PURELY COMMENTARY
Yiddish Folksongs
Continued from Page 2
Folksongs there is this comment:
Emma Lazaroff Schaver —
opera and folk singer, writer
and performer of many Ma'asim
Tovim (good deeds). Chairman
of the public committee for the
publication of the Anthology of
Yiddish Folksongs. Born in 1905
in the Ukraine, educated in
Detroit, Mich., Emma Schaver
absorbed not only American
culture, but also Yiddish
culture. She studied music and
became a well-known opera
singer. Her love for Yiddish
literature and folklore led to her
Abba Kovner
unique devotion to Yiddish
folksongs which she recorded
and propagated in many coun-
tries. She always included some
Yiddish songs in her repertorie
of public concern. In 1946, when
the enormity of the Holocaust
became known, Emma Schaver
went to Europe as a U.N.R.W.A.
officer, together with the famous
Yiddish poet H. Lewick.
This briefly introduces the
distinguished co-sponsor of these im-
mense anthologies.
Thus, a great aim has been achiev-
ed. A great contribution has been made
to music and the publishing field has
been enriched. World Jewry is indebted
to the Hebrew University and its
scholarly collaborators for perpetuating
these treasures.
Children's Books
Continued from Page 2
the Jordan — and two big lakes
— the Kinneret and the Dead
Sea.
• The climate is warm and
dry, like the climate of southern
California. But the winters are
often rainy and chilly.
• Over four million people
live in Israel.
• The government is a
parliamentary republic, with a
president, prime minister, one
house of representatives (the
Knesset), and at least 20 political
parties.
40
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1988
But this "catalog" is much more. It
depicts Israel's way of life and leads up
to it with an analysis of the Zionist
ideal and a history of development. It
shares the historic with the per-
sonalities and the manner of introduc-
ing them is fascinating. For example, in
the contents here is how a number of
the pioneering leaders are described in
their way of directing their people
towards national rebirth:
Zionism's Construction
Crew: The Simple, Old Man:
Aaron David Gordon; Marathon
Man: Theodor Herzl; The Great
Persuader: Chaim Weizmann;
Rabbi on Muleback: Abraham
Isaac Kook; The Big Talker:
David Ben-Gurion; The Mother
of Israel: Henrietta Szold; She
Knew What She Wanted: Rahel
Yanait Ben-Zvi; The Rebel:
Vladimir Jabotinsky; She
Fought for Peace: Golda Meir.
The way Israelis live, how they cook
and what they eat, how they build and
how they educate — they are all in this
magnificent 280-page book.
The illustrations are as impressive
as the test is thrilling.
Intended for the 8-to-12 age group,
the book is for the family. There are
topics such as language and alphabet
and the sources of Hebrew and its cur-
rent usage.
Chava Burstein includes the ar-
cheological factor into her extensively-
treated historic subjects. There is so
much to emphasize in this JPS book
that such treatment becomes difficult
in a brief review, except to state that the
volume assumes an encyclopedic aspect.
The illustrations are worth studying,
each representing an experience in
Israel's history.
Therefore, the recommendation is
that this catalog for children be utiliz-
ed by readers of all ages. When sear-
ching for facts about Israel and her
history and traditions, this volume will
provide fulfillment in research to a high
degree.
Children's Tour Guide
Also An Inspiration
To Parental Readers
As already indicated, properly writ-
ten informative children's books are
also valuable for parental reading. Once
again, such an inspiration is in Kids-
Love Israel — Israel Loves Kids: A
Travel Guide for Families (Kar-Ben
Copies). The title at once presents the
guide with an intention for family
usage. The author, Barbara Sofer, per-
forms the task splendidly and the many
illustrations multiply the aim of en-
thusing traveler and reader. The many
maps are additionally valuable for the
intended purpose.
Understandably, and as is to be ex-
pected, all the elements involved in
tourism are included here. It is the emo-
tional, the enthusiasm, the historical
account all assembled for the purpose
of inspiring the tourist, that make this
an impressive work.
That this guide has children in view
to commence with is its special glory.
Now is a time to encourage more
tourism to Israel. This guide book
assists in encouraging it.
Noteworthy Treasure:
Noah Story Portrayed
Genuine fascination and marvelous
reciting of a Bible story is provided in
Noah and the Ark by Pauline Baynes
(Henry Holt Co.). It is a volume of
marvelous paintings by the author and
illustrator who tells the Noah story in
strict adherence to the Bible text. Yet,
as she tells it, it is a popularization that
will thrill the young reader.
While reciting the story of the flood
and the promise of non-recurrence, the
reader watches as the illustrator shows
all creatures being assembled for reten-
tion for all time. It is the Bible tale, and
as portrayed here it becomes a contem-
porary one. With the paintings, it is
presented as a great gift to the reader.
The reader is in possession of a literary
treasure that is popular yet textually
original.
There is true devotion and a
remarkable message in this story and
the reader would do well to read it
together with the original Bible text.
The author of Noah and the Ark
reiterates this message:
Then God said to Noah and
to his sons with him. "Behold, I
establish my covenant with you
and your descendants after you,
and with every living creature
that is with you, the birds, the
cattle, and every beast of the
earth with you, as many as came
out of the ark. I establish my
coventant with you, that never
again shall all flesh be cut off by
the waters of a flood, and never
again shall there be a flood to
destroy the earth."
And God said, "This is the
sign of the covenant which I
make between me and you and
every living creature that is with
you, for all future generations: I
set my bow in the cloud, and it
shall be a sign of the covenant
between me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the
earth and the bow is seen in the
clouds, I will remember my
covenant which is between me
and you and every living
creature of all flesh; and the
waters shall never again
become a flood to destroy . all
flesh."
As suggested earlier, when a story
is so well told and portrayed in great
art, the book intended for young readers
becomes the gift to readers of all ages.
Such is the lesson from Pauline Baynes'
Noah and the Ark. She has enriched the
Scriptural bookshelf.
.
Dramatizing The Bible
For Young Readers
Continuing its publishing tasks
aimed at providing Scriptural teachings
for the youth, the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations has added
another volume of Bible stories to its
previous books.
Bible Stories for Little Children is
the third volume in a series authored
by Betty R. Hollender. The text invites
added interest in the illustrations by
Martin Lemelman.
An important purpose is served in
these little books. In the 65 pages are
thrilling stories about our Bible heroes.
David, Elijah, Prophet Amos, Hosea,
Jeremiah, and King Zedekia are among
those included here. The holidays also
are among the subjects dealt with.
An old story, perhaps relating to all
experienced lessons in Jewish history
dating back to King Zedekiah and Pro-
phet Jeremiah, is worth quoting. This
is how Betty Hollender narrates it in
this little book:
Jeremiah Buys A Field
One day, Zedekiah was sit-
ting on his throne. The priests
came to see him. "0 king," they
said. "Do something about
Jeremiah." "What has Jeremiah
done now?" asked the king.
"Jeremiah has bought a field,"
answered the priests. "Yester-
day he said, 'The Bablonians
will conquer us. They will take
us all to Babylon with them: To-
day he buys a field. Why does he
buy a field if we are going to live
in Babylon? Why does he buy a
field which he cannot use? Does
Jeremiah not believe his own
words?" said the priest. "We
don't know what to think. The
people will not know what to
think. Do something about
Jeremiah. Do it now:' "Send
Jeremiah to me," said the king.
"I will do something about him
right now:"
The priests brought
Jeremiah to the king. "What do
you mean?" said Zedekiah.
"What do you mean by buying
a field now, when the Babylo-
nians are all around us? The
Babylonians will conquer us.
You said so yourself. What will
you do with your field than?"
"The Babylonians will conquer
us," said Jeremiah. "They will
burn our land. They will take us
away from our homes. We will
not live in Jerusalem anymore.
But after a while the people will
change their ways. They will
remember God again. God will
remember them. They will
return to this land. God will
bring them back to this land
and back to their lovely
Jerusalem. I bought a field to
teach them this lesson. God may
punish us, but God will not
forget us. God will not forget us
if we remember God:'
Zedekiah began to cry. "Oh,
Jeremiah, I don't want to be
punished. If only we had listen-
ed. If only we had listened to the
word of God:' But did Zedekiah
pray to Adonai? Oh, no. He went
right on strengthening the city.
"Jeremiah may be clever;' said
Zedekiah, "but Nebuchadnezzar
may not understand the word of
God. We shall need soldiers and
weapons to save Jerusalem:'
Bible Stories for Little Children is a
small book but a good one. UAHC earns
renewed commendations for providing
such literature for the youth.