2—THE BULLETIN—Friday, June 1, 1973
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This Shavuoth try a Mosaic menu
BY HENRY LEONARD
AT SUNSET next Tuesday, the arrival of the Shavuoth holiday will remind us of two historic relationships. Both are as meaningful today as they were to people who lived 3,000 years ago.
The first is the special relationship of the Jewish people to the Holy Land. In Biblical times the Jews were an agricultural people who worked and cultivated the land with the greatest love. Thus, ancient terraces built by Judaeans 3,000 years ago to retain precious drops of water needed for growth, are still visible today on the hills surrounding Jerusalem.
Shavuoth was the time of year when, seven weeks after sowing of the spring wheat and barley, our ancestors harvested the first fruits of that sowing and travelled on a joyful pilgrimage bringing their ripened grains as a sacrificial offering in the Beit Hamikdash (Temple) in Jerusalem.
DURING CENTURIES of wandering that were to follow the destruction of the Second Temple, often cruel periods such as the reign of the Russian Czars when Jews were denied the right to own land, the Jewish people nevertheless continued to remember nostalgically the place which for them had once been a land flowing with milk and honey. To this day, contemporary Jews retain the former agricultural theme with special dairy foods that ov«r the centuries have become part of the Shavuoth tradition.
THE SECOND ASPECT of the holiday is even more important than the first because it concerns matters that are spiritually and morally significant to all mankind. Thus the holiday is also called "Zman mattan Torateinu," the time when The Almighty gave the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) to Moses on Mount Sinai.
The late Chief Rabbi of Britain Dr. J. H. Hertz describes the Revelation as "a sublime summary of human duties binding upon all mankind, a summary which bears divinity on its face, and cannot be antiquated as long as the world endures."
A CONTEMPORARY rabbinic scholar visiting Vancouver last week concurs. The basic meaning of the word "TORAH", explains Rabbi Steven Riskin, stems from the word "HORAAH" which literally means "direction".
The purpose in studying Torah, says the disciple of world-renowned scholar Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik, is to obtain proper direction in our lives. That is why it begins with the story of Creation rather
than with the Exodus from Egypt. Because if man is to understand his purpose and pathway in life — his direction — then he must know from whence he comes, appreciating his relationship with nature and acknowledging his affinity to The Creator.
Man cannot survive long without a sense of purpose, he declares. "Without meaning to our lives, we are no different from the animal kingdom which can exist without meaning."
PROFILED by Time magazine as a gifted teacher, Rabbi Riskin speaks of the difference between the words "Kiyum" and "Chayim", the former meaning existence and the latter purposeful living. He says that most people in North America and Europe no longer have to worry about their basic "Kiyum", that the three essentials of "Kiyum" — food, shelter and clothing — are available to everyone.
In this age of materialism, our objectives are three cars instead of two and two color television sets instead of one. Yet in spite of all our material acquisitions, there is something missing in our lives. With our family life disintegrating, and our society engulfed with violence, corruption and moral decay, we need Torah, direction, more than ever.
LECTURING on Pirkei Avoth (Sayings of the Fathers), Rabbi Riskin quotes Shimon the Just who used to say: "The world is based on three things: the Torah, Serving G-d and active loving-kindness." It was Shimon, his countenance radiating piety and learning, who saved Judaea from destruction.
The event occurred when Alexander the Great led his armies towards Jerusalem and the High Priest, Shimon, dressed in his holy garments, went forth to meet the youthful warrior and produced so great an effect upon him that his anger was at once changed into kindness and goodwill. Alexander neither attacked the Judaeans nor did he force the Grecian faith on them. In his honor and in thankfulness, the Judaeans named every Jewish boy born that year "Alexander". To this day every Jewish boy named Alexander can be certain of this unique historic origin of his name.
This Shavuoth holiday, let each of ■ us make a spiritual pilgrimage by returning to The Book — to Torah — so that our lives and those of our children, no matter how distant from our spiritual centres, will be blessed with meaning and purpose in the future.
"Schlemiel! You know I never mix butter with my bacon ..
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Israel safeguards religious liberty - U.S. church leader
WASHINGTON - The Rev. Dr. Arnold T.' Olson of Minneapolis, Minn., a national leader in the Evangelical Church in the United States and an acknowledged authority on Israel, declared that "the government of Israel is strongly committed to the safeguarding of the principal of religious liberty and freedom of conscience for all legitimate church agencies in Israel."
Dr. Olson expressed this in a statement following a meeting with Israel Ambassador Simcha Dinitz to discuss "the findings" of his recent visit to Israel where he met with 21 political and religious leaders including the Ministers of Justice and Religious Affairs, the Attorney General, the Archbishop of Jerusalem and missionaries.
The visit, his sixth, was initiated, he said, after consultation with officials of the American Jewish Committee.
Dr. Olson, president of the Evangelical Free Church of America which has approximately 300,000 members, and vice-president of the World Bible Society, said recent reports in America's secular and religious press have caused an "unfavorable reaction" among Evangelicals who have long been friendly to Israel.
However, he said, the Minister of Justice assured him that "there are no plans to amend the Law of Return which would bar Jews who converted to Christianity from settling in Israel and that the Declaration of the State of Israel of May 14, 1948 includes the guarantee of religious free-
dom for all."
He added there is no "threat" that missonaries will be expelled.
Dr. Olson also said that "there is intimidation of missionaries and Christians of Jewish extraction even though it is contrary to government policy," but "the authorities are hard at work" against groups such as the Jewish Defense League, small groups of students and religious extremists.
— DEATHS 1973 —
JOE DOMACHOWSKY May 28
At another Bulletin community service feature. Deaths will be pub-llsned weekly as they are registered.—THE PUBLISHER.
Plan Arab university in administered territories
TEL AVIV—A group of Arab political figures and academicians plan to open the first Arab university in the Israel-administered territories next year, despite opposition from the Jordanian government.
Dr. Salem Nashef, dean of the Tulkarem agricultural school, said recently that the new university will be located in Ram-allah and would open its doors for the 1974-75 academic year.
Dr. Nashef is a member of a committee of West Bank Arabs headed by Hebron Mayor Sheikh Mohammed Ali.el-Jaabari, which is planning the university.
He said the university would open with a faculty in the humanities to be followed by a science faculty.
Dr. Nashef said the Israeli auth-orites have agreed to the appointment of Palestinians now living
outside the country to the university's faculty.
He said the future board of directors hoped to receive support from various Arab governments but failing that "we can confidently look to other quarters for funds and endowments that will enable us to construct, equip and maintain the campus."
Dr. Nashef reported that Arab education on the West Bank has expanded under the Israeli administration since 1967.
According to Dr. Nashef, 90 percent of children between 6-15 now receive elementary education, a much higher percentage than under the Jordanian regime.
He said that although one-third of the West Bank population fled during the Six-Day War, the number of matriculants has risen since then from 3,500 to 14,500.
Endorsed Appeals
Child Adoption Campaign May 14 - June 4
Social Calendar
Blue Box Drive..........June 3
Tay Sachs Clinic________June 3
Tay Sachs Clinic .._____June 10
Peretz "King of
the Schnorrers" .June 10,11 UJA Awards Night — June 11 JFSA—Annual Mtg. June 13 Ziona Hadassah
Art Show —...............June 17
Lions Gate B.B. Dinner Dance.........June 17
Hadassah Esther Awards_________________.....June 18
Child Adoption
Luncheon.........._________June 19
B.L Sisterhood _______...June SO
Talmud Torah
Bar-B-Q Dinner......June 24
S.T. Sisterhood__________June 27
B.B. Family Picnic._.. July 15
indorsations are published as a Bufletin community service. Errors or omissions can be corrected only by Jewisli Community Fund & Coun-cil. Ph. 26V8101.—THE PUBLISHER.
ffemember TAe SaMofA
Light Candles, JEWISH CALENDAR
Friday, June 1, 8:49 {\x\\€m\ 1972
Sedre Bamidbar, Numbers ^l,i;ai/M)
Rosh Chodesh Sivan Shavuot ....... June 6
Havdalah 9:49 ^isha B'Av........................Aug. 7
Friday, June 8, 8:55 c. * ««
Havdalah 9:55 5»sh Hashona Sept. 27
All holidays begin the preceding ev<. ^Om Kippur............-----Oct. 6
at sundown.
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Friday, June 1, 1973
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