I

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THE

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JEWISH NEWS

(USPS 275 5201

Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 20, 1951

Member of American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers and National Editorial Association and
Affiliate Member of National Newspaper Association and Capital Club.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075
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CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher

HEIDI PRESS
Associate News Editor

ALAN HITSKY
News Editor

DREW LIEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager

Sabbath Scriptural Selections

This Sabbath, the 21st day of Kislev, 5741, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Genesis 37:1-40:23. Prophetical portion, Amos 2:6-3:8.

Hanuka Scriptural Selections

Wednesday, Numbers 7:1-17; Thursday, Numbers 7:18-29; Dec. 5, Numbers 7:24-35.

Candle lighting, Friday, Nov. 28, 4:45 p.m.

VOL. LXXVIII, No. 13

HANUKA

Page Four

Friday, Nov. 28, 1980

THANKSGIVING

Hanuka is an occasion for gratitude. The
world is in turmoil. There are uncertainties and
challenges. For the Jewish people observin - the
Feast of Lights there are the repetitive m nac-
ing conditions perpetuated by a spreading
anti-Semitism. Yet there is cause for thankful-
ness that in this era of challenge there are the
many who resist and hold fast to the banner of
freedom. There is no yielding to tyranny.
- Therefore, it is uniquely joyful that Hanuka
occurs almost simultaneously with Thanksgiv-
ing, the two festivals being only a few days
apart this year for the celebrants. There is cause
for jubilation that in this country people dedi-
cated to the ideal of protecting and perpetuating
precious liberties can give thanks for the

privileges enjoyed, and the Jewish citizens can
link it with the triumphs of the Maccabees who
refused to lay down their arms as long as they
were necessary to repel barbarities and bigot-
ries.
While giving thanks there is also the neces-
sity of pledging faith and adhering to the need of
being devoted to the cause of justice. As long as
the anti-Semite remains visible, so long as
hatred raises its hoary head with the Jew as a
target for hatred, the Maccabean spirit keeps
challenging.
As long as the Jew observes Hanuka, the
lights kindled for freedom will never be extin-
guished. This is the message of the Festival of
Lights in the spirit of Thanksgiving.

JAN. 18: AJC ACTION DAY

Joining with Jewish communities through-
out the land in a day of action for Israel and
related humanitarian causes, hundreds of Met-
ropolitan Detroit volunteers will be on the tele-
phones, calling upon all who can be reached in
the Jewish community to participate in the Al-
lied Ji wish Campaign with the generosity de-
mandt 1 by urgent needs.
Becai Ise the United Jewish Appeal is the
major beneficiary of the Allied Jewish Cam-
paign, the appeal to be sounded becomes espe-

cially urgent.
Thus, Jan. 18 becomes a significant day on
the Jewish calendar because it will involve vol-
unteerism on a high level in the serious effort to
inspire responses from this area's constituents.
Therefore, the urgency of the appeal for vol-
unteer participation and the citizens' hearty re-
sponses in behalf of Israel, the causes related to
her and the educational and social services fi-
nanced with funds of the Allied Jewish Cam-
paign.

MOODS AND DECISIONS

What an exciting week! The Supreme Court
ruled for separation of church and state in a
close vote of the ju( 3 of the highest court in
the' land — 5 to 4 – to ban display of the Ten
Commandme -its posters in schools in Ken-
tucky. At the same time a Federal Appeals
Court in Nr w York ruled against holding
prayer meetings in public schools.
During the same period, an all-white jury ab-
solved a group of defendants which included
avowed Nazis from guilt in the killing of Com-
munists, the jurors conceding to the plea of
self-defense.
In West Germany, Pope John Paul II was
presented with a ceremonial Menora by a
delegation representing the surviving
German-Jewish community as a symbol of
friendship, the Pope then being provided with
the opportunity of emphasizing the need for
Aimenism as means of preventing another
-holocaust.
A campaign is under way to restore the death
penalty and make capital punishment a na-
tional U.S. policy.
The occurrences point to the moods that pre-
vail in this country and elsewhere, and they also
indicate the pressures that result in decisions
that echo the moods.
Will the ruling on the important Separation
principle prevail, in view of the possibility that
the high court's make-up will undoubtedly
change under President Ronald Reagan?
Was the North Carolina jury decision evi-
dence of white supremacy prejudices and will it

be upheld?
Will the warmness of a visit with Jews in
Germany influence Papal attitudes on
Jerusalem?
People are moody. Actions are subject to t(
and time does the testing. 0 tempore, 0 mon.

KNES SET ACTION

For the 20th time in some 20 months,
Menahem Begin and the Likud party withstood
a no-confidence vote. Between every effort to
oust them there were anticipations of Labor re-
gaining political power in Israel. Even if success
is attainable by a single vote, under the Israel
parliamentary system the election scheduled
under normal conditions will not be held until
November 1981.
Additional no-confidence proposals are in-
evitable and the Begin rule may, indeed, end
sooner than the set date for a new election. It
should, however, be conceded that the attacks
on the Likud government are in no sense differ-
ent from the causes that could be ascribed
equally to the opposition. The internal strug-
gles with the Arab youth demonstrators and
much of the economic problem are shared
equally -by all. They are part of the difficulties
that spell Israel's experiences as a people.
The pride to be shared by all of Israel's friends
is that the country is ruled in a civilized par-
liamentary fashion. Therefore, resort to no-
confidence votes is normal whatever the even-
tual result. What matters is that the country
and the people should not be torn asunder.

60-Page Pamphlet

-Rabbi Chiel's `Megillat
Hanuka' Earns Acclaims

Acclaim by the Rabbinical Assembly, the affiliate of the Jewish
Theological Seminary and the Conservative Movement, has been
accorded the publication of the scroll for the Feast of Lights, which
lends importance to the volume edited by Rabbi Arthur Chiel for use
in- synagogues. Chiel is rabbi at Cong. Bnai Jacob in Woodbridge,
Conn.
Rabbi Chiel's 60-page pamphlet contains the text of the Book of
Maccabees, prayers for the festival and songs.
The appearance of this volume is widely praised, with an expres-
sion of hope that the text of the Maccabean scroll will henceforth be
widely used. Rabbi Max J. Routtenberg, chairman of the public rela-
tions committee of the Rabbinical Assembly, states in his preface to
Rabbi Chiel's book:
In publishing `Megillat Hanuka,' we are in a very real sense
repaying a debt to our glorious ancestors. It is only a chronological
accident that the Bible does not have a Megilla for Hanuka. The
holiday itself is at least as significant in the history of our people as
the Feast of Purim. In our day, Hanuka has assumed an importance
and achieved a popularity wlii-1- rivals that of Passover.
When the Book of Maccabees was consigned to the Apocrypha,
the intention was not to bury it but to preserve it. In time, however,
the Apocryphal books became virtually unknown to the vast majority
of the Jewish people. Aside from the fact that it could not be included
in the canon of the Bible, the Talmud makes no reference to the Book
of Maccabees and ignores the military events that are recorded in it.
For the Rabbis, the miracle of the cruse of oil that burned for eight
days and the rededication of the altar constituted the essential mes-
sage of Hanuka.
"With the rise of-Zionism and the sacrificial struggle to re-estab-
lish the national homeland of the Jewish people, the story of-the
Maccabean Revolution has taken on the contemporary meaning. It is
hardly to be wondered that in the state of Israel the observance of
Hanuka has become a major national holiday.
We believe that it is important to reintroduce this historical
classic to our people. We are indebted to Rabbi Chiel for his painstak-
ing labors in preparing this volume. His fine introduction, his exc-
lent translation and illuminating notes will enable the reader
experience the stirring events of those days and to rejoice in this
moving account of Jewish faith and heroism."
Rabbi Chiel's definitive introduction points to the five Megillot or
Scrolls that are part of the Bible — Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamenta-
tions, Eccliastes and Esther, read consecutively on Passover,
Shavuot, Tisha b'Av, Sukkot and Purim. He suggests that a sixth, the
Megilla for Hanuka, "might have been included in the Bible except for
the fact that the event it would have commemorated occurred too late
to allow for its eligibility among the sacred writings."
Hope is thus provided that Megillat Hanuka will find acceptance
and will be introduced in synagogues as well as home celebrations of
the festival.
The Hanuka Megilla in Rabbi Chiel's book appears in the He-
brew text with his English translation."
The small volume has great significance not only in the text of the
Megilla which previously appeared in the Books of the Maccabees.
His . book contains the prayers for Hanuka, and the appropriate
songs for the festival — "Maot Tsur," "Mi Yemalel" and a responsive
reading suited for the festival's observance.

