54 Friday, July 25, 1980
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Burial Tradition Explained
By RABBI SAMUEL FOX
(Copyright 1980, JTA, Inc.)
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Jewish tradition requires
that the bodies of the de-
ceased be attired in white
shrouds for a variety of rea-
sons.
The Talmud (Mo-ed
Katan 27b) tells us that be-
fore this requirement was
instituted poor families
would be embarrassed be-
cause they had no elaborate
fineries with which to dress
their deceased relatives.
Since a principle of Jewish
tradition was to equalize all
people and to avoid embar-
rassment to anyone, the
rabbis instituted the prac-
tice of dressing all the de-
ceased alike in simple white
shrouds.
It is also claimed that the
deceased are considered to
be examples of the High
Priest's appearance in the
Holy of Holies on Yom Kip-
pur in the ancient temple at
Jerusalem. Before entering
the holy chamber the priest
changed from his elabo-
rately gold trimmed gar-
ments to simple white linen
garments.
Some claim that the
High Priest did so be-
cause he was preparing
to make confessions and
plead for forgiveness . be-
fore the Almighty. There-
fore the simple white
clothes were a symbol of
modesty.
A person who crosses the
threshold of death is consid-
ered as having gone into the
Holy of Holies to be con-
fronted by his Maker to face
the truth of his past life. His
dress should, therefore, be
modest, as represented by
the white shrouds.
Others claim that the
white shrouds indicate in-
nocence and purity. The act
of death is said to bring for-
giveness to the person clear-
ing away the past sins and
guilt and preparing him for
a blessed future in Paradise.
Twain Applauds
Jewish Struggle
for Survival
Place 'Your New Year greetings in
Sept. 10th
There's no better way to sa
Detroiters Attend
UJA Conclave
MHAPP.9 NEW
to all your relatives and friends
The Jewish News
17515 W. 9 Mile Rd., Suite 865
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Gentlemen:
Please insert my New Year Greeting
Mr. and Mrs.
TEL AVIV, July 15 (JTA) Hagana, the Jewish de-
— Chaim Slavin, a fense force, Slavin con-
Russian-born electrical verted what was largely a
engineer widely regarded as manual operation into an
the father of Israel's mili- industrial production
tary industries, died of a line, utilizing whatever
heart attack two weeks ago obsolete machinery he
could acquire. He left
at the age of 72.
He came to Palestine 56 that work in the early
years ago and was employed 1940s, only to be recalled
in hydroelectric projects by Ben-Gurion after
until the late David Ben- World War II to acquire
Gurion assigned him to or- surplus arms and
ganize underground arms machinery in Europe and
production in the period be- the U.S.
He came to Amerir
fore World War II.
knowing
no English. B
Slavin, always a Zionist
activist, was ordered out of with the help of friends h,
the USSR in 1924 and ar- managed to purchase entire
rived in Palestine penni- war surplus arms and
less. His first regular job ammunition factories at
was at the Haifa electric scrap iron prices. These
power station, a steam- were dismantled and ship-
ped to Palestine in crates
generating plant.
His abilities soon made falsely labeled "textile
him assistant to Pinhas machinery."
Riitenberg who was then
developing hydroelectric
Aim at perfection in ev-
plants and eventually Sla- erything, though in most
vin was placed in charge of things it is unattainable;
the Tel Aviv power station, however, they who aim at it,
generating electricity for and persevere, will come
what was the largest city in much nearer to it, than
. Palestine.
those whose laziness and
When Ben-Gurion despondency make them
summoned him to head give it up as unattainable.
the infant arms industry
—Chesterfield
to produce weapons for
If the statistics are right,
the Jews constitute but one
percent of the human race.
It suggests a nebulous dim
puff of star dust lost in the
blaze of the Milky Way.
Properly the Jews ought
hardly to be heard of; but he
is heard of, has always been
heard of. He is as prominent
on the planet as any other
people . . . His contributions
to the world's list of great
names in literature, sci-
ence, art, music, finance,
medicine and abstruse
learning are also way out of
proportion with the weak-
ness of his numbers. He has
made, a marvelous fight in
orld, in all the ages;
world,
and has done it with his
hands tied behind him. He
could be vain of himself, and
be excused for it.
The Egyptian, the
Babylonian, and the Per-
sian rose, filled the planet
with sound and splendor,
then faded to dream-stuff
and passed away. The
Greek and - the Roman fol-
lowed, made a vast noise,
and they are gone. Other
people have sprung up and
held their torch high for a
time, but it burned out and
they sit in the twilight now,
or have vanished. The Jew
saw them all, beat them all,
and is -now what he always .
was, exhibiting no deca-
dence, no infirmities of age,
no weakening of parts, no
slowing of his energies, no
dulling of his alert and_ag-
gressive mind. All things
are mortal but the Jew. All
other forces pass, but he re-
mains. What is the secret of
his immortality?.
— Mark Twain
NOW
IS THE TIME TO
Holiday Issue
Chaim Slavin, Israeli Power
Pioneer and Arms Procurer
and family
Address
Zip Code
State
City
Check Enclosed (circle one) $7.50, $12.50, $17.50, $22.50, $30.00, $35.00, $40.00 or $
I
Several local members of
the United Jewish Appeal
National Campaign
Cabinet East Central
Region attended a leader-
ship meeting last week in
Cleveland.
Allocations Chairman
Robert Naftaly, National
Young Leadership Cabinet
Regional Chairman Mark
Hauser and Cash Chairman
Dr. Leon Fill were active
participants at the gather-
ing. All three are members
of the regional executive
committee.
Among the items the De-
troit leaders discussed were
Project Renewal, 1981
Campaign issues, Cam-
paign strategy and mis-
sions.
1
Monument)
Unveilings
The family of the late Ar-
thur Klee announces the
unveiling of a monument in
his memory 12:30 p.m. Sun-
day, July 27, at Machpelah
Cemetery. Rabbi Yolkut
will officiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to attend.
The Family
of the Late
ANNA
BERENT
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in her memory 11 a.m.
Sunday, August 3, at
Beth Yehuda Cemetery
(Workmen's Circle).
Rabbi Zachariash will
officiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
The Family
of the Late
MAX
GVAZDA
Announces the un-
veiling,of a monument
in his memory 11 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 3, at
Machpelah Cemetery.
Rabbi Spectre will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
The Family
of the Late
DAVID
MERTZ
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in his memory 12 noon
Sunday, July 27, at Beth
Tefilo Cemetery. Rabbi
Gruskin will officiate.
Relatives and friends
are asked to attend.
The Family
of the Late
IRVING H.
TACKEL
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in his memory 1 p.m.
Sunday, July 27 at Adat
Shalom Memorial Park.
Rabbi Arm will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
The Family
of the Late
PAULINE
TEPMAN
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in her memory 10 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 3, at
Machpelah Cemeter
Rabbi Arm will o..
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to
attend.
The Family of the Late
E RACHEL BRODMAN
Announces the unveiling of a monument in
her memory 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24, 1980 at
Beth Abraham Hillel Cemetery. Rabbis
Leizer Levin, Solomon Gruskin and Israel
Halpern, and Cantor Shabtai Ackerman will
officiate. Relatives and friends are asked to
attend.