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The fight for freedom
Passover was special
to Benjamin Franklin
by David Schwartz
Numbers and size do not count
as much as some suppose. Take
America for instance in the year
1776. The entire American
population was about three
million. The leading city was
Philadelphia with a population of
about 30,000 yet in Philadelphia
lived the man best known then
throughout the world—Benjamin
Franklin. How could such a small
people produce so big a man? He
was everything—discoverer,
scientist, writer, humanitarian,
humorist.
He reminds one of Chaim
Weizmann, the Zionist leader, who
was also a scientist, philosopher,
humanitarian, humorist who
could make wise quips like
Franklin. For instance, it was
Chaim Weizmann who said, “The
impossible takes a little longer.”
The only other man, 1 think, who
could have said a thing like that
was Ben Franklin.
I think Franklin must have been
Jewish. If he wasn't, why did he
keep Passover? If you say he didn't
keep it, how is it he knew so much
about it? He wanted the whole
American nation to keep Passover.
He arose at the Continental
Congress after America had
declared its independence and
proposed that the official seal of
the United States should have an
engraving of the Israelites fleeing
from Pharoah.
To be sure, Passover was the
great holiday to the “founding
fathers” generally. The Pilgrims
and Puritans saw themselves as
fleeing from Pharoah and like the
Israelites also crossing “the Red
Sea” of the Atlantic. Their fate of
course had not been as bad as the
Israelites. They hadn’t been
exactly enslaved in England, but
they had been driven out. And they
looked on themselves as repeating
the Passover story. On the Liberty
Bell were inscribed the words of
Moses: “Proclaim liberty to all the
land and all the inhabitants
thereof."
The Passover story has inspired
the fight for freedom everywhere.
The Blacks in their spirituals sang:
“Go down Moses
Tell old Pharoah
Let my people go.”
Wasn't it Macaulay who said,
“The defenders of freedom always
quote the Old Testament."
The scientists always ask
questions. Scientists are like Jews.
Jews like to ask questions. “Ask
me a question,” said a Jew. “I have
got a good answer." At the
Passover seder, we ask four
questions. That is the true spirit of
freedom. If you can ask questions
you are free. In a lot of countries
even today if you ask questions,
they put you away for life.
The Zionist is satisfied to ask
one question. Why shouldn’t the
Jews have the right to a little
country of their own like other
people? Israel occupies an area
hardly more than one percent of
the total Arab area.
This also is a battle for freedom.
In the Passover Haggadah we read
that we are not to think that the
Lord freed our ancestors only. The
fight for freedom seems to be an
eternal one—and not easy to win.
Moses took no chances. He had
the Israelites leave in the middle of
the night in their exodus from
Egypt. One couldn’t be sure, you
know. If he waited, the United
Nations would have adopted a
resolution condemning the
exodus.
Americans also started their
battle for freedom at the same
unearthly hour. Remember the
“midnight ride of Paul Revere?” It
happened in the same month of
April in which Passover occurs—
the proper month for the flower of
freedom to begin to bloom.
by Marian Harelilt
After your Passover hiatus,
practice planned singlehood with
the Forum’s Education Committee
(ages 23 to 35) at its planning
session on Sunday, April 30.
Sponsored by the Atlanta
Jewish Welfare Federation the
committee’s programs include
speakers, study groups, and
political and social action
activities.
For details, call Danny
Schwartz, 32l-1734(home)or873-
2355 (work).
o O O
Stir up some action and get
perking with the Atlanta Leisure
Club (ages 28 to 45) at its New
Member Coffee at 8 p.m..
Tuesday, May 2, at Dave
Henkin’s, 1144 Hampton Way.
For directions and details call
Dave, 325-2828.
Tune into “singles court” as
criminal attorney David N. Levine
takes the Thursday Singles (ages
35 and up) stand as guest speaker
on Thursday, April 27, at 8 p.m , at
the Atlanta Jewish Community
Center.
Cost is 50 cents for members and
$1 for non-members.
For a briefing, call Jen, 875-
7881.
fyuduois
First Modem Matchmaking Service
in Atlanta
Take advantage of introductory $50.00 registration
fee from March through May
1596 La Vista Road (404) 321-3719
GOODBUY'S, INC.
1170 LaVista Rd
Atlanta. Ga.
Telephone — 325-1367
NEXT TO SOLO FOODS
| Major Credit Cards Accepted
Closeout Sale of
Gifts and Housewares
Hours: 9 a m. to 6 p.m. Mon - Sat. Sundays 12 - 6
50% TO 80% OFF
MR. G00DBUY sez: “See these SPECIALS this week." j
1 Libbey 8 pc.
| Juice Set
i Reg. $12 00
| -ours—
; $5.50
Cork Top
Glass Canister
Reg. $3 00
-ours-
$1.50
5 pc.
Luggage
Reg. $250°°
-ours-
$75.00
Lead Crystal i
Cut Glass ]
Cup & Saucer <
Reg. $ 14 M !
-ours-
$6.00
' 2 Qt. Ice Tea
1 Aluminum
Pitcher
' Reg. $12°°
| -ours-
| $6.00
7 pc. Tray-
Bowl and
4 glasses
Reg. $30 00
-ours-
$10.95 *
13” Decorated
Platter
Reg. $6 50
-ours-
$3.00
Lined Straw
Beach Bag
Reg. $7 5f
-ours-
$3.50
HELD 0VE
; Thank you ATLANTA...Our big sale
' held over an extra week. New gift
I in daily, so come on down to C
! and get vour gifts for
R!
is being
coming
OODBUYs ■
MOTHER'S DAY
G
M
SATISFACTION |
UARANTEED OR
3NEY REFUNDED ,
1 WITH THIS AD. THIS WEEK ONLY
! AN EXTRA 10% DISCOUNT ON EVERY ITEM
; IN THE STORE.
A GREAT ;
LOCATION ;
RE-OPENING DATE???
CHESHIRE SQUARE J
SHOPPING CENTER I
Goldberg and Son
Bagels and Bialys
Kosher Delicatessen
4383 ROSWELL ROAD, N.E.
Atlanta, Ga. 30342
(Roswell-Wieuca Shopping Center)
256-3751
We lake this opportunity to thank
all our friends and wish
them a happy and healthy
Passover
We will close for the Holidays Friday, April 21st, at 5:00 p.m.
— We will Re-open 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 30th.
Z3U_J
SoCj&V
“Our Atlanta Matchmaker”
Wishes To Thank:
^ Rabbi Peterman & Beth Shalom Congregation,
All Rabbis in the Atlanta area,
The Jewish Community Center & The Jewish Home,
All of her friends, supporters,
and of course...
Her Clients.
—* For Your Support in Her Successful
Matchmaking Services.
Hag Sameach
I—I ZD V_U 1 <~i I 1 JO t i j 7t|—
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Page 29 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE April 21, 1978