Newspaper Page Text
Friday, Nov. 29, 1963
III IODTIIIN IBIAILITI
PLAIN TALK-by Alfred Segal
About Our Names
goes in these times,” the old man
goes on. “The venerable biblical
names are pushed aside and
Moses become Montmorency in
my own family. I’m calling you
up Segal to suggest that your col-
A very old citizen calls me on
the phone, though his voice still
is vigorous, despite his years.
“Sir,” he’s saying, 'I’m calling
you up all about those names
which Jewish children are being
given in these times. Yes, I myself
am of a time of birth when all
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of us Jewish children were given
names out of the old Testament
But now . . in these times!”
"What’s your name?” I ask
him
"Oh, I’m glad to tell you. My
name is Moses, hut I have a
problem ”
“What’s that” I inquire
“It’s all about my newest great-
grandson. They say they’s naming
him after me . . . Moses! But no!
They’re calling him rather "Mont
morency’ and they tell me that
Montmorency begins with an ‘M’
just like Moses . . . 'And so,
grandpa,’ his mama tells me,
‘we’re honoring you also by that
name, since like “Moses’ this
name ‘Montmorency’ starts with
an ‘M’. Yes, grandpa, your name
is being honored.’ That’s what
they’re telling me."
This aged gentleman tells me
all this not for the sake of his
own pride, but in the hope that
this column may be prompted to
speak up in favor of old biblical
names . . . “Oh,” he’s saying,
“let’s get started again to give
biblical names to the children .
. . rather than such as Mont
morency or Alfred.”
Upon mentioning the name
“Alfred,” he became deeply
apologetic . . . “Oh, sir, I don’t
mean you. I’m thinking of all the
other Jewish Alfreds in the world.
How did they get to be ‘Alfred’?
And, really, Segal, how did you
get to be ‘Alfred?’
“Oh, sir,” I tell him, “I really
was bom Abraham . . . the name
of my departed grandpa, but my
parents changed me to ‘Alfred’
rather.”
“Yes, Segal, that’s the way it
urn start a movement to put
those old biblical names on our
new children.”
He keeps feeling sorry for my
being Alfred instead of Abra
ham . , . “How much nobler you
would sound in the world as
"Abraham" he exclaims. “Yes,
the ancestor of all of us. Maybe
you remember God saying to
Abraham ‘I will make of thee
a great nation,’ and Abraham
saying to his kinsman, Lot: “Let
'Let there be no strife between
me and thee; for we are breth
ren’. And his scrupulous honesty,
as reported in Genesis . But, oh,
Segal, you are Alfred instead of
Abraham!”
He rang off after advising me
he would be watching my next
column in hope that I would be
writing something toward restor
ing ancient biblical names among
new-born Jewish children . . .
“And by so doing your column
could become of some usefullness
in the world,” he added "Maybe
my great-grandson won’t become
Montmorency in place of Moses.”
“But, oh Segal,” my conscience
is telling me, “how can your col
umn tell other people to give
biblical names to their new-born
when your own seven grandchil
dren aren’t biblically named?”
And why should I launch this
column on a campaign against the
lovely names of all those Jewish
girls: Sandra and Susan; Penny
and Diana; Nancy, Beverly and
Karen; Bett, Ann and Kate;
Irene and Judy; Marjorie and
Jeanne; Ellen and Sherry Joy;
Susan Elaine and Diane and
Donna; Rhoda, Cynthia Sue; and
Fay Eileen, Carol and Gail.
Oh, with all thse poetic names
Bonds of Israel Dinner
Testimonial Dec. 15 to Honor
Savannah’s Albert Tenenbaum
ANO LOAN ASSOCIATION
Open your account now!
$225,000,000
RESOURCES
SAVANNAH—For his services
to the Israel Bond campaigns, the
State of Israel will award spec
ial recognition to Albert Tenen
baum, prominent Savannah busi
nessman, charitable and commun
al leader, at a testimonial din
ner held Sunday evening, Dec.
15, at the Jewish Educational Al
liance.
Mr. Tenenbaum will be land
ed for hi* many years o< “ded-
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icated and devoted service to the
Savannah Jewish community to
Judaism and to the economic up
building of the State of Israel.”
He will be specially cited for his
active participation in the con
duct of the Savannah Israel bond
drive from Its inception In 1951.
The dinner will serve, too. to
mark “Israel’s First Year of Re
demption of Israel Bonds,” a per
iod, now current, when Israel is
repaying principal and interest to
Americans who purchased the
bonds in 1951 and which are now
maturing at $150 for every $100
invested.
MORE THAN 1(M)
TO RECEIVE AWARDS
Citations will be made at the
dinner to men and women who
bought these Independence Bonds
in 1951, designating each as a
"Founder-Investor” in Israel’s
economic development.
Announcement will soon be
made of the appearance, at the
dinner, of guest speakers and en
tertainers, upon completion of
negotiations and arrangements to
welcome them to Savannah.
In mind, I just go along with the
old man who’s asking this col
umn to embark on a campaign
for restoration of those old bib
lical names among our kids And,
indeed, among the boys I find:
Steven and Barry, Robert and
Paul, Donard and Mark, Kenneth
and Stuart, Gen Bruce, Simpson,
Douglas, Gary, Murray, Thomas
and Jim.
Yes, let them all keep their
nice names and I guess I myself
shall remain Alfred to the end
of my days, though in all rever
ence I must confess that Abra
ham was a nobler guy than this
Alfred
But . . anyway, 1 hope to
please that aged man with the
finish of this column: A sugges
tion to future mamas and papas.
After all, why not that kid bib
lically after Abraham, Moses,
etc. . . . instead of Alfred or
Montmorency. Yes, Moses, the
noble gentleman to whom God
Himself spoke, saying: “I am whal
I am ... I have surely seen the
affliction of my people which are
in Egypt, and have heard their
cry by reason of their taskmas
ters.”
And this Moses himself was a
most modest of persons who said
humbly to God: “Oh my Lord, I
am not eloquent, but I am slow
of speech and of a slow tongue.”
Yes, why not name bojn
such a worthwhile one aa
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