Jewish Life February 1954

Can Zionists Unite?

In the Path of Hirsch Orthodoxy and Community Relations Israel Battles Power Politics How Do We Know?

Shabbos Was No Checkmate TALMUDIC GEMS RECORDINGS IN REVIEW

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Saul B ernstein , Editor M. Morton Hubenstein D r. E ric Offbnbacher R euben Gross R abbi S. J . S harpman

Editorial Associate*

Seymour R osenberg

Assistant Editor

Cover by P aul H ausdorfp Inside Illustrations by N orman N odel

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• EDITORIALS Hollyw ood ' s new c o d E;;. yesh M'AYiN

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• ARTICLES : IN PURSUIT OF ZIONIST UNITY«J,' ^ S fe # j 6 Nathaniel Zelikow ' -TO KNOW OR TO REASON Henry Siegman GENIUS OF THE CHESSBOARD ‘16 Harold U. Ribalow KIBYA AN© THE UNITED NATIONS 21 I. Halevy-Levin ORTHODOXY AND' COMMUNITY RELATIONS ■ ■ ■ ^ * - " 3 0 Victor B. Geller THE DISCIPLES X liji: % 39 T. Grunfeld

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THE NIGHT MY FATHER CRIED Abraham Aaron Weiss

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• ON THE JEWISH RECORD M j S p i H ^ p i 47 Published by U nion op Orthodox J ewish Congregations op A merica Max J. Etra President Rabbi H. S. Goldstein, Wil­ liam B. Herlands, Samuel Nirenstein, William Weiss, Honorary Presidents: Benja­ min Koeniffsbergr, Benjamin Mandelker, M. Morton Rubenstein, Vice - P residents; Joseph Schlansr, Secretary; M. Kenneth Gross, Treasurer; Saul Bernstein, Adm inistrator

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rffttcH# Out CcntritnttcrA NATHANIEL ZELIKOW, a practicing attorney, is a national Vice President of Hapoel Hamizrachi of America. He was a delegate to the recent American Zionist Assembly and was a member of the Hapoel Hamizrachi delegation to the TwentyThird Zionist Congress which took place in Israel. He is also active in Young Israel. *

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DAYAN IS ADORE GRUNFELD is a rabbi and a lawyer, and a member of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregation of the British Commonwealth and Empire. His publications include works on re­ ligion, law and economics. *

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HAROLD U. RIBALOW, a popular contributor 'to periodicals dealing with

subjects of Jewish and general interest, was formerly managing editor of Con­ gress Weekly and The American Zionist. He is a frequent contributor to J E W I S H L if e . *

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I. HALEVY-LEVIN is the Israel correspondent of J E W I S H *

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RABBI HENRY SIEGMAN is currently serving as chaplain at Fort Leonard Wood. Shortly after his ordination at Mesivta Torgh Vodaath, he volunteered for the chaplaincy, and had the distinction of being the youngest chaplain in the United States armed forces. *

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VICTOR B. GELLER received a Master's Degree in Community Organization from Yeshiva University, after previously having attended New York University, City College and Cornell University. He is Director of Community Activities of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. During World War II he served as a combat intelligence scout in the U.S|. Army. *

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ABRAHAM AARON WEISS is the librarian of the Ramaz School. He studied

at Yeshiva University, the City College of New York and r e c e i v e d a Master's De­ gree from Columbia University.

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Jewish LIFE

HOLLYWOOD'S NEW CODE TEWS HAVE cause to be especially concerned with the pending revision ^ of the Hollywood film industry's self-imposed “code of morality." Be­ yond all other mass media, the motion picture, radio and television exert a pervasive influence on the standards, habits and outlook of everyone.

Inevitably, they both m irror and project the moral and cultural premises of the dominant elements of the general populace. As a small minority group, Jewry is at a disadvantage in endeavoring to perpetuate its own distinctive moral outlook in the face of so compelling a force.

Judaism plays no part in shaping the moral climate of Hollywood's product, but it experiences a full share of the consequences. Every time a Jew steps into a movie house or switches on the radio or TV, there pours upon him a conglomeration of fare conditioned towards, or in un­ spoken reaction against, the Christian scale of values. The few occasional features which deal with Jewish themes are usually themselves assimi­ lated to a non-Jewish outlook. They serve only to further emphasize the de-Judaizing impact of these mass media as a whole.

JN ITIA L reports as to the proposed revisions indicate that Hollywood codifiers are not now concerned, any more than before, with the ulti­ mate moral impact of their offerings. “There will be no basic changes in the code," it is stated; the motion picture industry Quid simply seeks to bring its code into better alignment Pro with the “changed public attitude" on some moral Quo? issues. One may suspect that Hollywood also finds it politic to adjust to a changed balance of sectarian in­ fluence. Today the city, with its wTell-organized Roman Catholic element, predominates in influence over the rural area, with its prevalent evan­ gelical Protestantism. Is Hollywood contemplating a quid pro quo: more, still more, sectarian presentations, in return for the choice privilege of relaxing bans on drinking and profanity?

The situation, from the Jewish point of view, is not promising. Ul­ timately, however, it may prove a blessing in disguise. If the realm of “canned" entertainment overreaches itself by offering a still more exaggerated pattern of lust, violence and overt missionarizing, Jews will be compelled to face the danger. The necessity will be realized to build an inward defence.

Jan. - Feb., 1954

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T H E NEED for “canned” entertainment grows or diminishes in proportion to the capacity to acquire stimulus and recreation in the liv­ ing environment. Jewish life offers an inexhaustible New Contexto abundance of satisfying experience. A fuller particiOId pation in Jewish living will automatically lessen the Lesson attraction of the synthetic substitute, and will reduce its impact qualitatively as well as quantitatively.

This is an old lesson in a new context. Israel has endured by develop­ ing the capacity to transcend the pull of the outward environment. A life centered on Jewish values becomes impervious to those of the out­ side world. Hollywood offers a warning that the lesson applies in full measure today. American Jews must not be slow to learn it.

YESH M'AYIN T jA D ANYONE declared, in 5704 -1942, that within the following * * decade 134 Jewish Day Schools would be newly established in the United States, he would very likely have been branded as the proverbial irresponsible fool or idle dreamer. Yet within the past ten years pre­ cisely that number of Yeshivoth Ketanoth have been launched, have survived the initial battle for life and are functioning with indisputable success.

This accomplishment looms very large amidst the significant facts of our time. We Jews have learned, at considerable expense, the de­ cisive importance of practical accomplishment in fundamental fields.

The Day School achievement parallels, in that respect, that of the pioneer settlers and chalutzim of Eretz Yisroel. In both cases, the accomplish­ ment was not only good in itself, but also counteracted dire evils and best of all made possible still greater good, conditioning the whole sphere of Jewish life.

T H E Day School movement, a revolution in American Jewish education, ^ owes nothing to the “non-sectarian” Jewish educational agencies. It has sprung up among the “grass roots” of American Jewry. Ignored by the financial organs of the community, it has been upFrom held by the rank-and-file of American Jews. The Day the School movement has found dedicated and able leaderGrass ship, however, in three voluntary organizations — Roots Torah Umesorah, Vaad Haehinuch Hacharedi and Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch.

These organizations go about their consecrated task with a notable absence of the plush trimmings characteristic of other communal agen­ cies. They have achieved, quietly, record results. The character of their 4

Jewish LIFE

accomplishment is indicated in a modest twelve-page pamphlet, “The Presidents Report, 1953/” recently issued by Torah Umesorah. Says the Report: “In 1942, there were only 33 Hebrew Day Schools in America, only 7 of which were outside of New York City! Today, thank G-d, there are 167 Hebrew Day Schools in America, 88 of which are outside of New York City, in 69 communities in 24 States ! In its nine years of existence, Torah Umesorah was instrumental in establishing 56 Hebrew Day Schools across the country . . . .”

The wor,k of Torah Umesorah, Vaad Hachinuch Hacharedi and Merkos L'inyonei Chinuch goes far beyond the establishment of schools.

They have had to create the instruments whereby the schools function, train and place the teachers and furnish an abundance of indispensable services. They have, in short, achieved yesh m’ayin in the field of Jewish education. In contrast, the many times greater expenditures of non­ orthodox education agencies have yielded a barren ayin m’yesh — the Sunday School.

T H E Day School, as “The President's Report” notes, has “forced recognition of itself as a dynamic and growing force.” The attitude of non-orthodox educational circles has changed from instinctive hostility to grudging acceptance. Elements once distant from Dynamic the Day School scene are today, in fact, hastening, to Force jump on the bandwagon. The Jewish Education Cotfrmittee of New Yor,k., for example, has established a Yeshivah Department which offers services to Day Schools. The publicly supported educational agencies have learned that they need the Day Schools; but do the Day Schools need them? In the long run, can the Day School movement afford to become dependent upon agencies which ori­ ginally looked at them askance, but which now seek to capitalize on the growing repute and dynamic impetus of the Day School movement?

T H E Day School movement can find true leadership only among the circles which value the Yeshivah Ketanah for its own sake. Torah Umesorah, and Vaad Hachinuch Hacharedi and Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch, moved by a single-minded passion for Torah-true education, have nur­ tured the Day School movement through its birth pangs and infancy; They may be depended upon to serve as its fit guardian in the period of still greater accomplishment which, with G-d’s help, now lies ahead.

Jan.

Feb., 1954

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In Pursuit o f Zionist Unity

By N A T H A N IE L ZELIKOW p R O M December 5th through the 7th, some four hundred dele­ gates, representing all the eight Zionist parties in the United States, met together at the Hotel Roose­ velt in New York City in the F irst National American Zionist Assem­ bly. The deliberations covered the currently pressing problems which are common to all parties in the Zionist movement. The call for the assembly issued from the American Zionist Council, the organ which represents all American Zionist parties in the field of public rela­ tions. The composition of the as­ sembly, and the areas of discussion were unanimously arrived at in ad­ vance by agreement of all the par­ ties. These deliberations were dir­ ected in four main areas : (1) Pub­ lic relations; (2) Zionist interest in Jewish education; (3) Commu­ nity relations; and (4) Zionist in­ terest in Youth.

Although the meeting in com­ mon assembly of all the diverse Zionist parties was in itself a mile­ stone, the underlying purpose of the assembly was not too clear, even to its sponsors. As they themselves put it they were “feeling their way.” Consciously or unconsciously, it appeared to be part of the search for a new orientation of Zionist ac­ tivity which some of the parties are 6

groping for and which was not ef­ fectively realized by the decisions of the last (23rd) Zionist Congress in Jerusalem. This failure, in great degree, was due to the opposition of the majority (Zionist Organiza­ tion of America and Hadassah) of the American delegates to the ad­ option of a positive dynamic pro­ gram. That Congress, it will be re­ called, sought a substitute goal for the Basle Program, which had en­ visioned primarily the creation of a political State. The State had bebecome a reality! What now was to become the fate of the instrument­ ality that it brought into being?

Were there still unrealized goals for Zionism? Did its ideology re­ quire new content ? ^ ^ N E OF the primary aims of the last Zionist Congress was to furnish the answers to these and similar queries, by the adoption of a proposed “Jerusalem Program.”

The content of this program had been given long and careful thought by the parties and by the Zionist Actions Committee in preparation for the Congress. It is now history that this program was not adopted.

The rock which broke the plow­ share was the fundamental ques­ tion : What, if any, should be the degree of self-identification of the Jewish LIFE

Zionist outside of Israel with the State of Israel? To the religious faction, Hapoel Hamizrachi-Mizrachi, this posed no difficulty, since Torah-faith requires self-identifi­ cation with the land of Israel and ultimate self-redemption through the State of Israel. The majority, sparked by the American delega­ tion, however, favored the position of the ’General Zionists who strong­ ly opposed self-identification. No agreement for a dynamic platform with the stature of the Basle Pro­ gram could be achieved. Thus, in­ stead of the Jerusalem Program, the Congress was forced to accept a watery resolution as to the future “tasks” of Zionism. These “tasks” were vaguely to help foster the strengthening of Israel; the ingath­ ering of the exiles; and the unity of the Jewish people.

It became clear that the course adopted, in effect, insured no united future course for Zionism. It left each party to chart its own path.

It became equally clear that the socalled crisis in Zionism was far from being solved.

The result of this lack of pro­ phetic perspective might have been anticipated. Since the meeting of the last Congress the over-all or­ ganized Zionist membership, which had begun to wither away with the close of the War of Liberation and the creation of the State, continued to fall off like dry leaves before an autumn wind. It was undoubtedly the hope of some of the sponsors of the Zionist Assembly that the gathering would serve to rekindle the enthusiasm of American Jewry for the Zionist ideal. It was hoped Jan. - Feb,, 1954

that by finding a basis upon which to broaden the unified activities of all Zionist parties a new content and goal might be given to Zion­ ism for those parties which had be­ come empty of individual dynamic goals. This was probably one of the prime reasons for the Assembly call.

AN OTHER force pulling for the assembly was political. This also had its roots in the fact of the creation of the State. The Zionist movement developed historically as a multi-party movement. Each party had an individual program and planted its separate banner at each World Congress. The common goal, ^the ultimate creation of a poli­ tical State, was usually the only common denominator among the parties. Thus, “the State in the making” as Herzl defined political Zionism, prior to its coming into being already possessed the politi­ cal ingredients of a democratic s ta t e M numerous political parties.

When the State passed from the potential into the realm of the ac­ tual, some exponents of Zionism be­ gan to advance the theory that poli­ tical parties in the lands outside of Israel should be abolished, and that the Zionist organization outside of Israel should become a unified in­ strument generally supporting the activities of the State. This idea was most intensely expressed by David Ben-Gurion, for instance, at a meeting he had in New York with the delegates-designate prior to the last World Congress. The proposal, of course* was put on somewhat simple theoretic grounds. Before 7

the reality of the State the Zionist movement acted as the State. Poli­ tical activity, however, after the establishment of the Medinah, was the exclusive realm of the inhabit­ ants of the State, and those in the Goluth who wished to be heard could move over to Israel where, by the right of resident citizenship, they could be represented through a party.

TT IS apparent that this theory was deeply tempered by practi­ cal political considerations. BenGurion was the head of Mapai, the largest political party in Israel. His leadership of that party also gained him the premiership. Outside of Is­ rael the Ichuid (counterpart of M apai; — in America, Poale Zion) is a distinct minority. To Ben-Gurion and Mapai, a situation where the policies of the major party in Israel are not supported, and indeed on many scores opposed, by the Zionist parties in the Goluth who constitute the majority, was an in­ tolerable position. Especially was this feeling enhanced by the strong suspicion on Ben-Gurion’s part that the failure of Mapai to win an ab­ solute m ajority in the Israeli elec­ tions for the Knesseth was in large measure due to the support given to the opposition parties, particu­ larly the General Zionists, by par­ ties in the United States.

Consequently, only one practical solution was indicated: Zionist poli­ tical parties outside of Israel had to be abolished. Ben-Gurion began to exert all his personal persuasive powers toward the creation of a 8

federation of all Zionist bodies, es­ pecially in the United States, as a first step toward the liquidation of separate party status in the Golah.

The federation question hovered in the background of the last Zion­ ist Congress. The majority of the Congress parties, led by the over­ whelming number of the United States delegations, insured the fact that no federation plan was to be adopted. On theoretic grounds this group maintained that creation of the State did not in any way dimin­ ish from the central idea of a uni­ versal Jewish people. The Jewish people were not frozen into the in­ dividuals who at any one time would inhabit the geographic area called “Israel.” The Jewish people as a whole had an inalienable right to express its support of its counter­ part parties in Israel in any terms available and in such spheres in which it was competent to act.

T H E RELIGIOUS parties for their part toojk their stand behind the old line established by Rabbi Reines, who had responded to a plea for a unity of religious Zionists through the liquidation of their separate status in the Congress, in this man­ ner: The religious symbol of unity is the combination of ethrog and lulov. These are bound together in performing the Mitzvah. However, the ethrog is held in a hand separ­ ate from that of the lulov, albeit both hands are put together in pro­ nouncing the blessing Religious Zionists could work within the framework of a World Congress as a separate party, together with their Jewish LIFE

Among Zionist leaders attending the American Zionist Assembly were Rabbi Mordecai Kirshblum (Mizrachi), third from left in the front row; and Rabbis I. B. Rose and Issachar Levin (Hapoel Hamizrachi), fourth and fifth from left in second row.

fellow Zionists, but could not work for Israel as part of a federation generally supporting the policies of the State, e.g., the ruling govern­ ment of the State. Such a govern­ ment might be deaf to religious principle, and under such circum­ stances should not be in a position to demand the loyalty of religious Jews. The General Zionist groups for their p art wished to work for free enterprise and to bring effect­ ive pressure to bear on the United States to that end. Joining a feder­ ation which might mute their prac­ tical expression in this respect, would not serve their purpose. Gen­ erally supporting the incumbent la­

bor regime would stymie such ef­ forts.

All in all, the result was that no federation plan was forthcoming from the Congress.

TJOWEVER, the proponents of ^ this plan, especially the Israel­ is, have never given up the hope of effectuating federation in America.

At every propitious opportunity Ben-Gurion has been thumping for its adoption, both in public and in private. It is reported that he has sat in long, arduous discussion ses­ sions with the individual leaders of American Zionism and has partly won over some.

It is believed that the recent transfer of limited functions by the American section of the Jewish Agency for Israel to the American Zionist Council, in the field of edu­ cation and youth, was a first step toward iqaking the American Zion­ ist Council, in which all Zionist parties are represented, the instru­ mentality for the creation of an American Zionist Federation. It seems more than coincidence that the areas of discussion planned for the first American Zionist Assem­ bly by the American Zionist Coum cil, the parent sponsoring body, largely revolved about these two items. Education and youth are pre­ cisely the spheres which the spon­ sors of the federation idea foresee as the permissive activity of a fed­ eration in the United States, to the exclusion of all other activities.

It seems more than likely that a great deal of the motivation for the calling of the Assembly originally stemmed from the desire of the ad­ vocates of the federation principle to slowly enlarge the powers and activities of a unified Zionist body in the United States to the point of making individual parties and party programs superfluous. The ul­ timate planning of the Assembly program and the agreement of the parties to avoid controversial top­ ics left no place on the scheduled agenda for discussion of this idea.

The shadow of Kibya which arose subsequent to the Assembly call ruled out fundamentally controver­ sial matters.

In passing it might be noted that the danger lies in the fact that the advocates of federation may yet ac­ 10

complish their purpose without ever directly raising the issue. Should the American Zionist parties com­ pletely commit their energies to the minimal program on which all are united, and should they assign the genius of their leadership wholly to carrying out these unified ends, then little effort, money or man­ power may remain effectively to continue party organization and" programs, however meritorious they may be.

■PHIS observer, then, believes that the f oregoing were the two main root motivations responsible for the Assembly call. Neither, of course, is openly acknowledged by its pro­ ponents. The Kibya incident, com­ ing as it did while the Assembly was in its planning stage, fortified the general need for an Assembly of American Zionists. The incident showed up great gaps in the fabric of Zionist public relations. In spite of the competent efforts of the Am­ erican Zionist Council as it now functions, a prompt rebuttal to the barrage of Arab propaganda charges was not made as effective nationally as it could have been.

Thus, in addition to education and youth, public relations became an important agenda item of the As­ sembly. At the last minute too, the question of community relations was also added.

However absorbing is an analysis of the forces that shaped the policy of convening an Assembly, it must be recorded that its accomplish­ ments were positive. As already noted, the urgency of finding how to prevent a future situation in public Jewish LIFE

relations similar to that revealed by the success of the anti-Israel Kibya propaganda dominated the thinking of the delegates. This act­ ed as a deterrent to long-range thinking on substantive problems.

Within this limitation, however, the Assembly served to reawaken Zion* ist feeling throughout the country.

TN THE main, each of the Zionist parties delegated men and women from their higher echelons as their representatives to the Assembly.

The specific resolutions adopted were secondary to the spirit engen­ dered and the emotional reaffirma­ tion to Zionism attained by the As­ sembly. It is, therefore, not my ob­ ject to review these resolutions which were carried in ‘ the daily press. The concrete accomplish­ ments of the Assembly can best be measured by the ability of the Zion­ ists of various hues of thought to meet together and arrive at unani­ mous decisions designed to stimu­ late mutual activity in the United States. It is also clear that while organized Zionists may have lost some fair weather members during the past several years, the smaller membership is compensated for by the intellectual level of those re­ maining loyal to the movement. rPHE ASSEMBLY revealed that A the hard core of thinking Zion­

ists are still concerned about Israel and the idea of Jewish Peoplehood.

Without specifically spelling it out, the discussions on Jewish educa­ tion, for example, showed that Zion­ ists generally were again moving closer to the idea of the centrality of Israel in Jewish culture, religion, and Jewish education. The danger of creating two separate camps among the Jewish people was also empha­ sized. Substantive differences be­ tween those domiciled in Israel and Jews elsewhere could not be accept­ ed. These ideas carry within them the seeds for deeper Zionist expres­ sion and broader activity.

While, then, the Assembly did not always come to grips with some of the reasons that lay behind the summoning of the Assembly, the decision to convene in the future similar periodic meetings gives hope that these problems will find final solution. The results of the Assembly offer every hope that the opportunity missed in Jerusalem to give new content to the Zionist idea will yet be rectified by American Zionists themselves. To religious Zionists, whose platform is that of maximum Zionism with Israel en­ joying the centrality endowed to it by the Torah, every substantive ad­ vance should be welcome.

Said Rabbi Yitzchok: "The one who mentions a righteous man without blessing him transgresses a positive Com* mandment for it is written, 'The memory oi the just is blessed '" (Proverbs 10:7)

Jan. - Feb., 1954

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By H E N R Y SIEGM AN T H E HISTORY of man’s thoughts and inner searchings is the his­ tory of an eternal quest for Truth.

Predominant in that historic quest is man’s search for knowledge of his Creator and an understanding of Him, resulting through religious experiences in the realization of certain responsibilities, of being part of a Divine plan.

But this age-old search for the Supreme is not, and has never been, spontaneous. From the re­ cord of human thought throughout the generations, it is evident that there has always been a “some­ thing” that has caused a turmoil of the mind, something that promp­ ted and forced the questions “who,” “what” and “why.” It is that “something,” I believe, that has been given the least consideration and has been unduly neglected in our attempt to answer the ques­ tions, doubts and difficulties that disturb our peace of mind.

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From the time of the ancient Greeks to our day, much of mankind has tried to proceed along the pain­ ful and difficult pilgrimage towards Truth by relying on mind, by rely­ ing on reason and rationale. This trend is obvious in Aristotelian thought and in the scholasticism of the Middle Ages, and it has been the basis of modern age thinking.

Some people are under the impres­ sion that today we no longer rely on reason, the Scientific Method be­ ing the criterion of knowledge. But we must not forget that this new criterion is only a method dictated by reason, being consistent with logic and rationale. Reason, there­ fore, has always been regarded as the jkey to knowledge.

IIT H A T is knowledge? When does an individual know? When does he reach the stage of having acquired a truth? No m atter what the system used in reaching a conJewish LIFE

elusion, whether it be trial and error or whether it be inductive or deductive reasoning, an individual will not say that he has grasped the truth until he feels that he h a s; until an inner conviction puts him at ease. For even if he complies with all the accepted methods and techniques of obtaining knowledge, if there still remains a doubt with­ in him, he has not reached the stage of “knowing.” He cannot truly say “I know this to be so!” If, for some reason, he still doubts, he will not be satisfied and claim that he knows something merely because he has used an accepted method. Knowing is a psychological state of the in­ dividual.

In most matters we can reach this state of knowing by employ­ ing our reason, our mind. Natural­ ly our mind may dictate the use of certain tests and experiments that will ultimately lead to our know­ ledge of certain matters. There is one instance, however, where mind alone cannot lead the individual to knowledge and that is our under­ standing of the Supreme Being.

This is in no way an underestim­ ation of man’s mind. Quite to the contrary. It is mind itself that dic­ tates this reasoning. Mind, like matter, is finite. Man, therefore, can only think in finite terms.

G-d, a Divinity, is infinite. A finite mind cannot fathom and un­ derstand an infinite concept. When we attempt to grasp the D ivinity with our fin ite minds, we are tak­ ing something formless and infinite and trying to force it into a frame.

It is for this reason that G-d can­ Jan': - Feb., 1954

The object of this article is not to “prove” the G-d concept, as its title may imply.

Quite to the contrary, it is here submitted that mahrs r e a s o n c a n n o t possibly “prove” the existence of a divinity. The object is to awaken within the reader an awareness of certain facul­ ties that man possesses. I be­ lieve that through an aware­ ness of these faculties man can come to the realization and better understanding of G-d. Man must “prove” G-d to himself. No one can do that f or him. — Author. not be “proven” by mind and rea­ son.

TT MAY therefore be asked, and 1 rightly so; if G-d, being an in­ finite concept, cannot be conceived by the mind through logical rea­ soning^ how is man expected to know Him? How can religion claim certain obligations and responsibi­ lities on our part? How can man worship G-d if he cannot under­ stand and fathom the infinite con­ cept of an Infinite Divinity?

In Bereyshith I ; 27, we read the following: And G-d created man in His own image, in the image of G-d created He him. I do not refer to this passage as a dogmatic state­ ment of fact, but rather because it expresses the answer to the above problem. What did the Torah mean when it said that man was created 13

in G-d’s image? Surely man was not created in G-d’s image in the physical sense. But we have here the suggestion that man was creat­ ed in the image of G-d’s infinity.

Besides his physical make-up man has been endowed by his Creator with a neshomah (spirit or soul) that is eternal and infinite in es­ sence. Man has been given this in­ finite soul by his Creator precisely because his finite mind does not enable him to conceive his infinite Creator. It is with this infinite and eternal soul that man is in com­ munion with G-d.

When, therefore, I say that I know this truth, that I know there is a G-d, I say this because, as I explained in the beginning of this article, I am in a “state of know­ ing,” having acquired an inner sat­ isfaction that man has when he ac­ quires a truth. If you as(k me how I know, how does anyone know that there is a G-d, the answer is that I know through this faculty which is my soul or my spirit. Man has to learn to recognize this faculty within himself.

Q N E MAY say that this is a very unscientific way of obtaining a truth, and that person will be right. We have not used the sci­ entific method. But we do not need the scientific method in this realm; it would not help us. Why has man devised the scientific method?

How does he know that his method will lead him to the truth ? The answer is that man is satisfied that he can find the truth when using 14

this method. The use of this meth­ od leaves no doubt.

But somehow, man can reach this state of knowing, this state of in­ ner satisfaction which does not leave doubt, without using any method of logical reasoning or of scientific process. Man knows be­ cause of his spirit or his soul with which he can commune with G-d, the Infinite, for his soul, too, is infinite and eternal. If man does have doubts and conflicts, it is in many cases the result of the prob­ lem which may be phrased as fol­ lows : “I somehow know or feel that there is a G-d but then I cannot prove his existence rational­ ly.” Man wonders from where he gets this knowledge; he wonders what impels him to this awareness of the Divinity, though rationally he has rejected any such concept.

The recognition of man’s soul will go a long way towards resolving the conflict.

J i T THE same time, let us not * underestimate the importance of reason. It is essential in all spheres of the individual’s experi­ ence, and even in the sphere of the spiritual it is reason that recog­ nizes its own shortcomings and makes possible the realization of the existence of man’s soul. It is reason that informs us that some­ times, because of our weaknesses, we want to overlook and deny our souls, our contact with the Divine.

The difficult task is for us to recon­ cile the two, the finite rationale with the infinite spiritual, within Jewish LIFE

us. One should supplement the other, not conflict with it.

Carrying this idea a little fu r­ ther, it is because of this conflict between the finite and the infinite and the resulting imperfect balance of the two, that we have different religions and different religious concepts. It is because of our attempt to take an infinite concept and push it into a finite framework of concepts, dogmas and rituals, that differences arise; for every­ one's framework is not the same.

Not that it is wrong to systema­ tize and ritualize religion, for rea­ son tells us that this is necessary in order to bring religion from the theoretical to the practical sphere

of the individual's day by day be­ havior. But it is this confusion of the finite with the infinite, the improper balance of the two, that creates these differences. y ^ H E N the Prophet speaks of a day when all people will wor­ ship G-d in unison, he speaks of a day when the earth will be full of wisdom, understanding and knowledge of G-d. The Prophet speaks of the day when man will have truly recognized his infinite soul, no more in conflict with finite reason. Only then will men wor­ ship G-d in unison, for only then will man truly know G-d.

Rabbi Simon, the son of Yochai, said: "Three articles of worth were given to Israel by the Al­ mighty, but each one can only be acquired through travail and tribulation. They are Torah, the Land of Israel, and the World to Come."

Torah — for it is written: 'Happy is the man . . / " (Psalms 94:12); The Land of Israel — for it is written (Devorim 8:5) "And you shall consider in your heart that as a man chastises his son, so the L-rd your G-d chastise you." And it is written (ibid 7): "For the L-rd your G-d brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, spring­ ing forth in valleys and hills."

And the World to Come — For it is written: (Proverbs 10) “For a precept is a candle and the Torah is light and the way of life is instruction and chastisement."

(Tractate Berochoth, 5)

Jan. - Feb., 1954

lk

By HAROLD U. RIB ALOW TJKfHEN Samuel Reshevsky was a ” little five-year-old lad in the Polish town of Ozorkow, he watched, with breathless fascina­ tion, his father bent over a chess­ board working out a complicated problem. His father's careful moves on the board so interested the boy that one day, after having watched the older man countless times, he asked his father to play a game with him. With amusement, the boy's father agreed. Within a few minutes the game was well ad­ vanced and, to his astonishment, Samuel's father discovered that he was losing. Finally, the five-yearold, in his first formal game, beat his father! A new chess prodigy had been born.

At the age of six, Samuel Re­ shevsky toured all of Poland, giving astonishing exhibitions of his chess 16

prowess. When he was eight, he appeared in all the capitals of Eu­ rope, bewildering and amazing chess lovers with the preciseness of his attack and his mastery of the complex chessboard. A year later, at nine, the youngster came to the United States and made his debut at West Point, where he took on a few dozen cadets simultaneously and, of course, beat then! all. In a recent chess book by Edward Lasker there appears a photograph of little Samuel, wearing short pants, standing before a board and playing against a cadet. All around him were tables with other cadets, waiting for the prodigy to come to their table to make his move against them. They were grown men, intelligent and versed in the game. The nine year old boy moved from cadet to cadet — and won all Jewish LIFE

the games! It was a marvelous exhibition, and it was no wonder that his accomplishments revived interest in the ancient and endless­ ly fascinating game of chess.

From his early youth up to the present, Samuel Reshevsky has been blessed with success and luck in the difficult game of chess. For years he has been the greatest player in America and one of the top masters of the world. At fortytwo, he is acknowledged to be as fine a player as the world has seen.

In a recent international tourney, which was won by the Russian, Vassily Smyslov, Reshevsky came in second, but won tremendous ac­ claim for h is ; spectacular showing.

Smyslov himself conceded that Re­ shevsky “is the greatest player of the West — a tough little man full of brilliant ideas.” Why, then, did he not emerge as the winner in the tournament which Smyslov won, the match which was to give the winner a chance at Botvinnik's world title? The Chess Review explained it all in a recent issue. Because of the importance of the tournament and the light it sheds on Reshevsky's brilliance, here is the chess magazine's analy­ sis in full: LTHOUGH Americans naturally are disappointed that their stand­ ard-bearer could not gain first place, they should bear*Hn mind the magni­ tude of his actual achievement, which can be assessed properly only by con­ sidering the terrific handicaps im­ posed upon him.

To begin with, he entered the tournament not at all certain that the

Jan. - Feb., 1954

nine-man Russian “syndicate” would be overly concerned with “bourgeois” standards of sportsmanship. At Satsj oebaden there had been undeniable collusion by the Russians in a move to freeze out Western competitors.

Might not the same tactics be re­ peated at some critical stage in the present struggle if it became expe­ dient to throw collective support to the Soviet candidate whose prospects had crystallized above those of his fellow Russians? Regarding this pos­ sibility, the* Australian Chess World remarked in a pre-tournament issue that “we fear the Russians would put patriotism above the canons of sport, as at Satsjoebaden, and make things a bit easier for the top Russian.”

While Chess Review has no evi­ dence that such collusion was either planned or practiced in Switzerland, the ever-present threat operated as a mental hazard that could not but ad­ versely affect the play of the Western group. An indication of the peculiar Russian mentality on this point is seen in the intransigent attitude of Ragozin, official spokesman for the Russian delegation, during an inter­ view with the American journalist and master, George Koltanowski.

When George started to ask a ques­ tion beginning, “If a non-Russian were to win this tournament” •— Ra­ gozin brusquely interrupted: “Nyet!

Never! Impossible!” Why players of the calibre of Reshevsky, Najdorf, Gligorich and so forth should be ruled out summarily is difficult to see, even if we grant the undoubted capabilities of the Russian stars. Was Ragozin merely voicing a personal opinion as to the probable outcome?

Or was he expounding an official.

17

a 'priori dogma that no non-Communist will ever be allowed to win a chal­ lengers’ tournament if the Russians, by hook or crook, can prevent it?

Another ugly (and rather astonish­ ing) blot on the tourney according to information received from one of the Chess Review’s observers on the scene, was the unabashed consultation by the Russian contingent — “flagrant coaching from the sidelines . . . and tips passed from one Russian player to another during games.” This was bad enough, but worse, perhaps, from the standpoint of Sammy’s practical chances, was his utter deprivation of the benefits from the collaborative set-up which seems to have become part and parcel of modern matches and tournaments. He was the only contestant without the services of one or more seconds to help him prepare for forthcoming games or analyze ad­ journed positions. Where other play­ ers could lean heavily upon hard-

18

working, indefatigable assistants of grandmaster strength, Sammy had to labor unaided every moment of his waking hours. This struggle against insuperable odds cast him in the amalgamated role of Superman, Man­ drake the Magician and Horatius at the Bridge. That Sammy, under such burdens and against such a field, finished in a tie for second — and for a long time threatened to gain first 4g| merits something like a twen­ ty-one gun salute to his great genius and fighting heart.”

J^ESHEVSKY’S fighting heart and his outspokenness in be­ half of his chess and his Jewish faith are legends in the game.

Chess is a game at which countless Jews have starred. The current champion, Mikhail Botvinnik, is a Jew, and so were two other world master champions—Wilhelm Steinitz and Emanuel Lasker. The “Who’s Who” of chess greatdom reads, very frequently, like a Jew­ ish “Who’s Who.” Yet, few of the champions have been as pugna­ ciously Jewish as Samuel Reshevsky. His chess career is in itself a remarkable one. Julius Rosenwald, of Sears, Roebuck and Co. was intrigued with the youngster and helped put him through school, thus allowing him to become an accountant and not a “chess bum,” dependent on chess prizes and awards alone. Time magazine and many other popular magazines have written about Reshevsky and have praised him for his ability at the game of chess. Yet in the world of Jewish chess, he is remarkable for Jewish LIFE

another facet of his career — his devotion to orthodox Judaism.

He is, first of all, a descendant of a rabbinical family, related to Rabbi Jonathan Eybeschutz, a noted spiritual leader and Cabbalist. Reshevsky’s own parents were pious, orthodox folk, and Sammy had a yeshivah education.

He maintained his beliefs and prac­ tices in the face of some difficult challenges.

Not too long ago, Reshevsky faced Miguel Najdorf in a Havana tournament. Twenty-three masters from eight lands had participated in this tournament and Najdorf and Reshevsky were to meet on the final day. They were the only two who had a chance to win first place.

Najdorf, also a Jew, had changed his name from Mendel to Miguel when he moved to Argentina from Poland and became the champion of the Argentine. The Cubans were all rooting for Najdorf and the reason lay rooted in Reshevsky’s intense Judaism.

The Cubans had invited all the players to visit the tomb of Cuban chess champion, Jose Capablanca.

All were quite willing to make the trip, except Reshevsky. He ex­ plained that he was unable to make the trip on a Friday afternoon be­ cause his religion forbade public travel after sundown. But Sammy went further. He demanded that the players’ day off should be Sat­ urday, not Sunday.

When the two men met, thè Cubans wanted Najdorf to win. In­ stead, the two masters drew. But a month later, when they met in Jan. - Feb., 1954

an eighteen game tour, Reshevsky easily bested Najdorf. When he was asked how he had won so easily from so good a player, Re­ shevsky replied, with disarming simplicity, “I t’s very simple. N aj­ dorf was playing Reshevsky.”

Q N ANOTHER occasion, in a ■ 1948 Russian tournament, Re­ shevsky played under a different sort of handicap. The tourney be­ gan in Leningrad and as Reshevsky adhered to Kashruth, he found it impossible to eat well in the Rus­ sian city, because the Russians made no provisions for Kashruth in the city. For two weeks, Reshev­ sky kept himself alive by eating fruits and drinking tea and milk.

Finally he discovered a shool in the city and met an orthodox Jew­ ish family. They were highly co­ operative, for they slaughtered their meat according to Jewish ritual, and Reshevsky ate well for a while. In Moscow, he again went hungry, for the only “Jewish” res­ taurant was not kosher. Neverthe­ less, in his weakened condition, he managed to win a game from Rus­ sia’s Botvinnik, which was quite a feat, even for a well-fed master, let alone an orthodox Jew who could scarcely find decent food in all of Russia!

Reshevsky has been United States champion five times and he is indubitably the best player in American history. Because he wanted to earn a living to support his wife and two children, he gave up tournament chess for long spells a t a time, but a few years ago re­ turned to the chessboard and again 19

established his national superiori­ ty. On the international scene, he is one of the top masters in the game. Because he has not won the world’s title, he does not yet rank with the immortals of the game, like Steinitz, <Lasker and Capablanca. 'He is, however, the equal of any of today’s living masters and probably the superior of most of them. Najdorf has been beaten by him with convincing ease. Botvinnik, Bronstein and Smyslov have not taken him on in match play.

Should he meet any of them, the odds would certainly not be against him, for the orthodox Polish-Jewish master of forty-two has shown his brilliance over the years and

SPRING

may very well emerge as the star of the century before his playing days are over. He has established no school and has written few books.

Unlike^ Akiva Rubinstein, to whom chess was an obsession which kept him penniless and near­ ly homeless, Samuel Reshevsky is a solid American citizen, certain in his chess ability. He is a wellbalanced individual, who happens to be a chess genius. Already recognized as such, he needs only to win the world’s title. He is young enough to hope to get the chance. And once he gets it, he probably will emerge victorious.

IN

ADAR

By SHOSHANA WENGER Why do you tantalize us with Spring Oh, mischievous month of Adar?

The morning sun and blue sky, The breath of warmth that sneakingly comes And teases like a feather With promises unfulfilled.

The scent of green that waftingly comes And stings my eyes With tears of sharp nostalgia.

Stirring buried longings, Forgotten, hopeless strivings.

Oh, ache in my heart!

Let the clouds roll over the blue of Iyar And bring back the stormy grey of Adar For then I would be safe again.

20

Jewish LIFE

O O O O O O

UNITED NATIONS o By /. HALEVY-LEVIN JERUSALEM ^■ONTRARY to opinion outside Israel there is not, nor has there been in ^ recent months, any sense of political crisis in this country. Neither the dispute over the Bnoth Yaacov Hydro-electric project, nor the chain of events set off by the Kibya incident, nor even the resignation of Mr. Ben-Gurion from the Government has evoked any feelings of alarm or dismay.

In view of the one-time hyper-sensitivity of the Yishuv to any event, internal or international, likely to affect its interests, this emotional stability is difficult to explain. Certainly it cannot be attributed to apathy. The population of this country— not only the more articulate section, but even many of the new immigrants 9 - has followed events over the past months with a keen and sober interest even where the wider implications have not been fully appreciated. Most citizens accept as axiomatic the vital need to develop all water and power resources. The importance of the Negev to the state is instinctively felt by all. It required no expert knowledge of eco­ nomics to appreciate the gravity of the suspension of the American Grantin-Aid. Border warfare is too close, physically, to most settlements in Israel for a realization of its nature and consequences not to be general. It may well be that the hostility of the neighboring Arab States to Israel is so widely accepted that any incident, even of a more serious nature, is re­ garded as inevitable under the circumstances. ff1HUS the ultimatum issued by the Syrian Government — and subsequently to all intents and purposes withdrawn — threatening military action to enforce the suspension of work on the Bnoth Yaacov project was not taken too seriously. Israels experience has shown that such threats are almost a m atter of routine among her neighbors when internal pressures become

Jan. - Feb., 1954

21

dangerous. Acts of aggression, their rulers have found, are a convenient diversion and not too risky as the United Nations Observers can always be relied upon to intervene before a situation gets out of hand and reprisals are mounted.

There is, of course, the precedent of the events in the Demilitarized Zone in the Huleh Valley, a little north of the^site of the present dispute, two years ago. In the March-May months of 1951, it may be recalled, similar efforts by the Syrians to halt drainage and development works in the swamp area culminated in a pitched battle on Israeli territory, at the Tel-el-Muteila Ridge, north of Lake Tiberias. In this battle regular Syrian troops were involved. It is of interest to note that Israel’s right to continue with this work — provided the rights of Arab landowners in the vicinity were not infringed — was upheld by the Security Council.

JT IS equally of importance to remember that in the current dispute the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization’s chief, General Bennike, was informed of the commencement of the Bnoth Yaacov project. This was approved by him as not violating any provisionof the Israel Syrian Armistice Agreement — until Syria’s complaint and threat of violence. It is such alliances — unwilling, no doubt, on the part of the UN Observers — between the TSO and the Arab States, to halt the march of progress and civilization, that underlies Israeli impatience with the Observers and their work, of which General Bennike has complained. For the citizens of this country the General’s instruction to “stop work until agreement is reached with Syria” — which means forever — has a cynical ring about it.

From Out Of The Sleeve JT IS difficult to assume, although General Bennike’s personal integrity is in no way questioned, that the dispute has been considered purely within the limits of the Armistice Agreement and in the spirit of Dr. Ralph Bunche’s authoritative comment on Article V of the Agreement, giving his assurance “to both parties that the United Nations, through the Chairman of the Mixed Armistice Commission, will ensure that the Demilitarized Zone will not be a vacuum or a wasteland” and that other extraneous political considerations are not involved. This impression has been strength­ ened by the suddenness with which an alternative development project has been produced.

Ostensibly under the auspices of the United Nations, the new “TVA” project was fathered and financed entirely by the United States, and was known, prior to publication, only to Great Britain, France and Turkey.

It seems at least suspicious that unlike undertakings of similar dimensions in their own country, to which Americans devote years of meticulous re­ search and painstaking drafting — probably the reason why they are so successful — the Jordan-Yarmuk project should have emerged with such 22

Jewish LIFE

surprising celerity, only on the basis of existing data and a cursory field survey.

The Israeli scheme involves the digging of a canal between the Jordan and Lake Tiberias, running, for the most part, parallel to the river, and the construction of a power station about two kilometers west of the mouth of the Jordan. It is proposed to utilize the drop of 240 meters, be­ tween a reservoir to be built at the southern end of the canal and the Lake, for the generation of 24,000 kilowatts of electric power. The scheme fits into the general framework of the national master-plan for irrigation and hydro-electric development. Commonly known as the Lowdermilk Plan, this was drafted by top-ranking American and Israeli engineers over the past decade. Only some hundreds of meters of the proposed canal pass through the Demilitarized Zone.

Jordan An Israeli River TT IS of the utmost importance to bear in mind here that the Jordan along its entire course from its sources to the point where the Israeli and Transjordanian frontiers meet south of Lake Tiberias is an Israeli river.

The Israeli-Syrian frontier runs a short distance east of the further bank of the river. The fact that some of its sources lie beyond Israeli territory in no way alters this fundamental fact, no more than the fact that the headwaters of the Nile are situated in certain Central African countries can change its character as an Egyptian river. Under an agreement reached beween the British and French Mandatory administrations in 1923, the water rights of certain Syrian land-owners are recognized and safeguarded.

These rights, however, affect no more than an infinitesimal fraction of the Jordan’s water.

Another point of considerable relevance is that all three of Israel’s northern neighbors — Syria, Lebanon and Transjordan — have immense water resources of their own, which are hardly being utilized except by the most primitive methods. Indeed the Biblical parable of the poor man’s ewe lamb is not entirely inapposite when considering the American project, brought to this country by Eric Johnston, President Eisenhower’s special envoy. Let it be noted that roughly two-thirds of the total volume of water to be provided under this project is to be diverted to Transjordan.

The American plan is broad and imaginative in its scope and dimensions, involving three countries — Israel, Syria and Transjordan — and an in­ vestment of 121 million dollars. In view of the higher water service re­ quired by Arab lands in the Transjordan section of the sub-tropical Jordan Valley, by far the greater portion of the water will be diverted to that country to enable the settlement of 200,000 refugees. In Israel the scheme will allow for the irrigation of all cultivable land in the Huleh Valley, the Hills of Galilee west of the Jordan and in the Ghor on both sides of the Jordan, below Lake Tiberias. No water will remain for the irrigation of Jan. - Feb.* 1954

23

the Negev, contrary to the Lowdermilk Plan, of which this is one of the most promising features. 'p H E feasibility of the Jordan-Yarmuk project from the technological and economic points of view is of course a m atter fo^ experts, though even upon this aspect doubts have already been expressed. The main snag is political and it is here that American optimism seems utopian. A scheme of such proportions, affecting so vitally the fundamental economic interests of the countries served by it, implies a degree of cooperation, of which very few examples, if any, can be found in the world today. How it can be achieved by Jews and Arabs in the foreseeable future is a question to which the American sponsors must provide the answer.

Mr. Johnston’s suggestion, made to overcome Arab opposition to any form of collaboration with Israel, is that the “TVA” scheme should be executed and conducted under some sort of international authority. The proposal sounds reasonable enough on paper. But it implies a derogation Jewish workers diverting the Dan River bed in upper G alille, near the Syrian

border.

Courtesy Zionist Archives and Library

of sovereignty, which neither Israel nor the Arab states are likely to con­ template. Moreover, how even such an arrangement can be secured with­ out putting an end to the state of war, which the Armistice Agreements have only temporarily suspended, is a problem to which Mr. Johnston offers no solution. More than that, it assumes a long and stable peace and good neighborly relations, which in the light of the existing situation there is no reason whatever to hope for.

The Israeli Government has intimated that it will consider the scheme which, indeed, does not preclude completion of the smaller Bnoth Yaacov project. The Arabs have already voiced their opposition. The American envoy, however, continues to be more than hopeful.

But, of course, the choice is not between the American project and none at all. Israel’s plans to irrigate the Negev partly with the waters of the Jordan have been given wide publicity. Syria and Jordan some months ago announced the commencement of work on a Yarmuk River scheme to provide water and power to extensive areas in both countries. Largely, these schemes cover the same region and will serve the same purpose as the American project. Perhaps they are not as economical as the latter — which does not make them uneconomical^^ but they possess one immense advantage. They are based upon political realities in the Middle East.

British Prevarication TT IS not unreasonable to suppose that the intensification of the border-war against Israel and Egyptian action over the establishment of two settle­ ments near Auja-al-Hafir in the Far Negev, in precisely those weeks during which Israeli-Syrian relations were at their worst, indicates collusion. Al­ most invariably tension along one section of Israel’s frontier is accompanied by increased pressure at another. It is only within the context of this per­ sistent guerrilla war in which, to quote Ambassador Eban, “Israel is be­ sieged, blockaded, ambushed, shot at, undermined and abused,” that the Kibya incident can be properly regarded. Things are done in war that are inadmissable otherwise. Kibya, however one may regret the shedding of innocent blood, is a phase in such a war. In this country the general feeling is that if such situations are allowed to develop such incidents must inevitably occur. The statement issued by the Three Powers soon after the incident, condemning Israel in such vigorous terms, can scarcely bear moral force in the light of events in Kenya and French North Africa.

With Britain in particular Israel feels that it stands in a special re­ lation. Britain has a close alliance with Jordan; she is a signatory to the 1950 Three Power Declaration guaranteeing frontiers in the Middle East.

Britain can do much to improve relations between Israel and Transjordan if only by preventing their being aggravated by constant acts of armed infiltration.

Jan.

Feb., 1954

25

71 T THE same time the extent and intensity of anti-British feeling in ,44, Jordan, no less than in other Middle-Eastern countries, is fairly ac­ curately assessed here. British protestations that she can exercise no in­ fluence on the dispositions of the Arab Legion are regarded as downright prevarication. Israelis do not easily forget that up to May 14th, 1948 the presence of the Legion in this country was explained and justified on the grounds that it was a British Imperial force. Overnight, however, it be­ came one of the invading Arab armies, in whose ranks the presence of so many British officers was ostensibly purely fortuitous.

Yet it must be stated that accounts of a wave of anti-British feeling in this country published in the English press are simply not true. On the contrary there is a rather cynical understanding of Britain’s position in the Middle East, influencing her: stand on Kibya. The fact that the Britishofficered Legion was nowhere to be seen during an attack stated to have lasted seven hours and to have been directed against four villages, was bitterly commented on in Transjordan, and a British officer of the rank of Brigadier was dismissed as a result.

TWrOREOVER Britain’s alliance with Transjordan obliging her to come to * 4 the aid of the latter should she be attacked — which according to the Transjordan Prime Minister, Fawzi el Mulki, has already been invoked — places her in a very invidious position& Britain, no doubt, does not seek a repetition of the squalid little war she waged against Israel when the Jews were driving out the Egyptian Army from this country. Thus the British attitude in Israel-Arab relations in the Security Council may not be unin­ fluenced by a desire to deflect hostility to Britain in a convenient direction.

The possibility of British troops being moved to Akaba as a result of some agreement over the Suez Canal Zone is not lost sight of here.

It is not irrelevant to remark that the invitation of Generals Horrocks and Martin, both of whom held high commands in the British Army dur­ ing World War II, to lecture to top-ranking officers of the Israel Defense Army, indicates anything but a deterioration in the mutual relations of the two countries.

U.S. - Israel Relations ll/TOST serious has been the steady cooling off of American sympathy for 4 4 Israel, which despite denials in Jerusalem and Washington is an in­ disputable fact. Here again a distorted view is obtained if events are not seen in their true perspective. Israeli-American relations were less cordial already prior to the Huleh dispute and the Kibya incident. Mr. John Foster Dulles explicitly referred to the transfer of the Foreign Ministry from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as a contributory reason in the suspension of the American Grant-in-Aid. It would not be historically true to date this process from America’s change in administration. It is common knowledge

m

Jewish LIFE

President Yitschak Ben Tzvi of Israel and Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett receive Secretary of State Dulles and Mutual Security Administrator Stassen on their recent visit to Israel.

Photo by Eisenstark

that there has been for many years a powerful school in the State Depart­ ment, backed by very influential interests, seeking a better understanding with the Arabs at the expense of Israel.

Israelis are keenly conscious of the value of American friendship, which they interpret not only in pecuniary terms. American aid in the achieve­ ment of Israel’s statehood has created a firm and lasting bond between the two countries. More because of this bond than the financial considerations involved, the suspension of the Grant produced a sense of shock which its subsequent renewal could not entirely remove. UN decisions of greater moment than the Bnoth Yaacov affair have been disobeyed in the Middle East without sanctions being imposed. Israel’s refusal to recognize the international status of Jerusalem, and the Egyptian refusal to allow the passage of Israel bound vessels through the Suez Canal are the most salient examples.

Suspension of the Grant has had one positive effect. It has reminded Israel that such a grant is not a gift and is not given without expectation of some, albeit unspecified, return. There is now a keener appreciation than ever that friendship between the world’s greatest nation and one of Jan. - Feb.,, 1954

27

its smallest cannot subsist as long as one is always a giver and the other always a taker. pRACTICALLY speakjng, however, Israel’s choice of means to improve diplomatic relations between itself and America is very restricted. Ameri­ cans thinking in terms of global strategy are ^intent on appeasing the Arabs. The Arabs are irrevocably opposed to any understanding with Israel. From one American point of view the Arab states with their oil fields, their strategic bases and their immense populations are preferable as allies. In Israel there is a strong school of thought which maintains that it would be suicidal to be over-cooperative with the United States in this matter, and that the only way to win Arab and American respect is to demonstrate Israel’s determination to defend her sovereignty and her borders. An American paper on one occasion remarked upon the importance of the Israel Defense Army as one of this country’s economic assets. The measure of truth in that statement is appreciated here.

Inevitably international events have influenced internal politics in this country. The proposal of Mr. Levi Eshkol as heir to Mr. Ben-Gurion — he had never been mentioned previously as the first in the line of political succession |||1 has been explained by a preference for the stronger policy he might be expected to follow, as compared with Mr. Moshe Sharett’s (now Premier-Designate) preference for negotiation and diplomacy.

■pHE ATTITUDE towards the Arab citizens of this country may also be expected to harden. Mr. Ben-Gurion has referred to the special security measures Israel must adopt, if, as may be expected, a further deterioration of the border situation sets in, following the United Nations’ condemnation of Israel. The moral victory registered by the Arabs may easily persuade them that they can continue, and even intensify, their campaign of provoca­ tion and sabotage, in the confidence that Israel will be very careful in the future about retaliating.

Recently there was noticeable in Israel a desire to liberalize the mili­ tary control of certain areas despite proof of collaboration between Israeli Arabs and their compatriots across the border in acts of smuggling and infiltration. Whether such a policy can be proceeded with — and under more favorable circumstances its implementation might have been expected to relieve tension between this country and its neighbors — depends, to a very considerable degree, upon events over which Israel has no direct control.

Rabbi Eliezer said that one who performs righteous and merciful deeds is greater than one who offers all the sacri­ fices, for it is written (Proverbs 21:3), "To do mercy and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice."

(Tractate Succoh)

28

Jewish LIFE

What Is Your “Bible 1,Q.?”

by ZE 'E V B E N MORDECAI 1. The shortest Book in the Bible is (Ruth), (Esther),; (Obadiah), Mala chi). j i g jMpl 1 2. The beautiful and famous description of the essence of Judaism, And what doth the Lord require of thee only to do justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with thy G-d w as spoken by (Isaiah), (Jeremiah), (Ezekiel), (Micah). ______:_ _:........ ..............

3. What quotation from Megillath Esther is recited during the Havdolah Service^^^E...".............___________ ____ 4. Instrumental music (was) (was not) used in the ancient Temple of Jerusalem. ^ ____________ _ 5. The man who plucked out the hair of his head and beard when he heard that his people had intermarried with non-Jews was 6. The Book in the Bible containing numbers which Jewish mystics used to make predictions concerning the advent of the Messiah is (Daniel), (Proverbs), (Joel), (Ezra). ...1__ ....... ............ 11.^ 7. The Book of Tehillim contains (75), (100), (125), (150) chapters.... >....¿1..^.

8. The plea for brotherhood expressed in the widely quoted. Have we not all one father? Hath not one G-d created us? was uttered by (Isaiah), (Jeremiah), (Micah), (Malachi)...................... ......_________ ___ 9 . The only Jewish king mentioned as having committed suicide was (Saul), David), (Zedekiah) (Josiah)______________ __ .........__ _______ ..

10. Where in the Bible is found the first reference to Joshua?

11. The royal cupbearer who took a twelve year leave of absence to come to Judea and become an unpaid governor and social reformer w a s' .....-.2' 12. Moses died on (Mount Sinai), (Mount Lebanon), (Mount Carmel), (Mount Neboh) ...

13. The tragic phrase uttered during bereavement. The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord, was first pronounced by (David), (Jacob), (Job), (Joseph)....... ...........

14. The law of Chalitzah (dealing with the ceremony required of a childless widow and her brother-in-law before she may remarry) is found in the Book of . ...

15. How many times are the Ten Commandments found in the Torah?

16. The Biblical verse forbidding Adam to eat from the tree of knowl­ edge (does) (does not) specify that it was an apple tree.

17. Esther was the (daughter), (niece), (cousin) of Mordecai.....

(Answers on page 34)

• E n try of the O rthodox U nion

into the com m unity relations sphere m arks a new era

ORTHODOXY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS

By VICTOR B. GELLER JT WAS last Inauguration Day and at the Hotel Atetor in New York. A meeting was being called to order when two men entered the room and quietly took seats at the long conference table. The chair­ man finished his opening remarks, paused briefly, and then continued: “Ladies and gentlemen, it is with a true measure of satisfaction-that I welcome, for the first time, the representatives of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America to an executive session of the National Community Relations Advisory Council.’’

This simple welcome signalled the end of an era in American Jewish life which was characterized by the adage, “Some Jews protect their religion while others practice it.”

It marked the beginning of a new period, one of defined cooperation in a field of common concern be­ tween elements of the Jewish com­ munity which have traditionally ignored, doubted and distrusted each other. While the full signific­ ance of this new development will have to be measured by the test of passing years, even this preliminary 30

step of formal association between the Union, which represents organ­ ized orthodox Jewish synagogue life, and the NCRAC, which coor­ dinates the various local and nation­ al Jewish community relations pro­ grams, is of great import.

The NCRAC is composed of such national Jewish organizations as the American Jewish Congress, Jewish War Veterans, Jewish La­ bor Committee, the Union of Am­ erican Hebrew Congregations, the United Synagogue of America and thirty local Jewish Community Re­ lations Councils throughout the country. It is devoted to problems of civil liberties, defamation and vandalism, discrimination in hous­ ing, employment and education, re­ ligious liberty and separation of Church and State —- areas of con­ cern to the traditional Jew. 'p H E REASONS why this appar­ ently logical event did not happen sooner can be found in the history of the American Jewish community, particularly in the his­ tory of the various Jewish ethnic groups that migrated to this countJewish LIFE

ry since the middle of the last cen­ lar migration (1880-1914) saw the arrival of a vastly different type tury.

The first large scale Jewish im­ of Jew. This immigrant came from migration (1849-1890) came from eastern and southeastern Europe. the countries of western Europe. He had little or no secular educa­ A thumbnail sketch of this West­ tion. His was the milieu of the ern Jew would read something like self-contained Jewish community. this: secularly educated, enjoyed His education, culture and sense of contacts with non-Jewish society, values all stemmed from the depth had weakened religious loyalties, of religious conviction and practice. looked upon his religious heritage His attitude towards the non-Jev as an obstacle to general acceptance was a negative one, based on al­ by the non-Jewish world. When he most universally poor results in arrived in this country, the Jew establishing happy relations. His of western Europe found it neces­ feeling about anti-Semitism was sary to resolve the seeming con­ one of philosophic resignation. In flict between his desire to become the strange new home which he a “full fledged American” and his found in America, he generally religious ties. There emerged a sought out the familiar compan­ type of Jew who avoided obvious ionship of his own folk and was or public identification with his perfectly happy to confine himself faith and who contented himself to such associations. His prime with expressing his Judaism in phi­ purpose, beyond the struggle for lanthropic and charitable work —- economic sustenance, was the per­ often of a non-sectarian nature — petuation of the teachings and way and ultimately with support of de­ of life from which his own being fensive measures against anti-Se­ derived. He concerned himself mitism. He was what has been largely with the strengthening of these associations. This was the called the -apologetic Jew.” The second and more spectacu­ “traditional Jew.” Neither "T oy" nor "Noim" T H E S E two types of Jews dwelt A side by side in the manner of apartment-house neighbors, aloof and uncommunicative; their con­ tacts with each other were, as a natural course, very limited. In­ deed, the Sheveth achim gam yachad was neither tov nor noim.

Those stemming from the earlier immigration held their east Euro­ pean co-religionists, as they called Jan. - Feb., 1954

them, in low esteem. They charged that the traditional Jews were nar­ row and backward, seeking only to create ghettoes in the United States and with no other interest beyond the observance of rituals which were neither relevant nor necessary to modern Jewish living. They maintained that the behavior of the Eastern Jews was a source of embarrassment to them in the^r 31

dealings with non-Jews.

These Western Jews, vigorously pursuing the goal of what they called “in­ tegration,” sought to dissociate themselves from their co-religionists lest they be identified with them in the minds of their neigh­ bors.

The Eastern Jew took an equally dim view of his Western brother.

He considered him a simpering seeker of non-Jewish favor who had turned away from his cher­ ished heritage for the glittering tinsel of financial success and so­ cial status. They regarded the pro­ fessed Jewish loyalty of these peo­ ple as sham and emptiness. They suspected that even these super­ ficial demonstrations of Jewishness were “put on” for the benefit of the non-Jew who might not like a completely “heathen” Jew. T H E CLAIMS that the Western * Jews made to the title of spokes­ man for the entire Jewish com­ munity were resented by these ob­ servant Jews. They contrasted this alleged leadership with that which they had known in Europe and found it wanting. They pointed out

that the representations to the gov­ ernment agencies in their old home­ lands were ably discharged by peo­ ple whose Jewish scholarship, piety and interest justified their right to lead. On ail counts these West­ ern Jews were found wanting. The traditionalists were particularly embarrassed when these Jewishly ignorant, non-observant and usual­ ly non-rabbinic leaders met with the heads of the other major reli­ gious groups. Their displeasure was sometimes best summed up by the terse but penetrating word, “Chutz­ pah.”

Thus the lines were clearly drawn and a c c e p t e d . The two groups went their respective ways and remained immersed in sepa­ rate areas of activity. The “integ­ ration” group went into the area of Jewish and non-sectarian poli­ tical, social and community work.

The traditionalists went into the field of religious, spiritual and cul­ tural endeavor. The first group cen­ tered on breaking down the bar­ riers impeding Jewish life. The second group filled in the substance of Jewish life and gave it color, tone and quality.

Snobbishness and Servility TF WE ARE to be honest in our * appraisal of the positions taken by the two groups, we must recog­ nize that both sides had arguments of merit. The traditional Jews certainly had been guilty of snob­ bishness when they refused to sit with bareheaded fellow-Jews to 32

consider problems of concern to both. The orthodox Jew did have a responsibility to concern himself about relationships with the nonJewish community without feeling that his principles were automatic­ ally compromised thereby. He did have a role to play in assuring the Jewish LIFE

existence of a favorable climate in which Judaism and other minority beliefs could flourish.

The community-conscious integrationist was in no less error. His feeling that Jews and Judaism had to be polished up to look pretty for the non-Jew was not befitting his proud heritage. There could be no justifying his assumption that he could speak for the entire Jewish community just because he had more prestige in the non-Jewish world. He had indeed been guilty of seeking to curry favor and of trying to buy friendship. He for­ got that those who try to buy friendship succeed only in selling themselves. He was mistaken in thinking that it was possible to fight effectively for something with­ out really believing in it.

It is a happy sign of the matu­ rity of American Jewry that this irresponsible division of energies is coming to an end. Perhaps the bitter lesson of the destruction of European Jewry and the wonderful miracle of the establishment of the state of Israel have taught us that unqualified separatism among im­ portant groups in Jewish life is a disservice to all concerned.

T H E participation of the Union ■ of Orthodox Jewish Congrega­ tions in the work of the National Community Relations Advisory Council is an intriguing challenge.

It carries important implications which will be watched carefully by students of the Jewish community.

Jan. - Feb., 1954

There are those who feel th at this type of “shidach” cannot work. It is too much to expect, some main­ tain, that orthodox Jews will feel that af al pi shechotah, yisroel hu, or that community relations people will recognize that no claim to speak on behalf of the Jewish com­ munity can be valid if the orthodox community and its leadership are not part of the cooperative process of representation, and if the his­ toric principles of Judaism which Orthodoxy upholds are not reflected in the positions taken. The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations has carefully weighed and meas­ ured these doubts in the light of all factors involved. It has entered the coordinating process that is NCR AC because it is convinced that such a step is at once con­ sistent with its principles and in keeping with its responsibilities to the traditional community.

The Orthodox Union feels that so long as such a process does not require the compromise of any of its principles (assurance for which is provided in the very nature of NCR AC as a voluntary and advi­ sory procedure) we have a positive obligation to participate. The need for participation of the traditional Synagogue, the Union believes, has been expressed by the other na­ tional and local agencies in NCR AC which issued the invitation to the Union to join. This invitation of itself forms an acknowledgment that the work and status of the NCR AC fundamentally require the representation, perspective and outlook that the Union can offer.

38

Despite prophets of doom on both sides, the experiences of the past year have shown the sound judg­ ment in the NCRAC's offer and

the Union's acceptance of this in­ vitation. While it is too early to be certain, qur freshman year in NCR AC is encouraging.

The Goals ■PHE Union 'of Orthodox Jewish Congregations has a number of goals in its role as a member of NCRAC. It will seek to remove the impression of stiff-necked in­ difference to non-orthodox commu­ nity problems. It will seek to show that orthodox Jewry has in fact historically been interested in fu r­ thering sound relationships be­ tween the Jewish and general com­ munities and is inherently sympa­ thetic to the problems of all minori­ ties.

The Union will, in the course of its community relations w o r k through NCRAC, help to awaken local orthodox community groups to take an active role in the work

of local community relations coun­ cils. Problems of civil liberties, immigration legislation, discrimi­ nation in housing, education and employment are of importance to the orthodox Jew, as they are to all citizens of this country who are interested in the furtherance of the ideal of democratic living.

The Union will continue to con­ tribute to these ideals from the treasures of Jewish morality, ethics and religious teaching. The NC­ RAC is a new instrument through which this contribution can be made. Its endeavors augur happi­ er, more meaningful cooperation within the American Jewish com­ munity.

Answers To “Bible LQ.” 1. Obadiah — it has one chapter 2. Micah 6:8 3. "The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor." (Esther 8:16) 4. Was used (I Chron. 23:5, II Chron. 9:11) 5. Ezra 9:2-4 6. Daniel 12:12. 7. 150 chapters 8. Malachi 2:10 9. Saul (I Chron. 10:4). 10. Shemoth 17:9.

11. Nechemiah 12. Mount Neboh 13. Job 1:21 14. Devorim 25: 5-10 15. Twice (Shemoth 20:1-17 and Devorim 5:6-18) 16. The Chumosh does not specify that it was an apple tree. 17. Cousin (Esther 2:7)

34

Jewish LIFE

By ABRAH AM AARO N W EISS H

OUR very fidgety family, my father, by nature and necessity, steered an even course. Whenever a crisis arose — which was con­ stantly g H the rest of us, from Mamma down, would blow up the thing way out of proportion and make the wrong moves in all dir­ ections. Papa would come upon the scene and, without a word, save the day. He always reminded me of the United States Cavalry in the movies, riding up and routing the Indians, just when they’re starting to charge upon the surrounded covered wagons.

Take the first time our family had to move. It was only a short haul from our walk-up in the East Bronx to an elevator apartment in the West Bronx. My two sisters had graduated from high school Jan. - Feb., 1954

and needed a decent place to enter­ tain friends. For weeks in ad­ vance, we all made frantic prepara­ tions. The moving company had sent us six barrels, so that took care of most of our belongings.

But to wrap up the rest, we all covered the neighborhood and rounded up crates from the market, cartons from the grocer, twine from Woolworth’s and newspapers from the janitor. P art of each day We set aside for emptying out closets, drawers and shelves: and for moving furniture to the middle of the room. We were taking no chances. By October first, we would be ready to move. £JAM E the night of September 30th, and we were far from ready. Our place was a me^s. In 35

the kitchen, mountains of crockery, glassware, pots and silverware were piled high on the table, chairs and floor. And the kitchen was where we had worked the hardest.

Now, my father had put in a hard day at the cutting table of Hochfeld and Kaplan, Ladies’ Quality Suits, on West 39th Street.

The fall season was in full swing.

But when he came home that night and took in the situation, he didn’t say a word. A fter a fast supper, he took off his shirt and told the rest of us to go to bed. All through that last night in the East Bronx, my father assembled, packed, tied and wrapped up every loose article in our house. Right up until dawn he worked, and without a sound.

At eight o’clock that morning, when the moving men came in, my father had already left for the shop. But we were ready for them.

And when we unpacked that night in the West Bronx, nothing was missing. Sow my father, after a hard day’s work, did so much, so quietly and without a break, is something I still can’t figure out.

That’s why I say we were sure lucky that Papa was so levelheaded — so different from the rest of us. ^ H E N , there’s that story my mother still tells with a smile, and that we still can’t come around to believing. One Sunday afternoon in the West Bronx my father went to rest in the bedroom after our family dinner. Mamma was clean­ ing up the dishes when she sniffed smoke coming up the back court.

Then she heard the clanging of fire 36

engines closing in on our block.

She dashed to the front window and saw firemen dragging long lines of rubber hose down the base­ ment doorway. She also noticed most of our neighbors already out on the street.

My mother ran back to the bed­ room and roused my father.

“Yosef!” she shrieked. “Get up!

The house is on fire.”

My father turned over and asked, “Where are the children?”

“They’re all in the movies,” my mother shouted. “Do you hear me, Yosef? The building is burning!”

My father rubbed his eyes, got up and reached for his gold-framed glasses on the bed table.

“Now,“ where is the fire?” he asked, groping for his grey felt slippers under the bed.

“I t ’s in the basement,” my moth­ er yelled. “But the whole house is already out on the street. If you don’t come with me this minute, I’m leaving alone!”

“Don’t get excited! The firemen will put it out before it gets up here,” was my father’s calm res­ ponse. And as my mother fled down the long hall, he replaced the glass­ es on the table and went back to his after-dinner nap.

Fortunately for father and the rest of us, he was right again. The fire never reached our fourth-floor apartment. It was put out in the basement.

And th at’s the way it always went.

Whether it was strikes, slack seasons, or lockouts, opera­ tions for piles or ruptures, my father took it in stride. Only we Jewish LIFE

knew how much he was keeping to himself. No one on the outside would have dreamed that anything was ever wrong. y E T , ONCE, I did catch Papa off­ guard — crying. Maybe it was my fault. Here's what happened.

One winter night in the late twenties, his mother — our Bubbeh Pella — went to sleep and never got up again. Since she was close to ninety (some relatives said a hundred), it didn't come as a shock to our family. But for us kids, it did mean the end of her familyfamous honeycake, her Pesach deli­ cacies, her warm, wet kisses. Of course all of us wanted to go to her funeral. But my father ruled that out. There would be plenty of time for things like that later on in our lives.

A few weeks after she was buried, I came home from Hebrew School one night and as usual, found my father drinking tea from the steaming kettle on the dining room table. But instead of reading the Yiddish paper, this night he was busily writing on sheets of yellow paper. His collar was wide open, his sleeves rolled up and his gold-framed glasses rested on his rumpled brow. I could see that something special was going on.

“What are you writing, Pa?" I asked casually.

“A poem," he answered, without raising his head.

This really amazed me. I never imagined my father to be a poet.

And just about th at time I had begun to putter around with rhymJan. - Feb., 1954

ing. Of course, I didn't let any of my friends on the block in on it.

They would have blackballed me.

Now, I could bring my poems to my own father for fixing. I began to feel a rising pride within myself. ^ IR JH A T 'S it about?" I asked eagerly.

“Some lines in Hebrew for Bubbeh's tombstone," he answered sim­ plyMy father, a poet in Hebrew!

Now I was overwhelmed. I knew he had gone through a yeshivah in Vilna and that he read “Hadoar" religiously. But to w rite Hebrew poetry, you had to be a leader like Moses, a judge like Deborah, or a king like David. Here was my father going about it as though he had been composing Hebrew poetry all his life.

37

“Is it very hard?” I asked, now as a disciple addressing his master.

This time he looked up and an­ swered my question with *one of his own.

“Did you learn yet in Hebrew School how some of our prayers are written? The poet starts off each line with a letter from his own name. That's what I'm doing with Bubbeh’s name.” It all sounded so very easy.

“And th at’s all there is to it? ” I prodded, still feeling that some secret skill was being withheld.

“Well, since it’s a poem, I’m mak­ ing the lines rhyme too.” My fath­ er’s tone indicated that he had re­ vealed all he knew on the subject and now needed quiet to go on with his work.

Any other kid would haye been satisfied with all these patient an­ swers, but I was eleven and wanted to know everything. All of a sud­ den, some quirk must have come over me, and my next question took

an odd turn. And this is when I saw my father cry. **pA PA ,” I opened up, “why do * you go to all this bother ?

Who, in our whole family will un­ derstand it — besides you? Only rabbis and Hebrew teachers can read Hebrew these days. And they don’t go running around reading Hebrew poems on tombstones. Be­ sides, look at all the money it will cost you to have the Hebrew letters chiselled in . . . .”

To this barrage, my father did not respond. Instead, he took out his handkerchief and quickly dried his eyes. Then he straightened into his old, strong self again.

“Don’t you think,” he said, as though nothing had happened, “that it’s time you went to bed already?” Now there was even a smile in his voice.

“Ahd why are you asking the Four Questions so early? It won’t be Pesach for another eight weeks 9

One poor ignorant man said to Rabbi Hosaiah: “If I relate to you a noteworthy interpretation# will you give me credit when you repeat it to an audience?"

“What is it?" Asked Rabbi Hosaiah.

“All the gifts"# said the man#" that Jacob# our father# pre­ sented to his brother Esau, will be returned to the King Messiah. For it is written in Psalms: Chapter 72# Verse 10: 'The King of Tarshish and the land beyond the sea will re­ turn the offering/ It is not written 'and they will present the offering but they will return the offering/" Said Rabbi Hosaiah: “This is noteworthy and I shall certainly repeat it in your name." (Yalkut Tehillim)

38

Jewish LIFE

THREE

GENERATIONS:

II

• Second in a series of

three articles on R abbi Sam son R . H irsch

By I. GRUNFELD T H E IMPACT of Samson Raphael Hirsch's personality on German ■** Jewry was enormous. He left thousands of pupils whose lives were moulded by his immortal genius. Nor was his influence confined to Jew­ ish circles. His famous commentary on Bereyshith was used as a text­ book by theological colleges of many denominations. Hirsch’s courageous and able defense of the Bible as the moral basis of Western civiliza­ tion against the shallow attacks of an “enlightened” pseudo-science re­ ceived the enthusiastic applause of the educated non-Jewish public and even of certain crowned heads. Thus, the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, in whose residence S.R. Hirsch was the rabbi at that time, sent a special messenger to congratulate him on a pamphlet which he wrote against a book of an anti-religious writer, attacking the Bible on moral grounds.

It is true that, compared with the alumni of the great yeshivoth of eastern Europe, the disciples of Hirsch, apart from a few exceptions, were not outstanding Talmudical scholars. But their importance lay in a different sphere. S. R. Hirsch had been forced by historical circum­ stances to “start from scratch.” Not only had the Talmud been maligned and ridiculed by the Reformers of Hirsch’s time, but its study in Ger­

many had been made well-nigh impossible by them, often with the help of the police.

QUCH religious persecutions, perpetrated by Jews themselves against their fellow Jews, sound incredible. But, they are, nevertheless, an historical fact. When in 1818 a member of the Frankfort community donated 50,000 guilders towards the foundation of an additional school for the teaching of the Talmud and kindred subjects, the plan was defeated by the Reformers. The police were called in, and both the teachers, of Talmud and the pupils were hunted down from the attics where they had taken refuge. Moreover, the teachers were banned from the city. In their anti-Judaistic zeal, the Reformist lay leaders of the community and their "rabbinical” advisors, dissolved the Chevrah Kadishah (Holy Brotherhood for funerary rites) and ridiculed all manner of Jewish religious observance. Such orthodox Jews as were still in existence were nicknamed as "obscurantists, hypocrites, bigots, simpletons” etc.

A few years before the death of Samson Raphael Hirsch, a promi­ nent member of his congregation recalled in his published memoirs that in his adolescent years he was the only young man among his many friends who still "dared” to put on Tefillin. "If anyone still had the courage to live an observant Jewish religious life he was re­ garded either as a simpleton or as a hypocrite. The weight of con­ tempt expressed in the look of scorn that greeted an avowal of adherence to Jewish religious observance had to be experienced in order to be believed.” (Emanuel Schwarzschild: "A Frank Word” ; quoted from the book "The History of Orthodox Jewry in Germany” p. 39. by Herman Schwab, London 1950.)

TN SUCH circumstances, S. R. Hirsch and his disciples could not allow , the Torah to find its goal and thereby its limitation only in the houses of learning; they had to bring the Torah into an intimate re­ lationship to the prevailing conditions of contemporary life and thought.

Religious observance had to be "rehabilitated,” to be made "fashion­ able” once more. In this connection it is important to understand the significance of the following incident, perhaps trivial in itself, but most characteristic in its historical setting: a leading member of Hirsch’s congregation, a wealthy man, used to make a point of walking, after synagogue service on the festival of Sukkoth, with his Lulov and Ethrog from the synagogue to his home in a fashionable district of Frankfort. He could have easily afforded to buy two sets of "Arba Minim” — one for his home and one for use in the synagogue, which would have obviated the necessity of walking with Lulov and Ethrog through the streets of Frankfort. But Rabbi Hirsch advised him not to do it; for it was important in those days when Jewish observances 40

Jewish LIFE

were ridiculed by “enlightened” Reform Jews that a rich “society man” should publicly show his strict adherence to traditional Jewish practice.

The joyous spirit of devotion with which the members of Hirsch's kehillah fulfilled the round of Jewish duties and observances, the artistic skill which they showed in surrounding Jewish practices with beauty and even elegance, the self-sacrifice they evinced where their congregational institutions and also general charities were concerned, could not fail to impress even those who thought that traditional Judaism had passed on beyond revival.

Sons Of A Great Father QLOWLY, a different evaluation of “Jewish Orthodoxy” (the term itself was coined by the opponents of Hirsch in their fight against him) was bound to appear among the young generation, especially of the educated classes. In this process of evaluation, S. R. Hirsch's own sons had a great share. Hirsch had always laid great stress on the fact that his five sons, by their educational standards as well as by their practical life, should provide living examples of the Torah im derech eretz ideal of their father. As medical men, as lawyers, as academic teachers and leading businessmen, they were to show that it was possible even in the age of Emancipation to combine Jewish learn­ ing and strict orthodoxy with a participation in the cultural and eco­ nomic life of the country of which the Jew was a citizen.

In this plan too, S. R. Hirsch had the blessing of Almighty G-d.

His son Dr. Mendel Hirsch, who after his father's death became prin­ cipal of the Hirschian Secondary School, was very successful in spread­ ing his father's ideals among thousands of pupils; the books of Dr. Mendel Hirsch on “The Haftorahs,” “The Twelve Prophets,” “Human­ ism and Judaism” (which had been translated into English) became standard works and were to be found in almost every orthodox Jewish home in Germany.

Another of S. R. Hirsch's sons, Dr. Naftali Hirsch, was a suc­ cessful lawyer and communal worker. Towards the end of his life, he edited the “Collected Essays” of his father in six volumes. More about this interesting personality is to be found in the Memorial Volume called “Justizrat Dr. Naftali Hirsch,” which was published by his children and which also contains a number of valuable articles from his pen on Jewish Law and comparative Jurisprudence. S. R. Hirsch's third son, Dr. Marcus Hirsch, a well-known medical man in Frankfort, gained note as a w riter by his publication of “Deficit of Culture” in 1893, a spirited attack on anti-Semitism, which reared its ugly head at the turn of the century.

Jan. i Feb., 1954

41

Julius Hirsch, another one of S. R. Hirsch’s sons, was a business­ man and spent his free evenings writing a most valuable commentary on Isaiah, following a method of Bible research characteristic of his father. The fifth son, Isaac Hirsch, also a merchant, became the editor of the new series of S. R. Hirsch’s famous monthly, “Yeshurun” when its publication was resumed following an interruption due to the failing health of its founder.

Verily, these provide an enviable example of how a great father succeeds with the help of G-d to live on in his children.

'T H E BLESSING of G-d was equally manifest in the choice of S. R. Hirsch’s successor to the Rabbinate of the “Religionsgesellschaft,” the congregation founded by Hirsch. In 1890, Rabbi Hirsch’s son-inlaw Rabbi Dr. Salomon Breuer, of blessed memory, a noted Hungarian Talmudist and an outstanding personality, with all the qualities of mind and character required of a religious leader, was initiated into office. Deeply influenced by the ideals of the great Hungarian school founded by the famous “Chotham Sofer” (who originally also hailed from F rankfort), Rabbi Breuer had found his way in early years to the conceptions of Samson Raphael Hirsch, and he moulded his whole life accordingly.

Rabbi Breuer had hardly been in office for one year when he made a strong appeal for the foundation of an Institute for Torah Study, a yeshivah. For it was clear that the regeneration of Torah Judaism could not proceed properly without a revival of Torah study.

But the idea of a yeshivah had lost its appeal in Germany, and it took some time until Rabbi Breuer succeeded with his plan. Finally, how­ ever, the “Breuer Yeshivah” was founded and it had a great share in bringing back the love of the study of Talmud to German Jewry.

Half a generation later, the yeshivah of Rabbi Schneider, a wellknown Lithuanian Rabbi, was founded and it added to the impetus which Torah study received in Germany. But it was mainly the Breuer Yeshivah which attracted German Jewish students, whereas it remains the m erit of the Schneider Yeshivah to have acquainted Jewish youths in Germany with the Lithuanian derech halimud.

TheAchievement of Rabbi J^fEANW HILE the idea of Torah derech eretz as expounded by S. R. Hirsch had conquered German Orthodoxy. I t found another great champion in the saintly Rabbi Dr. Esriel Hildesheimer, of blessed memory, who did for the north of Germany what S. R. Hirsch had done for the south. I t so happened that Hirsch and Hildesheimer had the same teachers: Haham Bernays in Hamburg, who influenced their religious outlook and philosophy of Judaism ; and the Gaon Jacob 42

Jewish LIFE

Ettlinger of Altona, to whom they both owed much of their Talmudical knowledge. Having fought for his* ideal for a number of years in Hungary, and having encountered much the same difficulties as S. R. Hirsch had to face in Moravia, Esriel Hildersheimer, like S. R. Hirsch before him, accepted a call back to the country of his birth.

As the rabbi of the Berlin “Adath Israel,” as founder and prin­ cipal of the Orthodox Rabbinical Seminary in Berlin (1873), and by his many literary, communal and national activities, Dr. Esriel Hildesheimer became an enormous force in the revival of Torah Judaism in Germany. The Rabbinical Seminary, first under him and after his death (1899) under Professor David Hoffmann, of blessed memory, produced hundreds of rabbinical personalities who combined consider­ able Biblical and Talmudical knowledge with a thorough university training, and proved efficient spiritual, and often also social, leaders of many Jewish communities in Germany and abroad. Their loyalty and devotion to orthodox Judaism ~ both in doctrine and practical con­ duct 8U-Jwas beyond doubt; and their,solid educational equipment helped a great deal to increase the prestige of orthodox Judaism in Germany.

Nor must it be forgotten that the extraordinary wide range of the Jewish and general scholarship of such famous men as David Hoff^ mann, Jacob Barth and Abraham Berliner, who were lecturers at the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary, greatly enhanced the standing of orthodox Jewry in the scientific world.

FEW more words must be said about David Hoffmann, who was equally great as a Biblical and a Talmudical scholar. In his masterly commentaries on Vayikra and Devorim, as well as in his other publications, he showed the fallacy of the arguments of so-called “Higher Biblical Criticism.” His studies in the history of Halochah culminated in the work “The F irst Mishnah” which has been trans­ lated into many languages and remains a classic to this very day. Many of his essays appeared in Wohlgemuth’s “Yeshurun,” an important or­ thodox magazine (named after and thought of as a continuation of S. R. Hirsch’s monthly) to which we shall have to come back in the third essay of this series. For the guidance of his pupils in practical Halochah, Hoffmann published a work of Responsa in three volumes under the title of “Melamed L’hoil” which is still widely used for the solution of Jewish religious problems created by modern life.

There existed among the disciples of S. R. Hirsch whole dynas­ ties of rabbinical families such as the Auerbachs, Cahns, Mupks, Carlebachs, etc. One of the pupils of Hirsch for instance, Rabbi Dr. Solomon Carlebach of Lubeck, himself the author of a number of popular books on Jewish religious subjects, had five sons and three sons-in-law, all of whom had chosen the calling of Rabbi and followed in the spiritual footsteps of S. R. Hirsch.

Jan. r Feb., 1954

43

Literary Inheritance QRAD UA LLY, an extensive orthodox Jewish literature written in the German vernacular .came into being, comprising commentaries on the various Books of the Bible, popular treatises on Jewish religious philosophy and outlook on life, handbooks on Jewish Law and observ­ ances and their inner meaning. Among the popular w riters of those days pride of place belongs to Rabbi Dr. M. Lehmann of Mayence.

In 1860 he founded the “Israelit” a popular Jewish weekly, which was later transferred to Frankfort, and under the editorship of Jacob Rosenheim remained a powerful organ of orthodox Jewish opinion until our own days, when it had to close down under the Hitler regime in 1938. Apart from his journalistic activities Marcus Lehmann wrote many novels on Jewish religious and historical subjects which were distinguished by their warm Jewish feeling and which proved ex­ tremely popular.

Another well-known religious w riter of those days was Rabbi Josef Nobel of Halberstadt, a pupil of Rabbi Esriel Hildesheimer whose books “Hermon” (on Midrosh), “Lebanon” (on Psalms) and “Tabor” (on Haftoroth) had a wide circulation. The same applies to Solomon Carlebach’s “A Guide for the Jewish Home.” All these pub­ lications were written in simple engaging style, and drew from the deep wells of traditional Jewish wisdom. Widely read by ordinary Jewish men and women during their leisure hours on Sabbath and Festivals, in the homely atmosphere of family gatherings, these books could not fail to lead the reader back to Jewish life and tradition.

Thus the havoc wrought and the damage done by the crude attacks of Reformers were slowly repaired.

■TPHERE IS, however, no doubt that the wonderful revival of traditional Judaism within a géneration after Samson Raphael Hirsch’s death was possible only through the life-work of that religious genius, and the impact of his writings which reached an ever widening circle of thinking young men and women. It was especially the publication of the collected essays of S. R. Hirsch which wrought a spiritual revolu­ tion among the Jewish intelligentsia at the beginning of the twentieth century. (An English translation of S. R. Hirsch’s most important essays will shortly be published by the author of this article.) The electrifying effect which Hirsch’s written word had on the Jewish university students of those days is admirably described in an essay

by Dr. Joseph Wohlgemuth, entitled “S. R. Hirsch as an Educationalist” and published in the “Memorial Volume on the Occasion of the 100th Birthday of S. R. Hirsch.” These essays had first been printed in Hirsch’s monthly, “Yeshurun” and they were his contributions to that famous magazine during the years 1855-1870.

44

Jewish LIFE

It was a particularly happy idea of his son, Dr. Naftali Hirsch, to collect these essays and publish them in six volumes between the years 1902-1912. The publication was very well timed. Those years coincided with the era of expanding science and industry. The crea­ tive power of the human intellect seemed unlimited* ^accordingly, a haughty, patronizing, almost pitying attitude was displayed by the intelligentsia of that epoch towards traditional religious conceptions of any denomination. It was the time of the publication of Haeckel’s famous book “World-Riddles” in which the author not only attacked but even made fun of the Biblical account of creation. At the same time, the school of so-called Higher Criticism (rightly called by Solo­ mon Schechter “Higher Antisemitism” ) tried to undermine the belief in the Divine origin of the Bible — which was described as a copy of old Babylonian documents ^¿¿and thus to rob the Jewish people of its glory as the bearer of a Divine message to mankind. In those days, the study of S. R. Hirsch’s essays and commentary on the Chumosh did much to expose the shallowness of the contemporary philosophy of nature and to show up the prejudiced nature of modern non-Jewish Bible scholarship which had, unfortunately, also been copied by the Jewish Reformers.

Within The Ranks ^■HE RELIGIOUS consolidation of Orthodoxy, brought about by the labors of S. R. Hirsch, Ezriel Hildesheimer and their pupils, was outwardly manifested in a number of communal organizations, Men­ tion has already been made, in the first essay, of the “Union for the Interests of Orthodox Judaism,” a nationwide organization founded by S. R. Hirsch, and after his death presided over by his successor, Rabbi Dr. Salomon Breuer. Soon there was founded the “Union of Orthodox Rabbis and of Orthodox Teachers.” The interests of Sabbath observ­ ance were guarded by the Sabbath League and the Employment Agency for Sabbath Observers. The defense of Shechitah was in the care of the Office for the Protection of Shechitah, Although the advent of Zionism and the different reactions to it split Orthodoxy into Agudists and Mizrachists, that division had in the beginning no adverse influence on orthodox kehillah life. Much more noticeable in the religious life of the communities was the probr lem of separation from the non-orthodox local Jewish congregation, made possible by the Secession Law, the passing of which by the Prussian House of Representatives (Landtag) was due to the endeavors of S. R. Hirsch and his friends.

As not all orthodox members of the local Jewish congregations availed themselves of the possibility to form their own independent congregations, Torah Jewry in Germany remained divided into “IndeJan. - Feb., 1954

45

pendent Orthodoxy” and “Communal Orthodoxy.” Yet all sections of German Jewish Orthodoxy, whether Zionist or anti-Zionist, whether they followed the decision of Hirsch to secede from the non-orthodox kehilloth and form communities of their own, or whether they did not, respected Hirsch’s burning religious idealism and his zeal for the re­ vival of Torah-Judaism.

JN THE course of this essay, which traced the development of Hirsch­ ian Orthodoxy in the second generation, we have not dealt extensively with the tragic conflict between S. R. Hirsch and S. B. Bamberger, of blessed memory, the “Wuerzburger Rav,” which was occasioned by the secession movement. This controversy is, strictly speaking, beyond our purview. As for Hirschian Orthodoxy, the P ’sak of Hirsch on secession was, of course, binding; and in the author’s humble opinion, S. R. Hirsch was right Jboth halochically and historically. For the sake of historical accuracy however, we ought not to omit to mention the im­ portant work for the revival and defense of Orthodoxy which was done

by Rabbi Bamberger, who was a great Gaon of the old school and a recognized Talmudical authority.

In 1853 he published “A m ira h l’Beth Jacob” (“About thé Duties of Jewish Wives”) ; in 1855, “Melekhet Shamayim,” a treatise on the method to be employed in writing a Torah scroll, in 1863 “More leShokhtim,” a manual for Shokhtim; and in 1867, “Nakhale Dvash,” about Chalitzah. In addition he wrote “Yitzkhak Yerannen,” a com­ mentary on the work of Rabbi Isaac ben Gyiat (1861-62), and finally “Koreh Be-emeth,” an explanation of “Al-Tikri” in the Talmud, Midrosh. Pesikta, etc. (1867).

He also founded the Orthodox Teachers’ Training College in Wuerz­ burg (Bavaria) which provided German Jewry with well-trained and G-d fearing orthodox teachers. ^ “HE RISE of Germany to political and economic power and the accompanying increase of wealth among her citizens which took place between the years 1870 and 1914, had its influence upon Jews in general and orthodox Jews in particular. But economic prosperity, far from having an adverse influence on German-Jewish Orthodoxy reared in the Hirschian school only deepened their loyalty to TorahJudaism by enabling them to devote their time more freely to it.

It was thus upon a flourishing orthodox German Jewish community that the first World War broke unexpectedly and put an end to an epoch in the history of modern Orthodoxy which can be called “the era of the disciples of S. R. Hirsch.”

46

Jewish LIFE

On

TheJewish Record B y ERIC OFFENBACHER

Sholom Aleiehem Renaissance ^CONSIDERING that for 37 years the famous Yiddish writer Sho­ lom Aleiehem lies quietly buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York, the enthusiastic acclaim currently given his stories across the East River, on a near-Broadway stage, seems close to miraculous. No newcomer, to be sure, to connoisseurs of Jewish folk literature, Solomon Rabinowitz, under the pen name of Sholom Aleiehem, has long delighted millions in capturing the special brand of home town humor quite casually revealed in the daily drudg­ ery of the Eastern European Jew. For some time, however, the vast output of this so-called “Jewish Mark Twain” has been available in the original Yiddish only, making it practically inaccessible to a wide American audience. It is to the credit of Howard Da Silva, the popular actor and director, that three of Sholom Aleichem’s best-known stor­ ies, in a fine English translation, have been permanently preserved on records.

T A LE S FROM T H E OLD COUNTRY. Three stories by Sholom Aleiehem, translated into E nglish by Julius and Frances B utw in.

Adapted and told by Howard D a Silva. Music composed and conducted by Serge Hovey. D i­ rected by Sim on Rady. Two 12” unbreakable 78 RPM records in album. DECCA, DU-5, price $4.85.

“unbreakable” 12-inch sides, Decca Jan. I Feb., 1954

presents: “The Fiddle,” “Dreyfus in Kasrilevka” and “A Yom Kippur Scandal.” Any reader desiring to entertain himself or his friends with delicious tidbits of Jewish wit, ex­ cellently adapted for recorded per­ formance by Mr. Da Silva, should add this set to his collection. One may only regret that the album does not contain a dozen stories instead of the three listed above. In his efforts to create the tense excitement in­ herent in some of the subject matter, the narrator often speaks so fast as to make the listener miss a point or two on a first hearing. But the over­ all effect of these typical samples of Sholom Aleichem’s genius is one of intimate participation in human ex­ periences that are at times as deeply touching as they are exceedingly funny. As the cover annotations state: “The spoken Yiddish depends to a great extent for its drama, it’s humor, its very meaning, on a raised eyebrow, a shrug of the shoulder, a gesture.” They all seem to be pres­ ent here in a voice with just the right inflection or nuance to demon­ strate a given situation.

“The Fiddle” tells of a chossm bocher whose ambition to venture in­ to the world of art is being frus­ trated by the stern regimen of cheder study, the mere attempt costing him the loss of his bride. Here the back­ ground music offers an opportunity 47

48

Jewish LIFE

for the fine solo display of violinist Oscar Shumsky.

“A Yom Kippur Scandal” deals with the strange theft of 1800 rubles in a synagogue on the holiest of Holy Days. A careful search for the cul­ prit reveals interesting evidence — if not the missing money.

To this reviewer, “Dreyfus in Kasrilevka” appears to be the most mov­ ing of the three and, at the same time, the most descriptive from a psychoanalytical view. Simple town-

folk learn of the world's news through (not from) Zadel, the only one in the shtetel intelligent enough to read and interpret a newspaper.

The famous Dreyfus affair has all Kasrilevka on fire. Word of the un­ just Paris verdict reaches them through ZadeFs paper. Follows an uproar attacking Zadel personally.

How can he report to them something “that cannot be” ! Philosophically, the narrator concludes: “And who is right . . . . ?”

TU BISHVAT SONGS FOR H A M ISH A -A SA R B ISH EV A T. E ig h t songs in H ebrew and E nglish, sung and played by Maurice Goldman, w rit­ ten by Irw in Soref, narrated by Than W yenn and produced by Dr. A lexander A rkatov.

Bureau o f Jew ish Education o f th e Los A ngeles Jew ish Community Council, 590 N orth V erm ont Avenue, Los A ngeles 4, Cali­ fornia. Two 10” unbreakable 78 RPM records in album (J ew ish F estivals — Series T w o ), price $2.75.

TTENTION of our readers is diJr*‘ rected to the splendid audio ma­ terial produced by the Los Angeles Bureau of Jewish Education. Re­ garded as pioneers in this field, the Bureau released a series of holiday albums some years ago, depicting ¿ongs associated not only with major Jewish festivals, but also containing less familiar tunes for use in Jewish schools on minor holidays. This music is virtually unknown to Jewish par­

ents in America. A representative example is the album “Songs for Hamisha-Asar Bishevat.” On four ten-inch sides songs attendant to the planting of trees in Eretz Israel, and others, are recorded with interpolated narration in English. All texts (the Hebrew transliterated) are printed inside the album cover. The record­ ings are clean, the voices heard are pleasant — if not always too dis­ tinctly projected — and the entire production intelligently conceived.

The educational value for school and home use becomes enhanced by thé method of repetition of the repertoire on side four, an idea which may well be copied by manufacturers of simi­ lar disks for pedagogical purposes.

Rabbi Joshua says: " A holiday must be divided: half of it devoted to eating and drinking and half to the Beth Hamidrash" (House of Study). Rabbi Joseph commented upon this subject by say­ ing that on Purim* all agree that some time must be spent on feasting and celebration, for the holiday was instituted for this purpose as it is written "A day of gladness and feasting." (Tractate Edioth, chap. 5)

Jan.. - Feb., 1954

49

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50

Jewish LIFE

I

KASHRUTH AT INSTITUTIONS

New York, New York I am glad that you have seen fit to reprint in the Kislev 5714 issue of Jewish Life the address which I gave almost forty years ago before the Seventh Convention of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. I should like at this time to call attention to some encouraging facts which bring the record a little more up to date.

In our city of New York, a num­ ber of Jewish communal institutions which formerly were negative on the issue nre now taking cognizance of the religious needs of traditional Jews. The boards of trustees of both Mount Sinai Hospital and the Jewish Hospital of Brooklyn have recently announced a new policy whereby kosher food is made available to those patients asking for it. While this is a far cry from an all-kosher hospital, nevertheless this action on the part of these two institutions is a clear recognition that Jewish religious val­ ues are an integral part of Jewish institutional life.

The Kaufman Camp Grounds on Staten Island, which provide all-day camping facilities for children of low­ Jan. - Feb,, 1954

er Manhattan and Brooklyn, an affi­ liate of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, have established the policy of selling only kosher food on the grounds. Federa­ tion itself conducts all its centrally sponsored affairs in strict observance of the dietary laws.

It is earnestly to be hoped that more and more Jewish organizations in the city and in the country will take self-respecting steps to infuse the spirit and practice of Judaism in all their activities.

D. de Sola Pool * '* LOSS OF VALUES

Bronx, New York The question posed in Leon Schaechter’s letter in the last issue of Jewish Life, asking why so many Jews in the United States have given up the heritage of the Ten Commandments, requires an extensive reply. To make it short, let me present two illustra­ tions.

1. Why did the Indians sell the Island of Manhattan for a handful of beads? It is because, in their ig­ norance, they were not able to under­ stand the relative values. Most likely, 51

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52

Jewish LIFE

the Indians were good to their fami­ lies; perhaps they even had their version of a U.J.A. or Federation, but nevertheless, ignorant they were.

2. Try this experiment with a three year old boy. With one hand offer him a fifty dollar bill; with the other, ten brand new sparkling pen­ nies. I may be wrong, but I think that any three year old in his right mind would choose the sparkling pennies — because as yet, he knows no better.

The same is true of so many of our American Jews. Because they do not know the value of the Torah, they have sold their birthright for sparkling glass beads.

Of course these are weak illustra­ tions. The Indians and the child gave up much less. The Torah is priceless.

Isaac Cohen * * * "DATCHER" DERIVATION

Frankfort-on-the-Hudson Mr. Gershuni’s article ‘-A Datcher in Williamsburg” in the December issue of Jewish Life is very inter­ esting and amusing.

It would, however, have been a good idea to advise your readers about the true etymology of his brother’s be­ loved -Datcher.”

By the way, another word used in Germany — especially in the north­ ern part — to designate a challoh was “Berches.”

Both words “Datcher” and “Ber­ ches” derive from the fact that a special knife to be used in cutting the challoh (usually made of some precious metal) was engraved with the verse from Proverbs 10:22: Birchath Hashem Hi Tadshir, the blessJan. - Feb., 1954

ing of the Lord it is which maketh rich.”

From Birchath came “Berches and from Taashir came “Tascher” (or “Datcher”) .

Nathan Weis * * » WOMEN'S SERVICE BILL

New York, New York A few words about your editorial in the Tishri issue of Jewish Life condemning Mizrachi and Hapoel Hamizrachi for their stand on the Wom­ en’s Service Bill. We understand that your opinion was expressed in view of the Chief Rabbinate’s declaration prior to the first Knesseth reading when it was a military service bill.

Later, we understand from the Ha­ poel Hamizrachi booklet, “The Truth About the National Service Law,” when the bill was developed into civil service for religious girls and the objectionable features eliminated, the Chief Rabbinate no longer condemned it and permitted religious Knesseth members to vote for it.

In view of the final development and in fairness to the religious par­ ties and officials in Israel, we think that you ought to correct your opinion in your next issue. We trust that you agree.

Charles Rubinstein [Mr. Rubinstein appears to have read a different meaning into the editorial to which he refers from that which was intended. The editorial neither condemned nor upheld Miz­ rachi and Hapoel Hamizrachi for their stand on the Women’s Service Bill. It did question the position tak­ en by the non-Govemment religious parties in demanding exemption from 53

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Jewish LIFE

conscription of “religious” women without placing equal insistence on such exemption for all women. It noted also, with reference to the same issue, that the bill provided differen­ tial treatment for “religious” and for “non-religious” women.—Editor] *

*

*

RELIEF FROM STUDIES

Bronx, New York: My son, Stanley, wrote from Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, as follows: “I received my first copy of J ewish Life. I guess this is the subscription which you have gotten for me, so thank you, Dad. I do not have much time to read, but it is a welcome re­ lief from my books to read something more interesting than biological pro­ cesses or mathematical induction.

Thanks again.”

I am quoting the above because I

believe that subscriptions for J ewish Life would be welcomed by many stu­ dents, who are away from home, and these should be encouraged.

Frank Fisher * * * EAGER READER

New York, New York I had meant to write to you before to tell you that your publication, Or­ thodox Jewish Life, is one of the better magazines in Jewish life today.

I look forward to each issue eagerly and read most of the articles very carefully. As a matter of fact, I keep copies for reference and resource purposes.

Julius Schatz Director, Community Service Bureau American Jewish Congress

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Jan. - Feb., 1954

PIONEER COUNTRY CLUB Greenfield Park, M. Y .

Dietary Lots# S trictly Observed.

CORRECTION

In the (0) Kashruth Directory appear­ ing in the previous issue of JEWISH LIFE, the item “chili dbnfc ebrne" was incorrectly included in the listing of Heinz © certified products. This error was in no respect the fault of H. J. Heinz Co.

55

UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA

w®

Kosher commodities and establishments under official © supervision and en­ dorsement.

KASHRUTH DIRECTORY Issued Shevat, 5714 — February , 1954 LOOK FOR THE (Q) SEAL - AND BE SURE!

The © seal is your guarantee of communallyresponsible Kashruth supervision and endorsement, eonducted as a public service by the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America—UOJC. All items in this Directory are © , receive the con­ stant inspection of and are passed upon by the Rabbinical Council of America, Rabbinic body of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations.

CONSUMERS ARE CAUTIONED TO: • Make sore that the © seal is on the label of every food product.

• Make sure that the seal shown on the label is the © — beware of im itations!

• Read carefully the list of ingredients of each © product to ascertain whether it is a meat or dairy product. The © does not necessarily mean that the product is Pareve.

Please note that the © seal of Kashruth supervision and endorsement is exclusively the symbol oft Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of AmprTra 306 Broadway, New York 7, N .7 .

STgRiirm<Ln 3-2220 56

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY

■

A ll item s listed below bear the © seal.

Item s listed © P are Kosher fo r Passover when bearing th is or other UOJC A Passover H echsher on label.

Items listed • are Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover H eehsher on label. * Indicates new © endorsement.

©

Heinz Oven Baked Beans in tomato sauce

(H. J. Heinz Co.)

BaSy Foods Heinz H w i t h © label only

Strained Vegetables & Salmon Strained Cream of Tuna Strained Vegetables Strained Fruits Chopped Mixed Vegetables Strained Puddings Strained Orange Juice Strained Tomato Soup Strained Vegetable Soup Pre-Cooked Cereals (Barley, Oat­ meal, Rice Junior Vegetables Junior Fruits Junior Vegetable Soups Junior Puddings

(H. J. Heinz Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.) Beech-Nut -— with © label only

Strained Vegetables Strained Fruits Strained Vegetable Soup Strained Tomato Soup Strained Puddings Strained Fruit Dessert Cereals Junior Vegetables Junior Fruits Junior Vegetable Soup Junior Banana Dessert Junior Puddings

(Beech-Nut Packing Co., N.Y.C.)

Buffer ♦Berish’s Beal Kosher

(Orthodox Kosher Products, Brooklyn, N.Yi)

Cakes, Cookies and Crackers Barton’s Bonbonniere ( Barton, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.) Dromedary

(The Hills Brothers Co., N.Y.C.) Chocolate Nut Roll Date Nut Roll Orange Nut RoH (above contain milk) Golden Oraeknel Egg Biscuits (Oolden Cracknel & Spec. Co. Detroit) By-Krisp (Ralston-Purkia, St. Lomel M* ' F F V — with © label only Macaroon Krisps (foil package) Lemon Thins (foil package) Orange Thing (foil package) Vanilla Thins (foil package) Chocolate Pecan Cookies (foil package) 5 Tea Rings (foil package) Short Bread (foil package)

(Southern Biscuit Go., { Richmond, Va.; distributed by Mutual Biscuit Go., N.Y.C.)

Cake Mixes B lair's E iy Angel M ix (contains milk)

(Blair Milling Co., Atchison, Kan.)

Baked Beans Heinz Oven Baked Beans with mo­

lasses sauce

Jan. - Feb., 1954

Dromedary Date Muffin Mix Devil’s Food Mix Fudge Frosting Mix

(above contain milk)

57

(y)

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY

■

All item s listed below bear the (Q) seal.

Item s listed are Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other U OJCA Passover Hechsher on label, Item s listed • aire Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover Eechsher on label.

Indicate* new © endorsement.

Corn Bread Mixr Corn Muffin Mix Cup Cake Mix Fruit Cake Mix Gingerbread Mix White Cake Mix

(The Hills Brothers Co., N.Y.C.) Golden Mix Paneake Flour Mix Waffle Flour Mix

Pride of the Farm Catsup

{Hunt Food Prod., Bridgeton, N.J.)

Convalescent Homes Dayton Nursing Home (1884 Mannion Ave. Bronx, N.Y.)

Dietetic Foods Mother’s Low Calorie Borsht

(Mother’s Food Products)

(Golden Mix Inc., Chicago, III.)

Camps I far children I Camp Mohaph

(Glen Spey, N.Y. — N.Y. office 4320 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn, N.Y.)

Candy ® P Barton’s Bonbonniere ( Barton, Jnc., Brooklyn, N.Y.)

Cereals Skinner’s Raisin-Bran Raisin-Wheat

(Skinner Mfg. Co., Omaha, Neb.)

m J

Dishwashing Machine Detergents A ll

(Detergents, Inc., Columbus, O.) Spic & Span (Procter & Gamble)

Dressings Garber’s Misrochi Salad Dressing

(Garber’s Eagle Oil Corp., B’klyn.)

Heinz French Dressing

(H. J. Heinz Co.)

Drink Mix *Sheleg Kool Drink Mix

(Orthodox Kosher Products)

W~

Condiments Dromedary Cranberry Sauce

(The Hills Brothers Co., N.Y.C.) © P Gold's Horseradish (Gold Pure Foods, Bfklyn, N.Y.) Heinz Brown Mustard Yellow Mustard Horse Radish 57 Sauce Chili Sauce Hot Dog Relish Worcestershire-Sauce Tomato Ketchup

(H. J. Heinz Co.)

58

Fish Products Royal Snack Cream Herring Matjes Fillets Spiced Herring Lunch Herring Herring Coektail Tidbits Salmon (in wine sauce)

(S. A. Haram Co., N.Y.C.)

Mother’s Old Fashioned © P Gefilte Fish Sweet & Soar Fish

(Mother’s Food Prod., Nervark. N.J.)

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY

H

A ll item s listed below bear th e (g) seaL Item s listed © P are Kosher fo r P assover w hen bearing this or other U OJC A Passover H eehsher on label.

Item s listed • are Kosher fo r Passover w ithout Passover H eehsher on label. * Indicates new (Q) endorsement.

Breast O’Chicken Tuna ( Westgate-California Tuna Packing

Co.y San Diegoy Cal.)

Flavor Improver A c’cent

(Mfd. by International Minerait and Chemical Co.)

Food Packages @P Care

m

Unflavored Gelatin

(Orthodox Kosher Products, Brooklyn, N.Y.)

Glycerides •Emcol M8VK

(The Emulsol Corp., Chicago, III.)

Honey © P Garber’s Mlsroohi

(Oarber Eagle OH Corp.)

(New York, N.Y.)

Food Freezer Plan Yitzchok Goldberg & Sons

(New York, N.Y.)

Household Cleansers

(See also Scouring Powders) ©P Brilio Products (BriUo Mfg. Co., B'klyn, N.Y.)

Frozen Foods Milady Food Products

(B’klyn, N.Y.)

6lintzes (blueberry, cherry, cheese, potato—all arc milchig) Waffles

Fruit — I Dried— bulk only I ©P California Packing Corp.

(San Francisco. Cal.)

Fruits — I Packaged I Dromedary Dates

Cranberry Sauce

Fruits and Peels Moist Coconut Shredded Coconut (The Hills Brothers Co., N.Y.C.)

Gelatine Desserts *Berish’s Beal Kosher

Gel Desserts (flavored)

Jan. - Feb., 1954

Cameo Copper Cleaner

(Cameo Corp., Chicago, III.) Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Detergents

(Jersey City, N J.)

• Arctic iSyntex M. beads (bulk only)

• Fab

• Kirkman Detergent

• Vel

Pels & Co. Detergents

(Philadelphia J*a.)

Felso

*Rol

Glim

(B. T. Babbit Inc., New York, N.Y.) Golden Fleece Pot Cleaner

(Metal Textile Corp., Roselle, N.J.)

My Pal

(Pal Product» Co., Brooklyn, N.Y.) Procter and Gamble Detergents

(Cincinnati, Ohio)

• Cheer • Dreft

• Oxydol

Joy • Spic k Span

© Tide

59

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY All item s listed below bear the © seal.

Item s listed © P are ( Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other UOJC A Passover Hechsher on label.

Item s listed • are Kosher for Passover w ith out Passover H echsher on label. * Indicates new endorsement.

Household Cleaners 1Cant'd I Soilax

(Économies Laboratory, Inc., St. Paul, Minn.)

• Sprite

(Sinclair Mfg., Toledo, Ohio) Swerl

(Allied Chem. & Dye Corp., N.T.Ü.)

Crystal Brand (milchig) (L. Bait ok & öo., N.Y.O.; manufac­

tured by Miami Margarine öo.)

Mar-Parv (pareve) Miolo (Milchig—bulk only) Nu-Maid (milchig) Table-King (milchig)

(Miami Margarine Oo., Cincinnati, Ohio)

Mother’s (milchig) Mother’s Parve

(Mother’s Food Products) Marshmallow Topping

Ice Cream

♦Marshmallow Fluff

Barton’s Bonbonniere

(Durkee-Mower, Inc., East Lynn.

Mass.)

(Barton, Inc.)

Costa’s French Ice Cream

(Costa’s Ice Cream Co., Woodbridge, N J.)

*Met Brand

(Marchiony Ice Cream Co., N.Y.C., distributed by Metropolitan Food Co., Brooklyn, N.Y.)

*Yitzchok Goldberg’s (I. Goldberg & Sons, 220 Delaney St„

Industrial Cleansers ♦Institution X ♦Orvus Extra Granules *Orvus Hy-temp Granules

N.Y.C.) e Meats

(Procter & Gamble)

Jams and Jellies ♦Berish’s Real Kosher Pure Fruit Jams, Marmalade

(Orthodox Kosher Products) Heinz Jellies

Heinz Tomato Juice (H.

(Oxford Provisions, Brooklyn, N.Y,)

Adolph’s

Heinz Co.)

Margarine ♦Berish’s Beal Kosher (milchig)

(Orthodox Kosher Products)

60

® Frozen Meats @P Corned Beef @P Salami © P Tongue @P Frankfurters Pastrami Oxford Corned Beef Tongue Pastrami

Meat Tenderlzer

(H. J. Heinz Co.)

Juices

Meats and Provisions

(Adolph’s Food Products, Burbank, Cal.)

Mustard Heinz (H. J, Heinz Co.)

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY A ll item s listed below bear the © seal.

Item s listed © P are Kosher for Passover w hen bearing th is or other UOJC A Passover H eehsher on label.

Items listed • are Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover Indicates new © endorsement.

Heehsher on label.

Noodles & Macaroni Products *Heinz Macaroni Creole (H. J. Heinz Co.) Skinner’s Egg Noodles Spaghetti Macaroni Vermicelli

(Skinner Mfg. Co., Omaha, Neb.)

m

Pudding ♦Berish’s Beal Kosher Chocolate Pudding

(Orthodox Kosher Products)

Rice * Heinz Spanish Bice

(H. J. Heinz Co.)

Oil

© P Garber’s Misrochi

(Garber Eagle Oü Corp.)

♦Mazola

(Com Products Refining Corp., N.Y.C.)

Oven Cleaner Easy-Off

(The Wolcott Co., Hartford, Conn.)

Peanuf Butter

Beech-Nut (Beech-Nut Packing Co.) Heinz (H. J. Heinz Co.) Planters (Planters Nut & Chocolate Co.,

Wilkes Barre, Pa.)

Potato Chips Blue Bibbon

(Red Dot Poods, Madison, Wis.)

Relishes, Picklest etc.

Heinz Pickles India Belish Hot Dog Belish Pickled Onions Sweet Belish Cocktail Sauce Southern Style Belish Hamburger Belish

(H. J. Heinz Co.) Dolly Madison Pickles

(H. W. Madison Co., Cleveland, O.)

Mother’s @P Pickles © P Gherkins © P Sweet Bed Peppers © P Pimentoes © P Pickled Tomatoes © P Sauerkraut Deluxe © P Pickled Country Cabbage

(Mother’s Pood Products)

Poultry — Frozen

• Titzchok Goldberg & Sons (New York, N.Y.) • Menorah Farms (Menorah Products, Inc., Boston Mass.)

Prepared Salads Boyal Snack Beet Salad, Cole Slaw, Cucumber Salad, Garden Salad, Potato Salad

(S. A. Haram Co., N.Y.C.)

Jan. - Feb., 1954

Carolina Beauty Pickles

(Mount Olive Pickle Co., Mt. Olive, N.C.)

♦Silver Lane Pickles Sauerkraut

(Silver Lane Pickle Co., Ectst H artford,Conn.)

Resorts

Q)P Pine View Hotel (Fallsburg, N.Y.) © P Washington Hotel

(Rockaway Park, N.Y.)

61

H

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY AH item s listed below bear the © seal.

Item s listed © P are "Kosher fo r Passover w hen bearing this or other U OJCA Passover Hechsher on label.

Items listed • are Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover Heehsher on label. * Indicates new (Q) endorsement.

m

Salt • Mögen David Kosher Salt

(Carey Salt Co., Hutchinson, Kansas) Morton Salt Co. Products

(Chicago, 111.)

• Morton Ooarse Kosher Salt • Morton Fine Table Salt • Morton Iodized Salt International Salt Co. Products

(Scranton, Pa.)

• Bed Cross Fine Table Salt • Sterling Fine Table Salt • Sterling Kosher Coarse Salt

Shortening National Margarine Shortening

(National Yeast Corp.,BelleviUe,N.J, Bulk only) Delmar Margarine Shortening

(Delmar Products Corp., Ginn., O. —Bulk only)

© P Garber’s Misrochi Pareve Pat

(Oarber Eagle Oil Co.)

© P Nut-Ola V egetable Shortening

(Nut-Ola Fat Prod., Brooklyn, N.Y.)

Scouring Powder (See also Household Cleansers) B. T. Babbit Co. Products Bab-o B abbitt's Cleanser Cameo Cleanser

(Cameo Oorp.)

Oolgate-Palmolive-Peet Co. Products • Ajax Ben Hur (bulk only) • Kirkxnan Cleanser • New Octagon Cleanser • Garber's Misrochi Cleanser

(Oarber Eagle Oil Co., New York) Kitchen Klenzer

(Fitzpatrick Bros., Chicago, III.) • Old Dutch Cleanser

(Cudahy Packing Co., Omaha Neb.) Pal Products Co. Products (Brooklyn, N.Y.) • Lustro Polishing Powder My Pal • Palco Polish Powder Pal-Lo

62

Silver Cleaner Instant Liquid Dip Silver Cleaner

(Lewal Industries, N.Y.C.)

Soap Nutola Kosher Soap

(Nutola Fat Products)

Soups Gold’s @P Borscht Russel

Sehav

(Gold Pure Food Prod., B’klyn, N.Y.) Heinz Cream of Mushroom Celery Cream of Green Vegetable Cream of Tomato Condensed Cream of Mushroom Condensed Cream of Green Pea Condensed Gumbo Creole Condensed Cream of Tomato Condensed Vegetarian Vegetable

(H. J. Heinz Co.)

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY

©

A ll item s listed below bear the © seal.

Item s listed © P are Kosher fo r Passover when bearing this or other UOJC A Passover H eehsher on label.

Item s listed • are Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover ^Heehsher on label. * Indicates new © endorsement.

Soups (Cont'di

TziMth

Mothers © P Borscht Cream Style Borscht Cream Style Schav Mushroom and Barley

WOOLEN M. Wolozin & Co.

RAYON, FOR RAYON TALEYTHIM

(Mother’s Food Prod.)

Soup Mix Joyce Egg Noodle Soup Mix

(Joyce Food Products, Paterson, N.J.)

Nutola Chicken Noodle Soup Mix Nutola Noodle Soup Mix

(Nutola Fat Products Co.,)

Sau ce

Spaghetti

©

Skinner's

(Skinner Mfg. Co., Omaha, Neb.)

Leon Vogel (66 Allen St., N.Y.C.) M. Wolozin & Co. (36 Eldridge St., N.Y.C.) Zion Tallis Co. (48 Eldridge St, N.Y.C.)

Vegetables Dromedary Pimientos

(The Hills Brothers Co., N.Y.C.)

Vegetables — Dehydrated (bulk onlyi ©P Basic Vegetable Prod.

(San Francisco, Cal.) ©P Gentry, Inc. (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Vegetable Oil

Spices

©P Garber’s Misrochi (Garber Eagle Oil Co.) © P Gentry Paprika

(Gentry, Inc., Los Angeles, Cal.)

Sugar © P Flo-Sweet Liquid Sugar (u)P Hudson Valley Befined Granulated Sugar (Refined Syrups & Sugars, Inc.,

Yonkers, N .Y.)

Syrup ♦Berish’s Beal Kosher Chocolate Syrup True fruit Syrups Imitation Fruit Syrups

(Orthodox Kosher Products)

Tomato Juice Heinz

( IT. J. Heinz Co.)

Jan. - Feb., 1954

©P Nutola (Nutola Fat Products Co.)

Vinegar ©P Garber’s Misrochi

(Garber Eagle Oil Co.)

Heinz

Cider Malt Salad Vinegar Tarragon White Bex Amber

(H. J. Heinz Co.) Vitamins Collett-Week-Nibecker Co.

(bulk only . . .Ossining, N.Y.)

Wine © P Hersh's Kosher Wines

(Hungarian Grape Products, Inc., N.Y.)

63

fOO0fi>/SM£l t6e easy wav /

. . . save yourself time and money, spare them anxiety and disappointm ent. . . just

airmail Service for Israel’s governmentapproved Scrip Certificates for $10, $15, $25 and $50 for their choice of ration-free k osher fo o d s in our Isr a e l s h o p s . . . or P a rc el C e r tific a te s fo r your ch oice o f seven kosher parcels, $10.50 to $38.50, and a Baby Package at $9.75, ready for deliv­ ery in Isr a e l.... now up to 30% more food for your g ift dollar

main office 2 Park A ven ue New Y o r k 16 M U 6-8160

or our authorized agencies everywhere

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(*t£.

64

Jewish LIFE

V E L makes dishes shine without washing or wiping!

Vel soaks dishes clean. Don’t wash, just soak; don’t wipe, just rinse. And the hand test proves there’s no “Detergent Bum” to hands with VEL. It’s marVELous!

1 O'SHSS STOCWMCS

iiHoe*'* i‘A^\ I WOOl«MS I ¿' } I SoKindtoHondsJ

J A J A X Cleanser with “Foaming Foams as it cleans all types of tile, porcelain surfaces, pots and pans. . . up to twice as easy, twice as fast! Floats dirt and grease right down the drain!

CLEANSER

L -/ D

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F A B washes clothes whiter without a bleach Whiter than any other product with a bleach in the wash water. Saves work, saves hands. Washable colors look brighter, too. Also wonderful for dishes.

© L FOR DISHES, TOO!

I B

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ALL OF THESE FINE PRODUCTS BEAR THE S E A L i OF APPROVAL OF THE UNION OF ORTHODOX ; JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA

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KOSHER SOUPS

by HEINZ . These seven Kosher Heinz Soups bear on 4hetr red, white, and blue labeJs^the © s e a l o f approval of THE UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH O b N G R ^ A TIO ^ S ^ p F AMERICA,

Six are niilchig; Vegetarian Vegetable is the pareve variety,

KOSHER SOURS

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