Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 18, 1968 Page: 4 of 24
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
PASSOVER ISSUE TEXAS JEWISH POST THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1968 POSTORIAI__PAGE
POSTORIAL
A New Note oi Confidence
The new note of confidence being sounded over the future of
American Jewry has drowned out the panicky talk about the vanishing
American Jew. This changed mood, fortified by feelings of stronger
Jewish identity which were manifested so dramatically during Israel’s
critical hours last June, is a signal that the organized Jewish community
has begun to chart meaningful programmatic pathways to firmer
Jewish commitment within the framework of American society.
Attuned to this call for action is the 1968 Biennial Convention of the
National Jewish Welfare Board, which will take place in San Francisco
from April 24 to 28.
This meeting will launch JWB on its second half-century as the nat-
ional association of Jewish Community Centers and YM-YWHAs and
the government-accredited agency serving the religious, morale and
welfare needs of Jewish men in the U. S. Armed Forces, their depend-
ents, and hospitalized Jewish veterans.
Evident in every phase of the convention program is JWB’s over-
riding concern for new approaches and more sure-footed strides toward
that significant Jewish renewal which remains the goal of every
thoughtful American Jew. The delegates will deal with the essentials
for vital Jewish living, ways to strengthen servicemen’s ties to the
civilian Jewish community, Jewish responsibility for social progress in
America, the alienation of Jewish youth, and other major issues.
In implementing conference desisions that may influence the scope
and direction of Center and Y programs for the next decade, JWB will
be acting in accordance with its significant leadership role over the
years in the service of Jewish Community Centers and Jewish military
personnel, and as the sponsor of established national Jewish cultural
projects.
TWENTY TERRORIST SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN HEBRON
JERUSALEM (WNS)—Security ..police in Hebron have arrested
more than 20 Arabs suspected of engaging in terrorist activities. The
suspects, many of them members of the terrorist El Fatah gang, were
picked up following imposition of a curfew in the wake of the slaying
of an Israeli border policeman. All of the suspects will be held pend-
ing an investigation.
7tlemo-—from the de&k
Bill Waidman & Erwin Waldnan
BILL
Starlight Chapter of B'nai B'rith
Women is going to have a special
installing officer in the personage
of Mrs. Sidney A. Parkans of Hous-
ton. Mrs. Parkans serves as Dist-
rict 7 BB Women's president.
Call CH 7-2019 for reservations
now for the Starlight Installation
next week!
ERWIN*
Waidman Eros, Ins. Agency
“It's A Difficult Tiling To Own The Correct
Life Insurance. Let Us Help You With Yours.”
NOW IN OUR NEW LOCATION
4061 NO. CENTRAL EXPWY. LA 8-7300
REPRESENTING
State Mutual Life Of America
Yemenite ‘Pita9 Adds Color
To Passover Celebration
By DIANA LERNER > American Jewish Press Association
Vjil HEN THE Israeli of Yemenite origin wraps the "afi-
W komen” in a napkin at the seder table and places it
over his shoulder during the chanting of the Haggadah, th6
symbolism is not merely freedom from Egyptian bondage.
It is also a reminder of "Operation: Magic Carpet,” the pro-
ject which brought thousands of
Jews to the Homeland from Ye- ,
men and Aden.
And, as they adhere to the
Talmudic injunction that in ev-
ery generation, every Jew
should look upon himself as if
he were personally redeemed
from slavery in Egypt, so do the
Yemenite Jews see their own
flight from their country to Is-
rael in airplanes as the fulfill-
ment of the prophesy from Exo-
dus (19:14):—"I bore you on
eagles’ wings and brought you
unto Myself.”
Small, dark, industrious and
God-fearing, these colorful people
have added much to the rich tex-
ture of Israeli life by their joytn
returning to the Homeland, their
diligence in building the new
state, and their special customs
which persist as part of the coun-
try’s national pattern. To the Fes-
tival of Freedom and Deliverance,
they add their unique traditions.
Although most Israeli fami-
lies serve square factory-baked
matzoth, or the round, thin var-
iety, one may find in the Yem-
enite quarters and villages, the
flat pancake-like home-baked
unleavened bread known as
"pita.” On Passover, it becomes
the Yemenite variety of matzoth.
Made of flour, water' and salt,
it is the "staff of life” of the Mid-
dle East and is baked, as in Bib-
lical days in rounded iron over
embers, or in primitive ovens.
According to Israeli legend the
use of "pita” for Passover came
to the attention of the late Chief
Rabbi Kook during the early
days of Israel’s statehood. He
is said to have investigated how
serving this product on Pass-
over, accorded with strict adher-
ence to the Law. After observ-
ing how "pita” was baked, he
proclaimed it as the most auth-
entic unleavened bread for Pass-
over, the variety that most close-
ly resembles the "bread of af-
fliction” baked by the Israelites
during their flight from Egypt.
"Pita” is usually baked daily by!
the women of the house. The
wheat is carefully guarded in the
fields and, during the dry season,
- it is cut, rolled in dry leaves and
grass, ground by hand, and stored
until baking time. During the
grinding process, the women
chant prayers. They must espec-
ially avoid shedding tears lest a
sorrowful teardrop fall into the
wheat.
For Passover, it is custom-
ary for three women to be re-
sponsible for baking the "pita”-
matzoth and other holiday cook-
ing, for an entire village. Spe-
cial!; huts are set aside for this
purpose. One woman prepares
the ingredients and gives them
to another, who shakes the mix-
ing-pan back and forth constant-
ly, She must not stop for a sing-
le instant, lest the dough leaven.
Then, the third woman moistens
her palms and takes the dough.
First she pats it flat, and then
places it in the oven.
After only a few minutes, it is
removed, doughy and dry on one
side, and bubbly on the other,
with fire-browned sides. The first
three pieces are reserved for the
Kohn, Levi and Israel, at the sed-
er table.
Yemenites dip "pita” in salt
water—as, indeed, they do even
with ordinary matzoth, because
they don’t like their unleavened
bread to be dry. In daily use,
they also may moisten it with
their highly-spi&tt dips, soups
or sauces. Yemenites maintain
that their predilection for sharp
spices counteracts dangerous
fatty substances around the
heart. And, indeed, research has
disclosed an extraordinarily low
incidence of heart disease a-
mong the Yemenite population.
Most of the Seder ceremony of
the Yemenites is the same as that
of the Jews the world over, but
Israel’s child-centered society has
resulted in the assumption of a
more prominent role by the young-
sters in the family than was the
case in their native land. The Hag-
gadah is the same as that charited
elsewhere; the entire family parti-
cipates in its recital, pronouncing
the Hebrew text in an accent dif-
ficult for an Ashkenazi to under-
stand. One modem "refinement”
is that there are now plenty of
Haggadahs to go around, not as in
their old country, when a single
"sefer” had to suffice for a whole
family.
The table is set with green
herbs, parsley, radishes and sal-
ad. In the center, is the seder
plate with the hard-boiled egg,
roast chicken wing and "char-
oset” comprised of chopped mix-
ed nuts, dates, figs and a dash
of cayenne pepper, sugar and
ginger. A second tablecloth cov-
ers the table until mealtime. .
The "afi komen” is not hidden
for the children to find, as in the
WINNERS OF THE FRANK
L. WEIL awards of the Na-
tional Jewish Welfare Board
(JWB) who will be presented
with medallions and scrolls at
the April 27, banquet sessions
of JWB’s National Biennial Con-
vention in San Francisco are
Solomon Litt, president of the
World Federation of YMHAs
and Jewish Community Centers
and a past president of JWB
(left); Mrs. Daniel L. Stone, a
vice-chairman of the JWB Wom-
en’s Organizations’ Services, and
Daniel L. Stone, a member of
JWB’s Armed Forces and Vet-
eran Services Committee (cen-
ter), and Lazar Weiner, music
director of the Workmen’s Cir-
cle Chorus and of the Central
Synagogue of New York. Mr.
and Mrs. Stone are the first hus-
band-wife team to win a Frank
L. Weil award since it was es-
tablished in 1951.
West, but the youngsters are pro-
mised rewards for staying up un-
til it is eaten. Another variation
is the hand-washing ceremony,
which requires one child to bring
a basin of water to the table,
another to pour it over the hands
of his elders and a third to pro-
vide a towel.
The men wear holiday clothes.
The family head is usually clad
in a white robe and a turkish
fez hat. The women wear beau-
tifully embroidered shawls and
hand - wrought silver filigree
jewelry, for which the Yemen-
ites are famous.
Yemenites usually own many
heavy iron and copper pots. The
latter may be koshered for Pass-
over, and in certain quarters, a
man performs this ritual for the
entire neighborhood in the open
air.
While Israelis hope for the full
integration of its people who stem
from various cultures and differ-
ent levels of development, per-
haps somd of the ancient and
'charming folkways of the Yemen-
ites will endure, including those
associated with Passover. Per-
haps, it will be possible to achieve
a "unity in diversity,” in which
colorful national customs will
flourish even as the people as a
whole draw ever closer, together
in Israel’s advancing age of in-
dustrial progress.__
Calendar
AJP
5728—1968
Rosh Hodesh lyar .Mon., Apr. 29
Lag b’Omer......Thurs., May 16
Rosh Hodesh Sivan, Tues., May 28
Shavuot—1st Day .. .Sun., June 2
Rosh Hodesh Tamuz
. ............Thurs., June 27
Fast of 17th of Tamuz
................Sat., July 13
Rosh Hodesh Av. ..Fri., July 26
Tisha b'Av ........Sat., Aug. 3'
Rosh Hodesh Elul . .Sun., Aug. 25
„ L T7 , 5729—1968
Rosh Hashana
......Mon., Tues., Sept. 23, 24
Fast of Gedaliah ..Wed. Sept. 25
Yom Kippur ......Wed., Oct. 2.
fexas^ JewTsh Post
Ed. and Pubfisher: J. A. Wisch; Associate
Editor: Rene Wisch; Dallas Manager: Ches-
ter Wisch.
• Published every Thursday.
Subscription: $6.00 per year in Texas;
$7.00 per year in U. S.; $8.00 per year
elsewhere. Subscriptions are automatically
renewed unJUjsj request for cancellation is
made prior to expiration. Office of Pub-
lication: 3120 S. Pecan, Fort Worth, Texas
|76101. 2nd Class Postage paid at Fort
Worth, Texas. Address mail to: Dallas: Fi-
delity Bldg., 1000 Main 75202. Fort Worth:
IP. O. Box 742, 76101. Dallas: RI 7-3719—
! FL 1 -4372; Fort Worth: WA 7-2831—WA 3-f
17222—WA 4-7950. *
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Wisch, J. A. Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 18, 1968, newspaper, April 18, 1968; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth755515/m1/4/?q=%22Religion+-+Denominations+-+Jewish%22: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .