The Canadian Jewish News, Friday, December 7, 1973 - Page 7.
By Rabbi Dr. I. Frankel (Second of Two Parts) '
out and put effort by ourMbbis, teachers, and thinkers to reach put to the knowledge-thirsty masses and ' spread the teachings of our traditlpns and their great messages fpr pur day. Our leadership must nptwait to be approached.
It must take the initiative and reach out with this message to the youth clubs, the cultural centres and any available public or private platform. Our rabbis and knowledgeable students can most assuredly bring about the desired change in the
religious thinldng and behavior of the populatipn,, if they pnly dedicate themsel-yes to this sacred ta;st-:
There must1)€aioftai(Bra-^^ dication of a most unfbrtun-
t ate attitude still prevalent in pertain Diaspora religious circles. TOiaVworry about
- only yourselfmentality, We are our brother's keepers, as much as the keepers of omr very sblvps. The two are intertwined and interdependent.
For years I have been envying the various mission-aiy effprts on behalf of their varipiiis beliefs. Sunday after Sunday I have seen their boys and girls going from door to door distributing leaflets and even engaging in dialogue in their hope to
share a soul. Out of curio-' sity I have spoken to theni on several bccasiPns. I find them weir m
; wUle not always sufttcieptly equipped "irith knowledge relating to their missipn, they project a catching feryorand. devotion .to their cause. I accordingly question, why can't we too do' the siame? Why can't we have those pf pur ypuhg men and wpmen whp are trained and equipped with Jewish khpwledge "missipnarize" in behalf pf true Judaism ampngst Pur very own pepple?
Let there be organized an institute of rabbis, teachers and lay scholars with the motto "Knowledge tp the Jews." Its task shPuld be tP compile bPoklets, skilfully
eiplaining in relevant terms the basics pf' Judaistn fpr distributipn to every Jewish heme. Special leaflets ceuld aiisp be desigqed to. cpunter-ad missiPiuii7 Uterature already behig sent- tp ;many Jewish hpmes;
One wprid: recpglniz^ tra- ; dtipnal exainj^ iexistihg ppleinic wprks written in defence oFJudaism in resppnse to; relentless, mis-y sibnary attempts by:; the' church thrpughput the centuries, is Hiizok Emunab-Faitfa Strengthened, written in ttie 16th century. It cpm-bines a fprceful defence pf Judaism with a trald refutation pf Christian doctrines, and is in JEact npw avaikible in English. Isuggestaschpl-ar be cpmmissipnedtp care-
fully cohdence jsuch a^wprk tp permit litpgraphii^ in bppklet fprm fpr distributipn.: viV.'i^-'
Bppks iO^e Judaism, by G.F. Mppre,iahd Pharisees; by R.T. ifertbrd, can act as iantidptes to the disease of alienation; Written by "gentile schplars pf the highest i-eputatipn and acknpwledged as such by inany JeWish thinkers in our time, these works could become textbooks for study groups. I would point out that all of the above~mentioned books are obtainable at the Jewish Public Library.
Parallel toi this organized campaign and the diffusion of the knowledge of Judaism, ah intensive dialpgue must be opened and maintained with
JERUSALEM -
For two Canadian Hebrew University students here, the Yom Kippur War has made a profound impression on their lives.
"Before, 1 thought of leaving the country but now I'll go into the arrtiy," said David Weiner, 19. A student of the university's School for Overseas Students, he immigrated to Israel two years ago from Nova ScPtia with his family.
At first the country's system of universal conscription disturbed Weiner but now he realizes "Israel needs the army for survival. During the first year I was here, my opinions didn't really change, but the longer I live here, the more I see."
Sbayna Kulman, 22, also said she now seriously considers making Israel tier home. "Life has a lot more meaning here," said the
tmpresston m overseas
daughter of Gordon and BA at the University of Tor- advantages. The people I've
Rhoda Kulman of St. Thorn- onto. "Sure, there area lot met here will continue to be
as, Ontario, who came here of problems, but I think the my friends for life."
to study after completing her advantages outweigh the dis- Both are typical of the
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David Weiner, 19, from Sydney, Nova Scotia, is a student at Hebrew University's School for Overseas Students. His views on Israel changed as a result of the Yom Kippur War.
many students who rallied to support Israel during the crisis by donating blood .filling sandbags, standing infer those called to active duty, forming an entertaiinment troupe which staged variety shows at army camps and hospitals and, Itasically, doing ahything thiey could where the need arose.
Weiner painted auto headlights to conform withblackr out requirements and pa-, trolled the streets at night to enforce the blackout in private homes.
Miss Kulman helped distribute plastic gar^e bags in home hiailboxes so people could store garbage until regular pickup could resume. Later, she spent her afternoons working in a community centre in a neighborhood heavily populated by new immigrants.
Virtually all 4,000 overseas students at the 17,000 student university elected to remain in the country when fighting broke out.
Power generated by music
A stirring story is told of a Chassidic "seudah sblis-hit" (third Sabbath meal) to which a simple, uneducated Jew with no religious background was invited. The rebbe presented a brilliant discourse on the Torah portion of the week, demonstrating his depth of insight and rare oratorical abilities.
"I don't understand," exclaimed the stranger, with a puzzled expressipn on his brow. One of the Chassidim' then told a story, a wondrous: miracle-storyr about th e greatness of the Baal Shem Toy, the founder of the Chassidic movement. "I still don't understand," whispered the guest, with tears'beginning to ghther in his eyes. At length the assemblage began to sing a tune of joy and of love, a song of peace and of yearning, a sabbath melody which captured the desire of a people for its G-d, the rejoicing of a people in its Torah.
Slowly, the stranger began' to lift his .voice with those' of fliq^;^hassidim, to move his fingers to the rhythm of
the music, to join his hands with the hands of his friends as they rose together to dance. "Now I understand," le declared, with glistening eyes and a;n open heart.
Such is the power of Jewish music, the language of the soul which can unite every Jew with his co-religionists and his G-d. Torah is the wisdom of the mind; the nigun (melody) is the wisdom of the heart.
It is with this thought in mind that the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) in association with
the Ner Israel Yeshiva and Etz Chaim Day Schpols is presenting an all-star Jewish concert to be held at the Four Seasons-Sheraton Hotel on Saturday night, Dec. 22. The performers are The London School of Jewish Song, Neginah, Ruach Revival, and Cantor David Werdyger. Tickets are available at Miriam's Gift Shop, 3007 Bathurst Street, just south of Lawrence. Part of the proceeds has been designated for .the Israel Emergency Fund.'
David H. GorbeTv^
CHARTERED AGCoiljNTA^r i^'^* ^
318sa bathurst street suite 101
toronto. ontario mca 2b2
office 783-02ii res 638-88.33
for individual and family consultation . ■ FREE
B'NAI ISRAEUBETH DAVID SYNAGOGUE
Please call 833-5500
Qualified Counsellor-Strictly Confidential
CANADIAN ZIONIST FEDERATION DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & CULTURE
KEREN HATARBUT INSTITUTE
The public is cordially invited to attend a lecture by PROFESSOR LIVIA BITTON of BROOKLYN COLLEGE. NEW YORK on
. THE JEWESS AS A SEX SYMBOL II.UTERATURE
- SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9,1973 3:00 P.M. ZIONIST CENTRE / 788 MARLEE AVENUE
The Jerusalem Hall
The recently-founded
REENA FOUNDATION
for mentally handicapped Jewish children & young adults . will hold its first meeting
Sumday, DecemfaiiBr 16 at 2:00 p.m.
Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue 100 Elder Street. Downsylew
All:interasted pafBnti,-fr)endt Afamtlyj^fthitta.young' people *e urged to take advantage of thh opportunity to learn more about thii very tignificant>conimunity uhder^ Ttaklngbn their behalf. " N,
Key-note speaker, MIm Simone Lebninr"
DESPERATELY NEEDED!!
VOLUNTEERS FORjSRAEL
PUT YOUR BODY WHERE YOUR MIND IS!!
DONATE YOUR WINTER VACATION TO ISRAEL > Student Volunteer Tour -4 Dec. 17 - Jan. 7
(midwinter recess)
• help kibbutz Ramat Hakovesh pick the citrtjs crops
• room ~ and board while on' kibbutz ^ provided : " "
• vouchers for all inter-city travel
FOJ? ONiy $425
SHOW YOUR CONCERIsr— BE THERE
CONTACT: - Student Zionist Office..
788 Marlee Ave.. Toronto* :•" (416).783-»722 --Unda Ross 638-2229. , —
WHERE YOUR COMFORT COUNTS. VOU CAN COUNT OI^ARGUS. TORONTO'S HEAPG AND AIRCONOmONINGSPECIALISTS. SALES. INSTALLATION.SERVICE FOR ALL RESIDENTIAL SI^TEMS. ^ ^}
for^rtEE
cohsultation ^ call 459^^240
Argus Riffrigiration ftillrCoiNlitioiiing
(DIVISION OF ENGLISH & MOULO-ESTA1919)' /
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PH63
Rabbi Dr. Israel Frankel
"secular" Hebrew nationalists. For decades^ secular . Zionist have been promoting the idea of a separation pf our religion from our state. It is only in recent years that some Zionist leaders ire beginnii^ to question the efficacy of their premises.
Zionist leaders are beginning to realize that a common land, and commbn language are no barrier to alienation. Assimilation is a threatening reality in the very land of Israel, if this land is separated from traditional Jewish values. His-tory indeed verifies this thesis.
In the time of Rehaboam, son Of King Solomon, the country was divided into the Kingdom of Israel comprising 10 tribes and the Kingdom of Judah consisting of two tribes (Judah and Benjamin). As recorded in the Bible, the stronger Kingdom of Israel, was niled by self-seeking and unscrupulous kings caring more for material and personal ambitions than the welfare and spiritual advancement of the people. For political rea-0ns, this kingdom of Israel
broke off its ties wiOi Jerusalem, at ttiat time thecapi-tal of the other kingdom; the 'kingdom ^of Judah. As Jerusalem was the religious and ^iritual centreof tb^entire]' people,' the people of the Kingdom of Israel were deprived of the fiery !and inspiring wordsof the Prophets of righteousiiess.V ; v As a result of their spir-ituaf isolation, idol worship and felse prophets were introduced into the kingdom of Israel. This in turn led to their alienation from our heritage and assimilation and intermarriage with their non-Jewish neighbors. Conversely, the tiny kingdom of Judah, ruled by direct descendants of the House of David, was in daily contact with the bearers of our heritage and the true proiAets. Its people carried forth the trar ditions of their ancestors and developed a high standard of Torah education.
It is only when the land of Israel and its people are geared to their historic mission, as descrit>ed in Isaiah chapter 2; only when the country is worthy of its epithet "Holy Land" as^ referred to by the Prophet Zech-ariah'2, 15 andbyourpeor pie throughout the generations; and only when the Hebrew language is Lashon Ha'Kodesh the "Holy Tongue, the embodiment of the prophetic ideals — only then can the land and language ensure Jewish survival.
Dr. Frankel is executive director of the Jewish Public Library. A symposium in observance of Jewish Book Montti.wiU be sponsored by the library at Shaarei Shp-mayim, Monday, Dec. 10, on 'How to counteract the challenges of today.'
Winter
sculpture, hiking on ifrost covered nature trails."
Enjoy Jewish jcuiture. experience Israeli folk dancing and singing:-.
Cost: $60.00 borages: 13-18 Place: Beautiful Laurentian Mts./Sta. Agatfie Date: December 22 - 28 ■ Calk A. Magen, 630^184 ^ Montreal - R.Trlber,.735-0122
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CANADA PARK
7 Our Negev Dinner honouring
The Rt Hon. John C. Diefenbaker, p.c, q.c, m.p.
was a rnagnificent succjBss.
^ . , Thank you for helping to create
The John G. Diefenbaker Parkway in Canada Park, Israel, ^ as a lasting tribute to a great Canadianr
^UNDOrOUMOA
^, Jewish National Fund, 788 Marlee Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M6B 3K1
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