Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Page 4 Tin: Southern Israelite Why the Sharp Cleavage Between Pulpit and Pew! Philip David Bookstaher, Ph.D., Rabbi, Chev Sholom Temple, Harrisburg, Pa. The relationship between pew and pulpit has never been, but i until recent days, a much mooted question. The layman in the past. ; in the organic constituency of the Temple, was a very cultured, I, highly idealistic and profoundly religious man—yea—as much as ! the Rabbi. His religion was his life; his Rabbi a consultant, his I Temple—the repository for his unfulfilled yearnings. He emerged |;| f rom his house of worship with renewed courage, with a larger ,ji vision of life’s values, and with a deep-rooted conviction to make the teachings he received operative in dailv life. The Rabbi was the teacher, the layman a co-worker—and—both came together, prayed Co-operative Radio Judaism One is safe in saying that every night there are numerous programs including lectures and appeals being broadcast o\er the radio, all serving their purpose and reaching an audience beyond description. Those addresses have aroused us to the realization of the need for enlarging the Jewish use of radio facilities. Others have quickly grasped the significance of radio broadcasting and have readily determined to avail themselves of its countless possi bilities. Why not our Jewish talents? Have not we Jews much that can be accomplished by this means? There is continually much discussion about encouraging a more perfect understanding between Jew and Gentile. Surely our relig ious teachers and leaders have not failed to realize the tremendous advantages in this direction that their intelligent efforts over the air will further. If the programs are interesting as well as enlight ening the participants need not despair that their teachings are reaching but a faithful few who attend services, but a vast audience is certain to absorb a Jewish message. And of course this audience will include Gentile as well as Jewish listeners, so that a more sensible religious attitude may be fostered. Jewish programs over the radio are not new by any means. The United Synagogue of America began similar programs about ten years ago, and has continued them with regularity and interest. Other Jewish organizations and individual Rabbis have made use of this means for the transmission of Jewish messages and culture. In our own community we are very proud to note the splendid pro grams offered at regular intervals by Rabbi Harry Epstein over WSR. Rut as yet we have not taken as complete advantage of this marvel of our age as a definite form of co-operation would assure. Instead of an occasional service or special address and music, here and in every city where there are Jews and Jewish leaders, there should be a regular program every week offered through the com bined efforts of the Rabbis and lay leaders in that city. And so we call upon all of the congregations in Atlanta and its vicinity to appoint representatives to a Jewish radio conference that shall decide on the means of co-operation to advance “Radio Judaism.” Mrs. Annie T. Wise In the death of Mrs. Annie T. Wise, of Atlanta, our Jewis community has lost, one of its most distinguished members Mr Wise was one of the most active and capable teachers in the educi tional life of Atlanta and was responsible for the foundation > commercial education which was her central interest and whir later materialized into the present Commercial High School systen It is with sincere admiration that we pay this tribute to In memory and join in bereaving the loss of one so worthy and helpfi in dedicating her entire life to the sen-ice of educating young box and girls to meet their life’s work. together, and studied together. Wherefore this “dialogue” today; this division !—this contrast" I claim that there are three factors that tend to accentuate a sharp cleavage, between pew and pulpit: Firstly: The divorce of Religion from life and business and home. Secondly: The lavman stresses too much his financial sunnor f to the Temnle and little does he emnhasize his moral support. Thirdly: The layman forgets that the Rabbi was a layman and still desires to be so—yes, in the real ethico—religious sense of our ancestors. T have found many laymen who are really “lay-Rabbis.” What the layman can do is to increase his moral support of the nulnit and not to be satisfied with a delegated and proxied Jewish con sciousness. Ret the lavman help vitalize the pulpit by challenging, through personal participation, its strengths and its weaknesses. Rot the layman not tolerate the pulpit but accelerate it with the fire and zeal of his own active mind and spirit. The Jewish Calendar Since all of our Jewish festivals are set according to the Jewish ( alendar. it is important that we familiarize ourselves with its system. The Jewish calendar is based on lunar reckonings. The circling of the moon around the earth constitutes a month. The day follow ing the evening on which the new moon is first perceived is called RoxJi Chodesh—New Moon. In ancient Israel this day was consid ered as important a festival as Sabbath. In the course of time this day lost much of its significance. It is at present observed in Ortho dox circles, by special insertions in the services, such as Yadf \ euavo and Musaf. by the chanting of the Hallel and bv the read- ln .; of a P°rtmn of the Pentateuch (Numbers 28:11-15), dealing r>' i ^orifices for this day. No mourning is permissible or hash Chodesh. . i nc uay preceding each Rash Chodesh is since the 17th centi on amed a Small Day of Atonement”—Yom Kippur Katon. lkS a\ pious people fast and recite supplications. f , Twe l ve lllnar mon ths constitute a vear. The Jewish names the months are: Tishre, Cheshwan, Kislev. Tebeth, Shebat, Ad Tammuz, Ab, EM. The circling of the m< hour U he e , arth J akes 29 days, 12 hours and 793 thousandths of Shehnt v ° r ^ er L°. use roun d figures for the five months Tisl month*? r'fhVl' %\ van ' were arranged with 30 davs and the 1 memth^ hal h 9 t QA Adar ' I]niar ’ Tamm "z and Elul with 29 days. If month has qn f ays ’ one day Rosh Chodesh is observed, but if day of the nn! a,:VS two days Rosh Chodesh are celebrated, the 1 daj of the outgoing and the first of the new month. of an hour arain^cPi 1 * 81 354 days - 8 hours and 876 thousand onds of the sola? ! 365 , days ’ 5 hours - 996 thousandths and 48 i lunar°vear h a JJ" (according to the Jewish sages). Thus hours and 204 thJ 61 !,!? n s °l ar year by about 10 days, lunar vear onlv it * we sbou ld reckon according to would fall sometim#^ 01 ^ d about that Passover and Succ see this peculiar «hi!V ln ' Vlater an d sometimes in summer. who too have the lnn^^ °/ e festivals among the Mohammed nave the lunar calendar.—Jewish Brotherhood Monthl\