Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

PAGE 4 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE October 3, 1986 The Southern Israelite The Weekly Newspaper Foe Southern J»\yry Since 1925 Vida Goldgar Jeff Rubin Editor General Manager Luna Levy Managing Editor Published by Sun Publications, Inc. also publishers of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle Stan Rose Steve Rose Chairman and President and Publisher Co Publisher Second Class Postage paid at Atlanta, Ga (ISSN 00388) (UPS 776060) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Southern Israelite. P O Box 77388, Atlanta, GA 30357 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 77388, Atlanta, Georgia 30357 Location: 188 15th St., N.W., Atl„ Ga. 30318 Phone (404)876-8248 Advertising rates available upon request. Subscriptions: $23.00, 1 year; $41.00, 2 years Member of Jewish Telegraphic Agency; Religious News Service; American Jewish Press Assn.; Georgia Press Assn.; National Newspaper Assn. L’Shana Tova On behalf of The Southern Israelite, we’d like to wish you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. And add to that a wish that you continue to make this year an informed one as well. For over 60 years, The Southern Israelite has served Atlanta’s Jewish community. We’ve kept our readers informed with local, national and international Jewish news that affects not only where they live but how they live. As your community newspaper, we continue to serve as a forum for the expression of both contemporary and traditional thought, opinion and comment. In recent years, we’ve seen our community grow considerably. The Southern Israelite is not only committed to reporting on that growth but to participating in it as well. As we begin this New Year, we’d like to personally extend an invitation to you to share in that commitment. A commitment to keep informed, to comment and support what we truly believe to be the voice of Atlanta’s Jewish community. L’Shana Tova from the management and staff of The South ern Israelite. Vida Goldgar Editor Jeff Rubin General Manager A time for reflections by Rabbi William Berkowitz Seven Arts Feature Syndicate. Inc The summer of 1986 will long be remembered as the time when A- mericans of every faith and back ground celebrated the 100th anni versary of the Statue of Liberty. For Jews, the Statue of Liberty holds special meaning. Its presence has been a mark of freedom and its bright torch has been a symbol of hope. As Jews celebrate the High Holy- day season of 1986, they are still inspired by the Statue of Liberty, and are moved by its evocation of freedom and hope. When 1 look at her, I focus upon the torch she bears. At night, it looks as though this torch with its light was trying to punch holes in the darkness, as it were. Clearly, as a Jew looks upon the torch at this High Holyday sea son, he or she must reflect upon so x much of the darkness which con fronts us, and the need in the year ahead through our actions and efforts, to punch our own holes in the darkness of the world. The Jewish universe, like Cae sar’s Gaul, is divided into three parts. There are the challenges which confront us externally; the challenges which confront us in ternally; and the challenges which confront us personally. In the ex ternal dimension, this High Holy- day season finds us facing new out bursts against the Jewish people. Throughout the past year, we have been confronted with the spectre of terrorism. The year began with the brutal murder of L eon Klinghoffer, and the year ended with the cruel mas sacre of Jews in an Istanbul syna gogue. Will the past year be remem bered as a year of terrorism? Will the year to come be remembered as a year of battle against terrorism? What is clear is that four decades after the Holocaust, the scandal of anti-Semitism still exists in our world. But it is not only confined to Istanbul. The anti-Semitic spirit lives in the activities of Lyndon LaRouche and the Aryan Nations in America; the anti-Semitic spirit lives in too many Austrians, who cheered Kurt Waldheim because of his Nazi past; and the anti-Semitic spirit lives in the Kremlin which, despite its release of Shcharansky, still persecutes Jews in the name of the Communist dream. And though they exist, we con tinue to bless the state of Israel which makes every anti-Semite hesitate, if only for a moment. This beacon of Jewish defense not only serves to put the anti-Semite on guard, but also attracts their atten tion as well. How else can we explain the fury which Israel at tracts on the part of so manv 9 Will the year ahead be a time of further fury? Or will it be a time of increased efforts of peace, such as Prime Minister Peres’ meeting with Pres ident Mubarak? Let us hope for peace, for Israel clearly needs more peace, even as she needs a greater influx of tourists, with their for eign exchange. Within the internal dimension of our Jewish universe lies a series of disturbing problems. We are faced with a crisis within our ranks, as Jewish brothers and sisters tear at the fabric of our unity. In Israel, divisions between the ultra-Ortho- dox and secularist communities deepen; in America, the rift between the Orthodox and non-Orthodox communities intensify. It’s not a new problem; Jewish disunity and divisions (as opposed to differen ces) have been with us before. But unity is not our only internal chal lenge. Assimilation is another area of darkness for us. Yes: The com mitted Jews get better; but the uncommitted Jews are just disap pearing. Dare we shrug our shoul ders, a generation after the loss of six million Jews, and speak about “pockets of Jewish energy” and “community based on quality, not quantity?” I think not; to do so is to doom millions of indifferent Jews to extinction. How then will the year ahead be remembered? As a year of greater Jewish unity and greater Jewish commitment? That answer lies in the third dimension: the personal one, the reshut havachid. The Jewish people is not greater than the sum of all its parts; rather it is the sum of its parts. No Jewish institution or Jewish organization or group can do the job. It can goad, it can plan, it can inspire, it can program, it can fundraise, it can publish. It can do all the wond erful and magnificent things it does, from A to Z. But ultimately, wheth er the issue is the battle against anti-Semitism or support for Israel or Jewish unity or Jewish com mitment or whatever, it must rely on each and every Jewish individ ual’s effort, which in a million ways continues to punch the holes in the darkness we face in so many areas. So when we ask, how will the year ahead be remembered, we must turn to you, the individual, and ask: How will it be remem bered? You alone have the answer, and yes: we’re counting on you. Rabbi Berkowitz is the national president of the A meric an Jewish Heritage Committee. c WNS*Scvcn Arts The abortive sleuth by Stanley M.Lefco Oh, what people give me! Some one recently furnished me with a pamphlet, whose cover portrayed an unrolled scroll with the Star of David at its center. The inside page revealed that this 15-page brochure was printed by the Bible Medita tion League of Columbus, Ohio, through the courtesy of Mrs. Max Wertheimer. The acquaintance, who furnished me with this document, was a born Jew, who had found Jesus. A tra gedy in her life had led her on a search for a meaning to her life. Discovering Jesus was a revela tion, and she hoped she could show and convince others of the light, this writer being one of her poten tial converts. Was this pamphlet, which con tained the “personal testimony” of Dr. Max Wertheimer, an ordained rabbi, who had also found Jesus legitimate? He wrote that he was bom of Orthodox parents and stu died the five books of Moses from a scholarly Hebrew." Alas, his associates, as he called them, led him “into the sinful pleasures of the world” and he “drifted from the faith of my fathers." To the rescue came his parents id off he went to the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, the institution for training Reform rabbis. He came out with a docto rate, and his lirst pulpit was the B nai Yeshorum Synagogue in Dayton, Ohio. It was the late 19th century, and everything was wonderful for Rabbi Wertheimer. He had a “young, attractive, accomplished wife,” a “beautiful home” and a “place of prominence in the community.” Then, tragedy struck. His wife be came ill and died, leaving him a distraught widower with two little children." He then began his search for life’s meaning. He resigned his pulpit to study. \et, Judaism did not satisfy the “craving of my heart,” and he turned to the New Testa ment as well as continuing his search through the Old Testament. In Isaiah he found references to Jesus and the doctrine of the Trin ity. Other biblical revelations fol lowed. and the rabbi proclaimed h>s belief in Jesus. He became a Baptist minister. Was this true? 1 called Hebrew Union College, and it was con firmed that there was a Rabbi Wer theimer, but alter his conversion his name was expunged from the rolls of the college. Was there really a B’nai Yeshorum Syna gogue? Dayton information had no listing. However, there is a Temple Israel, and I learned that this is the successor. Did he really attend the Southern Baptist Semi nary in Louisville? Not only did they confirm that he did. they were kind enough to send me his picture. What about his interpretations of various biblical texts that led him to Jesus? Of particular interest was the ninth chapter of Isaiah where the good rabbi discovered the Trinity. It reads: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders: His name shall he called Wonderful Counsellor, 1 he Mighty God, The Everlasting Fa ther, The Prince of Peace." With my limited biblical knowl edge, I asked for assistance with this as well as other passages. One source conceded that this verse has been given a “Christological inter pretation by the Church, but mod ern non-Jewish exegetes agree that a contemporary person is intended. According to the Talmud and later Jewish commentators, the reference was to Hezekiah, who as a you* had given promise of future g reat Continued nexH^l