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The DaySchool Graduate — Afterwards

Interview Rabbi Yitzchok Meir Lewin

When

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Seven . . . Rav — The Master M e y e r W axm an

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C A R E

Av, 5713

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M. Morton R ubenstein D r. E ric Oppenbacher R euben Gross R abbi S. J. S harfm an

"THEY CONSIDER ME A BOURGEOIS" ... Seymour Rosenberg LET'S STRIKE AT THE ROOTS ... Simon A. Dolgin RAV . . . THE MASTER .._................ ..... Meyer Waxman "TISHA B'AV 1942" • r g H S. B. Unsdorier . TO SHOOL EVERY SHABBOS ............. .... Lillian Bernarde WHAT HAPPENS TO THE DAY SCHOOL GRADUATE .........<, Nathan H. Wadler HAS ISRAEL GOT A PLAN? ................. I. Halevy-Levin

S eymour R osenberg

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and Publication Office: 305 Broadway New York 7, N. Y. BEekman 3 - 2220

Published by U nion op Orthodox J ew ish Congregations of A merica M ax J. E tra

President Rabbi H. S. Goldstein. Wil liam B. Herlands, Samuel Nirenstein, William Weiss, Honorary Presidents; Benja min Koenigsberg, Benjamin Maridelker, M. Morton Ru benstein, Vice * Presidents ; Joseph Schlang, Secretary; N. Kenneth Gross, Treasurer; Saul Bernstein, Administrator

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EDITORIALS

THE RABBINATE MOVES FORWARD A TORAH; TERCENTENARY ....

B ernstein , Editor

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6 11 14 22. 24

29 36

POEM

THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD .......... Lillian, Reznick Ott

• BOOK REVIEWS OUTLINE OF JEWISH LAW ......M ...... 46 Samuel Nirenstein AN ELUCIDATED CHAPTER OF TALMUD 48 Shul Hurwitz • ON THk JEWISH RECORD

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• FEATURES

AMONG OUR CONTRIBUTORS '.............. 2 LITTERS TO THE EDITOR 2L................. 53 • SERVICES

• (y) KASHRUTH DIRECTORY ............ ....... . 57

Among Our Contributors DR. NATHAN H. WADLER is affiliated with the New York City Board of Education and is the Principal of the High School of the Lubavitcher Yeshiva. His doctoral thesis at Columbia was a study of Adult Jewish education in New York City. , *

RABBI SIMON A. DOLGIN, who was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College, is the spiritual leader of Beth Jacob West Adams Hebrew Congrega tion in Los Angeles. Among his previous contributions to JEWISH LIFE has been his widely discussed article "The Personal Equation" which appeared in our Shevat, 5713 issue. Rabbi Dolgin plays a leading role in Pacific coast Jewish affairs. *

LILLIAN BERNARDE, married and the , mother of two children, spends her summers as Head Counsellor at a children's summer camp. Her short' story "Mama's Happiest Shabbos," which appeared in the Sivan 5712 issue of JEWISH LIFE, was a prize-winner in a nation-wide short story contest. Mrs. Bernardo has had work published in "Parents Magazine," Woman's Day" and other periodicals.

DR. MEYER WAXMAN, eminent author, scholar and educator, has made important contributions in the field of Jewish scholarship, including "A History of Jewish Literature." He is Professor of Bible, Jewish History and Philosophy at the Hebrew Theological College in Chicago. His current article in JEWISH LIFE is one of a series on great Jewish personalities. *

I. HALEVY-LEVIN'S analyses of the Israeli scene are regularly featured in JEWISH LIFE. He is the editor of "Israel Argosy," a literary miscellany, and of "Modern Israel Library." He is a frequent contributor to Israeli, British ana South African publications. *

LILLIAN REZNICK OTT'S verse has won her recognition as one of today's leading Jewish writers of poetry. Her work, employing Jewish themes, bespeaks her fervent, affirmative dedication to Jewish life. Mrs. Ott, formerly a resident of Chicago, now. lives in California. .

Jewish LIFE

EDITORIALS THE RABBINATE M OVES FORW ARD

The recent 17th Annual Convention of the Rabbinical Council of America (Histadruth Horrabonim) strikingly demonstrated both the stature attained by that organization and the role now being played in American life by the orthodox Rabbinate as a whole. In attendance, in organization and procedure, in the level and range of discussion, this Convention surpassed any preceding assem blage of American orthodox rabbis. World recognized Halochic au thorities and leading sages participated in the deliberations. The issues with which the Convention concerned itself ranged from synagogue needs to the supply of military chaplains, from immigration to public housing, from defense of Israel against ersatz Judaism to religious education in America, from mixed pews to the establishment of recog nized religious standards and from Kashruth supervision to the elimin ation of price gouging in Kosher meat. The approach taken gave assur ance that the Rabbinate has come to grips with practical questions. The measures adopted give promise of fruitful action towards enabling American Jews to live in conformity with Torah requirements. TN EFFECT, the Convention demonstrated that a long-standing de ficiency of American Jewish life, inadequate and inadequately or ganized religious leadership, is rapidly being eliminated. With the de velopment of great orthodox seminaries, cadres of Real properly qualified religious leaders have been steadily Rabbis filling the gap which once provided unlimited opporTake tunity for the charlatan and the pseudo-rabbi. The Lead products of our great yeshivoth have battled their way to the forefront of communal life. Influential as are these rabbis in their individual capacity, it is clearly organization that has made of the American orthodox Rabbinate a force to be reckoned with. The great promise of the American orthodox Rabbinate, manifested by this Convention, is at once buttressed and qualified by the existence of several orthodox rabbinic bodies.‘The 500-member Rabbinical Coun cil of America, representing the widest cross-section of the orthodox Rabbinate, may be the best organized of these, but the Igud Horrabonim (Rabbinical Alliance of America) is also a factor to be reckoned with, while the Agudath Horrabonim (Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada), which includes some eminent Torah authorities, is respected as the oldest legitimate rabbinic body of the country. Each group derives individuality from its particular associations. Each ad dresses itself to the world with its own inflection. There undoubtedly are many excellent reasons for each of these bodies to function apart July - August, 1953

from the others. The blunt truth must be faced, however, that none of these reasons are as weighty as those opposed to apartheid. "■THE “unspoken” demand of the religious American Jewish public for unified expression of Torah authority is nowadays no longer un spoken. It has become articulate and insistent. It may be a flattering luxury to be able to pick and choose as to sources of Speak rabbinic guidance — but the American Jew does With not feel equal to handling such a luxury. In the diOtie versity of rabbinic voices, he finds only bewilderment Voice and confusion. Recalcitrant though the ordinary Am erican Jew may appear, he will not be unresponsive to Torah guidance if it is offered to him in the singular rather than plural form. And so he tells our rabbinic organizations: speak to me with one voice! There have been encouraging signs that this need has made it self strongly felt in rabbinic circles. In recent months particularly, liaison between the three major orthodox rabbinic groups has been quietly but steadily strengthened. Moves are afoot to carry this liaison into more defined form, entailing joint agencies if not combined or ganization. The hindrances of differing personal outlooks and organi zational habit inevitably matke themselves felt but public need dictates that they shall be overcome. Once the principle of rabbinic solidarity has become a manifest fact, a major obstacle to the progress, of Judaism in America will have been overcome. Our Torah authorities must heed the call: organize — speak ¡¡|gg act, in unison, for the greater glory of the Torah, and its triumph. A TO RAH TERCENTENARY

WTEXT YEAR, with G-d’s help, American Jews will celebrate a land* mark in their history. At that time there occurs the 300th anniver sary of the settlement of the Jews in North America, marking simul taneously the like anniversary of the founding of Congregation Shearith Israel, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue. In the year 5414, 1654 of the current era, a handful of Sephardi Jews, fleeing from religious persecution in Brazil, landed in the then New Amsterdam, forerunner of today's City of New York. The Dutch settlers of the time received them with much hesitancy, but the newcomers established their right to remain. Thus was born Congregation Shearith Israel. Many obstacles had to be overcome before the little group of Jewish settlers found themselves secure in their new home. But a firm foothold was eventually gained. Upon this foundation rests, as a vast and continuous growth, the development of the American Jewish community, now the largest in the world. This momentous anniversary is to be celebrated by a series of events to be held under the auspices of the American Jewish Tercen4 Jewish LIFE

tenary Committee* a body representative of all elements of the com munity. The Tercentenary Committee's program will, according to pre sent plans, give emphasis to each of the several historic aspects of the occasion. To the religious-minded Jew, however, the central and allimportant significance of the anniversary is found in the fact that it commemorates the 300th anniversary of the establishment of Judaism in North America. The pioneers of Shearith Israel brought Torah to these shores. Their successors perpetuated Torah in the land. T H IS Tercentenary of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue is pre eminently the 300th anniversary of the establishment in North Am erica of orthodox Judaism. In the world of three hundred years ago, and for the following two centuries, none would have The presumed to propound a dissident creed and to label Jewish it Judaism — with a hyphenated qualification. To Essence the founders of Shearith Israel, and to their suc cessors through three centuries of proud and flour ishing existence, any creed but that of the true faith of Israel was un thinkable. Through three hundred years of history, years of continuous re volutionary change throughout America and throughout the world, Shearith Israel has remained true to the ideals and beliefs of its founders. It was out of Shearith Israel that there came the call for unity in the ranks of orthodox congregations. It was out of the Spanish and Por tuguese Synagogue — indeed,- physically in that synagogue — that the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America was born, through the determination and initiative of the late Dr. H. Pereira Mendes of blessed memory, spiritual leader of Shearith Israel, in 5658 - 1898. J I V I N G appropriate cognizance to this phase, the Union of Ortho dox Jewish Congregations of America is preparing a program whereby religious Jewry can specially mark the anniversary of the founding of the Union's parent synagogue and of orCefebthodox Judaism in America. This program will not ration duplicate that of the American Tercentenary Comfor mittee, on which the Union is represented. It will Religious serve to quicken appreciation, among all elements, of J ew ry the deep-rootedness of American Torah Judaism. It will illuminate the undying vitality of true Judaism. It will form a tribute, too, to the American spirit, which proclaims to all who enter these shores: Be faithful to America by being faithful to your own true self. The Union's celebration of the Tercentenary of Shearith Israel, bearing its great message, will rally the strength and purpose of Torahminded Jewry for the tasks of our own time. July - August, 1953

A n in terview w ith R a b b i Y itzch o k -M eir L ew in \ L ea d er of A gudath Israel and fo rm er Israel M in ister of W elfare

" T h e y C o n s id e r M e A B o u rg e o is " By SEYMOUR ROSENBERG ■pEOM HIS appearance alone, one might hardly suspect that Rabbi Yitzchok-Meir Lewin is the leader of one of the most consistently mil itant movements in the Jewish world. When I arrived at his suite in a quiet West Side hotel for the exclusive interview which he grant ed to J ew ish L if e , I was greeted in a foyer by a secretary. Almost immediately however, I was whis ked away from him by a benevolent-, appearing, twinkling-eyed, fullbearded old gentleman, wearing a rather battered dressing gown and smoking a cigar, who took me by the arm and guided me into the living room. This was Rabbi Lewin, chairman of the World Executive of Agudath Israel and former Min ister of Welfare in the Israeli Cab inet. Rabbi Lewin, a son-in-law of the “Gerer Rebbi,” did not stand on ceremony and, almost before I was aware of it, the language of com munication — Hebrew — was de cided upon, and without further de lay, the interview began. ■ySTE DISCUSSED first the effect ” of the large scale immigration 6

of religious Jews upon the State of Israel. Specifically, I wanted to find out whether the influx of hun dreds of thousands of observant Jews since the establishment of the State, mostly from the oriental countries, had resulted in the strengthening of the religious spi rit in Israel. Even before he began to answer, the expression on his face indicated that this issue was a source of deep unhappiness to Rabbi Lewin. “To my great sorrow,” he re plied, “I cannot say that the re turn of the oriental Jews has strengthened religion in Israel.” The Agudah leader, weighing his words carefully, said that quite the reverse was true. The indifference to religious observance prevalent in the country, he asserted, had de moralized the new immigrants, who are slowly being weaned away from their religious beliefs and observ ances. This, he maintained, is true not only among the youth but among older people as well. Discussing the possibilities of organic unity among the religious parties in Israel, Rabbi Lewin re turned to the question of the new Jewish LIFE

olim and the failure of the religious forces to hold their allegiance. He attributed this situation largely to the fact that there were open con flicts among the leadership of the religious groups. Rabbi Lewin maintained that these conflicts and the disunity among the religious parties were

sources of major damage to the cause of religion in Israel. A unit ed front of religious groups could result in making them the domin ant force in Israel. Not only would such a development save the reli gious olim, but it would attract many new adherents, even from the parties of the left.

A Seeking For Religion

O A B B I LEWIN based this opinion 1,1 upon his belief that a deep inner yearning for religion, sometimes not acknowledged or even fully real ized^ exists among all sectors of the Yishuv. He professed to find evidence of this new mood among his colleagues of the Knesseth, in their reactions to many of his speeches, as well as among the gen eral population. At this point, I asked Rabbi Lewin the obvious question: “What are the theoretical and practical differences which stand in the way of unity among the religious par ties in Israel ?" Without hesitation, Rabbi Lewin placed the chief blame for continued disunity upon the Lamifneh faction of the Hapoel Hamizrachi party, which he said is inflexibly opposed to uniting with the Agudath Is rael. He attributed this attitude largely to the “socialist" tenden cies of this powerful faction of the Hapoel Hamizrachi. Smiling slightly, Rabbi Lewin said, “They don't want to sit with me because, for some reason which I don't understand, they consider me a bourgeois." On the question July - August, 1953

of the Mizrachi attitude towards unity, he indicated that although Mizrachi itself would like to achieve religious unity, the party is a waning factor in Israel, and that it is really Hapoel Hamizrachi which calls the tune for the Mizrachi movements. PU RSU IN G the subject of unity in the religious camps, the conR abbi Yitzchok - M eir Lewin.

versation turned to the relationship between the Chief Rabbinate of Is rael and the Moetzeth Gedoley Hatorah, the council set up by the Agudath Israel to decide questions of religious law. The Agudah leader saw no ele ment of conflict in the simultan eous existence of these two bodies. The Rabbonuth Horoshith (Chief Rabbinate) operates for the com munity at large, he noted, while the Moetzeth Gedoley Hatorah only applies for the Agudath Israel. I asked which of the two groups would have “the last word” as„ far as the Agudah was concerned, in the event of a disagreement bet ween the two authorities. Rabbi Lewin answered, flatly, that the Moetzeth Gedoley Hatorah would be

the ultimate Torah authority for Agudath Israel in such a case. Rabbi Lewin felt that there was no basis for any fear that this stand on the part of Agudath Israel might imperil the prestige and authority of the Chief Rabbinate among the general community in Israel, religious and irreligious alike. The Moetzeth Gedoley Ha? torah, he said, is careful not to hurt the prestige of the Chief Rabbinate. Although the Agudath Israel is not represented on it, attempts are made to consult with the Chief Rabbinate on important issues. Rabbi Lewin added that the Moet zeth Gedoley Hatorah often ex pressed opinions which were shared by the Chief Rabbinate but con cerning which it remained silent.

Failure of Moral Leadership

■JHIE former Minister of Welfare turned to the question of the drafting of women into the Israel armed forces. The determination of the Israeli Government to have Israeli women in the services was one of the chief reasons for the resignation of Rabbi Lewin from the Cabinet and for the defec tion of Agudath Israel from the governmental coalition. He com mented : “The nations of the world are presently in a state of confusion. They are seeking new values, and among the leaders of the West ern world, especially the religious ones, there is a turning to Jewish moral values in this search. “However, despite this moral 8

confusion, sixty-eight out of seventy nations of the world do not draft women into their armed forces. And now, when so many are looking to Jewish values to find the way, the Jew ish State violates morality by its stand on the issue of military service for women.” The Agudah leader stated that military service is having a defin itely negative effect upon young women. The presence among them of servicewomen is adversely affect ing the men soldiers also, who are being distracted from their duties, he said. Rabbi Lewin emphasized that he regretted exceedingly the necessity for the Agudah-suggested comproJewish LIFE

mise on this issue which would en able women to volunteer for the services but not to be drafted.* He attributed the necessity for the compromise to the lack of a firm common stand on this issue by all the religious groups. ^^U R discussion turned to the eco nomic situation in Israel. I asked Rabbi Lewin whether he be lieved that the absorption of new immigrants into the country was proceeding at a satisfactory rate, taking into account the objective difficulties involved. The former Cabinet minister said that many of the new immigrants had been satis factorily settled, thanks chiefly to aid from Jewish communities abroad, : especially in the United States, But far more could have been done, and many more of the immigrants who have not been ab sorbed could have been, if not for the short-sighted wasteful policy of

the Mapai-dominated Israeli Gov ernment. Among other things, he pointed out that the bogy of “soc ialism in our time,” raised by mem bers of the Government, was doing great harm. He said that large amounts of private investment cap ital had been turned away from Israel and many individual Jewish investors anxious to help had been frightened off. Rabbi Lewin attributed a large part of the economic crisis in Israel and the necessity to accept “char ity" for capital development pur poses to the attitude of the govern ment toward capitalism. Rabbi Lewin deplored the fact that Israeli groups found it neces sary to go far afield in their search for social values and to adopt var ious foreign social concepts when the greatest vision of social justice is contained in the Tanach, to to which they need only turn and draw upon.

Arab Attitude Toward Israel

“JHIE LAST question that I asked concerned the most Serious of Israel's political problems — the unstable situation in the Middle East and the relations between Is rael and its Arab neighbors. The question was whether Rabbi Lewin believed that there is a realistic basis at the present time for a mu tually acceptable and advantageous peace between Israel and the Arab states, and whether the increasing-

ly murderous forays across the ar mistice lines by Arab infiltrators could be stopped. Unfortunately, part of Rabbi Lewin's answer to this question is not for publication. However, his view of the general situation’ is pessimistic. He stated categorically that at the present time there is no possibility for a real peace with the Arabs. He said : “A lie has been planted in the

*This proposed compromise was not accepted by the Government and never put into effect. July - August, 1953

hearts of the Arab peoples. It is that the Jews want to conquer and destroy them, and it has been im possible to convince them that this

is not true. Consequently, the Arabs are determined to sweep the State of Israel into the sea."

The Basie Problem

TU RNING back to the question of immigration absorption, and ranging over the whole gamut of questions which we discussed, the Agudah leader expressed the firm conviction that, at heart, the basic problem in Israel's “crisis," is a moral one. He referred to the disillusion ment of the old settlers, the ideal ists, after the establishment of the State —- a disillusionment which runs deeper than that which nor mally accompanies the fulfillment of an ideal. He attributed this tre mendous let-down to the fact that for many years Zionism was a dream on behalf of which many suffered and sacrificed; it was a dream viewed through a haze with out it being completely clear what the consequences of the dream should be, beyond the reestablish ment of the nation on its land. Now that the dream has been converted into reality, those who made the sacrifices are asking

themselves what the meaning and content of the nation is, and they find no answer. This confusion and disappointment, among both the old settlers and the new immi grants, is responsible for the gen eral lowering of morale in Israel from the superb heights which it had achieved. SUMMARIZING this problem Rabbi Lewin said: “For eighty years every effort was bent toward the realization of one dream — the reclamation of the land. And this was accom plished. “Now, those who worked for this aim must strive for the realization of a new dream — the rediscovery of the soul which must go with the land." It was clear that for Rabbi Yitzchok-Meir Lewin, this was the crux Of the problem, and it was on this note that the interview was ended.

CAUSELESS HATRED The First Tem ple fell b e c a u se of the sins of idolatry, im m orality a n d bloodshed. The Second Temple, desp ite the fact that the Torah w a s stu d ied a n d good d e e d s perform ed in its day, fell on acco u n t of c a u se le ss h a tre d (sinath. chinom ). This te a c h e s th at c a u se le ss h a tre d is a s grievous a sin as idolatry, im m orality a n d bloodshed. — Talm ud

Jewish LIFE

By SIMON A. DO LOIN One of the great tasks which challenges leaders of Torah-true Jewry today is that of presenting orthodox Judaism in a manner in telligible to the American Jew. Indeed, some have ventured to recommend that the word “ortho dox” be discarded. Others contend that it must be preserved and given its deserved recognition. (See editorial in J ew ish L if e , A v, 5712.) Still others have sought to make the lines that divide Ortho doxy from non-Orthodoxy clear-cut by issuing edicts against use of the microphone on Sabbath and Yom Tov, use of the “Gumco” clamp at circumcision and against mixed pews in synagogues. While I appreciate and unquali fiedly agree with such edicts, I question whether they solve any of the problems of Orthodoxy as a way of life that can direct the conduct of American Jews. A syn agogue with mixed pews is not July - August, 1953

in conformity with Judaism, and those who seek to adhere to the tenets of Torah must reject such a place of worship. But can the American Jew understand why he should not worship in a mixed-pew synagogue just because someone says, “don't” ? And shall we label all such synagogues as “tereyfah” regardless of their profession, di rection and effort to install Torah practice completely? To select a single synagogue practice and to say “mumor Tdovor echod (afilu d'rabbonon) mumor l'chol hatorah kulah”|^ S t h a t he who violates one precept (even of the Rabbis) is an apostate toward all of Torah—is, I believe, a tragic error. We may not allow ourselves to violate that one precept, but let us not judge blindly him who does. T H E APPROACH, I believe, in presenting the position of Or thodoxy must be basic so that it 11

can be well understood by all. The contention of Orthodoxy must be that it alone believes in Torah min hashomayimf Divine revelation and inspiration of the Law, written and oral. Conservatism and Re form, which represent the belief in the historical development of Judaism, eo ipso deny revelation at Sinai. The denial of Revelation creates great problems which every think ing Jew can appreciate. Social and economic forces which compel him to be a Jew are negative. Jewish nationalism is today valid only for those who dwell in Israel. Group belonging and tradition are insuffi cient as logical reasons for re maining within a minority fold. The only positive logical reason a Jew has for being a Jew (the acci dent of birth into the group is positive but not logical) is his re ligious conviction. Indeed, religion is the door through which con verts enter Israel's fold (not any social, economic or national identi fication), and a lack of religious conviction is the door by which a Jew leaves his people. A Jew, re gardless of his social, economic or national status, or any change in them, is a Jew; hpwever when he joins the Church, G-d forfend, and changes his religious status, he is an apostate. TF this first contention is accurate, A a second question follows logi cally: what are the Jew's specifi cally Jewish religious beliefs? Faith in G-d or in the Messianic advent are the domain of many 12

religious persuasions. Appreciation of ethical teaching, even those of Israel's prophets, is no longer an exclusively Jewish privilege. Cus toms, ceremonies, rituals are not, per se, subjects of belief, though they may represent beliefs in con crete fashion. What then is the Jewish religious belief which basi cally distinguishes the Jew from those of other faiths? I contend, only one: uTorah min hashomayim,” the Divine revelation of the Torah and its attendant amplifica tion as found in the Oral Law. As the late Chief Rabbi Hertz wrote, / ‘Judaism stands and falls with its belief in the historic ac tuality of Revelation at Sinai." Such faith necessarily begets Jew ish belonging, Jewish customs, ceremonies, rituals and whatever else the sociologist finds in our people. Without such faith, noth ing Jewish can be justified on a logical basis. Orthodoxy has, then, a logical raison d'etre, which can be under stood by every thinking person, believer or non-believer. The other groups which have no specifically Jewish faith, must, perforce, be faced with grave problems in the j ustification of their — and Jewry's — perpetuation, both to the non observant and the observant Jew. Indeed I believe that most mem bers of temples are unaware of the baselessness of the creed preached to them, beautiful as the creed may sound. I further believe that the “average" Jew who violates Jewish law regularly, still believes in a relationship between G-d and the Jewish LIFE

Jewish people, in a “chosenness” (in the lofty, true sense, not in the perverted meaning attached to the term by Reconstructionism), and in the Divine origin of the Bible. TXTERE Jews at large to be made ■ aware of the basic differences between Judaism proper and the movements which have lost faith differences clearly delineated by Rabbi Justin Hoffman in J e w is h L ife (Sivan, 5712) we would need worry less about the word “orthodox.” We would be striking at the roots of the problem, not at the branches. Jews would then relate the use of mixed pews — and yet more significant violations which have not been challenged, such as “approval” by non-orthodox cults of desecration of the Sabbath

and kashruth profanation J|p|| to basic Torah beliefs. Then, too, the rabbi who has made some compro mises with his congregation may more easily win his followers into Orthodoxy's fold, rather than him self be thrust out of the Torah circle. This w riter has sought to pre sent these basic differences, both to college youth and to “average” businessmen, and has found his audience amazed and startled at the lack of basic Jewish faith in the non-orthodox circles. Indeed, many people seemed prompted to reconsider their entire synagogue affiliation. Once we set up a clear list of basic principles which dis tinguish true Judaism, all else may logically follow in the struggle for Torah in America.

COME WHAT MAY The wife of T rajan g a v e birth on the ninth of Av, w hen all the Jew s w ere in m ourning for the destruction of the Holy Temple.

The child d ied on C h an u k ah .

The Jews said to

them selves: "S hall w e kindle the C h an u k ah lights or not?" In the end they said, "W e shall light them , come w h at m a y /'

So th ey did so.

T hereupon p eople w en t a n d m a

lig n ed them to T raja n 's wife sa y in g : "W hen you g a v e birth, these Jews w ere in m ourning, a n d now w hen the child dies, they kindle lights." She im m ediately d isp atch ed a letter to her h u sb a n d say in g : "In stead of su b d u in g the b a rb a ria n s, go a n d su b d u e th ese Jews w ho h av e reb e lle d a g a in st you." — E sther R ab b ah , ch a p te r 1

July - August, 1953

to fill the grow ing sp iritu al vacuum . The light w hich e m a n a te d from there w as d estin ed to illum ine the Jew ish w orld a n d ra d ia te influence to all p a rts of the D iaspora for a th o u san d y ears. Jew s lived in B abylonia from the time of the First Exile in 586 B.C.E. O nly a sm all portion of the n atio n h a d ta k e n the opportunity to return to Eretz Yisroel w ith Z erubavel a n d Ezra, the m ajority choosing to rem ain in exile. As centuries p assed , the settlem ent grew in n um bers, a n d w ith the aid of favor a b le political conditions, ach ie v ed security a n d econom ic stab ility w hich e n a b le d the B abylonian Jews to organize their com m unal life in a w ell-ordered m anner, w ith the scion of the H ouse of D avid, w ho w a s called b y the title ROSH GALUTHA (Exilarch), a t their h ead . H owever, as long a s the Jewish S tate a n d the Tem ple w ere in existence a n d constituted the h eart of the sc a tte re d settlem ents of Israel, the Jews of B abylonia looked to Palestine for spiritu al su ste n a n c e . Thither w en t their m en of learn in g to slake their thirst for stu d y a t the living fountain of k n ow ledge a t Jerusalem . Some, like the g re a t Hillel, re m a in e d irt Eretz Yisroel, a n d others re tu rn ed to the la n d of their birth to sh a re their le a rn in g w ith their fellow Jew s in Babylon.

T ATER, during the first one h u n d red a n d fifty y e a rs after the d estruction of the Tem ple, a period of tu rb u len ce in P alestin e, m an y Jew s left th ere a n d im m ig rated to Babylon, a n d num ero u s scholars visited th ere frequently. As a result, the spiritual a n d in tellectu al level of this g re a t Jew ish cen te r b e g a n to rise. B abylonian students still g ra v ita te d tow ard the P alestin e A cadem ies, b u t g ra d u ally the potential pow er of le a rn in g a n d in tellectu ality in c re a se d in B abylon itself. F inally the tim e cam e w hen B abylon w a s re a d y to assu m e its g re a t role in Jew ish history, provided a m a n of g re a t le a rn in g could b e found, p o ssessin g

Jewish LIFE

the strength of will a n d the vigor to turn the po ten tial pow er into a m ighty force. That m an w a s found. He w a s A b b a Arika, fam ed throughout the g e n eratio n s a s "R av." U nder his le a d e rsh ip B abylo n ian Jewry b ecam e the spiritual sta n d a rd b e a re r of Judaism for a m illenium .

* * * JJBBA ARIKA (175-247 C.E.) came from a leading Jewish family in iJnlwrl n TJi A i L a was c-i n An taan v\ n-n/I L i n vir»/»l ’nitra Babylonia. His« +n4’UnTi father Aibo, a 1learned man and his uncle, IChiya occupied an important place among the group of scholars who were asso ciated with “Rabbi” — Rabbi Yehudah Ha-nasi. As mentioned in the pre ceding article of this series (“Yehudah the Prince,” J ewish Life, Sivan, 5713), Yehudah valued Chiya’s accomplishments higher than his own. Abba left Babylonia early in life, going to Palestine to study at the Academy of Yehudah. There he distinguished himself in his studies, as attested by a younger contemporary, the Palestinian scholar, Rabbi Yochanon who said: ttto

“I rem em ber Rav a t the A cadem y w h en the discussion b etw een him a n d R abbi w a s so h e a te d th a t it seem ed a s if sparks w ere flying from the m outh of the m aster to th at of the disciple a n d vice versa, b u t I h ard ly understo o d w h at they w ere a rg u in g a b o u t/'

A FTER a number of years, Abba decided to return to his native land ^ in order to devote himself to the spread of learning there. Before he left, he received Semichah from Yehudah, an honor usually bestowed upon most distinguished scholars. This ordination, designating Abba a full-fledged master of Jewish law, gave him the right to act as judge in all types of cases.; His reputation preceded Abba to Babylon. Upon his arrival, leading scholars, among them Samuel, a fellow student at Yehudah’s academy, came out to meet; him and to welcome him to Naardea, the leading intellectual community in Babylonia. Shilah, the head of the Academy, recognizing Abba’s superior learning, offered him the headship of the Academy. He, however, refused that office out of respect for Shilah. And even when, a short time later, Shilah died, Abba still declined the office for the sake of his colleague, Samuel, who was a native of Naardea. For a time Abba held the office of Commissioner of Weights and Mea sures for the Jewish communities of the land. He was appointed to this position by the Rosh Galutha. (Yerushalmi, Baba Bathra ch. 5) The Jews had full autonomy over internal affairs in Babylonia, including commercial and industrial matters, and the Exilarch was the head of the administration. Teacher Of The People

ignorance and neglect of the proper practice of Judaism was prevalent in many of them. He then decided to bend all efforts to improve 15 July - August, 1953

the situation. In order to carry out his purpose he dwelt in a number of communities for extended periods of time, lecturing and teaching the people the correct observance of the Jewish way of life. He was inclined to be severe in his decisions and regulations in order to wean the people away from their laxity in religious practice. He felt, however, that these personal attempts to correct the conduct of the Jews in individual communities were insufficient. He realized the necessity for the establishment of a great center of learning whither students from all parts of Babylonia could come to receive training, after which they would go out among the communities and teach the people. Rav left Naardea where learning had reached a high level and chose as the seat of his proposed academy the city of Mechasia (Mata Mechasia), known also as Sura, which was the capital of a district where, in spite of its large Jewish population, ignorance of the Torah was prevalent and the very practice of Judaism was not correctly carried out. Here, Rav determined, would be the seat of his academy, and in the year 234, he established the Aca demy of Sura.* His hopes were fulfilled. It was not long before students began to flock to Sura to sit at the feet of the great master. They came from all parts of the country and from neighboring countries; they even came from Pales tine, It is said that the number of disciples reached twelve hundred, and in a short time Babylonia became the great spiritual center of world Jewry. Sura continued as an active beacon of learning and spirituality for eight hundred years, up to the year 1034. JN ORDER to understand how one institution of learning was able to raise * to a high degree the standard of a large population and radiate influence to other parts of the world, one must realize that both the concept of éduca tion and the concept of a student had connotations among ancient Jewry very different from those of today. Education meant lifelong, continual in tellectual development. There was no limit to study. It is for this reason that even the full-fledged scholar is called in the Talmud Talmid Chochom, the wise student, | fl Consequently, the students were not children or even youths. They were men of all ages who were engaged in all kinds of pursuits but who continued learning and came to the Academy at intervals, especially during the months of Adar and Elul, months of conference and discussion. Such students formed smaller centers of learning in various communities and their influence spread among the people. It is not surprising that from among such students there arose, from time to time, great men who illumined Jewish life. The vigor of the great institution of learning at Sura stemmed primarily from the spirit of its founder and great master. In fact Abba was not only Sherira Gaon in his famous historical epistle.

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the father of the Academy but the father of all other such schools founded subsequently. The second great academy, established thirty-five years later in Pumbeditha and which vied in significance with Sura through the generations, was founded by Abba's disciple Rav Yehudah. Abba, of course, had colla borators in his work, the most distinguished of whom was Mar Samuel, but his was the initiative and the driving force. TT WAS Abba Arika who brought the most correct Version of -the Mishnah

from Palestine to Babylonia, for, as mentioned above, he was a leading stu dent at the Academy of Rabbi Yehudah Ha-nasi, to whom he was very close. Abba, together with his colleague Samuel, who too was a disciple of Rabbi, also introduced the method of interpretation of the Mishnah. This method was vital in order to apply the Mishnah's laws and teachings to all the minutiae and multifarious exigencies of life. It was the leaven in the Wide and manifold discussions of the learned throughout the generations, which in turn, after three centuries, served as- the material for the development of the great intellectual and spiritual structure known as the Talmud. Something more than knowledge and great learning, important as these are, is necessary to one who is destined to impress his stamp upon a great Jewish center in his generation and, through it, upon all generations to come. He must possess an exceptional- personality, greatness of character and a definite attitude toward all phases of life. He must be able to inspire and instruct the common man as well as the scholar; he must be able to point out a way of life and set up an ideal which men should strive to reach, though they fall short of attainment, Abba possessed all these qualities, and therefore the title “Rav” was bestowed upon him, a title which means “the master,'' and may also mean “the great one." His personality, views and manifold .character are reflected in numerous statements in Talmudic and Midroshic literature.

July - August, 1953

The Highest Virtue

^■HE outstanding trait of Abba's character was ldve of Torah, and he exerted exceptional efforts to impart it, so that it should become the heritage of all Jews. He impressed the need for Torah upon his generation repeatedly in a number of statements. “Study of Torah," says Rav, is “the highest virtue, and is even more important than offering sacrifices in the Temple." This highest value is at tained, according to Rav, when study is carried on for no other purpose than its own sake (Torah lishmah); “And one who practices such study can be considered a participator in the continual creation of the world," for a world without Torah may as well not exist. However, knowing the frailty of human character and that only few can attain complete devotion to knowl edge, Rav also advised that a man should occupy himself with study and reli gious observance even if his intention is to derive some personal benefit from such activity, for by force of habit, he will ultimately value Torah and Mitzvoth for their own sake. Study, according to Rav, will never cease, for on account of its great worth it will be an important task even in the world to come. He expressed this thought in these words: "There is no rest for scholars, n eith er in this w orld nor in the w orld to come, for th ey constantly rise in in tellectu al stren g th h igher a n d higher, a s it is said , 'T hey go from stren g th to strength w h en everyone a p p e a rs before G -d in Zion'." (Psalm s 84, 8)

According to Rav, Zion symbolizes Messianic days and strength means intellectual strength. (Berochoth, 64a). TJAVING such an exalted view of the Torah and its study, it is no wonder that Abba Arika was interested in imparting it and in the spread of education. He warned scholars not to withhold their knowledge from students. “Such refusal is tantamount to robbing the student of his heritage, for the Torah is the heritage of all Israel, as it is said (Devorim 33:4), Moses commanded us the Law an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob” The students, however, must be worthy of instruction, possess the proper char acter and follow suitable conduct. He therefore admonished scholars to be ware of instructing students who do not fulfill these requirements. As a corollary to such views on study and scholarship, Rav insisted that a scholar must occupy a leading position in Jewish social life, and he asserted that one who insults a scholar or even minimizes his teachings can be considered a heretic (apikoros), for by such action he undermines the very basis of Jewish life and religion which are founded on knowledge of the Torah. Rav believed that the teachings of the scholar must not only be valued, but treasured, remembered and handed down to the succeeding generation. 18

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Consequently, it was his opinion that talmidey chachomim need no monu ments, for their teachings will recall their memory. The People Of G-d

^■HE TORAH is, notwithstanding its great intrinsic value and importance, primarily a means for the improvement of the life of the Jews and a guide for their conduct. It goes without saying, therefore, that Abba Arika was deeply interested in the character, fate and destiny of his people. Desir ing to impress upon his generation the fundamental view that Israel is the people of G-d, he combatted the teachings of the astrologers that the con stellations and the planets exert great influence upon human life and de termine the destiny of both individuals and nations. He emphasized that the fate of the Jews had nothing to do with whatever influence the constellations and planets may exert in the lower world. The Jews, he maintained, are solely under the providence of G-d.* Such stress did Rav lay upon the close relationship between G-d and His people that, in order to encourage his brethren to bear patiently the yoke of exile, he ventured to state that (Berochoth 3a) G-d Himself mourns the fate of the Jews and cries nightly, Woe is Me that 1 caused My Temple to be burned and My children to go into exile. The rather gross anthropomorphic form of the statement only means

to convey the thought that while Israel is in Goluth, the full recognition of G-d, of His greatness and of His exaltedness cannot be attained. This view has had repercussions in the entire Jewish literature through the ages. This statement does not solve the problem of the Goluth and Rav turned to it again in another saying which emphasizes Israel's sonship of G-d. Said Rav: “The Jews are the children of G-d, and even in exile, they are under His guidance and providence. They must not, therefore, despair." This elec tion places a great responsibility upon Israel, which must live up to the standard set for it by G-d through His prophets. Israel's conduct must be high ly ethical. This, according to Rav, was the purpose for which the Torah was given to Israel. He says that all the precepts of the Torah were commanded to Israel in order to ennoble and refine the character of that people. Q F THE various ethical virtues, he emphasized the cultivation of mercy, for it is this virtue from which good human relations stem. Abba Arika therefore pronounced: “One who displays mercy and kindness to fellow men declares himself to be a descendant of our father Abraham and one who does not display this trait, thereby denies his descent." And since the stranger is usually in need of kindness, Rav stressed the * Tr. Sabbath, 155. The actual statement reads, “Ein mazol le-Yisroel,” i.e., Israel is not under the jurisdiction of the planets, for mazol means planet. The statement, however, was frequently employed in a humorous manner, referring to a second meaning of the term mazol i.e. luck and is used to mean, the Jew has no luck.

July - August, 1953

value of hospitality, saying: “To extend hospitality to strangers is more important even than communion with the Divine^" Mercy and kindness should not be limited to men, but must be extended also to "knimals. According to Rav, it is prohibited for a man to sit down to his meal before he feeds his cattle and all other domestic animals. Another virtue emphasized by Rav is. humbleness, or rather as expressed negatively, the shunning of pride. Pride, says he, ultimately lessens man's knowledge, for it makes him conscious of his greatness. A scholar may, ac cordingly, minimize his study, while a prophet may even lose his power to pro phesy if he evinces haughtiness. He allowed to scholars a very small margin of pride, literally an eighth of an eighth (a sixty-fourth part) of what an unethical person would possess under conditions of such achievement. And to inculcate in the hearts of men the habit of acting ethically, he taught that “an action which is not proper to perform in the sight of people should not be performed even in the exclusive chambers of the house." This, of course, does not refer to actual transgressions, but to actions which are not en tirely correct in public. Abba Arika, however, knew the frailty of men and was well aware that few attain blameless conduct, and therefore said, “even if one commits a transgression but regrets the commission and feels shame at his action, he will be forgiven." He thus laid emphasis upon the inner conscience and the importance of its purity. Personal Life

GREAT interest are Rav’s observations on the general conduct of life. ^ He gave special attention to the consideration of the family and offered sound advice for the achievement of happiness in marital life. At a time when marriages were negotiated by parents, frequently without consulting the future bride and groom, he taught that no one should betroth a bride un less he meets her first and she finds favor in his eyes so that no disappointment should result after the betrothal. He also warned against marrying for pecuniary reasons: “If one acts thus he is liable to have children of poor character." He likewise cautioned men against causing grievance to their wives, for a woman is unable to bear adversity or insult with any degree of calmness and is affected deeply, even to tears. Rav advised parents against giving a daughter in marriage before she reaches maturity, a practice which was prevalent at the time in most oriental countries. Nor, said Rav, should one show preference to one of his children as compared to the others, for such behavior is likely to bring bad results as happened in the case of Jacob and Joseph. Finally, he taught that one should not conduct himself in a stern manner in his house, since such con duct will disrupt the happiness of the family and cause discord in the house hold. 20

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Turning to the life of the individual, he placed great emphasis upon economic independence, and said: “One who depends for his sustenance upon a fellow man to the extent that he must even sit at his tablep|§| his world is darkened.” Rav therefore advised that it is preferable even to skin a carcass in public in order not to be dependent upon another for livelihood. With regard to the attitude of men toward their work, Rav asserted thaw whatever the work or trade of a man, he must grow to like it, for otherwise he will not be successful. He even claimed that it is decreed by divine pro vidence that man should love his work. I^TANY of Rav’s maxims which referred originally to family life'were ap* plied by him to cDpimunal life as well. He says: “A leader of a community should not inspire fear in the mind of the public by his conduct. If he acts in this way, he will be punished by not having a son who is a scholar ” Rav derives this maxim from the interpretation of a verse in the Book of Job, but its real basis is a psychological one. A scholar, who according to Rav is an idéal person, must be distinguished by his character, and could not grow up in an atmosphere of sternness which inspires fear, and a leader who inspires fear in the community would also do so in his home. All these teachings have as their basis a general principle of Abba Arika : that there is teleology in nature, foif all that G-d has created, He created for a definite purpose. Consequently, in a world where Divine purpose rules, human life in all its phases must be carried on purposefully, thus leading to its ennoblement. fipHE CHARACTER, activity and teaching of Rav, affecting every phase of *■' life, and Jewish life in particular, are responsible for the tremendous influence which he has exerted, upon all the generations of Jewry since his time. Much of the greatness of Judaism, its power to survive through the ages, stemmed from the great teacher Abba Arika, called Rav, the Master. July - August, 1953

O \ O • *.

“ TISHA H AÏ 1942” £?/ iSf. B. UNSDORFER

JT BEGAN just like any other Erev Tisha B’Av. After finishing our meal and putting on our slippers, we sat down to eat the traditional hardboiled egg with some ash on it “Zeycher L’Churban”. But it was suddenly transformed into a “real” Tisha B’Av. We were, about to go through another of those terrible nights which helped to make up the total of the six million Jewish victims of Nazidom. The year was 1942; the place was my hometown Bratislava. In that terrible year deportations began almost: in all the countries of eastern Europe and from some western European countries. I remember seeing long trains laden with Jews from Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, etc. all heading in the same direction: Hitler’s concentration camps. In Bratislava some hundreds of Jewish families escaped deportation by working on the railways. The job was mostly tracklaying, a very hard job indeed, particularly for those who were not used to manual labor. But who cared, as long as one was able to obtain that very precious little scrap of paper to the effect that “the holder of this document is by order of the Ministry of Interior working for the welfare of the State and is consequently, together with his wife and children, exempted from deportation.” Nothing else mattered. The very low wage, the hard work and the terrible working conditions . . . all this was not important. I remember my mother saying every evening when going to bed: “Thank G-d for another night in my own bed”. It sounds rather ridiculous today —but it meant a lot then. KNEW that one day the police might round up those working for le railway at their work and call for their families afterwards. But in those days we did not try to solve the situation for months or even weeks ahead; we were grateful for every day that we were allowed to remain in our homes. Everyone, whether more or less religious, had complete faith in G-d. “Bitochon” was the order of the day. No sooner had we finished the “Seudath Mafseketh” when the rumor spread that the police were going to “collect” all those registered with the 22

Jewish LIFE

railway. It was said that the Germans had insisted on sending one trans port of a thousand Jews to Aushwitz that week, and as the police had no lists ready, the Ministry had agreed to cancel all railway “exemptions” immediately. It was too late to flee. Jews were not allowed to leave their homes between 7 in the evening and 5 in the morning and it was now well after seven. Many friends of mine (there were „about fifty flats occupied by Jews in the building in which I lived) dismissed these rumors as just “another scare”; others were too exhausted after a long day’s work in the burning sun to leave their homes and try to find a place to hide. I myself climbed out to the slanting roof of our house and lay down flat. This was my ‘emergency bunker’, I had often trained myself in climbing out through the small roof window in order to make sure that in case of need I should not slip and fall down about a hundred feet. Then darkness fell. T BEGAN to hear the fateful tread of heavy boots, which is so often de

scribed in books but which has to be experienced if the terror of it is to be understood in all its intensity. The knock on the door was followed by complete silence. A few minutes later, I heard sounds of movement in the house and knew that people were being taken away. There were the piercing cries of small children disturbed from their sleep arid the shrill wailing la ments of the women. Many of the voices I could easily recognize. I reflected mechanically, should I escape their lot, we should have to look for a new baal-koreh and melamed; ours were both among the thirty-odd Jews that were taken away from our house. I spent a few more hours on the roof, with only the dark sky above and fear of death below. Then, cautiously, began to come down, my heart beating furiously from fear as to whether I should find my parents in the flat or whether I should find the door locked and sealed with a police notice to the effect that the property inside belonged to the State and would at a later date be put up for sale by auction. I came in and found my father sitting on the floor saying the Eycha with the traditional mournful melody. No word was spoken. I just sat*down next to him with the small book of Kinoth in my hand and joined in. T T WAS an understatement to say that every single word fitted the occasion.

I could have sworn that the whole booklet had been written on that very evening. We soon finished the few chapters of Megillath Eycha, which in normal times seem all too long, but on that evening were far too short. One wanted to say so much more -H there was so much to lament for. But there was nothing more to do but remain seated on the floor and remember the Churbon of the Temple and also the Churbon of our own day, which can never be forgotten. July - August, 1953

By L IL L IA N BERN ARDE ■DEFORE I went to camp for the first time, I used to sit with pappa, gaze happily at the won drous sights in shool, and try to davven with him. I was slow, of course. But I started to go to cheder young, and soon became ac customed to the services. I liked the singing better than the ordi nary davvening. From the vantage point of a seven year-old girl, the men seemed always to be praying too quickly. I could never keep up w ith them. Also, it took me quite awhile to realize that the “Boruch Atah” I had learned in Hebrew school was the same “Booreechatu" that pappa was uttering so rapidly, as he turned page after page in the Siddur. But as they say of the young, they can adjust easily. And I did. With the background I had at home, and observance of ritual and tradition, I came to love shool and I learned many prayers by heart. 24

When the question of my attend ing an organizational camp for girls for two weeks first came up, the foremost question in mamma's mind, when she took me to be reg istered was, of course, “Is it kosher?" We were assured that it was. Then I ventured timidly, “Do they have shool Shabbos morning?" “Do you mean Sabbath serv ices?" the registrar asked me. “Yes. Do they?" “What would happen if they did not?" the woman asked. The tears started to my eyes. I was in a tough spot. I'd never been to camp before. And I wanted very much to go. But I loved shool. What did one do on Shab bos morning if one did not go to shool ? What could I answer this woman without antagonizing her? I did not know the word antagonize a t the age of seven. I just knew that if I gave the right answer, Jewish LIFE

maybe the woman would say that they did have a shool there. “I believe in G-d,” I said, my voice choked. “I always go to shool, every Shabbos morning, and on Yom-Tovs too.” “Then, my dear,” she said, very tenderly, “you will love camp. For they have beautiful services.” TX7E LEFT for camp on a Tues” day, I remember. By Thurs day, I had asked a number of girls where the shool was. Those who were there for the first time, as I was, did not know. Those who were old-timers, for some reason, did not talk. All they said was, “You'll see -— Saturday morning.” Then I let it slide. Camp was fun. I was revelling in the freedom of movement. In the city streets mamma was always having to cau tion me, “Don't play ball on the stoop, you'll break a window," or “don't go in the gutter, you'll get run-over,” and things like that. There were no playgrounds then, as we have today. Our swimming depended on the temperature of the day, and the generosity of thé Sanitation Department in opening the water hydrants. When they did, we splashed luxuriously in the freely gushing cold water, as it spouted out. But in camp — oh, it was; like Gan Eden. Grass all around! This is the truth — I had never ‘seen grass and trees outside of a story book until I went to camp. And when I did see them, and flowers too, for the first time, my thoughts echoed in part newly learned pasJuly - August, 1953

sages from Bereyshith: “In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth. This is the earth that G-d created. This earth is beautiful. This earth must be like heaven.” The first time I saw the lake, I cried. My happiness just over whelmed m e! * These waters were blue, and clean, and wide — and far reach ing. As far as the eye could see there was beautiful lake. On the lake were boats, row-boats and canoes. And the lucky girls who had passed their swimming and boating tests were in those boats, adrift lazily and happily on this beautiful la,ke. T WAS thrilled beyond words when, because I had a fairly pleasing voice and, more importantly, could read Hebrew, I was picked to be in the choir. I felt I was serving G-d even more faithfully somehow, by being permitted to sing in this

group because I knew the holy language. The songs I learned that first Friday evening in camp made a lasting impression on me. Some songs I knew from Hebrew school. But they taught them to us any way, for although the camp was an orthodox one, not all campers came from religious homes. The camp leaders felt it safer to hurt no one by delving into family en vironment, but chose instead to present the beautiful side of Sab bath observance, and let the deep tug of ancient heredity do its work. We learned Sholom Aleychem, Eyn Kelokeynu, Adon Olom and the beautiful, traditional melody of the Shema. That night I thought my cup was full with the glory of G-d. The next morning, right after breakfast, I knew it was a special day. We were told to change into our Shabboth clothes. No ordinary pretty dress for us. As a result of the wisdom of the head coun sellor, all the campers dressed alike, so that the poorer children would not feel humiliated by the finery of those from families which were better-off financially. Our Shabboth clothes consisted of white middies and blue shorts. White and blue. The color of our Flag of David. I knew the camp colors were white and blue, and associated these colors immediate ly with the Jewish flag. f l T ten o'clock the head counsellor sent four messengers out to notify us to assemble. We walked bunk by bunk, two abreast, the 26

counsellors off a pace or two to the right, thè short distance from the main campus down the wooded path to the chapel. There was no talking. As we walked noiselessly over the leaf-encrusted earth with rows and rows of trees deep on each side of us, those on the edge of the path hanging low, heavy with their share of bounteous foliage which provided shade and delightful cool ness, while at the same time fil tering lacy patches of sunlight through the spaces between their leaves — I didn't want to talk. I gave way instead to the delights of the odor of pine and balsam; the shrubs of mint, the wild ber ries growing in profusion; and the wild flowers — golden buttercups, lacy queen annes, black-eyed susans, daisies, pansies, and countless others which perfumed the air with their delicate fragrance. My senses were drugged. I was overwhelmed. Never having seen anything at all like it, I could truly marvel mentally, “I've never seen anything like this!" Soon we came to the chapel it self. Never having seen anything but the yeshivah and a few local shools, all brick and stone struc tures, I was bewildered at the sight I beheld. QUDDENLY the wooded area ^ seemed to end and before our eyes was a plateau-like piece of earth, a good deal higher than the spot we were on. There was a gentle rise to this place, which had a luxurious carpet of sweet-smellJewish LIFE

ing thic(k, grass. Hand-hewn logs in all their rustic simplicity formed the benches and the balustrades which guided us as we walked up wards. There was a stump of a giant oak, with its top polished smooth by the rains and winds of many years, which served as the pulpit. All around the outer edges of these many rows of benches were tall stately trees. The gentle sway ing of their branches in the breeze as we walked to our seats reminded me of an outstretched hand, bec koning to “come, come, follow me . . .” We were on the highest spot in camp, so close to G - d, I felt; I was awed by the splendor of it all. It seemed that I might just stretch my hand upwards, and if I stood on tip-toe, I might, had I lived ages and ages ago; have reached up and touched the hem of the gown of Moses as he stood up on Mt. Sinai, holding aloft the Ten Commandments. I let my eyes travel. Until this point I had been walking upward. When I had taken my place, I faced downward, and from the heights I could see a clean sweep of panora ma below. The valleys lay peaceful in the warm sun. The gentle breeze wafted such delicate aromas in our direction, that I had mental images of the spices and incense our fore fathers must have used in Bible days. r \ u r services began soon after ^ we were seated. We sang the songs we had rehearsed the night before. We were given little bookJuly - August, 1953

lets by the counsellors, which we used as Siddurim. I can remember, even now, the shock of association when the word “Siddur” came to my mind. For a long wild moment, I was fright ened. “This is shool?” I asked my self. “Where is the Oron Hakodesh? Where are the Torahs? Where is the Menorah? Where is the curtain dividing the men from the women? But there are no men here at all! Only Uncle Bob, the director. And he sat up front in his white jacket and blue slacks, with the shiny silk yarmulka on his head. Where was the ‘m^nyon* of men needed for a service ? Why was I not in shool at home?” At this point in the service we were up to the responsive reading. The leader had said, “As the hea vens declare Thy glory, so do we praise Thy name on earth. In the words of the prophet we say . . .” And suddenly there was a fami liar buoy for me to grab hold of

and cling to! For just then, all were singing, from both Hebrew printing for those who could read it, and in English transliteration for those who could not, “Kodosh, kodosh, kodosh, Hashem Tzvo-oth, molo kol ho-oretz k'vodo” — slowly and beautifully, the way we had learned to sing it in Hebrew school. And my heart knew peace. I have been to Sabbath morning

services through all the years be tween then and now. And I have loved these s e r v i c e s w h e t h e r I davvened in the yeshivah, or the Young Israel, or a hotel chapel, or the synagogue which I attend re gularly now. And belief and G-d are everywhere I pray. But my heart sings with special joy these days. For it is summer time now, And I am once again in camp.

THE BLESSING OF THE TORAH The question, "W herefore h a s the la n d b e e n d estroyed?" (Jerem iah 9:11) w a s p o sed before the w ise m en a n d the prophets, b u t th ey could not ex p lain it. F inally, the Holy O ne, b le sse d be He, Himself g a v e the a n sw er: "D estruction cam e b e c a u se they did not pronounce first the b lessin g of the Torah."

— Talm ud N edarim , 81a.

BECAUSE OF EVIL TALK OF PALESTINE The ev en in g

on w hich the ten

sp ies spoke

evil

P alestine, w a s the nig h t of Tisha B'av, the n inth of Av, an d G-d exclaim ed: "I shall d ecree this nig h t for p erm an en t w eep in g a n d m ourning." O n the ninth of Av, the First a n d Second Holy T em ples in Jerusalem w ere destroyed. — Talm ud, T aanith, 29a

Jewish LIFE

By NATHAN H. WADLER T H E WOMAN was concerned for her son's future. He was soon to graduate from the Day school. “Please advise me, what shall I do with my son?" Mrs. Finkelstein implored. “Should he continue in a yeshivah high school or go to a public high school?" The problem was further compli cated. Attendance at the yeshivah high school meant that Joseph would have to travel almost an hour each way by means of public conveyances. This situation is one that con fronts hundreds of parents each year. The problem is greatly sim plified where the Day high school is part of the institution. The stu dent merely moves to another part of the building or to an adjacent one. The tremendous expansion of elementary Day schools, within the last decade, is a m atter of record. Less known is the fact that there has not been a comparable growth July - August, 1953

of yeshivah high schools. Those of us who are concerned with the direction and development of the Day school movement need to think of its over-all purposes. T H E R E IS no question that we A aim to provide our children with the best secular education we can give them in a private school. We must always keep in sight, however, the prim ary objective — the development of young men and women who have not only a good theoretic background of Torah, but who also have a Torah hashkofah, an outlook which accepts and cherishes the mode of life that encompasses traditional Judaism. We look to education to develop and deepen loyalties. We confident ly expect that an important out come of the Jewish Day school will be a sense of loyalty to klal Yisroel as well as to this great country of ours. It is precisely this loyalty to the 29

customs and traditions of our peo ple that is the hallmark of a truly TKe great growth of the Day Jewish education. The school, how School Movement forms one of ever, cannot be the only means for the most significant trends in its achievement: the home and the th e contemporary American synagogue must be partners, too. Jewish scene. Are we reaping Mrs. Finkelstein’s problem con the full benefits of this develop cerning the future of her son’s ment? Are we conserving the education raises the general ques values achieved? A far-seeing tion of what happens to Day school educator explores these ques students subsequent to graduation. tions and brings challenging In order to form a clear picture of answers. the situation I communicated with approximately one-third of the Day percent, continued their Torah edur schools in the New York area. According to the information " cation by attending a yeshivah made available to me, almost two- high school. About one-third en thirds of the students, sixty-three tered the public high school system. "Holding Power"

tXTAS THERE any difference in “holding power” when the Day school had a high school con nected with it? In other words, did more pupils remain in the yeshivah if graduation did not mean transferring to a strange school? I found that it did: three-quarters of the graduates continued to at tend the same institution. Once a move had to be made to another school, the chances were even that the youngster would attend a pub lic high school. I wondered about another prob lem. Did the language of instruc tion in the religious division (Hebrew or Yiddish) have any influence on the pupil’s decision? One thing soon became obvious. Where there was no planned pro gram for stimulating further at tendance a t a yeshivah, only a 30

few continued on to a Day high school. Where there was a defi nite policy and students were en couraged, a larger number attended yeshivah high schools. What happens to the youngster who goes to the public high school ? Does he encounter difficulties as a result of his yeshivah background? There seems to be agreement that his academic adjustment is a good one. He is usually at least the equal in scholarship of his fellowstudents. , There is, on the other hand, a conflict of loyalties. A public high school administrator described it this way: “The winter months are es pecially trying for Sabbath observers who attend a high school some distance from their Jewish LIFE

h^m es. T h e firs t F r id a y a f t e r noon t h a t i t becom es im p o ssib le f o r th e y o u n g s te r to g e t hom e b e fo re th e S a b b a th , th e prob^ lem a ris e s . A b o u t fifte e n s tu d e n ts p r e s e n t n o te s r e q u e s t in g p e rm issio n to leave school e arly . In te r e s tin g ly enough, th e n e x t y e a r only n in e of th is g ro u p m ak e th e sam e re q u e st. B y th e tim e th e se n io r y e a r is re a c h e d , only th r e e s tu d e n ts w ish to be ex c u sed .” T H E R E IS a n o th e r w a y of lo o king a t th is p e rio d of a d ju s t m en t. L e t u s ex am in e th e p ro b lem s of J o n a h W e issfe ld . The n am e is fic titio u s, b u t th e s to ry is tr u e . U pon g r a d u a tio n fro m a D ay school, he a n d h is p a r e n ts a g re e d t h a t he sh o u ld a tte n d a p u b lic h ig h school. B ecau se h e could n o t b u y h is fo o d in th e lu nch-room , f o r ob vious re a so n s, h e b r o u g h t h is lu n ch to school. H e w a s e m b a rra s s e d

w h en th e lu n ch -ro o m s u p e rv is o r a n d th e s tu d e n ts on p a tro l r e q u e ste d h im to rem o v e h is h a t. A g a in , w h e n h e w e n t to th e gym a n d ch a n g e d in to h is sh o rts , h is c la ssm a te s n o tic e d th e f r in g e d g a r m e n t a n d w e re c u rio u s a b o u t it. I t b ecam e n e c e ssa ry to ex p lain th e m e a n in g o f a tullith koton. J o n a h fo u n d h im se lf p e rp le x e d a b o u t w h a t to do w h e n th e J e w ish h o lid a y s o ccu rred . Could he, should he, a b s e n t h im se lf fro m school I a n d m iss im p o rt a n t school w o rk ; an d e x a m i n a tio n s ? S o m etim es this teachers w a n te d to know w hy he w as ab s e n t on h o lid ay s th a t w e r e n o t “im p o r ta n t.” N o t all w ho a tte n d th e p u b lic h ig h school a r e b a c k slid e rs. H ow ever, social p re s s u re , th e d e sire to co n fo rm , th e re lu c ta n c e to b e d if fe re n t (esp ecially b e fo re o n e's c la s s m a te s ), a n d th e fe e lin g t h a t to be d iffe re n t is to be p e c u lia r, a re p o w e rfu l fo rc e s t h a t c o n fro n t th e s e n s itiv e ad o lescen t.

Elementary Yeshivah Not Enough T H E p e rio d of adolescence is a ^ tu r b u le n t one. T h e v a lu e of re lig io u s f a i t h a n d o b serv an ce is q u e stio n e d . R e lig io u s a ttitu d e s , in c lu d in g th e m e a n in g a n d p u rp o se s o f life , a r e c ru c ia l in th e a d ju s t m en t. J u ly - A u g u st, 1953

T h e y e sh iv a h k ’ta n a h , th e ele m e n ta ry D ay school, develops a se n se of lo y a lty to J u d a is m a n d J e w is h life . I t is m y c o n te n tio n t h a t a n e d u c a tio n in a T o ra h s’vivah in a n e le m e n ta ry D ay school is n o t sufficient. T h e re is 31

n eed f o r its e x te n sio n th ro u g h h ig h school. In d e e d , th is is a lo gical a n d n e c e s s a ry d ev elopm ent in e v e ry D ay school, p a r tic u la r ly in a re a s w h e re y e sh iv a h h ig h schools a r e n o n -e x iste n t. T h e re is a fu n d a m e n ta l p h ilo so p h ical d iffe re n c e b e tw e e n Je w ish a n d s e c u la r A m e ric a n ed u c a tio n . Je w is h e d u c a tio n , th e o re tic a lly , o f f e r s no te rm in a l p o in t, no conclu sion. R a th e r, i t is c o -e x iste n t w ith Je w is h liv in g . T h e w ise HilleJ s a i d : “ H e w ho does n o t in c re a se h is know ledge d e c re a ses i t .” S e c u la r e d u c a tio n , how ever, does h av e a b e g in n in g a n d a n end. G ra d u a tio n fro m e le m e n ta ry school im p lies conclusion a n d is a logical p o in t f o r th e J e w is h y o u n g s te r to q u e stio n h is c o n tin u a tio n in a D ay school. S even y e a rs ago, a g ro u p of se n io r s tu d e n ts a n d a lu m n i of th e m a jo r y e sh iv o th h eld a m e e tin g . T h e p ro b lem th e y s e t f o r th e m selves w as how to p e rs u a d e y o u n g s te r s to c o n tin u e th e ir y e sh iv a h e d u c a tio n . T h e y decided to c re a te th e “ In te r-Y e s h iv a h S tu d e n t C oun cil.” T h e p r im a r y p u rp o se o f th e g ro u p is to e n c o u ra g e g ra d u a te s o f th e y e sh iv a h e le m e n ta ry school to c o n tin u e th e ir c a re e rs in a y e s h iv a h h ig h school. T h e m eth o d o f o p e ra tio n is sim ple. E a c h D ay school p rin c ip a l is g iv e n sta m p e d a n d a d d re sse d p o s t c a rd s. T h e p o te n tia l g r a d u a te is a sk e d to ta (k e th e c a rd hom e an d to in d ic a te w h e th e r o r n o t h e in te n d s to c o n tin u e in a y e sh iv a h h ig h school. T h o se w ho do n o t p la n to con-

tin u e a r e v is ite d a t hom e b y a C ouncil r e p re s e n ta tiv e . E v e ry e f f o r t is m ad e to e lic it th e re a so n s f o r n o n -c o n tin u a tio n . T h e v is ito r is a rm e d w ith a h a n d b o o k c o n ta in in g s ta tis tic s a n d in fo rm a tio n de sig n e d to p e rs u a d e s tu d e n ts a n d p a r e n ts c o n c e rn in g th e im p o rta n c e of c o n tin u in g in a y e sh iv a h . T h e C ouncil s ta te s t h a t seven y e a rs ago, o v er fifty p e rc e n t o f th e g r a d u a te s o f th e th ir ty - th r e e y e s h iv o th w e re n o t g o in g on to a y e sh iv a h h ig h school. I t is claim ed b y th e C ouncil t h a t a p p ro x im a te ly six te e n p e rc e n t o f th o se w ho do n o t p la n to c o n tin u e a r e now p e r su a d e d to do so. W

IIY is i t t h a t one o f th r e e e le m e n ta ry D ay school g r a d u a te s does n o t d e sire to c o n tin u e h is y e sh iv a h e d u c a tio n ? R ab b i C h aim D e rsh o w itz , th e E x e c u tiv e D ire c to r of th e In te r-Y e s h iv a h S tu d e n t C ouncil, a f t e r c a re fu l e x a m in a tio n o f th e re c o rd s, believ es t h a t th e re a so n s g iv en fa ll in to tw o d is tin c t g ro u p s ; p re te n s e s o r fa ls e im p re s sio n s a n d h a rd -c o re p ro b lem s.

J e w is h

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1 T h e excuses t h a t can be com b a tte d easily, R ab b i D e rsh o w itz m a in ta in s , a r e : th e im p re ssio n t h a t th e y e sh iv a h h ig h school is in f e r io r to a p u b lic h ig h school ; th e fe e lin g th a t g r a d u a tio n fro m a y e sh iv a h se c o n d a ry school offers h in d ra n c e to acc e p tan c e b y a college; th e de s ir e f o r sp e c ia liz a tio n o r f o r vo c a tio n a l e d u c a tio n ; an d , th e lack of e n th u s ia s m f o r S u n d a y sessio n s

o r f o r th e lo n g e r school day. L ittle can be done to p e rs u a d e th e s tu d e n t to c o n tin u e w h e re th e p a r e n ta l influence is n e g a tiv e . O th e r re sp o n se s t h a t a r e difficult to overcom e a r e th e lack o f in te r e s t in le a rn in g H e b re w o r Gem o ra a n d th e classic “ I d o n 't w a n t to be a ra b b i, so I d o n 't h av e to go to a y e sh iv a h ."

The Need rTlH E fo llo w in g a r e som e of th e co nclusions w h ic h m ay be d ra w n . T h e o b je c tiv e s o f a T o ra h e d u c a tio n c a n n o t be sa id to h av e been su c c e ssfu lly concluded upon g r a d u a tio n fro m a n e le m e n ta ry D ay school. E v e ry e ffo rt m u s t be m ad e f o r c o n tin u a tio n in a se c o n d a ry D ay school. L ik ew ise, e le m e n ta ry schools h av e a n o b lig a tio n to ex p a n d t h e ir p ro g ra m s w h e re v e r po s sible to in clu d e a f o u r y e a r h ig h school. T h e re is a g r e a t need f o r g u id ance b o th on th e e le m e n ta ry a n d se c o n d a ry levels. P rin c ip a ls an d te a c h e rs of e ig h th g ra d e p u p ils need a p la n n e d p r o g ra m o f in d iv id u a l a n d g ro u p g u id a n c e , m e e tin g s w ith p a r e n ts a n d v is its to a y e sh iv a h h ig h school. T h e re should be a d e e p e r a p p re c ia tio n , on th e p a r t o f te a c h e rs of th e H e b re w a n d E n g lis h d e p a r t m e n ts, o f th e p e rs o n a lity p ro b lem s of c h ild re n . P e rs o n a l in te r est, th e e n c o u ra g e m e n t o f w o r th w h ile frie n d s h ip s , d efin itio n of p u p ils ' in te r e s ts a n d a b ilitie s , th e J u ly - A u g u st, 1953

e s ta b lis h m e n t o f a c lim a te o f su c cess a r e b u t a fe w o f th e m a n y d e sira b le f e a tu r e s of a g u id a n c e p ro g ra m . I am im p re ssé d w ith th e lack of sp ecialized D ay schools. T h e re a re no schools f o r th e n o n -acad em ically m in d ed , th e p h y sic a lly h a n d ic a p p e d o r th e v o c a tio n a lly in te re s te d s tu d e n t. I t is u r g e n t, too, t h a t y e sh iv a h h ig h schools f o r g irls in a re a s w h e re no n e e x ist now (M a n h a tta n , th e B ro n x , Q u een s) be o rg a n iz e d . A follow -up p ro g ra m f o r th e g r a d u a te s o f b o th e le m e n ta ry an d se c o n d a ry D ay schools w o u ld be v e ry h e lp fu l. T h is could be c re a te d b y som e c e n tra l o rg a n iz a tio n w ith th e a s s is ta n c e o f th e D ay school p rin c ip a ls . W h a t h av e b een th e a c h ie v e m en ts o f th e g ra d u a te s ? W h a t effect d id th e y e sh iv a h h av e upo n th e m ? H ow , in th e ir o p in io n , could D ay schools be im p ro v ed ? P e rh a p s th e m o st re v e a lin g q u e s tio n could w ell be “ W ould th e y e s h iv a h g r a d u a te sen d h is c h ild re n to a D a y sch o o l?" 33

B y Lillian Reznick Ott W h a t m y f a th e r s hav e ta u g h t m e / T h a t a m a n is a m a n * A n d a b e a s t is a b e a st, A lb e it th e y s h a r e som e a p p e tite s in com m on, B re a th , t h ir s t, th e n u r tu r e of life A n d th e lu s t of love. T h ese, th e y said , w e re th e p r im a r y ro o ts o f n a tu r e , T h e fo u r-d im e n sio n a l f ra m e of C re a tio n , O u t o f w h ic h r a d ia te th e in fin ite g r a n d e u r s o f life 's p u rp o se S u b lim a te d , f o r m an, In b ro a d v isio n a n d f a ith f u l c o n te m p la tio n , A n d f o r th e b e a st, In c u n n in g f o r p re y a n d c o n te n tm e n t o f fo ra g e .

B u t th is , th e y c a u tio n e d m e, Y ou m u s t re m e m b e r, child, A n d w h e n y o u r m o m e n ts of innocence F lo w e r in to d ay s o f a w a re n e ss, Y ou sh all im p a r t th is k n o w ledge also u n to y o u r c h ild re n ; T h a t if, p e rc h a n c e, a m a n 's in d u l gence is n o t te m p e re d B y m o ra l re fin e m e n t, T h e n th o u g h he be in th e h u m a n fo rm W h en he s p rin g s fro m h is m o th e r's w om b, H e com es to no m o re a th in g in th e end T h a n th e b e a s t t h a t lies b esid e h im in th e d u st, F o r like th e b e a st, H e com es fierce a n d f r e tf u l to th e end of h is days. J e w is h

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A nd

th is is w h a t I h a v e since le a rn e d , T h a t th e m o m e n ts of innocence p a ss only too s w iftly A n d th e d a y s of m a tu r ity a re m o re o fte n th a n n o t, F a r too b itte r .

That children grow out of their learning, I f o u r te a c h in g s a re b u t a b s tr a c ts , O nly to be c o n fro n te d b y th e c o n c re te sh am b les W ro u g h t b y th e ir eld ers. I h av e le a rn e d th a t th e r e is m o re tr u e re v e re n c e In th e h e a r t o f a dog b a y in g a t th e m oon T h a n in th e h e a r t o f a m an W hose m in d h eed s n o t h is ow n voice lif te d in p ra y e r, A nd f a r m o re d ig n ity in a lion te a r in g a t h is k ill T h a n in a m a n w r e s tin g h is b r o th e r 's s p ir it F o r co st of b re a d . Y ea, t h a t th e f r a g r a n c e of a blossom m u s t be b o u g h t A t th e co st o f e x h a u s tin g to il, A n d th e so u l's h u n g e r reco g n ized O nly in th e t e a r of m o u rn in g . A n d th is I h av e le a rn e d , T h a t u n lik e th e sa c re d life-blood of th e b ein g , T h e in e x h a u stib le w a te r s a re c o n serv ed a n d h u sb a n d e d , A n d u n lik e th e h a rn e s s e d le isu re f o r a f r e s h b re a th , P o v e rty a n d th e s tin k o f d e a th a r e abundant 4 A n d e v e ry w h e re fre e . J u ly - A u g u st, 1953

T h a t social p eace a n d re g e n e ra tiv e q u ie t Is n o w h e re to be g a th e re d A n y m o re th a n th e ra u c o u s d in of f r a u d a n d c o rru p tio n Is a n y w h e re to be escap ed . . . I f a m a n live a h u n d re d y e a rs, Oh, G-d, S hall he be a n y w is e r a t th e end th e re o f ? A nd in a th o u s a n d y e a rs, S hall h e s u rp a s s th e excellence of Y o u r d ecree? 35

By I. H A LEVY-LEV IN J T IS only now , in th e s ix th y e a r o f Is ra e l's sta te h o o d , t h a t th e b e g in n in g s o f se rio u s econom ic p la n n in g can be d isc e rn e d . T h is does n o t m e a n th a t, a t la s t, th e G o v ern m e n t h a s en d o rse d a n y p la n o r t h a t i t fe e ls its e lf sufficiently s tr o n g to e m b a rk upon p la n n e d developm ent, d e sp ite th e o p p o sitio n o f v e ste d in te r e s ts . I t m e a n s h a rd ly m o re th a n t h a t th e lessons o f five y e a rs of m a k e s h ift, o fte n co n flictin g , s h o r t te r m econom ic m e a su re s a r e now b e in g le a rn e d . I t also in d ic a te s th a t th e r e is a g lim m e r o f a p p r e c ia tio n t h a t th e p r e s e n t offers th e la s t o p p o rtu n ity to p la n f o r econo m ic in d ep en d en ce. Is ra e l, i t seem s, fro m th e v e ry b e g in n in g w as d e stin e d to le a rn th e h a r d w ay, b y t r ia l a n d e r r o r . In v in d ic a tio n , i t m a y be a rg u e d t h a t th e p r e s s u r e o f im m ig ra tio n le f t no tim e to th in k , t h a t th e s e rie s of sto p -g a p m e a s u re s w a s d ic ta te d b y c irc u m s ta n c e s b eyond th e cap ac ity o f th e y o u n g a n d in e x p e rie n c ed

s ta te m a c h in e ry to co n tro l. T h e im m ig ra tio n cam p s, w h e re th e n ew co m ers liv ed in d e m o ra liz in g id le n ess, in m a n y cases f o r y e a rs , w e re one su ch e x p e d ie n t. T h e t r a n s i t a n d w o rk v illa g e s w h e re th e y w e re os te n s ib ly re q u ire d to fe n d f o r th e m selves, b u t in w h ic h a policy o f a s s u re d em p lo y m en t a n d fixed d aily w a g e s v itia te d all in itia tiv e a n d e n te r p r is e , w e re a n o th e r. I t h a s been o nly in th e p a s t y e a r t h a t im m ig r a n t a b s o rp tio n h a s b een c o n d u cted u p o n m o re econom ic p rin c ip le s : t h a t s e ttle m e n t on th e la n d h a s been u se d to in c re a se p ro d u ctio n , t h a t u n em p lo y m e n t h a s been h a rn e s s e d to g e n e r a te a m ove m e n t fro m to w n to c o u n try , a n d t h a t p iece-w o rk r a te s in a ffo re s ta tio n a n d o th e r p u b lic w o rk s h av e been u se d a s a s tim u lu s to in d iv id u a l e ffo rt. I t is th e h a r d w ay . I t involves n o t a little su ffe rin g w h ich m ig h t c e rta in ly , w ith a little f o r e s ig h t, h a v e b een avoided. B u t to d a y i t is th e o nly w ay. J e w is h

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I t is only d u r in g th e p a s t six te e n m o n th s t h a t th e s e rie s o f c u rre n c y d e v a lu a tio n s s e t in m o tio n b y th e N ew E conom ic P o licy h a s b ro u g h t th e Is ra e li P o u n d closer to its in te r n a tio n a l v a lu e — f o r ty U .S. c e n ts on th e Z u ric h B o u rse — a n d h a s ta u g h t Is r a e l's c itiz e n s t h a t th e y do n o t live in a n econom ic v acuum . I t is only now , also, t h a t th e c a lib re of th e 700,000 im m ig ra n ts w ho h av e flocked to th is c o u n try in th e p a s t five y e a rs can be a p p ra ise d p ro p e rly —- a n d econom ic p la n s

d r a f te d acco rd in g ly . T h e v ir tu a l sto p p a g e o f im m ig ra tio n h a s, p e rh a p s , c o n trib u te d m o st to w a rd s th e c re a tio n o f a s u ita b le a tm o sp h e re f o r lo n g -te rm p la n n in g . T h e G e rm a n R e s titu tio n A g re e m e n t, e n s u rin g a r e g u la r in flu x of fo re ig n c u rre n c y o v er a le n g th y p e rio d ( b a r r in g , o f co u rse, m a jo r c a ta s tro p h e s , su ch as a th ir d w o rld w a r o r a r e tu r n o f th e N a z is to p o w e r), h a s now p ro v id e d th e n e c e s s a ry fin an cial b a sis.

Five Year Plan for Agriculture

TT IS in th e field of a g r ic u ltu r e L T sra e i, h a s cau sed a fierce con tro v e rs y . T h e su rv e y h a s show n A t h a t th e p ro sp e c ts of p la n n e d de t h a t d e sp ite a n in v e s tm e n t of a v elo p m en t a r e m o st e n c o u ra g in g . q u a r te r o f a b illio n d o llars in a g r i F a r m in g is th e sp h e re in w h ic h Is r a e l h a s r e g is te r e d its m o st s u b - # c u ltu ra l s e ttle m e n t o v er th e p a s t five y e a rs, Is ra e l p ro d u c e d in 1952 s ta n tia l successes. T h e la n d is la rg e ly n a tio n a liz e d , a n d s e ttle m e n t f i l l a n ex cep tio n ally good y e a r f o r f a r m e r s — only 25-30 p e rc e n t o f is financed a lm o st exclusively o u t its food c o n su m p tio n (in n u tr itio n of th e p u b lic ex ch eq u er. C onse v a lu e ) . D u rin g th e sam e y e a r I s q u e n tly , th e f a r m in g c o m m u n ity is ra e l h a d to im p o rt 66 m illio n d o llars a m a tr ix of clo sely -o rg an ized f e d e r o f fo o d stu ffs a n d 38.3 m illio n dol a tio n s, h a v in g a long tr a d itio n of la rs o f m a c h in e ry , fu el, f e rtiliz e rs , p a tr io tis m a n d close co o p e ra tio n in se c tic id e s, etc. f o r a g ric u ltu re . w ith th e c e n tra l a u th o r itie s . In th e lig h t o f th e s e a c h ie v e m en ts T ^R . KADAR a ttr ib u te s th is a n d q u a litie s , th e c ritic is m t h a t is s tr ik in g lack o f p ro g re s s in food now b e in g d ire c te d a g a in s t s e ttle p ro d u c tio n to th e c o n se rv a tism of m e n t m e th o d s a n d a g r a r ia n o rg a n I s r a e l's f a r m p la n n in g a n d to o v e r iz a tio n m ay, a t f ir s t s ig h t, a p p e a r c o n c e n tra tio n u p o n th e liv esto ck u n ju s t. B u t m e a su re d a g a in s t th e b ra n c h e s o f fa rm in g . B o th d a ir y b a c k g ro u n d o f I s r a e l's f o re ig n c u r in g a n d p o u ltry b re e d in g a re la r g e re n c y difficulties, i t is obvious th a t ly d e p e n d e n t upo n im p o rte d fo o d th e c o u n try 's a g r ic u ltu r e h a s been stu ffs a n d m ak e ex cessiv e d em an d s fo u n d w a n tin g . upon th e a r e a of c u ltiv a tio n an d T h e p u b lic a tio n of a su rv e y con upon w a te r su p p lies. d u c te d b y D r. G. K a d a r, a g r i In th e M a n d a to ry p e rio d , D r. c u ltu ra l a d v is e r to th e B a n k L eum i J u ly - A u g u st, 1953

K a d a r p o in ts out, th e Y ish u v w as n o t d e p e n d e n t upo n J e w is h a g r i c u ltu re f o r its food su p p lies. T h e c h ie f so u rces of food w e re th e A ra b f a r m s in P a le s tin e a n d im p o rts fro m a b ro a d . T h e a r e a of c u ltiv ab le la n d a t th e d isp o sa l o f th e J e w is h n a tio n a l a u th o r itie s w a s sev erely lim ite d b y law a n d conse q u e n tly a policy of in te n s iv e s e t tle m e n t a n d c u ltiv a tio n w a s follow ed in th e Je w is h a g r ic u ltu r a l se c to r. D a iry in g a n d p o u ltry b re e d in g , w h ile c a llin g f o r a h ig h in v e stm e n t

of c a p ita l, w e re p r e f e r r e d as th e m o st econom ical w a y o f u tiliz in g th e lan d . B asic cro p s, su ch a s w h e a t, w e re ju s tly n o t c u ltiv a te d in view o f th e low p ric e a t w h ic h th e y could be p u rc h a s e d e ith e r locally o r in f o re ig n m a rk e ts . T h u s, s e ttle m e n t a n d n o t fo o d p ro d u c tio n w a s th e p a ra m o u n t c o n sid e ra tio n , w h ile th e econom ic a sp e c t w a s m ad e s u b s e r v ie n t to s tr a te g ic a n d p o litic a l ob je c tiv e s in th e co n d u ct of s e ttle m e n t policy.

New Agricultural Pattern T H E S E c o n d itio n s u n d e rw e n t a ra d ic a l tr a n s f o r m a tio n a f t e r th e p ro c la m a tio n of th e S ta te . The A ra b p e a s a n tr y w a s re d u c e d to a fa c to r o f little sig n ifican ce in th e c o u n try 's econom ic com plex. The a r e a of la n d c u ltiv a te d b y th e Je w s m u ltip lie d fo u rfo ld — fro m 700,000 d u n a m s to over th r e e m illion. F ro m th e n on th e lim itin g f a c to r in J e w ish a g r a r ia n policy w a s n o t la n d b u t in v e s tm e n t c a p ita l. A t th e sam e tim e , th e n u m b e r of c o n su m e rs of J e w is h p ro d u c e w a s m o re th a n do u b led a n d th e r e developed a n a c u te s h o rta g e of all e sse n tia l fo o d stu ffs. T h e m is ta k e m ad e by th e a g ric u l tu r a l p la n n e rs , a c c o rd in g to D r. K a d a r, w a s t h a t th e y d id n o t d ra w th e logical conclusions fro m th e s e n ew c o n d itio n s, a n d th e y d id n o t a lte r th e ir p la n s acco rd in g ly . In v ie w o f I s r a e l's g ra v e fo re ig n c u rre n c y difficulties, th e su p re m e n eed of th e c o u n try now is to su p p ly th e m a in fo o d stu ffs f o r its pop38

u la tio n fro m in te r n a l so u rces a n d to finance th e im p o rt o f w h a t it c a n n o t p ro d u c e its e lf, a n d o f f a r m e q u ip m e n t a n d a u x ilia ry m a te ria ls , b y th e e x p o rt o f its a g ric u ltu r a l p ro d u c ts. In s te a d of s e ttle m e n t on th e lan d , th e e m p h a sis m u s t h e n c e fo rth be la id upon fo o d p ro d u c tio n . In s te a d of c u ltiv a tio n of b a rle y a n d fo d d e r f o r c a ttle a n d p o u ltry , s tr e s s m u s t be la id on b a sic fo o d stu ffs su ch as w h e a t a n d in d u s tr ia l cro p s su ch as g ro u n d -n u ts a n d s u g a r-b e e t f o r oil a n d s u g a r p ro d u c tio n . T h e 1,750,000 d u n a m s of u n c u ltiv a b le la n d s u it ab le f o r g ra z in g m u s t b e u sed f o r th e r a is in g of c a ttle a n d esp ecially of sheep. D r. K a d a r h a s e x p re sse d h im se lf as b e in g e x tre m e ly c ritic a l of th e a b ility of th e e x is tin g se ttle m e n ts to a d a p t th e m se lv e s to th e se r e fo rm s. H e b eliev es t h a t th e m oshav im w ill b e u n a b le to e n g a g e in la rg e scale c u ltiv a tio n o f co m m er cial cro p s b e c a u se th e ir h o ld in g s J e w is h

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a r e a lre a d y sm all a n d b ro k e n up in to sm all p lo ts. T h e k ib b u tz im , on th e o th e r h a n d , a r e u n w illin g to em ploy th e h ir e d la b o u r w h ich th e c u ltiv a tio n o f co m m ercial cro p s r e q u ire s a t c e r ta in seaso n s. O O M E o f D r. R a d a r 's c ritic is m s ^ su ffe r fro m a n u n d e re s tim a tio n of th e non-econom ic f a c to r s in s e t tle m e n t policy. T h e se sho u ld n o t be m in im ized , a s th e y a r e in th e long ru n , no less im p o r ta n t th a n econo m ic c o n sid e ra tio n s. T h e c re a tio n o f a b ro a d f a r m in g c o m m u n ity still r e m a in s th e p a ra m o u n t in te r e s t of th e s ta te . O bviously, a s th e cul tiv a tio n o f th e N eg ev p ro v ed la s t y e a r, th e e ffo rts of e x p e rie n c ed

f a r m e r s p ro d u ce b e tte r a n d q u ic k e r re s u lts th a n th e fu m b lin g a tte m p ts of new s e ttle r s w ho still h av e to le a rn how to h a n d le a p lo u g h . B u t th e r e is no b e tte r m e th o d o f te a c h in g th e e lem en ts of f a r m in g th a n a c tu a l c u ltiv a tio n of th e soil. T h e low er y ield is th e in e v ita b le c o st t h a t m u s t be p a id f o r th e im p le m e n ta tio n of su ch a policy. T h e d ev elo p m en t of la rg e e s ta te s b a se d upo n n o rm a l c a p ita lis tic p rin c ip le s a n d th e em p lo y m en t o f h ir e d la b o u r is s tro n g ly reco m m en d ed b y D r. R a d a r, Such m e th ods h a v e a lre a d y p ro v e d o f th e u tm o s t v alu e in p ro v id in g p ro d u c tiv e em p lo y m en t a n d tr a in in g f o r new im m ig ra n ts . B u t th e s e m e th -

The fields of a "m ixed-farm ing" a g ricu ltu ral comm unity. Courtesy Zionist Archives and Library

J u ly - A u g u st, 1953

ods m u s t be c o n sid e re d as m ean s r a t h e r th a n a s ends. C e rta in ly , Is ra e l c a n n o t s e t its e lf th e o b jec tiv e o f c r e a tin g a lan d less a g ric u l tu r a l p r o le ta r ia t — a problem w ith w h ic h m a n y c o u n trie s a r e d e sp e r a te ly g ra p p lin g . M oreover, th e s tr a te g ic lo catio n of n ew s e ttle m e n ts m u s t re m a in a n o v e r-rid in g c o n sid e ra tio n . T h is w ill b e th e case a t le a s t u n til a s ta b le p eace is re a c h e d w ith o u r n e ig h b o u rs. T h e f a c t t h a t c u ltiv a tio n a n d liv in g co sts a r e h ig h e r in o u t ly in g a re a s a n d th e c o n d itio n s f o r m a rk e tin g p ro d u c e f a r less f a v o u r able, in no w a y in v a lid a te s th is conclusion. I t is a h o p e fu l s ig n t h a t d e sp ite th e b la s ts of c o u n te r-c ritic is m evoked b y D r. R a d a r ’s s u rv e y a n d th e re v o lu tio n a ry n a tu r e o f m a n y o f h is rec o m m e n d a tio n s, h is re p o r t is b e in g g iv en se rio u s c o n sid e ra tio n in g o v e rn m e n t q u a r te r s . A “ F iv e Y e a r P la n f o r A g r ic u ltu r e a n d S e ttle m e n t,” a t p re s e n t b e in g d r a f t ed b y th e J o in t P la n n in g C e n tre (e s ta b lis h e d b y th e M in is try of A g r ic u ltu r e a n d th e J e w is h A g e n cy’s S e ttle m e n t D e p a r tm e n t) , em b o d ies m a n y of h is a s su m p tio n s an d co n clusions. I t seem s to be g e n e r a lly a g re e d , f o r in sta n c e , t h a t d es p ite th e a c h ie v e m en ts o f m ixed f a r m in g in th e p a s t, i t is no lo n g e r s u ita b le f o r p r e s e n t co n d itio n s. I t is also ac c e p ted t h a t h e n c e fo rth I s ra e l’s f a r m s m u s t c o n c e n tra te upon th e p ro d u c tio n of b a sic fo o d stu ffs a n d in d u s tr ia l cro p s, r a t h e r th a n upo n th e r a is in g of fe e d f o r d a iry liv esto ck a n d p o u ltry . It* is n o t y e t c le a r w h a t m e a 40

s u re s, if a n y , w ill b e a d o p te d to b r in g th e o ld er s e ttle m e n ts in to lin e w ith th e n ew p lan . S u ch a policy» w ould r u n in to a ta n g le ofc; p ro b lem s, even in r e g a r d to th e new s e ttle m e n ts w h ic h h a v e b een e sta b lish e d d u r in g th e la s t five y e a rs, a s th e y h a v e b een m odelled e n tire ly upo n th e w o rk e rs colonies fo u n d e d in th e M a n d a to ry p e rio d . B u t in view o f th e f a c t t h a t th e F iv e Y e a r P la n e n v isa g e s th e d o u b lin g of th e n u m b e r o f fa rm s , w h ic h in 1958 a r e ex p ected to to ta l 81,000, th e p la n n e rs h a v e p le n ty of scope in w h ic h to p u t th e ir id eas in to p ra c tic e . T h e p la n a ssu m e s t h a t in 1958 th e p o p u la tio n o f th e c o u n try w ill to ta l tw o m illio n . T h e c u ltiv a te d a r e a w ill b e v ir tu a lly th e sa m e as to d a y r^V 3 .6 m illio n d u n a m s ( th e d u n a m is ro u g h ly a q u a r te r o f a n a c r e ) . H ow ev er, th e a r e a u n d e r i r r ig a tio n w ill b e ex p an d ed fro m th e p r e s e n t 580,000 d u n a m s to 1.7 m il lion d u n a m s. A cc o rd in g to th e schedule, in t h a t y e a r (on th e b a sis of I s r a e l’s p re s e n t-d a y a u s te r ity d ie t) local a g r ic u ltu r e w ill p ro d u c e all th e m ilk a n d d a iry p ro d u c ts, eggs, f r u i t , v e g e ta b le s, m e a t, fish, oil a n d s u g a r co n su m ed b y its p o p u la tio n . T h e only sig n ific a n t food im p o rt w ill be of w h e a t, o f w h ic h a n e s tim a te d 160,000 to n s w ill s till be p u rc h a s e d a b ro a d a t a c o st of 17.6 m illio n d o llars. In th e c o u rse o f th e s e five y e a rs i t is fo re s e e n t h a t Is ra e l w ill be ab le to develop s u b s ta n tia l e x p o rts o f v e g e ta b le s ( f r e s h a n d c a n n e d ); w in es, su b -tro p ic a l f r u its , tobacco, h o n ey a n d s u g a r (m a in ly in th e J e w is h

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fo rm of sw eets a n d c h o c o la te ). T h e m a in e x p o rt, h ow ever, w ill re m a in c itr u s f r u i t (a n e s tim a te d 11.3 m il lio n cases as co m p a re d w ith 5.3 m il lio n th is y e a r) a n d ju ic e s, to a to ta l v alu e of 46.7 m illio n d o llars. O th e r a g r ic u ltu r a l e x p o rts a re e s tim a te d a t 9.5 m illio n d o llars, c e rta in ly n o t a n o v e r-sa n g u in e fo re c a s t. I n r e g a rd to c itru s , h ow ever, th e p la n n e rs n o te t h a t new ly p la n te d g ro v es w ill only com e in to fu ll p ro d u c tio n a f t e r 1958, a n d t h a t th e ir im p a c t upon th e b a la n c e of fo re ig n c u r re n c y p a y m e n ts w ill th e r e f o r e be f e lt fu lly only a f t e r th e p e rio d p la n n e d fo r. ■ pH E sig n ifican ce of w h at, th e p lan ■is exp ected to accom plish in te rm s of a g r ic u ltu r a l self-sufficiency a n d b a la n c e of p a y m e n ts is re fle c t ed in th e fo llo w in g fig u re s. I n 1952 im p o rts of food (in c lu d in g ra w m a te ria ls f o r th e food in d u s tr y ) a n d of a g r ic u ltu r a l m a c h in e ry a n d m a te ria ls to ta lle d 66 m illio n d o llars a n d 38.3 m illio n d o lla rs re s p e c tiv e ly -— a n a g g r e g a te of 104.3 m illion d o llars. T h is w a s o ffset b y e x p o rts of a g r ic u ltu r a l p ro d u c ts to th e v alu e of 16.8 m illio n d o llars, leav in g a n e t d eficit of 87.5 m illio n dol la rs . In th e final y e a r of th e p lan , im p o rts of food w ill a m o u n t to 17.6 m illio n d o lla rs a n d o f a g r ic u ltu r a l m a te ria ls a n d m a c h in e ry to 48.2 m illion d o llars — a to ta l of 65.8

m illio n d o llars, w h ile a g r ic u ltu r a l e x p o rts w ill r is e to 56.2 m illio n dol la rs , re d u c in g th e deficit to 9.6 m illio n d o llars. T h e new ty p e o f f a r m w h ich it is p ro p o sed to develop w ith in th e fra m e w o rk of th is p la n w ill be 42.5 d u n a m s in e x te n t (a b o u t • 10.5 a c re s ) of w h ic h 2.5 d u n a m s w ill be e a rm a rk e d f o r th e f a r m y a r d a n d th e r e m a in in g 40 d u n am s, a sin g le c o n tig u o u s bloc, w ill be p la n n e d to re d u c e ir r ig a tio n a n d c u ltiv a tio n c o sts to a m in im u m . L iv esto ck w ill in clu d e b e tw e e n te n a n d tw elv e sheep, b e tw e e n tw e n ty a n d tw e n ty five chick en s, w h ile a h o rse o r m ule w ill b e held in p a r tn e r s h ip b y ev ery tw o s e ttle r s f o r c u ltiv a tio n p u rp o s es. T r a c to r s ta tio n s , s u ita b ly s it u a te d , w ill p ro v id e h e a v ie r f a r m m a c h in e ry w h en re q u ire d . T h e new tr e n d in food p ro d u c tio n is refle c t ed in th e cro p s to be r a is e d (in s u ita b le r o ta tio n to e n su re ra tio n a l e x p lo ita tio n of th e s o i l ) : p o ta to e s, sw e e t p o ta to e s, g ro u n d -n u ts , su g a rb eet, su m m e r g ra in , w in te r g ra in , leg u m es a n d v e g e ta b le f e r tiliz e r to m a in ta in th e f e r tility of th e soil. T h e to ta l a n n u a l income^; fro m such a f a r m h a s b een e s tim a te d a t IL 3,615. W o rk in g ex p en ses w ill to ta l IL 1605, le a v in g a n e t p ro fit o f I L 2,010 (to g e th e r w ith th e v alu e of f a r m p ro d u ce consum ed d o m est ically, IL 2 ,2 5 0 ).

Ten Year Basic Development Programme i p H I S F iv e Y e a r P la n f o r A g ric u l^ tu r e m u s t be view ed a g a in s t th e f a r m o re c o m p re h e n siv e T en Y e a r J u ly - A u g u st, 1953

D evelop m en t P ro g ra m m e p re p a re d by D r. Solom on T ro n é, a n e n g in e e r, eco n o m ist a n d p la n n in g a u th o r ity 41

A w ork cam p of the n ew ly reo rg an ized p o tash p la n t situ a te d on the site of an cie n t Sodom, n e a r the D ead S ea, (Eisenstark)

o f w o rld re p u ta tio n . I n a d d itio n , D r. T ro n e h a s su b m itte d , up o n th e in v ita tio n of th e g o v e rn m e n t of Is ra e l, p ro p o sa ls f o r th e p ro d u c tio n o f p h o sp h a te s, p o ta sh a n d cem ent. H e h a s also offered a p la n f o r th e e x p lo ita tio n of th e H u le h p e a t, to b e u sed in g e n e ra tio n of e le c tric ity , a s w ell a s a n over-all n a tio n a l p o w er schem e. T h e B asic D evelopm ent P r o g ra m m e w a s p re p a re d b y D r. T ro n e a t th e re q u e s t o f th e G o v e rn m e n t to g u id e i t in th e u tiliz a tio n o f th e G e rm a n R e s titu tio n P a y m e n ts. T h e o rig in a l a r r a n g e m e n t w a s t h a t D r. T ro n e , w ho is a n e x p e rt on G erm an in d u s try , sh o u ld a d v ise th e Is ra e l

P u r c h a s in g C o m m issio n , a t p re s e n t in Cologne. F o r som e re a so n , f o r w h ic h no official e x p la n a tio n h a s been fo rth c o m in g , th e re q u is ite a p p o in tm e n t w a s n o t m ad e, a n d D r. T ro n e re c e n tly h a n d e d in h is r e s ig n a tio n a n d le f t th e c o u n try . I t is th e r e f o r e obvious t h a t th e p ro s p e c ts of th e T ro n e P ro g ra m m e b e in g im p le m e n te d a r e less th a n th o se o f th e F iv e Y e a r P la n f o r A g ric u l tu r e . N e v e rth e le ss, i t m u s t be hoped t h a t th e P ro g ra m m e , as th e m o st a u th o r ita tiv e a n d c o m p re h e n siv e p la n y e t p r e p a re d f o r Is ra e l, w ill c o n tin u e to in s p ire th e Is ra e li G o v e rn m e n t in its econom ic p la n n in g . J e w is h

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I n d r a f tin g th e P ro g ra m m e , D r. T ro n e h a s c o n c e n tra te d e n tire ly on th e developm ent of w a te r, pow er, co m m u n icatio n s, c o n s tru c tio n a n d m a rin e fish e rie s, a s th e b a se s of an y econom ic a c tiv ity in th e c o u n try . T h e p lan , ac c o rd in g ly , c h a r ts th $ ex p a n sio n of ro a d s a n d ra ilw a y s, th e m e rc a n tile m a rin e , p o rts , elec tr ic ity , ir r ig a tio n , b u ild in g a n d fish in g . D r. T ro n e h a s d ra w n up tw o p ro g ra m m e s. O ne involves th e in v e s t m e n t o f all th e su m s to be receiv ed as a r e s u lt of th e R e s titu tio n A g re e m e n t (in a d d itio n to sm a lle r a m o u n ts fro m o th e r e x te rn a l so u rc e s) in th e d ev elopm ent of th e s e b a sic p ro je c ts . T h is p ro g ra m m e p ro v id e s f o r th e in v e s t m e n t of 796 m illio n d o lla rs a n d IL 825 m illion. H o w ever, a t th e r e q u e s t of th e G o v ern m en t, in view of th e n e c e ssity to d iv e rt p a r t of th e se R e s titu tio n F u n d s to c u r r e n t c o n su m p tio n , a n a lte r n a tiv e p ro g ra m m e h a s been d r a f te d . T h is p ro g ra m m e re q u ire s th e in v e s t m e n t of 497 m illio n d o lla rs a n d IL 445 m illion. I n s o f a r as a n y p lan is im p lem en ted , i t w ill of c o u rse be th e second. In r e g a r d to e le c tric pow er, D r. T ro n e p ro p o se s r a is in g p ro d u c tio n fro m th e 316,000 K ilo w a tt h o u rs t h a t i t is scheduled to re a c h in 1954, w h en e q u ip m e n t a lre a d y on o rd e r is in sta lle d , to 600,000 K ilo w a tt h o u rs in 1962 b y th e con s tr u c tio n o f five 50,000 K .W . p o w er s ta tio n s in v a rio u s p a r ts of th e c o u n try . H e h a s also u rg e d th e e s ta b lis h m e n t of a S ta te E le c tr ic ity A u th J u ly - A u g u st, 1953

o r ity to c o n tro l p ro d u c tio n , d i s t r i b u tio n a n d p ric e p olicy of e le c tric ity . D r. T ro n e s tre s s e d th e to ta l in a d e q u a c y of th e p r e s e n t a r r a n g e m en t, u n d e r w h ic h th e ro le o f th e G o v e rn m e n t o f I s r a e l is re d u c e d to t h a t of b a n k e r f o r th e R u te n b e rg E le c tric C o rp o ra tio n w h ic h holds th e concession. R a ilw a y d ev elo p m en t is r e s tr ic te d to th e c o n s tru c tio n o f a p ro p e r m a in -lin e , lin k in g H a ifa , th ro u g h T el-A viv, w ith J e ru sa le m . T h is w ould ma,ke p o ssib le a n h o u rly p a s s e n g e r se rv ic e in b o th d ire c tio n s. I t w ould re lie v e th e load upon b u s p a s s e n g e r se rv ic e s b y tw en ty -fiv e p e rc e n t. The P ro g ra m m e also p ro v id e s f o r th e con s tru c tio n o f a lin e lin k in g K u rn u b , t h i r t y k ilo m e tre s s o u th -e a s t of B e e rsh e b a , w ith th e f u tu r e s o u th e rn p o r t of Is ra e l, w ith ro p ew ay s fro m Sodom a n d M a k h te sh to c a r r y p jta s h , p h o sp h a te s, etc. ( I t is i n te r e s tin g to n o te t h a t w o rk on th e N a a n -B e e rsh e b a s tr e tc h o f th is tr a c k is a lre a d y p ro c e e d in g a n d is exp ected to be com p leted n e x t y e a r.) T h e P ro g ra m m e n a tu ra lly covers p a r tia l re p la c e m e n t o f w o rn o u t tra c k s , w h ich w ill double th e c a p a c ity o f I s r a e l's r a il goods s e r vices. N o s tr ik in g e x p a n sio n of I s r a e l's co m m ercial fleet is reco m m en d ed , as sufficient s h ip p in g sp ace can b e ex p e c te d to b e a v a ila b le in th e p e r iod p la n n e d fo r. D r. T ro n e h a s, acco rd in g ly , r e s tr ic te d h is p la n s in th is s p h e re to th e a c q u is itio n of a 12,000 to n flo a tin g dock a n d tw o oil ta n k e r s f o r e m erg en cies. N o r is a n y ra d ic a l d ev elo p m en t 43

of p o rts p ro v id e d fo r. W ith th e in tro d u c tio n of c e r ta in im p ro v e m e n ts, b o th in H a if a a n d in T el A v i v p a n d th e e x te n sio n o f th e K ish o n C anal to f a c ilita te lo a d in g a n d u n lo a d in g a t th e N e s h e r Ce

m e n t p la n t a n d th e chem ical an d f e r tiliz e r p la n ts , e x is tin g in s ta l la tio n s w ill b e sufficient to h a n d le 2,550,000 to n s o f im p o rts, 550,000 to n s of e x p o rts a n d tw o m illio n to n s of N eg ev m in e ra ls an n u a lly .

Potential of Irrigation Programme TT IS n o te w o rth y t h a t D r. T ro n e ■ is d u b io u s of th e p o ssib ility , w ith e x is tin g fa c ilitie s a n d sk il led a n d p ro fe ssio n a l p e rso n n e l, to ex ecu te th e a m b itio u s ir r ig a tio n p ro g ra m m e p re p a re d b y th e Mek o ro t W a te r C o rp o ra tio n . T h is p ro g ra m m e p ro v id e s f o r th e ex te n sio n of ir r ig a tio n to a n a d d i tio n a l 1.5 m illio n d u n a m s of lan d w ith in th e n e x t five y e a rs . I t is

upon th is schem e i l l w ith c e rta in m o d ificatio n s— t h a t th e F iv e Y e a r P la n f o r a g r ic u ltu r e a n d s e ttle m e n t is b ased . D r. T ro n e is o f th e o p in io n th a t, a t b e st, it c a n n o t be im p le m e n te d b e fo re te n y e a rs. H e p ro v id e s f o r a n a d d itio n a l 750,000 d u n a m s in h is p ro g ra m m e , b r in g in g th e to ta l ir r ig a te d a r e a up to 1.3 m illio n d u n a m s in 1958, a n d en a b lin g a n in c re a se in a g ric u ltu ra l

Israeli fisherm en “brin g in g in the catch." Courtesy Zionist Archives and Library

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p ro d u c tio n v alu ed a t IL 75 m illion.

If N in d ic a tio n of th e im p o rta n c e a tta c h e d by D r. T ro n e to th e d ev elo p m en t of fish e rie s is th e f a c t th a t, a lth o u g h fish e rie s a r e n o t a b a sic econom ic p ro je c t ac c o rd in g to h is ow n d efin itio n , h e in clu d es th e ir dev elo p m en t in th e p ro g ra m m e . B y th e p u rc h a s e o f 15,000 to n s o f fish in g c r a f ts a n d o th e r e q u ip m e n t, th e m in im u m p ro g ra m m e fo re se e s a n a n n u a l c a tc h of 38,000 to n s of fish in th e final y e a r, w hich, to g e th e r w ith th e 12,000 to n s fro m c a rp -b re e d in g p onds a n d in te r n a l w a te rs , w ould e n s u re a r a tio n equal to t h a t d is tr ib u te d a t p re s e n t. D r. T ro n e p o in ts o u t t h a t th e im p o rt of 38,000 to n s of fish w ould cost j u s t a b o u t th e sam e a s 16,000 to n s

o f fish in g y essels — n am ely te n m illio n d o llars. O th e r ite m s of th e P ro g ra m m e include th e c o n s tru c tio n of h o u sin g f o r th e 180,000 p e rso n s still liv in g in te m p o ra ry s tr u c tu r e s a n d f o r th e one m illio n in c re a se in p o p u la tio n expected, b e sid e s th e d o u b lin g of e x is tin g te le c o m m u n ic a tio n se r vices. T h e P ro g ra m m e h a s b een en d o rse d b y a c a b in e t co m m ittee, b u t, in th e lig h t o f la te r d evelopm ent^ a lre a d y r e f e r r e d to, th is m u s t n o t be ta k e n to b e sy n o n y m o u s w ith a re a d in e s s to im p le m e n t i t in fa c t. D r. T ro n e h a s e x p re sse d h is con fidence th a t Is ra e l can b u ild up a s ta b le econom y — p ro v id ed , of course, i t is p re p a re d to m ak e th e n e c e ssa ry e ffo rt a n d sacrifices.

ONE DAY BEFORE “R epent one d a y before thy d eath ." In relation to this. R abbi Eliezer w a s ask ed b y his disciples, “How is a m an to rep en t one d a y be'fore his d eath , since he does not know on w h at d a y he shall die?" “ So m uch m ore reaso n is there," he replied , “th at he should rep e n t today, lest he die tom or row, lest he die the d a y after. And thus will all his d ay s be p en iten tial ones." Avoth d'R ab N ath an ch ap te r 15

J u ly - A u g u st, 1953

Outline of Jewish Law By SAMUEL NIRENSTEIN “ T H E S P IR IT OF JE W IS H L A W ” by George Horow itz w ith a forew ord by D r. David de Sola Pool, C entral

Book Company, New Y ork, 1953, pp. 813 plus X X X V II, $12.50. rp H E A U T H O R ’S preface begins ■*" w ith the follow ing sentence: “ This book is an a tte m p t to p re sent in one volume the m ain p rin ciples of Jew ish law as developed from its beginnings, in th e Bible, th ro u g h the Talm ud and th e la te r w ork of the g re a t m asters.” T ow ards this goal the a u th o r has m ade a w orthw hile and su b stan tial contribution. In explaining th e title, “ The S p irit of Jew ish Law ,” he tells us th a t his “ secondary purpose is to dem onstrate by num erous exam ples th e s p irit of Jew ish law .” 46

A carefu l read in g of th e volume discloses,-however, th a t its m ain p u r pose and function is to set fo rth the Jew ish law as it is found and as it exists. In various instances it is related to com parative law, and in m any cases explanations are added, draw n from source m aterial. M any will tak e issue w ith th e title of th is book. I t m ay be m aintained th a t it would have been more pro p er to entitle it, “A D igest of Jew ish Law in One Volume” or, “An O utline of Jew ish Law .” "DUT NOW , let us tu rn to the volume ^ itself. The au th o r h as approach ed his ta sk w ith reverence and hum il ity. M any long m onths and even years m ust have gone into th e com pilation and p re p a ra tio n of th e m at-

Jewish LIFE

erial presented in th is book. I t is not an easy ta sk to assemble such m a te r ial, catalog and collate it, and then form ulate it into the ch ap ters of a volume of th is type. The au th o r has set up eleven titles, an introduction and a “ Special Com m ent.” H is introduction is entitled, “L e tte r and S p irit.” In these brief seven pages, he announces, so to speak, w h at will follow in his len g th ie r outline (w hich would probably include th e succeeding one hundred p ag es). The eleven title s a re as fol lows: T orah, Talm ud, Codes, Govern m ental A uthority, H um ane L egisla tion, P enal Law, Persons, P ro p erty , O bligations by A greem ent, Obliga tions by W rongful Conduct and C ourts and Procedures. H is “ Special Comment” is called “Jew ish L aw and the S ta te of Isra e l.” W hy th is w as included in the volume is not clear. A lthough Isra e l is, of course, a subject of g re a t in terest, th e ch ap ter adds nothing. W ith respect to the rem ainder of th e volume, we have been presented w ith a book which is useful and re a d able, and w hich will, no doubt, answ er th e needs of both students and lay men, seeking a one-volume treatise. A gain, to quote from the a u th o r : “ T here a re good one volume w orks ex ta n t in E nglish on 'Moslem J u ris p ru dence’ b u t none on Jew ish L aw ” ! W ith th is we agree, and it is to be hoped th a t “ The S p irit of Jew ish L aw ” will serve as a general te x t book fo r classes and groups. T H I S review er’s opinion of the book is favorable and the a u th o r is to

July - August, 1953

be commended fo r h is efforts. Speci fic comment, however, should be made on certain expressions and statem ents contained in th e volume. The chap te rs, alm ost in th e ir en tirety , are care fu lly compiled and w ell-w ritten. How ever th e re a re a few rough spots. E v ery now and th en th e au th o r quotes from h is sources a t length, w here, perhaps, a sum m ary would have been easier on the read er, and the exact language could have been set fo rth eith er in a footnote or an appendix. (See, fo r example, pages 120-123, 142-146.) If F T E R lavishly p raisin g the old ^ ■ “Jew ish Encyclopedia,” th e au th o r somehow fails even to m ention the “ U niversal Jew ish Encyclopedia.” D espite th e fa c t th a t th e book con ta in s a glossary, th e au th o r is usually carefu l to define th e Hebrew term s which he uses. T here are a few slips, however. F o r example, th e definition of hefker on page 357. P erh ap s a b rief comment on th e tra n sla tio n of common H ebrew or A ram aic words and phrases is in place here. I t would have been b e tte r to adopt uniform tra n sla tio n s in all instances. F o r ex am ple: dina demalchutha dina is v a r iously tra n sla te d as “the law of the kingdom ,” “the law of the govern m ent” and “th e law of the land.” Such m inor considerations, how ever, do not seriously d e tra c t from the book, and it is recommended fo r both read in g and study. The fo rm a t is pleasing to th e eye, and th e chap ters, filled as they a re w ith w o rth w hile inform ation, should provide sus tenance fo r the sp irit.

An Elucidated Chapter of Talmud By SAU L HURWITZ GEM ARA M E V O E R E T H Vol, I l l by D r. M anoah L. Bialik, M izrachi N ational E ducation Committee, New Y ork, 1953, pp. 160, $2*25. * p H E appearance of the th ird vol^ ume of the “ G em ara M evoereth” by D r. M anoah L. B ialik b rings to a close Perek Hamafkid, the th ird sec-^ tion of the tra c ta te B aba M etzia in th e series of textbooks in au g u rated by the V aad H achinuch H acharedi fo r the study of Talm ud. The first two books of the series constitute a fa ith fu l effort to m ake the Talm ud a necessary p a r t of the curriculum of the H ebrew all-day school system in A m erica. This series m akes th e study of T alm ud palatable to young students. F o r m any y ears it has been fe lt th a t th e study of T alm ud in A m erica has been neglected. Only a t the theo logical sem inaries and yeshivoth has it been ta u g h t. I t seemed alm ost as though we w ere following the K a r aite D octrine of recognizing the w rit ten law, the T orah, and fo rsak in g the oral law, the Talm ud. D r. B ialik h as succeeded in no sm all m easure in popularizing th e study of Talm ud and in blazing a w ay to a m ore in te re stin g method of teaching it, m ore in terestin g from the stan d points of both teacher and pupil. He accepted the well known pedagogic principle of proceeding from th e sim ple to the m ore complex. 48

■pA CH lesson has an introduction ^mMw herein th e Talm udic term ino logy and concepts are discussed. This is followed by a H ebrew in te rp re ta tion of difficult A ram aic w ords. N ext in order is an explanation of each phrase o f , th e original te x t to g eth er w ith the comment of Rashi. D r. B ia lik then review s th e e n tire sugya (topic) and gives th e Psak Halochgh (law decision) according to th e Rambam , all technical w ords being ex plained. A sh o rt biographical note about each T an n a and A m ora (sages of th e Talm ud) is included, and a t the end of th e lesson th ere are exer cises fo r review and homework. I t seems to the review er th a t a vocalization of th e te x t and of the w ords in th e dictionary would have been a welcome im provem ent. A few simple gram m atical ru les of th e A ra m aic language would also have been advisable. L et us hope th a t th e next edition will have these im provem ents. T F th is textbook will help to stim u^ late the f u rth e r study of the T al m ud in A m erica, so th a t in tim e to come we shall develop a la ity banded together in chevroth shds\ (Talm udic study circles) and w hich will p ractice the study of th e “daf yomi” (daily page) , then D r. B ialik and th e V aad H achinuch H acharedi will have made an im p o rtan t contribution to th e pro gress of Ju d aism in Am erica.

Jewish LIFE

Children's Records TN AN age when fav o rite television ^ program s take precedence over p a r en ts’ adm onition to th e ir Ismail f ry to atte n d to home w ork, to e a t supper or, perhaps, to say th e ir n ig h t p ra y ers and sim ply go to bed, w h at place can children’s records hope to occupy in today’s home? A nd yet, it is th o u g h t (and hoped) th a t the t r a ditional Jew ish home w ith its sh u t down of outside activities d u ring Sabbath and Holidays; evokes a little m ore th a n casual respect on th e p a r t of th e young/people fo r the m essage th e ir elders tr y to convey. The recent tren d am ong m ore and m ore non observant p a re n ts to send th e ir child ren to yeshivah D ay schools m ay re quire m any a supplem entary aid to realize tra d itio n a l Jew ish practices in side the home, and to solidify w hat the child h as been ta u g h t in school. H ere,

July - August, 1953

children’s records w ith Jew ish content can be of im m easurable help. Faced w ith a w ealth of available m aterial, th is d epartm en t will endeavor to sam ple from tim e to tim e w h at it thinks to be p a rtic u la rly suitable. H E B R E W SONGS FO R C H ILD R E N (Shiray Gan) , sung and played by Seymottr Silberm intz; m aterial p re pared by H an n ah H a rris ; issued by M izrachi N ational E ducation Com m ittee (Minedco R ecords), 1138 Broadw ay, New Y ork City. Two teninch unbreakable records in Album M -l; price: $3.20. rp H IS excellent p resen tatio n by the . experienced Mr. Silberm intz seems to be p rim arily intended fo r use in Jew ish kin d erg arten s. Even so, preschool-agers (and th e ir p a re n ts) can

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derive the utm ost delight from listen ing to the little melodious songs. T here a re sixteen num bers in all, in cluding a p a r t of Modeh Ani and Adon Olom. T here is a sh o rt connecting n a rra tio n in H ebrew (tra n sla te d on th e ja c k e t), and the youngsters will surely not object if the pronunciation of th e Iv rith is ra th e r inconsistent throughout. On th e other hand, the piano is a m ost effective aid in c re a t ing the ; perfect sound effect fo r a “choo-choo tr a in ” in Hiney Rakeveth, and the fa m ilia r “ice-cream m an” hails his w ares ju s t as convincingly in Glidoh. W ith a sym pathetic teacher helping them to act out m any of these pieces, the tots will w a n t to have the records played fo r them over and over. Silberm intz’s voice ap p ears here to be spe cially g la re d to appeal to the h e a rts of the little ones. The album cover, too, deserves com m endation fo r the colorful juvenile m otifs in its a ttr a c tive design. The set m ay be highly re commended. SA BBA TH SONGS FO R C H IL D R E N (Shiray Shabat Uzmirot), p e r form ed by Seymour Silberm intz w ith choral ensem ble; m aterial p rep ared by H annah H a rris ; issued by M izrachi N ational E ducation Committee (Minedco R ecords), 1133 Broadw ay, New Y ork City. Two ten-inch u n breakable records in Album M-2; p rice: $3.20. T J E R E IS a delightful arran g em en t ta k in g the cfiild on a w hirlw ind to u r th ro u g h S abbath highlights. Skillfully linked by n a rra tio n in E n g lish (done by M aurice L evine), tin y

July - August, 1953

Israeli songs blend w ith trad itio n al zem iroth and litu rg ical chants. The perform ance begins w ith background sounds depicting ty pical w orkaday noises. Then th e songs reveal E revShabboth p re p a ra tio n s; shopping in the m ark ets fo r tra d itio n a l foods; the excitem ent a t home, effectively con veyed by th e cleaning and polishing ado, th e kneading and baking of the C hallah dough; even th e dolls are being dressed in th e ir p re ttie st clothes. A fte r th e interpolation of a little Israeli boy hum m ing a Shajbboth song a t th e sea shore, th e serenity of th e weekly day of re st is inf^oduced. F a th e r’s v isit to shool is pictured by a sh o rt reference to the fa m ilia r Ucho Dodi. Then follows the tra d itio n a l F rid a y evening a t home, Sholom Aleichem ' and the chanting of the en tire Kiddush. The la s t p a r t is devoted to zem iroth like Yom Z eh Uyisroel and Yom Zeh M’chubod, w ith a lively Shavua Tov ending the perform ance. Designed to hold young children’s atten tio n up to the very last, th is production is unusually successful. The solo soprano voice of Shirley Cohen tog eth er w ith a children’s chorus keep the charm ing melodies moving. E nglish tra n sla tio n s and tra n slite ra tio n s are included in the album, and the technical aspects of the recording are of the best. Both of the above productions are of high educational value in addition to affording listening enjoym ent. Since they w ere first offered some years ago, we w onder if th e ir re-issue in one 10 inch long-playing record would not be feasible.

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L IF E

GREAT VICTORY?

A tla n ta , Georgia I am a young rabbi, born in A m er ica. I attended a fam ous university, hold an M.A. in E nglish, and play tennis, football, basketball and base ball* By all sta n d a rd s I should be con sidered a “m odern” rabbi. B ut I pride m yself on being very “old-fashioned.” And probably because I am old-fash ioned, I fa il to see th e accom plishm ent fo r Y iddishkeit w hich w as achieved by two yeshivoth w hen they finally w ere perm itted to play basketball in M a dison S quare G arden, nor do I fully u n d erstan d the breathless pride w ith which D. B ern ard H oenig describes the e n tire event in an article in your Sivan issue entitled “ G reat V ictory.” In w h at w ay w as th is a g re a t vic tory? W h at did you or I, as Jew s, actually gain by the fa c t th a t two yeshivah teams* played ball before thousands of people? New leaders? New scholars* talm idey chachomim ? H ardly. F o r the fa c ts show th a t those yeshivoth w hich >do have organized inter-school athletics produce few er and lesser scholars because of it. Let' us be re a lis tic : the tim e involved in

July - August, 1953

tra in in g , p racticin g and playing is tim e tak en from learn in g and study ing. A re sp o rts bad fo r a yeshivah stu dent? N ot a t all. They are commend able. B u t only when th e activ ity is carried on L ’shem Shomayim ^ fo r m ental relax atio n and physical health. W hen sports a re carried on L ’shem M adison S quare G arden they, have no place in a T orah institu tio n . Is it th e purpose of a yeshivah to boast th a t it can also produce ath le tes? Is it necessary fo r an . in stitu tio n th a t teaches the w ord of G-d to pro claim, “ M ir zeinen oich m enshen” ? And should n ot th e pages of J ewish Life be filled w ith the “lomdim” and real scholars th a t certain A m erican yeshivoth produce ra th e r th a n w ith those who are well-versed in the lore o f the hook-shot? Rabbi Em anuel Feldm an THANK YOU1

Lock H aven, Penn. I w ish to co n g ratu late you on your excellent fe a tu re “ On the Jew ish Re cord” which is very useful. F red Susm an.

L E B O W I T Z

Pine View Hotel Fallsburg 7, N.Y.

CLEANS OVEN GREASE LIKE MAGIC! No Scraping! No Steel Wool! No Razor Blades! No Ammonia!

O pen f o r H ig h H o ly D ays, in c lu d in g S u cco th

E xpertly Supervised Day Camp A IR -C O O L E D N E W B U IL D IN G

O nly 69

Economy Size 9 8 <

P h o n e : F a l ls b u r g 700

• S u m m e r V a c a tio n la n d f o r O rth o d o x J e w r y

THE

BAKERS

“ OVEN

CRISP“

(UNSALTED1

MATZOHS

J e w is h

L IF E

H IS

WAY

Louisville, K entucky Y our editorial comment in answ er to th e charges levelled a g a in st O r thodoxy and its spokesmen by Mr. T u rte lta u b w as superb. W hereas th e tim e-w orn argum ents of Mr. T u rte l tau b have been rehashed tim e and tim e ag ain by those who endeavor to rationalize th e ir fla g ra n t disobedience, th e fo rth rig h t answ er to these sundry m achinations w as not alw ays fo rth comingl Orthodoxy m ust tak e the of fensive and p a rry th e th ru s ts of its m aligners w ith th e w eapon of tru th . L et others go th e ir w ay b u t we m ust continue to go in H IS. I f suggestions a re in place, I would suggest th a t both th e le tte r and the editorial comment be re p rin te d in brochure form and w idely distributed. R abbi Solomon Roodman. KIDDUSH HACHAMMAH IN THE ARMY

Camp Gordon, Georgia Please accept m y congratulations fo r th e w onderful job your publica tions did in publicizing th e Benedic tion of th e Sun. I gave out quite a few of the pam phlets containing the service to our men h ere a t Camp, and used one m yself on a tra in re tu rn in g to Camp. I saw th e sun th a t W ed nesday m orning exactly as i t made its first appearance, and I do not th in k I have ever seen a b rig h te r sun o r fe lt a m ore th rillin g religious ex perience. M ay we all be w orthy to fulfill th is M itzvah when it n ext comes to us! C haplain (1st L t.) P hilip W. Zim m erm an J u ly - A u g u st, 1953

AMSTERDAM MINHOG

A m sterdam , Holland A lthough I am not an A m erican Jew , I read your publication w ith much in terest. In connection w ith the article “W hy W ear a Y arm ulka” which appeared in the N isan issue, I should like to describe to you a M inhog which we A m sterdam A sh kenazic Jew s follow. W hen saying B irk ath H ash ach ar, we kiss the Tzitzith upon pronouncing th e B ’rochah, “ M albish A rum m im ,” and when we a rriv e a t th e B’rochah “ O ter Yisroel B’sifo rah ,” we tak e the sack, in which both Tefillin a re still found, into our rig h t hand and place it w here the Tefillin shel yod will rest, then w here th e Tefillin shel rosh will rest. A fte r th is th e Tefillin a re kissed and p u t aside u n til th ey a re to be used, i.e. after “ Eyzehu Mekomon.” From th is Minhog, it is obvious th a t the relationship between Oter Yisroel B*siforah and th e Tefillin con veys the same th o u g h t th a t is ex pressed in Rabbi W eiss’ article when he describes Rabbenu A sher’s p rac tice of recitin g “ O ter Yisroel B ’sifo ra h ” upon placing th e Tefillin upon his head. A. H. Veder SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCE

Phoenix, A rizona A lthough I am n ot orthodox (I fully realize the rich sp iritu al sa tis factions th a t I m iss), I find g re a t delight and much sp iritu a l sustenance in your m agazine. T here a re m any gems extrem ely useful as in sp iratio n al thoughts fo r Jew ish organizational activities. M atthew J . Ritchie 55

DR. BIRNBÄUM'S MAHZOR

N O TICE T£ie pubhc||ts,, hereby advised that THE PERRY HOUSE BETHLEHEM, N. H. is no longer

su p erv ised a n d

endorsed b y

U N IO N O F O R T H O D O X J E W I S H C O N G R E G A T IO N S O F A M E R IC A

• Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, 305 Broadway,

New York, N.Y.

for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur "is superbly translated, brilliantly annotated, and luxuriously printed." "A model of conciseness,' accuracy and attractiveness." Dr. Birnbaum's High Holyday Prayerbook \will en able each worshipper to participate in the services in an intelligent man ner. "A'joy to handle and to read," the M ahzor H a-Shalem will help pur .ippung generation to discover the amazing beauty and depth of our traditional prayers. In flexible covers, . $2.50 at all booksellers. Liberal discount given to congregations and schools, HEBREW PUBLISHING COMPANY 77 Delancey Street, New York City

made only with our own kosher natural Rennet N E W — Now A v ailab le In P a c k a g e s oi Eight Slices RICHER IN TASTE SUPERIOR IN QUALITY ,

A pproved b y R abbi Dr. J. B reuer Also ask for our Schmerling’s kosher imported Swiss Gruyere Cheese

SCHNALL PRODUCTS CO. Brooklyn 25, N. Y.

J e w is h

L IF E

UNI ON OF O R T H O D O X J E WI S H CONGREGATIONS OF A M E R I C A

Kosher commodities and establishments under official © supervision and en dorsement.

KASHRUTH DIRECTORY Issued Av, 5713 B July, 1953

LOOK FOR THE © SEAL - AND BE SURE! The © seal Is vour guarantee of conimunallyresponsible Ivashruth supervision and endorsement, conducted as a public service by the Union of Orthodox Jew;i|h Congregations of America^-UOJC All items in this, Directory are ©, receive the con stant inspection of and are passed upon by the Rabbinical Council of America, Rabbinic body of th%? Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations. CONSUMERS ARE CAUTIONED TO: • Make sure that the © seal is on the label of every food product. • Make sure that the seal shown on the label is the © — beware of imitations! • Read carefully the list of ingredients of each © product to ascertain whether it is a meat or dairy product. The © does not necessarily mean that the product is Pareve. Please. note that the ,© „seal of Kashrulh supervision and endorsement is exclusively the symbol of : Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 305 Broadway, New York 7, N.Y. BEekman 3-2220 J u ly - A u g u st,

1953

UOJC RASH RUTH DIRECTORY AH item s listed below bear the © seal. Item s listed © P are Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other IJOJCA Passover H echsher on label. Item s listed • are Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover Hechsher on label. * Indicates new © endorsement.

FFV -Jpwith (0) label only (S o u th e r n B is c u it C o., R ich m o n d , V a .; d i s tr ib u te d b y M u tu a l B is c u it Co., N .Y .C .)

Baby Foods Heinz ^4 with. <0) label only (H . J . Heinz Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Strained Food Orange Juice Junior Food Cereal Chopped Mixed Vegetables Puddings (Butterscotch, Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana Custard, Banana Tapioca) Beech-Nut — with (0) label only (B e e c h -N u t P a c k in g Co., N .Y .C .) Strained Food Cereal Junior Food

Baked Beans Heinz Oven Baked Beans with mo lasses sauce Heinz Oven Baked Beans in tomato sauce ( H . J . H e in z C o .)

Van Camp’s — with © label only

. ( S to k e ly V a n -C a m p )

Cakes, Cookies and Crackers Barton’s Bonbonnière ( B a r to n , In c., B ro o k ly n , N .Y .)

Dromedary (T h e H ills B r o th e r s Co., N . Y . ( \ )

Chocolate Nut Roll Date Nut Roll Orange Nut Roll (above contain milk) Golden Cracknel Egg Biscuits (G o ld e n C ra c k n e l & S p e c . Co. D e tr o it) R y-Krisp

(Ralston-Purina, St. Louis, M* '

Coconut Macaroons Lemon Thins Orange Thins Vanilla Thins Chocolate Pecan Cookies Tea Rings (foil package) Short Bread (foil package)

Cake Mixes Blair’s Bzy Angel Mix (contains milk) ( B la ir M illin g Co., A tc h is o n , K a n .)

Dromedary ( T h e H ills B r o th e r s Co., N . Y .O .)

Date Muffin Mix DeviTs Food Mix Fudge Frosting Mix (above contain milk) Corn Bread Mix Corn Muffin Mix Cup Cake Mix Fruit Cake Mix Gingerbread Mix White Cake Mix Golden Mix Pancake Flour Mix Waffle Flour Mix (G o ld e n M ix In c., C h icago, III.)

Camps I for ch ¡Id rent Camp Mohaph (G le n S p e y , N .Y . — N .Y . o ffic e B e d f o r d A v e n u e B r o o k ly n , X . » \

Candy © P Barton’s Bonbonniere ( B a r to n , In c., B r o o k ly n , N .Y .)

Cereals Skinner’s (S k in n e r M fg . C o , O m aha, N eb. )

R aisin-B ran R aisin-W heat

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY

All items listed below bear the © seal. Items listed ©P are Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other UOJCA Passover Hechsher on label. Items listed • are Kosher for Passover without Passover e n d o r se m e n t. * I n d ic a te s n e w Hechsher on label.

Fish Products

Condiments

Dromedary Cranberry Sauce (The Hills Brothers Co.. N.Y.C.) © P Gold’s Horseradish ( G o ld P u r e F o o d s , B ’k lyn , N . Y .) Heinz ( H . J . H e in z C o.)

Chili Con Carne Brown Mustard Yellow Mustard Horse Radish 57 Sauce Chili Sauce Hot Dog Relish Worcestershire-Sauce Tomato Ketchup Pride of the Parm Catsup ( H u n t F o o d P r o d ., B r id g e to n , N .J .)

Convalescent Homes Dayton Nursing Home (1884 M a rm io n A v e . B ro n x ,

Royal Snack (S . A . H a ra m Co., N .Y .C .)

;Cream Herring Matjes Fillets Spiced Herring Lunch Herring Herring Cocktail Tidbits Salmon (in wine sauce) Mother’s Old Fashioned ( M o t h e r s F o o d P r o d ., N e w a r k , N .J .)

©P Gefilte Fish Sweet & Sour Fish Breast O’Chicken Tuna ( W e s t g a te — S u n //<-rh or Co., S a n D ie g o , C a l.)

Flavorings

Westag Lemon Westag Vanilla (T a b le P r o d . C o .; S a f e w a y )

f t .Y .)

Dietetic Foods ^Mother’s Low Calorie Borsht (M o th e r ’s F o o d P r o d u c ts )

Dishwashing Machine Detergents Spic & Span ( P r o c te r & G a m b le ) *AU

( D e te r g e n ts , In c., C olu m bu s, O.)

Dressings

Flavor Improver Ac’cent ( M fd . b y I n te r n a tio n a l M in era ls a n d C h em ical C o.)

Food Packages @P Care (20 B r o a d S t., N .Y .C .)

Food Freezer Plan

Yitzchok Goldberg & Sons ( N e w Y o r k , N . Y .)

Cascade Salad Dressing Duchess Salad Dressing Nu Made Mayonnaise Piedmont Mayonnaise ( T a b le P ro d . C o., B an F ra n cisc o C a l.; d i s tr ib u te d th ro u g h S a f e w a y S to r e s )

Garber’s Misrochi Salad Dressing (G a r b e r ’s E a g le O il G orp., B ’k ly n .)

Heinz French Dressing ( I I . J . H einz Go.)

July - August, 1953

Frozen Foods Rapoport ’s Blintzes (F a m ily F ro zen F o o d P ro d ., B ’k ly n , N .Y .)

Cheese Potato Veg. Steak with Protose

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY All items listed below bear the (y) seal. Items listed ©P are Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other UOJCA Passover Hechsher on label. m Items listed • are Kosher for Passover without Passover * I n d ic a te s n e w © e n d o r se m e n t. Hechsher on label. Glim Frozen Foods ieont'dl Milady Pood Products ( B ’k lyn , N . Y . )

Blintzes (blueberry, cherry, cheese, potato) Waffles

Fruit — ©P

fDried— bulk onlyI

California Packing Corp. ( S an F ra n cisco . ( 'al .)

Fruits —

(Packaged i

Dromedary (T h e tT ills B r o th e r s Go., N .Y .C .)

Dates Cranberry Sauce Fruits anti iYcl^/s Moist Coconut Shredded Coconut

■

( B . T . B a b b it In c., N e w Y o r k , N .Y .)

Golden Fleece Pot Cleaner ( M e ta l T e x tile C o rp ., R o se lle , N .J .)

My Pal ( P a l P r o d u c ts C o., B r o o k ly n , N .Y .)

Procter and Gamble Detergents ( C in c in n a ti, O h io) • Cheer • Dreft Joy • Oxydol o Spic & Span • Tide • Sprite (S in c la ir M fg ., T o le d o , O h io )

Sweri ( A l li e d C hem .

& D y e C o rp ., N .Y .C )

Glycerides *Emcol MSVK ( T h e E m u lso l C o rp ., C h icago, III.)

Honey @P Garber’s Misrochi ( G a r b e r E a g le O il C o r p .)

Household Cleansers (Bee a lso S c o u rin g P o w d e r s )

Cameo Copper Cleaner ( C a m eo C o rp ., C h icago, 111A

Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Detergents ( J e r s e y C ity , N . J .)

• Arctic Syntex M. beads (bulk only) • Fab • Kirkman Detergent

Fels & Co. Detergents (P h ila d e lp h ia ,P a .)

Felso

*Roi

ice Cream Barton’s Bonbonniere (Barton, Inc.) Costa’s French Ice Cream (Costa’s^ Ice -Cream Co., Woodbridge, N.J.)

Jelly Heinz (H . J . H e in z C o .)

Juices Heinz Tomato Juice (H. J. Heinz Co.)

Margarine Crystal Brand (milchig) (L . D a itch & Co., N .Y .C .; m a n u fa c$ lu r e d b y M ia m i M a r g a r in e C o.)

Mar-Parv (pareve) Nu-Maid (milchig) Table-King (milchig) (M ia m i

M a r g a rin e

C o.t ^ C in c in n a ti,

Ohio)

Mother’s (milchig)

(Mother’s Food Products)

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY All items listed below bear the @ seal. Items listed ©P are Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other UOJCA Passover Hechsher on label. Items listed • are Kosher for Passover without Passover Hechsher on label. * v in d ic a te s n e w © e n d o r s e m e n t.

Meats and Provisions *Yitzchok Goldberg’s ( I . Goldberg & Sons, 220 Delaney St„ N.Y.C.) o Meats © Frozen Meats @P Corned Beef © P Salami © P Toifgue © P Frankfurters Pastrami Oxford (O x fo r d P r o v is io n s, B r o o k ly n , N . Y . )

Corned Beef Pastrami

Tongue

( A d o lp h ’s F o o d C a l.)

Potato Chips Blue Ribbon ( R e d D o t F o o d s, M a d iso n , W is.)

Poultry — Frozen • Yitzchok Goldberg & Sons (N ew

Y o rk , N .Y .) ,

• Menorah Farms

Meat Tenderizer Adolph’s

P r o d u c ts , B u r b a n k ,

(M en o ra h M a s s.)

P r o d u c ts ,

In c.,

B o sto n

Prepared Foods Kosher-Pak Sandwiches (488 A lb a n y A v e ., B ’k ly n , N .Y .)

Mustard Heinz ( I I . J . H e in z C o .)

Noodles & Macaroni Products *Heinz Macaroni Creole (H. J. Heinz CoJ) Skinner’s C Skinner M fy . C o., O m ah a, i\c b . )

Egg Noodles Macaroni

Spaghetti vermicelli

Oven Cleaner Easy-Off (T h e W o lc o tt Co., H a r tf o r d , C on n .)

Peanut Butter Beech-Nut ( B e e c h -N u t P a c k in g C o.)

Beverly (T a b le P ro d . C o .; S a f e w a y )

Heinz ( H . J . H e in z C o .)

Planters

(P la n te r s N u t & C h o co la te Co., W ilk e s B a r r e , P a .)

Beal Boast (T a b le P r o d . C o .; S a f e w a y )

July - August, 1953

Relishes, Pickles, etc. Heinz ( H . J . H e in z C o.)

Pickles Pickled Onions India Relish Swelst Relish ' Hot Dog Relish Southern Style Relish Hamburger Relish H. W. Madison Co. (M e d in a , O h io)

Mother’s Pickles Pickled Country De Luxe Pickled Country Cabbage (Mother’s Food Products) © P Sauerkraut Mount Olive Pickle Co. (M t. O live , N C .)

U O JC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY All items listed below bear the © seal. Items listed @P are Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other UOJCA Passover Hechsher on label. Items listed • are Kosher for Passover without Passover Hechsher on label. * I n d ic a te s n e w © e n d o r se m e n t. Garber’s Misrochi Cleanser (G a r b e r E a g le O il C o., N e w

Y o rk )

Kitchen Klenzer ( F i tz p a tr ic k

B ro s., C h icago, III.)

Old Dutch Cleanser ©P Pine View Hotel ( F a lls b u r g , iV. ) .) ©P Washington Hotel ( R o c k a w a y F a rk , N .Y .)

Salt • Mögen David Kosher Salt

(C u d a h y P a c k in g Co., O m ah a N e b .)

Pal Products Co. Products (■Brooklyn. N .Y .)

Lustro Polishing Powder My Pal • Palco Polish Powder Pal-Lo

(C a r e y S a il Co., H u tc h in so n , K a n s a s )

Morton Salt Co. Products (C h ica g o , III.)

• Morton Coarse Kosher Salt • Morton Fine Table Salt • Morton Iodized Salt International Salt Co. Products (S c ra n to n , P a .)

Humko

• Bed Cross Fine Table Salt • Sterling Fine Table Salt • Sterling Kosher Coarse Salt

@P Nut-Ola Vegetable Shortening

Sandwich Spread

Silver Cleaner

Lunch Box ( T a b le P ro d , C o .; S a f e w a y )

(T h e H u m k o Co.. M em ph is. T en n .) (N u t- O la F a t P r o d ., B ro o k ly n , N .Y .)

Instant Liquid Dip Silver Cleaner ( L e w a l I n d u s tr ie s , N .Y .C .)

Soap Nutola Kosher Soap (N u to la F a t P r o d u c ts )

Scouring Powder (S e e a lso H o u se h o ld C lea n se rs)

B. T. Babbit Co. Products Bab-o Babbitt ?s Cleanser Cameo Cleanser (C a m eo C o rp .)

Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Co. Products • Ajax Ben Hur (bulk only) • Kirkman Cleanser • New Octagon Cleanser

Soups Gold’s (G o ld P u re F o o d P r o d ., B ’k lyn , N .Y .)

Cream of Mushroom Celery Cream of Green Vegetable Cream of Tomato

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY

(y)

All items listed below bear the (y) seal. Items listed (u)P are Kosher for Passover when bearing: this Dr other UOJC A Passover Hechsher on label. Items listed • are Kosher for Passover without Passover Hechsher on label. * Indicates new (y) endorsement.

Soups lconi.) Heinz .Cream of Mushroom Cream of Green, Pea Gumbo Creole Cream of Tomato Vegetarian Vegetable

Mothers (M o th e r ’s F o o d P r o d .)

Soup Mix Joyce Egg Noodle Soup Mix ( J o y c e F o o d P r o d u c ts , P a te rs o n , N .J .)

Nutola Chicken Noodle Soup Mix Nutola Noodle Soup Mix ( N u to la F a t P r o d u c ts Go.,

Spaghetti Sauce Skinner’S (S k in n e r M fg . Co., O m ah a, N e b .)

@P Gentry Paprika ( G e n tr y , In c., L o s A n g e le s , C a l.)

Tzitziih W OOLEN

M. Wolozin & Co. R A YO N , FOR R A YO N T A L E Y T H IM

Leon Vogel (66 A lle n S t., N .Y .C .) M. Wolozin & Co. (36 E ld r id g e S t., N .Y .C .) Zion Tallis Co. (48 E ld r id g e S t , N .Y .C .)

Vegeiables Dromedary Pimientos ( T h e H ills B r o th e r s Co., N .Y .C .)

Vegetables — Dehydrated I bulk only l ©P Basic Vegetable Prod. {San F ra n c isc o , C a l.) ©P Gentry, Inc. ( L o s A n g e le s , C a lif.)

Heinz Cider

Sugar ©P Flo-Sweet Liquid Sugar (d)P Hudson Valley Refined Granulated Sugar ( R e fin e d S y r u p s & S u q a rs , In c .) (Y o n k e r s , N . Y .)

Syrup Sleepy Hollow (T a b le P ro d . C o .; S a f e w a y )

Tomaio Juice Heinz

( H . J . H e in z C o.)

July - August, 1953

Tarragon Rex Amber Old Mill

Malt White

( T a b le P ro d . C o.)

Vitamins Collett-Week-Nibecker Co. (b u lk o n ly . . .O ssin in g, N .Y .)

Tel. BElle H arbor 5-5771 - 1934 - 1834

W A S H IN G T O N HOTEL Catering for AU Occasions <

Open All Year Supervised and Endorsed by

Gartenberg & Schechter's PIONEER CO U NTRY CLUB G reenfield Park, N.Y.

Solarium • Swimming Pool All Sports

Sabbath and K ashruth strictly observed

U nion o f Orthodox Jew ish C ongregations

Levine Management

Great in Vienna . . . Greater 5 in N ew York

—• — 124-05 BOCKAWAY BLVD. ROCKAWAY PARK. N. Y.

Strictly

ntso

RESTAURANT -

CATERING

HOTEL M ILBU RN 242 W. 7« S t., N .Y .C . Tel. T E . 4-2399

Hotel Diplomat

3 Banquet Rooms fo r Weddings, Parties of 15 to 150. P rivate Wedding Chapel. Parking Exclusive Caterers at SHELTON HOTEL

Schreiber meals served on request by leading international airlines.

Kosher Kitchen is under the supervision of

G O LD'S

Rabbi Abraham Reichlin Hotel D iplom at can accom m odate from 50 to L000 people,

J . E d w a r d S a lt z m a n ,

owner and caterer 108 W e s t 4 3 rd S t ., N e w Y o r k

Telephone: BRyant 9-2487 - 8 - 9

borsch *

Makes the Most Delicious Borscht .You Ever Tasted! Also Gold’s Home-style SCHAV

100% Pure HORSE RADISH Jewish LIFE

V E L makes dishes shine without washing or wiping! Vel soaks dishes clean. Don’t wash, just soak; don’t wipe, just rinse. And the hand test proves there’s no “Detergent Burn” to hands with VEL. It’s marVELous!

A JA X Cleanser with “Foaming Action” Foams as it cleans all types of tile, porcelain surfaces, pots and pans. . . up to twice as easy, twice as fast! Floats dirt and grease right down the drain!

FA B washes clothes whiter without a bleach Whiter than any other product with a bleach in the wash water. Saves work, saves hands. Washable ♦colors look brighter, too. Also wonderful for dishes.

WONDERFUL FOR DISHES. TOO!

ALL OF THESE FINE PRODUCTS BEAR THE SEAL OF APPROVAL OF THE UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA

C O L G A T E -P A L M O L IV E -P E E T COMPANY

mellow, nut-like flavo r. “M m . . . a m e ich e l!” M ig h ty im portant sym bol is (S), the se a l o f a p p r o v a l o f TH E U N IO N O F O R T H O D O X JE W IS H C O N G R E G A T f O N S O F A M E R IC A . It g u a ra n te e s a K osher fo o d !

HEINZ KOSHER BAKED BEAKS S t r ic t ly V e g e t a r i a n