KISLEV 5729 ! NOVEMBER 1968 VOLUME 5. NUMBER 6 THE EWISH FIFTY CENTS BSERVE

The Book Industry and Orthodox Judaism" Social Values and Torah Values A Modern Fable A Battle Over the Mechitza at The Kosel - Forty Years Ago Exporting "Treason" to Israel Israel's Doctors and Post-Mortem THE JEWISH QBSERVER

In this issue ...

THE BooK INDUSTRY & ORTHonox JUDAISM, Yaakov Jacobs 3

AN 0Rrnonox JEWISH SOCIAL WORKER ExAMINEs Hrs

PROFESSION'S VALUES, Jacob Wiener ············· ······················ 9

THE JEWISH OBSERVER is published monthly, except July and August, A MonERN F•.RLE, Jack Klausner 12 by the Agudath Israel of America, 5 Beekman Street, New York, New York 10038. Second class postage paid at New York, N. Y. A BATTLE OvER THE MFCHITZA AT THE KosEL-FORTY Subscription: $5.00 per year: Canada and overseas: $6.00; single YEARS AGO ...... 16 copy: 50¢. Printed in the U.S.A.

Editorial Board SECOND LOOKS AT THE JEWISH SCENE: DR. ERNEST L. BODENHEI~fER Chairn1an EXPORTJNG "TREASON'" TO ISRAEL RABBI NATHAN BUJ,MAN 19 RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS ISRAEL'S DOCTORS ANH POST-MORTEM ...... 22 JOSEPH FRIEDENSON RABBI MOSHE SHERER THE ABSURD QUESTION ...... 24 Advertising Manager How ABOUT THAT? ...... RABBI SYSHE HESCHEL 25

RABBI YAAKOV JACOBS CULTURAL PLURALISM 26 Editor

THE JEWISH OBSERVER does not assume responsibility for the LETTERS TO Tl IE EDITOR ...... " ... , ... ,.,,, ...... ,...... 27 Kashrus of any product or service advertised in its pages.

Nov.• 1968 VoL. V, No. 6 STOCKS PRICE RANGE DIVIDENDS EARNINGS Name Octeber !968 Not % So Total $Per Interim Earnings ,, 1968 Bid·Ask Change Div. p.£ Latest Payment Ind. Paid Share Per Share Issue Hii:;h low High low last in Month Yield Ratio Period I Dale Div."· 1968'" Rate 1967 1%6 1967 Period 1967 1968

Academic Press .. . 3331 16)1 28% 28%' -1% 33 Q 0.09 10-!:-68 8-29 0.51 0.36 0.56 0. 57 0.73 3 mo. Aug 0 .25 0 22 Addison-Wesley .. . 26Yz 14 19~:( 20% +5% 0 5 69 s 0.05 12-14-68 11-25 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.92 0.43 9 mo. Aug 0.38 0.25 Allyn & Bacon .. . 26% 21 22% 23% - Yz 17 28 s 0.20 10-31-68 9-24 0 .40 0 40 0.40 l 08 0.96 American Book-Stratford. 24% 8!4 21~·::( 19.1,,] 19).1 -1% 1.5 Q 0.07Yz 9-27-68 9-12 0.22}1; 0.30 0.28% 0. 73 0.45 6 mo. Jun 0.25 0 .17 American Heritage .... . 16!~ 9)1 16% 18 +3 2 .2 20 Q 0.10 12-13-68 11-22 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.86 l.35 3 mo. Sep 0.47 0.05

American News .. . 53Yz 25% 53!-1 47 53!1 +6% 1.9 26 Q 0.25 9-20-68 9-4 0. 75 1.00 l. 00 l. 80 2.0l 6 mo. Jun 0 .72 0 .75 Bartell Media ... . 21 9 16~4 Book-of-the-Month .. . 36% 20% 34)4' Bro-Dart ... . 80 31 Cowles .. . 17% 12~.j' 17%

Crowell Collier Macmillan 44 22% Pfd ...... 63 55 "63 The Book Industry Economy Bookbinding ... 8%' 3){ Grolier .. . 72% 43~1 55 Harcourt Brace & World .105}~ 75% 84 Harper & Row . . 77 43Y;! and Orthodox Judai sm Houghton Miftlin ... . 31~"8 21% 28!·'5 International Textbook . . 40 26~'5 Richard D. Irwin .. . . 32Ji 18 Kingsport Press .. . . 30!-i 17.Vz Yaakov Jacobs

McGraw-Hill ... .. 54% 37,!4 46% Pfd .. .. 87% 60% 73% Meredith .. .. 48)1 2331 48~ Plenum Publishing . 26 13 24)-1 26 - % 0 4 . 28 s 0.05 9-2-68 8-22 0.10 0. 10 0.08 0. 73 0. 81 6 mo. Jun 0.42 0.53 Prentice-Halt .... . 46% 32 45}1 40% 43!1 -2 J.4 35 2% Stk 1-6··69 11-8 0.62 0.68 0.52!.--2 1.14 1.22 6 mo. Jun 0.24 0.27

G. P. Putnam's Sons 26Vz 14}1 -' 17){ 18. 1.6 17 0.07 B-27-£8 8-8 0 28 0 28 0.21 l.20 I.00 6 mo. Jul 0.81 0.84 Scott, Foresman . .. 41 304 37}/z 31% 37 +3% 1.6 34 Q 0. 15 12-10-68 11-13 0.60 0.60 0.60 l.22 I.SS 3 mo. Ju! 0.56 0.61 Simon & Schuster. 9% 4% 8%' 9!.{ +% 36 0.05 12-2-68 11-4 0. 10 0. JO 0.10 0.36 0. 16 9 mo. Sep 0.01 0.11 Time, Inc .. .. 109% 8631 109% 99% 108% +sVs 2.1" 25 Q 0.12}-2 9-25-68 9--4 0.37!.1 0.50 0.50 1. 71 1.60 6 mo. Jun 0. 73 0. 79 Times-Mirror ...... 50 36% 50 48 48% -% 1.0 28 Q 0.45 9-10-68 8-15 l.35 l.80 I. 80 4.56 3 .33 9 JnO. Sep 2.62 2' 42

Universal Publishing ..... I8X IOU 16)-1 17% +% 20 2% Stk 9-30-68 6% Stk Stk 8% Stk 0.66 0.89 0.86 Wadsworth Publishing .•• 35 22)1 35 36 35 ---none paid------nil--- 0 92 I.02 Western Publishing .. .. 32~4 20% 27){ 28X, -1~.I 2 .5 23 Q 0. 18 9-15-68 8-26 0. 54 0.72 0, 72 J.64 ].O{] 9 mo. Sep 0.45 0.73 Wiley .. .. 43 23!.4 42~2 44 +5% 0.7 32 s 0. 15 6-24-68 5-27 0.15 0 .30 0.30 1. 3! 1.11 12 mo._ Sep 1.15 1.36

-from Publishers Weekly

MARSHALL McLUHAN, the prophet of electronic com­ publishers lists of new productions released periodically, munication, insists that the book as a means of com­ shows a growing number of Jewish titles. The Cult of munication is obsolete, and will soon disappear. He .Tei·vishness, which we examined in these pages in June constantly presses his argument ... in book after book of 1965, has proven to be of sturdier stock than the after book. But there is more substantial evidence of many fads and fancies which grip the American public the vitality of the book industry: publishing is today a for a while, and then slowly fade away. The book billion-dollar-business. The new corporate combines industry has adopted the most sophisticated practices that have been gobbling up smaller corporations, feel of marketing to create, maintain and develop new that their portfolio is not well-rounded, not sufficiently markets for their wares. Apparently the industry is diversified, unless it contains at ]east one pubJishing convinced that the Jewish reader is a good market, operation. The independent publishing house may soon and that Jewish books can be effectively marketed to become only a fond memory in the world of book the non-Jewish reader as well. production. For example: the industry was shocked­ These books flow from the press in various sizes and but not surprised-when Funk & Wagnalls recently arc offered to the public at varying prices: from the dropped a book severely critical of the advertising in­ 9 5-cent paperback, to the monstrous coffee-table-non­ dustry days before it was to be published, since Read­ book with its department-store price tag: "$25 / $19.59 ers Digest, its parent company, felt it would not be until January 1, 1969." (The lack of literary quality to their best interests. often increases as the books grow in size and price.) And what is the Jewish angle-why should this in­ It's an old habit-we've been doing it since picking terest readers of THE JEWISH OBSERVER? A look at the up our first book involving Jews at the Public Library

'Thi? Jewish Observer / Noven1her, 1968 3 -scanning the table of contents and the index to see be entirely inconsistent with our what the author has to say about our people: it is mechanical age . . . * usually an unhappy experience. Prof. Rudavsky here gives us: a hackneyed, biased What follows is an examination of a representative blast at Orthodoxy; an absurdity which would be illog­ sampling of some of the newest Jewish titles released ical even if it were true ("because Orthodoxy is un­ by some of the leading publishing houses in the United compromising, Jews wear shatnes and shave with ra­ States. There is no pretense of reviewing each book; zors"); and a sophmoric raising of the co1ors of "our no effort to engage in critical analysis: simply an at­ mechanical age." After this amazing display of ob­ tempt to demonstrate a pattern of distortion, shabby jectivity and scholarship, Rudavsky then relieves himself scholarship, vulgarity and mediocrity in v a r y i n g of the following: amounts and combinations. The Orthodox rabbinate, of EMANCIPATION AND ADJUSTMENT, by David Rudavs­ course, finds itself powerless to in­ ky, (Diplomatic Press: Published for the New York stitute modifications even of rab­ University Institute of Hebrew Studies, New York) binic regulations, not to speak of purports to be a scholarly study of "contemporary Biblical laws. Jewish religious movements." The dust-jacket describes Rudavsky as "an authority in his field,'' apparently the Rudavsky's editor-if the book was edited the editor field of religious thought; but the biographical sketch was careful to leave no tracks-was evidently power­ on the back cover li~ts several c:;.ecular academic degrees less to do anything with the text. followed by the note that, "he also studied at the Jewish The professor-he shares this with other academics Theological Seminary," and he is now Associate Pro­ -il' enamored with the Greek root "neo," which p1aced fessor of Hebrew Culture and Education at New York before any commonly used descriptive noun, creates a University. But his expertise and scholarly detachment new word that just smacks with scholarship. But he are brought into greater question by his various musings takes it to extremes. In discussing "the deviation of on Judaism. the various ideological contingents from traditional In the introduction, Prof. Rudavsky explains that Judaism," Rudavsky speaks of the Hassidim and the he has written this book to meet the need for a college neo-Hassidim. Who arc these "neo-Hassidim"?-lct text in con junction with a course on the subject given Rudavsky explain: at NYU, which assures a market for the book, anorthodox Judaism anywhere shaving (Lev. 19:27), the wearing else. To some types of trans-oceanic Orthodoxy, it is hardly recognizable as such . . . An American synagogue can be of a garment of mixed wool and orthodox even though the ladies' gallery may not be blocked linen (Deut. 22:11 ), the laws of off by a curtain or lattice work, or the reading desk set in the center of the synagogue. American orthodoxy has tacitly ritual purity, and Sabbath rest. The almost forgotten the prohibition of shaving, the law forbidding Biblical concept that lighting a fire the mixture of materials in one's garments, and hundreds of similaar Jewish laws which in other ages and lands had un­ is labor, appears to many Jews to questioned authority." (The American Jew, Harper and Row)

4 The Jewish Observer I Novemher, 1968 doctrine of Neo-Hassidim in an .~tore ... and the news reports on attempt to fuse Western thought the radio will tell him that alternr.te­ and Hassidim. side-of-the-s tree I-parking regula­ When is the last time you met a "neo-Hassid"? tions have been lifted for the day Of such nonsense, Prof. Abraham Katsh-to whom because of the Jewish Feast of Rudavsky acknowledges debts too numerous to mention Tabernacles. (That particular police -writes that, "the book is well-researched and lucidly custo1n * reflects an a1nu.1dng ignor­ written. It is a scholarly achivement which should have ance of Jewish practice. Observant a particular appeal to the student of Judaism as well .Tews have no use for a car on a as the broader area of religion." Now, cJass! there are festival-they walk--and the less two types of scholars: sch'Oiars and neo-scholars. traditional Jews treat the holiday ft is to the discredit of New York University that lightly .. . ) this book was published by one of their institutes; but There is some ignorance in that paragraph, but don't it is revealing that it was not published by the New blame it on the police. York University Press. The voice of lament heard in the synagogues is based to so1ne extenL TooAv's AMERICAN JEW, by Morris N. Kertzer (Mc­ on the false pre1nise that A nierican Graw-Hill, 1967, $6.50), is representative of a new Jett's have been alienated froni re­ genre in Jewish books: a rambling, journalistic report ligion in the process of beco1ning ~f the state of American Jewry, interspersed with some secularized. Actually, Jews have al­ semi-fictional character studies based on 'rea1' peop1e. ways been in the vanguard of those Putting down the Rudavsky book and taking this one who, according to Harvey Cox, in hand was, we must admit, a pleasure. The book looks have fashioned The Secular City . .. more like a book, and reads more like a book. Kertzer, The original artificial separation of a Refonn rabbi, writes as he sees Jews in America, the sacred and the secular, as Pro­ and there is no sham scholarship; no neo-seholarly fessor Cox explains, was a Christian foot-notes; not even an index. The author rambles departure from the Hebraic spirit. through interviews with Jews prominent in government, For secularism in Judai.wn does not industry, and the professions, and then turns to "The connote abandonment of fabh. In Faith of New World Jewrv." H is here that he betrays the context of the American scene, his ignorance of basic aspects of the Jewish faith and it 1neans a fresh approach to the the realities of Jewish life in America. We are not here problem of man's relationship with quarreling with his opinions, nor with his admitted the church (or synagogue). and clear anti-Orthodox bias: we simply want to in­ dicate, by only a few examples, that many of the 'facts' Professor Cox may, or may not have re-discovered the he cites are not fact. Jewish understanding of the inter-action between the sacred and the secular; but Kertzer has made an age-old Dogmatism with regard to labels semantic error: he has mistaken the word for the thing. is limited largely to the rabbis and To be at home with the secular in its inter-action with some of the more hidebound tradi­ the sacred is to understand what Torah asks of us. To tionalists. Few American Jews become secularized: to reject the sacred in favor of the would tolerate the authoritarian dec­ secular, is indeed to abandon the faith. laration of South African Orthodoxy in 1966 placing Reform synagogues A LAND THAT I WILL SHOW THEE (G. P. Putnam's off limits. Sons, New York $25 / $19.95 until Jan. l, 1969) is Not so: In spite of Orthodox participation in the Syna­ a beautiful hook. It is a masterpiece of book produc­ gogue Council, they-and of course those who oppose tion: the typography, layout, illustrations, paper, and s.c.A.-have never disputed the ruling of their habchic photographs are excellent. But, in addition to the medi­ authority, Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik, that a Jew should ocre text that does little more than pull the art work daven at home. even missing the hearing of Shofar, together, it is sprinkled with Christological references rather than attend a non-Orthodox house of worship. American Jews do indeed takes labels seriously. ~· For "out-of-towners'' (ihose who Jive anyplace in the world but N~w York) we should explain that motorists in New York Most gentiles in New York are City who park their cars in the streets, must move them each part Jewish by osmosis. A non-Jew dav, since parking is permitted on each side of the street onlY may begin the day by buying his on. alternate days of the week, and prohibited the other (_h1ys. When there is a two-day Yorn Tov, the alternate-side-of-thc­ Times at a Jewish-owned stationery street regulation is lifted since the cars cannot be moved.--ed.

The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 5 and illustrations that make it highly unsuitable for LISH-YIDDISH/YIDDISH-ENGLISH DICTIONARY- an ex­ display on a Jewish coffee-table. It reminds us of the cellent work). words of a great sage who said of a mediocre book: Rosten goes through the tired list of Yiddishisms: "pi'le p'loyim," "wonder of wonders." When his stu­ "farblondjct," ''loch in kop,i• "kvetch,'' "kishka"-he dents asked him to explain, he said: even throws in "halavah." Some of the promised schol­ "Pi'le p'loyim: l have heard of taking rags and arship comes through in his explanation that "halavah" making them into paper; but taking paper and is a Turkish or Arabic word, and he goes to great pains turning it into rags ... wonder of wonders." to demonstrate that the American colloquialism "'fin" (a five-dollar hill) comes from the Yiddish "finef." ISRAEL, by Elian J. Finbert (Oxford University Press/ But unlike the author of Yiddish for Yankees, Rosten New York I 1968 I $10.00) is a similarly attractive indulges in an occasional excursion into religion and book: the photography is outstanding. Yet the only Jewish sociology: recognition of Orthodox Judaism is a photograph of Par a chasseneh, a rabbi and a for­ two young men with long pevos, facing a photograph nial religious service may be waived, of women soldiers, and the caption reads: hy Talmudic dictum, under certain Upholders of absolute religious or­ conditions. thodoxy still have their eyes fixed A vague, but all the more misleading statement. on the past, but the sabras (girl­ The Torah's fourth commandment soldiers in this instance) confidently ordains the Sabbath for beasts of face the future. burden no less than men. (Jews 11•ere allowed to break the Sabbath ONE OF THE 1\lOST DISTURBING aspects of the popular­ if that was necessary to save the ization and vulgarization of Jewish "culture'' in Amer­ life, or relieve the pain, of an ica, is the widespread use of Yiddish expressions, and animal). reference to Jewish culinary art. (So-called "Jewish Speaking of the Baal Shem Tov, Rosten writes that cooking" is really a hodge-podge of national dishes he: adopted by Jews from their neighbors-at any rate it ". . . . sang the praises of simple does not rate serious consideration in the context of faith, joyous worship, everyday the Jewish life experience.) The tired cliches come pleasures . . . Prayers should be readily to mind: "chicken soup." "shlemiel," ... ad spontaneous, personal, happy-not infinitum. Here too, publishers sensed a chance to the formalized, auto1natic rote of convert Yiddishism into ready cash. J. P. Lippincott the shul. (The parallel to Martin recently publish~d YIDDISH FOR y ANKEES, subtitled, Luther's gospel of faith and anti­ FUNNY, YOU DON'T LOOK GENTILE. Lippincott is one of rlericalism is striking.)" America's oldest and most respected publishers, and Rachmona Utz' lon. yet stooped 10 release this "lexicon" of Yiddish ex­ pression. with "funny" definitions, to help the poor Rosten missed up on a beautiful Yiddish expression, "J\To'ach mit ziben greizen," which describes something Gentiles who feel left out of thin~s because they don't understand Yiddish. It is filled with vulgarities of all fu]) of errors as being like writing the Hebrew name kinds, and we can't bring ourselves to cite any exam­ "no'ach"-a two-letter word-with seven spelling er­ ples. It is simply a shameful book, and were it not rors. It is an apt description of many recently published published by a responsible house, it would not have Jewish books. been worthy of any notice. Much of the blame for these books must be borne by The latest entry in the Yiddish-Yiddish category, the publishers-it is after all their responsibility to again comes from a highly-respected publishing house. judge manuscripts by criteria other than saleability. But THE Joys OF YIDDISH (McGraw-Hill, New York, $10) there is this to be said for them. It is normal procedure is by Leo Rosten, a well-known author who appears for a publisher, when offered a manuscript in a field regularly in Look magazine. He has-so claims the in which he or his staff have little background, to ask dust-jacket-"wedded scholarship to humor and gives one or more experts in the field to evaluate the man­ the reader an enchanting, entirely new kind of dic­ uscript. We do not know to what extent this is done tionary. It ranges across the whole bright realm of wih Jewish subjects, but apparently the publishers are Jewish culture, thought, history, religion, customs, wit." not getting the best advice. In other scholarly or scien­ No doubt this will prompt many Jews to give it to tific diciplines, a publisher who is not meticulous in their gentile friends for Christmas, so they can "learn checking a potential book for errors, risks the scorn of more about Judaism." (Strangely enough. McGraw­ the specialists and the reviewers, and the resultant loss Hill published last summer the scholarly MODERN ENG- of sales, but apparently this safeguard is also lacking

6 The Jewish Observer I November, 1968 in the field of Jewish books. It may be that the pub­ part of my graduate studies would lisher's readers are not more knowledgeable than their have to be pursued at a Protestant authors. seminary. In the early nineteen-fif­ ties, there l1'as simply no tradition In recent years, there has been a boom in the sales of the study of contemporary the­ of books on theology. Books that would have sold ology worthy of its name in the several thousand copies, now become best-sellers, a rabbinicaal seminaries . . . To be­ feat thought to be impossible not so long ago. The come a Jewish theologian, I had to boom in theology, mated with the cult of Jewishness go to school among Protestants. has created a demand by publishers for manuscripts on Jewish theology, to be marketed to the non-Jewish We can sympathize with poor Richard's lament, but readers. As an official of a large publishing house put how can anyone-publishers, journalist, or Christian it recently, "Many Christians, coping with the constant theologians, take seriously this "leading Jewish the­ changes in theology and the search for answers to their ologian," no matter how precocious his theology may theological questions, are beginning to wonder if maybe be.*** the Jews, who've been through all this before, might have some answers for us." While publishers say that so INTENSE is the interest in Judaism, that Christian they cannot meet the demand for new books in Jewish denominational houses are now putting out Jewish theology, they have come forth with some books in the titles. The Westminster Press has just published, A field. NEW JEWISH THEOLOGY IN THE MAKING (Philadelphia, 1968, $6.50) by Eugene E. Borowitz, Professor of The name Richard Rubenstein appears more and Education and Jewish Thought at the Hebrew Union more frequently of late when Jewish theology is dis­ Coilege (Reform). Borowitz takes the typical approach. cussed. Since he published AFTER AusCHWITZ, (Bobbs­ For those Jews who have been "through a thorough­ Mcrril. 1966) and became identified as the primary going secularization, rand] now seriously seek to find Jewish exponent of the "new theology/'* Rubenstein the meaning of Jewish faith for themselves," Borowitz bas been sought out by editors and lecture bureaus, to sets out "to create a theological structure adequate to expmmd on Jewish theology. Following the Six Day their experience and quest." While Borowitz, of course, War, The New York Times (August 30, 1967) re­ rejects a return to traditional Torah belief, he shows a ported that a "leading Jewish theologian [Rubinstein] glin1mer of recognition-so rare in most recent works had declared that Jewish theology and history will have -of what is happening in Orthodox life. to be 'drastically rewritten' in the light of the Israeli capture of the old city of Jerusalem and its sacred The Orthodox call to the Jewish shrines." Now~ who is Rubenstein-what is he? And co1nmunity to return to their an­ ... what is Jewish theology? cestral standards in a way legit­ mately accommodated to this coun­ Well, Rubenstein is the director of the B'nai Hillel try has met with far more response Foundation** at the University of Pittsburgh. He is in the postwar years than most an ordained Conservative rabbi, but a loyal follower non-Orthodox thinkers anticipated. of the Reconstructionist movement, whose rejection of The young, fully observant Jew is belief in a personal deity he finds most palatable. For no longer a stranger to A 1nerican several years we have wondered how Rubenstein got Judais1n and, though rnany have to be a "Jev.rish theologian," until he answered the

question himself. Writing in The Religious Situation ~~i·'* Nothing could be 1nore senseless than to apply the name (Beacon Press, Boston, 1968, $15.00) a new annual Theology to the Torah, than to call the Torah "Theology" or of theology, Rubenstein explains: even "Jewish Theology." For, whi/.1·t, "theology" contains the thoughts of n1an on G-d and things Divine, the Torah contains When, as a rabbinical student, [at the thouf(hts of G-d on man and things human, There is little the Jewish Theological Seminary­ said in the Torah 1vhich refers directly to G-d and things ed.] I made the decision to enter Divine: and of the inner essence of the G-dhead and the super­ the strange career of Jewish the­ natural we find tn the Torah nothing at all. The Torah rather ologian, I realized that a significant tells us what (;--

The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 7 thought religion and science incom­ Studies [the Kollel--ed.] at Gateshead." Miller attrib­ patible, the devoutly Orthodox Jew­ utes some of the weaknesses of the Orthodox establish­ ish scientist is in plentiful evidence. ment in Great Britain to what he calls "Amalgamation" The growth of human knowledge -the tendency to make one big shul out of several has not made the tradition rneaning­ little shuls, which inevitably leads to formality, and the less for such Jewish products of loss of the traditional warmth of the older-type shuls. contemporary education and cul* He cites the question put to R' Moshe Feinstein "by a ture. Rather, knowng the best that cluster of four small congregations in a North Amer­ man has to offer, they believe that ican city, if they should amalgamate. 'On no account,' G-d has given man the critical guid­ he replied, 'for communal amalgamation will be the ance he needs to meet the den1ands beginning of the end for Judaism in your city.' " Miller of modern existence, that through makes a very lucid, well-reasoned defense of what he G-d' s 1'orah modern man can live calls Traditionalism. with the British under-statement in full faith, confidence, and hope that might serve as a model to all of us who are engaged just as ancient 1nan did. in the arene. of Jewish affairs and disputation. His clos­ ing paragraph is of special interest: In our survey of recent offerings of Jewish titles, we did find several volumes that we can say something On re-readin11 the final sections of positive about. It says a great deal about British Jewry, this essav it occured to me that I that two of these books were written in England. made Traditionalists seem like con­ stant apologists. But Traditionalism EXPLORATIONS (Quadrangle, Chicago, 1968, $6.95) is not only negative in opposing is an annual on Jewish themes, composed of essays what it considers to be myth-making written by non-Orthodox writers-with one exception in Anglo-Judaism. In fact primarily -but noticeably lacking the ignorance of, or hostility to it is positive, constitutinR a definite to, Jewish tradition which is so prevalent in American system and believing that 'bad' ideas works. The A.gnon Paradox, for example, notes that can only be overcome by 'good' a literary critic has gleefully described Agnon as "the ones. greatest castigator of religion since Bialik,'' and the JEWISH AMERICANS: THREE GENERATIONS IN A JEW­ author of the essay makes the case that Agnon's critique ISH COMMUNITY (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New of religion is the "anger of the deeply religious" at Jersey, 1968, $5.95) is a work that demonstrates that the abuse of religion. Cyril Domb, professor of The­ contemporary Judaism can be examined objectively, oretical Physics at King's College in London, is the without the anti-Orthodox bias which is so prevalent in Orthodox contributor to Explorations. In his essay, the journalistic studies of the American Jew. It is based "The Orthodox Jewish Scientist," Domb notes that the on an intensive study of the metropolitan area of non-religious scientist, as much as his re1igious col­ Providence, Rhode Island, and examines, in the light league, has been forced by the twentieth century rev­ of the researcher's findings, the condition of Jews and olution in science, into resorting to 'faith' as a research tool. Domb observes. that scientists being an odd lot of Judaism in that community. extremely varied personalities, the Orthodox scientist, TO suM UP: amidst the vast outpouring of Jewish titles with his yarmulka, and his peculiar hours, fits in quite produced by the publishing industry, one rarely, if ever, comfortably. finds an objective-not to speak of a sympathetic­ treatment of Orthodox Judaism. When we consider CONFRONTATIONS WITH JUDAISM (Anthony Blond Ltd., that milJions of Atnericans, Jews and non-Jews, ac­ London, 1967, 30 /net) aims at a genuine confronta­ quire whatever knowledge they have about Judaism tion with the problem of Jewish estrangement from from these books, it adds up to a monstrous defamation religion. The well-known ger, Abraham Carmel, con­ of the values and traditions of all of Jewish life. The tributes an essay on "The Proselyte-A Blessing or three Jewish "defense agencies" with an annual ex­ a Curse"" The contributions of the non-Orthodox writ­ penditure of who-knows-how-many millions of dollars, ers manifest a willingness to confront once aagin beliefs choose to ignore this defamation of Judaism. To the they have rejected, and demonstrate a knowledgeability extent that it is possible, we will in these pages attempt that is-again--often lacking in American works. Rab­ to fill that need, with the hope that the publishing in­ bi David Miller, author of the closing essay, is identified dustry will react in some way--eevn if it is only to as "a Fellow of the Institute for Higher Rabbinical tap the market of the Orthodox Jewish reading public.

8 The Jewish Observer I November, 1968 Jacob Wiener An Orthodox Jewish Social Worker Examines His Profession's Values

Social values. by nature of society's changing needs own solutions to their problems. The social worker is and growing technological demands, are always in a expected to assume a somewhat flexible, yet readily state of ftux. Thought is influenced by attitudes and accessible position-like a scaffold on which the client feelings brought about by external or emotionally­ can lean and build or rebuild his shattered ego. charged events. Thus, capitol punishment, once held vital to the legal system, has been virtually abolished FOR AN ORTHODOX social worker such concepts as un­ in 1nany countries. WeJfare assistance, formerly re­ conditional acceptance of clients and providing a multi­ served for the "unfit" and doled out by charitable plicity of choices may arouse pangs of conscience, es­ hearts, is now considered the undeniable right of the pecially if the client is Jewish and non-observant. Eu­ needy and is Jargely a government responsibility. couraging the individual toward functioning on a higher Society is composed of individuals and groups, and level with greater satisfaction may often be in opposi­ consequently the changes and modifications of society's tion to the values of Torah. value systern arc expressed in changes of individual Even when working with non-Jewish clients the and group concepts and new solutions of their prob­ Orthodox-Jewish social worker's value system may lems. In the Jast t\venty years we have witnessed con­ clash with the values involved in such social ills as, siderable re-orientation and new approaches in areas promiscuity, illegitimacy, sexual perversion, or crin1- such as: the sanctity of marriage, child-rearing prac· inality. tices, education, and the parental roles as breadwinners Every social wo;-ker must resolve such problems in and standard-hearers of family life. his own way, and make certain adjustments. But how These changes in themselves do not 11ecessarily pose can a believing Jewish social worker-who n1easures a problem for an Orthodox Jew who pursues his every value by the basic value of Torah-best handle vocation as a means of enabling him to Jive a Torah­ the conflicts involved in dealing with social values that truc Jife. This is so, because most professions address seem to contradict :his o\vn convictions? The solution to themselves not to the emotional, spiritual, or individual this problem will not only serve as a guide for the Or­ values involved in their work, but to the concrete body thodox-Jewish social worker in his job performance, it of specific knowledge within the discipline: law, edu­ will also be helpful to every Orthodox Jew in his con­ cation, medicine, or science. Feelings and values. at frontation with views and opinions alien to Torah. be°'t, assume secondary or minor importance. The fact that a teacher, for exan1ple, does not agree with the THERE JS, SURPRISINGLY, little literature on Social Work values of the educational philosophy of his institution philosophy per se. But the sparse papers that deal wi!l not of itself make him a less effective teacher. extensively with this subject, offer some significant However, in the field of Social Work, the point of insight into the development of Social Work as it is reference is the other human being, his attitudes, his practiced today. motivations, his values. A clash of values can become Social work actually grew out of two diametrically­ a serious handicap when a social worker deals with a opposed philosophic>s: pragmatism and humanitarian­ client whose background and ideology are different ism. The pragmatic concept of usefulness and practical from his own. This is so, because of the primary de­ considerations evolved from the theory of Social Dar­ mands that are generally accepted as the essence of winism nnd natural selection. Man was inevitably ex­ Social Work. Briefly, these fundamental principles are: posed to the "struggle for existence": his survival was accepting the clients for what they are; respect for their dependent upon his biologic~l constitution. Charity, individual differences, and understanding of their per­ it was believ·od, would not bring about changes, and sonality structure and capacity for change; and a delib-· was consequently doled out in an unstructured way crate objectivity in permitting clients to work out their to avoid contact with the weaker and underprivileged segment of the population. RABRI WIENLR has served for 1nany years in various branches On the other hand, humanitarianism introduced in­ of the governn1ent of the City of New York. He is now a lt Training Specialist for the Bureau of Child Welfare of the terest and concern for the human being. was indeed Department of Social Services. possible to bring about transformation of psycho-social

The Jewish Observer / Nove1nber, 1968 9 dysfunction. This thinking gave spontaneous impetus Jewish emphasis is on what the Torah calls "life" to research and medical advancement. It hoped to bring and "living." "If a man keep My ordinances and judg­ maladjustment under control by a controlled relation­ ments he shall live through them" (Leviticus, 18: 5). ship with the patient. "And I gave them My statutes and taught them My Social Work has come to assume a somewhat middle­ judgments, which if a man does it, he shall live in them" of-the-road position: it takes into account the inborn (Ezechiel 20: 11). Our duty is to observe the mitzvos organism and the human capacity for change. Herbert of the Torah, to fulfill the commands given by G-d Bisno, in his Philosophy of Social Work, has defined and "not to despise them and [thereby] you will live the social worker's job as "acting upon the proposition through them" (Ezechiel 20:13). that the human being is a bio-social organism whose The Torah is "a tree of life for all who uphold it" behavior can be attributed entirely to an individual's (Proverbs 3: 18), but more, the impact of Torah original nature." We see here a combination of material observance affects the whole of mankind as our Sages forces governed by natural processes and of acquired so poignantly express it (Talmud Kiddushin 40b): behavior regulated by the individual's conscious use of "Regard your every individual deed as being decisive the self. But neither factor acknowledges the world and in tipping the scale of justice for everybody in the man as creations of G-d. entire world either to the right or to the left."

In direct contrast to this approach, the Orthodox ouR GUIDING PRINCIPLE, thus is our personal conviction Jew measures all events and actions in tenns of Torah and the values laid down in our Torah. Are we not then principles and standards. We believe that "everything imposing these values upon the c1ient and, as social is in the Hand of G-d except the fear of G-d"' (Brachos workers, violating objectivity a~d self~determination for 33b). This fear, this reverence of the Almighty, is the client? under man's control. Man is at liberty to choose the path of extolling and imitating the virtues of the Eternal This question becomes less critical when we consider One, as the Torah teaches them to us; or he can pursue the humau aspect of the social worker. No social work­ his own self-set moral goals (Rambam: Hilchos Teshu­ er can really be untouched in his client-relationship. va Ch. V). The social worker is human, and has his convictions: What we must accept as inevitable are the physical whatever his own values, they will invariably come to limitations with which we are born: size, body-build­ the fore in his casework relationship. The great social evcn inte11igence and talents are predestined. But man work theorist, Edward Lindeman, realized this when has freedom and responsibility in the area of respecting he declared that "all practice must be judged in terms the Law. For the sake of this Law-G-d's Law, the of the fulfillment of values" (E. Konopka: E. Linde­ Torah-the world was created (B'reishis Rabba, 1,4). man and Social Work Philosophy). The existence of the world is conditioned upon the How could a client be helped to change without acceptance of Torah (Ramban), and man was created heing made aware of the existence of values that are to serve his Creator by living a life of Torah ( Chofetz different or even contrary to his own? In fact, his Chaim, Mis/me Brura, I.1). By means of observing value system has brought him defeat. His deviation the G-d-given commandmeuts, man can mold his life, from the accepted norms of society are one of several and :;tamp his individual seal upon the G-d-givcn reasons why he is now in need of help. But even in our bounds of time and matter. "In the path a man chooses contacts with the most balanced personalities we must to follow [seif-detcrmination] he is guided (Medrash admit that, in the last analysis, even such a universal Balak). concept as "love your neighbor as yourself'' will, when The concept of choice and change is also a major applied, mirror our subjective value interpretation de­ premise of Social Work. The social worker would be spite our best efforts to be non-judgmental. useless if individuals could not change their adopted Still, social work today generally considers the work­ mode of conduct. The ideal social worker, and for that er's own values and feelings as an irritant in his re­ matter any human behaviorist, does not-at least del­ lationship with the client. The worker is expected to iberately-stress one particular value or goal over be acceptive of all possible and known social values another. Primarily he makes the patient aware of the and accord them equal respect. Not so in Judaism. The different alternatives and widens his freedom of choice. values of Torah are eternal, objective, unbiased; and In this respect Judaisn1 pursues a more directive yet, our own feelings should guide our relationship with role in advocating the desirable choice. The Torah lists others. "That your brother may live with you,-your the choices and describes the consequences of selection. life takes precedence over your neighbor's life" (Baba Our center of attention is not the human being per se, Metzia 62a). Our Sages apply every possible persua­ but the human being within the context of the laws of sion and even threat to return us to Torah (Rambam: G-d. Talmud Torah, Par. 3).

10 The Jewish Observer I November, 1968 THE INHERENT flexibility of secular values-dependent ticular situation they must understand the client's in­ upon time, place, culture, group customs-seemed too dividual social, cultural, and community ties. For Or­ shaky a base for social work as a profession of universal thodox Jews all values are based upon the Torah, since. character. Realizing this discrepancy Lindeman distin­ Lindeman's secondary va1ues are only extensions of guishes "primary" from "secondary" values. H.e main­ his basic axioms of human interdependence and inter­ tains that there are two primary values which, for relationship. religious or ethical reasons, are universal. They are the The Orthodox-Jewish social worker, will in fact have foundation stones without which society and culture a decided advantage in handling Lindeman's secondary cannot exist: values. As our Sages pointed out "the writing of G-d The two primary values of social . , . engraved through the tablets'• (Exodus II. 32, 16) work are (l .) the dignity and the -to be read "not chorus [engraved] but cheirus [free]" right of each individual to full de­ -symbolized to us that the Torah makes us free to act. velopment of his capacities: and (2 .) Thus the Torah-based approach of an Orthodox­ the interdependence of individuals Jewish social worker will make it much easier to be and their consequent relationship to unbiased and impartial. Since Judaism discourages each other. proselytizing, he will always retain the professional,

Lindeman, thus 1 defines man's re1ationship as a twofold objective, therapeutic component in his client-worker one: toward himself and toward others, and this real­ relationship. ization sets the tone for social work's ubiquitous char­ This holds true also in his treatment of Jewish clients, acter. although the worker's Orthodox-Jewish Weltanschau­ It is only these two values that arc constant. All ung could arouse feelings of hostility in treating his other values are secondary, as they need not be ac­ non-observant Jewish brother who is estranged from cepted as axioms. They can change with the times, can Torah. In such a case, an important part of the therapy be modified, and may not necessarily apply equally to would be to make the client more fully aware of his all societies or cultures. These secondary values refer heritage as a Jew, and how he could derive moral to choices of all sorts, some of which were mentioned support from Torah and mitzvos. By this process, we above; other such questions are: should mothers work widen his field of choice. If we present to the client or stay home with their children? what motivates chil­ the alternative-life and death, good and evil-recom­ dren to drop out of school? why do teenagers rebel mending that he choose life and good, we will have against parental authority, society, or themselves? taken a positive step for the benefit of the client. We Lindeman's two primary values can be traced to will have made it possible for him to gain a stronghold Torah. The Aseres Ha'Dihros (the Decalogue) are on which to build. "The Torah is a tree of life for symbolically divided into the first five governing our those who cling to it" (Proverbs 3:18). Any individual, relationship to G-d, and the second five governing our especially when uprooted and searching for help, needs relationships with other men. an anchor in life in order to gain satisfaction and se­ Man derives his worth and dignity from being cre­ curity. This choice every responsible social worker ated "in the image of G-d," as the crown of Creation. should provide. "G-d created man in His image" ... and "G-d b1cssed No social worker should, therefore, ever dislodge a them" refers to the endowment of power and capacity; person from an inspirational belief or interpret religion and "G-d said to them" -to use these faculties to as a pathological symptom. Whatever an individual, fulfill the purpose intended by G-d in granting man whether Jewish or not, considers meaningful offers him free will-". . . be fruitful and multiply, and fill the strength. We may no• always agree with the client's earth"-which encompasses the imperative of moral choice, but we should know that our responsibility ends development which is man's major task in life. It is when we have displayed to him the alternatives and to this end that man is granted free will and self­ their consequences. This the Orthodox-Jewish social determination. worker as well as every Jew ought to know: "you shall But the Torah also makes clear that "It is not good repeatedly admonish you neighbor but lade yourself that man be alone." The Torah demands the fulfillment not with sin thereby" (Leviticus 19: 17). of a whole range of socia1 responsibilities: marriage; "!put before you TODAV •••" (Deut. 11 :26) ... raising a family; participation in communal life; con­ "Behold, I have set before you TODAY" (Deut. 30: 15) cern for the downtrodden and the poor; and the pro­ ... "Choose you TODAY whom you will serve" (Joshua motion of peace and well-being among men. 24: 15) : again and again we may have to repeat and It is in Lindeman's secondary values, I submit, where offer support. But ... "and YOU choose life" (Deut. social workers must constrain themselves and use sound 30: 19) remains the coveted selection which the client judgment. Jn order to objectively evaluate each par- makes all alone. D

The Jewish Obse'rver / November, 1968 11 A Modern Fable Jack Klausner It was the best kept secret of the nineteen-sixties. You sec, our ship was an entire "world"-but a micro­ For eight years, ever since the Russians had achieved scopic world. It was a miniature, yet faithful, repro­ their spectacular space successes, a group of scientists duction of our own world in every detail but one: this had worked in seculsion; theirs would be a feat so world covered the inside of a sphere, rather than the great, so awe-inspiring, that the entire world would be outside of a globe. forced into recognizing our superiority. For that was our secret: our hope for success. Our bio­ And a good thing, too, that it was kept secret: what scientists had succeeded in synthesizing a n1iniaturizing eventually did happen, would really have shook the compound; this co1npound. once ingested, shrank its world. users to unbelievably small size, without affecting any I was one of those scientists, and now I n1ust record of the life-processes. The users' entire existence shrank the events exactly as they happened. You can draw to scale-tiinc, space: Jongevity and procreation-all your own conclusions as to their n1eaning; I have long shrank to scale. It worked for all the life processes, since drawn n1ine. and continued to work for as Jong as it remained within This was our plan. We were going to leap-frog past all the system. of the slow, careful methods that would make possible So everything in our ship-the flora and the fauna­ deep-space exploration. While NASA scientists were was microscopic, the synthetic compound was thorough­ taking their first faltering steps into orbit, we were ly distributed in the soils and waters of this world, and stretctiing our minds to achieve the impossible. We had everything had been ready for our pioneers. They had, the brains: physicists, chemists, biologists, psychologists, from tin1e to time, shrunk down to scale, and in this medico-environmentalists: any discipline which could state they had built all of the elaborate equipment affect onr mis~ion was represented on our team. needed for the journey. The world inside the ship was Finnlly, all was almost ready. The "community"-the terribly complex: it duplic2ted-to a frightening extent men and women who years ago had pledged to be our -the complexity of our real world. Everything had explorers-was prepared. The "ship" was ready­ been ready for the journey. stocked with a self-perpetuating supply of the needs And now, this ship was down, somewhere in the of the community. All systems-and what systcms!­ jungles of the Amazon. wcre "'go." But in a few fateful seconds, eight years of work was WE HAD SPENT MONTHS tracking down our ship. We wiped out. had started this journey, loaded down with all of the Somehow, the ship, not fully fuelled, ignited and lifted equipment we might need. Now I am alone; and here, off, with only two of our people aboard. before me, is our ship. It took the computers only seconds to deter111ine that How long have I been here? It seems like thousands the ship would return to earth: it would land some­ of years; how difficult it has become to carry the pur­ where in the jungles between the Tapajos and the pose of my mission to its climax! Madeira branches of the Amazon River. Our secret When I finally found the ship, I took care to examine might yet be safe. it carefully, and then used the External System our But while this took seconds to determine, it actually expedition had brought to study the conditions inside took months to find our ship. Remember that only our our ship. own people could do the searching: only our people Unbelievable! could understand what would be found. I beheld the "inside world" unharmed-but now it was

12 The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 a real world, full of people, with cities, industry, tech­ ments of partial recall, they told their offspring of nology, and science. their earliest memories, and transmitted their yearning It took a long time to settle my mind: to accept the to return to the real world. facts before me. It took longer yet, to analyze what Their environment was most conducive to progress, had happened here, and what was now going on. and with their superior ability, they, and their genera­ The abortive flight of our ship had caught our two tions, evolved into this viable society. people unaware. The fiery descent, and the jarring Their technology had learned to utilize all of the com­ fall to earth, had hurt them, left them dazed, and plex synthetic materials, all of the miniaturized tools suffering from recurring amnesia. But our space-man and most of the micro-electronic gadgetry with which and space-woman were hardy specimens. They found we had equipped our ship. themselves inside a strange world. When hungry, they Yet it is their science which is most intriguing. Cold, ate the treated plants; when thirsty, they drank the clear-headed, and incisive, it has explained, shown a treated waters. The shrinking process began. In mo- use for, and predicted the behaviour of almost all of

The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 13 the limited phenomena of their inside world. Their And these theories are not only staggeringly consistent; practical sciences are closely allied to their industrial they form the background to some really startling technology, but the axioms of tbeir theoretical science achievements. No question about this fact at all: their govern their education and philosophy. technology, their science, and-recently---even their For generations, a tradition of an outside world per­ socio-psychological experimentations, all work-almost sisted. There were sagas of "days of old" when "there -perfectly. were giants" on their world. There were tales of a Almost-for there is sti1l some uneasiness, some yearn­ "heaven" and "signs in the sky" dating fro1n a time ing, some missing element in what should be the human when their world began. There was remembrance of context of their tiny lives. There still exists some aware­ 'Nonders: "sunshine,'' a "moon and stars," "clouds,'' ness of their isolation and some hope of son1ething "lightning and thunder," ""rainbows," "snow'' and bigger. "hail"-all other-worldly events impossible to experi­ How Jong have I waited for them to search for a way ence inside, or to test. back to the real world? At first, I held back, becanse But now, it has been some generations since science there were those who, in spite of their isolation, in has taken a central position in their life. This outlook spite of criticism, in spite of pressnre, searched for the bas olmost wiped out the yearning for the other world "door to the outside" that their traditions described. outside of their experience, and has isolated the few But now, the few who remain seem to misdirect their remaining "dreamers" in a totally untenable position. efforts; they waste energy in trying to fix the blame for These saga5 and tales arc only myths, the ne\v science their failures, and how shall they have the strength ·explains, created by an immature, primitive society, to break out? which had need to look outside itself for a psychic So, just now, I have begun a new set of experiments center. Now, however, the growth of science and tech­ which could unite them in their beliefs, strengthen their nology has made it possible for the citizens of this determination, and lead them back to the real world. world to be self-motivated, self-driving, and self- justi­ I shall make my presence here subtly known inside. fied. What desire lay outside the realm of being satis­ My instruments will influence events there, and per­ fied? What other world was there? Or could there be? haps the wiser among them will understand. The development of their theories of relationships has For this is probably the last set of experiments that proven that space is inwardly curved, and forms a their time will permit. closed system, in a steady-state world. Exploration­ vou KNOW, of course, that our ship's inside environ­ scientific, detailed exploration-had covered all of their ment was to have been self-perpetuating-but there expericncable world: there was nothing else, nor could were careful rules to be observed. There were many there be. "do's" and there were many "dont's." Their failure As for "beginnings"-in a sense, yes. But certainly no to observe these rules has brought an ever-increasing fiery descent fron1 a "sky"; no "giants," no '"other imbalance in a totally interdependent environment­ world" to populate this one; no "ready-made" world an imbalance whose consequences only the remnant to live in. of the "dreamers" remember, vaguely understand, but Beginnings, yes-calculated now at some five billion still preach-in almost total frustration. "years." This is the closest estimate of the time it Soon-I fear to delay longer-I must open the hatch. would require to evolve the synthetic compounds we had used so extensively in furnishing the ship. The AUTHOR'S APOLOGIA; There are inherent weaknesses in any fahle-more so in what has here been attenipted: radio-active lighting devices we had prepared for the for who can co1npare the incomparable? Yet, it is 1ny journey, the brilliantly integrated life-systems inside­ hope that niy Fahie may of]er so1ne insight into the all these furnished the data, and the proof, for their situation of the Jew today, in the light of the eternal verities of Torah and the teachings of our Gedoliln. scientific theories.

14 The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 SONGS OF THE CHASSIDIM the Pulse An Anthology 170 Beloved Chassidim Zemiros of a People compiled, edited and arranged by is its VELVEL PASTERNAK For anyone interested in Chassidic music, this Music Anthology should prove a veritable treasure of riches hitherto virluaUy intH"l.'Cssihle. Velvel Pasternak, noted authority on the music of the Chassidim, gives us the moF-t beloved melodies, the majority printed here for the first time in musil'al notefl. These melo· dies form a tomposite pi(~ture of the unique contrihu· tion made by Chassidic composers to the body of Jewish mush'. Thifl magnifil"ent collertion, the first of its kind, should he of great interest to all lovers of Jewish music. lt can he appreciated by the layman as well as tlu~ professional musician. All of th~ material has heen arranged so that it may also he used by soloists and choral groups, both amateur and profe:;

CI.IP COUPON AND :MAIL TODAY !

JEWISH OBSERVER BOOK SERVICE 5 Beekman St., New York, N. Y. 10038 Gentlemen: PJe

The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 15 only during worship.) The commis­ A Battle Over the Mechitza at sioner claimed that the then Chief Rabbi Kook, ii!)1::l7 V"il 1!)T, had agreed to this stipulation, and Rav The Kosel - Forty Years Ago Kook immediately denied that he had ever agreed to any ruling which History repeates itself more often on one side ... and the Arabs and would ban a mechitza at the Kosel. British on the other. than we realize-because we forget. THE NEWS OF disturbances at the When the Old City of Jerusalem Kosel spread quickly throughout was liberated in June of 1967, and ON THE EVE of Rosh Hashonah the city, and Jews swarmed to the the Kosel Ma'aravi again became a 5689 (1928) a new mechitza was Kosel to voice their protest. The center for Jewish prayers, it seen1ed placed at the Kosel Ma'aravi-the following day, various groups sent most natural that a mechitza be British were then governing Pales­ protests to the British High Com­ built so that both men and women tine as the mandate-power appoint­ missioner, and the Vaad Leumi pro­ could daven together. Yet, for ed by the League of Nations. No prosed that the Moslems no longer awhile, secularists raised a row one raised any ohjection to thi: be permitted to have jurisdiction about the "unprecedented" mechi- mechitza, until the eve of Y om over the Wall. His Majesty's Gov­ Kippur, when an Arab representa­ 1za, arguing that the Wall is a na­ ernment i~sued a statement laying tional shrine-a most un-lewish tive presented himself to the Jewish blame for the incident on the Jewish category-and should be accessib1e official in charge of the Kosel, and caretaker; expressed regret over the to all Jews without restriction. The claiming that the mechitza was a resulting disturbance; and declared internal agitation against the mechi­ violation of the "status quo'' estab­ that, since the holiday prevented the tza was, however, quieted until this lished by the mandate, demanded Jews from dismantling the mechitza, summer when a group of Reform that it be removed. The Jewish offi­ the British police had simply done Jews visiting in Israel, announced cial insisted he could do nothing it for them. they had scheduled a "prayer serv­ about it during the holiday, but the On Thursday, the 13th of Tishri, ice" at the Wall, with men and next morning-Yorn Kippur-an­ p r o t e s t meetings were called women worshipping together. The other Arab official appeared accom­ thoughout the Land, and in Jeru­ Religious Yishuv was horrified, and panied by two policemen. The wor­ salem the Rabbinate and the Vaad vowed that the planned desecration shippers ignored them, and they Leumi called a general strike, and would not take place. At the zero left; but about 9 o'clock the same a mass meeting which was held at hour the Reform delegation an­ morning, in the middle of Shacharis, Yeshivas Eitz Chaim. nounced) that in order to avoid a British n1andatc official arrived The Kosel incident was widely possible disturbances, they had with more police and proceeded to reported throughout the world. The withdrawn their request for permis­ dismantle the mcchitza. Some of London Times told its readers that sion to hold the "service." the women sitting near the mechitza Arabs had participated in the dis­ clung to the mechitza, and they had Reform Jews in America are still turbance, and made no reference to to be beaten off with police clubs. the use of British police. seething about the incident. An ar­ Other police officials arrived and Enboldened by their initial suc­ ticle in The Nation Jewish Monthly, announced that the worshippers cess, the Arabs began to agitate for published by B'nai B'rith, defending were violating a ruling which for­ the removal of the Aron Kodesh Orthodox opposition to a mixed­ bade the placing of chairs alongside which stood before the Kosel. Ac· service at the Wall, was greeted by the Kosel, and elderly Jews sitting cording to two recent worksi * the angry letters denouncing Orthodox in the chairs were forcibly removed. Kosel disturbances led to the bloody "bigotry." In the minds of many The British Commissioner, Ed­ riots in 1929 when 133 Jews were Jews the myth still persists that ward Kittridge. announced that the kiJled. there never was a mechitza at the mechitza was dismantled at his in­ Wall before: that it is a innovation structions, following a request by * "In 1929, in a quarrel over access to of the modern day "ultra-Orthodox" the Supreme Moslem Council. He the Wailing Wall, 133 Jews were killed in JerusaJiem, Hebron, and Safad." This fundamentalists. cited the "status quo" agreement of Land of Israel, by Andrei Sedych, Mac­ 1922 which stated that nothing of millan, New York, 1968. It is valuable, then, for this and a permanent nature could be built "They [the Arabs] were not .slow to other reasons, to look back at a voice their objections in protests and riots in the street facing the Kosel. (The the most serious of which in the first previous mechitza-dispute which new mechitza was fastened to the decade of the mandate were the so-called took place forty years ago: then ground at the Wall, whereas in the Wailing Wall Riot".> of 1929." The New c:arnbridge Modern History, Cambridge the division was between the Jews past, a meehitza had been placed University Press, 1968.

16 The Jewish Observer / Noven1ber, 1968 On Tishri 11, Davar and Ha'a·· retz, both secular newspapers, asked editorially why there had been no objection when a similar rncchitza stood alongside the Wall, under Turkish jurisdiction.

DAVAR WROTE: What damage has been done hy the cloth mechitza, which stood a/onside the Kosel under the Turks, and even under the British .. . ? What law did it violate ... what danger did it present to the ruling poiver or to the people under their charge?

HA'ARETZ WROTE: How can any Jew not burn with anger at the act of dese­ cration of the Jewish hnnor and the Jewish faith-the crass intrusion into the holiness of the place and the day. Scores of generations there poured out their thouf{hts. their en1otions ... their tears. We 1night have to go back to the Dark Ages to find such a disgraceful ex­ ample ... On Yom Kippar, alongside the Kosel Md aravi-the day and the place eternally holy men and the women . . . We turned-the Western Wall of to the Jews-Jews stood and are not interested in arguing the G-d's Holy Temple. prayed to their r~ather in validity of the regulations, in In a memorandum submitted to Heaven, the traditional prayers the face of an older, and more the League of Nations by the Zionist of 011r people: for the redemp­ highly-regarded authority-the leadership, they declared: tion of the world; for the King­ Holy Writ ... the authority The Jewisrt people demand that dom of G-d; for the creation of which endowed the Land to us they be granted the freedom to wor­ a bond which will tie everyone several thousand years before ship according to their religious in service to the Master of the Mr. Kittridge and his associ­ practice, without anyone interfering, Universe. At such a tbne the ates becanie rulers of Jerusa­ in the area alongside the Wall, honored British gentlemen ... lem, and this right will be ours which is a place of prayer for Jews. -saw fit to deliver a lecture on long after the Kittridges will There must be an end to a situation Law.to the worshippers, by the go back where they came from. in which a group belonging to an­ use of pushing and beadng, other community-in this ease the and tearing clothing from Three days later the same paper Supreme Moslem Council-should women. And why?-these peo­ \Vrote: be able to interfere with the manner ple had committed a great sin: The Yishuv here will not rest in which Jews arrange their prayers, in opposition to a clearly-stated in a place that is most holy to them. regulation--cited by Mr. Kitt­ until the shame of the "status ridge-but in keping lvith an quo" agreement-in w h o s e IN RECENT MONTHS, severa] of Is­ age-old tradition of their peo­ name our national pride is rael's leading newspapers have ple requiring that they be sep­ dragged in the dust-is abol­ called for the removal of the me­ arated during worship-they ished; until the precious inher­ chitza at the Kosel . . . "because erected a mechitza between the itance stolen from us is re- there was never one there before."

The Jewish Observer / Nove1nber, 1968 17 Central Hotel TJ1Yli1 11'71l A new aristocratic hotel in Jerusalem that fills all the needs of the discriminating Orthodox tourist has been warmly received

D FIRST CI~ASS HOTEL: with all n1odern accomodations O STRICT KASIIRUS: supervised hy the Vaacl flarahbonim of Agudath Israel [J :FINEST REI.JGIOUS ATJ\IOSPHIIERE D A SHUL AND T\YO l\1IKVOHS FOR J\IEN AND 'VOMEN D T\VO KOSIIER RESTAURANTS: OJ.Jen to the general public 0 77 AIR-CONDITIONED ROO:\IS 0 DINING ROOi\I SEATING 1~000: snitahle for -\\/cddings, Bar Mitvahs, or <:onventions. Your stay at the Central Hotel will make your visit to the Holy City an even richer experience

Write to: Central Hotel Reservations are also accepted at: IDEAL TOURS 6 Pines Street ( ofl Davidka Square I 48 West 48th Street P.O.B. 1351 ./ Jerusalem New York, New York Cable Address: CENTHOTEL, JERUSALEM Telephone: 582-0420 A Winter Vocation in Israel is Cheaper than lloritla!'

18 The Je1vish Obser·i:er / Nove1nber, 1968 second looks at the jewish scene

E xporting. "'"T'1 reason >> to 1sraeT l

Leaders of the major Con­ ual leader of the Beth Emet here dealing with a declaration of servative and Reform rabbinic Free Synagogue in Evanston, war. Jews have learned through cen­ groups in this country met for Ill. turies of gentile belligerency, that the first time yesterday and "So far we have manifested a thrust at Torah, a thrust at the agreed to cooperate in develop­ this identity not only financially Jewish soul, is no less a threat than ing a "liberal religious alterna­ but by bringing influence to a military trust against out Land, tive" to Orthodox Judaism bear on Israel's economic pol­ against our People. Even in the face within the state of Israel. icies. We have no less a right of such a physical threat, our people "We are and must continue and a claim to influencing, for have demonstrated their ability to to be intimately identified with a time, its religious policies." stay calm, and to go about the Israel and its fate and destiny," Front-page, The New York business of self-preservation with said Rabbi David Polish, spirit- Times, October 24, 1968 utmost deliberation . . . and with the utmost proficiency. And it is with the same calm, deliberation ... The formation of a Reform-Con­ goals, and is a good indication of and proficiency, that we must react servative alliance to strengthen their how the war will be fought. The to a thrust at Torah. Experience movements in Israel, and the issu­ first act of the Reform-Conservative has taught us-and of this we are ance of their first communique, con­ axis is similarly revealing. convinced, that a threat to Torah is a threat to the Jewish soul, and stitutes both a declaration of war "Nolv wait a minute-before you go a threat to our survival as a people. against Torah in the Holy Land, on. 'War,' 'attack/ 'communique,' and the first belligerent act. The 'strategy' . . . 'axis' . . . those are Disagree with us, if you must, but know that in this, yes, battle, we editors of the Times were quite e1notionally-char[?ed words. You' re have so much more at stake than correct in placing this story on their using them deliberately to stir up front-page: when Jews declare war your readers; to get people all ex­ those who oppose us. We cannot afford to lose ... even once. against other Jews, it is a front-page cited. This is an internal squabble story. That Reform and Conserva­ among Je1vs. Sure it 1neans a fight, We were talking about the revealing tism have been engaged in belliger­ but don't get hysterical: don't try nature of the first blow struck by encies against Torah-labeling the to lvhip people into .a frenzy lvith the ne\v alliance. While in the past, enemy "Orthodoxy'' arouses the propagandistic ter1ns. Keep your both Reform and Conservatism support of the non-conformists, but perspective. Let's reason this thing have appealed to the doctrine of Torah is their target-this is not out." freedom of religion, they now make news. That they have willingly laid a new case: aside their own differences, and YOU'RE QUITE RIGHT: these are "Orthodoxy in Israel means the ob­ combined their forces, is news, and strong terms. They should be used servance of certain codes of ritual tragic new$. with caution ... with deliberation. behavior, like dietary laws," said The first military blow struck in Hysteria is not a proper response to Rabbi Polish. "Youths and non­ a war reveals the attacker's strategic differences of opinion. But we are Orthodox are alienated by this un-

The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 19 derstanding of Judaism, and their dedicated teachers in these schools, "-The scribes and the Pharisees own alternative is idolizing the to the thousands of talmidim in the had not the slightest concern for state." yeshivas scattered through the land, moral or spiritual purity. . . . To What they are saying, then, is that and the dedicated teachers and a fortnalt'.wn that lvas strict and de­ Judaism no longer exists in Israel, roshei yeshivos \Vho have created tailed to the point of absurdity, they that it hm, become atrophied hy a Torah network second to none in brought the n1ost consun1ate pride legalism and ritualism, and that un­ the world-not to mention the and hypocrisy." less non-Orthodoxy is recognized by masses of religious Jews whose faith and practice of Torah and Mitzvos -all the above from contem- the State, Judaism in Israel will porary Catholic manuals wither away. What a dastardly in­ is the spiritual reservoir which sus­ sult to the hundreds of thousands of tains all citizens of Israel. We can now add to this small sam­ youngsters who are studying in re­ Of course, such charges-that pling, the words of the Reform­ ligious schools, to the thousands of Judaism "means the observance of Conservative coa1ition, that "Juda­ certain codes of bchavior"-are not ism means the observance of certain new. Here are son1e gleaned from codes of hifiavior"-and for this the Jewish past: they want to be recognized as "rab­ bis in Israel.'' "The Jewish people have been HOSPITALS, HOTELS faith.tu! only to the letter of the (In the heat of polemics we divine con1mand1nents·." should not forget that, in a period in hu1nan history when inan is and AIRLINES -Pope Gregory the Great ARE NOW SERVING floundering, perhaps as he never has before, "the observance of certain "Matters had come to such a pass codes of behavior" should he attrac­ ,..e,~~,,~n- with these people !the Jews], so tive to most everyone. We arc here great and so widespread were the of course reacting to the common­ KOSHER MEALS abuses, so thoroughly had the high place innuendo that a person who When you travel ... where you priests extinguished the pure light stay ... on Land, Sea or in the o_f doctrine through their negligence is pre-occupied with a code of be­ Air be sure to ask for Schreiber or malice, that there scarcely re- havior, has no time left in his life Frozen Foods ... 1nained any respect for the Law." to he a decent human being.)

-Calvin, (~on1mentaries on It is generally agreed that the the New Testament lines between Reform and Conserv­ atism have become Jess distinct in "The religious life of the Jews recent years. It is sometimes the rvas reduced ... to a mere external case, that a right-wing Reform con­ formalism ..." gregation is more 'traditional' than a left-wing Conservative group. But Available in a fine variety, ready "Nothing ren1ains of the great it has heen true that Conservatism for heating and serving. religion of Abraham, David, Moses, as a group, and specifically the Sem­ Home·recipes prepared by a and the Prophets; save for a narrow inary faculty, was strongly opposed ritualisnt, it is no 1nore than a na­ famous name in catering his· to the wholesale ahandonment of tory. Distributed in more than tional cult . ..." 50 areas in the U.S. and also Je\vish tradition and Jewish values. in international service ... Strangely, Conservatism came into GLATT KOSHER being, stimulated by the frightening HELP excesses of Reform in nineteenth­ Under strict Rabbinical '[i\. century America. Moshe Davis, a Supervision of the Union of W yourself ... leading Conservative ideologist, di<­ Orthodox congregations of America .•• to the products and services Government Inspected. cusses this interesting period in advertised in our pages ... for iriformation call or write American Jewish life, in his The HELP US ... E'mergence of Conservative Judaism ,.e,~'"''~"" (Jewish Puhlication Society, Phila­ CATERERS, INC. by telling our advertisers delphia, 1963). He describes the SQ24 Foster Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11236 f'hone: 212 272-9184 you saw their message in efforts of the Historical School­ The Jewish Observer later to hecome Conservatism-to cultivate the moderates in the Re-

20 The Jett:ish Observer / Noven1ber, 1968 form movement in order to slow them down. Davis writes: If the members of the His­ torical School considered the abandonment of the Sabbath, kashrut and Hebrew a1· trea­ Start sons against Judaism, they con­ sidered the Reform innovations ·Your in n1arriage and divorce as cat­ astrophic for the continuity of the Jewish con1munity. The Yorn Tov Reformers had announced the;r extrenie position in this n1atter at the Philadelphia n1eeting of with 1869. They abolished the ketu­ bah, the traditional 1narriage contract and the biblical in­ MAIM junction against a kohen niar­ Y)dng a divorcee, and, in gen­ CHAIM eral, abrogated ]elvish law in nn1rriaJ?e and divorce proceed­ ings. The inevitable result lvas the acceptance of mixed mar­ riages. Despite all the protest of the Historical group, the Reforn1ers persisted in their course. A hundred years later, the succcs­ -sors to the Historical School have now linked hands with Reform to bring this TREASON-it is their word-, to bring these "innovations in marriage and divorce [that -they called]"catastrophic for the continu­ ity of the Jewish community" onto the sacred soil of Israel, to con­ taminate the Land as they have here contaminated the People. Reform and Conservatism have Add an exciting sparkle to your Chanukah meals been offered often full recognition with the delightfully NEW flavor from MAYIM in Israel. They have turned it down. CHAIM BEVERAGES. A new bottling process has The Ministry of Religion has offered enhanced the REAL FRUIT goodness found in all them the same status as that :ic­ of our taste tempting flavors. Your Chanukahs cordcd to other religions in Israel will never be the same ! such as Christianity and Moham­ MANUFACTURED BY medanism, which also, incidentally, SHOMREI TORAH AND MITZVOS claim descent from Judaism. But with meticulous care, in modern bottling plants, this they refuse to accept. They under the supervision of the insist that they who have committed Central Rabbinical Congress treason and brought catastrophe to MAYIM CHAIM IS AVAILABLE AT ALL FINE GROCERS the Jewish people, be recognized as If your grocer does not carry Mayim Chaim, call legitimate heirs of Klal Yisroel. Ev­ ery effort necessary must be expend­ GREAT LAKES BEVERAGE CO. Brooklyn, New York 232-2185 - 6 ed that this shall not come to pass.

The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 21 Israel's Doctors and Post-Mortem

"In spite of the struggle between physicians I know personally in par­ went on to move that the Knesset a number of physicians and reli­ ticular. It should be perfectly clear place upon its agenda, the discus­ gious Jewry on the matter of un­ that in any struggle in a specific sion of the proceedings of a con­ authorized post-mortem operations, are (all the more so when it involves ference of university hospital ad­ which, sadly, still continues, I matters of faith and religion), there ministrators on the subject of post­ should like to point out the follow­ is no need-indeed one should not mortems which was held on March ing: -comproniise the esteem and grati­ 25, 1968. tude which all of us feel for the I.) This struggle is concerned Rabbi Lorincz made it clear that medical community. with the single issue of post-mor­ the conference was concerned spe­ tems, and apart from this issue, I 2.) Even in this specific dispute cifically with post-mortems for re­ search and training purposes, but hold in high esteem the medical with the medical profession, only a he pointed out that the law even in profession as a whole, and those small number of physicians are in­ volved, lvho, in our opinion, are this area is quite specific in permit­ grossly wrong; but I would not for ting post-mortems only with written a moment believe that the entire permission of the deceased prior to medical profession has joined in his death, or permission of the fam­ creating a condition which has ily or burial society. brought so much pain to so many Rabbi Lorincz continued: "Dr. people.'' Galenter, administrator of Asaf Ha­ rofe, said that he was pleased with KOSHER It was with these conciliatory words the post-mortem rate at his hospital that Rabbi Shlomo Lorincz, Mem­ which he reported to be above -but strictly/ ber of the Knesset representing 60%: 'Jn Asaf Harofe Hospital, we Agudath Israel, again brought the don't ask: we do a post-mortem' ... post-mortem issue before Israel's The question asks itself, what about legislative body for debate. He then the law that insists they must have permission, and that one who does not is liable to punishment of three years in prison? "But Dr. Galenter has another method of raising his post-mortem percentage over 60% : 'If we refuse to give them a death certificate they generally agree to a P.M.' A Dr. o n e of Soloveitchik reported that he uses AMERICA'S LEADING the same method. Now, the Su­ CAMERA STORES Cleaned, Fresh-Eviscerated preme Court has ruled that it is Soaked & Salted illegal to force permission by with­ Wall Street holding a death certificate, but ap­ READY-TO-COOK parently this does not deter these Fresh and Fresh-Frozen Camera Exchange two doctors. But Dr. Gaienter is inhibited by one factor: 'We must Supervised and endorsed by The 120 Wall Street Union of Orthodox Jewish Congre· New York, N. Y. be careful not to have any BIG scan­ @gations of America. Inspected for Telephone: WH 4-0001 dals'. This criteria of 'big scandals' wholesomeness by the U.S. Dept. Complete Line of is also used by Dr. Nair of the Agriculture. Comeros, Projectors Kaplan Hospital which did indeed have a big scandal. Dr. Nair states SOLD COAST-TO-COAST and Photo Supplies 'Our percentage went doa•n after The Most Trusted Name Closed Saturday a recent scandal, but once the scan­ Open Sunday - 9-3 dal subsides, we can get our previ­ in Kosher Poultry ous percentage back.' Empire l

22 The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 tried and proven. 'In order not to the medical administrators, and infamous charges by Stalin of a arouse opposition fro1n the fan1ily, charged that their concern that their Jewish "doctors plot" against his we have issued a directive that the "confidential memorandum" be sent life. They reported that Health Min­ death certificate not indicate wheth­ with no copies to be made, fully ister Barzilai in his reply to Rabbi er or not a post-mortem was done, justified the appointment of a Knes­ Lorincz, said that the excerpts from because the family usually sees it.' set commission to investigate the the transcript were "taken out of "Members of the Knesset: what­ entire matter. context," but there was no -denial ever your stand on post-mortem's The next day, every major news­ that the methods of bypassing legal may be, . . . surely it is improper paper in Israel reported in detail obstacles to post-mortems were in­ that there be a directive to falsify the Rabbi Lorincz's charges. The Jeru­ deed being widely used. record. This sheds a new light on the salem Post, in an obvious atten1pt WHAT HAPPENED TO the proposal recent scandal at the Kaplan Hospi­ to discredit the charges, headed the for a thorough investigation?-the tal. When the question was raised: report "DOCTORS PLOT" ON AUTOP­ Knesset struck down the motion, why was there no indication of post­ SIES ALLEGED--a clever, but trans­ and the fight against forced post­ mortem on the death certificate?­ parent attempt, to conjure up the mortem continues. D the answer was that the doctor was a new immigrant who was not fa­ miliar with the procedures. Perhaps it is now clear that there was no From the Crown of Torah Publication Society of America indication of post-morten1 on the (Haskomos from Roshei Yeshiva) certificate, because of a directive at the Hospital that there be no indi­ THE AMERICAN LEVITE: A Philosophy of the Yeshiva: Fifty Years cation, so that the family not be aware of it. of Torah dialogue: Career, College, Kolle!, Education of the Jew­ "Still another method of jacking ish Masses, Bitochon (Faith) - by David Eidensohn, $2.00. up the rates was reported by a Dr. Koren: 'We try to do all we possibly DEAR ROBERT: A Jewish College Student Seeks the Great Truths from can after hours.' a Talmudist (Second Edition) - by David Eidensohn, $ .60. "Professor Ungar states: 'It is possible in some deparanents to DEAR CHAIM: Judaism in the Space Age - by D. Eidensohn, $1.20. achieve a 100% post-mortem rate ... depending on the type and size (Half~price on all works for students) of the hospital.' Evidently, it is the 'type and size of the hospital'-not WRITE To: Crown of Torah Publications Society of America the law-which is the determining 2201 Clover Drive / Cinnaminson, N. J. 08077 factor. For Professor Ungar, the Law of Anatomy and Pathology does not exist. According to him, if hospitals are alert, they can achieve 100% post-mortem rates." One of the nastiest proposals was made by Prof. Savo who proposed ::::!R/1.81£4 a sort of ghetto: "We should des­ !;:) is a Great Kosher Hotel (/. ignate N've On Hospital in Bnai · ""'" ., '·" °' Brak, and in Jerusalem, Bikur Cho­ .$ .dailvper -you'll love it •I ~ lim and Shaarei Zedek, for those 14 ~~\!0~cc. Writt Dept. A for FREI BroC:hure and 8ookltt Mar12toAprll who do not M•ant post-mortem:-· •25 of 155 rooms Fer Reslnatloas Phw: (305)531·0061 1 Including Meals THE CONFERENCE closed with a N.Y. Pl 7-4238 • Eve•. & Sun. FA 7·1742 proposal, cited by Rabbi Lorincz, On the Oceanfront • 37th to 38th St, Miami Beach, Fla. that: "A confidential memorandum [on the decline of the post-mortem UNDER @ SUPERVfSION rates] be addressed to the Minister of Health, to be delivered by hand, Be sure to notify us in without any copies being 1nade." advance so that your copies Lorincz challenged the legality of MOVING? will continue to reach you. the. various procedures reported by

The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 23 The Absurd Question

THE ABSURD QUESTION: "Who ls a other than enabling the children to Every broad study that has been Jew?" is once again in the news in have the word "Jew" on their iden­ made has found overwhelming sup­ lsmel. So much has been written tity card>. The principle at stake, port for the view that religion and on the subject that we feel nothing however, is far-reaching. national culture are inexorably in­ need be added to the following terwined. In 1956, for instance, Ben factual report by a New York Times From the outset the State of Is­ Gurion, then Premier of Israel, reporter. rael has accepted the traditional re­ asked leading Jews of all political The Supreme Court of the State of ligious definition of Jewishness and aTid religious persuasions for their Israel has been asked to rule on the upheld this both in legislative and views, and 38 of the 44 respondents question, "Who J.s a Jew?" court decisions. said they saw no separation between For centuries the answer was clear. According to rabbinic law. which on this point was accepted. even by the non-religious, a Jew was a person who either had a Jew­ Don 'I just sit there,.. ish mother or converted to the Jew­ ish religion. while the battle for Torah rages Since 1948, however, the identity on all fro111ts the world over - problem has been complicated by the existence of the State of Israel. There non-Jews can hecomc Is­ raeli citizens, marry Jews and pro­ join lb.e action! duce chHdren who arc, for practical purposes. brought up as Jews. • The pace-setter for this hattle is Agndath Israel, led by Last week the Israeli High Court the Torah authorities, of Justice found itself embroiled in the problem of whether these chil­ dren-even though they fail to meet • YOU can help achieve more gains for Torah by strength­ one of the two classic criteria--may ening the voice of Agndath Israel through your personal 1ist their 1e'um, or ethnic nationa·l­ identification with independent Orthodoxy. ity. as Jewish? The seriousness with which the Court took its task was shown by the fact that, for the first • The leading Torah authorities have called upon loyal time, a11 nine judges were hearing Jews to join Agudath Israel and hecome part of the a case jointly. struggle for authentic Yiddishkeit. The case concerned the t\VO young children of Benjamin Shalit, A GIFT TO NEW MEMBERS ONLY: a 33-year old Jew and Israeli naval A 1-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE JEWISH OBSERVER comn1ander. The children were born in Israel and are Israeli citizens, r------1 yet their mother is a non-Jew of J Agudath Israel of America / 5 Beekman St., New York 10038 J French-Scottish origin who lists her le'um as British. The family claims : I hereby apply for membership in Agudath Israel. Enclosed is $10.00 : no religion. 1 for the national membership dues for the current year. 1 Last July Mr. Shalit asked for a I I I Name · · ...... I court order calling on the govern­ I I ment to show cause why the chil­ Addrezs · ··· ·· .. _. ···· I dren should not be registered as 1 Jews. LI City.... ______...... _...... State,_ ...... Zip No...... J! A decision favorable to the Sha­ lits would have little practical effect

24 The Jewish Observer I November, 1968 the religious and national meaning (As we prepare for the press, the the population register would list of who is a Jew. Times reports that the Israeli Su­ only an individual's allegiance and Jn the Shalit case the Jerusalem preme Court has "declined to de­ citizenship, but not nationality. If court has two options. It could cide 'who is a Jew' and reco1nmend­ the Government refuses to make either: ed instead that the Government this change, the Court would then, nullify the law pertaining to the reluctantly, enter into the n1erits of ( !) Uphold the traditional reli­ question." This would n1ean that the case.) gious-based criteria for Jewishness, or (2) Declare that there is an en­ How About That 'P tity such as Jewish nationality that Much of the un-Jewishness of Jew­ aries in their effort to convert Jews. is separate from religion, and that ish life today can be ascribed to We know of the Congress' consist­ a person may qualify for this by certain pre-conceived notions of ent support of freedom of expres­ having a Jewish father (or other Jewishness. When a Reform Jew sion, but surely they must remember new criteria). violates the Shabbos, it is because the famous Supreme Court decision The court does not, however, he has been taught that he may. wbich ruled that shouting "FIRE" have the power to change the rab­ When a secular Jewish defense in a crowded auditoriun1-when binic criteria, and the latter decision agency "defends" Jews in a manner there is no fire--cannot be justified would thus have the effect of un­ which is detrimental to Kial Yisroel, as the excercise of freedom of ex­ dermining the traditional link of they arc simply-though no less pression. Advertising Shmad to Jews re1igion and culture. tragica1ly-acting on principles op­ is surc1y shouting "FIRE" in the posed to Torah and Tradition. House of Israel. For this reason the case has cre­ When a Conservative Jew observes ated considerable turmoil in Israel, kashrus, but eats fish "out,'' he is and it is being followed closely by following the guidance of his "rab­ Jews throughout the world. [j binic" leaders. Each specific in­ A READER SENT us a clipping from stance of such un-Jewishness, there­ the Journal of the National Con­ fore, comes as no surprise. But ference of Jewish Communal Serv­ there are instances of un-Jewish .ice (Fall, '68). Jn an article called 0 • behavior by Jewish groups that defy "A Jewish Center Attempts to Im­ such simple explanations: they make plement its Jewish Purposes," the us exclaim our surprise and question authors describe the efforts of a what it is all about. Center to evolve a more meaningful UNITED For the first time since the late program with the ever-elusive "Jew­ 17th century, a new punctuation ish content." Among the programs Chevra Kadisha mark has been introduced into worked out, and enthusiastically re­ D'chasidim • Har Hamnuchot printed English. For such question­ ceived by the Board of Directors, Founded 1856 ing excJan1ations as "How about is the following: that?" or "Do you mean it?" there The Men's Health Club, led by is now available the interabang; a its officers, have initiated a BURIAL IN JERUSALEM cross between a question mark and unique program called "Torah an exclamation point. The following by Toga." Each Saturday af­ AND ALL CEMETERIES IN ISRAEL brief observations can, perhaps, ternoon, in the Health Club best be described as interabangs. lounge, as sixty to seventy sheet-clad men relax, a provoc­ 1maal1n sakobesh CONGRESS DI-WEEKLY, published by ative short film or speaker on the American Jewish Congress, re­ a then1e of Jewish interest is SOCl€ty cently ran a notice-no doubt a presented followed by a discus­ 44 CANAL ST. paid ad-headed: "FREE NEW TES­ sion. Discussion leaders have NEW YORK CITY 10002 TAMENTS TO SYNAGOGUES, ETC., included Rabbis and lay lead­ FOR COMPARATIVE STUDY." The free ers of the ]elvish community. Nr. E. Broadway Sta. "F" Train offer is a familiar one: it is a com­ mon practice of Christian mission-

Da~r & Nite Phone ~'The Jnterabang is used by the kind MILTON HIMMELF ARB, writing in WA 5-2277 penniss1on of the American Type Faun~ ders C'o., Inc. the Jewish Digest-he is more per-

The Jewish Observer I November, 1968 25 ceptive in Commentary-suggests "outmoded" use of "the ban" was in the face of abuse of basic Jewish that: the strike by farm workers in the traditions-even by Reform stand­ Proselytizing Negroes, as part California vineyards. A sensitive ards-by their own constituents, of the business of proselytizing Jew, aware of the problems of the should choose to place a ban on Gentiles generally, could be grape workers, would be prompted grapes, smacks, at best, of a feeble enormously useful for the syn­ of his own accord to do what he attempt at "relevance," and, at agogue. could to help the strikers. But that worst, as a successful ploy for pub­ spiritual leaders who remain silent licity. D This reminds us of the story of a Negro boy who was asked if he would like to become Jewish, and is said to have answered: "Nor dos Cultural Pluralism felt mir oiss!" It is one thing to intellectualize So ... maybe there is something about cultural pluralism: to talk ((exotic" about learning Torah all about the two worlds our children day long. [] live in, as symbolized by their study REFORM JUDAISM long ago rejected day split between sacred and secular the authority of Torah. The so­ studies. But recently we felt it more called "Liberal" Jew is abhorred, keenly in the following exchange for example, by a ban against cer­ .vith our eight-year old daughter and EARN SOME tain foods, or declaring anything to first-grader son. be "unfit." It was therefore surpris­ ing to see that a group of Reform "Aha-what does 'exotic' mean?" EXTRA SSS rabbis joined their Orthodox and We fumbled for a hasty definition Be a sales representative Conservative coHeagues in the Mas­ -"what makes you ask?" sachusetts Board of Rabbis to pro­ for The Jewish Observer claim a ban on the eve of last "C'mere Eli, sing that song you make your own hours - Succos. The Board declared "Cal­ learned today." commission on each sale ifornia table grapes 'unfit' according "O.K.... Write: (do not phone) to Jewish lavv, for use in religious THE JEWISH OBSERVER institutions and homes generally and We love Hashem, Circulation Dept. particularly during the harvest fes­ Hashem loves us, 5 Beekman Street tival of Sukkot" (Boston Jewish And "eg-Zadick" learns Torah New York, N. Y. 10038 Advocate, Oct. 3). What prompted the Reform rabbis to revert to the All day long."

~ 0"'-h""'?, f .!Jma'Jinaliue mono'JramJ & .!JnuilalionJ ~:~...,;,"';"1;;~,~ designed and printed by 1_'111 ti~ ~'6T~Q'60LL ~TqDI0,8' l' ~~ 156 FIFTH AVE., NEW YORK, N. Y. 10010, Tel. (212) 989-4114

. .,, .. ~. "1h"'""'""'" ~ Write for our free invitation-brochure ""'?r''."•'';· li ~~v e..ativ• ..Art Wort • .JJ.tr.w & C:nghJt of!.tt.ring /or: z'\j'i:=!_:i,_"11':='j;~,~C: SCROLLS • Letterheads • 111::1111~ • 111~'~0 • Diplomas • Brochures

26 The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 often stressing differences between Torah and Gospel and will inevit­ Letters to the Editor ably cause interreligious friction. The subject matter covered in this material belongs strictly to theo­ logical institutions where each de­ nomination may seek to uphold its own contentions. It should not be introduced into the secular public schools." These orgaizations then sent Dr. Hoenig's report to the appropriate Pennsylvania author­ ities and added the wish that the ligion. Indeed Justice Clark who proposed course not be given. "Who dunit?" wrote the majority opinion declared: FinaJly, I share Mr. Gross' con­ "In addition, it might well be said cern over this new development. (The writer of the followinr; letter that one's education is not comp1ete Orthodox Jews must be alert to the is a professor of political science at \Vithout a study of comparative re­ clanger inherent in teaching religion the Her bert H. Lehman Coller;e of ligion or the history of religion and in public schools; should experience the City University of New York, its relationship to the advancement in Pennsylvania and the other states and Chairn1an of COLPA, the Na­ of civilization. It certainly may be in which similar courses are being tional Jeivh1h rn1nn1ission on Laa' said that the Bibk is worthy of prepared justify our fears, it may and Public Affairs.) study for its literary and historic \vell be necessary for us to go to To the Editor: qualities. Nothing we have said here court to protect our rights. indicates that such study of the In y0ur Cheshvan /October issue, MARVIN SCHICK Reuben Gross castigates the doc­ Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular pro­ Herbert H. Lehman College trinaire separationists for not doing New York, N. Y. anything about a Pennsylvania law gram of education, may not be ef­ and syllabus developed by the Penn­ fected consistently with the First Amendment." Mr. Gross replies: sylvania Department of Public In­ Dr. Schick's comments make my struction on the teaching of religion Thus the Supreme Court directly whodunit even more mysterious. in public schools in that state. While invited the states to develop curric­ Now we hear that "a number of u1a teaching about religion; Penn­ I have great admiration for Mr. national Jewish organizations-in­ Gross' pioneering activity in the sylvania quickly accepted this in­ cluding those specifically criticized" church-state field, I believe that vitation. In view of this it is highly -asked a 'shayla' in regard to the much of his criticism is unjustified. unlikely that the Pennsylvania sta­ Pennsylvania law. Did they ask any He asks why no court test has tute or curricu1um could be success­ 'shayla' before they attacked the been launched against the state law. fully challenged and indeed, it might reading of the Bible without com­ Apart from technical consideration prove harmful if a court test were mentary? Did they ask any 'shayla' now made. that there is as yet no basis for a before their other innumerable at­ legal attack at least in the federal At the same time, Mr. Gross' tacks on rc1igion and religious in­ courts, there is the following point analysis of the defects in the curric­ stitutions? And why after having which should not be ignored. After ulum is valid and accordingly it is been advised that the material is the Supreme Court declared New important that administrative meas­ "sectarian (and] should not be m­ York's non-denominational prayer ures be taken to eliminate the un­ troduced into the secular public inva1id on First Amendment grounds desirable features. In fact, various school" did they do nothing but there was a considerable outcry that steps have already been taken in send a letter? Are they so naive as the High Court had in effect pro­ this direction. At the request of a to believe that Pennsylvania author­ moted a "re1igion of secu1arism" in number of national Jewish organ­ ities will refrain from enforcing a public schools. Apparently this crit­ izations-including those specifical­ mandate of the legislature simply on icism had an impact, for when ly criticized by Mr. Gross-Dr. Sid­ the basis of a letter? Dr. Schick has shortly thereafter the Supreme ney B. Hoenig of Yeshiva Univer­ been around lawyers long enough Court struck down Pennsylvania's sity examined the proposed course to know that nothing less than re­ practice of Bible reading in public and reached a conclusion that "The peal of the statute or a judicial de­ schools, it took special pains to material is largely theological and termination of unconstitutionality show that it was not hostile to re- sectarian, sometimes even sermonic, can prevail here. At any rate, he

The Jewish Observer / November, 1968 27 pontificates like a lawyer when he Not only was I an occasional in­ When I returned to New York I says "there is as yet no basis for terpreter for Rav Levin during his iold the JT A that amongst other a legal attack" on what he agrees is visit in New York, and not only things which I had discussed with teaching of Hmatcrial . . . largely did he voluntarily visit my home and Mr. Kadikaff I had asked him about theological and sectarian." various other people and places to the procedures whereby the syna­ Withal, I am greatly flattered by which I took him with his knowl­ gogues of the USSR might affiliate Dr. Schick's comments that the Su­ edge and consent, including one with an international body of syna­ preme Court raised a "considerable Conservative synagogue in New gogues such as the World Council outcry in promot[ing] a 'religion of York, but I was also a member of of Synagogues .... secularism' in public schools" and the Rabbinical Assembly delegation that "this criticism had an impact." which visited Moscow in July. Rav I believe you owe it to whatever The "religion of secularism,_. criti­ Levin arranged our meeting with reputation I might have amongst cism was strictly my own, and I am Michael Kadikoff of the Council of your readers and for the sake of not aware that it had grown to the Religious Affairs in Moscow. He historical accuracy to inform your proportion of "considerable out­ telephoned Mr. Kadikoff in my pres­ readers of these facts while reserv­ cry," nor that it has had an impact ence and wrote down for me on a ing your right to evaluate them in on the Supreme Court. However, I piece of paper, which is available any manner compatible with your am extremely happy that Dr. Schick in New York for your scrutiny, the editorial talents and policies. thinks so. name, address and other particulars WOLFE KELMAN In any event, I know of no estab­ for the meeting which he had ar­ Rabbinical Assembly lishment of the religion of secular­ ranged. On the day following my ism so blatant, and therefore so meeting with Mr. Kadikoff in Mos­ New York, N. Y. vulnerable, as the Pennsylvania law. cow, Rav Levin invited me to Dr. Schick's defense of his 'roof' preach from the Bimah of the Great organization colleagues contains a Synagogue in Moscow and he in­ moral lesson broader than the con­ troduced me to the large assembled SHOMER SHABBOS text of this issue-a wholly separate congregation. HELP WANTED whodunit. REUBEN E. GRoss FEMALE Auto Service Jerusalem, Israel Bookkeepers: Assistant, with lite typing "A Cynical Attempt" I bth AVENUE GARAGE CO. D E•ped $75-$100. Repairs, Free Road Service D Big Discount Full Charge, some up to and on Tires D Plaid Stamps with Every Sale others including the To the Editor: 1602 - 62nd Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. 11204 General Ledger $100-160.00 My attention has been called to an 0 DE I -0229, BE 2-9513 D GULF GAS article signed by you in the Chesh­ Biller-Typists: $85.00 and up van 5729 issue of your distinguished Receptionists, Must know plug or journal which I browse through monitorboard - $85 and up from tiine to time with admiration Steno Typists: $75.00-125.00 Real Estate for the vigor and eloquence of your Secretaries: $100 and up aricles, which are not necessarily Typists: $75.00 and up related to their accuracy or my LOFTS, FACTORIES To Rent or Buy 0 Some of the above are FEE PAID by the companies. A few Part-Time jobs All Areas 0 EARL H. SPERO 0 11 West agreement with the views expressed. are still left. Yet, vigorous, independent journal­ 42nd Street, New York, N. Y. 10036 D ism is so rare in our community BR 9-1539 MALE that I cherish it whatever the source Salesmen Office Manager or accuracy. I do not intend to Driven Production Manager evaluate or respond to your personal opinion or your interpretation of ' il, Tradition Personnel the significance of Rav Levin's visit A week-day Bar Mitzvah, 11 in New York last June. My concern either with or without Krias e I p 147 WEST 42nd ST., N. Y., N. Y. .-.-v Room 1111 Tel. 563-3994 for historical accuracy however Hatoroh, can be an inspir· compels me to respond to the penul­ Open Monday nights - timate paragraph in your article ing experience and will with the headline "A Cynical At­ avoid Chilul Shabbos. by appointment only. tempt."

28 The Jewish Observer / Novenzber, 1968 The facts listed by our correspond­ mitzvah. Needless to say, this is really creative once in a while­ ent are interesting. H 01vever, lve totally false. something along the lines of "The fail to see what bearing they have Name Withheld Drury St. Shu!." ... on our claim that an attempt to By Request Thank you once more for your enroll Russian synagogues-lvhich time and assistance. are Orthodox, in the World Council DEBBIE WESTREICH of Synagogues-which is Conserva- Likes The Observer New Haven, Conn. 1;ve-was indeed a cynical atten1pt. Y.J. To the Editor: "Don't Get Complacent" I'm now receiving THE JEWISI-I OBSERVER and I'd like to continue To the Editor: ChaUtza Drawing WronfJ doing so, but I'm not sure when my Enclosed please find $15 towards subscription ends or if it has already. a new 3-year subscription for me. To the Editor: Could you please renew it for me As I hadn't myself subscribed to and bill me afterwards? your magazine I assume that some­ The l 8th century artist whose I'd just like to say that I'm in­ one sent me a gift subscription. I'd drawing appeared on page 21 in the expressibly grateful for the maga­ appreciate therefore your letting me October issue of The Jewish Ob­ zine-~as corny as that may sound. in on the secret so that the person server, evidently knew nothing of I think on the whole it's very in­ can be properly thanked. The proof the dinim pertaining to Chalitza. formative and on-the-spot. It spot­ of the pudding is in the pie, the pie The Shulchan Aruch clearly states Hghts current issues fro1n a stand­ in this instance being my three-year that the choletz (yavam) and the point I find refreshing and enlight­ subscription. I find much to con­ choletzes (y'vama) must be stand­ ening-though a bit cynical at gratulate you about and I only wish ing. The choletz should lean on a times. A great many of the articles you'd find more time to print it stand or against the wall, while the are very inspiring. When I am 1nore often. I don't want you to choletzes unties the straps of his swamped with homework and tests feel complacent about it though, as right choe with her right hand, then and petty obligations of all sorts there is much room for improve­ raises hi.s leg with her left hand, and when life's purpose seems re­ ment but even that is a good sign. and slips the shoe off with lier right duced to working one's head off for I wish I had some time now to tell hand. an insignificant "A" on an insignifi­ you about it but even the little time Even more, the drawing distorts cant English paper, THE JEWISH I did give to writing these few words the meaning of Chalitza. The image, OBSERVER is a welcome relief. It's is only thanks to the threat of losing so vividly conveyed by the artist, a value-straightener. My one sug­ the continuity of your magazine is one of public degradation of the gestion is that in addition to all the which was hanging over my head. woman, an idea which the Reform excellent intellectual material, it DAVID ACKERMAN movement tried to read into the would be nice to see something Jerusalem

"Leave the Caring to f)s" A Superior Hotel Reserve Sunday for Senior Citizens Newly Renovated February 23rd MIAMI HOTEL Adar 5 375 WEST BROADWAY, LONG BEACH for the Tel. 516 CE 1-5500 Unrier the persona/ Management of 47th Annual Dinner of MR. and M". I. WALDMAN who have many years of experience. Agudath Israel of America Strict Kashrus observed • Friendly, homey atmosphere Delicious balanced meals • Special diets upon request • Telephone in every room • Shu! with Chazan • Entertainment at the Hotel Commodore • Elevator service • Very reasonable rates.

The Jewish Observer / November, .1968 29 treatment for non-public school children. During the last school year, 13,798 New News of Agudath Israel York yeshiva students received secular textbooks in the amount of 261,087. The new Speno Bill is the beginning of our AGUDATH ISRAEL REQUESTS a federal presence in cases of threats to new thrust to reach greater heights of F.B.I. ENTER ARSON PROBE religious buildings, because fear of the meaningful help for Yeshiva students in f'Bl would have a strong deterring effect the 1969 legislative year," Rabbi Sherer A request that the FBI enter the cases of on potential vandals." said in a statement to the press. the recent wave of synagogue fires in New York was made by Agudath Israel AGUDATH ISRAEL LAUNCHES BNOS LEADERS CONVENTION of America in a wire to Attorney Gen~ eral Ramsey Clark, supporting a similar DRIVE TO EXTEND N. Y. MAPS FUTURE PLANS appeal by Senator Jacob K. Javits (Re~ TEXTBOOK BENEFITS Over 300 group leaders participated in publican. N. Y.). When a fire set by TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS the national convention of Bnos Agudath arsonists gutted the Bais Han1edrash of Israel of America, which wa<; held over the Yeshiva of Eastern Parkway in A concerted drive to extend the loan the weekend of November 22nd in Lake­ Brooklyn and destroyed seven 'forah of textbooks by the State to non-public wood, New Jersey. The convention gen­ scrolls, Senator Javits was asked by school children in New York from the erated new interest and clarity in the Agudath Israel to intervene with federal first through the sixth grades was policies of the Agudath Israel movement authorities to protect religious property launched this week by Agudath Israel and the particular role of the Orthodox from vandalism. of America. The move is based on the Jewish girl in achieving these aims. After a visit to the Yeshiva of Eastern recent U.S. Supreme Court decision up­ Among the speakers who addressed the Parkway by Senator Javits, accompanied holding the constitutionality of New convention were Rabbi Moshe Sherer, by Agudath Israel's executive president York State's textbook law. The current executive president of Agudath Israel Rabbi Moshe Sherer, he declared th;:it he law grants hooks from the seventh of America, who also participated in a will do everything possible to have the through the twelfth grades. lengthy question period on Agudist pro­ Justice Department apply the 1968 Civil Rabbi Moshe Sherer, executive pres­ grams and policies, Rabbi Joseph Elias, Rights Act to the synagogue burnings, ident of the organization, announced that dean of the Bais Yaakov Breuers In­ thus enabling the FBI to enter the case. Senator Edward Speno pre-filed a bill stitute for girls, Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, The New York Senator declared that in this month in Albany which will man­ Rosh Yeshiva at Skokie, lll., and pres­ the event the existing laws were found date the inclusion of al elementary school idium-member of Agudath Israel of Chi­ inapplicable, he will introduce new laws grades for the benefits of the textbook cago, Rabbi Joshua Fishman, educational which will mandate federal intervention law. Agudath Israel, which spearheaded consultant of Torah Umesorah, and Rab­ when religious edifices are threatened, as the battle for the original textbook law, bi Joshua Siibennintz, senior consultant a violation of the constitutional guarantee is marshalling support for the new bill of the Agudist youth organizations. of freedom of religious practice. among members of the State's Senate Workshops in group leadership were An Agudath Israel spokesman stated and Assembly. headed by Rabbi Moshe Newman and that the organization will "diligently pur­ "The New York textbook Jaw wa<; a Rabbi Moshe Biberfeld and Rabbi Bo­ sue this new dimension of introducing major gain for the forces seeking fair ruch Taube (Baltimore). Rabbi Boruch

RAV YAAKOV TEITELBAUM MANHIG RUCHANI OF CAMP AGUDAH n'iJ7 v',lt ,,T HARAV YAAKOV TEITELBAUM, ?"'St, who served as the Manhig Ruchani of Camp Agudah for 18 years, passed away last month after a brief i11ness. Over 1.000 persons participated in the l'vayeh in­ cluding many former campers who had been greatly helped in their educational and spiritual progress by Harav Teitel­ baum. Before he came to the United States after World War II, when he founded Coogregalion Adas Yercim· of Kew Gardens, he was the Rav of Zeirei Agudath Israel in \lienna and in London. A large group at the Hesped sponsored by c:amp Agudah in the auditorium of the Bais Yaakov of Boro Park, and chaired by l)avid H. Turkel, heard eu­ logies by llarav Syshe Portugal (Seku­ lencr Rebbe), Harav Yisroel Piekarski, 1-Iarav Moshe Bick and tiarav Yehudah Oelbaum.

30 .1 he Jewish Observer / Noven1ber, 1968 Borchardt coordinator of the Agudath Israel youth organizations extended gret· ings. Gretings were also extended by Mrs. Esther Sittner on behalf of N'she Agudath Israel of America and by rep· resentatives of Bnos Agndah groups from Books /rom Eeldbeim Chicago, PhiJadeJphia, l)etroit, Balti· more, Cleveland and 'foronto. Just Published THE BOOK OF HANUKKAH. The AGUDJST GJRLS LAUNCH Story of the Maccabees. Incorporating "TZ'NIUS" DRIVE THE BOOK OF OUR HERITAGE. The an Album of Illustrations in full color Jewish Year and its Days of Significance. by Siegmund Forst. Large de-luxe The Bnos Agudath Israel conventions edition. $6.00 launched a nationwide drive to "counter· An Engli.!ih edition of the famous Hebrew Classic Se/er Hatoda'ah by the JEWISH IDENTITY. A documentary act the effects of the 'new morality' noted Israeli author Eliyahu Kitov. which has had a devastaating effect in compilation hy Baruch Litvin, edited by {English translation hy Rabbi Nathan Dr. Sidney B. Hoenig. The replies of 45 weakening moral sensitivity. A procla· Bulman). Written by an acclaimed Is· 1nation issued by the Bnos organization, rabbis, scholars and phHosophers to the raeli religious author whose books on question. "Who is a Jew?" ...... -...... $6.75 declared that T .l'nius is really best trans· the Jewish Way of Life have become lated as 'restr;i_int' from all form of hest sellers, the hook covers many faces ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL IN­ display and ostentation-such as unfor· of the Jewish Calendar Year, its Holi· TERPRETATION. A millennial antho· tunately pervades the social life of our days and Fast Days, days of rejoicing logy comprising sayings and interpreta. time." and sorrow; the meanings of their oh· tions . on the Bible by our Sages, by servance, with comments and deep in· Rabbi Menahem M. Kasher. (Translated TRESS MEMORIAL sights. 2 vols. $10.00 into English under the editorship of "SJYUM HASHAS" ''01. I Month of Tishrey to Shevat Rabbi H. Freedman.) ''ol. II Month of Adar to Nissan \'ol. I Sidrah Bereshit A capacity audience filled the auditorium V oL II Sidroth Noah, Lech Lech a of the aBis Yaakov of Boro Park on '\:~ol. III Sidroth Vayerah, Chaye Sarah Sunday evening, November 10th at a C''"1~Wi1 '"1'W l 01. IV Sidroth Toi doth, Vayetze unique Siyuni Hashas in memory of the THE "SONG OF SONGS" as echoed in Vayishlach ' famed leader of Agudath Israel of its Midrash - an insight into the con· '\". ol. V Sidroth Vayeshea, Miketz America, Reb Elim·elech Gavrie1 Tress, t~epts of Jewish tradition. Hebrew text, ·vol. VI Sidroth 'r ayigash, Vayechi 7"ln. Over 700 persons had participated EngJish translation and commentary by 'To], VII Sidroth Shemoth, Vaerah in the study of the entire Shas during Rabbi Yitzhak I. Broch. . $3.95 eaC'h volume -····· $12.50 Set of 7 vols ...... -...... $70.00 the past year in memory of one of the THE WAY OF G-D by Rabbi Mosheh most beloved figures in American Or· Max. A textbook for the teaching of THE JEWISH CHILD: Memo Books. thodoxy. Jewish precepts and Ethics. As an ortho· 5 Books of Basic Religious Knowledge. "fhe Siyu1n Hashas was addressed by dox Rabbi who has been at the head of Boxed, paperhook ...... ___ ... SI.SO prominent Torah personalities, including congregational Talmud Torahs in the Harav .~1oshe Feinstein, chairman of the United States for forty years, Rabbi Max QUESTION LOTTO Jr,Jol'tzes Gedolei Tatorah and Rosh Ye· has written this hook not only to impart For all ages $1.00 shiva of Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem; valuable information, hut primarily to .Harav Gedalia Schorr, Rosh Yeshiva influence boys and girls to practice the WHO WANTS TO LIVE. 101 Mesholim Mitzvoth of G-d. He discusses everv law and Menahel of Mesivta Torah Vodaath, of ~e Cho~etz. Chaim. The Chafetz a11d custom, tracing it to its ori,!!;inal Chaim, Rabbi Y isroel Meir Ha<"ohen is Harav Moshe Horowitz (Bostoner Reb~ source. 328 pages, illustrated; deluxe proh:ihly the most quoted Jewish leader be) and Harav Yaakov Mizrachi, head leatherette binding. only $3.75 of our times. His scholarly writings may of the Sfardic division of Agudath Israel Te

The Jewish Observer / Noven1her, 1968 31 'Ibis plaque should be in• every Jewish home

we will rush it to you free when you send a gift subscription

THIS OFFER IS LIMITED: for NEW gift subs<:riptions only. If you are a regular subscriber, due to renew your subscription, please don't ask us for a free plaque. If you've got your heart set on having one, send $8.50 for a two-year renewal (or $12.00 for a three-year renewal> - that saves us billing expenses - and we'll send you a plaque free and postage-paid.

~GIFT CERTIFICATE ~<=~8~:~<=3~'=·~~ GIFT CERTIFICATE~~~ Start a gift subscription for: Start a gift subscription for: ® Na1ne . . . . . Name ... , .. Address . . . Address ...... __··::::::: ______·------··-·· _ ____::::_-~-- ~·· =··::__: - . _:_:·:__ ___::: ® Rush your free gift to: Rush your free gift to: Name...... ,, ... , ...... Name ...... ~ Address...... Address...... ~®~~~~~~~;J