THE JEWISH NEWS

(USPS 275-520)

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 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075
Postmaster: Send address changes to The Jewish News, 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075
Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $15 a year.

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher

ALAN HITSKY
News Editor

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Business Manager

HEIDI PRESS
Associate News Editor

DREW LIEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager

Sabbath Scriptural Selections

This Sabbath, the 20th day of Heshvan, 5740, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Genesis 18:1-22:24. Prophetical portion, II Kings 4:1-37.

Candle lighting, Friday, Nov. 9, 4:59 p.m.

VOL. LXXVI, No. 10

Page Four

Friday, November 9, 1979

BOOK FAIR: A FESTIVAL

Jewish Book Fairs sponsored by the Jewish
It is important to know that the planning for
Community Center with the cooperation of the current Jewish Book Fair includes attention
scores of participating organizations and de- to the matters of challenge to world Jewry, - and
voted individuals have gained the status of fes-
many of the titles to be reviewed, the issues to be
tivals on the calendar of local events.
analyzed, the authors who deal with them, will
Dedicated to authors and publishers of books be highlighted during the Book Fair week.
It is obligatory for planners of book fairs to
of Jewish interest, the Book Fair celebrations
and the exhibits of publications of special inter- take into consideration the challenges of the
est have attracted interest in the works that times, the issues that are vital to Jewish inter-
define major issues involving Jews, Israel and ests.
Book fairs have become a central part of cul-
the general community in relation to Jewish
tural planning. With the acknowledged obliga-
cultural matters.
tion to build informatively in Jewish ranks,
The concerns shown for the major objectives
book fairs assume the role of disseminators of
for Book Fairs, that of arousing increased inter-
est in cultural programming as factors in the printed word, its sponsors being the dis-
criminating selectors of basic material that
Jewish Community Center educational aims,
add special emphasis to the events scheduled for serves as background for an understanding of
events and for emphasis on truth relating to
the current observance. The pressures upon Is-
challenges directed at American and world
rael, the raising of the Palestinian issue and the
Jewry.
manner in which it is being despoiled by hateful
It is in this sense that book fairs assume the
propaganda, the revival of concern over a rising
aspect
of an educating force that is vital to
tide of neo-Nazism in many areas of the world —
Jewish
life.
As such it will again be given the
these issues provide concern over affairs that
celebrating
medium
of a festival while retain-
seriously affect Jewish positions in many areas
ing the importance of an educational project
of the world.
that will operate not only during a week of
These issues affect the thinking and concern
speeches by authors and exhibits of their works
of Jewish communities everywhere, including but also as an encouragement for cultural and
the citizens of this community.
educational efforts in the months to follow.

HUMAN FACTOR DIPLOMACY

Camp David agreements and the Egypt=
Soldies badly wounded in the wars between
Israel peace pact undoubtedly encouraged the the two nations and civilians as well are to bene-
cooperative tasks now in evidence in the Middle fit from such a program, it is emphasized in the
East.
proposed undertaking.
An exchange of cultural programming,
Here we have a program of humanism, a vital
tourism between the two countries and artistic aspect of peace, a necessity for understanding.
and literary efforts embracing both countries
Nothing could be more indicative of oppor-
are anticipated.
tunities for peace for the entire Middle East.
The human aspect of the established friendly
It is such a program that adds assurance that
relations merits special attention in the an- the peace pact can and must be workable.
nouncement of planned cooperation on a project
Will the other Arab states learn a lesson from
to help rehabilitate the handicapped in Israel this and similar programs?
and in Egypt.
Many doubts have crept into the interna-
After a working visit in Cairo, Dr. Howard A. tional discussions relating to the planning for
Rush, director of the Institute of Medical Re- peace. Some call them "unpredictable deals."
habilitation of New York University, an- There are the doubters who say that once
nounced that Israeli and Egyptian medical spe-
Anwar Sadat will have attained his goal of mak-
cialists will be trained at the New York facility ing the vast gains marking Israel's giving up
for that purpose. Trained personnel will be used everything and receiving nothing, he will re-
in a pooling of therapy experience.
turn to his original goals of animosity. It is the
Tasks of aiding the mentally and physically skeptic who asserts that Sadat means what he
disabled have the assistance of the wives of the said before he visited Jerusalem about the
heads of the two countries, Aliza Begin and downgrading of Israel. It is in the acts of the
Jihan Sadat.
women of Israel and Egypt that new faith may
Israeli programs introduced by Dr. Rusk in be acquired in the hoped for decent world and a
Israel were visited by Mrs. Sadat in Haifa dur- sane Middle East — one in which people will
ing her visit with her husband in Israel.
cooperate beacuse it means their welfare, be-
The subject was discussed at that time with cause it aims at reducing poverty, or healing the
Mrs. Begin and the relationship took on a vast illnesses of peoples who have suffered want and
aspect of mutual accord.
have been the victims of illiteracy. A human
Dr. Rusk, the 78-year-old American expert, approach spells health and normalcy for chil-
who visited Egypt and Israel before the peace dren. That is why what is so important in the
agreement, paid honor to the two women. "They acts of the leading ladies of Israel and Egypt
are both women of vision and compassion," he may become the stepping stones towards de-
stated. Dr. Rusk added: "They saw the need was cency for the peoples from whom they stem.
not just unilateral. They felt that if they got
There is proof in the project inaugurated by
together and joined ideas and techniques it Dr. Rusk that there is a chance for introduction
would enhance the whole program."
of human relations in diplomacy.

Exposition Press Volume

Jewish Woman in Judaism
Guide for Jewish Living

'

The Torah viewpoint of the woman's role in Judaism is presented
in an informative outline by Rabbi Solomon Appleman in his new
Exposition Press-published book, "The Jewish Woman in Judaism:
The Significance of Woman's Status in Religious Culture."
In the preface to his guide for Jewish living for women, Rabbi
Appleman, a descendant of a rabbinical family, offers his objectives in
producing the guidebook:
"And so the reason I have written this book is twofold. Ori the one
hand, I was challenged, and on the other, I was compelled. Each
reason alone would probably have been enough. Taken together, the
need for such a book. becomes even clearer.
"This book is recommended for both those who observe and those
who do not observe Jewish law. For those who observe, it is intended
to•reiriforce their belief in Judaism. For those who do not as yet
observe, it is intended to guide them toward the proper understanding
of some of the most important and fundamental beliefs, laws and
customs of Judaism."
Among the topics covered in the hardback book are misconcep-
tions about the woman's role in Jewish ritual, positive command-
ments for women only, laws of kashrut, Jewish laws affecting men
and women equally and the woman's role in festivals, such as Purim,
Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.
At the outset of his discussion, Rabbi Appleman explains why he
presented the material in shortened form:
"For reasons of simplicity, the laws and their explanations are
presented in the following chapters in a very concise and simple
manner. They are in no way to be regarded as the final and/or only
explanation of these laws. The laws, too, were not fully presented,
since there are many holy books available which fully present all of
the laws, and explain the proper method with which to carry them out.
What I have done here i3 to offer a possible solution concerning why
certain Jewish commandments are to be done by men only, and why
women are exempt from their obligation concerning these corn-
mdanments."
In the section on kashrut, Rabbi Appleman describes the impor-
tance of the Jewish woman maintaining a kosher home. He states -
part:
"Look at the great responsibility that the women of the Jewisri
religion have! It is the responsibility of the Jewish woman to ensure
that another generation of Jews will come forth from her home. If the
new generation of young Jews are given the opportunity to under-
stand these laws and to carry them out in an undiluted manner,
another generation of Jewish people will be ensured. If, however,
these laws are discarded or treated lightly, if we have, indeed, sunk to
the level of the other nations that surround us, rather than bringing
them up to the Jewish level as we are commanded to do by God, if the
Jewish mother does not keep a kosher home, how can we hope to
preserve Judaism? What thread of Judaism can we expect these
Jewish children to grasp and to hold on to? What is the Judaism that
these children will carry away with them from their parents' house? If
the laws of kashrut are not observed along with the other laws of
Judaism, how is our home different from the non-Jewish home down
the block?"
. Rabbi Appleman's "The Jewish Woman in Judaism" is an impor-
tant addition to the collections available on Jewish family life. Its
explanations on the many roles accorded to the woman in Jewish
ritual are also valuable for the teachings from the Torah that they
provide.