Jewish Life December 1953

The Jewishness Of Jewish Institutions David de Sola Pool

Are Comic Books Dangerous?

New Careers for Jewish Women

Israel’s New Laws Letters Reviews Features

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• EDITORIALS S aul

B ernstein , Editor

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

Editorial Associates

S eymour R osenberg

Assistant Editor Cover by

P a ul H ausdorpp

Inside Illustrations

by

N orman N odel

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WANTED: AN AMERICAN MIDDLE EAST POLICY W W — GROUND-BREAKING — B B W H iI CHIEF RABBI

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• ARTICLES

THE JEWISHNESS OF OUR COMMUNAL INSTITUTIONS. ..............I F ■ David de Sola Pool A DATCHER IN WILLIAMSBURG * .piak; 16 Gershuni NEW CAREERS FOR JEWISH WOMEN ...... 20 Walter . Duckat COMIC BOOKS — WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THEM ^ 27 Deborah I. Offenbacher TRADITIONAL MOTIFS IN ISRAEL'S STAMPS 38 Harold U. Ribalow NEW LEGISLATION IN ISRAEL ^ — ... 42 . I. Halevy-Levin

• POETRY DO YOU REMEMBER Lillian Reznick Ott

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• BOOK REVIEWS THE INCREDIBLE WORLD OF THE BLIND 50 Jacob Freid A NEW APPROACH 51 Hugo Mandelbaum

• ON THE JEWISH RECORD

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Max J . E tra

President Rabbi H. S. Goldstein, Wil­ liam B. Herlands, Samuel N irenstein, William Weiss, Honorary Presidents; Benja­ min Koenigsberg, Benjam in Mandelker, M. Morton Ru­ benstein, Vice - Presidents; Joseph Schlang, Secretary; N. Kenneth Gross, Treasurer; Saul Bernstein, Administrator

• FEATURES AMONG OUR CONTRIBUTORSS , — 2 WHAT IS YOUR "BIBLE I.Q."? 26 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ---- «*. 59

• SERVICES ® KASHRUTH DIRECTORY '■ ■':j « j f i F r 64

Among Our Contributors WALTER DUCK AT, as consultant at the Federation Employment Service, has counselled several thousand individuals. £Je received his M.A. in vocational guidance from Columbia University, has lectured at Vassar College and New York University and is an instructor at Brooklyn College. Author of a book on opportunities in Jewish religious vocations, Mr. Duckat's articles have appeared in various professional magazines, numerous Anglo-Jewish publications and in several national periodicals. A previous article of his "Careers for the Sabbath Observer" appeared in the Tishri, 5713 issue of JE W IS H L IF E , evoking a con­ siderable response from our readers. *

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HAROLD U. RIBALOW, a popular contributor to periodicals dealing with subjects of Jewish and general interest, was formerly Managing Editor of C on­ gress Weekly and The American Zionist. *

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DEBORAH I. OFFENBACHER is Director of Research at the United Israel Appeal in New York. She was previously associated with a Jewish publishing house. Her Purim story "King Mike" was included in the Holiday Storybook, published by the Child Study Association of America. *

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DR. DAVID de SOLA POOL is rabbi of the Spanish and Portuguese Syna­ gogue of New York, the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. Author, lecturer and communal worker, Dr. Pool is a world leader of Sephardi Jewry. He is a graduate of the University of: London and received his Ph. D. from Heidel­ berg University. From 1942, he served as a national director of USO and was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the President of the United States. Some of his works are, "The Kaddish," "Hebrew Learning Among the Puritans of New England," "Capital Punishment in Jewish Literature" and "Portraits Etched in Stone." *

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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. *

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DR. ERIC OFFENBACHER is a practicing dentist who graduated from the

University of Pennsylvania in 1935. He describes himself as an "amateur musi­ cian/' His special hobby is collecting phonograph records. Dr. Offenbacher has been a member of the editorial committee of JE W IS H L i f e .for over three years. He organized and is chairman of the Orthodox Union's Armed Forces Division.

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Jewish LIFE

EDITORIALS WANTED: AN AMERICAN MIDDLE EAST POLICY TXTELCOME as is the resumption of U.S. economic aid to Israel, the * * explanations given by the State Department both for this action and for the preceding suspension have caused justifiable concern. The suspension of aid occurred in an atmosphere of intensive anti-Israel pressure. Its resumption coincided with a New York City Mayoralty campaign. It is evident that the State Department’s policy with regard to Israel and the surrounding nations has been determined neither with consistency nor objectivity. Undoubtedly, the situation presented by the unceasing aggression directed by the Arab states towards struggling Israel presents difficult problems for the United States. The security of America and of the world at large requires that the Middle East be stabilized. But this cannot be achieved by appeasement of the Arab states — the very source of the instability. It is all too obvious that if Israel were on the other side of the world, the situation in the Arab lands would be not one whit less chaotic and menacing than is now the case. The problem lies within the Arab lands, not in Israel. TT IS hardly to be disputed that the one force upon which Western ^ civilization can count in that troubled area is Israel. The security and development of the Israeli state are as vital to American interests and democratic ideals as to Israel itself. In the face U. S. of the critical danger to Israel of a state of war, Needs charges of aggression on her part — built upon inevitIsrael able retaliations against the unceasing murder of her citizens, destruction of her property and the crippling of her economic life — ring hollow indeed. For the United States, for Israel, for the Arab countries and for the whole world, there is but one solution — an end to the Arab war. To this end of peace, rather than to those urged by missionaries and ecclesiastical and oil imperialists and other fishers in troubled waters, ought United States policy to be firmly directed. If this, genu­ inely American policy, is held paramount, the means to enforce it are not lacking.

GROUND-BREAKING T H E “ground-breaking” ceremony of a pioneer social or religious in- stitution is a meaningful exnerience, of moment to society at large as well as to those immediately concerned. The ceremony symbolizes the hu­ man adventure. As the spade or bulldozer bites into the soil, the will of 3 November - December, 1953

mankind to master its environment seems to find graphic expression. The recent ground-breaking ceremony of Yeshiva University’s Medical School has been outstandingly such an experience. It bespoke the impress of Jewish principles and ideals upon a further facet of American life. In years to come§SAmerican Jews may look upon the event as marking the inception of a new era. ■PHE NEED for a Jewish-sponsored medical school has long been * apparent and acute. The more immediate reasons -— the shortage of medical training facilities in general, the impediments to acceptance of Jewish students at many medical s c h o o l s r e Faith quire no demonstration. Less apparent to some was in the the interlocking need to create such an institution American not merely through the material support of Jews Jew but also out of the spiritual resources of the Jew. This bold concept could be realized only in an Ameri­ can Jewry governed by a positive, rather than apologetic, view of Jewish life. It is the distinction and glory of Yeshiva University’s Medical School project that it is based upon faith in the self-respect of the American Jew, that it is grounded upon confidence in the role of the Jew, as a Jew, in the America of today and tomorrow. Medicine is of its nature a non-sectarian calling, and no medical school can validly be sectarian. It is further significant that the Med­ ical School of Yeshiva University is to serve all, and that its doors shall be open to all. Jewish in ideal and inspiration, a unit of a great university whose entire being is attuned to Torah and tradition, the Medical School is designed to serve broad American needs, to be a Jewish contribution to the common weal. In naming the Medical School after Albert Einstein, its sponsors have demonstrated that the institution is at once representative of Jewry at large and addressed to the highest standards of science. We venture the thought also that the association of the great physicist’s name with the school signifies that he, and others of his school ofthought, have acquired a truer perception oY historic Jewish values than was previously the case. SUCCESSFUL launching of the Medical School, entailing vast effort and the securing of large sums, can be achieved only through the support of all elements. Some may wonder whether the endeavor, and the school itself, may bring into play influences hard Parent to reconcile with the character of an orthodox Jewish and university. The answer is seen in the evolution of Child Yeshiva University itself, which represents the step by step fulfillment of a great vision. Undoubtedly, the Medical School must differ widely in nature from all other units

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Jewish LIFE

of the university, but once this difference is defined and delimited, percipient guidance can assure that an over-all pattern of principle prevails. The Medical School cannot be other than the child of its parent. In this, its newest offspring, may the ideal of Yeshiva Uni­ versity find true and glorious fulfillment. CH IEF RABBI UZIEL EWS throughout the world mourn the death of a beloved and revered leader, Rabbi Ben Zion Meir Hai Uziel, Sephardi Chief Rabbi of the Holy Land and bearer of the title of “Rishon L’Zion” traditionally associated with his office. _ . . „ u,Bom in Eretz Yisroel of a family long settled there, Chiei Rabbi Uziel represented in himself the continuity of the Old with the New Yishuv. Distinguished as a scholar and educator since his early youth, he made notable contributions to Torah learning, pioneered educational paths and brought about the establishment of new schools and yeshivoth. During the first World War, Rabbi Uziel performed services of out­ standing valor and historic significance to a Yishuv then shattered and oppressed. Subsequently, he played a significant role in the creation and shaping of the Jewish State. Through him too, Sephardi and Oriental Jewry found an able spokesman in the councils of world Jewry, and an unfailing guide in their adjustment to the modern Israel scene.

J

T ET the last words of this sage of our time echo timelessly in the

hearts of his people: “An extraordinary and marvellous privilege- has been granted to our generation. G-d has revealed Hand His strong and mysterious hand to Israel, His of chosen people, and in the appointed time has G-d gathered the exiles in the ancestral land, has instilled a spirit of wisdom and valor among our heroic pioneers, has caused their arms to triumph, and has given us this land which he promised to us and our forefathers. “Ponder this miraculous intervention. It occurred to fulfill the Divine word spoken by the Prophets concerning Israel’s eternal peace and the peace of the entire world, which is dependent on the preservation of Israel. “I conclude with the plea that the Mitzvoth of the Torah be observed. Also take extreme care to maintain peace in the nation and the State, for strife and division are Israel’s mortal enemies. Harmony and unity on the other hand, will establish the eternal foundations of the State of Israel. Let our camp be pure.” November - December, 1953

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B y DAVID de SOLA POOL *J"HE JEWISHNESS of an institu­ the Jewish conduct of communal in­ tion does not necessarily follow stitutions, with special reference to from the fact that those in the in­ the dietary laws. stitution are Jews. .^The; Jewishness There can be only one opinion as of an institution rather means its to the essential propriety and abso­ conduct in full accord with the spirit lute necessity of rigidly maintaining and letter of Judaism. The necessity the Jewishness of our institutions. of organizing regular Jewish reli­ So far as the dietary laws are con­ gious worship; the peremptory need cerned, hospitals and every other type of supplying adequate and positive of Jewish public institution founded Jewish religious instruction in child­ and supported by Jews, wherein Jews caring institutions; the careful, tra­ are resident as the patients, the resi­ ditional observance of the Sabbath, dents, the inmates, or . the benefici­ the festivals and holy days of the aries, must, when provision is made Jewish year; in general, a respect for supplying food, supply only such for Jewish tradition and for the ele­ food as is ritually permissible. This ments of Jewish life in our communal statement should be axiomatic. institutions, all demand the constant But unfortunately there are certain and watchful care of the leaders of communal institutions which either the community and a decided expres­ flatly deny this principle or which sion of opinion by representative con­ treat it lightly. It is necessary there­ ventions of the Jewish public. Let us fore for us briefly to examine the devote ourselves to this problem of arguments brought forward by the

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Jewish LIFE

The striking timeliness of Dr. PooVs article is the more impressive by virtue of its having been w ritten, not today or yesterday, but over thirty-nine years ago! This powerful manifesto was originally presented as an address at the Seventh Convention of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, Sivan 5674 — June 1914. Printed in the Proceedings of that assembly, it has remained since that day as the definitive expression on the question: Can institutions stripped of Jewish essentials claim the name and support of the Jewish community?

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The present day battle for Kashruth at the new Long Island Jewish Hospital has again brought to the fore this issue, so crucial to the life and future of Jews and Judaism. In republishing Dr. PooVs views, we are departing in this instance from a long-standing policy of publishing only original material. We feel that his words will illumine the understanding and strengthen the purpose of loyal Jews today even as they did those who strove so valiantly in the past.

directors of those institutions which disregard the Jewish dietary and other ceremonial laws.

munal institutions that they are unsectarian. This claim, although true au pied de la lettre, cannot be urged with full sincerity in this con­ nection. Such institutions are only technically and nominally unsectarian. A Jewish communal institution is often constituted as unsectarian in order that it may be entitled to ob­ tain a grant from the public au­ thorities. Whatever be the technical theoretic character of such an insti­ tution, in practice nearly 100 per cent of its beneficiaries are Jews, and the institution is therefore de facto and to all intents and purposes a Jewish institution. This plea of Un­ sectarianism cannot be urged serious­

November - December, 1953

ly or sincerely as a defense of the disregard of Judaism in an “unsec­ tarian,” but Jewish, communal insti­ tution. It is sometimes urged that the sentiment of the Jewish community does not favor the observance of the Jewish dietary laws and other cere­ monial observances in its institutions. The answer to this is simple. The Jewish public is without organization. Although individuals protest verbally with greater or less vehemence against any violation of Jewish senti­ ment, the unorganized public as a rule can make no effective protest. But on this question, public opinion is so strong and decided, that it has suc­ ceeded in organizing itself in un­ mistakable opposition to the offending institutions. The public has protested against the outrage of its sentiments by creating duplicate institutions to

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do the work along Jewish lines that is being done by the earlier institu­ tions along quasi-Jewish lines. In this way the community has been forced into the wasteful creation of duplicate institutions. Surely this un­ ending creation of special kosher Jew­ ish hospitals, orphan asylums, etc., when nominally Jewish institutions of a similar nature are already in existence, is the most practical and

convincing proof that the Jewish pub­ lic demands that its institutions be run^ on consistent Jewish lines. Yet more, it effectively disposes of the frequently urged and specious argument that since it is the more Reformed elements in the community who support the communal institu­ tions, they are justified in conducting these institutions in accord with their religious views.

Orthodox Support o f Publie Institutions JT MAY be true that a large portion of the income of some of our large communal institutions is derived from the more Reformed section of the community. It would be amazing were this not so, since Reform Jews, as a class, are well-to-do or wealthy, while orthodox Jews, as a class, are in more moderate circum­ stances. The larger burden of the upkeep of our chief communal insti-

tutions rightly and of necessity falls upon the wealthy, i.e., as a class, Re­ form members of the community.* But the existence of the duplicate institutions conducted on strictly or­ thodox Jewish lines proves, if proof be needed, that the orthodox give liberally of their smaller means to in­ stitutions doing truly Jewish work. All the Talmud Torahs, the Yeshivahs, the host of small and large

* EDITOR’S NOTE I t is im p o rtan t to note th a t traditional Jew s today are contributing to “general” comm unal institutions in much greater num ber and am ount than was presum ably the case a t the tune this article was originally w ritten. Most communal institutions today derive their s u d p o rt from Community W elfare Funds and Federations, to which traditional Jew s contribute in certainly not lesser degree th an others. Analysis _of Federation and W elfare Fund support in most Am erican Jew ish communities would undoubtedly show th a t a high percentage of their contributions comes from the orthodcra. I n an address by Rabbi Isaac M. T rainin of the Federation of Jew ish Philanthropies of New York, delivered a t a recent convention of th e Rabbinical Council of Am erica it was stated th a t the Federations and W elfare Funds “have enlisted th e interest and support of some 1,300,000 people. This represents approxim ately one quarter of the entire American Jew ish popuiatm n and over one half of the adult Jew ish populace. By the m ost conservative calculation a large proportion m ust necessarily be of those associated w ith Orthodoxy. A fu rth er illustration of this prem ise was cited in the Tishri, 5713 issue of J ew ish L ife m which Rabbi Abraham N. AvRutick noted th a t in 1951 one half of the members of his orthodox congregation in H artford, Conn, contributed to the local Federation. T heir contri­ butions ranged in am ount from $10 to $1,000 each, w ith a quite high average. On the other hand, Rabbi AvRutick noted, half of the Jew ish families of the entire H artford community (including the R eform ,. Conservative and unaffiliated, as well as orthodox) made no Federation pledge in th e same year. I t is likely th a t the H artford picture is fairly representative of the A m erican Jew ish community as a, whole — both as regards orthodox participation, and non­ orthodox non-participation, in Federation and W elfare Fund support. In contrast to this picture of “ taxation” is th a t of “representation.” Rabbi AvRutick pertinently asked in the above-mentioned issue, “ have the traditional institutions been re­ ceiving the proper allocation in comparison to other organizations whose Federation workers and donors are relatively no more and no larger th an those who are interested in orthodox causes ?”

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Jewish LIFE

orthodox synagogues, the positively Jewish hospitals, etc., supported al­ most exclusively by the orthodox, give the lie direct to the charge that the orthodox do not contribute to the communal institutions. It may be true, as it is intelligible, that they do not contribute largely or willingly to so-called Jewish institutions which alienate their sympathy by un-Jewish conduct, and which flout Jewish prin­ ciples cherished by orthodox Jewry. But truly Jewish institutions which merit the confidence of all Jews re­ ceive at least proportionate support from the orthodox section of the community. D U T , it may be objected, this argu­ ment works both ways. If it is true that institutions conducted on the lines of Reform Judaism can­ not have the sympathy of the or­ thodox, it should also be true that institutions founded and conducted in accord with Jewish religious tradi­ tion cannot have the sympathy of the general community as a whole, but only of the orthodox section of the community. This argument would be valid and

convincing if it had the saving grace of truth, instead of being in contra­ diction with the facts. For since the majority of those in our communal institutions would be classed as or­ thodox, Reform as well as orthodox Jews are at one in demanding re­ spect for the ritual laws of diet and the other laws and ceremonies of Judaism in our communal institu­ tions. The New York Board of Jew­ ish Ministers, the membership of which is to a small extent orthodox, to a large extent Conservative, and to a considerable extent Reform, has always been united and unanimous in voicing the feeling of the community by demanding the observance of the dietary laws and other Jewish ob­ servances in communal Jewish insti­ tutions. Yet more, the Central Con­ ference of American Rabbis, voicing entirely the sentiments of the Re­ form elements in the community, has unequivocally made the same demand. This united public sentiment of all classes, from the most Reform to the most traditional, is in itself an ade­ quate and peremptory reason for the observance of Jewish tradition in Jewish institutions.

Public Mis-Represeniatives TN FACE of this fact, there falls to the ground the contention often made that the directors of the insti­ tutions, being elected by the general community as its representatives, have the mandate of the community to conduct the institutions according to their own views. In this matter the offending directors are the misrepresentatives of the public. Execu-

November - December, 1953

tive and administrative capacity, fi­ nancial strength, ability to give time and service to the institution, these and similar qualifications determine the choice of directors, and only rare­ ly are religious considerations taken into account. The electors, putting their trust in princes, assume that a big-hearted, generous Jew, unsel­ fishly serving the Jewish community,

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will strive to direct a Jewish institu­ tion, to the directorate of which he is elected, in accordance with Jewish principles. Whatever attitude individual direc­ tors of our communal institutions may take in their own homes towards ceremonial Jewish laws is a private matter. As trustees of a public in­ stitution theirs is a public duty and a responsibility to the public. They are entrusted with office for the wise using of public moneys and the care of public principles. This public de­ mands respect for the ceremonial laws of Judaism, and regards them as integral in a Jewish life." A stern moral responsibility therefore rests upon these directors, bidding them conduct their institutions in accord­ ance with Jewish ritual prescription, whatever be their individual, private religious practice. TÏI7HAT HAS been said so far ap" * plies to all elements of Jewish­ ness in our institutions — worship,

education, Sabbath and the ceremo­ nial of Judaism. These claims are usually conceded so far as they j*efer to worship, education, and Sabbath, festival and holy day observance. But they are more , often disputed when the Kashruth laws are in question. It is therefore necessary to add a few words in special reference to this aspect of the whole question. The value of a kosher dietary is sometimes roundly denied. We are told glibly by men whose knowledge of Hebrew is limited to a knowledge of the fact that the word kosher may mean clean, and whose knowledge of the dietary laws is purely objective, that those laws are out-of-date and all food nowadays is kosher. It would take me far beyond the proper con­ fines of this paper adequately to an­ swer these commonplace generalities of misinformation. But it is neces­ sary briefly to indicate the hygienic justification for the Jewish laws of diet in the special case presented by public institutions.

Kashruth and Health T H E HYGIENIC value of kosher food is indisputably higher than that of non-kosher food. Animals killed by the Jewish method of Shechitah are killed in the way that in­ flicts the least possible pain on the animal. The blood is removed more quickly and more completely than by any other method. The meat o f ani­ mals killed by stunning or by other un-Jewish methods consequently con­ tains more blood, and is therefore more difficult of digestion. Moreover, since blood is highly metabolic, and

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of all parts of the body is the best medium to produce and the one most likely to carry the microbes of dis­ ease and parasites of larger growth, non-Shechitah meat is far more sub­ ject to become unfit for human con­ sumption than Shechitah meat; in fact, on account of its containing so much blood, it decomposes twice an rapidly as Shechitah meat. Added to this is the fact that the blood re maining in the carcass of an animal killed by Shechitah is not alone conJewish LIFE

siderably less than that remaining after other methods of slaughter, but it is also less alkaline, and therefore a less favorable medium for the breeding of bacteria. The blood that remains in the animal after killing is venous or impure, the arterial or pure blood being removed through the operation of Shechitah. This im­ pure venous blood, allowed to remain in ordinary meat, is removed by Jew­ ish law through the operation of porging. There then remains the sur­ face blood that has been exposed to dirt and miasmatic influences. The act of koshering with salt and water is admirably designed to remove this. ■jPHE baseless assertion is often made that this act of koshering robs the meat of its nutrient value. It removes merely the stagnant and germ-laden surface blood, with the salt acting as a strong antiseptic. The nourishment within the meat is left untouched. Were this not so, th ^ meat after koshering would be colorless and leathery, whereas it re­ tains to the full its color and ten­ derness, and, through the act of kosh­ ering it gains enormously in cleanli­ ness and healthfulness. As for the rejection by Jewish law of all carnivorous, i.e., blood-eating, animals and of animals such as the repulsive and often typhoid-bearing oyster, or the pig with its often scrofulous glands, tubercular lungs, abscessed liver, tapeworm and not uncommonly che dread disease of tri­ china spiralis, no words need be wasted. Non-Jewish authorities every­ where uphold the wisdom of the Jew­ ish regulations.

November - December, 1953

JDUT a word must be added as to a, further safeguard to health that is inseparable from the Jewish meth­ od of preparing meat. The Shechitah (slaughtering) is followed by the Bedikah (examination). This examina­ tion extends chiefly to the heart, lungs and abdomen of the animal. If these are found in diseased or in­ jured condition, the animal is re­ jected as unfit for food. If, for ex­ ample, the lungs show the least sign of tubercular destruction of tissue, or if the intestines show any typhoid or tubercular ulcers, the animal is not allowed to be used as food. Know­ ing, as we do, that a large percentage of cattle is tuberculously affected, we realize that the simple Jewish law succeeds in rejecting meat which 100 per cent of medical men would con­ demn as dangerous to public health, but which notoriously often comes on the public market in spite of elabo­ rate laws and a public system of sanitary inspection. This hygienic superiority of a kosher dietary, although it is not the main reason for the observance of the dietary laws, is one which must be specially emphasized in the case of a public institution. The food given to the child inmates and the helpless beneficiaries, though it need not consist of a rich and widely varied assortment, must be above all pure, healthful and fresh. Kosher food is essentially this. It is in all cases pure, healthful and fresh. Sure­ ly it is therefore a grievous wrong to supply the inmates of a public in­ stitution with food which ofttimes is

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impure, stale, or diseased, when a proper observance of the Jewish die­ tary laws, demanded also by every other consideration, insures that the food supplied shall be fresh, pure and wholesome. TT IS further maintained that the * Jewish medical advisers of some institutions do not advocate a kosher dietary, and that it is these medical officers themselves who, from time to time, prescribe nutriment forbidden by Jewish law. A medical man defi­ cient in Jewish feeling and Jewish training cannot be expected to have a vivid appreciation of the Jewish value of the dietary laws. The main reason for the observance of the dietary laws is not a hygienic one, but a religious

one. The opinion of a medical man on this question is of no more value than that of any other member of the community Untrained in Jewish values. In this matter the opinion that is of weight is that of the spe­ cialists in the Bible and its interpre­ tation ii^ Judaism, Jewish history and the Jewish spirit, that is, the opinion of the rabbis. In so far as the medical men con­ nected with an institution sometimes prescribe food generally forbidden by Jewish law, it need hardly be stated that in conditions of serious weak­ ness, disease or danger to life, Jew­ ish law allows the use of every kind of remedy that the physician may prescribe, even those which in ordi­ nary cases would not be permissible.

The Additional Expense J N D NOW, weightiest of objec*** tions and gravest of charges in the eyes of some of our economy ex­ perts, it is charged that a kosher dietary and the maintenance of a kosher kitchen entail an increased expense. Alone among all the ob­ jections we are considering, this one is true. But the additional expense is not by any means so heavy as it is often asserted to be. The double kitchen is an initial expense only, and one that on practical, besides on Jewish, grounds is in many ways desirable. The larger supply of utensils is also only an initial expense, and one that may not be emphasized, because of the obvious fact that a double set of crockery and utensils will last twice as long as a single set. There re-

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mains the slightly higher cost of kosher meat, which, when large quan­ tities of meat are purchased, adds appreciably to the cost of food dur­ ing the year. D U T IF this contention proves any­ thing, it proves more than those who urge it might wish. For, if we accept the argument as a valid ob­ jection to the use of kosher meat, it invalidates at the same time virtually every Jewish observance. Were we to yield to this argument of the greater expense involved, we would have to do away with the use of Sab­ bath lights, Kiddush wine, Chanukah lights, Shavuoth flowers, Sukkoth symbols, and the other beautiful sym­ bols of the Jewish year which bring poetry and brightness, especially to

Jewish LIFE

those confined in institutions. The observance of Pesach, the building and upkeep of the synagogue in the institutions, the employment of teach­ ers of Hebrew and religion, and the occasional services of a minister are financial burdens on the institutions, and, on this argument,, unjustifiable. Indeed, on the same argument, it must be confessed that the upkeep of the institutions themselves is a great tax on the Jewish community, and therefore the institutions should be wound-up. The argument of expense thus involves us in absurdity. If Passover is kept in the institutions, then the dietary laws for the rest of the year must in all consistency also be observed. If the one is necessary in a Jewish institution, then in all consistency the other is also neces­ sary. If the one expense is justifi­ able, so then must the other be. T H E fact is, either the institution is a Jewish communal institution or it is not. If it is, then the added

expense incidental to Jewish observ­ ances must be shouldered. If on the other hand it is totally unsectarian, it is unjustifiable to shoulder the bur­ den of expense for any Jewish ob­ servances within its walls, and it is unreasonable to expect Jews to sup­ port the institution as Jews. It is sometimes objected that the introduction of a kosher kitchen would involve undue interference by outside inspectors. This is an en­ tirely erroneous idea. A competent, religiously qualified man within the institution, responsible to a rabbi or religious body of recognized authori­ ty, could exercise the supervision that would be necessary. A kosher kitch­ en and dietary once introduced mean no added labor or organization. One of the actual results of introducing a kosher kitchen and dietary is that the more orthodox members of the com­ munity rally to give financial support to institutions which without a kosher kitchen they often very naturally ig­ nore or condemn.

The Patient's Viewpoint

FINALLY, it has been maintained pots of Egypt on the sons of Israel that the beneficiaries in the insti­ hungering for manna. They assume tution do not complain of the non- that a “Jewish” institution is Jewish. kosher diet, and that they would do Secondly, the beneficiaries ususdly so were it to offend their religious have no choice. It is for them a case scruples. In so far as this may some­ of eating the food supplied or of alto­ times be true, it is due to several gether refusing the benefit offered by causes. In the first place, those in the institutions. Surely for rich Jews the institutions do not always know tacitly to set before poor, sick, aged, the fact that the food supplied to or helpless fellow Jews such a stipu­ them is not kosher. Their knowledge lation as “accept our charity with of Jewish history does not lead them its non-kosher dietary, or stay out­ to expect that modern leaders in Is­ side,” is to take so cruel and inde­ rael might wish to force the fiesh- fensible an advantage over indigence November - December, 1953

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and helplessness that it must be only almost incredible thoughtlessness and not hardness of heart that gives rise to these pitiable conditions. Thirdly, a majority of the bene­ ficiaries of the communal institutions look upon the observance of the*die­ tary laws as an essential practice of their religion. Where children are the beneficiaries, a large proportion of them come from homes where the dietary laws are observed. Even those adults who are more indifferent are probably at one with the more ob­ servant in preferring kosher fare. It is morally intolerable to wound the conscientious religious susceptibilities of the majority of the inmates of a Jewish institution in this manner. In Jewish communal institutions in Eu­ rope the dietary laws are respected.

Indeed, the large public non-Jewish hospitals in a city like London main­ tain a. kosher kitchen for the benefit of their Jewish patients whenever the number of these patients is con­ siderable. Thus at a number of pub­ lic hospitals in London, the Christian authorities supply their Jewish pa­ tients with strictly kosher food, pre­ pared in the Hospital's special Jew­ ish kitchen. Can we hope for a con­ tinuance of such a respectful attitude from non-Jews towards our religious demands when we ourselves sacrifice our self-respect by slighting our re­ ligious principles? Is it not a hu­ miliating absurdity that the poor Jew in trouble must go to Christian au­ thorities for a respectful regard for his religious scruples, because this is refused him by his own brethren?

The Public Demand rpO SUM UP: We demand the obA servance of the Jewish dietary laws in our communal institutions on practical grounds, because a kosher cuisine once instituted is as simple to maintain as a non-kosher cuisine. We demand it on hygienic grounds, because both Jewish and Christian medical opinion the world over ac­ cords the highest praise to a Jewish dietary and warmly advocates its ob­ servance. Especially the directors of a public institution must be scrupu­ lous to the finest point in supplying only fresh and wholesome kosher food to those entrusted to their charge. We demand the observance of Jew­ ish laws and ceremonies in our insti­ tutions on purely utilitarian grounds, because it is bad manners and crude

14

folly to offend a large section of the charitable public by a disregard of Jewish principles, and thus alienate the sympathy and reduce the con­ tributions of the orthodox members of the community. We demand it on financial grounds, because although the upkeep of a Jewish dietary and of Jewish cere­ monies adds slightly to the expense, this Jewish expense, as every essen­ tial Jewish expense, must be shoul­ dered in a Jewish institution. Nob­ lesse oblige. We demand it on grounds of fideli­ ty to a public trust, because the per­ sonal views of the individual directors on the value of or necessity for Jew­ ish observance in their own homes, have no bearing on their duty as

Jewish LIFE

trustees of a public Jewish institu­ tion. As such trustees they are re­ sponsible for its Jewish conduct, both to those within the institution and to those without it who contribute to its upkeep. We demand it on the ground of justice and loyalty to the public. We hold that consideration should be shown to the expressed opinion and unanimous demands of the public. The whole community, Reform and orthodox, through the mouthpiece of their religious ministers unequivo­ cally call for the observance of Juda­ ism in the institutions which they support. We demand it on grounds of Jew­ ish pride and self-respect. These plead that our Jewish poor shall re­ ceive at least as considerate treat­ ment from our hands as they receive from their Christian brethren. We demand it on humanitarian grounds, because those within the in­ stitutions cherish the observance of the dietary and ceremonial laws of Judaism. We speak for the children and unfortunate men and women who cannot speak for themselves. There can be no more detestable tyranny of wealth than that of wounding the re­ ligious scruples of the beneficiaries of an institution, who, on account of their poverty and need, are powerless to reject the conditions imposed on them. Giving relief to body or mind while injuring heart and soul is a

November - December, 1953

mocking abuse of a solemn responsi­ bility. We demand it on moral grounds. No Jewish institution can be granted the right to copy the most repre­ hensible tactics pursued by some Christian missions to the Jews which offer charity with one hand, while vio­ lating the recipients’ religious peace with the other. These missions may think it Christian charity to “let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth,” lest it drop off for very shame; it is not Jewish charity. 7Ï BOVE ALL, we demand it because a Jewish institution is either Jewish or it has no raison d’etre. There are institutions enough out­ side of the community, both private and public, which will help Jews at the expense of the Sabbath, the die­ tary laws, Jewish worship and the Jewish conscience. The only reason for the existence of specifically Jew­ ish institutions is that they shall be Jewish and shall aid suffering Jewry in the Jewish spirit with Jewish sympathy. We demand that the indefensible and meaningless injustice and cruel­ ty of forcing an un-Jewish life on Jewish unfortunates in a Jewish in­ stitution shall cease. We demand that our communal in­ stitutions shall be Jewish not alone in name but also in practice and therefore necessarily also in spirit.

15

%%n H ,” you say, after a few ^ seconds of pondering over the title, ‘‘he means a ‘Deitch,’ a clean shaven, westernized German Jew, who might somehow have got­ ten lost in that jungle of beards, peyes and shtreimloch which flour­ ishes alongside the East River, under the watchful eyes of the sailors in the crow’s-nests of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. That must be the theme of this piece.” Well, no sirreeeh, as we say on Bedford Avenue. You are wrong. I do mean a “Datcher,” not a “Deitcher.” Although, come to think of it, you are not so wrong according to the etymology of my multi-lingual genius of a son, Hopalong Chaim. For he claims a Datcher is called a Datcher because it is a “doitche” chalah, as opposed to the kind of chalah that grows along Lee Ave­ nue. I wonder whether his ma­ 16

ternal grandfather, whose picture in the Bavarian Uhlanen-uniform (complete with sabreX is Chaim’s particular pride, would have ac­ knowledged his accent of the “oi” in doitche as that of a true bloodrelation. But his good Bavarian heart surely would have rejoiced to see Hopalong Chaim jump with joy, whip out his six-shooter and, holding on to his blue-white em­ broidered yarmulka, shout : “Hur­ rah, Uncle Moi$h brought us a Datcher. I love the doitche chalah!” •—• this, in the center of that corner of Brooklyn, where chalahs are real chalahs, golden brown of crust and softly white of interior. To clarify matters somewhat: for the last few Fridays my brother Moish who studies at Yeshiva, up near Frankfurt-on-the-Hudson, has been bringing us those large moonseeded loaves with the thin, straight strip extending from tip Jewish LIFE

to tip which are the specialty of that locale. You see, Moish is something of an amateur sociolo­ gist. In his heart he feels that even we who have become thor­ ough-going Williamsburgers aren’t as averse as we pretend to those associations and amenities of our past identified with the Datcher. And I suspect that he is making fee of the sweet fragrance of the “doitche chalah” as Chaim calls it, to convince us that our mockery of Washington Heights is only selfdeception ; that our scoffing at the reconstruction of miniature Frankfurts or Killebergs is merely the product of Jewish self-hatred. Per­ haps because he relishes the Datch­ er, even though he was only eight years old when he last tasted it in our home in the precious Unterfrsenkische Grossstadt, he feels that this is the way to tempt us out of the jungle of Williamsburg and back to sanity.

4

i

I?OR THE point is this. Moish lives in Boro Park. And in Boro Park “they” believe that only paupers or Hungarians, that is Satmarer or Klausenburger Chas­ sidim, have remained in Williams­ burg. Any person of sane mind, and of sufficient means, has long started that familiar trek to Crown Heights, if he belongs to the “up­ per bracket.” If he doesn’t quite make the “upper bracket,” he moves across Prospect Lake to Boro Park. If he is really pros­ perous or is determined to appear so, he drives slowly along Queens Boulevard until he finds a shady November - December, 1953

side street of Kew Gardens or at least Forest Hills, there to pioneer future Eastsides. And if, though the prospect for any contemporary Williamsburger is remote, he hap­ pens to range up near the lofty heights of the millionaires who start off the appeals in the shool, then he moves beyond Far Rockaway into the Island and joins one of those super-duper Centers de­ signed by some aspirant to Frank Lloyd Wright fame. All these alternatives are con­ ceivable to a true Boro Parker like my brother Moish. But that a nor­ mal person should live on in Wil­ liamsburg and like it — no, that does not fit into the neat scheme and pattern of a proper Boro Parker. The Datcher, then, was to lead us back to normalcy. # * * TVTOW in the true spirit of the experimental sociologist who must not accept self-analysis as a reliable source of valid conclusion, I deferred taking cognizance of my own reaction to this tempta­ tion. Right after I had “made Motzi” on the first Friday evening that Moish brought a Datcher to our hoiise, I cut off a big hunk of the chalah for the express pur­ pose of offering it to my in-laws, as a test case with a greater proba­ bility of objectivity. For after all, despite my German birth certificate, I was only a “Poliak” or “Auslander” in my Bavarian home-town, especially in the. eyes of my professors and classmates at the gymnasium. Se­ ll

mester after semester, would come the routine question: father’s name, and the answer: Meyer Leib. At this reply, the noses would go up and the giggles begin. The men­ tion of my father’s birthplace, Galicia, would bring forth more unpleasant reactions, and the an­ nouncement of my Polish citizen­ ship would be the final humilia­ tion. As a result, the “Poliak” comp l e x is s t i l l strong within me, even though I have not yet com­ pletely recovered from being called a “Yecke.” Hence my reluctance to use myself as a guinea-pig in this social experiment of the Datcher. My wife’s par­ ents, I felt, would be better subjects for the experi­ ment. My father-in-law, born in East Galicia, is in much the same case as I. But he, at least passed most of his years in the beautiful city of Schwabenland. Thus, to me, if not to some of his co-members in the Gemeinde, he qualifies for the experiment. And then there is Oma, as my children have dubbed my motherin-law. Oma, you see, could have matched ancestors with any of my old German penal professors who looked upon me as a mere foreign­ er. For her forefathers had lived in that beloved-accursed soil since 18

ancient “olov hasholom” days. And Datchers have been the “Holde Goetterspeise” of her family for many generations. So that if any­ one should have been lured from the ways of Williamsburg by the flood of bitter-sweet memories brought forth by the Datcher, it should have been she. 7S T ANY rate, here follows a bite-by-bite de­ scription of the ex p erim en t. In proper procession we marched down th e s ta ir s th a t lead to that Gan Eden of our kids, ca l l e d O m a ’s H ouse. A t the head m arched Hopalong Chaim, chanting “doitche chalah, doitche chalah,” holding the hunk of Datch­ er triumphantly up in the air. Be­ hind him, in spirited gait, imitat­ ing his “doitche chalah” perfectly and holding up her empty hand equally high in the air, danced Channele, Hopalong Chaim’s kid sister who admires everything her brother does. For, after all, he is a yeshivah bochur, and, mind you, he has already started learning Rashi. Next in proper order fol­ lowed Mammie, the baby on her arm. And yours truly brought up the rear, bent upon recording every nuance of this experiment in point of assimilation. Jewish LIFE

Scientific honesty compels me to report to you the whole sad truth. Expressing due appreciation of the gesture and the texture, my fatherin-law took a hearty bite of the slice of the Datcher which he had cut off for himself, after he had blessed each of the children in good traditional ritual. “I like Shloimele Weiss* chalah better,” he said after awhile, apparently having consid­ ered the pros and cons of taste and propriety involved in disap­ pointing his einiklach by such ingratitude. After hearing Opa’s reaction, I thought to myself: It must be the Polish blood that is still at work in his veins, after all these years since he left Galicia as a child. Then Oma, courageous as ever, took a good bite. After a few sec­ onds of silent chewing, she an­ nounced with the authority and ex­ perience of centuries of superior Frankish Hausfrauen-ship: “Too much potato starch, and not fresh.” She did not say that she liked Shloimele Weiss' chalah better. But a few minutes later, when we dis­

cussed the most recent streak of genius of the baby and the com­ ing out of his first tooth, Oma picked up a piece of Shloimele's white bread, soft, sweet and frag­ rant, while the hunk of Datcher remained untouched on the Shabbos-Tish, till it was time to clear away leftovers into the bread-box. I wonder whether it is still there. Of course, to some sociologists who are statisticians at heart and therefore cannot accept evidence without the proper garnishing of tables, charts, graphs and correla­ tion coefficients, this type of experi­ mental evidence may not be accept­ able. But if you belong to the in­ terpretive school, you may realize that Uncle Moish's temptation backfired. For the only one who really likes the Datcher is Hopalong Chaim, born and raised in Williamsburg and as rabid a Dodg­ er fan as any yeshivah bochur this side of Gowanus. And because he likes it, Channele, who adores him, hates it. But after all, you know, sociology is not an exact science.

THE LIGHTS OF CHANUKAH The School of Sham m ai sa y s: on the first d a y eight lights are lit a n d th ereafter they are g ra d u a lly red u ced ; bu t the School of Hillel m ain tain : on the first d a y only one is lit an d thereafter th ey a re p rogressively in c re a se d — b e c a u se w e progress in m atters of san ctity bu t do not reduce. —Talm ud, S a b b a th , 21b.

November - December, 1953

19

• An up to-date survey of

occupational opportunities, with a vitiiv to the needs of religiously observant women

TH ERE WAS a time, not so long ago, when it was considered demeaning for a Jewish woman to work. Only when spurred by dire necessity would she seek outside employment. This is no longer true. Even among families of the higher income brackets, it is not unusual for daughters to work be­ fore marriage. The trend toward female employ­ ment is a long-recognized fact in the United States. Government fig­ ures indicate that one-third of all women in this country, fourteen and over, are working women and constitute 30% of our total labor force. A large percentage of these working women are married. Another interesting sociological development in American life is the spread of higher education among females ^ a development in which Jewish women have also 2Ô

shared. Increasing numbers of Jewish women are attending col­ leges and universities. Each year, it is estimated, about 4,000 Jewish women receive degrees from insti­ tutions of higher learning. JT IS generally supposed that the main reasons why women attend college are to prepare themselves for positions which will bring them economic independence and to meet marital prospects. Since the vagar­ ies of romance are numerous and unpredictable, many women are destined to work for considerable periods. About half of a gainfully employed person’s waking hours are absorbed by his work,. The working woman’s emotional well­ being is accordingly affected mark­ edly by whether her work is in­ teresting and satisfying or dull and frustrating. Jewish LIFE

What are some of the careers which may offer satisfying oppor­ tunities for the observant Jewish woman? It is not commonly known that more than one and three-quar­ ter million females are employed in professional and semi-profes­ sional occupations. Large numbers of these are employed in the two fields in which women predomi­ nate: nursing and teaching. Although the need for nurses is still enormous, this profession poses almost insuperable problems to the religiously observant Jewish girl during the training period. CONDITIONS in the teaching profession have been well-pub­ licized and it is unnecessary to dis­ cuss them at length. It is impor­ tant to note, however, that short­ ages of teachers exist mainly in small rural communities where sal­ aries and standards are relatively low. In the larger cities, where salaries are higher and working conditions better, the supply has generally kept up with the require­ ments, except in the case of teach­ ers of vocational and scientific sub­ jects. The demand for elementary school teachers, however, seems to be growing because of the contin­ ued high birth-rate. The need for well-trained teach­ ers in Jewish nursery and all-day schools is crucial. Salaries, work­ ing conditions and vacation sched­ ules are often good in such insti­ tutions. Many observant Jews have been attracted to teaching in secu­ lar schools, and a good number of them earn double incomes by teachNovember - December, 1953

ing at a public school during the day and at a Jewish school in the late afternoon or evening. JJNOTHER vocation wide-open to ^ Jewish women is social work. About 65%, of all professional workers in this field are women. The orthodox Jewish woman who is qualified can achieve several things. First, it is an enormously satisfying vocation, offering con­ tinual opportunities to help fellow human beings. In addition, sala­ ries and working conditions com­ pare favorably with those in simi­ lar fields. Aside from the general critical lack of trained social work­ ers, there is an additional shortage of Jewish women with good Jewish background. The recent entrance into this field of observant Jews, such as Yeshiva University gradu­ ates, may bring to Jewish com­ munal activities a greater measure of Jewish content and attitudes than has hitherto been apparent. There is a wide range of special­ ties in social work from which the Jewish woman can choose. She can select marriage-counseling or she can deal with children handicapped by emotional problems; if she pre­ fers, she may deal with rehabili­ tated parolees, or work in a hospi­ tal as a medical social worker. She can help families torn by hostility, fear and conflict to function more effectively and with greater happi­ ness, or she may feel more effec­ tive as a psychiatric case worker. Perhaps she will prefer to do group work in a “Y” or a Jewish Center. These and other branches of social 21

work are open to the qualified woman. J70R intelligent women with wellrounded personalities ‘social work may have much appeal. Start­ ing salaries for graduates of rec­ ognized schools of social work range from $3,000 to $3,600. In most agencies, there are annual in­ crements which currently bring salaries to above $5,000 a year. Higher salaries, of course, are available to supervisors and higher administrative personnel. Although the trained social work­ er can have her choice of private or public agencies, the orthodox Jewish woman would probably be more at ease in a Jewish agency because of her observance of Shabboth and holy days. Salaries, work­ ing conditions and standards in Jewish agencies are among the best in the country. II N OCCUPATIONAL field which has become increasingly cor­ dial to women is Science. If we exclude engineering, about 7% of

22

the scientists in the United States are women. The largest number of women scientists are chemists, to­ taling about 10,000. They are em­ ployed in the analysis of raw ma­ terials and products. They seek new products or new uses for known materials and products. They work in chemical plants, pe­ troleum refineries, research labora­ tories and various types of manu­ facturing and processing busi­ nesses. Employed chemists constitute a relatively youthful group, almost one-half being below the age of thirty-five. A Bachelor’s Degree in science is a “must” in this field and a higher degree essential for better paying jobs. Starting sal­ aries in many areas are $60-$75 a week. The outlook for women chemists is considered bright. Another field which might at­ tract Jewish women is interior decorating. About half of all in­ terior decorators are women, either self-employed or employed by large hotels, steamship lines, apartment buildings, department stores, home furnishing stores and interior dec­ oration studios and shops. Many interior decorators complete a com­ bination four-year college course which includes academic and tech­ nical training. Aspirants for this career, in addition to possessing artistic ability, should also have a pleasing personality and a creative imagination. Good health and per­ severance are also important quali-* ties for the interior decorator, for many clients are often difficult to work with. Jewish LIFE

Getting started as an interior decorator is often difficult because competition can be keen. But those with talent and drive may forge ahead either as employees or eventually as employers. Salaries for experienced interior decorators may range from $75 to $100 per week. Self-employed persons may average $10,000 to $15,000 a year, and more. T IBRARIANS are in urgent de­ mand throughout the country. They are needed in high school and college libraries, in public li­ braries and in a wide variety of special libraries in industry, busi­ ness, science, hospitals and other educational and scientific organiza­ tions. Salaries for special librari­ ans are the highest in the entire field. Usual prerequisites for a trained librarian are four years of college plus one year of graduate training in library science. The field was formerly woefully underpaid, but in recent years salaries, working conditions and promotional oppor­ tunities have steadily improved. While the orthodox woman's ab­ sence oh Jewish holy days and her early departure on Erev Shabboth during the winter months may be a handicap, it is not an insur­ mountable obstacle, for other hours can often be substituted. A

NEW and rapidly expanding vocation for women college graduates is orthoptics. The orthop­ tist is a person trained to work for an eye physician in the diagnosis November - December, 1953

and treatment of eye defects such as crossed eyes and other poor visual conditions. Before the doc­ tor can make an accurate diagnosis he often depends on the eye meas­ urements made by the orthoptist. After operations to correct crossed eyes, the orthoptist, working under the doctor's direction, gives chil­ dren exercises in eye training. Those interested in this new field should major in mathematics or in the sciences. For college graduates with a good mathematics and sci­ ence background, a one-year course is given at Simmons College School of Science in Boston, Mass., in co­ operation with the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary. Beginning salaries for orthoptists are about $2,500 a year, with rapid promo­ tions. JJO M E ECONOMICS is a broad field, including, among other aspects, the planning of balanced meals for newspaper and magazine departments advising on food, clothing, fashions and textiles. It may also include designing clothes and doing research on foods, tex­ tiles and fashions. Lower ranking jobs in this extensive field require a college degree with a major in home economics. Higher-ranking jobs, especially research, often re­ quire M.A. or Ph.D. degrees. Home economics is almost com­ pletely a female occupational field. There is a wide demand for the service of specialists, the greatest shortages being found in teaching, home demonstration work and busi­ ness. For example, all the larger 23

food manufacturing and processing companies employ home economists. Most of the professional opportuni­ ties in business are in the larger communities, while home demon­ stration work is done only in rural areas. ’ySTOMEN who have a strong " urge to serve others and w)io possess emotional stability, good health, intelligence and a friendly disposition and some artistic ability will find broad scope for their in­ terests and talents in the field of occupational therapy. This too is a profession which is almost 100% female. The occupational therapist is often an important factor in hastening the recovery of the sick. Working under the physician's or­ ders, she provides many interesting and constructive activities such as woodwork, painting, metal work, ceramics, weaving, etc. These ac­ tivities perform the dual function of meeting the emotional needs of the patient and providing neces­ sary physical exercise. Requirements for this profes­ sion are usually four years of college plus a fourteen-month spe­ cial course in occupational therapy. Jobs are currently plentiful in schools for the blind, the deaf, the crippled and the mentally retarded. Therapists are, of course, exten­ sively employed in hospitals, sanitoria, mental institutions, curative workshops and homes for the aged. Various government agencies as well as the armed forces are also eagerly seeking occupational thera24

pists. Salaries range up to $5,000 a year. QRDINARILY, we think of phar­ macy as a male occupation. While it is true that most phar­ macists are men, there are many opportunities for the woman phar­ macist, outside of drug store posi­ tions. Although the best salaries are paid by stores, there are in­ teresting and well paying jobs with hospital dispensaries, pharmaceuti­ cal manufacturing companies and various governmental agencies. We may state without qualifica­ tion that there are shortages not only in pharmacy but in most of the health professions — physical therapy, medical technology, dental hygiene, etc. In some instances, however, employers show reluc­ tance to hire Sabbath observers be­ cause patients may require or re­ quest treatment on Sabbaths and holy days. Probably the occupational area offering the greatest number of openings for women is that of office work. Throughout the coun­ try the need persists for compeJewish LIFE

with the experience and ability of the applicant. Commercial artists seeking employment usually show samples of their work. In this vocation one may work for an art studio, a department store, advertising agency, publisher or a business concern. However, one of the attractive features of commercial art is the possibility of free-lancing, which permits work at home. Talented housewives who are not free to leave their homes may use their leisure hours for highly remunerative wor^,. Most cities have schools offering training in various phases of com­ K HIGHLY competitive but well mercial art, and most organizations paying field for those who employing commercial artists are make the grade is that of commer­ found in large cities. This simpli­ cial art. The term “commercial fies the establishment of contacts art” embraces many phases of ar­ in the field for Jews since we are, tistic work. It may involve sign predominantly, an urban people. painting, sketching, layout, fashion illustrations, designing new pat­ H LTHOUGH this article is not terns for fabrics and a host of “ an exhaustive treatment of all occupations offering opportunities other forms of creative work. Although commercial artists of­ for the qualified Jewish woman, ten have a combination of college those discussed are indicative of and art training, employers do not the fields in which the qualified demand specific educational prepa­ and enterprising woman may try * ration. They are mainly concerned her skill.

tent secretaries, typists, bookkeep­ ers and operators of various busi­ ness machines. Because the de­ mand in these occupations is so strong, salaries for some, such as stenographers and assistant book­ keepers, range from $40 to $50 a week for beginners. In the larger cities salaries are as high as $75 and higher for persons with heavy experience. Orthodoxy need be no barrier for the competent Jewish woman in obtaining most office jobs* Seldom has the market been better for the capable female worker.

PRAYER M any a one p ray s, b u t is not h e ard ; b e c a u se he rem ain ed h eed le ss of the w oe or n e e d s of others, a n d th ere b y h a s tran sg resse d the Divine com m and, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. —Sefer C hassidim .

November - December, 1953

25

What Is Your “Bible I.Q.”? by Ze'ev Ben M ordeeai 1. Who served a h a sty lunch u n d e r a tree? _____ ______________ _____. 2. The first d ru n k ard m entioned in the Bible w a s

...¿....i....;.........:.!____ _

3. W hose drinking a n d food v essels w ere m ad e entirely of gold? 4. In w h at Books of the Bible a re referen ces m a d e to the d ietary law s? 5. W ho m ad e h er little b oy a n ew coat an n u a lly ?

_^ 1......’

6. W hen did cam els w e a r neck laces? 7. Tools of w h at im portant m etal w ere forbidden to b e u sed w hen Solomon built the Temple? 8. The p a s s a g e The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want comes from: Psalm 21, 23, 118, 150. 9. The m an w ho tried to le a d a reb ellio n a g a in s t M oses in the w il­ d ern ess w a s: A hab, Korah, H am an. 10. The num ber of m en sen t b y M oses to spy out th e la n d of C a n a a n w as: two, six, ten, tw elve, ........... .,..2................. 11. A ferry b o a t o p e ra te d across the Iordan River durin g th e reig n of .......I........„...__1_. 12. W hat fam ous Biblical tim es?

c h a ra c te r

had

his

w ages

changed

ten

‘

13..................................................strangled him self b e c a u se his ad v ice w a s ignored. 14. The only Book in the Bible w hich do es n ot m ention G -d's n am e is • 15. W here is a "re a l e sta te d e a l" m entioned in g re a t d etail? __ _ 16. The first m usician m entioned in the Bible w a s ^ |^ .i,^ fx ..l.!.______ __ 17. W ho w as a b ach elo r of forty before he m arried two w om en to the d isp leasu re of his p aren ts? ........... A____ ____ .v..i . 18. The longest description of a n id e a l wife is found in the Book of 19. W hen do o b serv an t Jews recite this description? .... ....................... ...... 20. The prophets who revived little children d escrib ed a s h a v in g d ied w ere ___ (A nsw ers on P ag e 41)

26

Jewish LIFE

T70R AGES Jews have been known * as The People of the Book; yet today many Jewish parents begin to wonder whether we are not turn­ ing into a People of the Comic Book. Bible stories, legends, tales of Jewish heroes and sages gather dust on Junior's shelves as he sprajvls on the floor engrossed in the daring pursuits of superman and his companions from outer space. Have we reached a point where our children, heirs to one of the oldest cultural traditions in the Western world, are ready to sell their birthright for a mess of Bed Ryder or Terry and the Pirates? What concepts of life, of justice and human dignity will they glean from the pages of their “comics” and “funnies” which seem anything but comic and funny to their worried elders ? Jewish parents are not the only ones who fear that the battle for November - December, 1953

the minds of our children is being lost to the media of mass communi­ cation. Psychiatrists and educa­ tors throughout the nation have served notice that comic books pro­ mote illiteracy and juvenile delin­ quency. Not so long ago, the Sen­ ate Crime Investigation Committee turned its ponderous spotlight on the dime-size version of the per­ fect crime, and in Cincinnati, Ohio, a Citizens' Committee has em­ barked upon the solemn task of providing us with an annual rating of comic books which reads like a Dun & Bradstreet report. Aroused by the hue and cry, the comic book publishers themselves ad­ vanced their own code of ethics to safeguard the morals of young America. Even across the Atlantic, the venerable London Times de­ voted much valuable newsprint to the subject. 27

71 LL THIS is as it should be. No doubt, some comic books may do serious harm to some children at some time. Many colorful book­ lets are sadly lacking in taste and often the poor print puts undue strain on young eyes. However, so far, none of the learned committees has come up with anything but sheaves of highly contradictory tes­ timony of which the more sensa­ tional and alarmist have, as usual, received the widest publicity. Un­ fortunately, a well-known psychia­

trist of the standing of Dr. Fred­ erick Wertham, whose work brings him into contact mostly with dis­ turbed or delinquent youngsters, can voice his dire prophecies in the pages of our top circulation magazines, while others who have spent years studying the reading habits of our children are rele­ gated to the relative obscurity of Child Study Magazine or to the excellent but less known pamphlets of the Public Affairs Committee or Science Research Associates.

Comic Books and Delinquency

THS/HAT indications are there that the reading of comic books is indeed an influential factor in ju­ venile delinquency? The arguments marshaled by experts of Dr. Wertham’s school of thought are mostly based on statements made by the young offenders themselves. A boy stabs a girl with a knife “because that is the way they do it in the comics.” A girl confesses that at the age of eleven she “spent her nights planning the perfect crime.” On the surface this seems to be powerful evidence, but on second thought we wonder how much these children really know about their own highly complicated and partly subconscious motives. How is it that for every child who makes the way from comic book to real crime there seem to be tens of thousands who never lose sight of the fact that those thrilling adventures are, after all, “only a story.” At a time when newspapers abound in reports of real violence 28

from A-bomb tests to blow-by-blow descriptions of rape and murder, do we really believe that a ban on comic books would shield our chil­ dren from the knowledge that men do kill each other? On the contrary, for the average child, the comic book with its un­ inhibited display of hostility and aggression can serve as a healthy agent of catharsis, helping him to release some of his pent-up emo­ tions through vicarious participa­ tion in the comic strip plot. ^H IL D R E N in an adult world often suffer from what has been aptly called “a sense of natu­ ral inferiority.” It is tough to be small and dependent and to be al­ ways on the receiving end of all “do's” and “don’ts.” It is hard for a young untrammelled organism to abide by rules which he often fails to comprehend and, with all his senses aquiver, to keep out of what for strange reasons is considered Jewish LIFE

mischief by those stolid grown-ups. of a younger brother or sister who And yet, no child can afford to give occupies the lap which only yester­ in to every one of his impulses, for day was his alone, will rise above fear that he will lose the love and such unsurmountable obstacles with protection on which he depends. It the powerful cloak of superman or is a painful and at times outright destroy his hateful rival — in ab­ maddening situation. sentia — by a stab of cosmic rays. Here is where the old fairy tales Only if we hold to the fading pre­ came in and where today's comic tense that childhood years are all books take their rightful place. A sweetness and light will we insist child thrown into a'fit. of rage by that this kind of escape literature what seems to him quite unreason­ has no rightful claim on a child's able demands, or one wildly jealous leisure time. Our "Illitera te Children"

TJOWEVER, what most parents worry about is not the use but only the abuse of comic books. “Children read nothing else," they complain. In the first place, such sweeping generalizations are often inaccurate. Comic books with their glaring covers and unfortunate ten­ dency to spread themselves in the most inopportune places draw much more attention to their wretched existence than does the dignified volume from the school library. To be fair, the battle of the comic books should start with a truthful appraisal of the youngster's reading habits, and it may be a good idea to have the child himself keep his own reading log over a certain period of time. Such a procedure will make him realize that the project is not a case of parental authority cracking down on un­ desirable habits but a problem of budgeting his own time along the lines of a reasonable compromise. In addition, we must remember that every reader's choice is inNovember - December, 1953

fluenced primarily by the availabili­ ty of adequate and attractive read­ ing matter. Once a child outgrows the picture book stage he some­ times finds it hard to progress to more difficult material. Stories may be insufficiently illustrated; de­ scriptive passages are apt to sit on a page in a forbidding block of type; “big words" become frus­ trating hurdles which destroy the smooth continuity of the tale. Of­ ten, a casual talk with a recalci­ trant “comics" addict will clarify such difficulties and aid the par­ ents in building a more suitable and attractive library. A LL in all, the battle cry of “impending illiteracy" is not borne out by the records of pub­ lishers and public libraries. The field of juvenile literature has ex­ panded rather than contracted dur­ ing the past years, and the skillful storyteller still reaches a wide and enthusiastic group of readers. How­ ever, American children are no 29

longer a captive .audience. Where in previous generations girls and boys plowed patiently through pages of stale and flowery prose because they had few other sources of entertainment, today’s young­ sters are choosey customers, know­ ing fully well that they can take their trade elsewhere. As parents or publishers we may deplore this growing competition from the me­

dia of mass communications which juvenile literature has to face, but as lovers of children and their books we cannot help blit enjoy the thought that the time has passed when everybody who failed to make the grade in the adult field could always grind out a few moralizing tales for the defenseless child reader.

Children Need Action r *OMIC BOOKS are chock-full of ^ adventure, and the best anti­ dote for comics is a good supply of activity in the child’s own life. Unfortunately, city children and their parents are more and more pressed into the role of consumer and spectator, and the chances for spontaneous action and exploration of one’s own surroundings by the trial-and-error method are strictly limited. Even toys have become so functional that they give little op­ portunity for the exercise òf ini­ tiative and ingenuity. In our small city apartments, a child’s endless “what can I do now?” becomes pathetic. What can an active youngster do except retreat to his allotted corner and let his imagina­ tion compensate for the lack of

mobility and excitement? Yet the world is still “full of a number of things,” although it may take a little thinking and patience on the part of the parent to help a child develop an interest in crea­ tive activities. Some children like to make things, and a set of tools — real tools, not those predigested push-button affairs — will help them to explore their own capaci­ ties and gain a sense of satisfac­ tion and self-confidence in the proc­ ess. Other youngsters like to col­ lect things or find a subject of special interest which would be just right for a scrapbook. Usually, a few suggestions, a little help now and then and an occasional “how is it going?” are all that is needed.

Children Need Heroes ^■HILDREN need heroes. They family hero is a natural. He can find them among ballplayers, fix things, build things and tell film stars and, of course, the pages exciting stories about the strange of their comic books drip heroism world where he spends the better by the carload. Yet, lucky is the part of his day. He crouches on youngster who finds his hero in the floor to join Junior’s game, his own living room. Daddy as and at once the game gains in im30

Jewish LIFE

portance and value; he bends down to scratch Scotty’s ear, and sud­ denly Scotty is not only a little boy’s dog but one which has had his ear scratched by the master of the house. It is a wonderful thing to have a hero in your backyard provided, of course, he takes suffi­ cient time out to notice you and bestow you with this bracing feel­ ing of “heroism by association.” Yet a word of caution is needed for homemade supermen: children have a special sense for honesty Know Your

7ICTION, a search for heroes — these are a child’s needs which the comic strips meet. What else is there to account for their power of attraction? Different answers will be found for different chil­ dren. To understand why a young­ ster will pore over his comic books to the exclusion of everything else, one has to know him, and not only him but —and this will come as a shock to some parents — also the comic books that he likes best. It is quite surprising to find how many people who expound the mer­ its and faults of comic books at great length would never touch one of those pet subjects of adult scorn with a ten-foot pole. To know your comics is impor­ tant for many reasons. First of all, there are quite a number of them which are neither destruc­ tive nor frightening, but offer good clean fun which any child can and should enjoy. Furthermore, paren­ tal interest elevates the comic book November - December, 1953

and sincerity in adults which is too often underestimated by those around them. Whole libraries on racial discrimination will fail to impress them if the colored girl in their own kitchen is treated with arrogance and contempt. It is not always the imagination of irre­ sponsible cartoonists which distorts the moral and social values of our children. Long before they turn to comic books for solace and inspira­ tion, their own private hero may have failed them. Comic B o o ks from an object of secret indulgence to the status of a respectable topic. Healthy children like to find their interests shared by their parents and where they feel a sincere re­ sponse, they will discuss their own reactions freely. Do some stories make them feel scared? Do they think it was all right for such and

31

such a character to shoot his way out of a trap? Do foreigners al­ ways get a square deal in our comic strips? INSTEAD of rushing in with a A stern order “to get that junk out of here,” parents may get much better results by simply indicating their preference — “I liked that first one, but the second story seemed a little silly to me.” Good taste does not always develop by itself; it needs guidance, not an indiscriminate “all this trash” at­ titude. Comic books mimic real life sit-

nations, and although some are little more than caricatures of re-^ ality they can open the way to a discussion of much that may be confusing to a youngster. Is this the way a business deal is handled? Is this what it means to fall in love ? Is this what you would do if you were in this person’s place? Is this kind of action decent, gen­ erous, realistic? Often a comic book situation may serve to illus­ trate problems which a child would not feel free to discuss without disguise or for which he cannot find parallels in his own limited experience.

B o o k s a n d th e H o m e

T5ESIDES trying to mitigate the ■""* negative aspects of comic books, parents can do a great deal to in­ crease the positive influence of good reading in the lives of their children. Here again, showing an interest in the child’s reading and encouraging him to share his ex­ periences with the family will help a great deal to enhance the value of books in the child’s own eyes. There is no reason why books should be bought only on routine occasions such as birthdays or holi­ days. Why not bring home a book once in a while as an exciting sur­ prise just because “it looked so in­ teresting to me” or because “I thought you would like this” ? Or why not an occasional trip to the Public Library to browse through the riches which the battered shelves have to offer and to point out old favorites or admire books 32

the child has discovered for him­ self? Under the guidance of a skillful parent, a trip to the library can be the next thing to real-life adventure. Jewish parents, especially, are concerned with the reading habits of their youngsters. Not only have we inherited from our fathers the scholar’s respect for the written word but to the child living in nonJewish surroundings Jewish books transmit essential aspects of our tradition and a sense of kinship with K’lal Yisroel. Yet Jewish children’s books labor under a double handicap: they are often more didactic and lacking in es­ thetic appeal than the general juve­ nile book, and they are too closely associated in the mind of the young reader with Hebrew school, tales of the “Old Country,” and being dif­ ferent from other kids on the block. Jewish LIFE

TXTHAT CAN we do to restore ” Jewish children’s books to their rightful place? In a previous issue we have discussed the basic need for providing better and more attractive reading matter for the Jewish child.* But even with the material available, we can expand the child’s interest and receptive­ ness to a considerable degree if we try to revive a time-honored cus­ tom which should never have slipped from the roster of family activities—reading together. Shar­ ing a story which is read aloud is a very satisfying experience even for the older child who is himself already an accomplished reader. There is the relaxed and cozy at­ mosphere; the sense of importance derived from joining with adults in a common enterprise; the feel­ ing of freedom that comes with not having to bother spelling out words but giving oneself over wholeheartedly to the emotional impact of the story. If any worth­ while book will come alive for its

readers, one read aloud acquires wings. The orthodox Jewish home of­ fers a unique opportunity for such reading sessions. The long Friday evenings in winter, the last hours of a summer Shabboth afternoon, holidays throughout the year, are ideally suited tp unite the family around a well-written story. The mood of the day, the topic of the tale, the reassuring voice of a kind parent, they all conspire to evoke a strong emotional response in the young listener which will help him to experience his Jewishness as a living reality and a way of life. * * * K SELECTION of books which may be suitable for such reading periods is listed below. Within the present limits of cur­ rent Jewish juvenile literature, they seem the volumes most likely to hold a child’s interest and to satisfy his demands for a lively and swift-moving tale.

A SELECTED LIST OF JEWISH JUVENILE BOOKS

(All books, with the exception of some biographies, are illustrated) SONGS AND RHYMES f o r ch ildren fro m 5 - 8 y e a rs o f age GATEWAY TO JE W IS H SONG, Ju d ith K. Eisenstein — Over 100 little songs in Hebrew and E nglish with piano accom panim ent New York, Behrm an H o u s e ..................................... $3.00 JO LLY JIN G L ES FOR THE JE W IS H CHILD, Ben Aronin -§J C aptivating jingles of Jewish holidays and customs OA New York, Behrm an House ............ ............. .......... ¿*00 MOTHER GOOSE RHYMES FOR JE W IS H CHILDREN, S ara G. Levy — Sing-song rhymes and finger plays pertaining to Jew ish holidays and ceremonies New York, Bloch Publishing Co........... ....... ............. 1.75 * J ew ish L ife , Kislev, 5713.

November - December, 1958

33

SO W E SING, S ara G. Levy — Songs w ith music and tex t »descriptive of Jew ish holidays and various biblical characters New York, Bloch Publishing C o . .......... ........... . 2.50

SHABBOTH AND HOLIDAY STORIES fo r ch ildren fro m 5-10 y e a rs o f age A B C BIBLE AND HOLIDAY STORIES FOR JE W IS H CHILDREN Daisy P. Aronoff — a collection of bible and holiday stories for each letter of the alphabet New York, Bloch Publishing Co................................. 2.25 THE ADVENTURES OF K’TONTON, Sadie R. W eilerstein — The experiences and adventures of a little Jew ish Tom Thumb New York, Bloch Publishing Co. .............................. 2.25 CANDLE LIGHT STORIES, Lillian B. Freehof E ight little tales for Chanukah New York, Bloch Publishing Co............................. ... 2.50 THE DREIDEL WHO W OULDN’T SPIN , Libby M. K laperm an — The adventures of a Dreidel in th e days before Chanukah (Ages 4 - 8 ) New York, Behrm an House .................................. 1 :00 HABIBI AND YOW, Althea O. Silverman — A boy and his dog celebrate the Jew ish holidays New York, Bloch Publishing C o . ............................ .. 2.25 MOLLY AND TH E SABBATH QUEEN Sadie R. W eilerstein — A little girl takes over the Shabbos preparations for her m other (Ages 4 - 8 ) New York, Behrm an House .............................. ... 1.00 WHAT DANNY DID, Sadie R. W eilerstein — A little boy celebrates the Jew ish Holidays New York, Bloch Publishing Co. . ........................... 2.25 W HAT T H E MOON BROUGHT, Sadie R. W eilerstein — Two little girls celebrate the Jew ish Holidays Phila, Jew ish Publication Society 2.50

FAIRY TALES AND LEGENDS THE BEA U TIFU L GARDEN AND OTHER BIBLE TALES, Elm a E. Levinger — A collection of Bible stories fo r children between 5 - 8 years of age New York, Bloch Publishing Co. .......................... 2.00 FAIRY TALES FROM GRANDFATHER’S BIG BOOK, E dith L. Calish — 13 folk tales fo r children from 7 - 1 0 years of age New York, Behrm an House .................................. 2.00 JE W IS H FAIRY TALES AND LEGENDS, ‘A unt Naom i’H p ll 25 stories draw n chiefly from Talmud and M idrash; for children between 8 -1 0 years New York, Bloch Publishing Co........................... 1.75 THE MAGIC RING AND O T H ER MEDIAEVAL TALES, Hyman Goldin— Stories fo r children between 8 - 1 0 years of age New York, Hebrew Publishing Co................. .. 2.00 The Maccabiah Sports Festival at the municipal stadium of Ramat Gan, participated in by Jewish

JEWS IN AMERICAN LIFE THE GOLDEN DOOR, Elm a E. Levinger — Stories of Jew ish life based on im p o rtan t events in the history of America (ages 1 2 -1 4 ) If _ « New York, Bloch Publishing Co................................. 2.50 THE JE W IN AMERICAN SPORTS, Harold U. Ribalow — Personality sketches and anecdotes of 25 Jew ish sport sta rs (ages 12 - 14) „ New York, Bloch Publishing Co.................. ........... o.uu

LIFE IN ISRAEL CHILDREN OF FREEDOM, Libbie L. Braverm an — Stories from the life of Israeli Children (ages 8 -1 0 ) ^ I H , _ ... , . ~ 9 f.a New York, Bloch Publishing Co.................. ........... 2.00 GAN-GANI — L ET US PLAY IN ISRAEL — A collection of Songs and Stories which Israeli children have enjoyed fo r m any years (ages 5 - 8 ) M | Sifre Israel, New York, distributor ...................... 3.50 HABIBI’S ADVENTURES IN TH E LAND OF ISRAEL, Althea O. Silverman — A little boy and his dog explore Israel (ages 8 -1 0 ) New York, Bloch Publishing Co................... .. ¿.ov THE L IT TL E TRACTOR WHO TRAVELED TO ISRAEL, Evelyn Greenberg — The story of a little tra c to r who traveled to Israel to take p a r t in the building of a new settlem ent (ages 4 - 8 ) H _ | „ * nn New York, Behrm an House ........................ *«wu MIRIAM COMES HOME, Yehuda H. Lewin — A story of Israel fo r young people (ages 14 and over) 1 I _ _ _ „ Wä »oe Boston, L. C. Page & Co............ ......... .

HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY GIANTS ON TH E EARTH Deborah Pessin — Biographies of famous Jew ish personalities from Columbus to our tim e (ages K H H H i tt___ 9 Kft New York, Behrm an House ........................ .. ¿.ou THEODOR HERZL, Deborah Pepsin — A biography (ages 11 -1 4 ) New York, Behrm an House ............ ........... . «-vu ROMANCE OF A PEO PL E, Howard F ast — A n arrativ e history of the Jew s (ages 14 and over) New York, Hebrew Publishing Co.......................... 2.50

MISCELLANEOUS FICTION THE ALEPH -BET STORY BOOK, Deborah Pessin — A group of stories in which each letter of the Hebrew Alphabet is taken through humorous ^adventures (ages 5 - 8 ) Phila., Jew ish Publication Society .................... .. 2.50 MICHAEL TURNS TH E GLOBE Deborah Pessin — Stories about Jew ish life in Persia, China, India and other foreign countries (ages 8 - 1 0 ) „ , w PrtTio. . . 2.25 New York, Union Am erican Hebrew Cong. Danny’s TH E STRANGE ADVENTURES OF DANNY NOOR, Shelomo Ben-Israel search for adventure and the Lost Ten Tribes (af?es 12 -1 4 ) New York, Behrm an House ........ ......................... athletes from all over the free world. (Eisenstark)

«SÎÏfi **

i W

i i W

1:

. . . how it was with us not quite a decade ago, How grievous our helplessness and despair V How wholly we mourned and how costly we paid, How fervently we pleaded and how devoutly we prayed And what happened — do you re­ member?

b y L illia n R ezn ick O ti

36

Do you remember how long we wept And how much (as though our tears were cheap), Until our entombed souls heard it whispered, Then spoken, Then openly proclaimed? A brave new world! Yes, a bright new charter of freedom, A new hope, A new faith, A new conscience And, as G-d had Himself done, The tearing apart of that all-perva­ sive darkness And the calling forth once more, Of the light that belongs to day When, so it was said, Each man’s soul shall be paroled into his own keep again — Do you remember?

Jewish LIFE

And do you remember, When at last the fires ceased to belch And those who had stoked their flame paused And crept forth to inventory the suc­ cess Of their devastation, Yea, do you remember how even they wept? The massed graves, The charred bones, The gruesome blasphemy of mortal violence . . . The utter vanity of it all gripped them, too, But only for the moment. For when the expert hand of greed Again swept the moral veil aside, They forgot what they proclaimed, They forgot what they have vowed, They forgot what they have re­ solved — Do you remember? Perhaps we were naive, Surely, we had reason to be weary, So we laid our tears to rest (Ere we knew result or test) And like them, We, too, forgot — Do you remember? But, now,

November - December, 1953

When the mass murder of innocent millions Has been ruled a bygone to be by­ gone, And the moral sensitivity of rulers is so depraved That our sons must justify their national heritage By guarding the murderers in the graveyards of their kindred And give of the fruits'of our labors To nurture the monster to new strength . . . yea, now, Do you remember what profounder faith had taught, What, in our historic ex perience, Will not stay forgot; That where G-d is not, Man is not, And righteousness is not, And justice is not, And charity is not, And vision is not, Nay, nor hope, Nor will, Nor logic, Nor purpose, And that only brute In whose nature brutality is inherent, Continues to thrive — Do you, so heavily bereft And so recently, Remember? Or dare to forget . . .

37

T R A D IT IO N A L * ^ * ? M O TIFS IN ISRAELS

B y H A R O L D U . R IB A L O W

DEAMS of paper have been ex­ pended in the United States by writers who described and de­ tailed the countless and impressive accomplishments of Israel. Yet the history of Israel's postage stamps has, in the main, been overlooked. This is a remarkable illustration of inexplicable apathy, for in the tiny bits of colored paper issued for postal use by the Israel Govern­ ment one can see reflected the very essence of a Jewish state and its reason for being. This writer has, for the past few months, been studying the history of Israel stamps and his most im­ pressive finding is embodied in the title of this article. The fact that Israel stamps are enormously pop­ ular in the United States; that these stamps earn large sums of money for Israel; that there are collectors all over the world who 38

snap up Israel's stamps — all these factors seemed far less important than the obvious fact that Medinath Israel has been delving deep into its history and religion to illustrate its stamps. It is no won­ der that many Hebrew schools in the United States use these stamps for educational purposes. These stamps are living evidence of the ingenuity and faith of the Jewish people throughout the ages. A brief survey of the religious and traditional stamps of Israel, there­ fore, should be both instructive and entertaining. ISRAEL, like other states, gives a good deal of thought to its commemorative issues, stamps re­ leased for special occasions. To the Jews of Israel the annual com­ memorative to which a collector can always look forward is the Jewish LIFE

Rosh Hashonah stamp, or what is The regular stamp issue of 1952, called in America the Festival for instance, is a large, beautiful Series. These stamps are attrac­ design of a menorah of the Second tive, but beyond that, they illumi­ Temple, which is a replica of the nate Jewish history and religion in menorah on the Arch of Titus in a way which is memorable. For Rome, surrounded by individual example, the current Rosh Hasho­ emblems of the twelve tribes of nah series of three stamps, for Israel. The 1949 Jerusalem issue the New Year 5714, depicts the stamp shows a design which high­ Holy Arks of three Israel syna­ lights the hills of Judea with the gogues. The 20 pruta stamp shows various roads leading to Jerusalem, a Holy Ark in Jerusalem. This the background depicting the walls Ark was located in Conegliano of the Old City with David's Tow­ Veneto, Italy, in a 17th century er in the center. Baroque Synagogue; it was brought And, of course, the stamp which to Jerusalem in 1952.* The 45 has elicited more favorable com­ pruta stamp depicts an Ark in ment than any other recently^ has Petah Tikvah and the expensive, been the excellent reproduction of 200 pruta stamp, shows an Ark the legendary features of Rambam, or Maimonides, the great Jewish in Safed. The stamps of 5713, a beautiful scholar, philosopher, religious lead­ series of four, contain designs of er and physician, one of the pillars figs, the rose of Sharon, a dove and of traditional Judaism. It is significant that of all Is­ nuts — each of them referring di­ rectly to a specific verse in the rael's stamps — there have been Song of Solomon. The 5712 set of about 100 — only three honor in­ three includes, apart from a pair dividual Jews. One, of course, is of carrier pigeons and a maiden, Theodor Herzl, the father of mod­ dove and fruits, an artistic por­ ern Zionism ; a second is Chaim trait of a Torah. The 5711, or 1950 Weizmann, on the occasion of his set, was painted by the late Arthur death; the third, Rambam. Szyk, and its motif is a group of religious symbols, including a lulav T H E BASIC Israel stamps, the and an ethrog. definitive issues, are definitely tied up with the ancient history of ■PHAT the Rosh Hashonah stamps the Jewish people. This is most A are based on the Jewish re­ evident in the first air-mail series ligion and religious symbols is, of and in the coin series of stamps. course, quite understandable. But Here, each stamp has a rich his­ an overwhelming majority of Is­ tory and requires a rather long rael's other stamps are genuinely explanation. While there is not Jewish in conception and design. sufficient space here to outline the complete background of each single * See Tishri, 5714 issue o f J ew ish L ife — stamp, a short survey will indicate Editor. November - December, 1953 39

1

some of the sources of Jewish his­ tory to which the Ministry of Posts has gone. For example, the series of six air-mail stamps issued in 1950 features six birds, all of which are reproductions of the work of Jew­ ish artists who, some 1500 to 2000 years ago, decorated synagogues and tombs with these pictures. The 30 pruta stamp, as an illustration, depicts the eagle of Beth Shearim, once the home of Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi and the Sanhedrin. The beautiful buildings of Beth Shea­ rim are mentioned in the Talmud and it is known that after Rabbi Yehudah died at Zippori, he was brought to his tomb in Beth Shearim. Ten years ago, the ruins of Beth Shearim were explored and a cemetery was discovered. In this cemetery a mausoleum was found and on it various artistic decora­ tions. An eagle found on the frieze is shown on the 30 pruta stamp. A simple picture of an eagle, per­ haps, but how much Jewish history 40

is involved in its explanation! The bird on the 40 pruta stamp was discovered in the mosaic floor of the ancient synagogue of Beth Alpha. Among other things, this mosaic shows various scenes, in­ cluding : the Binding of Isaac, ritu­ al objects such as a candelabrum, shofar, lulav, ethrog and the Torah shrine guarded by two lions and two birds. One of the birds is shown on this stamp. ■■pHE 250 pruta air-mail stamp shows a dove holding an olive leaf in its beak, which is inspired by the phrase in Bereyshith: And the dove came in to him at even­ tide and lo, in her mouth an olive leaf freshly plucked, so Noah knew that the waters were abated from the earth. This motif appears on the mosaic floor of the synagogue of Jerash in Jordan, which was built around the beginning of the fifth century of the common era and which later was destroyed when a church was erected over it. Jewish LIFE

A section of the floor remains, however, and it shows the sons of Noah and the animals leaving the Ark. The names of Shem and Japhet are written over their images arid some forty different animals and birds are shown. The bird on this stamp is exceptionally well drawn and so this stamp, like the other air-mail series, contains an enormous amount of Jewish and Biblical history on its tiny surface. The other definitive series, that of 1948, the coin series, shows the different coins used by the Jews during the wars of liberation against the Romans. Each of the stamps bears a different motto and all of them are directly connected with Jewish faith and future. It is something of a curiosity that none of these stamps bears the name of the state of Israel, for the

obvious reason that the stamps were minted before the name of the state was decided upon. Hence, the stamps read, in Hebrew, “Doar Ivri,” or Hebrew Post. Later stamps bear the name of Yisroel. jDHILATELY, or stamp collecting, ranks second to photography as a hobby in the United States. There are about 15,000,000 stamp collectors in this country, and more than 30,000 in the small land of Israel. Israel stamps are popular largely because collectors like to be able to start collecting stamps of a new country. But Jews should have a more-than-average interest in Israel stamps, particularly when they depict and highlight the religious, traditional and historic motifs of the Jewish people.

ANSWERS TO "BIBLE I.Q." 1. A braham (B ereyshith 18:6-8) 2. N oah (B ereyshith 9:20, 21) 3. Solom on's (Kings 10:21) 4. V ayikrah-D evorim 5. H a n n a h (I S am uel 2:19) 6. In the d a y s of G ideon (Judges 8:21, 26) 7. Iron (I K ings 6:7) 8. Psalm 23 9. Korah (Bem idbor 16 -17:1 -15) 10.12 m en (Bem idbor 13:2) 11. David (II S am uel 19:19)

12. Jacob (B ereyshith 31:4-7)

13. A hitophel (II S am uel 17:23) 16. Jubal (B ereyshith 4:21)

14. E sther

15. Jerem iah (32:9-14)

17. E sau (B ereyshith 26:34-35)

18. Proverbs (31:10-31) 19. Every F rid ay night. 20. E lijah (I K ings 17:17-23) a n d E lisha (I Kings 4:32-36) E ach correct a n sw e r counts 2 points. I! your score is from: 30-40, it is excellent; 20-28, good; 10-18, satisfactory; 0-8, poor.

November - December, 1953

41

j |

ISRAEL DISPATCH

By 1. H ALEVY-LEVIN

JERUSALEM ^■HE KNESSETH rose for its Summer Recess on August 27th, concluding a stormy though productive session, and certainly one of its most fruit­ ful years since its inauguration in 1949. The brunt of the legislative work under the Israel system (which derives in part from the procedure adopted in the Zionist Congresses) is borne by the various Knesseth Committees. All parties are represented on these Committees, but the Government Coalition possesses a majority, ihe debates are not public and the absence of any opportunity to play to the gallery creates a relatively responsible atmosphere in which the measures proposed can be discussed on their merits. Thus when the Bills emerge from Committee, to which they are sent after the First Reading in the Knesseth, they often incorporate useful suggestions emanating from the opposition. A promising feature of the year’s legislative work was the considera­ tion given to Bills of particular importance to the orthodox section of the community. This is the more notable in that the two major parties to the Coalition possessed a secure majority without the votes of their religious Coalition partners, and that these measures not infrequently encountered strong opposition within the ranks of both the Israel Labor and General Zionist parties. Z io n ist R o le D e fin e d

■PHE first Bill to be passed in the course of the year, the Zionist Organiza­ tion Status Bill, has something of a history behind it. The Bill was originally introduced in August 1952, following a resolution taken by the 42

Jewish LIFE

Twenty-Third Zionist Congress. As passed by the Knesseth, it recognizes the World Zionist Organization (whose executive body is the Jewish Agency) as the “authorized agency” of the Jewish people in the Diaspora for the upbuilding of the Jewish State. During its Second Reading a year ago, an amendment was introduced to the first draft of the Bill and passed, replac­ ing this definition with the term “the representative organization of the Jewish people.” (This latter phrasing, incidentally, is more in keeping with the relevant Zionist Congress resolution.) The Government fearful of offending both Zionist and non-Zionist opin­ ion, especially in the United States, by use of this wider formula of the functions of the World Zionist Organization, withdrew the Zionist Organiza­ tion Status Bill in a flurry to prevent it from becoming law. Reintroduced in November 1952, with the offending passage deleted and the original word­ ing replaced, the Bill empowers the Government to sign a Convention with the Zionist Organization, governing the functions of .the latter in the State of Israel, which are defined as the organization and implementation of the immigration, absorption and settlement of Jews from abroad in the State of Israel. With the consent of the Government and the Knesseth, the Zionist Organization is authorized to broaden its basis. (The minor controversy in the recent plenary session of the Jewish Agency, regarding the proposal to grant representation in the World Zionist Organization to Non-Zionists will be recalled in this context.) Provision is also made for the creation of a “Co-ordinating Committee” to regulate the relations between the two bodies. Such an institution — the Mossad Letium — is already in existence, but is scarcely operative. The Zionist Organization is also exempt from taxation. Thus, it will be seen, the new Zionist Organization Status Act is an in­ nocuous document, introducing nothing new in the relations between the Government and the Zionist Organization, unless the Convention, when it is eventually drafted and signed, can be so regarded. T h e J u d ic ia r y

Judges Act, covering the qualifications, appointment, emoluments and THEterm of office of the members of the three branches of Israel's Judiciary — the Supreme Court, the District and Magistrate's Courts — is undoubtedly one of the most important pieces of legislation passed by the Knesseth. The main bone of contention in the debate on this Bill was the guaran­ tees of the independence of the Judiciary. The Bill lays down that all ap­ pointments to the Bench are to be made by the President of the State, acting upon the advice of a special nine-man Appointments Board, which is to comprise the President of the Supreme Court (Israel's Chief Justice); two Justices of the Supreme Court, approved by the whole Bench and

November - December, 1953

43

elected for a period of three years; the Minister of Justice and one other member of the Cabinet; two members of the Knesseth, elected by secret ballot; and two practicing attorneys, elected by the Israel Bar Association and approved by the Minister of Justice. These last two will serve for a term of three years. Nominations may be put forward by the President of the Supreme Court, the Minister of Justice, or any three members of the Appointments Board and will be decided by a simple majority of the mem­ bers of the Board participating in the voting. Members — other than those elected for a term of three years — will serve on the Board for as long as they hold office. TTHE MAIN argument of the opposition was that the independence of the * Judiciary would be jeopardized by the fact that six appointments to the Board are entirely or indirectly under the control of the Government. These are the two Cabinet Ministers, the two Members of the Knesseth and the two members of the Bar who must, as mentioned, be approved by the Minister of Justice. An interesting clause in the Act allows the Appointments Board to nominate, by a three-quarters majority, an “outstanding jurist” to the Su­ preme Court. The purpose is to make it possible to appoint Jewish jurists overseas to judicial posts in Israel. The independence of the judges and magistrates is safeguarded by a clause providing that in the execution of their judicial duties they shall be subject only to the law. Appointments are for life, with a pensioned re­ tirement age of seventy. With the exception of resignation, members of the Judiciary can be removed from office only by a special five member Dis­ ciplinary Tribunal, appointed by the Justices of the Supreme Court, who will also constitute a majority of the Tribunal’s membersr R a b b in ic a l C o u r t s

TWO OTHER Bills governing the administration of justice, which are A of particular interest to orthodox Jews, were passed during the year. They are the Rabbinical Courts (Validation of Appointments) Act and the Rabbinical Courts (Marriage and Divorce) Act. The former is a technical piece of legislation, making permanent 1. appointments already made to the Rabbinical Courts and 2. the functioning of thesq courts, effected for only one year by a similar measure passed last year. From the religious point of view, the Marriage and Divorce Act must be regarded as a basic law. It recognizes the exclusive jurisdiction of the Rab­ binical Courts in all matters of marriage, divorce, alimony and maintenance of minors, affecting Jewish citizens in the State of Israel. Henceforth, the Rabbinical Courts may order a husband to divorce his wife and a wife to accept a divorce. However, since the jurisdiction of the Rabbinical Courts 44

Jewish LIFE

is restricted to matters of personal status, in the event of the refusal of any of the parties to comply with the Rabbinical Court ruling the District Court is empowered, upon the application of the Attorney General, to en­ force the Rabbinical Court order by imprisonment. The Rabbinical Court can also order the giving of chaliizah to a widow by her brother-in-law. Taking into account the strong views held on this subject and the in­ fluential body of opinion pressing for the institution of civil marriage, it is noteworthy that the Marriage and Divorce Bill was opposed in the Knesseth only by the extreme left-wing parties (reinforced by a single Progressive Member), with the Minister of Justice and a few members of Israel Labor abstaining. F in a n c ia l M e a s u r e s

iPWO MAJOR financial measures, designed mainly to fight inflation, were passed during the year the Compulsory Loan (or Levy) and the Income Tax Advance Acts. The Compulsory Loan (or Levy) applies to various classes of property, including buildings, plantations, land, equipment, vehicles, domestic animals, raw materials and non-finished goods, held on April 1, 1952. The loan is to be subscribed within three years, according to a schedule incorporated in the Act, ranging from 4W% on half of the property valued at IL. 10,000 to 10%' on property valued at above IL. 65,000. The Loan is due for re-

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November - December, 1953

45

payment within eighteen years and bears interest at the rate of 2%% per annum. Property owners are allowed the option of a Levy (which is non­ repayable) amounting to one-half of the amount of the Loan due. The goal of the Act has been set as the raising of IL. 45 million. Exempt from payment of the Loan (or Levy) are foreign missions, the United Nations, the Jewish Agency, local government authorities and the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association. Ostensibly introduced to finance unemployment relief, the Income Tax Advance Act was drafted mainly with the same deflationary object in view as the Compulsory Loan. The schedule of the tax advance, which is to be deducted from Income Tax payable in the years 1954/55, 1955/56, and 1956/57, ranges from IL. 15 on annual incomes in (1952/53) of IL. 1,500 to IL. 650 on incomes above IL. 6,900. According to one estimate IL. 13 million out of the 15 millions which it is hoped to raise will be paid by the IL. 1,500-IL. 2,400 income brackets. The act must accordingly be regarded as intended to maintain a degree of equity between the various classes of the community in the incidence of anti-inflationary measures. ■PHE YAD Veshem Act, passed in the final stages of the Summer Session, grants Israeli citizenship posthumously to the six million Jewish martyrs who lost their lives during the Nazi domination of Europe. The Act provides for the establishment of a Yad Veshem Memorial Authority, the members of which will be appointed by the Minister of Education and Culture. It also envisages the proclamation of a Day of Remembrance to be observed through­ out the world. The Minister of Education has already intimated that repre­ sentation on the Memorial Authority will be granted to the World Jewish Congress, the Jewish Agency and other world Jewish bodies to ensure its international Jewish character. The object of the Supreme Institute for the Hebrew Language Bill is to create an official body to take over the functions hitherto performed by the Vaad Haloshon and to act as the supreme authority in all matters per­ taining to Hebrew language, grammar, orthography and transcription. The Board of the Institute will comprise fifteen to twenty-three members who will be appointed for life, one quarter of whom may reside in the Diaspora. Because of objections raised by Moshe Sharett (himself a noted linguist and Hebrew purist) to the word akademiah as a foreign term, the name of the new Institute has accordingly been left to the decision of its members. E d u c a tio n A n d th e S t a t e

T H E most revolutionary of all legislation passed during the year was unA doubtedly the State Education Act, fundamentally altering the basis of education in this country. This act sets up only two types of educational institutions — “State Schools" and “State Religious Schools,” though grant-

46

Jewish LIFE

ing official recognition to other schools not under state control. Its implica^ tions are best appreciated when it is recalled that in the 1952/53 school year there were 1,600 schools under control of the Histadruth (including those affiliated to its Oved Dathi), 593 controlled by the General ZionistsProgressives, 565 of the Mizrachi-Hapoel Hamizrachi grouping, 264 of the Agudah and 135 claiming to be independent. The Bill sets forth its purpose as being “to base elementary education in the State” (only elementary schools are covered by the Compulsory Edu­ cation Act) “upon the values of Israel, the achievements of science, love of Homeland, and loyalty to the People and the State of Israel; on training in agriculture and trades, on pioneering and on the aspirations towards freedom, tolerance, mutual aid and love of mankind.” ■PHE State Education Act provides for the formulation of a standard cur­ riculum obligatory in all State schools, comprising 75% of their pro­ gramme of studies, and alternative supplementary programmes, comprising 25% of the curriculum to meet the specific wishes of parents. Two Advisory Councils, one for State Education, the other for State Beligious Education, are to be set up to assist in the administration of the Act. The Act further allows schools where two-thirds of the parents of the children attending so desire to opt for the status of a “recognized school,” which will enjoy con­ siderable autonomy. These schools will have the authority to engage and dismiss teachers, although their curricula must be approved by the Minister of Education. They will be granted a substantial annual subvention. The majority of the parents of the 25,000 children attending Agudist schools are expected to choose the status of “recognized schools.” However, the ac­ ceptance by Dr. K. Kahane, M.K. (formerly Deputy Minister of Education), a leader of the Poale Agudath Israel, of an appointment to the Advisory Council on Education, indicated that schools controlled by this party may choose to remain within the State system. Mapam (the extreme left-wing United Workers Party), on the other hand, which within the general frame­ work of the Histadruth School Grouping controls the schools in its own settlements, openly threatened “to turn the law into a scrap of paper.” W o m en 's C o n s c r ip t io n

—

C o m p ro m is e

T H E MOST controversial measure of the year was the National Service * for Women Act. The passage of this Bill was marked by unprecedented public demonstrations of opposition. The object of the Bill is to provide alternative forms of national service for young women between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, who under the Defense Act are liable to a period of twenty-four months service, but who object to military service on conscientious or religious grounds. The forms of service set forth in the Bill are work in a religious agricultural settlement or institution, in an

November - December, 1953

47

Israeli Army office, an immigrant camp, or in a social welfare, educational or medical institution, or any other institution that may be determined by the Minister of Labor. Two major concessions to religious opinion written into; the Bill were the placing of its administration under the authority of the Ministry of Labor and the grant of explicit permission to religious girls to sleep in their own* homes and not in army barracks. The strength of the opposition to the Bill surprised its sponsors, and especially the religious parties, which had accepted it as a reasonable com­ promise between religious objections to conscription of women and military service. At the same time it raised some public discussion of the utility from the national (and military) point of view of the conscription of young women for service in the army and especially of the advisability of com­ pelling them to live in army barracks. K

LAW which will go far towards settling the position of the 175,000 Arabs in Israel, is the Acquisition of Land Act. This Act is intended to resolve difficulties in respect of ownership of land requisitioned during the War of Liberation for security reasons and (in regard to tracts in the Little Triangle — the Arab villages east of Nathania) for development purposes, when their owners were still on the other side of the border. Of necessity, in view of the fact that settlements and other development proj­ ects have already been established on these lands, the new law embodies a realistic approach. It seeks to reconcile the exigencies of national defense and development on the one hand with the right of the original owners on the other by the payment of compensation or the grant of land of equal value elsewhere. The present law affects an area of 250,000 dunams of land and will involve the payment of many millions of pounds. In 1950, it is interesting to note, steps were already taken for the payment of com­ pensation for Arab urban land requisitioned under similar circumstances. So far Israel has paid a total of IL. 15 million on this account. The year’s legislative work included the passage of a number of other Bills of considerable internal importance. The Anatomy and Pathology Act gave the Hebrew University Medical School the right to use unclaimed bodies for dissection; the Cooperative Houses Act allowed for the separate registration of ownership of flats in cooperative buildings; and the Tenants Protection (New Tenants) Act removed the incidence of rent restrictions on buildings completed after January 1, 1953 and on industrial premises erected as improved undertakings under the provisions of the Capital In­ vestment Encouragement Law. ■RETENTION must be made, in conclusion, of a number of major Bills al* * ready discussed by the Government and the Knesseth, but which wii. only reach their Third Reading and be translated into Law in the course of the forthcoming Session. 48

Jewish LIFE

Chief Rabbi Hertzog and other dignitaries at funeral cortege of the Late Sephardi Chief Rabbi Ben Zion Meir Hai Uziel. (Eisenstark)

One of these is the Extradition Bill providing for the extradition of an Israeli citizen accused of a penal offense (which in Israel is punishable by a minimum of three years imprisonment) in some other country, to stand trial in that country. The Bill follows the practice current in English-speak­ ing countries. European states do not usually extradite their own nationals for crimes committed abroad. However, it must be recalled that under Is­ rael’s Law of Return, any Jew setting foot in this country may automatically acquire its citizenship. Thus if the European model were followed the country would rapidly develop into an asylum for Jewish criminals^ fleeing from justice, while many states would refuse to enter into extradition agree­ ments with Israel precisely on these grounds. ^NTHER BILLS awaiting final approval are: the Crimes Against the State Act, which is to replace the Emergency Regulations of the Mandatory period, still on the Israel Statute Book; the Civil Servants and Civil Servants Pensions Bills, providing a legal framework for the employment of public officials; and legislation governing the establishment of a state bank. November - December, 1953

49

The Incredible World of The Blind B y JA C O B F R E ID

THE FACE OF THE DEEP By Jacob Twersky, World Publishing Co., Cleveland and New York, 1953, pp. 333, $3.50. A S literature this book is unique. ^ It is the only novel by a blind writer about the unknown and in­ credible world of the blind whose “Face of the Deep” is laid bare by the gifted, sensitive pen of Jacob Twersky. “The Face of the Deep” is an evocative, poignant dramatization of the lives of those who dwell in dark­ ness. This book must be counted as a majbr *open sesame” to the gate bar­ ring the way to the sighted worlds understanding of blindness and the continuing struggle of the blind for normality, in a world which more fre­ quently than not refuses to concede it to them economically, socially and psychologically, despite their ability to achieve it in many instances. 50

Out of his dual consciousness as a warrior in this struggle, and as a Jew, the writer has poured the sear­ ing, yet beautiful lines of this book. To this reviewer it is like the call of Amos — for our sighted people in their relations with the unsighted to “establish justice in the gate.” (Amos, 5:15) The author, Jacob Twersky, is 33 years old, totally blind since child­ hood, and descended from a wellknown orthodox rabbinical family. Since the first issue of the Jewish Braille Review in 1931 he has beer a subscriber to this monthly maga­ zine for the Jewish blind, and an omnivorous reader of the books of the Jewish Braille Library. Jacob Twersky filled the void of his youth with his rich cultural and religious inheritance. In Europe not only were ordinary schools not for the blind, but blind schools were not for the Jewish blind. But once in Jewish LIFE

tant to G-d.” He signals his eventual victory with the determination and drive which the blind must provide to achieve the ordinary triumphs that are ours without asking: “I'm going to have a Bar Mitzvah, do you hear?” ^IiriTH deep insight into the prob­ From Grandpa he learns the He­ lem of the transmission of Juda­ brew prayers. The old patriarch, a ism to the new generations in America, sage in Israel, asks the youth if he Twersky sets the stage for his pro­ wonders why he must thank his par­ tagonist's blindness. It was time for ents for bringing him up as a Jew evening prayers and Joe Berkowitz when they have taught him virtually and his grandfather quickened their nothing about Judaism. He tells the steps to the synagogue. It was while blind boy that it is because of his crossing the street that the car hit parents that he is a Jew, and so it is right to thank them, and then he him and he was left sightless. Blind. To Joey's mother her boy's adds in emotion charged words: “Many Jews have suffered and died fate was not only cruel of G-d whom she had all but forgotten, it was because of the ideals they prized, vicious. “Her darling Joey to become though they did no one harm. Many like one of those blind men in the others have been tormented and killed streets, groping along fearfully. How merely because they were born Jews. All your ancestors were Jews, Yuswould she be able to bear it?" And when Joey was thirteen Mama selleh.” Grandpa knew the meaning objected to a Bar Mitzvah for him. of Kiddush Hashem. To Mrs. BerkoWitz it was “stuff and nonsense anyway.” But Joey was not 7J S A “Sagi Nahor,” the Talmud's to be denied his right to become a term for a blind person who fullfledged member of the House of possesses the larger vision, Twersky Israel — because he was blind. “A has here contributed a vital work Bar Mitzvah,” he insists, “is impor­ with meaning for all of us.

the United States, Jacob Twersky at­ tended braille class in public school, graduated City College and took his Ph.D. at New York University. To­ day he is an instructor of history at C.C.N.Y.

A New Approach By HUGO MANDELBAUM

BINAH BEMIKRA, Reflections on the weekly portions of the Torah based on commentary literature, by Rabbi Issachar Jacobson, Sinai Publishing House, Tel Aviv, pp. 224, U. S. distributor, Philip FeldNovember - December, 1953

heim, New York, $2.40. (Hebrew) gIN AH BEMIKRA is unique among its kind in three ways: first by its origin; second by the audience to which it is addressed; and third by its approach to the problem of com51

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Jewish LIFE

meriting upon a text which has, in the course of time, already created a host of commentaries. The book originated in the form of broadcasts over “Kol Yisroel,” the Israeli radio station — a novel origin for a work of this kind. Therefore, the audience to which it is aimed is also quite unusual for a book of this type. It is not addressed to the lamdonim who are looking for a ckiddush, nor to the more or less homogeneous group of worshippers in an orthodox synagogue. It is ad­ dressed to a broad radio audience with diverse attitudes, ranging from those who wish to complement their weekly “shenayim mikra veechod targum” by a quarter-hour derashah, to those whose approach to the Bible is based on intellectual curiosity about a literature whose loftiness and sanc­ tity they have no tools to compre­ hend, but whose impelling influence they feel deeply. ■■PO HOLD the interest of such a diversified audience is no easy task, requiring a mind versed both in Talmudical and commentary liter­ ature, as well as in the philosophical and intellectual problems that beset modem man, nurtured as he is on secular literature and science. The method by which the author meets this difficulty is surprisingly simple. From each weekly portion, one prob­

November - December, 1953

lem is chosen which has general in­ terest and may serve as a central theme for the understanding of that particular section of the Scriptures, as well as of Judaism in its totality. This problem is studied in the light of ideas and explanations offered by the. commentators, starting with those of the Talmudic period down to the more recent, including the best of the contemporaries. However, Binah Bemikra is not merely an anthology of commentar­ ies. The sources are used rather to show the various aspects of the se­ lected problems. In this way, the reader is able to understand them as issues of eternal depth and broadness. ■PHE treatment of each theme is A precise and to the point, with­ out lengthy introductions and longwinded conclusions. The reader is left to draw his own conclusions. One may question the choice of some of the central themes, but all fall into the category: be careful with the slightest Mitzvah as with the most serious one, because you are not the judge of its value. Binah Bemikrah fills a real need and will stimulate a “way of learn­ ing” which has become more or less neglected. May many derive spiritual satisfaction and growth ¡from the contents of Rabbi Jacobson’s sefer.

53

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54

Jewish LIFE

1

TF 2118 years ago tape recording had theless aided by two distinctive com­ been in vogue as it is today, a man ponents of the traditional lighting called Yehudah the Maccabee, of ceremony: The three berochoth in­ Modein, might have preserved for troduced since the time of the first posterity one of the most colorful Amoraim (C. 210 C. E.), and the and triumphant scenes in Jewish hymn Ma’oz Tzur composed accord­ annals. The festive rededication of ing to the acrostic by Mordecai, an the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, exact­ Ashkenazic poet of the 13th century.* ly three years after its desecration, Both of these have been plentifully was accompanied by the Levites’ re­ recorded, together with*many Chan­ sounding trumpets and jubilant ukah songs of our modern age which songs, in addition to prayerful ser­ deal with such “ minhogim” as spin­ vices attending the rekindling of the ning the dreidel and preparing lotkes. golden Menorah. The following Chanukah record­ Having no such aural account, and ings, produced by Reena Record Cor­ thus being left with our individual poration, 130 West 42nd St., New imagination to recreate the Chanu­ York 36, N, Y., are particularly kah spirit in our homes, we are never­ recommended. * The well-known tune is of German origin. Idelsohn traces it partly to a chorale by M artin L uther composed in 1523 and partly to a German battle song composed in 1504. He w rites in his book “ Jew ish Music” : “ The two German songs penetrated into the Ghetto, and were fused in the mind of some Jew ish singer into one tune and used for the joyous theme of the victory of the Maccabees . . . The poem, however, was sung lo n j before the invention of the presen t tune, a n d ' it had another melody in 1450.”

November - December, 1953

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Jewish LIFE

CHANUKAH IN SONG AND STORY, narrated by Albert H. Ar­ kus, with music arranged and sung by Seymour Silbermintz. Two 7” un­ breakable 78 RPM records Nos. A 107 and A 108, price $1.08 (also avail­ able on one 45 RPM record,' price 89c). J t FAIRLY embracive selection for ^ the youngsters, with a Chanukah party background, these records are presented in a most appealing man­ ner. The oiily criticism we voice is the regretiul omission of the third berochah. To some the Sephardic pronunciation may sound unfamiliar. (The controversy of Ashkenazic* ver­ sus Sephardic reading of our prayers on records will be the subject of a future discussion in these* columns.) The transliterated Hebrew texts; without *English translation are in­ cluded in the jacket. The playing time of over 5 minutes for each little plastic disc compares favorably with the old shellac ten inchers. THE EIGHTH LIGHT, a Chanu­ kah Story written and told by Heidy; music arranged by Ivan Lane; direct­ ed by Albert H. Arkus. One 10” un­ breakable 78 RPM record No. S 10002, price $1.08. A N EXCITING children’s story, ^ having as its topic the refusal of the eighth light atop the Great Synagogue in Tel Aviv to let itself be kindled by “Father Shamash.” It will be quite touching for our young friends to discover why Number Eight finally changed its mind. The recording is clear, and — like many Reena records — of much educa­ tional value. November - December, 1953

TN RESPONSE to repeated requests we list below, without comment, recommended recording selections. These records, comprising Biblical, liturgical, folksong and folklore sub­ jects, reflect the predilection of this reviewer, not necessarily the excel­ lence of performance dr musical reproduction. BLOCH: ABODAH and R A V EL : KAD P IS H , played, by Yehudi Menuhin (Violin) One 12” Victor 78 RPM Record No. V-15887. HAYDN: THE CREATION, complete ora­ torio for soloists, chorus and orchestra; sung in German (w ith E nglish tex t included in album ). Three 12” L P records, Haydn So­ ciety No. 2005, list price . .$17.85. M ENDELSSOHN: E L IJA H , complete ora­ torio fo r soloists, chorus and orchestra; sung in English. Three 12” L P records, Columbia No. SL-155, list price ............... $17.35. KOL REEN A, traditional melodies fo r Sab­ bath Service, perform ed by Seymour Silber­ m intz and ensemble. Three 10” unbreakable 78 RPM records in album. Yeshiva U ni­ versity, N.Y.C., price .................................$8.95. ^ (Reviewed in Sivan issue) GRACE A FTE R MEALS (B irchath H am ozon), sung by Seymour Silbermintz and ensemble. One 12” unbreakable 78 RPM rec­ ord w ith complete text. Yeshiva University, N. Y. C., price ...................... ....$ 2 .5 0 (Reviewed in Sivan issue) SING PA LESTIN E, an album of Song« sung by Moshe Nathanson. Four 10” shellac 78 RPM records in album with complete text. Metro Records No. P-1, price . . . . . . . . .$4.72. TALES FROM TH E OLD COUNTRY, three stories by Sholom Aleichem, adapted and narrated in English by Howard Da Silva. Two 12” unbreakable 78 RPM records in album.y Decca Specialty Series No. D U - 5, price ............ $4.85

CHILDREN'S RECORDS STORIES FROM TH E BIBLE, containing “And So I t Began,” “N oah And His A rk” and “ Joseph” ; told by Albert H. Arkus. One 10” L P Record No. LP-1, Reena Record Corp., list price $2.85 (each of the three stories is also available singly in separate sleeves on 10” ,78 RPM a t ......... $1.08). H EBREW SONGS FOR CHILDREN, sung by Seymour Silbermintz. Two 10” unbreakable 78 RPM records in album. Minedco Records No. M -l, price .............................................. $3.20. (Reviewed in A v issue) SABBATH SONGS FOR CHILDREN, per­ formed by Seymour Silbermintz w ith choral ensemble. Two 10” unbreakable 78 RPM rec­ ords in album. Minedco Records No. M-2, price ............................................. ....$ 3 .2 0 . (Reviewed in A v issue)

57

58

Jewish LIFE

Chicago, Illinois Last week, Tuesday September 22nd, to be exact, I was working on our Sukkah. Many of our Christian neighbors inquired about my reason for building a booth. While I was en­ gaged in explaining the passage of the Bible where the Lord commanded us to live in booths, one of my Jewish neighbors (an elderly lady) joined us. My Christian neighbor asked her why she wasn’t building a Sukkah. To this she replied that in America her family never built a Sukkah; but in Russia where she was born, her hus­ band always built one. When my Jewish neighbor left, my

Christian friend made the following comment. “This is something I don’t under­ stand, Leon. In Russia, where the Jewish people were always perse­ cuted, they did their best to follow their religious laws. But here in Am­ erica, the finest country of the world, they seem to think that they don’t have to follow the Commandments of the Lord. Why is this?” This is an interesting question, and I wonder whether you or any of your readers would care to answer or com­ ment on it. Leon Schaechter

A SUBSCRIBER DISAGREES

Fort Wayne, Indiana As a subscriber to your magazine I do not expect to agree with all that is published in it. I am sure that you do not expect everyone to agree with your editorial stand unless they are orthodox Jews. I am not an orthodox Jew. I am a member of a Conservative synagogue in Fort Wayne where my children at­ tended the Sunday School and week­ day (afternoon) religious school. Be­ cause of the nature of my position in the Jewish community, I feel that I also know a good deal about Reform Judaism. I am mentioning these facts because I am deeply concerned about the problems of Jewish religious life November - December, 1958

in America and how to enable the Jew to live as a Jew in a predominantly non-Jewish cultural environment. My purpose in writing is to tell you that while it is your privilege to say so, I disagree with the statements in your reply to Mr. Turteltaub (June 1953 issue) to the effect that Conserv­ ative and Reform Judaism are incom­ patible with Judaism proper and “these cults, by their very nature, can­ not co-exist in the same body with it.” I don’t know of any Reform rabbi or teacher who believed that “the aim of such groups (Reform or Conserva­ tive) is the obliteration of authentic Judaism.” 59

and at the 10 SOVA IS­ RAEL STORES convenient­ ly located in all principal cities in Israel, they can select the things they really want . . . the finest quality KOSHER foods and a va­ riety of Kosher food parcels priced from $9.80 to $27.50, each one truly a fine food value.

SOVA ISRAEL STORES, INC., 45 W. 45th St., N.Y.C. 36. C l 5-5500 D ow ntow n: 156 R ivington St.# OPEN SUNDAYS

Gold’s 100% - pure

HORSERADISH Famous for Quality and Kashruth

60

Jewish LIFE

I further question how you can say that “Reform poses as vital a threat to Judaism as does totalitarian­ ism to democracy.” From what I have learned about Judaism and the history of our people there has been constant reform in our religious life, dating back from the earliest times and all through the period of our contacts with the many nations, he they Baby­ lonia, Persia, Greece, etc. Judaism has been enriched by these slow changes which have taken on Jewish values. The fact that Judaism has

survived over the centuries shows that reform, in one way or another helped instead of hindered the Jews. That is all I want to say. American Jews will remain Jews as long as they believe in G-d, the peoplehood of the Jewish people and value our Jewish heritage. There can be more than the orthodox way of being a Jew and I would be the last person to say that Reform and Conservative Jews “are motivated by the abandonment of a basically Jewish approach to life.” Joseph Levine.

O ur Repl y Our answer to Mr. Turteltaub, to as totalitarianism to democracy.” In which this correspondent refers, ap­ the nature of things, triumph for Re­ plied to the inherent character and form, Heaven forfend, would spell the consequences of Reformism as such, destruction of authentic Judaism. It is quite correct to say that since rather than the expressed aims of its individual spokesmen. Not that there the earliest times there has been re­ is now or has been in the past any form in our religious life. That is be­ lack of expression of hostility to or­ cause the Jewish faith is of its very thodox Judaism among Reform lead­ nature G-d’s instrument for human ers! A glance at the records and lit­ reform. Judaism is addressed to reform of man’s en­ erature of the Reform movement will total reform tire being, the sanctification of the in­ dispel any illusion on that point. The incompatibility of Reformism dividual and society. Reform that is with true Judaism is self-evident in truly Jewish, however, comes and has the fact that basic Jewish beliefs, such ever come from within the Jew, as the Divine origin, inspiration and taught, inspired, impelled and guided authority of the Bible are rejected by his Torah, and thence impressed by Reform. These opposing beliefs by him . upon his environment. This are co-extensive with opposing atti­ true Jewish reform is the constant tudes and values, affecting every as­ subjection of life’s demands to the pect of life. The same Jew cannot requirements of the Torah. The Al­ simultaneously believe in traditional mighty has given us, believing Jews Judaism and Reform, maintain sim­ maintain, through the hands of Moses ultaneously the Jewish and Reformed and the Prophets and Sages who fol­ attitude to life. No more can the lowed him, immutable mitzvoth and; same Jewish congregation, community eternal teaching, in everlasting Script ture and unceasingly fertile Oral tra­ or people. The Reform groups address them­ dition, a Supreme plan of life applic­ selves to Jewry, their sole potential able everywhere and at all times. It source of constituents. By under­ is incumbent upon us that we have mining the Judaism of a single Jew, the faith and purpose to learn this Reform automatically impoverishes Torah, to know it through the teach­ the entire Jewish people. If it cap­ ings of those who are its qualified tures numbers, the havoc is the great­ authorities, and to apply the Torah er.- And since Reform aspires to ac­ and fulfill it. Very different is the attitude of ceptance by Jewry at large, it thereby “poses as vital a threat to Judaism Reform — with the capital R. The 61 November - December, 1953

Great in Vienna Greater in New York

...

Strictly

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Schreiber meals served on request by leading international airlines.

WORLD’S FINEST

MATZOS AND KOSHER FOOD PRODUCTS ARON STREITJ(jC v 150 RIVINGTON ST., NEW YORK

Hotel Diplomat Kosher Kitchen is under the supervision of Rabbi Abraham Reichlin Hotel D iplom at can accom m odate from 50 to 1,000 people.

J. Edward Saltzman, owner and caterer

108 W est 43rd St,, N ew York Telephone: RRyant 9-2487 - 8 - 9

62

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 of Eight Slices RICHER IN TASTE SU PER IO R IN QUALITY

A pproved b y R abbi Dr. J. Breuer Also ask fo r our Schm erling’s kosher imported Swiss Gruyere Cheese

SCHNALL PRODUCTS CO. Brooklyn 25, N. Y.

Jewish LIFE

re fo rm th e y ad v o ca te — w h e th e r des­ ig n a te d a s L ib e ra l, C o n se rv a tiv e o r R ad ical —4 o rig in a te s fro m o u tsid e th e Jew , fro m beyond th e T o ra h . N o t th e Je w is h b u t th e g e n tile s ta n d a rd fo rm s th e ir code of v alu es. N o t th e re fo rm o f life to th e T o ra h re q u ire m e n t do th e y te a c h , b u t th e re fo rm o f th e T o ra h to th e code o f co n fo rm ity . W e offer a n a m e n d m e n t to M r. L e­ v in e ^ closing s ta te m e n t. A m e ric a n Je w s w ill re m a in Je w s a s lo n g a s th e y live th e b e lie f in G-d a n d th e d iv ­

in ity o f H is T o ra h , th e p u r p o s e f u l peoplehood of Is ra e l a n d th e s u p r e m e v a lu e o f o u r Je w is h h e rita g e . T h a t th e r e can be no o th e r th a n th is , th e o rth o d o x w a y o f b e in g a Je w is s u f ­ ficien tly d e m o n s tra te d in th e sa d h a r ­ v e st o f R e fo rm a c tiv ity . W h e re , in th e scene o f to d a y , a r e to be fo u n d th e d e sc e n d a n ts o f th e R e fo rm fo llo w ers o f a n e a rlie r g e n e ra tio n ? R e fo rm c a n ­ n o t su rv iv e R e fo rm ; in th e H o u se o f Is ra e l, th e f a i th o f Is ra e l alo n e c a n e n d u re . — E d ito r.

"BORO PARK" — POSTSCRIPT enced a re a l “ com e-back” a n d is f a s t N ew Y ork, N ew Y o rk re c a p tu rin g its coveted p lace am o n g In r e p o r tin g on th e com bined F r i ­ o u r H o u ses o f w o rsh ip . I t h a s p a in e d d ay n ig h t fo ru m s sp o n so red b y th e th e h a rd -w o rk in g le a d e rs o f th e con­ la r g e r co n g re g a tio n s (in th e a rtic le g re g a tio n , I h a v e come to le a rn , to “ B oro P a r k ,” J e w i s h L i f e , T is h ri find t h a t th e ir sy n a g o g u e w a s le f t 5714) I n eg lec ted to in clu d e th e w ello u t o f th e B oro P a r k p ic tu re . T h ey know n B ’n a i Y eh u d a S y n a g o g u e a s c e rta in ly d eserv e some m en tio n . one o f th e c o o p e ra tin g g ro u p s. T h is D r. Jo se p h K a m in e tsk y fine sy n ag o g u e h a s, o f la te , ex p e ri-

/ 4

P ie c C w te

1 YEAR — $1.75 — 6 Issues THREE YEARS for $4.00 — 18 Issues E nter n a m e s a n d a d d re sse s b elow a n d se n d w ith check to:

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305 Broadway, New York 7, N. Y. Send G i f t S u b s c r ip tio n t o : 1 yr. 3 yrs. ------------- Q

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November - December, 1953

63

UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF A M E R I C A

K osher com m odities and establishm ents under official © supervision and en­ dorsem ent.

KASHRUTH DIRECTORY I s s u e d C h esh van , 5714 — N o v e m b e r , 1953

LOOK FOR THE (

0) SEAL - AND BE SURE!

The (0) seal is your g u aran tee of communallyresponsible K ash ru th supervision and endorsem ent, conducted as a public service by th e Union of O rthodox Jew ish C ongregations of A m erica—UOJC. A ll item s in th is D irecto ry are (0), receive th e con­ s ta n t inspection of and are passed upon b y the R abbinical Council of A m erica, R abbinic body of th e U nion of O rthodox Jew ish Congregations. CONSUM ERS A R E CAUTIONED TO: • M ake sure th a t th e © seal is on th e label of every food product. • M ake sure th a t th e seal shown on th e label is th e © — bew are o f im itatio n s! • R ead c arefu lly th e lis t o f in g red ien ts of each ©§ p ro d u ct to a scertain w h eth er it is a m eat or d a iry product. The © does n o t necessarily m ean th a t th e p ro d u ct is P areve.

P le a se n o te th a t the ©

se a l o f K a s h r u th s u p e r v isio n a n d e n d o rs e m e n t

is e x c lu s iv e ly th e sy m b o l o f :

U nion of O rthodox Jew ish C ongregations of A m erica 305 B roadw ay. N ew Y ork 7, N.Y.

64

B E ekm an 3-2220

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY m

All items listed below bear the © seal. Item s listed © P are Kosher fo r Passover when bearing this or other UOJC A Passover Hechsher on label. Items listed • are Kosher for Passover without Passover Hechsher on label. * Indicates new © endorsement.

Date Nut Roll Orange Nut Roll (above contain m ilk) Golden C racknel B gg B iscuits Baby Foods H einz — w ith ® label only S train ed Food Orange Juice Junior Food Cereal Chopped Mixed V egetables P uddings (B uttersco tch , Chocolate,

Vanilla, Banana Custard, Banana Tapioca) ( H . J . H e in z Co., P itts b u r g h , P a .)

B eech-N ut fc - w ith @ lab el only

Strained Food Tomato Soup Junior Food Vegetable Soup Puddings Cereal (B e e c h -N u t Packing Co., N .Y .C .)

(O oU len C ra c k n e l & S p e c . Co. D e t r o i t)

R y-K risp (R alstom -P urm a, S t. L om e, Jf*.'

F F V — w ith © label only Macaroon K risp s (fo il package) Lemon Thins foil package) Orange T hins (foil package) Vanilla Thins (foil package) Chocolate P ecan Cookies

(foil package) Tea Rings (foil package) Short Bread (foil package) (S o u th e r n B is c u it C o., R ic h m o n d , V a .; d is tr ib u te d b y M u tu a l B is c u it Co., N .Y .C .)

C a k e M ix e s B la ir’s E z y A ngel M ix

(contains milk) ( B la ir M illin g Co., A tc h is o n , K a n .)

B a ked B ea n s H einz O ven B aked B eans w ith mo­ lasses sauce H einz Oven B aked B eans in tom ato sauce (H . J . H e in z C o .)

V an C am p’s — w ith ® label only ( S to k e ly V a n -C a m p )

B u f fe r *B erish’s R eal K osher

(Orthodox Kosher Products, Brooklyn, N.Y.) C a k e s t C o o k ie s a n d C r a c k e r s B a rto n ’s B onbonniere

(Barton, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.)

D rom edary

Date Muffin Mix Devil’s 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 (T h e H ills B r o th e r s Co., N .Y .C .)

Golden M ix P an cak e F lo u r M ix W affle F lo u r M ix (O o ld e n M ix In c., C h icago, III.)

C a m p s I f o r c h ild re n I

D rom edary

Camp M ohaph

(T h e H iU s B r o th e r s Co., N .Y .C .)

(G le n S p e y , N .Y . — N .Y . o ffic e 4820 B e d f o r d A v e n u e B ro o k ly n , N .Y .)

Chocolate N u t Roll

November - December, 1953

65

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY All items listed below bear the © seal. Item s listed © P are Kosher for Passover when bearing: this or other UOJCA Passover Hechsher on label. Item s listed • are Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover Indicates new © endorsement. Hechsher on label.

m

Dressings

Candy @ p B a rto n ’s B onbonniere ( B a r to n , In c ., B r o o k ly n , N .Y .)

C e re a ls S k in n e r’s R a isin -B ra n R a isin -W h e a t ' (S k in n e r M fg . Co., O m aha, N e b )

Cascade Salad D ressing Duchess Salad D ressing N u M ade M ayonnaise Piedm ont M ayonnaise (T a b le P ro d . C o., S a n F ra n cisco C a l.; d is tr ib u te d th ro u g h S a fe w a y S to r e s )

G a rb e r’s M isrochi Salad D ressing (G a r b e r ’s E a g le O il O orp., B ’k ly n .)

H einz T rench D ressing ( H . J . H e in z G o.)

C o n d im e n ts D rom edary C ranberry Sauce ( T h e H ills B r o th e r s Co., N .Y .C .)

©P

G old’s H orserad ish (G o ld

P u re

P o o d s,

B ’k ly n ,

H einz C hili Con C am e Brown M ustard Yellow M u stard H orse R adish 57 Sauce H ot Dog R elish W orcestershire-Sauce Tom ato K etehup

N .Y .)

P rid e o f th e F a rm C atsup ( H u n t F o o d P r o d ., B r id g e to n , N .J .)

C o n v a le s c e n t H o m e s D ayton N ursing Home (1884 M a rm io n A v e . B ro n x , N .Y .) D ie t e tic F o o d s ♦ M other’s Low Calorie B o rsh t (M o th e r’s F o o d P r o d u c t s ) D ish w a sh in g Machine D e t e r g e n t s

♦All (D e te rg e n ts, Inc., Colum bus, O.) (P ro c te r A G am ble)

66

(O r th o d o x K o s h e r P r o d u c ts )

Chili Sauce

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

Spic & Span

D rin k M ix *Sheleg K ool D rin k M ix

Fish P r o d u c t s Royal S nack Cream H errin g M atjes F ille ts Spiced H errin g L unch H errin g H errin g C ocktail T id b its Salm on (in wine sauce) (S . A . H a r a m Co., N .Y .C .)

M o th e r’s Old F ashioned © P Gefilte F ish Sw eet & Sour F ish (M o th e r’s F o o d P r o d ., N e w a r k , N .J .)

B re a st O ’Chicken T una (W e s tg a te - C a lif o r n ia T u n a P a c k in g C o., S a n D ie g o , C a l.)

F la v o r in g s W estag Lemon

W estag V an illa

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

Jewish LIFE

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 Heehsher on label. Items listed • are Kosher for Passover without Passover Heehsher on label. * Indicates new endorsement.

F la v o r Im p r o v e r

m

G ly c e r id e s

Ac* cent

*Emcol MSVK

( M f d . b y I n te r n a tio n a l M in e ra ls

(T h e E m tU sol C o rp ., C h icago, III.)

a n d C h em ica l C o .)

H oney Food P a cka ges

©P Garber's Misroehi

® P Care

(G a r b e r E a g le O il C o rp .)

( N e w Y o r k , N . Y .)

F o o d F r e e z e r Plan

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

Household C le a n s e r s (S e e also S c o u rin g P o w d e r s )

©P Brilio Products ( B r illo M fg . Co., B ’k ly n , N .Y .)

Cameo Copper Cleaner (C a m eo C o rp ., C h icago, III)

F ro z e n F o o d s

Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Detergents

Milady Pood Products

(B’klyn, N.Y.) Blintzes (blueberry, cherry, cheese, potato—all arc milchig) Waffles

Fruit — ©P

( J e r s e y C ity , N J . )

A rctic fcyntex M. beads (bulk only) • Fab • K irkm an Detergent

•

• Vel ID ried—b u lk

California Packing Corp.

(San Francisco, Cal.) F ru its —

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

Felso

*Rol I P a ck a ged I

Glim

Dromedary

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

Dates Cranberry Sauce Fruits and Peels Moist Coconut Shredded Coconut (The Hills Brothers Co., N.Y.C.)

Golden Fleece Pot Cleaner

G e la tin e D e s s e r t s

*Berish's Real Kosher

Gel Desserts Unflavored Gelatin (Orthodox Kosher Products, Brooklyn, N.Y.)

November - December, 1953

(M e ta l T e x tile C o rp ., R oeette, N .J .)

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

Procter and Gamble Detergents

( Cincinna ti, Ohio) • Cheer • D reft • Oxydol *Soilax

Jo y • Spic & Span • Tide

(Economics L a b o r a to r y , In c., St. P a u l, M in n .)

67

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY

©

All items listed below bear the (y) seal. Item s listed (y)P are Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other UOJCA Passover Hechsher on label. Item s listed • are Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover Hechsher on label. * Indicates new @ endorsement. ^

H o u s e h o ld C le a n e r s I C o n t ' d l

Mar-Parv (p areve) *Miolo (M ilchig—bulk only)

• S p rite (¡Sinclair M fg ., T o le d o , O h io)

Nu-Maid (milchig) Table-King (milchig)

Sw erl

{M ia m i M a r g a rin e O h io )

ilM ll

( A llie d Ghent. & D y e C o rp ., N .Y .Ü .)

Go.,

O in ein n ati,

Mother’s (milchig) Ic e C re a m B a rto n ’s B onbonnière (B a r to n , I n c .)

C osta’s T rench Ice Cream (C o s ta ’s Ic e C re a m C o., W o o d b r id g e ,

EBB In d u s tria l C le a n s e r s ^ In stitu tio n X *Orvus E x tra G ranules *Orvus H y-tem p G ranules ( P r o c te r & G a m b le )

J a m s a n d J e llie s *B erish’s R eal K osher Pure Fruit Jam s,

Marmalade (O r th o d o x K o s h e r P r o d u c ts )

H einz Jellies (JET. J . H e in z C o .) J u ic e s H einz Tom ato Ju ice ( H . J . H e in z C o.) M a r g a r in e *B erish’s R eal K osher (m ilchig) * (O r th o d o x K o s h e r P r o d u c ts ) C rystal B ran d (m ilchig) (L . D aiteh & Go., N .Y .O .; m anufac­ tu red by M iam i M argarine Go.)

68

( M o t h e r ’s F o o d P r o d u c t s )

M a rsh m a llo w T o p p in g

^Marshmallow Fluff (D u r k e e -M o w e r , In c., E a s t L y n n , M a s s.)

M e a t s a n d P ro v is io n s ♦Y itzchok G oldberg’s ( I . G o ld b e rg & S o n s, 220 D e la n e y S t„ N .Y .C .)

• M eats @ P Corned B eef @ P Tongue P a stra m i O xford Corned B eef P a stra m i

• F ro zen M eats <0)P Salam i <0)P F ra n k fu rte rs

Tongue

(O x f o r d P r o v is io n s , B r o o k ly n , N . Y .)

M e a t T e n d e r iz e r A dolph9« ( A d o lp h ’s F o o d P r o d u c ts , B u r b a n k , C a l.)

M u s ta r d H einz ( H . J . H e in z C o .) N o o d le s & M a c a r o n i P r o d u c t s *H einz M acaroni Creole (JET. J . H e in z C o .) S k in n e r’s E gg Noodles M acaroni

Spaghetti Vermicelli

{S k in n e r M fg . Co., O m ah a, N e b .)

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY

<s>

All items listed below bear the © seal. Item s listed © P are Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other UOJCA Passover Hechsher on label. Items listed • are Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover Hechsher on label. * Indicates new © endorsement.

©

P u d din g

Off

♦Berish’s Beal K osher Chocolate Pudding (Orthodox Kosher Products)

©P G a rb e r's M isrochi ( G a r b e r E a g le O il C o rp .)

*Mazola (Corn Products Refining Corp., N.Y.C.)

R e lish e s, P ic k le s, e t e . H einz ( H . J . H e in z G o.)

O v e n C le a n e r Easy-Off (T h e W o lc o tt Co., H a r t f o r d , C on n .)

P ea n u t B u tte r B eech-N ut (B e e c h -N u t P a c k in g C o.) B eyerly (T a b le P r o d . C o .; S a f e w a y ) H einz ( H . J . H e in z C o.) P la n te rs (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 .)

B eal B oast ( T a b le P r o d . C o .; S a f e w a y )

P o ta to

Chips

Pickles Pickled Onions India Kelish Sweet Relish Hot Dog Relish Cocktail Sauce Southern Style Relish Hamburger Relish H . W. M adison Co. ( M e d in a , O h io)

Pickles M o th e r's

©P Pickles ©P Gherkins ©P Sweet Red Peppers ©P Pimentoes @P Pickled Tomatoes ©P Sauerkraut Deluxe ©P Pickled Country Cabbage (Mother’s Food Products) M ount O live P ick le Co.

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

Pickles (M i. O liv e . N C .)

♦Silver Lane Pickles Sauerkraut (Silver Lane Pickle Co., East H artford,C onn.)

I P o u ltry — F ro z e n • Y itzchok G oldberg & Sons (N e w

Y o rk , N .Y .)

• M enorah F arm s (M en o ra h M a s s.)

P r o d u c ts ,

In c.,

P r e p a r e d S a la d s

Boyal Snack Beet Salad, Cole Slaw, Cucumber Salad, Garden Salad, Potato Salad (S. A. Haram Co., N.Y.C.)

November - December, 1953

B o s to n

R e so rts Q)P P in e V iew H otel (F a lls b u r g , N .Y .) ©P W ashington H otel ( R o c k a w a y P a r k , N .Y .) S a lt • M ogen D avid K osher S alt (C a r e y S a lt Co.. H u tch in so n , K a n s a s )

M orton S alt Co. P ro d u cts (C h ica g o , III.)

69

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY All items listed below bear the (y) seal. Item s listed {y)P are Kosher fo r Passover when bearing this or other UOJC A Passover Hechsher on label. Items listed • áre Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover * Indicates new (y) endorsement. Hechsher on label.

• M orton Coarse K osher S alt • M orton F ine T able Salt • M orton Iodized S alt In te rn a tio n a l S alt Co. P ro d u cts ( S c r a n to n , P a .) • Bed Cross Fine T able S alt • S terling F ine T able S alt • S terlin g K osher Coarse S alt S a n d w ic h S p r e a d L unch Box ( T a b lé P ro d . C o .; S a f e w a y )

boo* lining ♦ N ational M arg arin e S hortening ( N a tio n a l Y e a s t C o rp ., B e lle v ille , N .J . B u lk o n ly )

♦Delm ar M arg arin e Shortening ( D e lm a r P r o d u c ts C o rp ., C inn ., O. t n t ^ B u l k o n ly )

@ P G a rb e r’s M isrochi P a re v e P a t ( G a r b e r E a g le O il C o .)

@ P N ut-O la V egetable S hortening ( N u t- O la F a t P r o d ., B r o o k ly n , N .Y A

S ilv e r C le a n e r In s ta n t L iquid D ip S ilver Cleaner S c o u rin g

Powder

{S e e a lso H o u se h o ld C lea n se rs)

B. T. B ab b it Co. P ro d u cts Bab-o B a b b itt's C leanser Cameo Cleanser ( C am eo C o rp .)

• • • •

C olgate-Palm olive-Peet Co. P ro d u cts A jax Ben H u r (bulk only) K irk m an C leanser New O ctagon Cleanser G arb er’s M isrochi Cleanser ( G a r b e r E a g le O il C o., N e w Y o r k )

K itch en EHenzer ( F itz p a tr ic k

B r o s ., C h icago, III.)

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

P a l P roducts Co. P ro d u cts (B r o o k ly n , N . Y . )

• L u stre P olishing Pow der M y P al • Palco Polish Pow der Pal-Lo

70

(Lewal I n d u s tr ie s , N . Y .C .) Soap N u to la K osher Soap (N u to la F a t P r o d u c ts )

Soups G old’s (0)P B orscht Bussel

Schav

(G o ld P u re F o o d P r o d ., B 'k ly n . N .Y .)

H einz Cream of M ushroom Celery Cream o f Green V egetable Cream of Tom ato Condensed Cream of M ushroom Condensed Cream of G reen P ea Condensed Gumbo Creole Condensed Cream of Tomato Condensed V eg etarian V egetable ( H . J . H e in z C o.)

M others @ P B orscht Cream Style B orscht Cream Style Schav Mushroom and B arley (M o th e r's F o o d P r o d .)

Jewish LIFE

UOJC KASHRUTH DIRECTORY

©

All items listed below bear the (u) seal. Item s listed (y)P are Kosher for Passover when bearing this or other UOJC A Passover Hechsher on label. Items listed • are Kosher for Passover w ithout Passover Hechsher on label. * Indicates new (y) endorsement.^

©

Soup M ix

Joyce E g g Noodle Soup Mix ( J o y c e F o o d P r o d u c ts , P a te r s 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.,

S p a g h e tti S a u c e

Skinner’s ( S k in n e r Mf g . C o., O m ah a, N e b .)

7z itiith W OOLEN

M. Woloain St Co. RAYON, 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. Wolosin k 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 i)

Vegetables S p ic e s

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

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

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

V e g e ta b le s — D e h y d r a te d (bulk o n ly I

©P Basic Vegetable Prod. (S a n F ra n cisc o , C al.)

Sugar

t

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

©P Gentry, Inc. ( L o s A n g e le s , C a lif.)

V e g e ta b le O il

® P Nntola ( N u to la F a t P r o d u c ts C o.)

V in e g a r

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

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

S y ru p

♦Berish’s Beal Kosher

Chocolate Syrup True fruit Syrups Imitation Fruit Syrups (O r th o d o x K o s h e r P r o d u c ts )

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

T o m a to J u i c e Heinz (JET. J . H e in z C o.)

November - December, 1953

Cider Malt Tarragon White Rex Amber Old Mill ( T a b le P r o d . C o.)

V ita m in s

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

W in e

® P Hersh’s Kosher Wines (H u n g a r ia n G r a p e P r o d u c ts , In c., N .Y .)

71

Beech-N ut FOODS

I li

/ 0

Vegetable Soups, Vegetables, Fruits and Desserts

ACCEPTED”

B uch'N ut high standards of baby food production and all B eeduNut baby food advertising have been ac * cepted by the Councu on Foods and Nutrition of the American Medical Association.

Chanukah gifts that tell the story of Chanukah

For Chanukah, Barton’s has created this authentic Menorah in plastic; In attractive colors with traditional design and nine metal candle holders. $1.19, mailing cost 30c. As always Barton’s has a vafst selection of beautiful packages and delicious Continental Chocolate as­ sortments in the true holiday spirit.

SRT N Ï Rim 0

irtmi]t<ymML

F am o u s fo r C o n tin en tal C hocolates a n d C o n tin en tal Ice C ream

At Barton’s 57 Continental Chocolate Shops in New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Newark. For ma» order's and Barton’s Chanukah Brochure describing Barton’s Sweets for Israel plan and illustrating Barton’s com­ plete assortment of Chanukah chocolates, for adults and children, write: Barton’s, 80 DeKalb Ave., Bklyn. 1, N. Y. All Barton’s Shops and Factory are closed on the Sabbath and all Jewish Holy Days. Open Sunday.

72

Jewish LIFE

V EL makes dishes shine without washing or wiping! Vel soaks dishes clean. D on’t wash, ju st soak; don’t wipe, ju st rinse. And th e hand te st proves th ere’s no “D etergent B urn” to hands w ith VEL. I t ’s marVELous!

AJAX Cleanser with “Foaming Action 99 Foam s as it cleans all types of tile, porcelain surfaces, pots and p a n s . . . up to twice as easy, twice as fast! F loats d irt and grease right down th e drain!

FA B washes clothes whiter without a bleach W hiter than any other product with a bleach in the wash water. Saves work, saves hands. W ashable colors look brighter, too. Also wonderful for dishes. ALL OF THESE FINE PRODUCTS BEAR THE SEAL OF APPROVAL OF THE UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA

©

COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

... but the label is new!"

HEIN Z KO SH ER BAKED BEANS The new label, of course, has the

ALSO AVAILABLE NOW! The big economy family size can of Heinz Kosher Baked Beans. Ask for it.

¿8¡Il8cifce¿¡ £IMÊÊÊÊmm e a n $j H —

H seal of approval of THE UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA.