Newspaper Page Text
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1952
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Page 7
HUC Receives
Collection of
Juda icaBooks
- A j 9 reATuht -
James Madison's Battle Against Religion in
Our Schools; An Invaluable American Document
An Ammrican Jewish Press Feature
The struggle for the separation of Church and State dates back
to the founders of our Republic. Among the leading fighters for the
idea was James Madison.
Patrick Henry introduced a resolution in the General Assembly
of Virginia in May, 1784, favoring a general tax for the support of
religion. Madison vigorously opposed this and made a motion that
the general tax bill be conditioned upon approval of the vote of the
people. Patrick Henry, who sponsored the tax bill for religion, gave’
his consent to Madison’s proposal, fully expecting that the people
would vote for his bill.
In a letter to Thomas Jefferson, dated Richmond, Jan. 9, 1785,
Madison gave the following account of the bill:
“A resolution for a legal provision for the ‘teachers of the Chris
tian Religion’ had early in the session been proposed by Mr. Henry,
and in spite of all the opposition that could be mustered, carried by
forty-seven against thirty-two votes. Many petitions from below the
Blue Ridge had prayed for such a law; and though several from the
Presbyterian laity beyond it were in a contrary style, the clergy of
that sect favoured it. The other sects seemed to be passive. The re
solution lay some weeks before a bill was brought in, and the bill
some weeks before it was called for; after the passage of the incor
porating act (incorporating the Protestant Episcopal Church), it
was taken up, and on the third reading, ordered by a small majority,
to be printed for consideration. The bill in its present dress proposes
a tax of blank per cent on all taxable property for support of teach
ers of the Christian religion. Each person when he pays his tax is to
name the society to which he dedicates it, and in case of refusal to
do so, the tax is to be applied to the maintenance of a school in the
county. As the bill stood for some time* the application in such cases
was to be made by the Legislature to pious uses. In a committee of
the whole it was determined by a majority of seven or eight that the
word ‘Christian’ should be exchanged for the word ‘religious’. On
the report to the House the pathetic zeal of the late Governor Harri
son gained a like majority for reinstating discrimination. Should the
bill pass into a law in its present form it may and will be easily
eluded. It is chiefly obnoxious on account of its dishonorable princi
ple and dangerous tendency.”
George and Wilson Cary Nicholas, members of the General As
sembly, earnestly entreated Madison that he write a remonstrance
against the proposed tax bill supporting religion and they would car
ry it to the people. Madison wrote his famous Religious Remon
strance and placed it in the hands of George Nicholas in July, 1785.
It at once became the campaign “platform.”
As a result of this “Memorial and Remonstrance,” the bill “es
tablishing a provision for teachers of the Christian religion” was
defeated, and Jefferson’s "Act for Establshing Religious Freedom”
was passed by the Assembly in its place in December, 1785, Madi
son’s “Remonstrance” and Jefferson's “Act for Establishing Reli
gious Freedom” are two invaluable documents, setting for the true
American ideals as conceived by the founders of this Republic, on
the question of the proper functions of church and state and of civil
and religious liberty.
May, Miller
Fly to Israel
NEW YORK — Rabbi Irving
Miller, Z.O.A. president, and
Mortimer May, Nashville, ad
ministrative council chairman,
are to leave soon for Israel.
They will attend a conference
of American Zionist leaders to be
convened November 18 by Prime
Minister David Ben-Gurion to
discuss methods of strengthen
ing the Zionist movement.
CINCINNATI (JTA) — Val
uable volumes of Judaica, collect
ed by the Jews of Mannheim,
Germany, over the centuries and
dramatically preserved from Na
zi looting and Allied bombing
during World War II, have been
presented to the library of the
Hebrew Union College-Jewish
Institute of Religion at Cincin
nati through Col. Henry Tavel,
highest ranking Jewish army
chaplain, who has just returned
from a three-year tour of duty in
Germany.
The colection of books, which
includes some rare items dating
back as early as 1500, had been
seized by Hitlerites from Jewish
institutions and families and as
sembled at a central depot. Ges
tapo officials instructed the cus
todian of the municipal library
at Mannheim to select items of
general interest for the city book
shelves. The reminder were to be
shipped to Nazi institutions for
nicist study.
The custodian made no selec
tions. Instead, he stamped all the
books and told the Gestapo he
was incorporating the entire col
lection in the public library. Ac
tually he preserved the lot in
tact. As a result, during the very
period when the owners of the
books were being dispersed—in
death and in concentration
camps—their volumes of Jewish
learning were preserved togeth
er. During Allied bombings,
when Mannheim authorities bur
ied city treasures for safety, the
Jewish collection was buried too.
After liberation, the books were
restored to the small community
of Jewish survivors, 90 old peo
ple, all that remains of a once-
thriving Jewish population of
10,000.
To Col. Tavel, who served as
their rabbi as well as the rabbi
of Jewish GI’s, this community,
without youth of its own, expres
sed the desire to pass its library
on to an institution where the
books might again serve Jewish
learning and help in the develop
ment of new leaders of Judaism.
In selecting the Hebrew Union
College, Col. Tavel chose the
school where he was ordained in
1929.
For the Kiddies
By ROBERT GARVEY
Illustrations by Maurice Sendak
The American Association of Engliali-Jewish Newspapers,
through its feature service, the American Jewish Press, is pleased
to cooperate with the United Synagogue of America in urging more
extensive Sabbath observance in American Jewish communities. In
cooperation with the United Synagogue of America, we are pleased
to present to our readers, in a three-week serial, Robert Garvey’s
splendid children's book, “Good Shabbos, EverybodyMaurice Sen
dak is the book’s illustrator. Leonard Weisgard was the art consult
ant. The complete book, with its numerous illustrations, is available
from the United Synagogue, 3080 Broadway, New York 27.
* * *
Once upon a time there was a little girl, and her name was
Mimmy.
Mimmy liked to sing, and Mimmy liked to play, and Mimmy lik
ed to hear stories.
Do you like to hear stories?
Mimmy had a brother, and his name was Joel.
Joel liked to sing and Joel liked to play and Joel liked to hear
stories. ’
Do you like to sing?
Mimmy had another brother, and his name was Dan.
Every morning Mimmy says to him: “Shalom, Dan.”
But can little Dan answer?
Dan has little blocks. And on the blocks are the letters
— Alef
— and Bet
— and Gimel
— and Daled
But can little Dan read? Can Dan talk?
Dan is a little baby. And little babies squeal and cry. The/
haven’t yet learnt how to speak.
(To Be Continued Next Week)
4U»~UiU.
Top Your Family Dinner
With Items of Food Brought
Directly to Your Table From Israel
* Delicious Wines
* Tasty Pickles
* Candies
NOW ON SALE AT YOUR
FAVORITE DELICATESSEN
Make It an
Israeli
Thanksgiving
These items have been brought directly to Atlanta
by us at prices which compare favorably with similar
articles and despite high import duties. How? By
making all arrangements ourselves—on our recent
trip to Israel. Thus, we've eliminated the middle
man. You needn't wait until November 27 to serve
these glorious items from the new Jewish State.
They*'re good enough for any occasion. AND
YOU'LL ALWAYS KNOW WHEN YOU SERVE THEM
THAT YOU ARE AIDING THE STABILIZATION OF
ISRRAEL'S ECONOMY.
i
H. SUNSHINE & SON
142 Walker MAin 2283
In addition we’ve made available a full line of candles
Lovely lights for Shabbos. Special candles for weddings and
Bar Mizvah's. Yarzeit condoles too in Israeli-made glasses.
AND VERY TIMELY-BOXES OF VARI-COLORED
CANDLES ESPECIALLY FOR
HANUKKAU