PURELY COMMENTARY
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Shaarey Zedek At 125: An Historic Event On A National Scale
Shaarey Zedek's 125th anniversary
is an occasion for national observance.
Recollections of major achievements on
the local scene embrace contributions by
rabbis and membership on a national
scale.
Reminiscences of the many major
events in the synagogue's history merit
appreciation in the interest of establish-
ing as much of a totality as possible in
history making.
The Congressional Record of April
18, 1962 included an article inserted by
the late Congressman John D. Dingell
Sr. under the title "Shaarey Zedek's His-
toric Event." It was based on my edito-
rial in The Detroit Jewish News issue of
Nov. 24, 1961. My editorial 25 years ago
judged the "Historic Event" as follows:
Shaarey
Congregation
Zedek's 100th anniversary is an
event of such great magnitude
that it must be viewed as a his-
toric event of importance to the
entire American Jewish commu-
nity.
The history of the congrega-
tion mirrors the events from the
days when our numbers were
small. The community has grown
with the pace that this congrega-
tion has progressed, and Shaarey
Atheist Russia
Capitalizes On
Its Sanctimony
Damned clever the Russians! They
have a way of capitalizing even on God in
their propaganda tactics.
What better way to ignore the "Re-
fuseniks," to deny that there are tens of
thousands, they are undoubtedly hundreds
of thousands, of protesters against anti-
Jewish prejudices who demand visas to
leave the USSR, than to utilize the sub-
servience of a synagogue's leaders in prop-
agation of the existing persecutive
policies?
That's the "Herchsher" Communist
Russia possesses — that its atheism be-
comes sanctimoneous via control of syna-
gogue spokesmen.
The Russian manipulators are not
only politically clever: they are humorous
in their choice of tools. It is always an em-
phasis on peace and for that purpose the
Moscow synagogue was used as the Krem-
lin tool.
So, the Russian Embassy information
department sends us the copy by the USSR
Novosti Press Agency which commences
with the following:
We, parishioners of the Mos-
cow Choral Synagogue, unanim-
ously back the statement made by
General Secretary of the CPSU
Central Committee Mikhail Gor-
bachev on August 18, 1986, on the
decision to extend the Soviet un-
ilateral moratorium on nuclear
explosions until January 1, 1987.
The Holy Writ' teaches us that
human life is the greatest of the
gifts granted to us by God. Only
God, who has given each of us life,
has the power of taking it. W.
people living in a woi id
threatened by nuclear holocaust,
must be fully aware that the
further perfection of weapons of
mass destruction, nuclear escala-
tion and the instigation of fear,
mutual mistrust and enmity can
and must be qualified as suicide —
the suicide of individual people
and entire nations.
That is why each person and
all of us together must use each
day granted to us by God to chan-
nel the course of world events
Continued on Page 26
2
Friday, October 31, 1986
Zedek's story is, in truth, the his-
tory of Detroit Jewry.
As one of the pioneering con-
gregations that assisted in the
formation of the parent organiza-
tion of the conservative Jewish
movement in America, Shaarey
Zedek is in the front ranks of the
synagogues that have labored for
the perpetuation of the highest
ideals of our faith.
Shaarey Zedek's role in the
establishment of the Jewish
Theological Seminary, in the de-
velopment of the Conservative
movement and in establishing
high codes for Jewish cultural
planning not only in Michigan
but in the entire country, have
left their indelible marks.
Shaarey Zedek was one of
the first synagogues in this coun-
try that joined in forming the
United Synagogue of America. It
has been a bulwark of strength
in behalf of the Jewish Theologi-
cal Seminary which is the seat of
Conservative Judaism, and the
synagogue's role, therefore, na-
tional in scope.
On the Detroit scene, Con-
gregation Shaarey Zedek con-
tinues a leadership that makes it
stand out as a great institution,
with a membership that is always
conscious of responsibilities to
our faith, our nation, and our
city.
Shaarey Zedek's roster of
leadership has had, and con-
tinues to have, representation in
the political and civic life of our
country, in all important Jewish
movements, in relief and rehabili-
tation services.
Its members have served in
the city's judiciary, on the city
council, on important commis-
sions, and on national governing
boards of.leading Jewish move-
ments.
Shaarey Zedek holds a place
of great honor in the Zionist
movement and in the establish-
ment of Israel. The late Rabbi
Abraham M. Hershman was a
pioneer Zionist, and members of
the congregation assisted him in
the advancement of Zionism.
Rabbi Morris Adler, with the
encouragement of the synagogue
membership, continued that tra-
dition.
With the establishment of Is-
rael, that activity again has been
translated into pragmatic terms.
The synagogue, as an entity, the
members, individually and collec-
tively, are among the leaders in
philanthropic tasks — assisting
newcomers who come to Israel,
and in Israel bond and other in-
vestment projects.
As a great spiritual force in
our community, Congregation
Shaarey Zedek remains the guid-
ing spirit in our ranks, and to-
gether with her sister congrega-
tions in Detroit this synagogue is
a motivating factor in creating
high standards for Jewish learn-
ing.
The synagogue's members
have been among the leaders in
Hebrew schools and Talmud To-
rahs, at the same time creating
and sustaining its own excellent
educational system.
The synagogue's Beth
Hayeled, the school for very
Rabbi Morris Adler
young children; its Hebrew and
Sunday schools, its adult educa-
tion programs — all have com-
bined to give Detroit Jewry a
high ranking idealism and ad-
vanced cultural values.
As Shaarey Zedek com-
mences its second century of
service to Jewry, it is construct-
ing a new synagogue in which
will be housed all of its spiritual
and cultural, as well as its many
social functions.
An entire community surely
wishes Shaarey Zedek well in its
great task of building a new
house of worship and study.
May the hands of its leaders
be strengthened. May the new
era augur well for this
Continued on Page 26
Books For Children Inspire Learning
Publishers with vision, with an
appreciation of the needs of the com-
munities they cater to, are increasing
their interests in a rising generation
whose response is vital to cultural needs.
Several Jewish publishing houses
are devoting an increasing concern in
the youth and are publishing books with
Jewish content.
This interest is not limited to Jewish
publishers. Others have begun to share
such interests.
Because books with Jewish themes,
devoted to history, the Bible, the com-
munities they live in, fulfill approaches
to cultural needs, these trends are vital
to the aims of encouraging learning. Be-
cause they have the duty to inspire the
desired readership, adults as well as
children benefit from such developments.
Parents are never hurt when they read
books of Jewish interest to and with
their children. They become partners in
the learning process.
Holidays are occasions for producing
children's books and Kar-Ben Copies is
consistent in such a pursuit. For Succot,
Kar-Ben has already issued two attrac-
tive children's books. One, in a format
always popular, is Let's build a Succah.
It is a colored board book and is certain
to charm the very young. On hard card
boards, totalling 12 pages, this little
book tells the Succot story, encourages
building the succah and has the addi-
tional value in the beautiful illustra-
tions. Katherine Janus Kahn wrote the
text, and produced the pictures. Even the
brief explanatory lines tell the desired
story.
Kar-Ben's second Succot book, The
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
BIG Succah, written by Peninnah
Schram, with photos by Jacqueline
Kahane, is in larger paperback form.
The process of building a succah inspires
interest in the festival, an invitation to
family and neighbors to join in dedicat-
ing it and celebrating the festival in it.
It is a way of encouraging interest in the
holiday by children.
Bible Stories
Bible stories always encourage re-
sort to its texts by publishers. It is no
surprise, therefore, that one of the coun-
try's leading publishers should have
utilized the theme for a noteworthy chil-
dren's book.
Doubleday's one minute Bible
Stories: Old Testament is especially
exemplary in welcoming treatment of
the Bible for tales selected for children.
Adapted by Shaari Lewis, well-
known as author, puppeteer and sym-
phony conductor, and illustrated by C. S.
Ewing, 20 Bible stories, each in one-
minute format, reconstruct the Scrip-
tural texts.
A vast field is covered here. Com-
mencing with Adam and Eve, the major
Bible personages•are included: Noah and
the Ark, Joseph and his wonderful coat,
Moses, parting of the Red Sea, Joshua
and the walls of Jericho, Samson and
Delilah, the wisdom of Solomon, Jonah,
Job and Daniel are among the subjects
covered.
Gerry Matthews assisted in research
for this excellent and inspirational col-
lection of Bible stories.
UAHC Bible Stories
Pursuing an urgent need of
encouraging Bible reading and stories to
be shared by parents with their children,
another form of interest in Scriptures is
provided again by the Union of Ameri-
can Hebrew Congregations.
In Bible Stories for Little Children
first published in 1955 and now reissued
in revised form, Betty R. Hollander suc-
ceeds in treating parent and youth with
27 stories. Illustrations are by Lee Dear-
son and there is charm in these stories.
Rabbi Daniel B. Syme, who directed
the publishing of many UAHC children's
books, wrote the introduction to this
book. Starting with Noah's Ark, the
tales selected include the very impres-
sive in the Bible texts, continuing until
Moses blesses Joshua.
A Chanukah Treat
With Chanukah approaching, there
will surely be many Festival of Lights
treats for young readers.
From Kar-Ben Copies, the pub-
lishers who keep enriching the children's
bookshelves, comes one of the first such
treats. Its Nathan's Chanukah Bargain
is a delight. It tells about a youth who
shares with a grandparent a desire to go
shopping and bargaining for a menorah.
The way the bargaining was con-
ducted with a merchant has humorous
notes. The introduction is a reminder of
how grandfather, who accompanies
Nathan while making the purchase, is a
reminder of the manner in which bar-
Continued on Page 26