Norwich bulletin., 1920-06-22
DRIVE FOR S5,OO0 TO
 SUPPORT HEBREW INSTITUTE

To the Jewish population of Norwich it is a matter of no little pride that in the many drives of whatever nature, conducted during recent critical years the quota allotted to them has been all ways met and often exceeded. Whether for national purposes such as Liberty loans war savings stamps, Uzlted War Fund, Red Cross and Salvation Army, or for specific Jewish objects such as Jew ish war relief or Palestine Restoration Fund, the Jews of Norwich have contrib uted. and contributed generously in pro- portion to their numbers and means.
 Now for the first time. however, they are inaugurating a drive for purely To- cal object. but cause that has ever been closest to the heart of Jews in all ages-the religious education of the
 young. In every Jewish community, be it ever so small, provision is early made for training the children in their ances- tral faith, in the ancient Hebrew tongue the language of the Bible and the prayer book, and in the literature customs, ob- 1 servances and traditions of their people. l For more than a few years such an ed ucation has been given here at the Nor l wich Hebrew Institute on the West Side, | where systematically prepared curri- 1 culum is carried out under the srpervis- 1 ion of competent teachers who instruct 1 about one hundred children daily after public school hours and on Saturday and 1 Sunday as well. The teaching is done in 1 accordance with the most modern meth ! ods. and the classical Hebrew is the sole medium of expression.
 The classes comprise children ranging 1 from kindergarten age to the boys and ] girls who are pupils at the Academy, and
 who are interesting themselves in the ad-
 vanced study of the Talmud. The aim
 of the school is to make the pupils con
 scious Jews and JeYesses. well informed as to the history, traditions, language and literature of their ancestors and
 proud of their ancient heritage. Ever Jewish music and folk songs are not neglected. In addition to the regular class room instruction, there are organ
 zed and meeting at the institute a mum Der of literary clubs under proper direc tion, one of them conducting all theil proceedings in classic Hebrew. The re
 suits that have been and are being ob
 tained are highly gratifying to the di
 rectors of the institute, among whom arc numbered the leading members of the To
 cal Jewish community.
 While the instruction Is not gratiutous ly given, no child is refused admission by reason of the parents inability to pa! : for tuition. Each family pays in ac
 cordance with their means, and wher, circumstances warrant it, the child il instucted absolutely free of charge. It il obvious that this manner of deriving
 funds for the support of the institut, renders it necessary for the directors tc exercise their best efforts towards meet
 ing the. needed expenses of the schoo rather than towards the direction an,
 maintenance of the actual teaching work [ Accordingly, at a meeting held las week it was decided to conduct a driv for increased membership during tht
 coming four weeks for the purpose of SC curing an annual income of no less thai 5000, so that the directors may thel utilize their energies towards the inter , nal welfare of the school rather than [ the securing of needed finances. For thj
 purpose committee has been orgauizet ) to secure pledges for support from thos not as yet members of the institute a
 we'll as for increased support from pres