in her memory 11 a.m.
Sunday, June 17, at
Adat Shalom Memorial
Park. Rabbi Gorrelick
will officiate. Relatives
and friends are asked to
attend.
The Family
of the Late
JOSEPH
MEHR
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in his memory 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, June 24, at Ch-
esed Shel Emes Cemet-
ery. Rabbi Milton Arm
will officiate. Relatives
and friends are asked to
attend.
The Family
of the Late
REBECCA
MILLER
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in her memory 12 noon
Sunday, June 24, at He-
brew Memorial Park.
Rabbi Gruskin will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
Phyllis (Musket)
Rosenberg
announces the
unveiling
of monuments
in memory of
SAM MUSKAT
AND
DUDLEY (PETE)
MUSKET
12 noon, Sunday,
June 24, at Adat Shalom
Memorial Park. Rabbi
Spectre will officiate.
Relatives and friends
are asked to attend.
N
The Family
of the Late
HARRY
SCHWARTZ
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in his memory 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 24, at
Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Rabbi
Rosenbaum will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
The Family
of the Late
SAMUEL
SOLOMON
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in his memory 11:30 a.m.
Sunday, June 24, at
Machpelah Cemetery.
Rabbi Sperka will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
The Family
of the Late
LEON
WEBERMAN
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in his memory 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 24, at
Beth Abraham Cemet-
ery. Rabbi Schnipper
will officiate. Relatives
and friends are asked to
attend.