60 Friday, November 26, 1982

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Pomegranate in Jewish Life

By RABBI SAMUEL FOX

(Copyright 1982, JTA, Inc.)

The pomegranate is an
important food in Jewish
tradition.
The pomegranate is one of
the seven agricultural prod-
ucts mentioned in the Bible
as characteristic of the good
character of the holy land of
Israel (Deuteronomy 8:7, 8).
The robe of Aaron the
High Priest of the people of
Israel is described as con-
taining woven figures in the
shape of pomegranates.
When the scouts returned
from their mission in Israel
they brought back with

them some pomegranates
along with figs (Numbers
13:23). In describing the
goodness of the Jewish
people the rabbis describe
them as "full of good deeds
as the pomegranate is full of
seeds."
Older Near Eastern na-
tions are known to have re-
garded the pomegranate as
a symbol of fertility.
It has also been suggested
that the 600-odd seeds in
the pomegranate might re-
present the 613 command-
ments which a Jew is sup-
posed to fulfill.

Headcovering Shows Respect

By RABBI SAMUEL FOX

(Copyright 1982, JTA, Inc.)

Jewish tradition requires
people to have their head
covered for a number of rea-
sons.
One source in the Talmud
(Kiddushin 31a) tells us
that the motivation of a cer-
tain scholar who never
walked any distance
bareheaded was a strong
consciousness on his part
that the presence of the Al-
mighty was always above
him. The headcovering was
thus a sign of respect and
awareness of the Divine
presence.
A similar reason is ad-
vanced by another source in
the Talmud which claims
that such a practice would

r

induce a fear of the Al-
mighty in the individual
(Shabbos 156b). This would
apply at any location be-
cause, as the Scriptures say,
"The whole universe is full
of the glory of the Al-
mighty."
Maimonides looked upon
this practice as a method of
expressing modesty. Expos-
ing one's head would thus
amount to brazenness.
Some compared this to the
respect shown to a senior
officer by a soldier who
stands before him in fully
uniformed dress and attire.

The man who makes no
mistakes does not usually
make anything.
—Edward Phelps

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Blanchard Vows to Continue Backing
Israel at Record-Setting Yeshiva Dinner

By HEIDI PRESS

A record 1,600-plus
guests turned out at the
68th anniversary dinner for
the Beth Yehudah Schools
Sunday at which Gov.-elect
James J. Blanchard vowed
to continue his support for
Israel when he leaves the
Congress in January for the
Michigan governor's man-
sion.
Speaking at the affair at
Fairlane Manor, at which
Ivan Bloch received the
schools' Golden Torah
Award, Blanchard recog-
nized the support he re-
ceived from the Jewish
community when he was
elected eight years ago and
added that his move to
Lansing will not lessen his
support for the Jewish state.
"These are troubled times
— a time of testing of our
friends," he added.
On Michigan's eco-
nomic condition, Blan-
chard said, "we are in the
center of a tremendous
challenge in Michigan."
He said the state saw
more than 20,000
businesses go bankrupt
last year and estimated
that more than 700,000
persons are unemployed.
"Our state is now the wel-
fare state of our coun-
try," he said.
Projecting into the state's
immediate future, Blan-
chard said "we won't see a
miraculous auto sales re-
covery" and "we won't have
a federal rescue of our state,
either" but he outlined steps
which he saw as necessary
to get the state back on its
feet:
• A strategic investment
program;
• Massive job retraining
program;
• An active business
recruitment program;
and
• A re-view of all laws as to
how they affect jobs and
employment.
Dinner co-chairman I.
William Sherr recognized
the honorary chairmen,
founders and sponsors for
their support of the schools
and particularly the Ladies
of Yeshivath Beth Yehudah
who presented the schools

with a $10,000 gift.
He also paid tribute to
Pearl Biber and Barbara
Nusbaum, calling them
"women of valor" for their
"efforts on behalf of the
schools and their students."
Tribute also was paid to Mr.
and Mrs. Norman Cottler
who sponsor the annual
donor luncheon of the
Ladies of Yeshivath Beth
Yehudah.
Stuart Bloch of Wash-
ington, D.C., the hon-
oree's brother, made the
presentation, recalling
all of his brother's com-
munal activities. In his
response, Ivan Bloch ap-
pealed for "ongoing sup-
port, both financial and
moral" for the schools,
adding "if we do not con-
tinue to study Torah, we
will lose our unique heri-
tage as Jews."
Rabbi Norman Kahn,
administrator and execu-
tive vice president of • the
schools, talked about the
goal and philosophy of the
Beth Yehudah Schools,
"providing the inspiration
for each child to do his best,"
and praised the honoree. -

He also thanked the
president of the ladies di-
vision, Fanny Laufer, and
particularly singled out
former yeshiva student
Barry Yaker, a member of
the newly created Nitzivim
(Governors), for special
recognition "for his efforts
on behalf of the schools."
The Nitzivim, the fiscal
leadership and guidance
committee of the yeshiva,
also includes Harold Be-
znos, Ivan Bloch, Sherr,
David Holtzman, Robert
Schwartz, Alvin Reifman,
Robert Stewart, David
Silver and Joseph Goods-
tein.
David Hermelin, sub-
stituting for ailing Co-
Chairman David
Holtzman recognized
government figures
attending the affair and
read greetings from
Michigan Sens. Carl
Levin and Donald Riegle,
Jr., and others.
A memorial tribute to
Alvin Spector, Joseph
Stewart, Sidney Fisher,

UJA Regional Event

Ivan Bloch, left, received the Golden Torah
Award of the Beth Yehudah Schools at their annual
dinner Sunday at Fairlane Manor. Pictured with
Bloch are, from left: the honoree's wife, Linda; his
brother, Stuart; Gov.-elect James Blanchard; and
David Hermelin.
Rubin Dubrinsky, Rabbi J. Carmen, first vice
Joshua Sperka and Dr. president of the schools;
Allen Soble was part of the David Cohen and Joseph
Nusbaum, members of the
evening's program.
The dais was completed presidiuni; Rabbi Shmuel
by Rabbi Abraham Freed- Strickman, principal; Rabbi
man, assistant principal of E. B. Freedman, adminis-
the yeshiva; Rabbi Leizer trative director of the
Levin, head of the Council of yeshiva; and Rabbi Samuel
Orthodox Rabbis; Rabbi Kaufman, director of the
Leib Bakst, rosh hayeshiva; scholarship endowments.
The anthems were sung
Seymour Rabinowitz,
chairman of the board; by Mordechai Poss, and
Reifman, a former Golden Jacob Nosanchuk recited
Torah Award winner; Jack Hamotzi. Irwin Cohn re-
cited the Birkat.
•
Israeli Scientists

Find New Use
for Interferon

Reform Leaders
Establish Panel

REHOVOT — Israeli sci-
entists have discovered, for
the first time, that interfe-
ron, an anti-viral substance
produced in the human
body, can prevent the mul-
tiplication of viruses in
plants. The researchers
found that treatment with a
certain type of human in-
terferon considerably re-
duced the multiplication of
the mosaic virus in tobacco
leaves.
Taking part on the re-
search team were Prof. Ilan
Sela and Ms. Patricia Or-
chansky of the virology lab-
oratory at the Hebrew Uni-
versity's Faculty of Agricul-
ture in Rehovot, and Dr.
Menahem Rubinstein of the
Weizmann Institute of Sci-
ence.
If their findings are ver-
ified and authenticated in
additional studies, science
may for the first time have a
tool to combat viral diseases
in plants with the aid of
anti-viral materials of the
interferon type which can
be produced through the use
of genetic engineering
methods.

NEW YORK — A blue-
ribbon committee of Reform
Jewish leaders from North
America, South America,
Europe, South Africa and
Australia has been formed
to study events and condi-
tions in Israel and the Dias-
pora. The committee was
formed at the suggestion of
the World Union for Pro-
gressive Judaism and will
report to the union's 1983
conference in Jerusalem.

Names Required

NEW YORK (ZINS) —
There were approximately
35,000 intermarriages be-
tween Jews and Christians
last year in the U.S. Some
12,000 non-Jewish partners
in these marriages con-
verted to Judaism, affiliat-
ing for the most part with
the Reform movement.

JERUSALEM (JNI) —
The 701 shlikhim (emis-
saries) of the World Zionist
Organization and Jewish
Agency will have to use
their Hebrew names while
representing Israel in 31
Jewish leaders from Michigan, Indiana, Ken- countries, the Zionist
tucky and Ohio attended the UJA East Central Lead- Executive has decided.
Last month, 32 aliya
ership Conference, held in Columbus, Ohio recently.
At left, Detroit delegate Dr. Leon Fill is shown with shlikhim were selected from
regional chairman Lawrence S. Jackier of Detroit. At among 250 candidates and
right, Cecille Raichlen presents a check from the De- sent abroad after receiving
troit Campaign to UJA National Chairman Robert 450 hours of special train-
ing.
Loup.

Blowing Sands
a Negev Problem

BEERSHEVA — With
the Israeli withdrawal from
Sinai, Jewish National
Fund experts are studying
the problem of more dust in
the air in the Negev caused
by military maneuvers.
The experts believe a
combination of chemical
sprays, wetting the sands
and planting of trees to re-
duce wind erosion will be
necessary to combat the
problem.

Mixed Marriages

Historical Group

OMAHA (JTA) — A Neb-
reaska Jewish Historical
Society has been founded in
Omaha.

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