Newspaper Page Text
Page Four
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Friday, May 12, 1972
THE SOUTHEKIN IsKAELI'lE
Published weekly by Southern Newspaper Enterprises, 390 Court-
land St., N. E„ Atlanta, Georgia 30303, 876 8249, 876-8240. Second
class postage paid at Atlanta, Georgia. Yearly subscription, $10.00.
The Southern Israelite invites literary contributions and corres
pondence but is not considered as sharing the views expressed by
writers. Deadline is 5 p. m. Friday, but material received earlier
will have a muck better chance of publication.
Adolph Rosenberg, Editor and Publisher
Kathleen Nease, Vida Goldgar, Edward M. Kahn, Kathy Wood
Betty Meyer, Gertrude Burnham, Alva Englehard
MEMBER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Georgia Press Assn.
Seven Arts Features
World Union Press
Why?
The proolems of the American Rabbinate extend to all
denonrnations of American Judaism. A leading rabbi recent
ly said that increasing numbers of young men who study
for the calling are now thinking of entering into “allied”
fields instead of accepting assignments in synagogues. Hillel
positions on unversity campuses, educational posts in univer
sity religion departments, fund-raising achievements for
philanthropic institutions, and even community relations
executive responsibilities attract men away from the classic
tasks of the rabbinate.
It is not the mediocre rabbis, not the ones who lack con
viction and certainly not the men who are unable to com
municate their beliefs to others who are leaving the pro
fession Able and articulate rabbis are retiring early; idealis
tic and creative men are being attracted to other work; con
cerned and dedicated spiritual leaders are turning to other
avenues in which to exert their leadership. Yes, we must,
alas, include the laymen in the faltering of organized re
ligion.
The largest group of laymen in this country are those
who look with contempt on the idea of affiliating with a
congregation. They will turn to it for a wedding or a fu
neral, knowing that there will always be a rabbi or a syn
agogue that will be tempted to accept the monetary gifts;
otherwise, they have no use for the organized synagogue.
Would they respond more favorably to the “unorganized”
synagogue, the informal and idea-oriented group? I doubt it.
These newer groups are very idealistic and ethically moti
vated., as well as keyed to mystical tendencies in worship.
Their one expression of Jewishness today, and vicarious
ly at that, is Israel. As one colleague said recently, “My
people visit Israel for a week (enroute to London, Paris,
Rome, and Athens, of course) and believe they are fulfilling
their Jewish responsibilities. They are reviving the ancient
Biblical notion of the pilgrimage and that is the only form
their Jewishness takes.” Visiting and supporting Israel are
highly necessary and desirable, it goes without saying. But
the emptiness of the gesture when it is not attended by
inner and ongoing Jewish substance will become more and
more apparent and disillusioning as time goes on.
Then there are the affiliated laymen whose membership
is only a paper membership. They are there for the High
Holy Days; even that, however is losing its spiritual seri
ousness and moral gravity. And how could it be otherwise?
How can several days a year, and only that, provide the
kind of depth and breadth of religious feeling which is so
necessary for our time? Above all, these people can hardly
relay to their children and grandchildren any spark of inter
est, zeal, or appreciation — and that is their greatest contri
bution to the deterioration of Jewish feelings.
Which leaves us with the laymen who are both affiliated
and active. These certainly include many who realize the
finest dimensions of Jewishness. They are in the minority,
however, and their influence is hardly felt. They are sur
rounded by many others whose social consciousness is dim,
whose awareness of the needs of youth is all but extinguished,
and whose criteria for what the rabbinate is and should do,
are grievously determined by highly personal and subjective
prejudices rather than by considered and valid Jewish and
religious judgments.
Rabbi Joseph Narot
Temple Beth Israel Bulletin
Charlotte, N. C.
JEWISH
CALENDAR
‘ SHAVUOT
•SUKKOT
May 19, 20
Sept. 23, 24
Friday, Saturday
Saturday, Sunday
‘TISHA B'AV
* IIOSHANA RABBA
July 20
Sept. 29
Thursday
Friday
' ’ ROSII HASIIAN A
*SIIEM1NI ATZERET
Sept. 9, 10
Sept. 30
Saturday
'SIMMAT TORAH
‘ YOM KIPPUR
Oct. 1,
Sept 18, Monday
Sunday
•HANUKA
Dec. 1 - 8
Friday - Friday
•HOLIDAY
BEGINS SUNDOWN
PREVIOUS DAY
. . EL AL
Continued from page 1
conferred with Consul General
Moshe Gilboa and many com
munal leaders.
Mr. Cohen suggested that the
public be informed of the spec
ial transportation facilities of
fered El A1 passengers who
arrive in the New York area
at other airports. There are
arrangements available to speed
the transfer of the passengers
to the International Airport and
these can be made in advance
or on the spot through the gen
eral information desk of the
airlines used for the trip to New
York.
Also, he noted, at Kennedy
there is a private limousine
service which will pick up passen
gers at the airline of arrival
and whisk them off to either
the Blue or Orange Terminal so
that the confusion and cost of
inter-Kennedy Airport bus
travel is easily avoided.
The use of the two Sheva
Arba Shevas now enables seven
flights a day out of Kennedy.
Mr. Cohen noted, though of
course “never on Shabbos.”
About the possibility of direct
flights departing from other
spots besides New York, Mr.
Cohen smiled. “It’s so much a
matter of politics and I don’t
blame them. We give the home
lines too much competition.”
Sometime in the future, may
be, he predicted.
Relatively speaking, particu
larly in view of the long dis
tances traveled, El A1 has man
aged to maintain remarkable
perfection in its safety record.
All of which calls for a fantas
tic vigilance by the maintenance
crew.
Fortunately for El Al, the
planes arrive in Lod during the
day-time. Mr. Cohen explained.
This gives our maintenance
crew the opportunity to inspect
and service the planes under
the favorable conditions of
day-time and by departure time
to have everything in perfect
shape.
The expansion of El Al has
been in the hands of such men
as Cohen and Lilo since it was
created about twenty years ago.
Neither is a pilot, but they’ve
been with the airlines since the
very inception.
Apparently there is no trouble
getting new pilots, Cohen ex
plained. Most of therq come
from the Israeli Air Force and
are seasoned and experienced
pilots, men with great judge
ment and knowledge about fly
ing.
“It’s a precious responsibility
to be at the helm of a plane and
be entrusted with the lives of
scores of others, even several
hundred. Great care is taken in
selecting pilot and crew.”
. . . JDL
Continued from page 1
to meet with a delegation of
JDLers.
Perl said the JDL entered the
Embassy to protest last Friday's
acquittal in Linz. Austria of 49-
year-old Johann Gogol, a watch
maker accused of war crimes.
While on the Embassy premises,
two JDL members surreptitious
ly hung the Nazi flag and the
sign from the balcony. Accord
ing to Perl, Gruber personally
removed the flag and tore up
the sign following the scuffle.
The sign read “Don't Visit Nazi
Austria.” W. Seutter, the Em
bassy’s administrative officer,
refused to comment on the inci
dent.
The JTA reporter stated that
he saw blows traded in the con
ference room on the second floor
of the three-story Embassy
building as JDLers apparently
tried to prevent Embassy offic
ials from entering the balcony
to remove the flag and the sign.
The S'sxtl foot flag hung from
the balcony for 45 minutes be
fore the Embassy staff was
aware of its presence.
Winning Essays
When Erev Shel Or Chapter of B’nai B’rith Women observed
Brotherhood Week by holding an essay contest, prizes were
awarded in two age categories—16 to 18 and 13 to 15. These
are the winning essays.
A bird,
“NO MAN IS AN ISLAND”
A child alone will die. A small deer alone will die.
a tree, a man alone will die.
People can be independent and yet need others. s a
and a deer grow, they become less dependent of them mothers,
yet they become aware of others. A man alone experiences only
half of life. When he shares his life with others he becomes more
complete. , ., ... •
When a man and a woman share their love another e
created. Out of love the life grows, and shares his love with
another and he becomes more complete. ,
The leader of a nation alone does not decide the nations
policies, the people together do. .
No man is alone. He is surrounded by his peers, his deeds, tus
likes and dislikes, and his thoughts.
No matter how alone you may feel, you still have your mind,
and you still have your thoughts. As long as you can express
your thoughts to others you are not alone. Sharing your thoughts
and yourself, you bring us closer to brotherhood. Brotherhood
and peace dwell together, maybe sharing conquers loneliness?
“I AM BROTHERHOOD”
I am within the heart of every man who lives but I need
kindness and love to exist. Love and kindness are my friends and
when I’m with them I’m so happy that I stretch out my loving
arms and then all hatred and prejudice, disappear. Hatred and
prejudice are always working against me within man. They can
drive me out of man’s heart when they become too strong for me.
They cause man to do terrible things like fight, cheat and kill.
It is then that I am almost smothered to death and I feel so much
pain. It is only when man realizes his mistake that I can build
up my forces and regain my home in his heart. I don’t always
understand man. He can be so cruel to me or reward me un
selfishly.
I join hands of many nations and creeds every day . . Their
color, religion, shape or size makes little difference. Each man is
equal in my eyes, Man needs me. I believe in him but he must
believe in me.
I am the hope for the future.
I am BROTHERHOOD!
One day I shall be so strong throughout man’s world that
prejudice nor hate will be able to touch me and I will be able
to truly say “No Man Ls An Island!”
LUANN CAHN—age 15
NO MAN IS AN ISLAND
G-d created man in his own image. The Lord G-d formed the
man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life; and the man became a living being. And the Lord
G-d said: It is not good that man should be alone. The Lord G-d
formed the rib which He had taken from the man into a woman,
and brought her unto the man.*
From the beginning of time, G-d has seen to it that no man
should exist in solitude. Today in our everyday lives, we interact
with other people. It may be in the form of friendship or love
or marriage, and then again, it may be dissension, criticism, com
petition, or even hatred. We are exposed to mankind and our lives
would not be complete without such exposure.
If, perhaps, a man was to decide to live in total seclusion, he
would find life extremely dull and empty. He could not experience
love—for there would be no one to love and he could not share
happiness—for there would be no one to share it with. No! G-d
intended man to thrive on man; not be alone. “No man is an
island. No man st nds alone. Each man’s joy is joy to me. Each
man’s grief is my own.”**
•Taken from Genesis. 1
*'Taken from the song, “No Man is an Island”
JACKIE LEVINE—age 17
MEANING OF BROTHERHOOD
Goethe once stated “Kindness is the golden chain by which
society is bound together.”
Brotherhood is a world wide problem. It can only be solved
when there is world peace. Until then, brotherhood and peace
will not become a reality.
Brotherhood has to start somewhere and to me it is in the
family. Good family relationships promote the child’s understanding
of people and the need for brotherhood.
By understanding, appreciating, and practicing the teachings
of kindness, friendship, and especially brotherhood handed down
to us, we can better comprehend the need of peace and brother
hood in our lives. To practice these teachings in our daily lives,
we need to work towards eliminating prejudice in our own
personalities. Another aspect is to share our abilities with others
less fortunate than ourselves. To have tolerance with others is a
big part of practicing brotherhood.
Sydney Smith said “Life is to be fortified by many friend
ships. To love and to be loved is the greatest happiness of
existence.” This means that the joining of people is necessary
for the world to exit—“NO man is an island”
Everyday should be brotherhood day, not just one week of
every year.
CARY GOLDSTEIN—age 13