KISLEV 5742/NOVEMBER 1981 VOLUME XV, NUMBER 9 $1.50

What is Special About The Eighth Day? a search for meaning

Can You Believe The New York Times? an analysis of a front page story Orthodox Jews, Alcohol, and Pills a plea for help The "Oisher" of Williamsburg a man worth emulating · Higher Horizons, Down Under a new Kollefin Australia ERA Comes Home the feminists' retreat "Losing Your Mind"-to a Novel? A Rebbe Who Won't "Disappear" Josephus-Saint or Scoundrel? How Much Help for the Baal Teshuva? readers have their say THE JEWISH BSERVER

THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN 0021-6615) is published monthly, except July and August, by the Agudath Israel of America, 5 Beekman Street, New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid at New York, N.Y. Subscription in this issue ... $12.00 per year; two years, S21.00; three years, $28.00; out­ side of the United States, $13.00 per year. Single copy, Sl.50 Printed in the U.S.A. The Crooked Mirror-II, Nissan Wolpin ...... 3 Wanted: Help for the Orthodox Pill Addict, A. B. Cohen .... 9

RABBI NISSON WOLPIN "Zos Chanuka"- This is Chanuka, 5. Feivel Beilus ...... 7 Editor The "Oisher" of Williamsburg, Gershon Kranzler ...... •. 15

Editorial Board DR. ERNST BODENHEIMER Second Looks at the Jewish Scene Chairman ERA Comes Home ...... 23 RABBI NATHAN BULMAN Higher Horizons Down Under ...... 26 RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS JosEPH FRIEDENSON RABBI MOSHE SHERER Postscripts A Non-Disappearing Rebbe, Hillel Belsky ....•...•.. 29 Justice at the Digs ...... 31

THE JEWISH OBSERVER does not Letters to the Editor ...... 32 assume responsibility for the Kashrus of any product or ser­ Helping Soviet Jews/Opening up to the Baal Teshuva/ vice advertised in its pages. The Ideology of Josephus/The Subtle Influences of Reading Novels NOV., 1981, VOL. XV, NO. 9 KISLEV 5742 Nissan Wolpin

The Crooked Mirror-II

The Orthodox Community in Israel as refiected in an article in The New York Times ·

Orthodox Jewry can live with the situation when decisions in regard to Torah also are significant. they are taken for granted or totally ignored. Our prim­ The New York Times featured a front-page article (Oct. ary concern is that we understand ourselves and are 26, '81) on "Israelis Assess Role of Religion," by its Israeli loyal to our heritage. When a distorted image of our correspondent, David K. Shipler. While it opened with beliefs and our way of life is projected, however, we an evocative description of the Yorn Kippur tranquility become deeply concerned. Lack of understanding breeds that blanketed the land on that holy day, it quickly prejudice and discrimination, and our special needs can delved beyond the deceptive calm and examined what then become violated. By the same token, Torah as our Mr. Shipler described as an ongoing bitter argument. source of values and life becomes discredited. Should Now, religion in Israel, especially in view of its entan­ the medium of distorted projection be a widely read, glement with the national political system, is a highly highly respected newspaper such as The New York Times, complex field. It can be difficult for an outsider to mas­ then we become alarmed. People in decision making ter, and even more difficult for him to explain. Mr. positions read this newspaper and accept its word as Shipler, unfortunately, did very poorly. truth. This includes the many Jews who know little or In his feature-length article, which continues from nothing of Torah Judaism, and form their opinions on page one to cover half a page in its conclusion, he paints the basis of what the media tell them. Their individual the picture of a society that, on the one hand, has "grown modern, comfortable and materialistic," rooted *The distorted image of the Orthodox community projected by The in Western society, while on the other, there are those New York Times has been commented upon several times in these who have rejected the old Zionist and Socialist ideolo­ pages, most recently in regard to the general press's coverage of the gies and are turning to Orthodoxy. This swing, en­ Agudath lsrael's Knessia Gedolah {International Congress), in an hanced by the growing political power of "the ultra­ article entitled "The Crooked Mirror" (Feb. '80). Orthodox Agudath Israel"-the "Moral Minority" as 1 The Jewish Observtr I November, 1981 3 one Israeli journalist dubbed the group-is resulting in sive effects of contemporary society. "Middle-of-the­ too much uncompromising emphasis on "archaic" reli­ road" Orthodoxy would also be some achievement. gious practices. The intellectual elite and even the more Shipler not only seems to be unaware of this, but con­ moderate Orthodox are becoming disheartened .... A sistently selects terms of negative connotation to des­ bleak picture of a fragmented society, to say the least. cribe Orthodoxy: • Agudath Israel is the "ultra-Orthodox party." From Whence the Perspective? "Ultra" is "excessive, extreme," (Random House Dic­ tionary); or "surpassing of a specified limit, range, or Whether wittingly or unwittingly, Mr. Shipler is scope; exceeding what is considered moderate or proper" treating the readers to a view of a dynamic, growing (American Heritage Dictionary). By whose criteria does segment of Israeli society from the narrow, bitter pers­ Mr. Shipler determine this in regard to Agudath Israel's pective of a group that has long nurtured an antipathy Orthodoxy? His choice of prefix is either superficial or to religion. It is an approach that can manage to recog­ calculated to offend! nize the legitimacy of Mafdal (Mizrachi) as the last possi­ •Similarly, he finds that"many [disillusioned Israelis] ble outpost of reason, salvaged by its Zionist commit­ have turned to a fundamentalist ultra-Orthodoxy, ment, beyond which it sees the vast Torah community, which retreats from the contemporary world." What including the various segments within Agudath Israel, does he mean by "fundamentalist" and where does it fit and the Eida Hachreidis and Neturei Karla, all as one into the Orthodox scheme of things? Mr. Shipler seems monolith ... an approach typified by the virulent anti­ to be drawing from his American frame of reference: religious English-language Jerusalem Post. Whether Amish fundamentalists who eschew technological ad­ Shipler is a captive of the Pusf's point of view because he vances in favor of a simple life. Jewish "ultras," how­ does not speak Hebrew or Yiddish, or because he simply ever, not only use these in their businesses and profes­ does not venture away from the tight-knit circle of sions, but employ modern machinery and techniques to journalists and reporters that cherish each other's prej­ resolve halachically difficult situations, such as running udices too much to mix with the natives, we do not sophisticated hospitals in accordance with Sabbath res­ know. In any event, he writes about a topic that is alive trictions and other Torah laws .... Mr. Shipler is per­ in countless neighborhoods in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, haps thinking of old-time fundamentalists such as in towns from Safed in the North to Netivot in the American Baptists who only accept literal interpretation South, in Ashdod, and Zichron Yaakov. Yet Mr. Shipler of the Bible; but Orthodox Jews have a multileveled is oblivious to them all. He could only muster together exegetical interpretive approach that goes far beyond seven quotations, of which six were antagonistic toward the basic literal narrative. religion or confused about it-two feminists, two pro­ I do not know what a Jewish fundamentalist is and I fessors, a journalist and a disillusioned lady-versus one suspect that Mr. Shipler doesn't either. But it does have quotation from Chief Rabbi Goren, who is not offerred a nice perjorative ring to it, doesn't it? a platform to refute the other accusations, but merely • In his description of the Orthodox community in comments on the baa! feshuva phenomenon. Israel, Mr. Shipler employs a sub-headline in bold type: Pictorially, the religious community is represented by "20 Ultra-Orthodox Sects," informing the reader that a photograph of "Ultra-Orthodox Jews"-a group of the "right" wing of Orthodoxy is composed of "a cluster Meah Shearim youngsters in sackcloth protesting ar­ of twenty ... Hasidic sects." A sect, according to Ran­ cheological digs in the City of David last summer. So dom House, is "a religious denomination, ... any group much for "the other side." or faction united by a specific doctrine." Mr. Shipler probably is referring to the various Anatomy of a Distortion: Coming to Terms Hasidic groups, such as Slonim, Viznitz, Belz, and Ger. The shapes of their shtFeimlach vary, as do other other How does one actually analyze the Orthodox com­ minutiae of their dress. After all, they do come from munity? If Mafdal is Orthodox, and so are Poalei Agu­ different localities in Europe. The only other major dis­ dath Israel, Agudath Israel, and Neturei Karta, how tinction of these groups is the respective Rabbinical does one differentiate between one group and the leaders they identify with-similar to any congrega­ other? Once could refer to a left-right continuum; or tional groups. But I fear students of comparative reli­ employ a faithful/stringent-versus lax/lenient measur­ gions would be stumped in attempting to justify the ing rod; or resort to a moderate-extreme yardstick. term" sect" in regard to these various groups. Nonethe­ Before selecting one or the other, one must first know less, the implication of twenty sectarian groups compet­ what one is measuring, and then explore the implications ing for validity within Hasidic Jewry does add a nice, of employing one set of terms or another. wild-eyed smudge to their media image, and" sect" it is Orthodoxy is an attempt at fidelity to a sacred yet in Mr. Shipler's lexicon. vibrant tradition that is over 3200 years old. From a Incidentally, what makes a group "left" or "right" of worldly point of view, it would be well-nigh impossible Orthodox center-mode of dress?-a tradition of strin­ to fully achieve fidelity, especially in view of the corro- gency in ha la chic matters ?-attitude toward the State? If

4 The Jewish Observer I November, 198 I the "right wing" is the exclusive turf of the Hasids, as Agudath Israel yeshivas and other institutions." Just Mr. Shipler maintains, where does that put non-Hasidic exactly what are "Agudath Israel yeshivas"? Are the Ponevez and Brisk in relation to Hasidic Ger and schools owned or run by the party? There are none. Belz? ... Such questions should not be addressed to the Does it mean that their leaders are sympathetic with unknowledgeable; but then again, the unknowledgeable Agudath Israel? Then this includes just about all major should not be addressing such areas in their writings. yeshivas in Israel, besides those that identify with Miz­ • In another defamatory stroke, Shipler quotes Tel rachi, and which receive support far in excess of the Aviv University's Professor Gershon Weiler's compari­ amounts slated for "Agudath Israel yeshivos." More­ son of "the rabbis" with Iran's Khomeini-an odious over, the per-student support for secular colleges is four comparison. The rabbis promote peace, not violence; times greater than that given to yeshiva students .... nor do they aspire to take over the political process. And Does Shipler refer to Chinuch Atzmai-Torah Schools? while aspects of Jewish jurisprudence have been incor­ This vast educational network was not a beneficiary of porated into Israeli law, civil law is secular, and not being the coalition negotiations. taken over by the rabbis. •In regard to the dispute over the archeological exca­ vations in the City of David last summer, Shipler A Gift for Misinterpretation reports:

The difference between a reporter and a journalist is "First with demonstrations and stonethrowing, then with that while the former records what he sees, the latter political pressure, the ultra-Orthodox managed to induce ... interprets events and trends. The more incisive and the Chief Rabbis into ordering the dig halted, despite the on-target his interpretations, the better the journalist. archeologists' insistence that no evidence of graves had been In interpreting religious life in Israel, Shipler is off found." target-sometimes failing to understand subtleties, other times totally missing the mark by a wide margin. Were the stone-throwers-kids from Meah Shearim­ Mr. Shipler cites a poll conducted by Haaretz to illus­ the same ultra-Orthodox Jews that resorted to political trate that while "traditionally inclined," the vast major­ pressure? That would be strange, for the Neturei Karla ity of Israelis are not religious: refuses to engage in political activities with the State, nor would it seek Rabbi Goren's help in the matter. ... "38 percent of 1,500 people interviewed said they recited a Furthermore, did they also "induce" the Chief Rabbi to blessing over wine on the Sabbath and 44 percent said they take initiatives and discover human remains at the dig used separate utensils for milk and meat, but only 1 percent site? And weren't there any counterclaims by the refrained from using electricity on the Sabbath." Orthodox-counterclaims that were backed up with evidence? Why does the journalist ignore the other side of a controversy? How is the average reader to decipher the information • "Mr. Begin's agreement ... devotes most of its 83 presented? "Reciting a blessing on wine "is not simply a provisions to pledges on religious matters." True-but religious ritual; it refers to "Kiddush," the formal declara­ these pledges basically deal with safeguarding rights tion of faith in G-d the Creator that precedes that already guaranteed in pre-State days in negotiations traditional Friday night festive meal. People who "make between Ben Gurion and representatives of Agudath Kiddush" usually accept the idea of Sabbath restrictions Israel, and with redressing various inequities from on public transportation-whether in Haifa or Geula. which Orthodoxy has been suffering. Thus a line such Only a vociferous minority truly objects. But Shipler as "permits for work on the Sabbath would be almost does not understand the meaning of the wine-blessing eliminated" does not refer to a new restriction forced on and uses it to paint the religious community into a an unwilling populace, but to an elimination of a regres­ corner. sive policy that has permitted industries to run seven As for the "only 1 per cent that refrain from using days a week in spite of an iron-clad agreement reached electricity"-this does not at all mean that the vast before the founding of the State. The individual Israeli majority of Israelis who do use electricity on the Sab­ still will not need a permit to drive his car or paint his bath, switch on the lights in violation of the day's apartment on the Sabbath. restrictions. Not at all. The 1 per cent that "refrain ... " have adopted an extra Sabbath stringency and avoid • "Some intellectuals ... are deeply concerned. 'We are public use of power generated on Shabbos. But many of sliding into clerical dictatorship,' said Gershon Weiler, a pro­ the remaining 99o/o are Sabbath observant by any stand­ fessor of philosophy at Tel Aviv University. If we adopted a ard .... Not only is the average Times reader unaware of constitution ... the first paragraph would read: 'Israel is a this distinction, he probably would not understand it if it Jewish state.'" were explained ... and I fear Shipler doesn't either. • Among the gains realized by Agudath Israel in the The smears speak for themselves. As for the Jewish negotiations following the most recent elections, Mr. nature of Israel-Chaim Weizmann read the Balfour Shipler includes "extensive funds ... [to] be given to Declaration that way, and so did Ben Gurion mean it to

The Jewish Obsrrorr I November, 1981 5 be nominally so, for all his personal antipathy toward This is a normal feminist complaint, but totally religion. Apparently only those bent on totally de­ ignores two factors: the halachic requirements of a rab­ Judaizing Israel take offense at the prospect of "Israel as binical court, and the high level of character of the men a Jewish State." who serve on such courts. How does a journalist report such a nasty statement without either testing it with a • "If anything, (halachic marriage) restrictions appear to statistical study or interviewing a (male) rabbinical foster circumvention of the religious laws. Couples fly off to judge? Cyprus, Western Europe and the United States to do what •They continue: religious law considers illicit." "The rabbinical courts have impinged too much on private life, subjecting marriage, divorce and child custody to the Laws always foster violations, but lack of law fosters archaic practices of ancient times." lawlessness and total chaos. Furthermore, the incidents I of circumvention are relatively few in number. If any­ "Impinge," of course, is an untruth. Rabbinical courts t ; ' thing, we would say that the restrictions make couples have always exercised jurisdiction over family matters, / contemplating an intermarriage or an illicit partnership and continued to do so with the founding of the State, think twice before flouting the law. Instead of splinter­ by the aforementioned agreement. But one wonders: ing the Jewish community, this preserves the unity of would a Times reporter quote a Catholic reformist's Klal Yisroel, making it one community where there are criticisms in similar, virulent terms, without refutation always possibilites of marrying across various social and from the other side, or without challenging the ancient religious strata. Should restrictions be eliminated, such (i.e. timeless)-equals-archaic hypothesis? marriages will become more rare. Shipler does not rec­ ognize this. • "Some Orthodox intellectuals worry about the self- ' imposed isolation of the ultra-Orthodox.... Even in the • "Feminists contend that Orthodox tradition tends to military there [are] special groups for them ... so they do not regard the wife as the property of her husband and women as have common experience with others." unclean." The isolation is neither in commerce nor in political -Not in Orthodox Judaism. The kesuba (marriage con­ life; only in the social sphere, where the Torah commu­ tract) is a document of the husband's responsibilities to nity rightfully rejects the secular community for aping his wife, not a deed of ownership. As for "unclean"- the worst excesses of Western culture: whether in the this is a misleading translation of a ritual-related term. intellectual preserves of Hebrew University, where An anti-religious segment is smearing Torah Jewry until now coed dormitories had been permitted and the with mud borrowed from other cultures, and the Amer­ rights of Arab Nationalists are supported; or in the ican journalist does not bother checking out the facts. army bases, which were never celebrated as being bas­ tions of morality. At this point, the less said the better. •"Prospective brides must be interviewed by a rabbanit, a woman official at the rabbinate, who asks intimate questions The UnRandom Sampling about personal and religious habits." It would seem that when someone undertakes a study This "requirement" does not exist, unless the lady in of an aspect of a foreign society and culture that is the incident was a non-Jew preparing for conversion, indigenous to its history, its culture, and-according to but nothing in the article indicates this .... An anecdote some-its perpetuity, one must venture away from the then follows in which an interviewee realizes her worst familiar, easily approachable, articulate-in-English poli­ fears when a rabbanit warns her that"if you don't go to ticians and professors. Writing about the Jewish reli­ the mikvah and you get pregnant that month, you can gion, he. would naturally visit the many Orthodox have a child who would have cancer or be mentally communities and interview their leaders. If he is truly retarded or something." impressed with the thousands of Israelis disillusioned Now, on the one hand, this one extreme case is not at with old secular dogmas, he would visit one of the many all representative of the usual (voluntary) pre-marital yeshivos catering to the baalei teshuva and interview some lecture. On the other hand, who does not recall similar of the fascinating people in their student bodies and scare tactics from overzealous, misinformed gynecolo­ faculties. Most important, he would learn Yiddish and gists or environmentalists-or hairdressers, for that Hebrew, or engage a knowledgeable guide and interpre­ matter? How then does a good journalist use one iso­ ter. Or stay home. In the meantime, Mr. Shipler owes lated case and build on it, and why? the Orthodox community an apology, and The New York Times owes its readership the other half of a fascinating •"Feminists such as Tamar Eshel and another member of story.* ~T Parliament, Shulamit Aloni, both lawyers, have protested the advantage that they say men have in rabbinical courts, whose *A letter to this effect from this writer was published in The New York judges are all men.... " Times, Nov. 12, 1981.

6 The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 Feivel Beilus

"Zos Chanuka'': i j This is Chanuka \

I. "Ma Zos"-What Distinguishes the Eighth Day?

The eighth day of Chanuka is referred to as "Zas Chanuka"-"This is Chanuka"-ostensibly because the Torah portion read on that day includes the phrase: "Zas chanukas hamizhaich (This is the dedication of the altar)." It has long been assumed, however, that it somehow implies that the eighth day encapsulates the very essence of Chanuka. How is this so? tional meaning, also refer to "light" in a much deeper This search for the meaning of the eighth day of sense, i.e. divine emanations. The true state of affairs, Chanuka takes on an added dimension in view of the then, is that "light" is everpresent, permeating every famous question of the Beis Yoseif (Rabbi Yoseif Karo): iota of existence, as the passage says: "His glory fills the Since there was sufficient oil for one day's use, there entire world." Yet, to give mankind the ability to func­ were only seven days of miracle, not eight. Consequently, tion in this world and still exercise free choice, this Chanuka ought to be celebrated for only seven days! divine light was obstructed by a veil of concealment­ There are many answers given to this question, but for darkness, if you will-so that man may not be compelled whatever reason there is an eighth day, the miracle of to recognize G-d's existence, but instead be able to do so the oil was only during the first seven days; why, then, by free-will. And what is this veil of darkness that so is the eighth day of such importance that it be called "Zas effectively masks the divine presence? It is that force Chanuka"? commonly known as "nature."To a casual observer, the The Pri Chadash answers the Beis Yaseif's question by universe runs effectively without any signs of divine explaining that only seven days commemorate the mir­ guidance. Many commentaries note that the word c,p7K acle of the oil, while the eighth day is a commemoration Elokim, G-d, has the same gematriya (numerical value) as of the triumph on the battlefield. At first glance, it y~o;i (nature). In other words, Elokim is the divine force would seem strange that the same ritual, lighting the as manifest in nature. Substituting one term for the menorah, should be used for commemorating both the other, the first verse is Bereishis "In the beginning (when) miracle of the lights and the victory in battle. ls there Elokim created ..." can be interpreted homiletically "Jn the any connection between the two? beginning nafure was created," implying that the first act of creation was the setting up of the system of nature per II. Behind the Mask of Nature se-that is, the ability of a world to function on its own, seemingly without "outside" participation. Rashi in Pesachim (2a) explains that darkness is a posi­ There is a point where G-d's will, descending from tive entity, not merely the absence of light. To under­ higher regions, finds expression in" natural" events. It is stand this, we must realize that the terms "light" and toward the junction of"natural" and "divine" that man's "darkness" as used in the Torah, aside from the conven- Torah and n1itzvos are directed, recognizing the divine as the cause of natural occurrences. If a person were to Rabbi Beilus i5 a New Yvrker currently 11/lached lo a Jerusalem Kvf/el. This is make a statement to the effect that "there exists a his first appeararice in these pages. spiritual world totally divorced from our world and

The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 completely beyond the reaches of any of our senses,"his responsible for all that befalls us; one can come to see statement could be neither proven nor refuted. How that the Pery same hand of G-d that was manifest in does one argue over the existence of anything that by miracles is revealed in the natural event of victory in definition is completely unbeholden to our senses? The battle. concept of belief in G-d becomes meaningful and chal­ lenging only when we speak of Him in relation to our JV. Miracles Without Effort sphere of existence. This concept is also mentioned in the Shulrhan Aurch Extending this thought further, we can attempt to with regard to";~' >tvK" the blessing after performing clarify the Beis Yoseif's own answer to his question bodily functions. The meaning of "rmV)17 K'7~oi" (to regarding the reason for the eighth day of celebration. cause wondrous happenings) is explained as the wed­ He suggests that the Chashmonaim originally divided up ding of the soul to the body. This expression celebrates the oil into eight equal parts-using only a fraction of neither the wonder of the soul nor that of the body unto the requisite amount for each day's illumination, mak­ itself; rather, the connection of the two to function as ing each of the eight days a miracle. This approach has one is underscored as the true wonder! its own difficulties, for how could the ChashmLJnaim have A person who is wise enough to realize, when con­ kindled the menorah with only an eighth of the amount fronted with "the mask," that there is" a face behind the of oil necessary? Did they light the menorah in expecta­ mask," brings forth light and enlightenment to the tion that it would only burn a few hours, in violation of world. Not so he who only sees the mask and believes halacha? Or did they actually anticipate that the miracle that there is nothing beyond it. The more he studies the would occur? This would have been in violation of the mask and becomes engrossed in its intricacies, the principle of "one may not depend on a miraculous deeper he plunges himself into darkness. This is why event"! darkness* in the account of Creation is interpreted as To clarify this point, I recall a discourse I heard from referring to Greece, for Greece among all the nations Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner 7'~1 in which he referred to the was most deeply engrossed in studying the mask, Vilna Gaon's explanation of an incident recorded in the divorcing it from the divine behind the mask. Talmud: The Gemora in Taanis (25a) relates that Rabbi This is also expressed in a well-known commentary Chanina's daughter put vinegar instead of oil into the on the Mishna: "Whoever interrupts his studies and says Shabbos lamp. Rabbi Chanina told her not to worry for 'How beautiful is this tree .. .'deserves to forfeit his life" "He who commanded oil to burn will command vinegar (Avos Ill, 9). When marveling over the grace of nature to burn," and burn it did. The question immediately represents an interruption of Torah thought-that is, if arises that this type of reliance is prohibited because of the person who enjoys the beauty of the tree fails to "KiO n~op ,nii~,K" (causing G-d to perform unnecessary appreciate it as an expression of the same divine will miracles). In response, the Gaon explains that there are that is revealed in the Torah-then he deserves to for­ two types of believers: Someone who perceives the feit his life. (Mayanos Hanelzach on Aws, by Rabbi Aaron world as an independently functioning entity but be­ Surasky) lieves that G-d in His omnipotence may intervene and overrule laws of nature; such a person may not "trou­ III. from the Miraculous to the Natural ble" G-d to produce miracles unnecessarily. But then there is the individual who is so aware of G-d's omnipo­ The victory over Greece, therefore, was not merely tence that he does not perceive nature as a force unto an opportunity to see the hand of G-d manifest in a itself at all. He understands that all that takes place-so­ miracle; rather, the miracle served as a steppingstone called natural events and miracles-occurs by the hand for recognizing the hand of G-d in that which is mistak­ of G-d. Such a person may rely on miracles. To quote enly thought to be nature. The ultimate Chanuka expe­ Rabbi Chanina, "He who has commanded oil to burn rience was to see G-d in the events of the "eighth will command vinegar to burn!" Neither of the two day"-the day of Chanuka that did not seem to be a phenomena-the natural and the miraculous-calls for miracle. After seven days of commemorating the mira­ extra "effort." He is directly responsible for both. cle of Chanuka, we now realize that the eighth day was Thus on Chanuka, when the veil of darkness called no less miraculous than the other seven, and this­ nature was momentarily lifted, people saw the hand of Zos-is the essence of Chanuka. the "One who commanded oil to burn," and they For this reason, we may also commemorate the vic­ attained a level of belief comparable to Rabbi Chanina's. tory over the Greeks through the medium of lighting They recognized that all events bear the imprint of the the menorah. Once one has perceived the hand of G-d hand of G-d. It was then possible for them to divide the in a supernatural phenomenon, such as the miracle of oil into eight equal parts and rely on G-d to extend the the oil, one then is prepared to understand that G-d is duration of its glow eight-fold, from a few hours to an entire day. Nor was it unseemly for them to do this. For *"And darkness hovered over the face of the abyss''-And darknrs5, people to whom natural and miraculous are identical, that is Greece.-Midrash (see A. Scheinman's article in JO Dec. '80). the rule of "Do not rely on miracles" does not apply. lT

8 The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 "A.B. Cohen"

Learning lo be Addicted long, week after week. I thought my parents too demanding and unsympathetic (although now I feel I l come from a good home-a fine, religious, respected understand them much better), and I began blaming family-and attended a top yeshiva a seemingly myself and the world. normal, very conventional background, with one excep­ I gradually began to feel very isolated, beset with a tion. I am a recovering addict. That is, until recently I sense of not belonging anywhere. I compared my aching was dependent on all kinds of chemicals, such as tran­ insides with everyone else's attractive outsides, and an quilizers and sedatives-what one can describe as a inner emptiness began creeping in. Consequently, I "white collar addiction"-and 1 felt that 1 could not live started to look for something to fill that void. Eventu­ without them. ally, in my recovery from addiction, I had to learn to find How does someone from a yeshiva background, the elusive source of happiness within myself; but at never exposed to an environment that one usually asso­ that stage I was not at all ready to admit that the ciates with pill-popping or drug addiction, get hooked on problem started from within and that therefore the pills? Are there others in the Orthodox community who solution had to be internal. are also suffering from some form of chemical depen­ First I tried the geographic cure and went off to learn dency, too terrified to seek the proper help because of in a yeshiva in Israel for two years in my late adoles­ the shame and stigma? Indeed, are we immune to the cence, only to return more disillusioned and depressed, problems that affect the rest of our society? How Change of setting did not change me. Next I began a widespread is this problem? What forms of help are series of unsuccessful psychotherapies, looking for available to a religious individual who is trapped on the someone to whom I could entrust my life. Along the chemical-dependency merry-go-round? way, as my discomfort increased, some doctors began For me, it all started with a great deal of unhappiness. prescribing a variety of mood-altering pills, such as Things were not running smoothly for me. I began Valium and common anti-depressants. I gradually having trouble concentrating in yeshiva. Other prob­ learned the skills of self medication by going to many lems began setting in, such as difficulty in gettng along different doctors at the same time for different prescrip­ with my family. In particular, Shahhosos and Yomi1n Tovim tions, to be sure that I had enough pills to calm the became unbearable. Many people look forward to being self-hate and anxiety that were my steady companions. home on Shnbbas to enjoy a rest and bask in the warmth Continuing along this path of self-destruction and addic­ of a family get-together. I dreaded the threatening cold tion, I finally reached the bottoming stages, each addict­ of it all, for I felt very little connection with the others. ing medication or experience leaving me emptier and Instead, as I look back, I recall a good deal of manipula­ more anxious than before. tion of us children by our parents and a barrage of accusations, both spoken and implied·. "Why don't you Bottoming Out do well in yeshiva? Why are you such a disgrace to our family?" This led lo my feeling very homeless all week I finally became sick and tired of being sick and tired. By an act of hashgacha I came across a newspaper article "A. B. Cohen" fr, nom de plume for a young man a/fending an advanced yeshiva about Pills Anonymous. I identified strongly with this in lhe New York area. article and began attending their meetings. After being

The Jewish O/iserver I November, 1981 9 able to recognize my own pill dependency, I began to oneself such as loneliness, isolation, guilt and shame. A recall incidences where I would in fact do a little extra person feels compelled to take a chemical into his system drinking at events such as Shnbbos Kiddushirn and wed­ to thwart feelings of discomfort, such as anxiety, and dings because I felt lonesome or isolated in some way. I eventually graduates to taking this chemical to satisfy a slowly became aware of how closely related pill depen­ craving for the chemical itself. dency and alcoholism are: essentially, the individual is One can be addicted even when using small amounts; putting a chemical barrier between himself and his feel­ it is not a matter of the amount one takes but why he is ings. By the same token, there is a great deal of cross taking it-to satisfy his dependency on it.' Chemical addiciton for many people between minor tranquilizers dependency is also a progressive disease, where one and alcohol. I then began to make use of the Alcoholics n1ay begin with small amounts and then proceed to very Anonymous program as well. My observations were large amounts over a period of time. r borne out when I met others who were similarly cross In its incipient stages, when the craving is basically an I addicted. emotional one, and a chemical dependency has not yet It was at these meetings that I began my long journey set in, a perceptive sympathetic individual can arrest the r to recovery. The rich encounter with others who had problem and help the potential addict avoid further been through the same turmoil and had recovered gave entanglements. For instance, a rehhe who is attuned to me the confidence that I, too, would recover. I vividly his students' difficulties can extend warmth, under­ remember the impact I felt during my first encounter standing and kirui' to those in need and prevent further with the members of the Pills Anonymous group who decline. I personally have met a number of rabbis whose had gone through the same isolation, failure, and pill understanding of incipient addiction and sympathy for dependency that I was experiencing, and-lo and be­ the potential addicts was far keener than that of physi­ hold-they were smiling and seemed to be happy! I cians I have dealt with. The human factor is by far the began dumping (PA term for unloading my personal most important in preventive medicine. It is only when emotional burdens): How misera/Jle my ·/of is! Which they the "disease of attitudes" is not treated that it deterio­ countered with: "Hold it! We've gone through the same rates into a disease of chemical dependency. unhappiness. We too felt lonely and desolate. You don't have to keep going through this pain, you don't have to keep taking pills. Rather, you can learn to let go of the Breaking Loose: Overcoming Denial anger and anxiety, and replace fear with confidence." I was shocked: "You mean I don't have to keep living Recovery from addiction involves breaking out of in this depression forever?" I had felt permanently one's isolation and learning to share one's real feelings trapped until that moment. For the first time I was with others, and developing a sense of individuality and encountering others who had "walked the walk"-that independence. is, gone through the same experiences and illnesses I The greatest hurdle to recovery from addiciton is had, and recovered. what is known as the "denial syndrome." Most addicts when confronted with their drug usage will usually Addiction: A Disease respond with some form of denial: Me, pill dependent? Nti uiay.' 1 unly pop a few Valiums when I'n1 feeling anxious. Or they My own experiences as well as those of others I was in may say: Yes, 1 take a lot of pills huf I can stop any time I wanf fti. contact with gave me some insight into addiction, which The same tendency toward denial exists in regard to was later verified in my readings on the subject: drinking: Me, an alcoholic? No wny.' I only get drunk unce in a Chemical addiction is a disease, and like most diseases, while. it can affect anyone, even religious Jews. It is a disease More serious than individual denial is the situation that can begin with unwholesome attitudes toward when an addict is a member of a community that believes that it has no addiction. The common claim: The

~ ''According to th!:' American Medical Association manual on alco­ uf!er impossibility of me, an Orthodox ]eu1, being an alcoholic or an holism, repeated attempts to attribute alcoholism to a single cause addict compounds the individual's tendency toward have been unsuccessful, although many factors have been suspected denial. For this reason (among others), many therapists and studied. Indeed, alcohol by itself does not cause alcoholism, as believe that when addiction strikes an individual who sugar does not cause diabetes .... Indisputably, the vast majority of subscribes to a culture that has less overt alcoholism and those who drink alcohol do not become alcoholics. No mcnfi(m nrrd In• addiction, it will strike him more severely. He may feel made nmccniing the spaiffr v,)fome tlf alcohol c(m_,;umed nor the frequency with more bewildered and does not understand what is hap­ which such consumplion takes place. Indeed, there are paticnls wilh this illness wh(1 pening to him. Several Orthodox people who have gone i11gesf nllfhing stnmger than beer, and there are those whose alcohtilic inlake is limited through the experience of addiction tell how advanced lo Ind once or twice a year." ALCOHOUSM~A PRACTICAL TREATMENT CUIDE by Herb Peiser and Stanley Gittow. their addiction had become before they chose to seek "Addiction occurs when any normal function becomes dependent help. They also tell of the feelings of shame and isola­ on a chemical for which there is tolerance."-CAUTION· KINDNESS tion; they're afraid to ask for help for fear of increasing CAN BE DANGEROUS TO THE ALCOHOLIC, by Dr. T werski. their feelings of isolation.

10 The Jewish Observer I November, 198 I Not a Question of 11 How Many?"

To what extent does addiction exist in the Orthodox community? While there are no statistics available, var­ ·ious sources indicate that individual cases and inciden­ ces do exist: Every Orthodox physician I have spoken to VOLUME TWO has had at least one or more Orthodox patients who is pill dependent or alcoholic. ... According to Dr. Abra­ ham T werski (the clinical director of the Department of NOW AVAILABLE Psychiatry of the St. Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh) in a personal conversation: "The problem of addiction now exists in significant proportions in the Orthodox com­ munity." Since this is not a scientific paper, significance should not be determined on a statistical basis. The mere exist­ ence of pill or alcohol addiction in one Jewish commun­ ity after another gives the problem "significance." The SHEVACH HIGH SCHOOL The New Torah High School For Girls in Queens Proudly Announces REGISTRATION FOR 1982-83 ENTRANCE EXAM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26 at 9 AM. THE 'SHEVACH' HIGH SCHOOL Aims to develop the total persona!ity--a Bas Tor ah equipped to meet the challenges of 20th Century Living-dedicated to the spirit and education of Sais Yaakov. Fully matching the high standards of the first OUT-OF-TOWN STUDENT PROGRAM volume, here is the second, the fruit of the For a select group of students. Housing in suitable homes in suburban Queens. scholarship of a most capable staff under the For additional information editorship of Rabbi Aharon Feldman and Rabbi Ca/1847-4402 or Write: Avie! Orenstein. The same unequalled, out­ SHEVACH standing precision and painstaking care given to 124-27 85th Avenue the first volume has been given to this. Kew Gardens, N.Y. 11415 MR. JACK FRIEDMAN, President Continuing with volume 3 of Mishnah RABBI A. MOSHE POSSICK, Principal Berurah (Laws of Shabbos), this volume covers Dedicated to the Spirit and Education of Bais Yaakou sections 274-307, giving as before a translation of the Shulchan Aruch text and the accompanying Heyman's Pharmacy Mishnah Berurah, with essential added com­ ments and explanatory, clarifying notes. 5101 13thAvenue Entirely justifying the haskamoth (approba­ Brooklyn, N. Y. 11219 tions) of some of the world's leading Torah authorities, the work continues to provide a 435-5644 highly reliable and valuable translation, openinl( Shomer Shabbos the doors of the Mishnah Berurah to those who The store that speaks your language find Hebrew texts a difficulty. 416 pages ·Regular Edition: size 6" x 9" : $10.95 •Large Edition: size 8" x 10 1/2": $13.95 ~_.,_

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The Jewish Observer I No11rmbrr, 1981 11 only facts available are based on the experience of Orthodox people who are recovering from addiction, and they indicate that the existing belief that there is no Analyzes. Reports. addiction among the Orthodox is erroneous. As a result, Orthodox people with an addiction problem have had a Evaluates. Reviews. very difficult time getting help-because both the indi­ vidual and the community are unfamiliar with the Comments. Reflects. existence of the problem, and the "Anonymous" pro­ grams that deal with them. We, the community, do have Inspires. Projects. a responsibility to offer help to those in need.

The Kind of Help Available

What kind of help is available to Orthodox people THE who find themselves caught up in some form of chemi­ cal dependency? The individual often feels trapped, with no place to turn for help. He may be afraid to go to JEWISH his rnu or doctor because of the shame associated with addiction, or because of the fear of being thought pecul­ iar for having this kind of problem. Those of us who are OBSERVER Orthodox in Alcoholics Anonymous or Pills Anonym­ ous programs have tried to carry the message of recov­ ery to our coreligionists in need, but we have found Wedo more ourselves up against a wall of resistance because of a lack of familiarity with these programs. than just observe. We have found ourselves dealing with the potential client's fear of getting involved with foreign spirituality •••••••••••••••••• and his reluctance to get into a very close relationship I Subscribe, Renew or Give I with a secular crowd and with members of other faiths, ; The Jewish Observer now and save. ; for the success of these programs is based on peer interaction, encouragement and support. 11 • One Year/$12.00 (for ten issues) II Actually, many members report becoming closer to II• Two Years/$21.00 (a $30value) II Yiddishkeil as a result of the Alcoholics Anonymous and II • Three Years/$28. 00 (a $45 value) I Pi11s Anonymous programs. Addicts usually are beset II

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14 The Jewish Obsen1er I November, 1981 Gershon Kranzler

The "Oisher'' of Williamsburg In Tribute to Reb Chaim Gelb

Waiting For Reb Chaim out an old, crumpled envelope bearing the return address of Reb Chaim Gelb. One of the bystanders It Wi!S shortly before Mincha. The crowd was gather­ looked at it, read the inscription, shook his head once, ing inside the big Beis Hamidrnsh and in the hall of Yeshiva twice, looked at it again, and burst out laughing. "Why? Torah Vodaath on Wilson Street. The school bell had What's wrong?" asked the newcomer, obviously upset. just rung and down the steps came the classes of kids, "Who is he and where can we find him?" released from long hours of sitting still and trying to pay "Oh, nothing easier than that," replied the amused attention. Scores of mothers, brothers, and other rela­ bystander. "Just wait a minute or two." tives were lined up outside, receiving their charges in He looked through the wide open entrance, and as various stages of disarray, buttoning their jackets, expected, there was Reb Chaim coming in on the run straightening out a tie, or helping to close open hats, after he had made certain that none of his young friends briefcases, or coats. And there, as usual, was Reb Chaim had been left behind or in troubl.e. Then only was he Gelb watching over his troops of Yeshiva boys, making ready for action, his shiny velvet yarmulke upended, sure that no one was left behind crying, or getting into a resting on his open palm. squabble or light. How they loved him'-even though "Zerizus (zeal), zerizus, my friends. "Tzedakah fatzil r11i­ some cynical older people poked fun at him when he n1011es," (charity prevents death) he chanted in his inimit­ lined the children up behind the last row of the Beis able way, beginning his usual rounds of his favorite Hamidrash to hand out candies for saying a Bracha or customers. He greeted them with a smile, a friendly answering Omein. word, a pat of encouragement, while bestowing on them We were standing in the hall near the wide open door the gift of accepting their pennies, nickels, or dimes, when two young newcomers came in hesitantly, look­ according to his judgment. And ii you had already given ing around, obviously searching for something or him your allotment that day or the day before, he would someone. It did not take much insight to guess that they refuse a second coin. It took me a long time until he had come off the boat in the past few days. "Can we help accepted a quarter from me, according me the honor he you?" asked one of the bystanders. reserved for special friends only. "We are looking for a big Oisher who lives here in "Ah, der Daitrh"-as he was wont to call 1ne since my Williamsburg." The other one-judging by his newly first appearance in his turf-"Where have you been? I sprouting beard, the older of the two-added: "For haven't seen you for a long time. Today you may give • years he has been sending our mother money to feed me a quarter." And it was only years later, on one of our her Shlub lull of orphans." frequent trips back "home" to Williamsburg when I took Now, an Oisher is a rich man, a man of status and my sons to the minyan in the Yeshiva, that Reb Chaim recognition, and we were all curious as to whom this asked me for a dollar. As much as I pressed him, he proud epithet was applied when the young man pulled would not accept more. "Who is this man that you are so anxious to give away your money to?" asked my little one. Dr. Kranzler is a professor of sociology in Towson Slaff University. This ar/ir/e "Don't you know Reb Chaim?" answered my older is rnndensed frnm a rhapter in a forthcriming book Ml the Williamsburg rnmmunily in Brot1klyn, focusing on its Post-World War II status when ii was in transition fo its son, who had spent his first school years at the Yeshiva presenl stair, as a primarily Chassidic community. Torah Vodaath and had many-a-time benefitted from

The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 15 Reb Chaim's helpfulness, like the day when his for "the Oisher of Williamsburg" and it turned out to be grandmother was late with his lunch; or when he had this not too prosperous looking man rushing about the lost the nickel he needed for his English class project; or length and width of the huge Beis Hamidrash collecting when some big bully had frightened him while he was lzeddaka, they looked crestfallen. Having canvassed the waiting to be taken home, and Reb Chaim had come to last row on both sides, as well as the middle, RebChaim his rescue. "Dad is right. It's a privilege to help him do Gelb came over to us, looking at the newcomers with a his mitzuos." friendly smile and a broad "Shalam Aleichem," stretching So, when the two young newcomers who had arrived out both hands to them. They looked dubiously at his in this country just ahead of the tanks of the Nazis asked kindly but haggard face with the wispy beard and prom­ inent nose. "Are you Reb Chaim Gelb?" "No doubt about it,"kibbetzed a bystander. "He is the ISRAEL Oisher of Williamsburg." Burials and American Disinterments "Shahhh!" threatened Reb Chaim, affably pushing F11<1'i1i

MANHATTAN 180 West 76th $1 (at Amsterdam Ave ) N Y N Y I EN 2-6600 The Ledger BROOKLYN 310 Coney 1s1anCl Ave (Ocean Parkway at Prospect Park). Brooklyn_ NY 1 UL 4·2000 Years later, an acquaintance sitting next to us in the BRONX. 1963 Grand Concourse {at 1791!'1 St). 81on~. NY I LU 3·6300 FAR ROCKAWAY 12·50 Cen1ra1 Ave Far Rockaway. N v I FA 7-7100 Beis Midrash commented that he had seen Reb Chaim And The WeSlCheSter Riverside Memorial Chapel. Inc 21 West Broad Street. Mt Vernon. NY I (914) MO 4· 6800 Gelb's legendary, multi-volumed ledger. Its pages car­ Chapels in M1am1, M1&m1 Beach Hollywood. Sunrise. Florida ried not only an accounting for every penny he collected Carl Grossberg I Andrew F1er I Solomon Shoulson over the years; but also the names of many of his special friends, now respectable businessmen or professionals whom he had supported in the months after their arri­ val until they made good and moved to Bora Park, Flat bush, or the more prosperous suburbs of the Island. Recorded were the famous Roshei Yeshiva or Rebbes who For generations a symbol of Jewish Trad1t1on had settled temporarily in Williamsburg until they were able to establish their yeshivas or batei midrash. Reb Chaim was a Chassid who did not limit himself to any one KARKAINISRAEL of the small or the great leaders who arrived in this Take advantage of the opportunity to purchase country after escaping from the camps, the gas ovens, cemetery plots in Eretz Yisroel in Mifgash Shimshon or the DP centers. He graced their Tischen, was always near Yerushalayim through our newly established CHEVRAH OSEH CHESED OF AGUDATH ISRAEL Be sure to notify us in ad­ Membership in the Chevra entitles one to all benef­ its which accompany the services of a Chevra Kadi­ '1 vance so that your copies sha and interment. When you purchase a plot from ..:::,.(:r will continue to reach you. the Chevra Oseh Chesed of Agudath Israel, you are supporting the many Agudist activities especially ~- The U.S. Postal Service will the Pirchei and Bnos activities as well as a Free Loan Fund in Israel. ) _ IL__, ______cc___o 1212 ______791 1800 -J ~_t.._()-~~~~~~"-o_t~fo~rw~a-rd~-m-a_g~a-z1_·n_e_s~t-o-' _:: your new address.

16 Thi ]ewi5h Obstrver I Novtmbtr, 1981 one of the first to volunteer his help, encouraging or warming up the most worried or depressed with his enlisting others' help, and lending a hand even to those l>ilachon and faith. who were not major attractions of Williamsburg, those who lived in the shadow of the famous to whom eve­ Cold Brownstones, Warm Humanity rybody flocked in the years of the postwar period. But Reb Chaim was most in his element in the happy, Recently I read a brief article about Reb Chaim, which joyous parades up and down Bedford Avenue when a reported the honors bestowed on him as the first new Beis Hnmidrash was opened; as when Torah Vodaath inmate of a new nursing home for the elderly in the moved to its then-new location on South 3 Street in the middle of the neighborhood where he had lorded over early 40's; and when there were mass rallies, protests, the kids, the poor, the needy and the downtrodden who or campaigns for Shimras Mifzpos, especially for Shmirns were his best friends. Appropriately, the article was Shablios. and Hatza/ah work. Reb Chaim was the general, titled "Mr. Williamsburg," and briefly sketched his running circles around and about everyone else, making career from his arrival as a child in this country, to his certain that everyone marched in line, and that every­ thing proceeded just right. He was also there when the plain and unknown little people passed on to their Crea­ tor and saw to it that the levaya was respectful. But best he of all Reb Chaim loved a Simchas Torah, or a wedding SCA.Nley (before the collections became an obstacle course for the guests). The years slowed him down, and he began to m1LLeR... limp. Only then would he permit us to take him to a SA-NL> Sime ha. But his spirit was bubbling, and his hrenn-which he imparted to the kids when they davened too quietly in the back of Beis Hamidrash-lit up faces and lifted spirits, Elliot Federman ~------·------·---- 74 Aserbach Lane Agudah Women of America Lawrence, N. Y. 11559 invites all women attending the Agudath Israel (516) 569-2374 convention to participate at the special N'shei sessions. Details will be found in the Convention kit. YARCHEI KALLAH OF LAKEWOOD ~------~ is pleased to announce Prospect Park Yeshiva A WINTER YARCHEI KALlAH will i"l"'K take place in New York City High School For Girls Sunday, December 20, 1981 through Friday, January 1, 1982 The out-of-town :lp))~ n~: ::l. 11 0t!'r'I li::lti ,, - 170.:J 1 11 J in New York i 1'P'7io no:i Pill ,ri:iw - n?:ii Kri::ioo • Finest academic standards il'i:l 'lli'1 il:l'tl" 'lt'Ki • Bais Yaakov ruach • Housing arrangements K"~'i'tt' il)tt''iKJJiK )1 'i )iKJi1 • Warm atmosphere 'DJKD:J. il:l'W' t.l'Ki • Good Kni;:m K"~''itt' ,1l)'i£l ''i1Ii£l :lii1 • Scholarships available For more information, call or write: n1111i;nm pirn 'i:ii by other prominent Rabbonim 212-375-0844 FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 1609 Avenue R, Brooklyn, NY 11229 I Rabbi Aaron Pam: (212) 633·7986 Rabbi Avrohom Kelman Rabbi Joel Kramer I Moshe Fulda: (212) 922-2216 Days Dean Principal (212) 928-4538 Eves Mr. Louis Gleuck Rebbetzin Z. Haberman cobs: (914) 356-0120 Days President Asst. Principal (914) 356-4460 Eves

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' 18 The Jewish Ob.>erver I Novemher, 19BI rushed up and down Bedford Avenue, Lee Avenue, and Division Avenue and their cross streets on his daily rounds. But something was missing, something that is more than the bare facts, the very essence of what had made him so special; something that had carved a special niche in the feelings and memories of all those who had been touched by his role in the daily dynamics of the Williamsburg of old. For a moment I was wondering whether nostalgia did not color or distort simple facts. Then it dawned on me that there was a reality of the spirit that is more real than facts, more concrete than the dismal streets of Williamsburg with their endless rows of stooped or stoopless brownstone houses­ (though many have been removed to make room for J new projects, and some have been dressed up with marble-fronts and balconies of the Boro Park variety). It is the simple people like Reb Chaim Gelb-genuine, permeated with humaneness and mutual concern, as with their Yiddishkeif and Mesiras Nefesh-that transcend and transform sober, cold facts with the magic touch of ' an inner beauty, the fragile web of a historical past, present, and future, with the strong warp and woof of a metahistorical texture, independent of time and place. This deeper, inner layer of the stuff of which legends are made, emerges whenever and wherever the name of Reb Chaim is mentioned when Williamsburgers get together and reminisce. A young, brilliant Washington lawyer, assistant to a prominent legislator, said it recently when someone dropped Reb Chaim's name in the conversation: The Man WhO Never Gave Up "I am one uf his boys, though I never attended Yeshiva THE FACE THAT SHONE Tornh Vodaath. Jt goes liack to the time my grandfalher~"Y a gripping and tuuk me to the small ht)USe in Willia1nsburg where he lived in 1nsp1nng biography the hasernent affer his arrit1al in the U.S., before he became a of an outstanding person highly successful ,iewelry dealer. 'Whenever things were rough Rabbi Meir Feist in those early mtinths,' my grandfather said, 'and I went ft1 daven to ptiur out my burdened heart, someone would stuff a written by Rabbi Elchanan few dollars info my coat pocket-just enough to get me by. · Yoseph Hertzman Hou1 he kneu1 and how he did if I never suspected until one translated from the Hebrew morning I saw Reb Chaim u1alking out through the narrow "Pnei Meir" hall of the basement Beis Midrash on Hewes Street and fill by Rabbi Yoneh Bergstrum sonie pockets unobtrusively, after he had finished his rounds of Jerusalem 5741 collecting nickels. For years he refused fo take the rnoney hark. Confined to a wheelchair from age 4. this courage­ 'Civt' it to someone roho net'ds if, ·he Wt1uld shout and rush on! ous Jew over the ensuing 63 years of his life became "]don't know hou1 often my grandfather told us kids this a successful businessman and a scholar story and u1e never fired hearing if. I myself grew up in Borv Mail your check for 52.25 to receive this booklet. Park where there are dvzens of peopit' like Reb Chaim Gt'lb collecting for all kinds of worthy caust's. But I have never met • THE GOAL OF LIFE anyone who engendered the love and admiration that my Tapes that can bnng out the best in you and can c)lange gmndfalher and father had for Reb Chaim Gelb.·· your entire life 60 minutes English tape based on the writings of Rabbi E. Hertzman on Hashkafas Hacha1m 53.00 including postage SORRY - we must stop sending •The entire Tehillim clearly recorded in Hebrew on two 90 THE JEWISH OBSERVER when your minute tapes to help :you say Tehill1m \Mien you cannot concentrate on studying or reading. SS subscription runs out ... RENEW NOW ! Mail orders to: Rabbi EJchanan Yoseph Hertzman 61 Hamson Ave .. Apt SD/Brooklyn NY 11211 ·-~~~~~~~~

Thr Jewish Observer I Ntivember, 1981 19 The Real Rebbi of Wilson Street

Hardly had the lawyer finished when the serious, middle aged man sitting opposite me in the warm atmosphere of the Bostoner Rebbe's Beis Hnmidmsh stopped looking into his sefer. His eyes shone with the Chanakah smile of an inner bliss as he spoke quietly: ITS HISTORY AND OBSERVANCE "To me, Reh Chnim Gelb is !he renl Rehbi of Wilson One complete volume g,.lv~e=s~y:o:::u::.:'------) Streef, tu whom I owe much more than the nickels urdimes, the o An Overview - Light - hrenn tu daven with 1ny heart and my mouth. You see, if ..,..,,.,~<"" ,,,. " Banishes Darkness happened to rne mtire than once because my father was poor 1 O The History of the c:r1<1nr 1k<1~ arui there ums many a time when he could not spare the few ,,,.,,.,_,,, Period - The great dollars fur fhe s'char limmud (tuition). I was sent out of class powers of the era. Why by the administrator who was hard-pressed tu raise enuugh the Hasmoneans rnoney to prevent the teachers from striking because their revolted. A miracle and a paychecks u1ere long overdue. There I was, standing in the festival 25 years before ------the final victory. Chanah The parents, faculty and student body and her Seven Sons. of When did it all happen? o The Laws - A digest of all the Chanukah laws. ~NJVJHASHEM '''tl1I o The Prayers - Com­ THE JEWISH CENTER mentary and translation for of the Menorah-lighting prayers and mizmorim. SPECIAL EDUCATION o Rabbinic Insights - A delightful and informative wish to express their thanks and appreciation to: collection collection on every aspect of Chanukah. Rabbi Menachem Lubinsky Rabbis Hersh Goldwurm, Nosson Scherman, and Meir Zlotowltt ·;... bring you a new level of knowledge, feeling, and insight Into Chanukah, the Mr. Shmuel Prager festival of light and liberation. of the Agudath Yisroel Commission 160 pages $8.95 hardcover $5.95 paperback on Legislation and Civic Action for their tireless efforts on behalf of our school. Make ArtScroll your 'Chanukah Gift Center' In resolving the very pressing issue of busing our students from around the city to our school they An ArtScroB gift ls not only a compliment to your taste - it says that you respect your receplent. have made it possible for our children to receive A few suggestions: the very specialized education program they O The Festivals In Halachah Vol. 11 - on Chanukah. Purim. Fast Days, and Minor Festivals. Rav Zevin's halachic m

20 The Jewish Observer I November, I 981

···'"'"'- hall, sobbing, when Reh Chaim came out of the Beis Harnid­ the Mosliiach will come soon in our days, there will be rash with tallis and fefillin. Somehow, he had a special ear for Reb Chaim, leading the parade to meet him, as we boys in need or in trouble. And nv Vtiice ePer sounded sweeter march up Bedford Avenue. In fact, I can hear him now, than when Reh Chaim gave one look af me, and said: 'Yan­ shouting: ,.Zerizus, m friends!" ~T ke/eh, what's de maffer? Why aren't you in class, as usiial?' He did ntif even wait for an ansuier. A pat on my back, he wiped the tears off my face, and stormed info !he office, pulled himself up lo his full height, his eyes flnshing, and placed a few crumbled dollars fro1n his pocket on the high wooden counter that kepi the idle and the kids [ram interfering with the affice work, "'Look here, my _friend,' he said sternly in his affable ; manner that disarme1i even the most hostile opponent. 'My young friend Yanke/eh wants to learn, and don't you keep him out of class again! I an! good ftir f he money until his father can raise the s'char limmud.' Wi!htiuf saying a word, knowing that there wns no purpose in contradicting Reli Chaim, the administrator, who hated to send any child out of class any­ way, u1rofe an admit slip. Taking 1ne by the hand, Reh Chaim ' walked me up the stairs, straight to the office v_f Rabbi Stern 7"~T. A glance of understanding passed between these two kindred souls, the superior scholar and Mechanech, and the simple man of _faith anil heart. Rabbi Stern lirought me back into the class and the Rebbi said how glad he u1as that I did not have lo miss the new Gemora.-How ensily 1could hnve been turned off," snid the scholarly man, nnd turned back fo the sefer fhat was alwnys before him.

Not to be Topped

We were still silent, digesting what he had said, when another man, down at the end of our table, broke into University Microfilms our musings with his contribution: "Well, 1ny friends, if you think this is something, 1 wish International Reh Aaron Kotler 'i"':iT were here to tell you of the greatest suprise tlf his life. Once when things u1ere very ftlugh in the early years of his Beth Medrash Gavaha in Lakewood, he went to Williamsburg fa nppenl for funds. Few were able lo Please send additional information refuse the Gndol Hador when heapprc1ached them. But, as he for______told us when he came back to say his Shiur, he had learned n Name ______(name of publication)_ lesson in Chessed from a plain person in the street outside of Torah Vodaafh whu came over to him, after he had finished his appeal, and said: 'Rebbe, I heard yuu need funds la keep up Institution ___ your wonderful Yeshiva. Here are a few dollars I saved up iust for such nn occasion. Let rne have the zechus /1J share in the Street learning of your talmidinz.' "The few dollars turned au/ lo be $3000.00, and the City_ simple few wns none other than Reh Chaim Gelb. Nothing Reh Aaron said tu dissuade him from giving such a huge sum State_ Zip. ____ u1ould change his mind. . . Over the decades, many n rich man gave large sums to our Rebbi, hut no contribution and the spirit in which if was giPen, moved him ns much as this generous gesture of Reh Chaim Gelb. Now his grandchildren 300 North Zeeb Road 30-32 Mortimer Street Dept. P.R. Dept. P.R. nre learning in Lakewoud and in other Yeshi11os that his Ann Arbor, Mi. 48106 London WlN 7RA nickels dimes and quarters helped build," U.S.A. England This is the essence of the life and work of Reb Chaim Gelb, may he live to a hundred and twenty, And when

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22 The Jewish Observer I November, 1981

I ' - come to appreciate each other and the values they are perpetuating together. Should the day arrive second looks when the extra paycheck is unne­ cessary, there is nothing shameful or self-demeaning for a working woman to retire from the market­ at the jewish scene place and become "just a housewife." In fact, she may well experience greater fulfillment of her feminine self to the benefit of all concerned. ever, it takes two paychecks to keep Today especially, the working ERA Comes one household fiscally solvent. Func­ woman's income is crucial to so tioning as a working mother can be many aspects of the Torah home­ Home a tremendous strain on a woman­ whether as principal wage earner in keeping house, raising children, and a Kolle! family, or co-earner in a tui­ We've been saying it so loud and caring for a family is a demanding tion paying family-that one cannot for so long that it scarcely needs career unto itself and great sensitiv­ summarily dismiss the" second job" repeating-except that the situation ity and care must be exercised to as an indulgence. It must be accepted we are addressing has deteriorated make certain that each sphere of for what is gained as much as for to the extent that a leading spokes­ activity gets its due. The key to a what is risked. By the same token, person for the opposition has rec­ smoothly running home, then, is though, the onslaught of foreign ognized it, too: the ordering of priorities: a job is a values in the street and on the media Increasingly, married women are job, and not a career competing with make every surrogate parent­ finding it necessary to work away husband and children for attention whether a hand-chosen baby-sitter, from home-some for emotional and loyalty. And as parents learn to a local day care center, or Sesame reasons, others responding to social compensate for the limited quantity Street and the Electric Company­ pressures, but most because of sim­ of available time slots by enhancing less than a passable substitute. Sim­ ple economic realities. More than their quality, they and their children ilarly, the spiritual toll on the work- Notjustacheese, atr tion... -

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The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 23 ing woman from time spent away riages by latest calculation), single from home as part of the broader parent households are commonplace, HOME society cannot be underestimated. abortion is a matter of personal (See Rabbi Elya Svei's "Raising a choice, and (according to an Oct. 26 ATTENDANTS Torah Society", JO April '81.) There NY Times story) the incidents of is no time in memory that has wit­ births from unwed mothers have needed for nessed such crumbling of public risen 50°/o in the past decade-all to HOUSEKEEPING AND morality and the institution of mar­ some degree attributable to the em­ PERSONAL CARE riage and the family. Thus, we phasis of individual fulfillment at should exercise every safeguard the expense of the family. As a conceivable to insulate our lives from result, hosts of committees, com­ for the all corrosive influences. missions, surveys, and task forces For this reason, we have taken have been launched to study The DISABLED AND strong exception to the feminist Family, either bemoaning the situa­ HOMEBOUND movement. Of course, we have wel­ tion or outlining ways of institu­ comed their agitation for equality in tionalizing "the great family fault," good pay and benefits compensation for working time and and make the inevitable acceptable­ Boro Park, Bensonhurst and effort (the average working woman surfing on the foam of the wave of Flatbush Area brings home 65¢ for every dollar her the future. male counterpart earns), but the full-time live in positions only Now another voice is joining the feminist stress on "personhood" and rest, calling for a revision of the fulfillment in ways outside of the goals of the Feminist Revolution: Project OHR Inc. conventional feminine roles has Betty Friedan. Ms. Friedan is consi­ been so strong as to undermine the dered by many to be the grand­ (Office for Homecare Referral) family and traditional values. mother of the Feminist Movement, having prodded a wide awareness of 3920 13th Avenue Some Changes Taking Place what she considered inequities be­ tween the sexes in all aspects of life, Brooklyn, NY 11218 After so many years of being a with her The Feminine Mystique. In 853-2700 lonely voice in the crowd, some that book, she attacked the concept changes in the public attitude are that women exist to take care of taking place. Chances of passing their men and look after their All Seforim reviewed in ERA appear to be diminishing as the homes, smashing the pedestal on THE JEWISH deadline approaches, for the broad which they had once been rever­ public is rejecting the amendment ently placed. To Ms. Friedan, the OBSERVER because of the excesses of the femi­ pedestal was a cage. are available at nist movement. In fact, it has now become fashionable to bemoan the Too Far The Revolution Eichler's disappearance of the family, which 1429 Coney Island Ave. of course is civilization's prime con­ Now, in her recently published veyor of personal security, culture book, The Second Sfage, she declares (between J & K) and social stability. Divorce rates are that the Revolution had gone too far Brooklyn, NY 11230 skyrocketing (up to 40% of all mar- in pursuit of "personhood," for in (212) 258-7643 WE SHIP WORLDWIDE ··--·--·------· -----·-·-

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24 The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 the process women have shed their Friedan. But her book does recog­ be protected. The integrity of Jew­ feminine distinctiveness. Further­ nize that one does not treat lightly ish womanhood and her modesty more, they have permitted radical six millennia of family life. More­ must-yes, remain on a pedestal, elements to assume the forefront of over she certainly has not as yet where they are to be respected and the movement, which became iden­ come full circle. She does not accept even revered. And should the eco­ tified with a pro-abortion stance, that role assignments based on sex nomic realities of the 1980's con­ against "right-to-life"-ers, and be­ are not simply products of one or tinue to send both parents into the came thought of as being for deviant another set of social conditions; and marketplace, let them be ever con­ life styles, and anti-family. "We're that they are no/ the marks of privi­ scious of the risks and the trade-offs also pro-life," she now maintains. lege versus subservience. involved, and let them cherish the "We believe in the family, and we're In the meantime, our goals remain treasure entrusted to them that in favor of conventional relation­ unchanged. The Jewish family must must be preserved, at all costs. ~T ships between the sexes. We only wish to keep other options open, and to recognize personal prefer­ ence in private matters." It's not that Ms. Friedan apolog­ izes for the errors of the past. She simply dismisses them as inevitable excesses of the first stage of the revolution-like the cutting edge of any revolution. But now she is ready to publicly recognize the harm in­ herent in perpetuating these ex­ cesses, and she is expressing con­ cern for the well-being of her fol­ lowers, who are suffering from various types of anxieties, identity crises, and an inability to meet con­ flicting, overbearing demands. She attempts to disavow "the Red Her­ ring of Sexual Politics," which has man (rather than the system) tar­ geted as the enemy, either polariz­ Answer: Heritage & Tradition ing him or intimidating him in the Empire is 100% kosher ... for over 40 years. It's all strictly kosher. process. And in a final burst of Put that in capital letters. 100% KOSHER. revisionism-totally renouncing the 100% KOSHER. Right down the fine. Underline it. 100% KOSHER. slogan "biology is not destiny"-she What does all this mean to the thoughtful Jewish now maintains that family involve­ From EmP.ire's own breeders where our family and to other quality conscious scientifically bred laying hens spend contented consumers? ment should not be postponed indef­ days in beautiful, dormitory style laying initely, for"children and biology will houses producing only the very best eggs. Jt means one simple but very important thing. Which is this: not wait." To Empire's own hatcheries where maximum quality continues as the eggs are pampered to When you buy an Empire Kosher Chicken, you're hatch quality chicks for the kosher market. guaranteed good eating kosher chicken.

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The Jewish Observer I Nmiember, 1981 25 I Higher Horizons I Down Under -An Australian ~ Torah Connection

Distance is Relative ...

"What are you u1rifing nbout the Aus­ tralian Kolle[?" the vaice on the felcphane asked. "What did I write about the Scranton Kolle! or the neu1 community ko/lel faking shape in Chicago?" I asked in return. "Come, now. Whnf's the comparison? T u1elue families-twenty-four adults with 1nare f han thirty children-nre actually pul­ ling up their ruots and n1oving half-way around the world! When it's dark here, it's light there: summer here, winter there. If's a Members ,1_f 1/1e Austnilrnn Kil/el ril t/ieir deparlurt' f,,r Md/,,111n1t rind !heir /i1milie>. different u10rld.r" of Yiddishkeit, and they recognize the people to bring their problems to For years now, Orthodox busi­ need for resident Torah scholars in them. Instead, they should have nessmen with investments and in­ the tradition of the proverbial asara raised their tunics and traveled from terests in any and all of the six con­ batlanim to raise the level of Judaism place to place, and instructed the tinents have been jetting to major in their locality, and to improve populace in the ways of Torah. Had cities in virtually every country in chances that their own offspring they done so, the populace would the world, accompanied by Glatt will settle closer to home than they have been more civil and the tragic Kosher airline meals at every stop. might otherwise. incident would have never occurred. By contrast, advanced Torah study Fine: Stamford, St. Louis, Denver, In a more modern context, when has been somewhat less mobile. Mexico City ... but jet-reach has its Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, the famed Sure, some yeshiva youth spend a limits too. That is, it appeared to disciple of the Yilna Gaon, founded few years in Israel, and parents have limits until early this Nov­ his yeshiva in 1804 to serve the must remember: "Never call after 3 ember when my friendly caller entire region, it was an historic step PM-or after 9:30 AM Fridays." ... prodded me to write these lines. It forward in the dissemination of To-­ 2 AM wrong numbers send worried was then that the first contingent of rah. Yet he shed tears because the parents bolting out of bed to wonder a twelve family group took off for European continent was not to be if something's up in Jerusalem. But Down Under, to bring a ready­ the final resting place for Torah how much further has the Torah made, thriving, self-contained Torah before Moshiarh's arrival. It would community really grown? community to the other side of the suffer yet a further golus in the wil­ world. derness of the American continent. ... When Relatives are Distant Volozhin would have a "backyard" Early Beginnings on the other side of the Atlantic. A New York family may have The American go/us never was an members in a kollel in Toronto Where do we find the beginnings easy conquest for Torah. In the year which means no month without a of the concept that "our backyard," 1900, the Rndvaz (Rabbi Yaakov three-figure phonebill; or on the where our responsibility extends, David Wilavsky 7"~1) came to Amer­ West Coast, which could result in should not be limited, but must ica to raise funds for the completion spending a Shavuos in Los Angeles. grow? The Midrash says that the of the new edition of the entire Yeru­ And why not? "Out-of-town" is Great Sanhedrin bore the responsi­ slwlmi (Jerusalem Talmud), with his really quite civilized after all, and bility for the thousands of Jews that own commentary as well as the clas­ not a spiritual wasteland, as once lost their lives in the incident of Pile­ sic standard ones. While there, he perceived. (You can even get Cho/av gesh /,'Giva (Shoffim 19-21) because the was drafted to become Chief Rabbi Yisroe/ yogurt in Fairfax.) A second members of this august body had of Chicago. His experiences and generation of yeshiva graduates sat under their grapevines and their tribulations, as well as his incisive now populate those former outposts fig-trees, and had waited for the observations of American Jewry, its

26 The Jewish Observer/ Nt't'emher, 1981 institutions and rnhhonim, fill the Hnk­ 20's, but it did not take root. It cut off from theirfellow Jews world­ dnmos (prefaces) to his seforim. When remained quite small, and after relo­ wide by what had been termed the he left-in failure-to settle in cating to Cleveland in the early 30's, "tyranny of distance." Despite im­ T zfas, where he became Rav fiarashi, it closed down completely.) proved communications and faster he noted that if he had had the In the years since then, the Beth and more reasonable travel, they ineans to bring ten of his better tal- Medrash Govoha model was dupli­ remain isolated from the main­ 1nidi111 from Slutzk (Russia) to Chi­ cated by other yeshivas-first, Bais stream of Yidilishkeif in America, Eng­ cago to sit and learn, he would have Medrash Elyon, then Torah Vo­ land, the Continent and Eretz Yisroel. been able to establish a foothold for daath, Mir, Tels he, Ner Israel. Torah in the community. One man Then, as the next step, some kolle­ No Longer a Stopover alone-no matter how great-could lim have been founded with a differ­ not accomplish it. He spoke not only ent format and some new functions. In spite of its isolation, Melbourne ' with Daas Tarah (Torah perspective) Rather than isolate themselves from is a community that has come of as one of the two leading gedolin1 the distractions of surrounding com­ age. Once only remembered as an then in America (Rabbi Yaakov Yo­ munities, they situtated themselves exotic stopover for World War 11 seif in New York City was the j in the heart of their host cities, and refugees, it has become a Lubavitch other); he was drawing from his as "community kollelim" have be­ stronghold, has a Satmar commun­ own first-hand experience from the come involved in their spiritual af­ ity, plus tens of thousands of non­ establishment of the famed Slutzker fairs-lecturing, teacfling and learn­ affiliated Jews. Nonetheless, it has Yeshiva in his city: fourteen "Kossa­ ing with local people (see JO Oct. been a continent with limited horiz­ kim" (lit. Cossaks) headed by Rabbi '79)-just as Reb Aaron had anti­ ons. The Torah success stories of Isser Zalmen Meltzer 7"::-n were dis­ cipated. Australian children-Act I-genera~ patched by the "Alter" of Slabodka And now, in a quantum leap, geo­ ly end with a session in an Israeli in 1896 upon the Radiiaz's request, to graphically speaking, Beth Medrash yeshiva as Act 11. There is no Act Ill establish a yeshiva in Russia. It Govoha is engaged in a global out­ ... they seldom come home again to worked in Slutsk and it could have reach to the relatively small (70,000) stay. worked in Chicago. Jewish community of Australis-in So now an enlightened, farsight­ a general population of 14,500,000- ed leadership in Australia has de- The "Chicago" Dream in Lakewood Trust your next Catered Affair to the finest It was over forty years (1943) before the time was ripe for the ((DGlatt Kosher establishment of the first successful Caterer in the Metropolitan Area mako1n T(1n1h for mature /rnci T(irnh to continue learning in America-in arkside ~~:ng you at Lakewood, by Rabbi Aaron Kotler locations 7"lt, Reb Isser Zalmen's son-in-law. aterers It had been the Rosh Yeshiva's con­ Crest viction that once America develops FOREST PARK Jewish Center Hollow Northern 90-45 Myrtle Ave., Queens Country Nassau County its own genuine tnlmidri chnchon1im, Club they would be possessed of the spirit Delk~ Jewish Center and responsibility that goes with 11 II Rockaway Beach Blvd. Sh.a~ CATERERS their status, and \.vould move on to & 135 St. Belle Harbor, N.Y. other communities-to their ex­ 2380 Hylan Blvd. tended backyards-and they would Staten Island, N. Y. CATERERS change the complexion of the land. ~au County (There had been a small yeshiva 1060 Ocean Parkway,Brooklyn established in New Haven by Rabbi !\hi €'Z£R 1885 Ocean Parkway OF GREAT NECK Yehuda Levenberg 7'":>1 in the early SYNAGOGUE (at Ave. S) Brooklyn .N..t..n_l_ Perfeg for _vt_~l!_e_f!d BaL_M_!tZ'f'.~~ ! Tllf'Sherdf<•1Heighls ~ wh· A In 1waiby Hasbrour.k Hetgll1s NPW Jerwy I ::M . . _1ppany _d. & at th~ crossroads ol lflters1a1e 80 & R1e 17 ~.~o lmdsley Dnve Mornstown, New Jersey

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The Jewish Observrr I Novemhn, l 98 I 27 I cided that their community should ' "So ane of your children is going to iuur­ "Mr. Mendlowifz did not nnswer my not be discounted as a spiritual out­ ney to Australia?" 1 asked. specific fears: history did.** But he gat1e nze land, or a bedroom suburb of Jerusa­ "No," he replied, "but I remernher a com­ some food for thought: 'There's a gold mine lem, without a Torah industry of its parable situation a generation ago" in your backyard. You should dig out that own. Investing a vast amount of -Buenos Aires? Winnipeg? Dallas? ore. If yau don't, sonieone else u1ill. It's iusf money, time and energy, they are -"in Detroit. Thirty-plus years agu, not going to stay buried.' . .. 'My backyard' I hosting the twelve kollel families, Mr. Mendlowitz* grabbed hold of 1ne in the is nou1 all the way out in the South Pacific, they have secured housing for them Mesivfa corridor and fold me that I should and thank G-d our people have the good sense and are underwriting all expenses ioin a contingent of mature talmidim going lo to get out there and dig, With G-d's help, for the initial year. Detroit tu convert the city's afternoon school they're going to strike gald." ~T And the community-minded, far­ to n yeshiva day school. I obiected: Tm still sighted leadership of Beth Medrash single. Detroit is not a place to find a shid­ THE WORLD FAMOUS Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey, duch. Nor is it a place lo have children, raise and twelve altruistic families are a family, or liue like a Yid. I can't go out DIGEST OF MEFORSHIM re adv to leave the comfort and con­ there.I' ,~,i'" .,,,:: ,~,i'" veni~nce of home-twelve of the '":iT iy~?M ?N1~!0 '1 l":"!i;i~ foremost scholars in a community Available at of scholars are ready to rough it for *Reh Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz, 7"'11', mena" he/ of Mesivta Tor ah Vodaath and founder of LEKUTEI INC. the sake of a community that has Torah Umesorah c/o L Rosenberg come of age and recognizes the **Today Detroit has a complete educa­ 10 West 47th Street, Room 702 vacuum that only Torah can fill, tional system from nursery and two day schools through high school as well as twv New York, N.Y. 10036 Before hnnging up on my informflnf, I kollelirn, and countless Detroiters in yeshi­ (212) 719-1717 u1ns curiuus as fo his own involvement in this vas all over the globe, including some thirty 20 Volumes on Torah, Perek, enterprise. in Lakewood. Medrash, Megilos and Talmud, Proceeds of sales distributed among Yeshivos and used for reprinting ''Brings to the reader of volumes out-of-print PRICE $ 7 .50 PER VOWME the beauty and passion of '--~~~~~~~~~~ I HELP!~ Jewish prayer.'' \ Adoptive Family -Professor l)avid W. W'eiss, Hebrew University, Jerusalem I Needed ; I Ohel Children·s Home needs a I -::::~;~~;i~ll>~l/J~l/J~l/J~l/>;M;i.llil For those who daven regularly, Rabbi . : lj,l/J/}i/JJIJ>IJ,11>1/J I Hayim Halevy Donin offers a blend of i loving, adoptive family. for a al!JIJ>ll>l/JIJill>ll> p y halakha and history, midrash and philoso· , cute four-year old boy phy that highlights the spiritual beauty Because of his birth defect, spina 1 ra sometimes lost in the forest of words, b1fada, A1.1 is unable to walk. He re-capturing the awe and splendor of the T<0 I is, however, healthy energetic, siddur. TO PRAY AS A JEW is a practical Ireference as well, explaining for. example, bright and very verbal. 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Su~e~b.'' -Dr. ~ol any suitable family Jewish or a Roth, President, Rabbinical Council of 011 non-Jewish. ·ct L 1n1NC· " ,1ftern° · America I~ orn1n,-.· I QJ\·~ If you can help Ohel call Mrs. 11 1 0 T1wd· hn ~~ -.c1\itCn'd H1µ11H ~ 111 d TO PRAY AS A JEW 1 1 1 0111 Reich or Mrs. Ingber today at de\'e 1 1'' · h t' ,111 h fc~u ·«·· ru'e1n R a bb.1 H ayrm, H aevy l Donm , 11 1 1 212-851-6300. :.:,,1hb· · 1.,,,inl-i". ~ ei·er\ dai te,1(hing~. $15 00 .;pct i.il ~1c ,1nd 10 tr id1t10f1~l 1Y n1ean1nl' ! • . . .,yn.1W11' 11011~. ,~t."enr- ' , Also bv Rabbi Donzn ... 1 1 111 \\'1th,::;.,1( , ~.,.~)n 1 hef ~nNIN TO BE A JEW $12.95 1 1 ·"'d,;, h ,,,,,e' •'ALf\/Y \;;;::~q,;I TO RAISE A JEWISH CHILD $12.95 "' ' :(ltv1 [1_1;,°;;'~f,1/,1~ RABBI HA at bookstores, or direct from the publisher OHEL i;lhlh~ CHILDREN'S HOME ._Iii~~ BASIC BOOKS, INC. 4423 • 16th Avenue _.----- IO East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022 Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204 L--· ------28 The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 ANon­ Disappearing Rebbe my way, consider myself his spirit­ should be lived. This group was the Rabbi Hillel Belsky ual heir, because I, too, am a n1e­ Leviim, and the Mifziiah that isolated lnmed-not with the special drive, them was havdolas half'viim "election perhaps, that triggered his choice; of the Leviim".' Back in Egypt, the Permit me to introduce myself but then again, one cannot be a Leviim steadfastly studied Torah properly. I am the great-grandson of melamed without a sense of mission and managed to escape the fate that Reb Yehudah Laib of Zhaludok, Rus­ of one type or another-only the befell their brothers. Pharaoh calcu­ sia. I only knew him for the last nine context changes. lated that the Leviim would starve, years of his long life during which It was with great interest that I because he would not feed anyone he resided in the Home of the Sages took note of the recent display of who did not work, and they were of Israel on the lower East Side of interest within these pages in the sitting and learning. Rations were Manhattan. He did not speak Eng­ life of the melamed. On one level, I so meager that Pharaoh was sure lish, although he had been in this experienced excitement that the so­ that the Jews could not sustain Levi. country for over forty years. To cial and financial concerns of the But the Leviim sacrificed for Torah, communicate with him beyond a melamed were being brought into the and Kial Yisrael sacrificed for the hello and a good-bye, one had to talk open. But as I read, I experienced Leviim. Reb Elya Lopian 7"Xl in Lev to him in learning, for he only left increasing sadness. I felt that the Eliyahu cites this mesiras nefesh as one the Beis Meidrnsh to say hello and grandeur of the life of the melamed of the merits for which Klal Yisroef good-bye to his relatives who came was being diminished. There is no received the Torah. to see him. question that the community at large And so it continued in the Mishkan Reb Yehudah Laib was a very tal­ is liable for their treatment of meln1n­ (Sanctuary). The Mishkan, too, rep­ ented Jew, and in his youth he had dim, but at the same time I feel that resented life as it was meant to be­ tried his hand at many different the melarned needs to be reminded no contact with death, or any re­ types of business in an attempt to who he is. In a world of overwhelm­ minder of death. The lechem haponin1 provide for his family. At each ven­ ing materialism, it is important for (showbreads) remained fresh from ture, he sustained serious life-threa­ perspective to be maintained, and EreP Shnhhos to Ereti Shahhos-the tening injuries. The Rebbe finally for this perspective to sustain the Mishkan was a replica of life in its told him that apparently Heaven melamed through his social and fi­ more perfect state. The figure in had decreed that he be a melamed, and nancial struggles. this setting was the Levi. He did not a 1nelnmed he became. work for a living; he did not own I am his great grandson, and I, in A Group Apart property. He was set aside for Avadas Hashem-Divine Service. There has always existed in Kial Rabbi Belsky is Rvsh Mesivla in the Yeshiva of We have no Mishkan. We have no the South and Menahel of the Goldie Margolin School Yisroel a group whose lives repre­ for Girls, in Mrmphis. sented the ideal of how Jewish life

The Jewish 0/iserver I Novem!1er, 1981 29 Mikdnsh. The Abarbanel explains figure that is to represent life on a be supported by the community in that the role of Levi was transferred more perfect plane-life as it was exchange for offering the commun­ to the talmid chncJrnn1. Havdolns Hale~ meant to be, so to speak. The fahnid ity the star for which to reach, the I riitn became havdulas falmidei chacho­ chacham of Torasnm Un1nasam (Torah image with which to grapple, and in n1im. The ta/mid chncham now is the is their sole occupation) stature is to some measure, perhaps, to attain. From the point of view of the com­ munity, I imagine, its appreciation r of the ln/midei chnchnmim could be measured by the degree of esteem and support-financial and other­ wise-that it gives them. But to the tnlmi1lei chachan1im themselves, their lives were elevated-they were bringing a piece of heaven down to earth-and were thus separated from the materialism that surround­ ed them.

Beyond Professionalism

Learning has many faces. The Mishna says that more than one learns fron1 his R.ebbein1 and his friends, he learns from his students. Teaching is learning. By the same token that the separateness of the Leviim was transferred to the falrni­ dt'i fhafhamim who learned, it was transferred to those who taught. As Abarbanel Rioja Red. the Levi did not "earn" his Manser by Abarbanel Rioja White. performing his services, and money Quite possibly the first could not compensate for his servi­ ces, a melamed cannot be truly com­ traditional wines to be pensated for his services. As a great shipped out of Spain man once said to me in response to since 1492. Estate nurtured my need for encouragement, if a and bottled in Spain's melamed introduces one word of Yiras world-famous Riqja Alavesa Shamayim into the mind of one stu­ dent, he justifies the whole world's wine-producing region. existence. To discuss the 1nelamed in Delightful, delidoso, any professional or statistical terms leaving a taste of fiesta is to deprive him of his uniqueness. on your palate. (In general, there is too much talk of professionalism with regard to me­ lamdim. Mclarndim are surrogate par­ ents and I never heard of profes­ sional standards for parents. For a more detailed discussion of the dif­ ference between melamdim and teach­ ers, one needs to turn to Divrei Ral1- /Juseinu by Moreinu Rav Yitzchok Hutner 7"~t). All areas of Torah are facing the same problem. In an environment as wealthy as ours, sacrifice is a diffi­ cult concept. This is evident in our Kollelim as well as in our Yeshivos. ~ The Jewish Observer I Novtmbtr, 1981 I One needs to remember that 1MN O'lp0:1 ii'7'l1Ji i11iii- Justice and the Digs s pirituaJ and material wealth on one table-is a unique blessing, not a noi-m. I do not know what the The archeological season-usually Zamir overruling the Chief Rabbis' future holds. We need to go back to concentrated in the summer declaration of the site of the archeo­ the lessons of Egypt. The Leviim months-has come to its close, and logical excavations in David's City as sacrificed for Torah, and Kini Yisroel the dust has settled around Area G an ancient cemetery. Zamir stated: sacrificed for the Leviim. Together of David's City in Jerusalem (see 1. Rabbis have no right to deter­ we made it. It was, and remains, a "Digging for Roots" JO Sept. '81). mine what is a Jewish cemetery; communal responsibility-to sustain The scientists have packed up their 2. No one, rabbis or otherwise, and to be sustained. I am frightened, spades and brushes, the demonstra­ has the right to prevent the excava­ for one of the last prophecies is tors are back in the religious sec­ tion of a cemetery if it is suspected iiJYWOi iYWO i11~i1~0i o~?wii~o ,~~o ~J.li1 tions of their cities, and the cops that the excavation "may reveal -"I will remove support from Jer­ have put away their truncheons. things of major scientific and na­ usalem and Judah" -our "Levi," our One cannot predict with certainty tional importance." As stated, legis­ example, will be taken from us. On what will happen next summer, lation should render these remarks the other hand, this is a warning of when the archeological digging sea­ simply academic. Nonetheless their doom that we can avoid, if the com­ son begins anew, but it can be tone will stand in stark contrast to munity treasures its rnelarndirn; and if expected that the Begin government situations elsewhere. our 1nelnnuiin1 treasure themselves.1..T. will honor its coalition agreement with Agudath Israel. This includes International Implications Point 45, which calls for much stric- Pincus Mandel ter controls over archeological exca- Communist countries are not Cemetery Consultant vations. Specifically, the clause ca1ls known for respecting religion, or Representative of Chevros for legislation to set up a review for treating any artifacts from the Kadisha of Jerusalem board, consisting of three rabbis and past with any special deference, un- with karka available on Har Ha· two scientists, to pass judgment on less they relate to the glories of the zaitim, Har Hamnuchot and the possibility of the existence of Peoples' revolution. It is very much Sanhedria. Karka also obtain­ graves in dig sites, and then to in character for them to create play- able on all other Community· render binding decisions. This will grounds or housing complexes over owned Cemeteries in Eretz Yis· make totally irrelevent some of the burial grounds, as the Russians did rae!, controlled and maintained more intemperate remarks made over the Babi Yar ravine in Kiev, or by the Chevra Kadisha of the during the confrontation. to lay a highway across a cemetery Community. Outstanding among them is a rul- as the Czechs did over the kever of 1569 47th Street ing, with the force of law, issued by the revered Chasam Sofer in Bratis- Brooklyn, NY 11219 lsrael's Attorney-General Yitzhak lava (Pressburg). Yet, with diplo- Day and Night Phone r - - ... ------·- ·- ·- -- ···- - - ·--· - --- - I Is your name and address print~d incorrectly on tlw JO mailing Jahd., (212) 8555121 1 Art=i you inovlng'J Help us Jeliver your JO to you as efftcienth/ as 'pc)ssi I Honesty - lnteyrity - l hie. Please t:lttach current mailing label in spact> be.!ov,:: or el~t:> print clear l Responsibility I ly your address os \Ve noVv' have IL Over 25 Years of Dedicated SerV1ce to the Orthodox Jewish Community Name Address .. Photocards of Citv. State. Zip ... Gedolei Yisroel Print your correct \or 1'1ev./) rv:irnl? dlld addres::. herl!· 35 glossy, postcard size Nanll' (3Yz" x Sy,'') portraits of Gedolei Yisroel Adthess _ . for your set, send $4 City. State. 7.ir . to: Photocards Agudath Israel of America Mull to: 5 Beekman Street The Jewish Observer I NYC 10038 L ___ _ 5 Beekman St NYC JOO:li<

31 macy and persistence, Orthodox from the Polish government, War­ Israeli government decided that at representatives have been initiating saw's long-neglected 200-year-old, times there are considerations other I and maintaining negotiations with 75-acre cemetery will soon benefit than respect for the dead that over­ various Communist regimes to res­ from an extensive care and rehabili­ ride respect for cemeteries, couldn't pect Jewish burial places, with an tation program. A good case can the Poles, with all their pressing appreciable degree of success (see surely be made for the Poles to care problems, find their overriding con­ l Dr. Isaac Lewin's "The Struggle to for these 200,000 graves as a belated cerns-and at least ignore the ceme­ ~ Protect Jewish Cerr.eteries in Po­ gesture of contrition and concern teries' needs for upkeep? Yet the land"-JO Dec. '76). toward the Jews who had suffered Communists understand interna­ Recently, an unusual degree of so much during their nine-hundred­ tional public opinion. Let the left­ progress was made in this area. year-sojourn in Poland. wing Laborites in Israel do no less. Funded in part by a $90,000 grant On the other hand, now that the ~'I'.

means of communications is "dan­ Letters to the Editor gerous" because of what may be I communicated is true in just the , same way that butter knives, ploughs, and other domestic imple­ ments are dangerous. The same could be said for the forms of com­ munication: dialogue, novel, essay, and so on. I would hardly attack all essayists and readers because some reviewed by him prior to publica­ essays are wholly lacking in intelli­ How Dangerous Is the Novel? tion, or merely abstained from by gence or style. To the Editor: the public of their own volition?), Yet, it is claimed, the novel is dif­ Dr. B. Fryshman's "On Losing and so on. However, we will content ferent and so is television because of One's Mind" (May 1981) builds on ourselves with just a few points. the uncritical way these media are the premise that because the enter­ taken in and because of the great tainment value of fiction lies in the Trash or fiction? malleability of the individual .... The ability of the author to elicit identifi­ Moral Majority opposes the things cation with the protagonist, the To begin with, Dr. Fryshman that Dr. Fryshman finds objectiona­ reader (viewer) "ends up a willing continually blurs the distinction ble; yet a survey shows that only a receptacle for the conclusions of the between fiction per se and trash. His minority of its members favor a TV author," and his mind becomes "the theory opposes all fiction, but his boycott. Further, the overwhelming temporary property of the author." examples are "Batman and Robin," majority of its members watch tele­ Dr. Fryshman views this as a form so-called "in" language, the arguably vision. Obviously, a great many of mind control. ... Free time, for anti-Semitic Mmhant of Venice (by people read things and watch things which the author can find no use, is which the great Shakespeare is but stick to their principles. Millions seen as "an aberration in the history written off), a missionary film, and of Americans "exposed to serious of man," a chessed largely responsible Exodus, not to mention sympathetic dramas depicting homosexuals ..." for this "loss of our minds." treatments of murderers and ho­ nevertheless continue to view the Much could be said of this theo­ mosexuals. From this obviously practice as disgusting and do not retical framework: that it general­ unrepresentative sample, the author change in "the long run in their feel­ izes without drawing distinctions, attacks the "clean" movies watched ing toward .... the way of life of that it finds voluntary action a form by the "finest" families, and the these people." of control, that it views human "innocent" novel which enhances beings as far more malleable than the writer's ability to manipulate "They Are Called Children" they are, that it fails to appreciate minds all the more. If Dr. Fryshman Now there are persons with great the lengths to which people have would confine his a !tacks to books malleability and without the capac­ gone for a little bit of"free time"­ and pictures which are insensitive, ity for critical thought: children. life which does not have to be lived factually inaccurate, anti-Semitic, But, again, if Dr. Fryshman would to fulfill the ancient curse attached biased, or otherwise faulty, how­ merely suggest that the intellectual to the ground because of Adam's ever, he would be saying nothing diet of children be checked over, sin, that it lacks a thesis (does Dr. that hasn't been said for hundreds most reasonable people already Fryshman believe that fiction should of years. The idea that television, agree. Instead, we are told that we be prohibited, censored by the State, radio, printing presses, or any other are all unable to evaluate material

32 The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 with which we may identify, and we go to the movies, because they feel interrupted by the passive pap of become "a willing tool in the hands the experience worthwhile. Does novels, movies, and TV? of the movie director." The view Dr. Fryshman care if the lives of We need only to point to the that we, as Orthodox Jews, have these people are less fulfilled-as changed attitudes and reactions to towards much of the material re­ they see it? Novels, television, and such as "gay lib," co-ed dormitories, leased nowadays is empirically in­ movies are human artifacts and can pornography, and the Feminist compatible with Dr. Fryshman's be used for good as for bad. Their movement to begin to appreciate view of malleable man. On the con­ invention has brought happiness, how malleable people as a whole can trary, in a world governed by Dr. comfort, and satisfaction to millions. be. Fryshman, we would lose our capac­ Let those who would arrogate Nowhere in my piece did I pro­ ity for thought as more and more of unto themselves the right to elimi­ pose censoring the media; I did pro­ our intellectual activities come under nate these marvelous creations work pose that Torah observant Jews un- his interdiction. Perhaps the author on their own improvement first, for should speak with educators who it can hardly be contested in this late say: "If only the child would read a age that"the evils flowing from the novel," precisely because the novel duperies of the people are less injur­ Traditional requires active not passive participa­ ious than those from the egoism of I tion by the child who all too often their agents.;, Premium spends too much (any is not too JOSEPH 5. FULDA much) time in the raptures of televi­ NSF Fellow, New York University Quality sion. Our minds remain ours not New York City when they are purged of all influen­ Kosher ces and experiences, but rather for Over 3 when they are formed from our Dr. Fryshman replies: experiences and vicarious experien­ No, I am not insensitive to the Generations ces with the help of our rational needs of the "bored and lonely," the faculty, given to us by G-d to guide "alienated from society which no us in freedom. It is quite a mistake to longer offers them satisfaction." But maintain, as does Dr. Fryshman, unlike Mr. Fulda I don't believe the that life free of books and pictures is answer lies in providing them with a life more authentical1y ours. "happiness, comfort and satisfac­ tion"; a blissful escape from reality is the domain of the "Lotus Eaters," Care For the Unfulfilled not that of the Torah. I quite agree that we have rational Accepted and Preferred Finally, the article shows as little faculties to protect our minds; indeed worldwide without concern for p€ople as the writings of people are far from "uncritical, mal­ reservation coercive utopians may be expected leable, mindless characters" when The Most Trusted to show: real people with real needs, they are aware of the influences Name in Kosher not the mythical, malleable, uncriti­ around them. But where do we find Poultry and Foods cal, mindless characters who people rational and critical faculties being "On Losing One's Mind." Not ivory­ used when intellectual activities are tower intellectuals who write fiery denunciations after work, but peo­ ple who just want to relax a bit after a day's hard work of providing for \-~~~QINKWEtr= their family and their nightly Seder (study schedule). Older people who PRINTERS haven't the ability to study ... bored and lonely, alienated from a INNOVATIVE INVITATIONS society which no longer affords HEBREW AND ENGLISH them satisfaction. Children whose own imaginative potential may be •'~ OPEN SUNDAY sensitively improved with the proper · Coney Island Ave., Brooklyn,~.Y. novels and shows and in whom good values as bad can be inculcated by (212) 253-9736 . ' i these means. The common folk who ::-

The Jewish Obserwr I November, 1981 33 Richard the Lion Hearted, realizes changed in a way we would all find that this is the person in whose undesirable were we able to objec­ -l ..n name Jewish Krhillos across Europe tively examine the new thought LETTERS CONTINUED were slaughtered in the Crusades. patterns and processes that result. Hopefully neither work will play an All of the above effects, by the way, important role in the boy's ultimate are even more pronounced when dertake self-censorship. Nor was character and attitude. But is there movies or TV serve as the purveyor my purpose to outline a program anyone who would deny that there of the material. People who expose encompassing the activities of every are many adults in whom the ves­ themselves to a mental pacifier do individual; I did hope to raise the tiges of Huck Finn and Robin Hood not escape scot-free! consciousness of those addicted to still lurk? Mr. Fulda's injunction that l TV, movies and the novel to the "work on my own improvement I nature and implications of their ad­ Where Are the Good Novels? first" strikes a very responsive diction. chord, coming as it does hard on the Where then do we find the "good heels of several Shabhos Shuzia mes­ ~ Focusing on the Novel fiction" my correspondent speaks sages I have heard and read. Will Mr. of? Is it in the Westerns, the War Fulda at least agree that this im­ l must admit to no little difficulty Sagas, or the Detective Novels­ provement will come neither from in following the rest of Mr. Fulda's where so many of us learned to the novel-or movies-or TV? piece; certainly to attempt to respond accept violent death (in print) with De. BERNARD FRYSHMAN to each of his allegations and appel­ equanimity and sometimes with lations would be fruitless. l will anticipation? Is it in the "Capers"­ More Ways to Lose One's Mind however focus on the novel-the where readers find themselves, To the Editor: one item of which he seems particu­ willy-nilly, hoping the charming Congratulations on publishing, in larly protective. thieves will end up living "happily the lyar-Sivan issue, two articles (by No doubt there is a difference ever after" with their ill-gotten Rabbi Scheinman and Dr. Frysh­ between fiction and trash. Salacious wealth? Or is it in novels in which man) concerning the insidious in­ material arouses emotions and raises the hero is a religious person of fluence of the media upon our think­ images that violate any number of another faith; in which protagonists ing. In recent years, I have become issurim-but to the extent that meet and fall in love in a "clean" but increasingly convinced of the need "good" novels present perspectives totally anti-Torah way; in which for driving this point home to to­ and attitudes not in keeping with people who are kind and good are day's Tor ah Jews, particularly those proper hashkafos to a reader who rebelling against a legitimate dwelling in media-pervaded U.S.A. has suspended critical judgement, government or king? My own emphasis has shifted to fiction can be equally objectionable. Each book leaves its indelible the medium of the printed word, Even works we would all denote mark, usually with values unlike (or and 1 was pleased to find references as classics will fall into this category. antagonistic to) the pure Torah in both articles to this stumbling A young boy reading Huckleberry Finn haskafos we should at least aspire to. block. I, too, fear that the modern will invariably sympathize with Which is not to say that after a life­ Torah Jew, secure in his boycott of Huck's desire to escape the strict time of reading classics, a person will movies and freedom-from-tele­ rectitude of the family he was living 1"n end up leaving the Jewish reli­ visionset, may not take sufficiently with. He will read Robin Hood-and gion; nor would one say that a per­ to heart warnings of the danger cheer a complete litany of robbery son after spending a lifetime view­ lurking in his bookshelves. and crime! As an aside, one wonders ing salacious material will end up Why, even to phrase such a sug­ whether the reader, glorying in violating a woman. In both cases, gestion is to arouse the sensibilities Robin's meeting his true king, however, the person has been of most of us-educated as we have been to revere Books, Knowledge, and Broader Horizons. (With what Are you going to Israel? pride would most Jews quote Dr. Fryshman's statistics on public li­ Your visit to the Holy Land will have more meaning when you utilize braries and such, as evidence that the free touring information service available from we are still the People of the Book­ Tourist Department totally unaware of the misinterpre­ Agudath Israel World Org1111izadon tation of this ancient phrase!) I have 5 Rechov Shomre Hakosel (opposite Kikar Hacherut) observed many a parent pointing out with satisfaction that-in con­ Jerusalem, 02-223-357 tradistinction to the television r 34 The Jewish Observer I Natiember, 1981 watcher of ill repute-his child is an more perilous, then, are the "clean," NY ANA (New York Association for avid (even an "omnivorous"!) reader. "innocent" novels Dr. Fryshman New Americans). It states that the It is precisely this approval which, to mentions-to say nothing of explic­ agency is sponsored by the Federa­ my mind, renders the book a greater itly "educationa1" materials, "class­ tion of Jewish Philanthropies in New pitfall than either movies or televi­ ics," etc.-meeting as they do with York. While our agencies work sion programs. the smiling approbation of misguid­ closely and cooperatively with Consider: How possible is it for ed parents. NY ANA, it is, in fact, supported by today's Jew to isolate himself en­ How I wish I could agree that National UJA and not our tirely from all media but those bear­ "alert people usually read newspap­ Federation. ing the unadulterated message of ers with a jaundiced eye." In my I am sure that your readers will Torah? It would seem to be the experience, a newspaper article that also be interested to know that Fed­ advice of both authors that, while is articulate and sufficiently polysyl­ eration as a recipient of the Federal attempting to minimize exposure, labic is basically accepted as Truth Block Grant for the Resettlement of we should also prepare for it by tak­ by even the most Torah-true, Soviet Jews has been able to assist ing effective immunization and pro­ though they may claim to see its Project RISE, FREE and many of its tection measures. "slant." own local neighborhood service cen­ Commanded always to keep our Years of sanctioned reading-for­ ters such as Project ARI in Brighton distance, we are faced here with the the-sake-of-knowledge have en­ Beach, SCRIQ in Central Queens challenge of maintaining intellectual abled concepts utterly foreign to a and the Jewish Community House distance-a formidable task, indeed. Torah Weltanschauung to creep into of Bensonhurst by directlyconduit­ I believe that ever present aware­ ourconsicousness, disguised as mere ing funds to these agencies for re­ ness of the hazards, even just a con­ vocabulary words. Once entrenched, settlement and acculturation stant appreciation of the abyss such ideas are almost impossible to services. which separates a Torah attitude recognize, let alone uproot. (Con­ Moreover, Federation has been from any other, can constitute a bar­ sider, for a start, "rights" or "guilt able to assist Be'er Hagolah in its rier-a protective shield which will complex.") most important work. Through the reduce the detrimental impact of I see evidence of the insidious previously mentioned Federal Block media messages. In the case of tele­ effects of reading even in Dr. Frysh­ Grant, English-as-a-Second-Lan­ vision, most movies, and trash nov­ man's own final paragraph. for what guage tutors have v.rorked in the els, disapproval of parents and Torah is "leisure time" to a Jew but an yeshiva. Finally, we are particularly authorities is more likely to be part inroad of alien thinking and mores? proud that Federation, through the of the consciousness of the viewer We search our sources in vain for an Fund for Jewish Education, has pro­ or reader. (Often here, the very authentic Hebrew term for the con­ vided significant support to Be'er manner in which characters are cept. Like most problems, of course, tiagolah since its inception. physically portrayed contributes to this one requires no new solution. WILLIAM KAHN barrier-erection and interferes with The prescription is familiar to all the Executive Vice President full hero-identification.) How much readers of JO, but it behooves us all Federation of Jewish Philanthro­ to rededicate ourselves to its ap­ pies of New York New plication. Lower Manhattan fliK lii cy niin n~~" Another Effort Toward Helping ')iy nn~ruo cn~Jto l1lrJ~ru Soviet Jewry Mincha (J,J n1JK) Minyan Guide "Beautiful is derech eretz with Torah, To the Editor: for exertion for both causes forget­ The article regarding "reaching the Soviet Jews in America," (June • If you know of minyanlm ting of sin."-Airos JI, 2. S. SLATER '81) was most interesting. Among • If you wish to start a Jerusalem the many organizations listed, men­ tion should have been made of the minyan in your neigh· Torah Vodaath-Boro Park Min­ borhood Federation and Russian Jews yan, under the leadership of Rabbi write: To the Editor: Laibel Katz and the work it is doing. I read with great interest "Reach­ In the past two years this volunteer MINCHA MINYAN MAP ing the Russians: An Historic Obli­ group arranged and financed 53 Bris Agudath Israel of America gation" (June '81) and would like to Milos and nine weddings; they also 5 Beekman Street I NYC J 0038 offer for your readers one correc­ have the largest clothing center for or cotl: tion and some additional infor­ the benefit of Russian emigrants OR. BERNARD FRYSHMAN: 339·0289 mation. and others in need. The group runs On page 15, mention is made of a day school with an enrollment of , Thr Jewish Ohsenier I Navemhrr, J 9fl 1 35 Orthodox. Also the Tzeddukim had a strong angry gut response to your become hated symbols of corrupt "demand" to the frum community to and oppressive tax collections, and expedite shidduchim for baalei leshuva. no one would willingly associate Whether you "deserve it" or you're 178 students and their summer­ himself with them. However, a new not being" taken care of" or you are school camp had 343 youngsters. group had been formed which his­ "prejudiced" against is not the issue. The "Save Russian Jewry Education torians have for some reason over­ Do you really think it's so easy for Institute" surely deserves at least looked, and have been coined by the FFB in this area? Many of my some passing mention. both above historians as C,li;rn c,,,ii" friends, male and female, of slightly JUDAH MUNK (secular Jews) or C'l1'J"\t:l (Hellenists). "advanced" ages (25-35) are in a Brooklyn, N.Y. Their attitudes were perhaps crys­ plight similar to the one you des­ talized by Pliney the Elder, and cribe. They and I experience the Josephus-A Sadducee? Alexandrian Jewry was their strong­ constant frustration of looking for hold. In practice they were similar to the besheirl, and finding the search To the Editor: Prushiim, but their viewpoints and full of hills and valleys. The valleys Rabbi A. Scheinman's thoughtful attitudes were outright heresy. of depression seem even deeper I article "Masada Revisited" (J.O. lyar­ They did not see the Torah as G-d when we observe our contemporar­ Sivan 5741) contains many valuable given edict, but rather as an excel­ ies occupied with their growing fam­ points and insights. I was amazed, lent philosophical system or the cus­ ilies, an experience we have not as however, by his statement that tom and culture of the nation. Al­ yet had the opportunity to have. Josepus was a Tzedduki (Sadducee). though they followed ancient rab­ I want to marry for the same rea­ Josephus himself writes that he is binical ordinations, they did not look sons a Baal Teshuva wants to-to one of the P'rushim (Pharisees); what up to the Rabbis of their generation have my own family and have my evidence does Rabbi Scheinman have as its leaders. chance to mekayem the mitzvah of to the contrary? (Shmuel Shnitzer, the editor of establishing a Jewish family. I too ELIYAHU BELLER the Israeli newspaper Maariv, al­ am upset that it's taking so long, but Bnei Brak, Israel though a nonpracticing Jew, usually I reason with myself with a strong, defends the Orthodox position on sincere Garn Zu L'Tovah (this too is most issues. On a T.V. debate with a for the good). G-d has his ways of Rabbi Scheinman responds: Reform rabbi, he once described leading us onto the path toward It is interesting to note how easily himself as a "non-practicing Ortho­ goodness and frumkeit. This big step people accept Josephus's claim that dox Jew'1) in a person's life is a great nesuyon he was a Prushi without asking any In contemporary terms-assume (challenge) and can be seen as one ot questions. The lion of Jewish his­ there was a synagogue called "The the major turning points in a per­ tory, Hagoan Rabbi Yitzchok Issac Orthodox Center of North Central son's lifetime. We all need an enor­ Halevy 'i"l in vol. 2 of Doros Rishonim Texas," which pays dues as an affil­ mous amount of Bitachon B'Hashem in (first section, from page 358 on­ iate of an Orthodox association. Yet this area, as in all other areas. ward), and the noted historian Rabbi it has no mechitza, and the Rabbi When I feel the lowest, I think and Tuvia Tavyumi 'i''l in the 1ii~r1i iDO drives in on Shabbos. Is it considered aim the highest. !IP ~, nll J"\Kl111 •1'm K"1'i both make Orthodox simply because it's labeled FFB, 28andSS (STILL SINGLE) this point clear and prove without itself so? Brooklyn, New York doubt that Josephus was nof a Prushi in I used the term Tzedukki to denote fhe sense that we use the term today. a Hellenized Jew who does not ac­ Let me explain: The ways of the cept the authority of Torah She'ba'al In Defense of the F.F,B.s Tzeddukim as such had gradually Peh and whose da'os (ideology) make evolved into almost different forms it impossible to classify him as a The baaeli teshuva movement has made a "big bang" in the Orthodox of religious practice. Their practice P'rushi. community during the last half was as different from Prushi practice A. SCHEINMAN as Reform practice is different from decade. Tremendous human as well as financial resources are being in­ vested in an effort to help us. As a .. . . "Opening Up"- To Old Timers, ...... B.T. who returned somewhat inde­ .... Too E:SHELLY ...... pendently, sorting and absorbing .. .. To the Editor: influence from various sectors of : lADli : : : : I address my comments to the the religious Jewish community, I .. : ... writer of "Opening Up To New would like to argue sanegoria (de­ .. . 1 - ll'the5tra ' . . Immigrants to Judiasm (Summer fense) for the F.F.B.s. = 438-3402 '81). I must confess to experiencing 1. The dedication and mesiras nefesh 36 The Jewish Observer I November, 198 I which I have witnessed in rabbonim problems. Some have no chashek to up and down, around and around. and rebbitzens who work full time intervene in the lives of others, or May we all be blessed with shalom with baalei teshuva is incredible. From don't wish to accept the responsibil­ and achdus in the year to come. morning to late evening, students ity it entails. Some well meaning SUELLEN VERNOFF stream in with their sheilos, personal people interfere too much. We can't Rehovoth, Israel problems, and reports on shidduchim. expect every shomer mitzos to be a per­ Do we B.T.s ever realize that they fect model for baalei /eshuva. need time for their own children as 5. As one who has gotten dizzy well? from visiting good Jews in various HebrewAcademyofClevelondpub· 2. We often take for granted the Orthodox factions, tipsy from nshes over 50 Edocationolltems fbr hospitality extended to us on Shabba­ weighing the advantages and disad­ Hebrew Doy Schools. lolh and Chagim. After a few years of vantages of various shifos and mifla­ nearly taking these invitations for gos, and nearly distraught at feeling granted, I am trying to renew my the tension between yueshivahnikim CATALOGUE appreciation of people who open and baalei battim which exists in some their homes, hearts and minds to communities, I would like to dan ot multitudes of complete strangers. lechaf zechus and end with the hope I HEBREW ACADEMY 3. We can't place all the blame on that that all these machlokos are I'shem the shadchanim if their all-too-often Shamayim. OF CLEVELAND off-target suggestions drive us me­ F.F.B.s as well as B.T.s are search­ shuggeh. Many B.T.s went through ing. Their generations are moving PUBLICATIONS previous experiences in life that built up heavy psychological barriers blll•M.W.DoHIOr R.. o> Jo.. IMol""' against commitment to marriage ... Ass'' Pno HOO Oept in1<01 ir.i c•Jw;i C'J1!.l !~".'""'" °'"''"' and if we don't sort out and express DID YOU STUDY TORAH TODA Y1 our priorities and personal tastes to 11 there olway1 o reo1on the matchmakers, they can only why you think you can't? work by trial and error. Beyameinu, 1981 -62 No one to learn with? we have no neviim or baa lei ruach hako­ desh to pick out our beshert. for free a11i1lanc• Is finding Catalog rent upon request. Send. ~1.00 for hondling to: 4. 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Thr Jewish Observer I N1Yvember, 1981 37 American Roshei Yeshiva on Fact- Finding Tour of Chinuch Atzmai-Torah Schools in Israel

Immediately after Succos, three American yeshiva deans flew to Israel for a fact-finding tour of Chinuch Atzmai-T orah Schools ac­ ross the length and breadth of Israel. The delegation-which included Rabbi Levi Kru­ penia (Kaminetz), Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum (Mir), and Rabbi Shmuel A. Faivelson (Bais Shraga)-visited schools in Jersualem as well as in Beer Sheva, Yerucham, and Oimona, to the South and Tiberias, Beth Shaan and Rosh Haayin to the North. Interviewing staff and administration, testing classes, and discuss­ ing problems with central supervisory p€'f• sonnel and leading Roshei Yeshiva, the com­ mittee found the system performing a service Head table at Reception at Chinuch Atzmai Headquarters in Jerusa­ I crucial to the future of Klall Yisroe\ in Israel, lem: {left to righfJ Rabbi S. Berenbaum (speaking), Rabbi S. F(lit,efson, lfohbi yet severely hampered by lack of funds to Elchonon Sorotzkin (Chairman of Ch. Alz.. Board of Governors), Rabbi Sholom support important programs not funded by i\loach Berz.ouski (5/onimer Rebliel, Rabbi E/az.nr Shnch (Poneuez.I, Rabbi Utii the government. Krupenin O

RISE Aids Bucharian Jews in Boro Park Daf Yomi Concludes Menachos

Bucharian Jews now living in Soro PJ'rk are recently concluded High Holy Days. 7,000 Thousands of participants in the Oaf Yomi making strong efforts to organize their group bulletins were distributed through 90 distri­ (T a!mud folio-a-day study) program interna­ in the community, according to a report by bution centers throughout the country. The tiona!ly m,irked the >i!fum (completion) of Mr. Willie Wiesner, chairman of Project RISE bulletins, which appear on a regular basis, Tractate Zet''1thim on Sunday, October 18th (Russian Immigrant Services and Education) consisted of important information on the (Ch,1/ Hnm,,ed 5uffos) with special celebrations, of Agudath Israel of America, and Rabbi Yis­ Yomim Noraim, which proved invaluable for it was announced by Rabbi Chaskel Besser, roel Verschleiser, its director. The Bucharian the new immigrants. chairman of the Oaf Yomi Commission of Jews already had organized a daily miliyan but In other activities by Project RISE during Agudath Israel of America. Oaf Yomi stu­ were unable to find permanent quarters to the Yomim Noraim, a list of synagogues dents began a new tractate (Chu/in) on Mon­ davrn. Project RISE arranged for the group to ready to accept Russian immigrants without dJy, October 19th (Hashm111 Rrib/Ja). use the facilities of the Agudath Israel Center a seating charge was distributed to the Rus­ on 14th Avenue during the month of August sian immigrants, as well as several hundred and worked out an arrangement with the special Machwrim, courtesy of the A! Tidom Tomor Dvora School for the Yomim Noraim. organization. 650 Russian immigrants took The effort to keep the Bucharian Jews part in special audio-visual presentations Perfect together proved successful during the Yomim sponsored by Project RISE discussing the Noraim when more than 150 of their members significance of shofar and other customs Gifts for the Younger Set! participated in the Rosh Hashana tefillos and related to the holidays. more than 200 for Yorn Kippur. As a result, During Succos, RISE distributed a Russian "ALEPHBAISATPLAY" & the Bucharians with their unique customs translation of the story "In the Streets of "A POOR BOY'S CHANUKA" and nus(lch were able to continue to observe Moscow," telling how an American Jewish 2 Fun-to-Learn Coloring Books religious life. Leaders of the BucharianJewish boy found out about his heritage when he community in Boro Park had expressed con­ witness1?d Simchas Torah dancing in front of by Toby Gershbaum cern that if appropriate arrangements were the Moscow synagogue. A large number of On Sale NOW at Seforim Stores not made quickly to organize the Bucharians, children, many of them from the Be'er Ha­ the youth would be lost to Yiddishkcit. For the golah Institute, joined with Pirchei Agudath ... and soon to appear, the month of November, temporary quarters Israel in their annual outing to Asbury Park, "MITZVOS ARE FUN" were found, and tables, chairs and siddurim New Jersey. During Chol Hamoed, more Coloring Book were supplied through the efforts of Project than 150 people attended a special Yorn Tov RISE. In addition, Project RISE has distrib­ celebration in the Kensington section of For information call uted several dozen Mezuzos and many pairs Brooklyn. RISE distributed over 1,500 spe­ (212) 339-8340 of T efillin during the last three months. RISE cially prepared Simchas Torah flags for Rus­ is working with the group to find a suitable sian school children throughout the city, Distrtbuted by E.Z. Graphic Inc. permanent location. including a message in Russian which said: "If P.O.B. 334, MidwoodStation The activity on behalf of the Bucharian we live the way the Tor ah teaches us, we wi!l Jews was in addition to RISE's efforts to be happy! Let us rejoire that we have the Brooklyn, N. Y 11230 involve Russian Jews in the activities of the Torah."

38 The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 Coercing Russian Jews to Choose Israel Is Unjewish, Agudath Israel Declares You're reading encouraging as speedy and large an exodus as Although Russian Jews should choose Is­ THE JEWISH OBSERVER rael as tlieir destination for emigration to possible from Russia. Any step that in any avoid the "relentless forces of assimilation" way can discourage and thereby diminish the What do you LISTEN To? awaiting them in other countries, neverthe­ flow of immigration of Jews from Russia­ Try: less the new Jewish Agency policy to halt which is truly in the category of rescuing "Agudath Israel on the Air'' l assistance to those heading for the diaspora is Jewish lives-is therefore unacceptable, quite on WEVD-FM (97.6) every 1 "coercion, an approach totally foreign to Jew­ apart from the traditional Jewish obligation Motzoei Shabbos at 9:30 I ish tradition". This charge was made in a to extend help to fellow Jews in need, under PM, hosted alternately by statement released by the chairmen of the all circumstances. Agudath Israel World Organization, Rabbi "Russian Jews cannot be encouraged to set­ Joseph Friedenson, editor Moshe Sherer of New York and Rabbi Ye­ tle in the Holy Land through coercion­ of Dos Yiddishe Vort in huda M. Abramowitz of Jerusalem. The coercion is an approach that is per se totally Yiddish, and Rabbi Mena­ Agudist leaders stated that "there is no gua­ foreign to Jewish tradition. In addition, there chem Lubinsky, director rantee that Jews forced to settle in Israel will is no guarantee that Jews forced to settle in of Government and Pub­ remain there." Israel will remain there and will not join the lic Affairs of Agudath Is­ I flow of the 'yordim' currently plaguing Israel. The statement by the leaders of the Agu­ rael in English, followed dath Israel World Organization reads: "The The only way to encourage Russian Jews to Agudath Israel World Organization views opt for Israel and to remain there iS to create a by "JEP Speaks Out," with deep concern and regret that large religious absorption atmosphere there, which sponsored by Agudath Is­ number of Jews now leaving Russia-Jews would establish a spiritual bond between new rael's Jewish Eduation who have lived their entire lives in a society immigrants and the Holy Land. Experience Program at 9:45 PM cov­ marked by inexorable forces of assimilation­ has demonstrated that those Russian Jews ering many areas of inter­ are deciding, after their many years of spir­ who have had the good fortune to encounter est to the Torah commun­ such an atmosphere in Israel have remained tual exile, not to settle in Israel. ity through a series of in­ ''Undoubtedly, the prospects for them to there, while othe-rs have later abandoned the live a Jewish life are greater in Israel than in country. terviews in English. other countries, where they will continue to "The main purpose of helping Jews leave In addition, Chizuk-The be subjected to the relentless forces of assimi­ Russia-a goal that Jews have universa!ly Torah Link each morning lation and total alienation from Judaism. adopted since the possibility first arose~is to at 7:30 AM (Monday Israel, then, should be the destination of rescue as many Jews as possible and to secure through Thursday) on these emigrants. their Jewish future; to ascertain that after they have left Russia they have the opportun­ 91.1 FM gives you your "Nevertheless, the Agudath Israel World ity to live lives fully as Jews. This is consistent "Morning Chizuk," hosted Organization cannot agree with the position with the dictates of Jewish conscience, Jewish by Rabbi David Goldwas­ taken by the Jewish Agency and several other moral tradition and Jewish brotherly con­ ser Chizuk director, feat­ groups to deny assistance to Russian Jews cern. This should be the- guideline for all Jew­ who, because of their unfortunate lack of uring a Torah view on con­ ish organlzationsdedicated to helping Jews in Jewish awareness or for other reasons, choose temporary Jewish living, need. Making choices for the emigrants is out to emigrate to countries other than Israel. divrei Torah, laws and cus­ of place. Coercion certainly must not enter "Taking into account the critical status of the picture. At a time when we are dealing toms, stories and par­ Jews in Russia and the foreboding possiblities with rescuing Jewish lives, no other consider­ ables. for their future, the primary goal of world ations should enter, as important as they may Jewry should be to save Russian Jews by be." Notice to our English subscribers; Reshet to Open Second Evening Bais Midrash In an experiment to expedite the In response to popular demand in the Parkway (between Parkvi!IE' and Foster). lt delivery of THE JEWISH OBSERVER to Parkville area of Brooklyn, Reshet Shiurei will be open every evening, Sunday through our loyal British readers, we had the Torah (Torah Education Program), the lwf,11- Thursday, at 8:00 P.M. Maariv is at 9:45 P.M. Summer 1981 edition shipped by air zas Tarah arm of Agudath Israel of Amerita, is Currently, there is a shiur Tuesday evening at freight. Because of technical rea­ opening the second in a series of neighbor- 8:30 P.M. given by Rabbi Moshe Bryss of sons, this resulted in a delay instead. hood evening batei midrashim to be established Yeshiva Sais Hata!mud. More shiurim are The situation has since been recti­ in the New York metropolitan area. planned for the future. The success of the first bais midrash in the fied; we ask your indulgence. Agudath Israel of F!atbush/South in bringing Reshet serves the Jewish community V'5HE'E-NON-·TOA1 Vt)l11111c 11. 1111 l\11h/1i neighborhood residents together for Tor ah through its rhat'ru;;ah matching service, shiurim study prompted many cal!s from other neigh­ guides, and the organizing of shrurim and halti Elias Schwartz, rcriewed i11 the 5;,pfnnher borhoods for similar programs. midrash. For information about Reshet or help 1981 issue, hnd the price liMcd inctirrNtlv. The new evening bais midrash is located in in finding a rhaprusa or tutor, please call Rabbi It costs S 1 5, nnd is f/P11iln/ilc frt1111 f he 11uth:lr Congregation Nefesh Yonathan, 748 Ocean Labish Becker at (212) 791-1851. at 21 (19 83rd Stred, Br1Jt1k!yn NY

The Jewish Obst'rver I Ntwt'mbn, 1981 AGUDATH ISRAEL ON THE GOVERNMENT AL SCENE:

Agudath Israel naldo Ferrer, the Commissioner of Health. In Agudath Israel: No More Nursing to Health Facilities: negotiating for this response from the city Exams on Shabbos and Yorn Tov Provide Kosher Food agencies, Agudath Israel received a major The National Council of State Boards of assist from City Council President Carol Bel­ Nursing and the Commission on Legislation Health care facilities in New York State lamy, who intervened on behalf of the yeshi­ and Civic Action of Agudath Israel of Amer­ were urged to supply kosher food for their vas. ica have agreed on a schedule of practical Orthodox Jewish patients in accordance with The Commission on Legislation and Civic nurse licensing examinations until 1993 so a New York State law, in a statement issued Action of Agudath Israel of America had that the dates do not conflict with Shabbos or by Shmuel Prager, general counsel of the represented several yeshivas that were issued Yorn T ov. Despite this agreement, the Na­ Commission on Legislation and Civic Action summonses for admitting students to their tional Council of State Boards of Nursing had of Agudath Israel of America. The call was school without proper immunization. Agu­ refused to change the date for an examina­ made as the legislative commission dissemi­ dath Israel had lodged a complaint that the tion this year which fell on Shemini Atzeres, nated copies of the new regulations signed yeshivas were not receiving the same level of but following weeks of negotiations with the into law several weeks ago by Dr. David services as the public schools and therefore chief counsel of the Agudath Israel legislative Axelrod, the New York State Commissioner should not be held responsible for their fail­ commission, Shmuel Prager, and the New of Health. ure to comply. At the same time, Agudath York State Education Department, an alter­ The new regulations require residential Israel warned yeshivas of state laws which nate testing date was set. health care facilities to provide kosher food to prohibit them from admitting students who The new agreement reached between their Orthodox Jewish patients. These regu­ do not have immunization records. Mr. Pra­ Agudath Israel and the National Council of lations implement Chapter 486 of the laws of ger expressed the hope that the new arrange­ State Boards of Nursing will not pose any 1978, which amended the New York State ment between the city's Board of Health and problem for Orthodox Jewish nurses for the Public Health Law to give Orthodox Jewish the Board of Education including the yeshi­ next 12 years. Agudath Israel's legislative patients the right to request kosher food. The vas will help facilitate better health care for commission is also in the process of review­ legislative commission of Agudath Israel the yeshivas. ing the dates of all state licensing examina­ played a major role in the passage of that law tions to avoid any conflicts with the Jewish after receiving numerous complaints from Sabbath and Jewish holidays. Orthodox Jewish patients. Agudath Israel: Gay Rights Bill The facility must establish a plan for ob­ Disaster for City STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND taining, preparing and serving kosher foods CIRCULATION (Act of Octobn 23, 1962, Section 4369, Title 39, United States Code) and must incorporate the provision of kosher The New York City Council was urged to 1. Date of Filing: Nov. 3, 1981 food into the patient's plan of care, except to 2. Title of Publication: The ]<.>wish Observer give up its repeated attempts to pass a Gay 3. Frequency of Issue: Monthly, except July and August. .A the extent medically contradicted. Employees Rights measure, in a statement released by No. of issues published annually-Ten. B. Annual Subscrip­ involved with the patient's plan of care must tion Price-$12.00. Professor Aaron T werski, chairman of the 4. Location of Known Office of Publication: 5 Beekman be trained in the procedure that satisfies Commission on Legislation and Civic Action Street, New York, N.Y. 10038 Orthodox Jewish dietafy requirements. 6. Names and Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing of Agudath Israel of America, on the eve of Editor: Publisher·-Agudath Israel of America; Chr. Editorial hearings scheduled by the Council for Nov­ Board-Dr. Ernst L. Bodenheimer, 5 Beekman Street. N.Y.C.; Managing Editor-Rabbi Nisson Wo!pin, 5 Beekman Agudath Israel: Yeshivos to ember 20th. The Agudath Israel leader Street, N.Y.C. 10038 warned that passage of Council Bili 1017 7_ Owner: Agudath Israel of America, 5 Beekman Street. Receive City Health Programs New York, N.Y. 10038 "would be a serious blow to the City's resur­ 8. Known Bondholders, Mortgages and other Se<:urity Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total The New York City Board of Education gence towards previous lofty status amongst Amount of Bonds, Mortgages or other Se(urihes: None cities." 9. The purpose, function, and nonprofit _status of this organ­ has agreed to include nonpublic schools in its iiation and the exempt status of Federal income tax purposes immunization arrangements with the New The statement continued: "If the City have not <:hanged during preceding 12 months Council will now adopt a Gay Rights bill, it 10. A. Total No. Copies Printed {Net Press Run): Average York City Board of Health, it was announced No. copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 M?nths, 15,000. by Shmuel Prager, the general counsel of the would further deteriorate the moral tone of Actual Number of copies of _Single [ssu_e Published Nearest the entire community and severely damage to filing Date, 15,000. B. Paid C1rculat1on 1. Sales through Commission on Legislation and Civic Action dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter s.:1les: aver­ of Agudath Israel of America. After studying New York's image in the eyes of our nation age no_ copies wach issue_ during preceding 12 _months. 4, and the entire world. A law which bestows 179, actual number of copies of single issue pubhshed near· a widely publicized arrangement between the est to filing date, 4,007; 2. Mail subscriptions: average no. Board of Education and the New York City legitimacy upon a practice which the Torah copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 9,065, act_ual condemns as an abomination, which man­ number of copies of single issue published nearest lo fihng Board of Health, the Agudath Israel legisla­ date, 9A45. C. Total paid circulation; average no. copies each tive commission fired off a strong protest dates that teachers, policemen and camp issue during preceding 12 months, 13,24_4, actual no of copies of single issue published nearest to filmg d_ate, 1~.4S2 letter as to why yeshivas were not included in counselors can all be overt homosexuals, will D. Free distribution {including samples) by mail carrier or the plan to immunize children on the site of result in ever-increasing numbers of children other means; average no., copies each issue during preceding concluding that homosexuality is a legitimate 12 months, 750 actual no., of copies of single issue nearest to the yeshivas. filing date, 200. E. Tot~l distribution (Sum of C and D); alternative life style. average no. copies each issue during precedin~ 12 months, Jn his response, Marvin Weingart, the 13,994; actual no. of copies of single issue published nearest assistant superintendent of the Office of "It is a red herring to charge that those who to filing date, 13,652. F. 1. Office use, left-over, u_naccount_ed, refuse to hire homosexual teachers are violat­ spoiled after printing: aver.:1ge no. copies each issue dunng Pupil Personnel Services of the N.Y.C. Public preceding 12 months, 500; adual number of copies of smg!e School System, informed Agudath Israel that ing their civil rights because society has the issues published ne.:1rest to filing date, 200. F. 2. Returns right to protect itself against any group or from news agents: 506, 1,148. G. Total (Sum of E and F: "the Department of Health will shortly be .:1verage no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, issuing a notice to a!\ nonpublic schools individual whose conduct and practices vio­ 15,000; actual no. copies of single issue published enarest to late religious and social mores." filing.date, 15,000 affording them the same level of service I certify that the stiltements made by me above are correct being offered to children in public schools." Agudath Israel's Commission on Legisla­ and complete Rabbi Nisson Wolpin, Editor The arrangement followed earlier meetings tion and Civic Action announced a stepped up The Jewish Observer between Agudath Israel leaders and Dr. Rei- campaign against the Gay Rights measure.

The Jewish Observer I November, 1981 40 Announcing Agudath Israel: Daylight Savings A major new work Bill Problem ....·.r· ...... ·.·.··.: ~ J For Religious Jews HALACHOSOF The sponsor of a bill to extend daylight savings time to 8 months was asked to mod­ "" NIDDAH ify his bill because it would "wreak havoc in Volume One the praying schedules of religious Jews," by the Commission on Legislation and Civic inEnglish (200) pages Action of Agudath Israel of America. In a strong appeal to the bill sponsor, Congress­ by Rabbi Shimon Eider man Richard Ottinger, Rabbi Menachem Comprehensive · Authoritative Lubinsky, director of Government and Public Affairs of Agudath Israel of America, ex­ Deals with practical halacha plained if daylight savings time were to begin in modem circumstances as early as the first Sunday in March, it would Hard Cover $9.95** Soft Couer $7.95** delay the earliest time for morning prayer which would seriously disrupt the lives of Available in Hebrew bookstores or from: religious Jews who must leave for work early. Rabbi Lubinsky said that a review of sunrise HALACHA POBUCATIONS schedules issued by the U.S. Naval Observa­ 418 Twelfth Street, Lakewood, N.J. 08701 tory points out that a delay in the implemen­ (201) 363·3980 tation of the bill for several weeks would be ------•-Orderforrnforpublicationsandcassettes ______acceptable to the religious Jews. In a letter to Agudath Israel explaining his bill, Congressman Ottinger said that the measure to extend daylight savings time

"would result in significant energy savings, Cily ______,St;;te&liP----~------according to a study conducted by the De­ PLEASE SEND partment of Transportation during the • , , Copies HAl..A<":HOS OF NIOOAH 3.Pesach 1970's. Such savings would amount to rough­ (hard Covet) at-$9.95 •• Copies HALACHOS OP PESACH ly 100,000 barrels of oil per day. I believe that , •• Copies HALA.CHOS OF N!D'DAH Cassette l (CHP 1) at $4.00 • it is essential that we reduce our vulnerability (Soft Cover) at S7.95 •• ..• Coples HAl..ACHOSOf'PESACH , • Copies HAt.ACHOS OF CHANUKAH to OPEC blackmail by taking advantage of Cassette 2 (CHP 2) at $4.00 -• (hard <:over} at $£,QO n .• , Copies A SUMMARY OF HALACHOS OF this energy conservation opportunity." In its • Copies HA!.ACHOS OF CHANUKAH PESA CH, Section 1 at 2.00 • statement, Agudath Jsrad lauded the motives (Soft Covet) at $4,QO ~ (Oh Ta' atuvos Chomett) .•• Coples HAlACHOS OF SHABBOS of Congressman Ottinger, but said that reli­ (Sections 1·3) Hard<:ovetat Sl0.50 ° •• , Copies HALACHOS OF PESA CH gious Jews need the slight modification of , • , Coples HA!..ACHOSOF SHABBOS Cassette 3,(CHP3) at $4,oo•• , Copies HAI.A<:HOS OF PESA.CH several weeks in March so that their religious (St!ctions 4) Hard Cover at $10.SO .. . Copies: HAlACHbS OF SHABBOS Cassette 4 (CHP 4) at $4.00 lU rights are not compromised by this bill. The (Sections 1·3) Soft Covet at sa.oo ... , Coples A SOMMAAY OF HALACHOS OF bill has already passed the House Energy and ... C6pies HAL.ACHOS OF SHAaBOS PESA.CH, Section 2 at S3.00 • (on the Seder) Commerce Committee. (Section 4) Soft Cover at $8.00 ° • , . Copies HAlACHOS,OF IH'E EROV • , • Copies HALAOl.OSOF PESACH In expla:ning the dilemma for Orthodox at$J.oo~ Cassete S (CHP 5) at $4:00 • Jews, the Agudath Israel commission noted . CoplesASUMMAAYOFBAl..ACHOS ••. CoplesHALACHOSOFPESACH that under Jewish religious law, the earliest OF1HE THREE WCEK.Sat '$3.00'" Camtte 6 (CHP 6) at $4.00 • SHIORIMJN HALACHASeries . CopiesASUMMARYOFHAlACHOSOF time when morning prayers can commence is PESA CH, Section 3 at $,3.QO • one hour before sunrise. From sunrise charts 1.Eruv (on Kashering) . Coples HAL.ACHOS OF lHE ERUV issued by the U.S. Naval Observatory, it is .•• , <:opies HAlACHOS OF PESA CH Cassetltl 1 (CHE-1)at$4.00* apparent that in several cities daylight sav­ Cassette 7 (CHP 7) at $4.0l1* . Coples HALACHOS OF THE ERav .. , Copies HAlACHOS OF PE'.SACH ings time in March would delay the com­ Cassette 1 (tHE 2) at $4.00 • Cassettes (CHP a)· at$4,00" mencement of the morning prayers. In Los : -, ; t-oples A SUMMARY OF HAlACHOS OFtHE ERUVat$1.00 • .•. Copies A SUMl>'iARY OF HALACHOS OF Angeles, for example, "davening" on March 2. Four Minim PEsACH, Section 4 at $3.00 • 2nd could first begin at 6:21, which is 22 (on Se~m::hlng.and selling Chometz) Copies HA1..ACHOS·OF THE FOUR . Coples A SUMMARY OF' HALACHOS OF minutes later than the latest time that one MINIM Cassette 1 (CFM l)at$4.00'" PESA CH, Section 5 at S300 • can pray during the year, which is on January , , . Copies HAl.A.CHOS OF'THE,FOUR (When Erev ~sadl Falls on Shabbos) lsL Jn Miami, the earliest time would be 6:44 MINIM Cassette 2 (CF.M2) at $4,00 • . Coples_ A SUMMARY OF HA.LACliOS A.M. or 36 minutes later than the time per­ OF THE FOUR MINIM at $2.00 • mitted on January 1st. In urging the Congress to modify the bill, HALACHA P

New York City's Mayor Edward J. Koch led a long list of government officials in ground breaking ceremonies of Fifteenth A venue Gardens, a major community devel­ opment project sponsored by the Southern Brooklyn Community Organization {SBCO) of Agudath Israel of America. The Mayor, who had lavish praise for the sponsors of the 56 unit condominium complex on 15th Ave­ nue between 38th and 39th Street, also spoke of the important(' of strengthening the City's middle class neighborhoods. He called Baro Park "an examplP of a strong middle class community in the City," and appealed for more federal funds to finance similar prcr jects. Kosher Poultry In introducing the new proiect, Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, executive- director of SBCO, said: "This project represents the first K'HAL ADATH JESHURUN time that two federal housing programs, Sec­ tion 235 and UDAG, have been utilized by a Washington Heights, N.Y. local self-help group to provide leverage for over $4 million in private financing for hous­ ing in New York City. Fifteenth Avenue Gardens will provide housing for large low­ Available from Butchers under Kehillo Supervision moderate income families and will help pre­ serve one of the City's middle dass neigh­ borhoods." c;reetings from President Ronald Reagan ADAS POUL TRY were delivered by .lacob Stein, special advisor 212-253-7733 to the White House. In introducing Mayor Koch, Rabbi Moshe Sherer, president of Agudath Israel of Amer­ ica and chairman of its world organization, expressed the gratitude of the entire Or­ thodox Jewish community for the Koch Ad­ Come To Former!y Kosher King ministration's support for the project, "which wi!l save- the largest Jewish neighborhood outside Israel." "Large families are on the verge of being forced out of the community because of the i«>6her £~.~t'Y exorbitant prices of housing in the interior of Born f\1rk," said Henry Hirsch, president of Whitehead Hal' Brooklyn Colle e the Born Park Community Development Corporation, the project's devel0per. "This projE'Ct wi!l help keep these people in their Other speakers at the gathering induded Noach Dear, District Manager of Commun­ own neighborhood." Mr- Hirsch praised the Borough President Howard Golden, City ity Board # 12. Greater New York Savings Bank for its Council President Carol Bellamy, Comptrol­ The Southern Brooklyn Community Or­ commitment to the community by providing ler Harrison J. Coldin, Congressman Stephen ganization was established in 1977 by Agu­ the project with $4 million in private financ­ Solarz, Council Majority Leader Thomas J. dath Israel of America to promote the preser­ ing. Cuite, HUD Regional Director of Housing vation and improvement of middle class com­ Rabbi Shabse Meisels, spiritual head of a Walter Johnson, Mr. Me nae hem Shayovith munities, including Boro Park, Kensington/ local synagogue and a key community activist representing Covernor Carey, City t1ousing Ocean Parkway, and Bensonhurst in the who helped rally support for the project, said: Commissioner Anthony Gliedman, Sylvia southern tier of Brooklyn. Initially funded by "Because so many people worked together Deutsch, chairperson of the New York City the Ford Foundation, its activities include unselfishly, without any desire for personal Board of Standards and Appeals, Frank Wille, housing redevelopment, commercial revitali­ gain, we can once again look forward to a chairman of the Greater New York Savings zation, community organization and neigh­ viable community." Bank, District Leader Evelyn J. Aquila and borhood promotion.

42 The Jewish Obsen1er I November, 1981 Rabbi Efiezer Sihler and t>s generation

~ ~ ~ ~ ~· Jewish history when American Orthodoxy grew up comes alive in this biography of a colorful, dynamic gadol who domi­ nated the scene for over half a century. From his early years in America to his death in 1968, Rav Eliezer Silver z "I was in the forefront of every battle and move of Orthodoxy to act as an effective, respected force in America. For 51 years an officer of Agudath haRabbanim (presi­ dent in its golden years), a founder of Agudath Israel of America, when necessary he even went to court for Orthodox Judaism. In the tragic war years he headed Vaad Hatzalah, moving heaven and earth to help the victims of Nazi Germany. The Silver Era by Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff is the first in-depth study of the man's life, with a portrayal of his lasting influence-a ground­ breaking biography that gives an overall view of an important period in American Jewish history.

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