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(Next Door To Alvin's) COME SEE OUR ADDITIONAL LINES AND LARGER SHOWROOM CALL US AT 6472888 AND LET US BRING SPRING INTO YOUR HOME TODAY AA Pp hAAPr.1-1_1 Preserving Book Readership PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor Emeritus I n the revered Sefer Hasidim, the multiple parables and proverbs encourage learning and respect for books and their authors. It is noteworthy with respect to the Chasidim re- ferred to here, that there is a historic item worth sharing. In the Encyclopedia of Judaism edited by Geoffrey Wigoder (McMillan), we are provided with the following facts: JUDAH HE-HASID The most important thinker in the main school of Haside Ashkenaz. Judah insisted that a writer should never acknowledge the author- ship of his works, so as to prevent him and his descendants from taking pride in them. All his works, therefore, do not bear his name, a fact which poses difficult bibliograph- ical problems. He composed an exten- sive commentary on the prayers, which was in- tended as a polemic against any change in the traditional version of the prayers, but only some quotations have survived. His son testified that in the weeks in which he died he wrote two folios in `Sefer Hasidim.' This work, which deals with all aspects of human life, reflects Judah's wish, probably never realized, to create a pietistic movement of Jews com- pletely dedicated to the religious and ethical commandments, who would segregate them- selves from the non- Chasidic communities and create an elite, led by the Wise (he-Hakham). Because of the importance attached here to the Sefer Hasidim, it is necessary to quote those admonitions to this important work: If a drop of ink fell at the same time on your book and on your coat, clean first the book and then the garment. If you drop gold and books, pick up first the books and then the gold. Books are made for use, not to be hidden away. Books must be treated with respect. Because of the seriousness with which books are treated here, we feel compelled to turn back the pages of The Jewish News to mid-Novem- ber to read again an observa- tion about our recent annual Jewish Book Fair. In his report about it, Manag- ing Editor Phil Jacobs sounded a warning: Ms. Yashinsky, the Book Fair chairman, has the nation's finest Jewish au- thors coming to Detroit to speak and to sign their books .. . But when Ms. Yashinsky leans back and looks around at a Book Fair lec- ture, or when she pours through stacks of books in the lobbies, she notices a trend that disturbs her. The lectures and book signings are not short of people; they're just long on senior citizens and young mothers with chil- dren .. . "You mention the words Book Fair and the younger adults think of it as an old person's disease," she said. Ms. Yashinsky added that besides taking a look at the speakers the Book Fair is bringing in, she is also going to try to learn if there are certain time slots for speakers when younger adults might be more inclined to attend. A compliment is due here to the leadership that treats The readership of Jewish books has fallen to a very low level. our needs earnestly. We are obligated to ascertain that neither books nor authors are treated casually. We must admit that both are more than ignored than treated with respect. We must admit that there is a lessening of reading which causes a reduction of knowl- edge about themselves with emphasis on the younger among us. All that is necessary for a confirmation of this accusa- tion is to turn to the publishers for facts. Wayne State University Press is ex- emplary. In the past decade more than a score of Jewish titles were produced by it. How many acquired them? The reportedly limited numbers indicate the few who learned from them. Take as an example the immense United States Jewry by the revered scholar Dr. Jacob R. Marcus. The se- cond of his four volume achievement is due off the press soon. The predicted distribution so far is so min- iscule that it is shameful. The mere mention of this indictment must be treated as a continuing appeal for increased knowledge to ob- viate ignorance. The need for knowledge is more urgent now as a defense for Jewish honorable existence. We need strength to overcome growing anti- Semitism everywhere. We need knowledgeability to overcome the prejudices ex- tant against Israel in the media. The Detroit Free Press provides proof of bias. It proved in another edito- rial that required fairness which was lacking in its comment on Dec.24. This is an appeal to reason. I have kept making appeals for knowledge of our position and the need for strong self- defense. I repeat it anew to ascertain courage and dig- nity by an elimination of ig- norance. Learning Lessons Questions, Answers Students of Jewish history are provided with an over- whelming number of corn- mitments to a continuity of preserved commentaries made available by concerned scholars and publishers. Traditional topics are fin- ding renewed interest in available volumes, negating excuses for failure to keep reading and studying. A lesson is contained in the Responsa Anthology (from Aronson) by Avraham Yackov Finkel. The very title of the book compels an emphasis on one of the most exciting means to acquire Jerwish knowledge dating back to the earliest times of disputable rabbinic exchanges. Responsa is the modern term applied to the ter- minology that began as she'alot u'teshuvot — ques- tions and answers. Mr. Finkel has assembled lasting exchanges by the most eminent scholars of the last 10 centuries on major problems confronting Jews throughout the world. With the basic questions and an- swers available in English, the English-speaking Jewish communities are provided with understanding of challenges that puzzle many. The Finkel accumulation of questions that demand re- sponses is a veritable lit- erary treasure. 1