Yeshiva University High School For Boys - Elchanite Yearbook (New York, NY)

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ords From Thoughts CSelc-ctionsj By the late Rabbi SIDNEY KRUTMAN C The EIclzanite prints these selections from the poem. by the late Rabbi Krutman, who gradua- ed from T. A. in 1936, as a jJ'I'6'UI6ZU of the forthcom- ing publication of some of his fworkj . Izztroduction A calm, quiet summer evening after a busy day- A cool, fresh breeze casually sweetens the air- The gentle wind has a voice, a wise voice, And summons up universal thoughts. A heart in drunken rap-ture wavers, Poses queries, and attempts replies, And mumbles - - YYords from Thoughts. III Then evening falls with azure mrantled skies,-- The echo sounds again in a voice that cries, Take the night for yours to glean your thoughts,- Is all in vain that lives, Withers, and dies? VIII 'Tis said that living spring from other kind And oceans fill because the rivers wind, Yet who the parents to bear the first in life? -This, at thorn to provoke the clearest mind! XIV Blake the most of your moment swift and fleet, It glides away on slippery, silent feet, The while remembering this, av greater power Than yours to know is never in retreat. XXI Oh, that everything would be just joy And nothing to trouble repose or thoughts -But this is an ore too fine to be so pureg 'Tis yet more tasty seasoned with alloy. annoy! XXI V While there is life you must your heart enthrall To some ideal, some vision of castles tall,- Before ,tis late to even see their base,- And then conceive the irony of it all! 18

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Snupping the Chain of Preiudice BY SIMON DEUTSCH Prejudices, or p-re-judgements, are necessary to our lives for we all must act upon generalizations of our and of other people's past experiences.When we, therefore, approach an exception to a generalization, we will have in our minds a pre-judgement that the experience before us will be the same as those on which we founded our generalization. From this it follows that the usefulness of our prejudice depends on how well-founded it was. Pre-judgements based on little observation make up the first link in the chain of prejudice. Snapp-ing it can best be accomplished by instilling in the individual an instinctive and habitual cast of mind' in which he will not act on unjustifiable generalizations. This cast of mind will first be at- tained in his dealing with his daily occupations, and will perhaps be extend- ed to his dealings with other races, faiths, political 'beliefs and all the other field-s to which nprejudices' is applied' almost exclusively nowadays. The next link in the chain is stronger. If we find that our pre-judge- ment was wrong but refuse to acknowledge this to ourselves or to others we have again sinned. This second link is stronger because, if the first was due to carelessness or bad mental training, the second was usually caused by outside forces. To give a forceful example, most people lzave found out that their prejudice that all Negroes are bad was unfounded. Yet few ac- knowledge their mistake, even to themselves. Thus, while in the first link, the solution is to change the individual, the second link persists in spite of the individual. In the case of the Negroes, he might be afraid of losing his job were he to accept them as equals. He might find himself outcast for openly changing his mind. Often, rejecting one prejudice means rejecting others. In short, snapping the stronger link can be done only by first removing the outside forces which prevents us from acknowledging our mistakes. The problem as stated above is very much over-simplified. No con- crete solution has been offered but whatever its shortcomings, it is my stra- tegic plan for snapping the chain of prejudice. 17

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XXXI From single little men great nations grew. Nations have come and gone hut ever anew Others fill their unquestioned lofty place.- For the Ship of life engages a changing crew. XLVII Like the inconspicuous pine that mostly thrives When winter with its icy paws arrives, And outlives statelier stems,-the modest soul Outwears the sudden glory of emptier lives. LVII Amid the thoughts on life's great enterprise, In vain, in vain! a voice resignedly cries, Repell ng aims and actionsg-but right behind A healthier call, For endless glory! replies. LXVII The Flask may fill itself from falling rain But the warming sun will empty it again: For men who wish the moisture to preserve hzlust veil it with the shade of work of pain. l LXXI I The rose we have plucked from a dying stem Preserves its perfume thoughtwe may condemn Its hueless parent:-so todays light thrills hlay come from yesterday's sore lack of them. LXXVI Be not bewildered at the crossroad maze, But pick for yours one of the many ways, And tread with first unhesitating stepsg- Since having ventured none, the spirit strays. LXXXI I Depart for your daily rounds with hope and cheer And spite each marring melancholy fear: For days are too escaping for regrets: So fill, not blacken the wasting' waninf ve-ir , A , ,, 1 . . XCVII No one that lives can claim a guiltless page: For others, not ourselves, our faults must gauge: So only heading toward the worthy goal, Though interrupted, earns the mcrit's wage. 19