Newspaper Page Text
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The Southern Israelite
Fablisfce* Weekly by Soothers Newspaper Enterprises. M Cowt-
iMd St., NJ, ^Atlanta S, Georgia, TB. I-K4I, TR. 6 8244. Entered
ne second class nutter at the post office, Atlanta, Georgia under the
Act of March 8, 1179. Yearly subscription fire dollars. The Southern
teaellte in rites literary eentribalisns and correspondence bat is not
to be considered as* sharing the slews expressed by writers. DEAD
UNE is 11JI fJL, TUESDAY, bat material received earlier will
hare a much better chance of pabUcatton.
Adolph Roaenberg, Editor and Publisher
Gustav Oppenheimer, Margaret Merry man, Sylvia Kletzky
Karen Hurtig, Kathleen Nease, Jennie Loeb
A merican^Assodation
lAS y C 3 , g N ‘ of Emtlish-Jewioh
'^iMWiiafi'iUJI Newspapers
WHAT THE PRESS IS SAYING '
An AJP Digest of Contemporary Opinion
Jewish Approaches to Adult Education
Jews are fond of saying about themselves that they are just like
other people—only more so. This applies to adult Jewish education
in the U.S., which reflects the general national adult enterprise.
Like the larger movement, it is a sprawling tent giving cover to
many kinds of programs carried on under numerous auspices, both
religious and communal, varying widely in quality, scope, and ul
timate objectives. The adult education programs to be found in the
average American community with any sizable Jewish population
usually run, the gamut from religiously-oriented classes and lectures
in the synagogues to forums and projects in drama, music, arts and
crafts in the community center . . . The following patterns have
emerged as the most stable, popular, and effective in teaching Juda
ism to adults: 1. Study and discussion groups. 2. Lectures, forums,
panels, symposia. 3. Congregational Institutes of Jewish Studies. 4.
Institutes of Judaism. 5. Natural Situations. 6. Leadership Training.
7. Cultural programs. 8. Personal Study . . . Today, however, the
sad reality is that much of what passes for adult study is not worthy
of the name. Some of it might better be called indoctrination or pro
motion of specific Jewish causes or special branches of Judaism . . .
On the positive side of the ledger, however, it can be said that a
growing number of Jewish leaders, rabbis, and professional educa
tors are coming to realize that adult Jewish education would do well
to divorce itself from the narrow partisan or sectarian approach and
to align itself with the forces of liberal adult education . . .
Lily Edelman, Adult Leadership (Chicago)
NASSER’S FOLLY
President Nasser’s ambitious attempt to unite all Arabs within
a personal empire of his own by means of a fanatical campaign
against the West has boomeranged. At the moment the Arabs are
more divided than ever and the Communists whom he called to his
aid have become his most dangerous enemies . . . The Arabs have
every reason to be alarmed at the consequences of Nasser’s folly.
So does the west.
The New York Times, from an Editorial
THE MEANING OF KADDISH "
. . . The Kaddish seems to speak to the Jew, “Don’t isolate
yourself! Don’t cut yourself off and drown yourself in self-pity! Car
ry on bravely and courageously the memory of your dead. Carry on
his spirit by your own acts of lovingkindness performed in his name
. . . This, then, is the real meaning of the Kaddish—not a prayer
for the dead, but a mandate to the living which brings healing and
comfort, solace and courage to the faint of heart The Kaddish bids
man rise above his sorrow. It affairms his faith in God and in the
worth-whileness of life. It turns his view away from his personal
sorrow and fixes it upon the welfare of mankind. It lifts his hope
and vision to a day of brotherhood and peace, when mankind shall
at last inhabit the earth as children of the One God and Father, and
justice reign supreme in peace.
Rabbi Ferdinand M. Isserman, The Jewish Digest
(From the book: A Rabbi With The American Red Cross
CONVERT BY CONVICTION
Certainly the most famous and perhaps the most beautiful baby
born last week was a Jewish girl named Elisheba Rachel Taylor.
For according to Jewish legal theory, every convert is “a newborn
child.” And last week 27-year-old film star Elizabeth Taylor became
a Jew . . . This was no sudden shift for Actress Taylor, who had
been raised as a Christian-Scientist. She first thought of adopting
the Jewish faith when she married the late Mike Todd—born Av-
rom Goldbogen, grandson of, a Polish rabbi . . .
Time Magazine,” Religion”
TWO GREAT CENTENNIALS
World Jewry takes note this year of two centennials—the 100th
anniversary of the birth of Eliezer Ben Yehudah (Perlman), whose
name is perpetuated ip Jewish history as “the father of modem
Hebrew,” and Sholem Aleichem (Solomon Rabbinowitz), the great
. humorist and interpreter of Jewish mores and conditions in the
ghettos of Russia . . . Both were men who suffered from tubercu
losis, who defied personal sufferings to carry on their work . . . We
pay honor to the two names. History will perpetuate their names.
They left great legacies to Jewry.
Philip Slosnorlta, The Detroit Jewish News
Israel Court of Appeals Confirms
Guilt of Kfnr Kassen Commanders
IODTKIKN ISRAELITE
Jewish Groups Compete
For Press Limelight
By ERNEST E. BARBARASH
TEL AVIV, (JTA)—The Israel
Court of Appeals closed last
week-end the. Kfar Kassem
case by confirming the convic
tion on murder charges against
three of the members of the Is
rael border patrol who killed 47
Arab men, women and children
during a curfew in 1956. At the
same time, the Appeals Court
reduced the sentences of all the
defendants. •
The term of Major Shmuel
Mslini, commander of the bord
er police battalion, which opened
fire on the Israel Arabs on the
eve of the Sinai campaign, was
reduced from 17 years to 14
That of Lt. Gabriel Dehan, com
pany commander, was cut from
15 to 10 years, and that of Cpl.
Shalom Ofer from 15 to 10 years.
Five other members of the
patrol unit, sentenced to seven
years, were released after the
Appeals Court changed the
charge to “attempted murder”
and sentenced them to three
years on that charge. The court
said that, since they had already
American Jewry is now under
going an era of ‘scoops.” It is
analogous to the Sputnick era in
the realm of science—and the
era of the chemise in fashions.
We find a multitude of Jew,
ish organizations engaged Ih a
race to scoop each other in the
press on matters which either
are not within their respective
purview or should by the subject
of United' Action. Whether it is
the sending of a delegation to
Mikoyan or public action on im
portant international and domes
tic issues—there is always some
where a group which is ready to
pose as spokesman for the en
tire community. Likewise, other
groups at the drop of a hat rush
with resolutions to the press.
The “Nobel Prize” for effect
and ingenuity this time goes to
the New York Board of Rabbis,
an assocation of orthodox, con
servative and Reform Rabbis in
New York and vicinity. At its
one-day annual convention late
January, this association adopt
ed resolutions dealing with no
less* than 20 subjects cqvering
the international, national and
local scenes. They ranged frogi
requests for changes in the N.Y.
divorce law, opposition to gamb
ling, opposition to book, movie
and theatre censorship—to a de
mand for equality of Judaism
with Christianity and a demand
that the UN take title to outer
space.
These resolutions must have
left a city editor breathless. He
had such an abundance of pick
ings in terms of headlines and
themes.
The resolutions were like Man
na. There was something to sat
isfy everybody—the conserva
tive, the centrist, the liberal and
labor. Thus there were also res
olutions on labor unions, on ur-
bal renewal, on gambling, inter-
gration, school bond issues, U.S.
national security and, of course,
resolutions on Mideast and In
ternational issues.
In a way, these 57 varieties of
resolutions made one feel sort
of good, because if so much time
was spent on them, then all must
be well with the state of Jud
aism in this country. Such prob
lems as Jewish cultural survival,
the drift of our youth from Jud
aism, assimilation, intermar
riage and related problems, must
have already been resolved,
since no resolutions were adopt
ed on these.
I particularly liked the de
mand that the UN take title to
outer space. The resolution says:
“We urge that international riv
alries be not extended into the
heavens . . .”
I should like very much to
recommend to the attention of
the New York Board of Rabbis
a brief press communication is
sued by the Chief Rabbinate in
London announcing the follow
ing decisions adopted by the
Preparatory Central Committee
of a recent meeting of European
Rabbis:
1. The convening of a confer
ence for the consideration of the
problems of Judaism in the light
of contemporary life.
2. To recommend the imple
mentation of certain practical
JEWISH CALENDAR
•PASSOVER
Thursday, April 23
•SHAVUOT
Fri., June 12 and Sat., June 13
•ROSH HASHONAH
Saturday, Oct. 3
•YOM KIPPUR
Mon., Oct. 12 ^
•SUKKOT
Sat., Oct. 17
SIMHAT TORAH
Sun., Oct. 25
•HANNUKAH
Sat, Dec. 26
•Holiday begins preceding
evening.
served two and a half years,
they were being released im
mediately, with six months
granted for good behavior.
measures designed to strength
en and facilitate religious obser
vance and adherence to tradi
tional Judaism, haying particu
lar regard to the amaller and
more isolated communities.
3. Tp urge the establishment of
a Consultative Halachic commis
sion consisting o f outstanding
Ribbinic scholars to deal with
urgent religious questions.
' 4. To issue a series of'publica
tions in various languages, each
edition having a Hebrew supple
ment, on the basic aspects of
Judaism.
Important Jewish
Anniversaries In April
By RABBI HARRIS SWIFT
B’NAI ZION CONGREGATION, CHATTANOOGA
APRIL 9th
Attack on New Christians at Lisbon .. . 1506
Mass conversions accompanying the expulsion from Portugal in
1497 did not influence the life of the unwilling victims and they con
tinued to observe Judaism almost without concealment. On April
7th, 1506, the first day of Passover, a party of New Christians (as
these converts were called) was attacked while engaged in observ
ing Pesach with the customary rites. Many were arrested but were
set at liberty after two days. The populace was enraged at such
an exhibition of clemency and on Easter Sunday, April-19th, 1506,
terror raged in the city and over two thoustpid of the Conversos
were put to death.
APRIL 11th
Ban against Hassidism . . . 1772
Hassidism started in Padolia by Israel ben Eliezer, the ‘Besht’
(Baal Shem Tob— ‘Master of the Good Name’) spread in Eastern
Europe. Rabbis suspected it of libertinism and feared a repetition of
the dangerous schismatic movement which followed in the wake
of Sabbatai Zevi, the pseudo-Messiah of the previous century. By
1772 Hassidism reached Lithuania. This led the opposing party <Mit-
nagdim) to take action. On April 11th of that year the Rabbinical
Council of Vilna issued a formal excommunication of all who fol
lowed the new movement.
APRIL 14th
Blood Accusation at Galatz, Rumania . . . 1859
A few days before the Passover of 5619—April 12th, 1859 Jew^
were accused of having bled a Christian child in the hand for the
purpose of the observance of Passover rites. Though there was not
even the suspicion of a murder, fifteen of the supposed culprits
were arrested on the next evening while at worship. Upon the fol
lowing day April 14th, a mob numbering many thousands collected
and rushed upon the Synagogue during the morning service. There
was considerable bloodshed. Sacred objects were desecrated, the
Holy Ark was broken open, fifty Sifrei Torah destroyed and the
building gutted. Throughout the city Jewish houses were sacked and
no mercy was shown to age or sex. The fiften arrested persons were
eventually released without being convicted of any crime. The in
famous blood libel seems to have been endemic in Galati for as
early as 1797 it brought about an attack upon the Jewish quarter
and masacres on a large scale. (When responding to this year’s
Federation Appeal to assist in the rehabilitation of Rumanian Jews
fleeing to the Holy Land, let us remember those who fell victims
to barbarism in the same Rumania a short century ago.)
APRIL 17th
Robert of Reading burned at Oxford, England.. .1222
A clerk in Holy Orders—a deacon—Robert of Reading had begun
to study Hebrew literature and had been led thereby to become a
convert to Judaism, ultimately marrying a Jewess. For such a crime
there could only be one punishment. He was handed over to a Pro
vincial Council to the Sheriff of Oxfordshire, who, swearing by the
throat of God that he would be revenged on such a blasphemer, had
him burned immediately. This event is of importance in English his
tory as it provided the common-law precedent for the burning of a
heretic.
APRIL 18th
Massacre at Prague . .. 1389
It was Easter Sunday, the last day of Passover. Jewish children
were playing with some sand in the Jewish quarter. A few grains
which one threw at another fell on the robe of a priest who was
passing that way. Those with the priest set upon the children and
beat them mercilessly. Upon intervention by the parents, the priest
asserted in the market place that his holy office had been profaned
by the Jews. A violent attack upon the Jewish quarter followed.
Many thousands perished in the subsequent massacre. Hundreds
including the venerable Rabbi took the lives of their wives and chil
dren and then their own in order to avoid the dangers of torture
and the temptation of abjuration. The Synagogue was burned and
the sacred scrolls tom and trodden under foot. The burial ground
was violated. The corpses of the victims were stripped naked and ul
timately burned. King Wenceslas later asserted that Jews had only
themselves to blame, since they should not have shown themselves
outside their houses at Eastertide.
APRIL 22nd
Birth of Adolphe Cremieux . . . 17%
Of an ancient French family he became known in Paris as a
brilliant orator and attorney. After the Revolution of 1848, his work
for the liberal cause led to his appointment as Minister of Justice,
in which capacity he was responsible for the abolition of capital
punishment for political offenses. With the proclamation of the Third
Republic he was made a life-senator. Always a loyal Jew he is re
membered in Jewish history as having been responsible for the
abolition in France of the degrading Jewish form of oath: for his
mission to Damascus in 1840 with Sir Moses Montefiore: and for the
foundation of the Alliance Israelite of which he was President in
1863, and on behalf of which he made a special journey to Bucharest
to <A)tain an amelioration in the position of Rumanian Jews. He died
at age 84.