Newspaper Page Text
Fourteen
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Friday, February 21, 1958
Rabbi Proposes Jews
Convert
Thin spare sponsored as a
Public Service by
Thompson
Construction Co.
"Tommy Thompson”
292 Rear E. Paces Ferry
Rd., N.E. — CE, 7-9661
Rose Electric Co.
TR. 6-4848
121 Currier St., N. E.
Japanese To Judai
WASHINGTON — A missionary
effort to convert the Japanese to
Judaism was proposed this week
by a prominent Conservative rab
bi.
Writing in the National Jew
ish Monthly, publication of B’nai
B’rith, Dr. Robert Gordis of Tem
ple Beth-El in Rockaway Park,
Long Island, stressed that Japan
is ideally suited for a Jewish mis
sionary pilot campaign.
"Not only is there a great deal
of interest in Judaism among the
Japanese,” he writes, “but such a
campaign would not encounter the
difficulties that might arise in a
country in which Christianity is
dominant.
"At the present time there are
large numbers of Japanese who
are not merely interested in the
Bible, but in Judaism as a religion
for themselves. Many of them
have asked to be accepted in the
Jewish fold.”
A similar missionary movement
in the United States should be
limited for the time being to an
educational and informational
program, Dr. Gordis says. "The
lime is long overdue . . . for giv
ing information on Judaism to all
men and women who may be in
terested, without carrying on a
campaign for conversion.”
In the B’nai B’rith article Dr.
Gordis calls for a conference of
Berry Rittenbaum Insurance Agency
Berry Rittenbaum Realty Co.
Barry Finance Co.
NOW AT
Suite 308-9-10-11 Atlanta Nat l. Bldg.
Whitehall-Alabama Sts. JA. 3-6228
EXTEND BROTHERHOOD GREETINGS
TO THE COMMUNITY
Gilbert Write-Away Letter Service
409-14 Georgia Savings Bank Bldg.
JA. 2 - 3433 — 3434
Multilithing (offset Printing), Color Work, Multigraph,
Mimeograph, Varityping, and full mailing services.
GREETINGS
!: Spray berry's Cafeteria
888 Peachtree Street, N. E.
Sunday Hours 11:15 A. M. - 2:30 P. M.
We Appreciate Your Patronage
Outboard Sales & Service
802 Pryor St., S. W. JAckson 4-8766
JOHNSON SEAHORSE MOTORS
Cadillac Moulded Plywood & Aluminum Boats
Whitehouse Fiberglass Boats
Holsclaw Trailers
Skis, Paints, Life Vests
PARTS — REPAIRS ALL MOTORS
To one in whom love dwells, all the world are
brothers.
—Buddhist text
Bluebird Laundry &
Cleaners
1522 Jonesboro Rd., S.E.
JA. 4-7355
sm
national Jewish religious organi
zations, including lay and rab
binic leaders, to analyze all as
pects of a possible missionary pro
gram.
Needed today, he says, are new
comers from other backgrounds
to give Judaism “a shot in the
arm.” With 6,000,000 Jews mur
dered in recent decades by Naz
ism and more being “spiritually
asphyxiated” under communism,
“new accessions to its ranks would
help assure Judaism’s survival,”
the rabbi writes.
But any large-scale missionary
campaign in the Western world,
Dr. Gordis says, is faced with the
problem of creating ill-will be
tween Christians and Jews.
Historically, organized Christ
ian denominations have sought to
convert the Jews. ‘There is a grave
question as to how these churches
would react if Jews were to be
gin to convert Christians to Jud
aism with any measure of suc
cess,” he writes.
Dr. Gordis admits that any
present - day Jewish missionary
movement would also have to
overcome the "inertia” among
Jews who for centuries have not
actively sought converts.
There is the added problem of
convincing a prospective convert
to accept Judaism. “Judaism pos
es difficulties . . that the would-
be convert does not encounter in
Christianity,” the rabbi writes.
“In Judaism the accent is not
merely upon a new set of beliefs,
but upon a new pattern of prac
tice that requires a complete
transformation of one’s way of
life."
When a convert accepts Juda
ism, the rabbi points out, he is
not merely adopting a new relig
ion—"he is also accepting mem
bership in a new people.”
At the same time, Dr. Gordis
says, the convert must voluntarily
take on all the burdens of Jewish
life — including those resulting
from discrimination and persecu
tion.
In view of all the difficulties,
Jewish missionaries cannot expect
“mass conversions and large-scale
success,” the rabbi concludes.
Savannah News
A musical play entitled “My
Unfair Lady” was presented at
the B’nai B’rith Women’s regu
lar meeting, and was presented
in the interest of brotherhood
month.
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Epstein
announce the birth of a son,
Robert Bryan, January 25. Mrs.
Epstein is the former Joan Wein
er
Albert Tenenbaum has been
re-elected president of the Bu
reau of Jewish Education and
Benjamin Garfunkel re-elected
vice president. Mrs. Nathan
Tenenbaum was elected secre
tary.
Herbert B. Goodman, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Abe Goodman, has
been elected to the Emory Uni
versity chapter of Phi Sigma,
national honor biology society.
He was also named correspond
ing secretary and editor of the
group.
The Hebrew Women’s Aid have
formulated plans for its annual
Purim ball, in which the other
Women’s groups will assist in
contributing to the success of the
affair.
Mrs. B. H. Levy, Mrs. Philip
Cranman. Mrs Jeanne Guggen
heim and Mrs. Solomon Starrels
reported on the Southeast Fed
eration of Temple Sisterhoods
which was held in Atlanta in
January, and they had attended
as delegates.
Gary Levenson, son of Mr. and
Mrs. A. R. Levenson, celebrated
his Bar Mitzvah recently at the
B’na B’rith Jacob Synagogue.
Mr. and Mrs. Josef Coleman
announce the birth of a daugh
ter, Evelyn Yacovah.
Sidney Rosenzweig was elected
president of Chevra Kadishah at
its recent thirty-third annual
meeting and banquet held at
Agudath Achim Synagogue.
Sporttorod by
Moflonnl ConUranc* •( C hr it firm* and Jwrt
No Clues found To Bomb Plant
At Second N. C. Synagogue
GASTONIA, N.C., (JTA) —
Police of two North Carolina
cities, 20 miles apart, confessed
this week they had no clues to
the placement of homemade
bombs under virtually identical
circumstances at a synagogue in
each city.
Three months ago a homemade
dynamite bomb was found at
Temple Beth El in Charlotte. The
bomb had failed to go off. This
week a similar bomb was found
at Temple Emanuel here. Jt too
had failed to explode.
Police Chiefs G. H. Peninger of
Gastonia and Frank N. Little
john of Charlotte, after examin-
were made by the same person.
They also said that thy had un
covered no information as to the
identity of the culprit and that
no arrests were expected.
Chief Peninger said that none
of the 73 members of Temple
Emanuel had received threaten
ing letters or telephone calls. In
neither case was any information
found as to the reason for the
attempted bombing.
A police cruiser spotted an
overnight bag placed at the side
entrance to Temple Emanuel. It
contained 39 sticks of dynamite
enough to wreck the synagogue,
one fuse which had burned down
almost to the end and one 10-
foot fuse which had not been
lit.
ing the second bomb, said it ap
peared likely that both attempts
Southern Door Closer Service
Door Checks — Repairs
Sales — Service
125 East Street
Forest Park, Ga.
Brotherhood Greetings
AL SMILEY MILTON SIEGEL
•
OUR PRODUCTS A SENSATION
IN QUALITY ANI) PRICE
•
We cordially invite your inquiries
AAA BATTERY CO.
190 Edffewood Ave., N.E. JA. 4-2068
A
a
tin ounce K^/pening,
Broadview Plaza Gulf Service
2581 PIEDMONT ROAD, N.E.
CEdar 3-9203
ROY PRICE, Owner
BROTHERHOOD MONTH
Brotherhood
Believe It — Live It
Support It
Sponsored by
The National Conference
of Christians and Jews
West End Federal Savings
& Loan Association
Dr. Sidney Q. Janus, President
C. A. Bowers, Vice-Pres.-Manager
PLaza 3-6101
946 Gordon St., S. W.