Metrical Translation of Psalm 1.
How blest the man who doth not walk Where the unG-dly meet; Nor in the sinners’ places stands, Nor takes the scorner’s seat. But in the statutes of the Lord Doth have his chief delight; He meditates upon his Word, Both in the day and night. He shall be like a tree, whose root By water-courses set, Doth, in his season, yield his fruit, His leaf, too, withers not. Whate’er he doth, shall prosper well: The wicked are not so; But like the chaff which rising winds Do scatter to and fro. Therefore, the wicked shall not stand In the great judgment day; Nor with the G-dly and righteous band Shall the impious stay.* For all the ways of righteous men Unto the Lord are known; But the unG-dly’s wicked ways Shall surely be o’erthrown. —November 14, 1856
Meditations on the Bible,
by Dr. J. L. Meyer, Minister of the Congregation “Beth Israel,” of Houston, Texas.II.
…G-d said to the angels*: “Let us make a being that resembles us.” There before the divine majesty appeared respectfully, Justice, who implored: “Sovereign Judge of the world, create not man, for injustice marks out his footsteps. Without pity for his fellows, he drives the widow out of her house, the orphan from his hereditary asylum; he robs his brother with barbarous hand of his own; even the most fortunate and noble kings and princes do not spare the property of their subjects, which they have acquired through hard toil and saving.”
“No; create him not,” prayed the amiable and sweet Peace. “The one whom thou wilt cause to be born rejects concord and love; hatred and quarrel walk at his side; I can see nations and empires drowned in blood; father and son differ in their belief; husband and wife mar the harmony of their house, forgetting in vain frivolities the most precious gifts of life—love and union.”
“And falsehood,” added Truth, is his character; “falsehood in the house of G-d, falsehood at the domestic hearth, falsehood in the temple of justice, falsehood in the life of the individual, falsehood in the life of the masses.”
And so on they spoke. Then appeared the most gracious angel of the Creator, Mercy, with his sweet and affable features, and kneeling down he said: “Pray, Father, create him. I will be his guide, his companion, his organ. If passion and error draw him on to evil, I shall bear him back into the right way, refresh his downcast heart, revive his courage, bring him back to his G-d, help him to struggle against his downfall, elevate and ennoble him.” —November 10, 1876
Written for the ISRAELITE.
METRICAL VERSION OF PSALM LXXVI. ISRAEL TRIUMPHANT. By William Dearness. [Inscribed to Dr. A. Moses, Louisville, Ky.]
In Judah’s land G-d is well known And Israel boasts His name alone; His presence Zion makes secure, His peace His laws and rule assure. When foes assailed, with one fell stroke Their unsped bolts He harmless broke; In wild confusion swords and shields, And slain in heaps o’er-crowd the fields. His glory darts its killing ray Where mountain hordes divide the prey; Their pride and force are nought when He Unveils His awful majesty. Securely scorning watch to keep, He made their slumbers yet more deep; But when they waked nor arms nor prey Came to their hands that fateful day. The G-d of Jacob spoke in wrath, His angel intercepts their path; The plunging steed the horseman spurs, Th’ unguided chariot overturns. Thy words the troubled skies pronounced, In thunders loud their crime denounced. The trembling Earth in silence hears, When G-d to save the meek appears. Their savage rage thy skillful arm Sha’l turn to good, divest of harm; And sounds of anger echo calm In pious prayer or solemn Psalm. Assembled, then, in holy fear, Let gratitude to G-d appear; In votive offerings to His name, With fervent vows your troth proclaim. So kings no more thy harm shall plan, They see thy help is not from man. His wond’rous deeds the nations see, In G-d is thy security. —November 14, 1901.
“MY RELIGION: A DEFINITION”
By Louis I. Newman, Temple Emanu-El, San Francisco
…We may not wish a religion, but we are compelled by the urgings of our spirit and of life itself to frame one:
…I do not believe that the concept of a Personal G-d is invalid today. We cannot pray to electricity; we pray to a Person. We are not machines, automata, but reasoning and experiencing individuals. We behold in ourselves matter, energy. Can we not rightly conclude that if we possess personality, the universe must likewise possess it? Can a human being be characterized by a quality which the universe lacks? I believe that G-d’s personality is linked with our own, and that He is the “Ueberseele,” the “Oversoul” of the universe.
…Man is not satisfied to think of himself as a slave to brute, machine-like forces. We may not be wholly free, but we are not wholly bound. We reject fatalism and its antithesis overweening self-confidence. In the process of evolution whereby the future is built, man co-operates with fate and G-d. G-d and man are partners in a common task.
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“DEAREST ENEMY” AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE
…Helen Ford is without doubt one of the most complete and charming musical comedy stars, considering that she can sing well, dance delightfully and act really dramatic as well as comedy scenes,—and is ever a beautiful picture,—a rare treat to the eye. Women like her just as well as men,—which is the test. Combined with handsome and dashing Charles Purcell, whose natural tenor voice is as popular “on the air” as on the stage, “Dearest Enemy” gives the public the foremost musical comedy pair on the boards of the American theatre today.
—November 11, 1926
BUSINESS NOTES
Morris Klebanow
The Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., announces appointment of Morris Klebanow, formerly of the Norwood District Office, as company ordinary representative agent.
This position was left vacant by the retirement of Julius Block. Mr. Klebanow will be associated with the company’s Walnut Hills District at 3197 Linwood Road. Mr. Klebanow’s home address is 3639 Reading Road.
—November 15, 1951
Chapter To Hear Head of Technion Sunday, Nov. 14th
Major General (Ret.) Amos Horev, president of the Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, will speak at the annual meeting of the Wilbert H. Rosenthal Chapter of the American Society
A native born Israeli, General Horev will discuss “Technion and Israel’s National Survival.”
Prior to taking office of President of Technion he was associated with the Israel Defense Force since its beginning, and left his post temporarily as president in 1973 to return to active service in the Yom Kippur war.
Maj. Gen. Amos Horev
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Bar Mitzvah
Dr. Robert Ruskin and Mrs. Susan Ruskin are pleased to announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Richard Scott, on Sat., Nov. 20th, at 10:45 a.m., at Rockdale Temple. —November 11, 1976.
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor, An angry Presidential election has concluded. Let’s not let anger turn into bitterness. It is time for all of us to move on. If Esau could reconcile and forgive his brother Isaac for stealing his birthright (Genesis 32-33), surely we can forgive our friends and relatives for not voting like we did.
There are many critical issues
that we and the political parties need to work on together:
Creating more jobs, Improving the criminal justice system, Strengthening our military and intensifying efforts to reduce terrorism, Making health care more affordable, Improving privacy and data security, Improving education, Making government more efficient, Reforming the Immigration system, Protecting the environment Let us pursue Peace/Shalom, and reconcile with others, for our and the nation’s good.
Bob Schneider, Cincinnati, Ohio —November 10, 2016
Photo credit: David Alden
Congregation Sha’arei Torah dedicates new playground Gan Ayelet
A new addition to Amberley Village’s Jewish community that gives area children an enjoyable and safe place to play is dedicated to the memory of a 2-year-old girl who inspired much good during her too short life. Congregation Sha’arei Torah; The Village Shul launched a new playground Sunday, Oct. 31, and parents from across Cincinnati’s Torah-observant community socialized and dined on lunch as their children played on the new attraction’s slides, see saws, swings, jungle gym, and other fun-filled features. “It’s a really nice playground, a place to get together with friends, for the parents and the kids,” said Tamara Shaffer, who attended the event with her husband Sam and their three children. “We can sit and chill and the kids can play. I think it will be really fun.” The playground, which is open to the community, was made possible through community generosity. That generosity started with Arna Poupko Fisher and Bobby Fisher, who contributed the majority of the project’s funding to dedicate Gan Ayelet in memory of their 2-year-old granddaughter, Ayelet Yakira Galena, The Amberley Village couple committed to donate matching funds during a fundraising drive in August, and scores of people in Cincinnati and nationwide stepped up to contribute to the project.
—November 11, 2021
