Page Two
THE JEmSH BUIJJEr™
THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1935
The Jewish Western Bulletin
Published Every Thursday by ,
THE VANCOUVEB JEWISH ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL 2675 Oak Street Vancouver, B.C. Bayview 4219
Editon DAVID ROME
BULLETD^ COMMITTEE Chairman, J. W. HERMAN _______.........- -. Vice Chairman, W, STEINES_______________...............
Editoried Committee:.-............. .. ........ .
D. B. WODLINGER, RABBI J. L. ZLOTNICK, RABBI SAMUEL CASS,
E. R. SUGARBflAN.
Associate Member: P. LESSER Social Editor: HELEN QOODMAIf Circulation Dept., I. LIPOVSKY
Advertising Manager - - HARRY MUSIKANSKY
For advertising rates, phone Commiinity Centre Secretary, Bayview 4210
THE JUBILEE AND JEWS
Together with the whole British Empire, Canadian and even world Jewry joins in thanksgiving and loyalty to the crown and to the Empire on the occasion of the silver juhilee of King George.
Jewry has much to be thankful for and this is a fitting occa- profanation
LETTERS TO THE BULLETIN
Jewish Western Bulletin: Dear Mr. Herman:
In a recent issue of the Bulletin, I was ruthlessly, charged with "undermining science by presenting its hypothesis, one by one, and with sledge-hammer blows of quotations from Shakespeare, and oratorical phrases, knock to pieces all the accdmpli'shmehts of iuod-ern thought from Galileo to Einstein," with "profaning thei institution of the synagogue, and to a reductio ad absurdum of the office of the preacher"—and all this in 15 minutes by a "young, high school child."
How anyone, much less a "young high school child," could "knock to pieces ALL the accomplishments of modern thought from the time of Galileo to Einstein," is beyond me. I also fail to realize how anyone could so undermine science by from "quotations from Shakespeare."
I did not attempt to "knock to pieces," or to "undermine" science in any way, nor did I attempt "a of the sjmagogue.'.'
The only statement I made which might possibly be antagonistic to the scientific conception, not of scientists, but of certain individuals -who are ignorant of scientific fundamentals, was that "the scientific concepts of time, space, matter and energy are not known to be truths." This
The Kaddish Among the Pines
A Short Story by J, YOUNGSON
Children's laughter was heard everjrwhere In Stanley Park. Little tots ran around on the green grass stateineiir Is playing their ^ gahies. Others were
true and irrefutable will bear me out. ; The only statement
The object of my "sermon" was merely to show the compatibility
I. made
which might possibly be antagonistic to the religious beliefs of these same individuals was that Sunder the acitic analytical and critical research of relentless science, religion has been forced to surrender, one by one, many of the myths which clustered about it— which formed but the superficialities of religion, not religion Itself." This statement is a quotation Page 4 of "Religion In a Changing World," by Rabbi Abba Hlllel Silver, and coming from such an authority it cannot be "a profanation of religion."
To anyone not yet convinced of the honorability, of the object, or of the contents of said sermon, I would be pleased to send a copy of this address upon request. I would also be pleased to quote my authority for any statement I have made.
With thanks, I remain.
Yours truly, HAROLD ROME.
Services
Friday night services begin at 8 p.m. Rabbi Cass will deliver the second sermon of the series on Current Jewish Problems. The topic will be, "What is Jewish National-ismr _ .
Make Friday night Congregational Night.
Sisterhood The regular moixthly meeting of
any scientist swinging. Some of the older ones just lay on the grass day dreaming. A few wandered aimlessly among
the trees. The mothers, keeping an the Sisterhood will take place on eye on the youngsters, chatted ^®^?®sd^y^"ernoon. May 8, at
among themselves. Among one
2:30 p.m., at the Community Centre. Miss Le Suer will address the crowd of children, Jacky was play- meeting ^nd every member Is re-
THE MYSTICS OF SAFED
By CECIL ROTH
Ing. His mother called him Yan-kele, but the crowd of children was of mixed nationality and the sun shining so cheerfully on all of them, all forgot themselves In the game. It went merrily along —^throwing the ball, avoiding others, chasing after the ball, and exerting themselves with children's good humor.
The sun began to set; the tops of trees were not as still as before and the leaves rustled. Stripes of color in the sky merged into a sea of redness. The birds, too, felt the coming of the evening and returned to their nests.
The crowds slowly left the park, but Jacky and his friends were too much absorbed in their game to notice that the shadows of the night were descending heavily and that It was time to go home.
The Interest In the game grew, and all were in a hurried race for
quested to attend this mieeting.
the ball, when Jacky stopped and remained with a bowed head.
"What is the matter?" The children crowded about. Jacky was
"I missed
sion to sum up the debt of Jewry to Great Britain.
It is only necessary to think of the changes in Jewry in the ^"science 7nd reirgton-to^show
last 25 years, the rise of political antisemitism in Europe, of how one could be practical and
social antisemitism in America, of scientific antisemitsm in believe implicitly the scientific
Poland, of academic antisemitism in Roumania, and other var- conception of time, space, matter,
ieties of race hatred and Jew-baiting in aU comers of the world,
- . . ^. . x j-...- 1 1- j: x 1 religionist—to show that scientific
to note a shimng exception in the traditional home of tolerance thought and religious thought are
and of civic and political freedoln—the British Empire. not antagonistic to one another In
The equahty accorded Jews there has not been an msulting ^"^^ ^^y' philanthropy, but a matter of right and justice. It was given ias a matter of course and was repaid with an unanswering loyalty and an intimate participation in public life to the imdoubted benefit of the community as a whole.
But it is not only internally that this exemplary relationship holds. To Jewry everywhere ttie British nussion has always ^j^^ ^^^^^^ j^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^
been a source of diplomatic and effective aid, and even today ^^.^g^^^ Expulsion from Spain had just taken place,
the newspapers report that Sn: John Simon s recent visit to j^^y ^he exiles had directed then: steps towards the Holy ^'^^ ^"^'"'^ BerHn, wi«i all the momentous problems that it imphcated, ^and, there re-establishing the setfJement which had been all Abe another Jewish boy playing y.as used effectively for the protection of the rights of German ^^^^ period of the Crusades. From the crushing ^^^.^^Z^Zo^^ Sda
Jewry. \dcissitudes of this world, they sought refuge in the contem- that Jacky's father had passed
Anvone who was in the war zone in Europe in the early post- plation of the mysteries of the next. Assuredly the recent away a short time before and that war years will recoUect-vividly the feeling of assurance and catastrophies had been the veritable "pangs of the Messiah," xTdd^is^mileTe w^rS^ confidence that was ever awakended at the sight of the arrival the darkest hour which proved that the dawn was near. With ^ot notice that it had become of the Britiish representation on the automobiles with the Union greater singleness of purpose than ever before, they turned too late.
Jacks. their attention to the study of the Zohar and kindred esoteric They all felt sorry for him but
But, of course, the greatest bond between world Jewry and literature. False Messiahs began to make then- appearance here the ci^wkihe^alfour Dedarati^ moment.^^^^ejiroijy^^ hopes of
tous day in November, 1917, when si wave of enthusiastic grati- J^en to the highest pitch. J. .
tude swept the Jewish world,- Jews have recognized m Great it was inevitable that more and more attention should now Britain the power whose word was ife bond, and despite the paid to the Zohar, in hope that in its rhapsodies there might tensions that arose from time to time and that were inevitably be discovered some indication of a mystical turn of mmd dir-
in such » complex situation, Jewry realized the essential sin- ected their steps with one accord to Upper GaUlee, where the Jacky and his friends had all gone cerity of the British Government in its pledges to aid Jewry action of the "Book of Splendour" was staged, where its saintly somehow echoes of
return to its own land. author. Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai, had Hved, and where his "^isgadal Vyeskadash
Much has been written and much more remains to be said grave was still to be visited. Here there grew up, according, on Anglo-Jewish relations, but in its barest outlines the picture strangest, strictest, maddest, most amazing community in appears very clearly. Jewish history: a veritable Congregation of the Saints, recruited
^ -r. -.l . • 1. J. £ nj J xi- ly eager mystics from every corner of Asia and Etirope, passing
Great Britain is the greatest source of confidence and the > j . . ■, r K-r ^ Z^-
' _^ . I- 4.- 4. T • *u ij 4. J twenty-four hours of every day m the study of the Holy Cab-
most certam assurance of justice to the Jew m the world today. , 1 -J ..... ^, .- > , ^ • ^ 9 « «^
balah, and mamtaimng m perpetiuty the spirit of a revivahst ^^JB •JTJSAMiUf Off
camp. The city, which at.the tim&of the Expulsion, and even after, held only the merest handful of Jews (whose Rabbi had to keep shop in order to eke out his Hving), boasted within a century a Jewish population of thousands, with all the appropriate institutions. The traditional life was lived with an intensity rarely equalled, coupled with a mystical fervour which was ail its own. The multitudinous precepts of the Law were carried out meticulously, but with especial regard to the hidden esoteric meaning of each. Studies cehtried about the Zbhar rather than the Talmud: and the anniversary of the death of Simeon ben Jochiai was celebrated (as it still is) by ai pilgrimage to his grave. ----
VICTORIA
(From our correspondent, Mrs. J. Rose)
Mrs. J. Fromson, Mrs; R. Goffee and Miss Shirley Kramer are visiting friends in Vancouver during the holidays.
Mrs. H. Nieman . has returned from a two weeks' holiday in Vancouver..
Miss Miriam Goldberg of Vancouver, who Is attending the Teachers' Convention, is the guest of her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. R. BYomson.
Mr. Sidney Aqua of Vancouver is attending the Teachers' Convention, being held at the Empress Hotel.
Mris. M. L. Greene and her little daughter, Clara, who have been visiting in Vancouver, have re-
suddenly turned home, standing
Mr. Harry Boyanner was a cent business visitor In town.
re-
H. L. Salmon, of Arbutus Lodge, Saanlch, was the house guest of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Rose over Passover.,
could help him little. Only one boy muttered, "I'm sorry for you." .,, All,were einbar^^ silent. Suddenly among s^bs were heard "Yisgadal V'yeskadash . . ." Jacky was saying Kaddlsh and the boys stood silent about him. The sun set. As the night came.
could still be heard, and the. leaves whispering. Amen.
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And in a spirit of thanksgiving we join v/ith the Dominion and Empire in our sentiments on this silver jubilee, and we pray that our sovereign may be given many years to guide the destinies of our Empire.
CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK AT THE CENTRE
Friday, May 3rd.
6:00 p.m.—Congregation Schara Tzedek Services. 8:00 p.m.—Congregation Beth Israel Services. Rabbi Cass
The new tendencies were personified and given a new direction by the activities of one man—Isaac Luria^ "the lion of
^cnxtaiU Tiever htaaf the delieious nfreshingiaste,tif ISA as a Should be —until yodve iried
NABOB
TEA
0n9 teaspoonfiil toaevtfi,andsieeped atxmmuies,aaaiho ^condcupisaa$o6d ettheftrat.
will preach on "What Is Jewish Nationalism?" ^j.^ Cabbala" (Ari, as he is called in Hebrew sources, after the "J^g^
Saturday, May 4th.
9:00 a.m.—Congregation Beth Israel. 9:15 a.m.—Congregation Schara Tzedek. 8:00 p.m.—Scottish Country Dance Society. 8:30 p.m.—Junior Judaean Party.
Sunday, May 5th.
9:30 a.m.—^Beth Israel Sunday School.
3:00 p.m.—Jimior Judaeans.
7:30 p.m.—Ivriah Club.
8:00 p.m.—A. Z. A.
8:00 p.m.—B'nai B'rith Ladies' Social.
Monday, May 6th.
7 to 9 p.m.—^Boy Scouts.
Tuesday, May 7th.
.2:00 p.m.—Lillian Frieman Hadassah. 5:00 p.m;—B'nai B'rith Samuel Lodge. 8:00 p.m.—-B^nai B'rith Ladies' Auxihary.
Wednesday, May'3.
2:30 p.m.^—^Beth Israel Sisterhood. 7 to 9 p.m.—Cubs=
8:00 p.m.-^omhlumty Chest Meeting. 8:00 p.m.—Hebrew .Aid Meeting.
Thursday, May 9th. '
8:00 p.m.—^Adoniram Lod^e.
initial letters of his name). This is.not the.place, to go into the complete story of his life—^how he lived for seven years in a hut on the banks of the Nile, visiting his family only on the Sabbath and speaking to them only in Hebrew: how he be-heved that his soul was.privileged to moimt to heaven, where it was initiated into, sublime doctrines by Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai and the other great teachers who had adorned his circle; and how he-had-evolved a new mystical doctrine of his own, based on the old yet distinct frqm it. .
In the eivd. he removed to Safed, where an elect band of disciple^, comprising some of the choicest spirits of the time, gathered round him (it is enough to mention Solomon Alkabiz, immortalized throiigh his Lecha Dodi; and Joseph Caro, author of the Shulhan Aruch). His fame rapidly spread. Pupils came from every country, far and near, and filled the courts of Safed with their mystical cliants. Through their means his doctrines -swept rapidly through the Jewish world, and everywhere had an enormous effect upon Jewish practice and the theory which inspired it. All the minutiae of religious observance, every letter of the Uturgy, every action of daily life, became infused with a new esoteric significance — frequently bordering on saperstition but often beautiful and sometimes profound. The tendency is not one with which all will agree; but it is impossible to belittle the effect which it exercised upon the life of three hundred years ago. It was the most vital movement which had come forth from Palestine since the days of the Second Temple, and its effect in restoring the country to its rightful position^ as the spiritual and intellectual centre of Jewish life, is incalculable.
, Even after the Ari's death (which occurred on August 5th, 1572, at the early age of thirty-eight) the impetus given by him did not cease. Safed was still the Mecca for eager mystics from
Continued on Page Pour
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