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Page Six
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Friday, September 30 ,1949
Tlii» Southern Israelite
Published weekly by Southern Newspaper Enterprises, Inc., 312
Ivy Street, N. E., Atlanta 3, Georgia. WAlnut 0791-0792. M.
Stephen Schiffer, publisher; Adolph Rosenberg, editor; Willy Pels,
business manager. Entered as second class matter at the post of
fice,Atlanta, Georgia, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Yearly
subscription, three dollars. The Southern Israelite invites literary
contributions and correspondence but is not to be considered as
sharing the views expressed by writers. Deadline is 9:00 a. m.
Wednesday but material received earlier will have a much better
chance of publication.
Selection from Our Bible
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:
"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the goods of the
land, but, if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the
sword, for the month of the Lord hath spoken it.
Isaiah 1: 18, 19, 20.
Salute to the United Nations
It’s an old American custom to give credit where credit
is due.
Just a few months back, it seemed as if the Berlin
blockade would never be lifted. Fortunately, there was a
meeting ground where all parties were able to thrash out
differences and prepare the way for a settlement.
Not long ago, Palestine was a battlefield where Jews
and Arabs were locked in a fierce struggle, wifh the
peace of the entire Middle East at stake. Today, that crisis
is over and the new democratic State of Israel is a mem
ber of the society of nations.
During the past four years, several other conflicts—In
Iran, in India, in Greece—might easily have plunged the
world into war. Happily for all of us, they were success
fully resolved.
Meanwhile, aid.has been rushed to millions of human
beings who might otherwise have perished of malnutri
tion, smallpox, tuberculosis and cholera. Staggering
shortages of food and manpower have been overcome so
that a measure of stability is now being restored to a dis
located world.
For every one of these achievements, credit goes
straight to the United Nations. Today, as United Nations
Week is observed throughout the country, Americans
salute an undertaking nobly begun.
But it is in the field of individual freedom that the UN
has piled up its distinguished record of service.
During the past winter, the General Assembly adopted
a Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first part of
a comprehensive program to secure for citizens of all
lands, the governments of the world are realizing that
men and women of all races, creeds and nations must be
granted the essentials of dignity and freedom, if peace is
to endure.
Also at the last U. N. session, member nations voted
unanimously for a Convention outlawing Genocide, to
prevent a recurrence of barbarous assaults that have
taken a ghastly toll of innocent lives and plunged nations
into war throughout history. Now for the first time, mass
murder is declared a crime, punishable under interna
tional law.
But to make this long-needed measure effective, the
Convention against Genocide must be ratified by twenty
UN members. The UN has done its share. It remains for
us—the people of the world—to see that our governments
complete the job.
“The UN Works for You” is the slogan for United Na
tions Week. It certainly does—but only if you work for
the UN.
What About That?
By Rabbi Sammuel J. Fox
QUESTION: Why ia the day
after Yom Ksppur known as
“T*u Gottes Nomen?”
ANSWER: Between the time
of Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur a change is made in the
daily prayers. At a certain
point in the prayers the Lord
is blessed as the “Holy G-d”
during the entire year. During
the aforementioned period he
is blessed as the “Holy King.”
This is done because at this
time of the year the Lord be
comes the judge of all human
ity; passing judgment like a
king over his subjects. The day
after Yom Kippur the original
term, "G-d,” is reinstated and
the judgment is over. Amongst
the Chasidim,, this was an im
portant transition, perhaps like
a sigh of relief after one has
passed his trial period. The day
was thus given a special name
“Tzu Gottes Nomen” which
means “To G-d’s name,” indi
cating that the prayers revert
ed to “G-d” instead of to a
“king.”
QUESTION: Why is the Ark
opened at so many prayers dur
ing the High Holidays?
ANSWER: It is believed that
during the High Holidays the
Jew has more direct possibil
ities of appealing to G-d’s
mercy than during rest of the
year. His own mood of peni
tence coupled with the Al
mighty’s desire for mercy allow
him more chance to appeal for
his life and happiness. The
gates of prayer are believed to
be opened wider at this time.
Morever, the sight of the open
Ark makes a profound impres
sion upon the thinking of the
worshippers. Some consider
this a means of asking the Lord
to open the gates of prayers for
our entreaties.
QUESTION: Why is the cuito-
PANORAMA by David Schwartz
Yom Kippur Dancing
"I say,” said Phil, looking up
from his paper. “This is
strange.”
“What’s strange?" asked
Sam. “What are you reading?"
“It’s an old newspaper. The
Jerusalem Good Morning,” said
Phil.
“But what’s so strange about
it?" asked Sam.
“Well, this news items about
dancing in Jerusalem on Yom
Kippur," said Phil.
“Read it to me." requested
Sam. *
Phil read:
“KING DAVID IS GUEST
AT GREAT YOM KIPPUR
FOLK DANCE; HIS MA
JESTY PLAYS HARP."
“The regular Yom Kippur
dance of the maidens of Israel
went off today with unusual
eclat, the King himself being
present at the recital on Jeru
salem’s hills. As is customary,
the girls of Israel appeared in
borrowed dresses, so that the
poorest young woman will feel
the equal of the wealthiest and
none should be put to disad
vantage on the score of clothes.
is a great democratic force,’ the
Monarch said. ‘The custom that
no girl is to participate save in
borrowed clothes, that the poor
and the rich might be alike, is
evidence of the fundamental
democratic spirit, which I feel
will in time sweep the whole
earth,’ the King said.
“The celebration of Yom
Kippur showed, the King went
on to say, that the people of
Israel had learned to combine
the various strands of life. Yom
Kippur was a day of penitence
but it might also be a day of
joy. He said that the dance of
the damsels of Israel did not
conflict with the somber tones
of Kol Nidre to which he had
listened earlier in the Temple.
“As the King paused, some
one called: ‘Play on your harp,
Your Majesty.’
“The King smiled. ‘Perhaps
I will.’ ‘What shall it be?’ asked
the Monarch.
“ ‘The 23rd Psalm,’ shouted
the crowd in unison.
“The King played his favor
ite number on his harp, with
the crowd joining in the sing
ing.”
Phil laid down his paper.
“Isn’t that a strange item? I
can’t believe it.’’
“I don’t see anything so
strange in it,” said Sam. “The
only thing strange in it is the
mention of Kol Nidre. That did
not come into the Yom Kippur
service until centuries later.
But it was customary for the
young girls of Israel to go
dancing in borrowed clothes on
Yom Kippur. And they sang
songs something along the lines
indicated. It was a day so to
speak for wooing as well as
penitience.”
“Well,” said Phil, “they don’t
do that any more.”
“I don’t know,” said Sam,
“around my way you see the
girls standing talking with the
young men in front of the syn
agogue on Yom Kippur. Maybe
—well, I had better not say.”
BETWEEN US by Boris Smolar
U. N. MOODS
“The King’s own daughter,
Tamara, who participated in
the dancing, came dressed in
the clothes of the kitchen
maid’s daughter. As is the cus
tom, the young women sang the
familiar tune:
‘By gaudy clothes be not misled
But seek a good heart instead.
Beauty is vain and oft skin deep
But a fine character will al
ways keep.
In your wooing, you will not
rue
If you seek for what is true.’
“The King arrived at the
scene of the dancing after at
tending the morning services
at the Temple. His arrival was
greeted with loud shouts of
he.v-dud (hooray). His Ma
jesty, responding, said that at
tending these Yom Kippur
dances always gave him great
pleasure.
“ 'The Yom Kippur dance in
Israel is something unique. It
mary greeting “Leshonoh To-
vak Teekosa.vvoo” (May you be
inscribed for a good year)
omitted on the second night of
Rosh Hashanah?
ANSWER: The ommission is
regarded as a display of confi
dence from one individual to
another. Having already wished
each other this on the first day,
and having been in the synago
gue praying together for the
good and welfare of all, it is
assumed that the individual has
already been inscribed in the
Book of Life for a good year.
Wishing this to him again
would indicate a doubt as to
whether he was worthy enough
to be inscribed on the first day.
^ewii k C?a fen Jar
YOM KIPPUR
Monday, October 3
succos
Saturday, Oct. 8
(First Day)
Sunday, Oct. 9
(Second Day)
Saturday, Oct. 14
(Eighth Day)
HANUKKAH
Friday, Dec. 16
The Jewish New Year will
start in the midst of discussions
at the U. N. General Assembly
which will have to settle the
status of Jerusalem . . . Con
trary to all other opinions, the
Jerusalem problem will be one
of the major issues at the As
sembly which opens its session
on Sept. 20 at Flushing Mea
dows . . . However, it is safe to
pre diet that whatever the out
come of the discussions will be.
the Jewish part of Jerusalem
will remain in Jewish hands,
under a Jewish administration
responsible to a U. N. High
Commissioner . . .
What will happen to the
Arab-populated Old City,
where the Wailing Wall is sit
uated, will depend on what will
happen to the Arab part of
Palestine ... If the Arabs in
that area form their own gov
ernment, then they will, of
course, also claim the Old City.
However, if they decide to
become citizens of Transjor
dan, then the Old City will fall
under the administration of
Transjordan ... In both cases
the final authority will rest
with the U. N. High Commis
sioner, until after a plebiscite
is conducted among the popu
lation of the entire city . . .
The Israel Government seems
to have given half-hearted ap
proval to the division of Jeru
salem into two separate admin
istrative units, with the Jews
administering the new section
of the city and the Arabs con
trolling the Old City . . . Israel
leaders would not like that this
state of affairs remain perma
nent . . .
P
ratjer jor (jam ^Jsippur
By Mrs. Evelyn Epstein
God, our Father, we implore Thee earnestly
To see us through Thy mercy great.
We are not what Thou desirest us to be,
But hope to reach a higher state.
Wilt Thou only our good record
And forgive us our sins, dear Lord?
God Almighty, Thou knowest our double frame,
Our inner conflict unending.
Make the good in us to call more on Thy name,
That we to Thee be more bending.
Help us more good in others see.
That we may be of scorn more free.
No person can sin with Thy truth in his heart
And justice and kindness streaming .
May all Thy people today make such a new start,
With faith and spirit agleaming.
Help us more and more good to do.
Daily our actions to review.
Help us, O God, to be with Thee all sincere,
Not to break the resolves we make,
That we may through the year not have any fear
That Thou wilt Thy children forsake.
"Good Father, what more do we need
But on Thy laws our souls to feed?"
O Lord God, Thou hast shown us Thy salvation,
We are back in Zion secure.
We pray Thou help us become a strong nation
And its hardships all to endure.
Lord, upon us Thy spirit rest.
That we may stand any hard test.
We thank Thee, Lord, for this Day of Atonement;
We can become at one with Thee.
With our loved ones and friends we can rest content
And sing and rejoice merrily.
Exceedingly rich is our lot;
Our God, Thou forgettest us not.
—Atlanta, 1949.